Free Web NovelChapter 904: Everyone, It’s Time to Swear Loyalty to the Honkai
"Elysia..."
A chill spread uncontrollably through the air.
His gradually focusing pupils took a while before regaining their light. Colors sharpened into clarity. Little by little, the man’s eyes adjusted to the brightness. The white-haired man called Kevin took a deep breath, then another. "I’m... still alive..." he murmured to himself.
With each breath, blood flowed through his stiff body. As a ’fusion warrior,’ merged with the genes of a Honkai Beast, the remnant super-energy that had once usurped divine authority began to resonate with the surrounding environment, pulsing faintly.
He stepped forward stiffly, taking two rigid strides. "This isn’t an illusion. You... you’re alive?" The strange tacit understanding that had always existed between them compelled him to believe it.
"What do you think?" The pink-haired girl, shy as a blooming flower, smiled sweetly as she looked at him.
"I... I remember dying at the hands of Finality..." Kevin raised his hand, staring at it—there was no trace of Honkai erosion. He recalled that final moment before his death—
The surrounding world had seemed unreal. Countless mottled scenes flashed past like a carousel of memories. Defeated, he had been like a lamb awaiting slaughter, shattered beneath those incomparably cold, incomparably arrogant, incomparably indifferent crimson eyes—until he collapsed and perished, his thoughts ceasing entirely.
"The lord of World Serpent, Kevin Kaslana, sinner and rebel—have no doubt. You have been resurrected. By the Empress’ mercy, and by the efforts of your comrade from ten thousand years ago, you live again."
An official, frigid voice interrupted Kevin’s thoughts.
"You are... Otto’s greatest trump card. Schicksal’s S-rank Valkyrie—Durandal." Following the voice, Kevin looked toward the knightly maiden standing beside Dr. Mobius, who still maintained her posture from before the MANTIS surgery.
"So it’s you. You’re still alive—and you even brought me back. The Elysia before me... is this a backup she left behind in Elysian Realm? Dr. Mobius, have you completed the path of ’Infinity’? Is this the result of your success? Does this mean you’ve temporarily defeated Finality? No... unlikely. The Empress... Finality... you’ve... surrendered to Finality?"
As expected of Kevin—ten thousand years of rigid thought patterns. In the midst of conversation, he had already steered the topic back to the great cause of resisting the Honkai. He paid little attention to his own condition, instead looking toward Mobius, who leaned to the side with a teasing smile, as if she had expected this all along.
"The Honkai is none of your concern. Relic of a bygone era." Tap. Tap. At that moment, Durandal stepped out from behind Mobius. The two exchanged a glance and both shook their heads.
The meaning was clear—they could not let this man speak recklessly.
Defeat the Honkai, defeat the Honkai—overcome Finality?
This was the Imperial Capital! And near the Grand Palace at that—within the palace district! Imperial Guards were everywhere. The Inquisition, the Assassin Hall—intelligence, surveillance, and security agencies clustered densely. There were even the Astartes Honor Guard’s New Gods, not to mention patrolling Custodian units.
And you want to fight the Divine Empress? Why don’t you just fly into the sky while you’re at it?!
Setting aside whether such words constituted high treason, in the eyes of those watchdogs it most certainly did.
The next instant, Durandal moved.
Whoosh! "Mm?!"
Already sensing hostility and on guard, Kevin suddenly realized—he could not keep up at all!
When?!
Durandal’s power...
Thud! A muffled impact sounded from Kevin’s shoulder. The higher-tier authority over Honkai manipulation contained within it instantly stripped him of control over the power in his body. Silence swept through him. He bent at the waist and knees. Even from a distance, one could almost hear his bones creaking under unbearable strain.
"Too weak. Kevin, you’ve fallen behind for far too long. And you are far too weak... As for matters of the Honkai, be a quiet listener. Speak less. Ask less. Don’t move."
Durandal’s slender hand pressed lightly upon Kevin’s shoulder as if it weighed nothing. Her voice, cool and devoid of warmth, entered the ears of everyone present.
Just as the atmosphere of reunion froze and Kevin’s expression grew ever colder and more solemn—
"Oh my, so this is the kind of girl Durandal is—decisive and forceful. Speaking so sternly, yet clearly worrying about us all~"
Warm breath brushed against her ear. Durandal looked at the pink-haired girl who had suddenly leaned close without warning, right hand propping her chin, her figure graceful and alluring, as if even sniffing at her. Durandal’s brows knit together, her gaze flicking toward Mobius.
What is wrong with this woman and her total lack of boundaries?
Mobius sighed. "Elysia—the second leader, as famous as Kevin. As you can see, she’s always like this." She stepped forward to pull her away. "Hey, you pink menace. She’s not familiar with you. Focus on serious business first..."
"Mobius, what are you saying? Where exactly am I fat? After so many years apart, how hurtful." Elysia feigned sadness as she replied, yet her gaze remained on Durandal—gentle and warm, neither distant nor unfamiliar, as if this was how they had always been meant to get along.
"It doesn’t matter if we’re not close yet. We’ll be colleagues from now on. Early or late, it’s all part of the process. Things between pretty girls progress very quickly. After all, a gallant, general-like beauty such as Durandal never existed in Fire Moth. How could I help myself?"
"Tch. I am a general. One of the commanders of the Valkyrie forces, a general of the Imperial Guard. I’ve commanded more people than you’ve probably ever met."
"Wow! Really~"
...
And just as Elysia and Mobius turned the atmosphere oddly delicate—
Step step—
Somewhat noisy footsteps approached.
"Elysia."
"Elysia..."
"Dr. Mobius."
"Tch, it’s you two annoying women."
"Oh my... quite a full house."
"Brother Kevin."
"Long time no see... Kevin. You look quite miserable."
"It seems Kiana succeeded. As expected of the girl I had high hopes for. And Mei, and Rita—they’re all such wonderful girls... A reunion like this truly makes me happy~"
Hearing this, Elysia turned gracefully, hands behind her back, leaning forward slightly with a radiant smile like a blooming flower. Her eyes shimmered like hidden spring water as she gazed sincerely and purely at the old friends who had returned.
And Kevin—
It was as if the frozen shackles around his heart had been torn apart.
Eyes as deep and eternally frozen as ten-thousand-year ice now fixed upon the arrivals, ripples forming within them.
Eden.
Aponia.
Sakura.
Kalpas.
Vill-V.
Kosma.
Su.
If Elysia and Mobius’ revival could be traced, could perhaps be explained—then the rest of them...
Impossible!
Some of them... he had personally laid to rest with his own hands!
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