HI3: I Don't Want to Be a Valkyrie

"Here you go! There're two more on the table, and I'll get you another if you finish these," the young Sakura said with a joyful grin as she handed Kallen one of her giant rice balls.

Sakura's happiness and satisfaction came from knowing Kallen loved her homemade creations.

"Where's Rin?"

Kallen took a bite of the rice ball, its familiar taste instantly pleasing her palate. Knowing it was crafted by Sakura herself made it taste even better.

"Rin's eaten already; she could barely finish half of one," Sakura sighed.

Clearly, Kallen could easily devour two or three of these at once, while Yae Rin would take days to finish half of one.

"..."

Isn't it perfectly normal to be unable to finish a rice ball this big in one sitting? Kallen thought.

She held up one of the rice balls Yae Sakura had made and took a bite. Then she looked at the little girl in front of her. This younger version of Yae Sakura differed quite a bit from the Valkyrie she was familiar with.

The "little Yae" looked somewhat more cute and charming, while the Valkyrie Yae Sakura was more beautiful.

At this moment in time, Little Yae was wearing a shrine maiden outfit that matched her body size. Her head didn't have long ears swaying back and forth; instead, she wore a white blouse on top. Below, she wasn't wearing the traditional long skirt of a shrine maiden... or long pants.

Instead... she wore a pink plaid skirt that went only to her knees...

A pair of delicate little feet were left exposed.

The skirt looked very similar to modern ones, yet it existed in this era. Moreover, it was completely normal, and no one found it surprising.

In truth, there was nothing truly unexpected in this Honkai World. Fifty thousand years ago, humanity possessed a more advanced and powerful civilization, only to have it destroyed by the Herrscher of Finality.

The current era's human civilization, though spanning merely a few thousand years, has managed to preserve some vestiges from the previous age. Thus, the appearance of objects incongruous with established history is entirely understandable.

"Kallen, is something wrong with me?" Yae Sakura queried hesitantly, noticing Kallen's unyielding stare. She looked down at herself but could find nothing out of the ordinary.

"No, it's just... I can't help but think you're very cute," Kallen replied softly.

"Huh?" The young Yae Sakura was taken aback by Kallen's unexpected remark, her face flushing slightly. Despite Rin, who held a massive position in Yae Sakura's heart as her confirmed 'sister complex', Kallen had quietly begun occupying a small corner of it as well.

Perhaps it happened when she saved her, or maybe it was through her constant encouragement and support over time.

-

By the time Kallen finished devouring Yae Sakura's super-sized rice ball, the rain had ceased its dance in the skies above.

Leaving the shrine behind, Kallen embarked on a journey up the mountain that stood sentinel behind it. The earthy scent of rain-soaked soil wafted through the air, accompanied by a symphony of refreshing fragrances that lifted her spirits to new heights.

As she ventured into a small grove of trees, Kallen's eyes fell upon a massive stone, which she ascended with a single leap. Her preparations were set; it was time to practice... gunkata techniques.

Though she called it gunkata, it wasn't the legendary art of making bullets twist and turn in mid-flight. Rather, it was the unorthodox practice of bashing people with a gun in hand, employing traditional combat maneuvers.

In truth, the damage from firing a bullet paled in comparison to the hail of punches and kicks Kallen could unleash. The monstrous strength she possessed far exceeded the harm a mere bullet could inflict.

Nevertheless, when compared to Kiana's unique gunacrobatics, Kallen's method could indeed be considered a genuine form of gunkata.

Perched atop the colossal boulder, Kallen drew her signature weapon, the Tranquil Rhapsody.

This enigmatic weapon had been custom-designed for the Sixth Serenade. From its attributes to its aesthetic, every aspect harmonized flawlessly with her.

Originally, the Tranquil Rhapsody had been stored in the deepest recesses of Schicksal's research facility, code-named "1504." Its creation date remained a mystery, and it had never been issued to any Valkyrie for use.

Not only that, but there was no record of this pair of pistols' development anywhere in the entire research institute's database. Their existence was like a silent shadow quietly descending upon the night...

Just like a certain mysterious thief...

In addition, Tranquil Rhapsody came with two weapon skills: "Dirge of Totenmond" and "Frost Raven".

These two skills were not active skills, but permanent passive skills.

Firstly, "Dirge of Totenmond" allowed Kallen's every attack to be accompanied by additional ice element damage and extra physical damage.

Then, "Frost Raven" guaranteed that as long as one of the Tranquil Rhapsodies was in Kallen's hand, both her elemental and physical attack power would permanently increase by fifteen percent. At the same time... every thirty seconds, the wielder of the Tranquil Rhapsody would receive a buff.

This buff lasted for five seconds, and during those five seconds, the wielder's total damage output would increase by fifty percent.

Overall, the Tranquil Rhapsody was a weapon suited for prolonged combat, unlike those with high burst damage. Its advantage lay in the fact that its buffs were almost permanent.

At first glance, it might seem inferior to weapons that could suddenly unleash massive amounts of damage. However, if the battle dragged on for a long time, its true power would shine.

Twirling the Tranquil Rhapsody in her hand, Kallen took aim at the tree farthest to the right...

Honkai energy coursed through her body, flowing into the handgun and blending with Valkyrie Kallen's unique affinity for firearm enhancements...

With a squeeze of the trigger, two icy bullets were launched into the air.

The bullets whirled like entwined ice crows, their frozen essence streaking towards their target. Everything in their path froze over in an instant.

As ice crystals arced through the air, everything in their path—massive trees, verdant grass, and unsuspecting animals—transmuted into intricate ice sculptures.

The tree Kallen targeted froze solid the instant the bullet pierced it. Then, in a dramatic finale, the frozen block shattered into countless shards of ice.

"Not bad at all..." Kallen retracted her tranquil rhapsody, her satisfaction evident. The power of frost magic was far more potent than its introductory description had suggested.

Having grasped the essence of the tranquil rhapsody's might, Kallen proceeded to practice the Sixth Serenade's fundamental combat style: la bataille avec une crosse, or "battle with a mace."

Twilight Nocturne, a four-move combination strike, formed the basis of this martial art—the most elementary yet crucial technique.

With each move—first, second, third, fourth...—Kallen's body seemed to split, materializing as two ghostly silhouettes that swiftly moved forward.

The tide without light... the silent sound...