HI3: I Don't Want to Be a Valkyrie

Amidst the pristine blanket of white snow covering Yae Village, the biting cold had driven most villagers indoors. They huddled around fires fueled by bundles of dry firewood, carefully stockpiled before the onset of winter.

"This year, we should be able to survive the winter safely, shouldn't we? With all the food and firewood we've prepared, and look at the orchard in the village—despite such frigid weather, it's still laden with so much fruit. Truly, it must be the blessings of the Godly Beings!"

Inside a humble dwelling, a family sat by the fire, the village couple expressing their gratitude for the auspicious signs of the season.

"Yes... indeed, it must be the blessings of the Godly Beings!"

"Help... help me! A monster is entering the village!"

"For... for the love of God! Don't come any closer... ahhh*!*"

The earth suddenly trembled beneath them, and screams of terror pierced the air from outside.

The color drained from their faces, and they sprang to their feet, rushing over to the window. With utmost caution, they opened it and peered out.

A terrifying creature, three or four meters tall, was rampaging through the village, slaughtering its inhabitants. The villagers' blood stained the pristine snow red, and the coppery scent of gore wafted through the wind and flurries, invading nostrils and sickening all who breathed it in.

This is unbearable...

"What is that thing...?"

"It's a yokai, a horrifying monster..."

"Why would a monster come here?"

"This must be the divine punishment from the fox spirit! Even after so long, the fox spirit's retribution has finally come! We've all sinned; we're all guilty of defiling the sacred shrine. No one in the village will survive this."

"No! No one wants to die, I'm young and I don't have a wife yet, I can't die. Oh wait... wait wait wait, wait a minute... wait a second... Godly Being, go to the shrine quickly, let the Godly Being save us."

The village's turmoil was noticed by everyone. Almost all the villagers opened their windows, then saw the terrifying monster in the village.

All the villagers were scared witless, their faces turning pale.

However, facing such a frightening monster, each villager reacted differently.

Some were so scared they froze, or worse, wet themselves. Others knelt on the ground, praying for forgiveness from the divine being. And then there were those... who thought of the shrine maiden and the divine being, hastily preparing to go to the shrine to seek help.

Apart from the villagers trembling in their rooms, many were still struggling to escape outside, some even right next to the monsters.

These villagers had been out for various reasons, or perhaps just young children playing in the snow.

When the monsters suddenly appeared, there was no time to escape. Even those who managed to flee were quickly overtaken by the creatures.

"Brother! Brother... wahh..."

In front of the monster, a little girl stood frozen in fear. With the creature closing in from behind, she'd forgotten to run, and could only scream for her brother.

The girl and her brother had been building a snowman when they realized they needed something more. The brother had dashed home to fetch it, telling his sister to wait by the snowman.

But instead of the brother, what arrived was a terrifying monster.

"Whimper... Whimper..."

The girl's sobbing attracted the monster, which swiftly approached her. As it towered over the child, its numerous tentacle-like appendages stretched towards her, reflecting the terror in her eyes.

Paralyzed by fear, the girl could only stare dumbly at the reaching tentacles.

Just as they were about to touch the girl, a sudden flash of violet-blue light streaked through the air.

In an instant, all the monster's tentacles were destroyed.

"Zrr..." The monster let out a pained screech and retreated several steps back, its once-pristine tentacles now reduced to tattered remnants.

The creature turned towards the source of the ethereal glow, only to see a barefoot maiden holding a pair of strange, cyan-colored objects.

So... this is what annihilated my precious tentacles.

"A peculiar Honkai Beast..." Kallen retracted her Tranquil Rhapsody, staring at the creature before her. She couldn't discern what creature it had once been before honkai energy transformed it into a monster. It had no distinct features that set it apart.

In this world, Honkiai Beasts weren't limited to those found in the game. The game only featured a handful of types, but here... any animal accidentally exposed to Honkai energy could become a Honkai Beast.

However, apart from those born from the Herrscher energy, these wild Honkai Beasts were exceedingly rare. Most sources of Honkai had been sealed away by various powerful factions.

Only a few escaped notice, accidentally falling into the hands of humans or animals.

Of course... the major factions, including Schicksal itself, used Honkai sources for experiments, so this rule had its exceptions...

"So these are the monsters..." Yae Sakura, standing behind Kallen, gazed intently at the Honkai Beast before her, her hand clasping the hilt of her blade with newfound purpose.

"It's not a monster," Kallen corrected Yae Sakura. "To be precise... it's a Honkai Beast, a creature altered by the corruption of Honkai energy."

In this world, there were no monsters; all so-called monsters were merely Honkai Beasts.

Nor were there any divine beings; they were... perhaps genome warriors or Herrscher?

"Honkai Beast..."

Yae Sakura silently noted this term in her mind.

"Kallen, I want to try out the results of my training for these past few months." Yae Sakura looked at the fearsome Honkai Beast before her. Rather than fear, she felt a surge of excitement.

After learning from Kallen for so long, Yae Sakura sensed her strength was at least a hundred times greater than before. However... she had little practical experience to confirm her own beliefs.

The Honkai Beast before her would serve as an excellent sparring partner.

"No, you're still not ready to face a Honkai Beast. Maybe in a few more years..."

Hearing this, Kallen immediately stopped Yae Sakura. Honkai Beasts were no ordinary creatures. Even though Yae Sakura had become proficient in swordsmanship and gun techniques, it still wasn't enough to face a Honkai Beast.

"But... Kallen, you'll protect me, won't you? I really want to know my current strength." Although she felt a bit willful, Yae Sakura truly wanted to try.

She needed real combat experience! And she believed in Kallen.

"..."

Hearing Yae Sakura's words, Kallen hesitated...

After more than half a year of rigorous training, Yae Sakura indeed needed a real battle.

However, their opponents were actual Honkai Beasts...

To Kallen, they were mere insects, but to Yae Sakura, they were formidable enemies.

Yet, as Yae Sakura said, Kallen could certainly protect her.

"Very well... Be careful," Kallen relented.

"Yes, ma'am!" Yae Sakura responded eagerly.