Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

"Back?"

"Meow."

"Everything go okay?"

"Meow…"

"Hmm?"

Jackal, engrossed in her research, had only asked casually. But the cat's weak meow made her frown. She turned to look at Stan, curled up listlessly on the other end of the lab table, his eyes dull as he met her gaze.

"Why are you so badly injured? Were those two Valkyries that tough?"

She briefly examined his wounds, still raw despite his enhanced healing. Two stood out: a puncture wound on his paw, gruesome but superficial; and a long, deep gash across his belly, far more alarming. If not for his reinforced muscles holding the severed flesh together, his insides would have spilled out – a fatal injury.

"Impossible!" Jackal was furious. "How could my masterpiece be defeated so easily by two mere Valkyries?"

Stan glanced at his enraged owner, then closed his eyes, his tail drooping. Back in familiar territory, he finally felt safe, wanting only to rest.

"Did you underestimate them? Did you fall into a trap?" Still fuming, Jackal roughly removed his collar, examining it more closely. Her anger intensified. "Damn it, the limiter is broken too?!"

The limiter, all its circuits fried, was now just an ordinary collar, a mocking reminder of his failure.

How intense was the fight? she wondered. To force my masterpiece into such a state…

In Jackal's mind, even Schicksal's top S-Rank Valkyries were nothing more than prey for her pet. That's why this setback was so infuriating.

Stan's pathetic state was a personal insult.

It was fortunate Durandal had cleaned him up, hiding the worst of his injuries. Otherwise, Jackal's fury would be unimaginable.

Just two ordinary Valkyries, small fry… How dare they?!

Lacking firsthand information, and with Stan unable to communicate, she could only speculate, quickly reaching a conclusion that seemed to fit the facts.

"It seems that girl transferred from Schicksal HQ is more than she appears."

She concluded that only the natural-born fusion warrior could have inflicted such damage on Stan.

This was the most acceptable explanation. She hadn't lost to Schicksal Valkyries, but to a force of nature, a "miracle."

And this "miracle" was connected to her own beliefs, turning her anger into excitement.

"Alright, let's get you to the medical bay. They have a repair pod there."

Her mood lifted, she gently picked up the half-asleep Stan.

"Later, I'll perform some more… enhancements. And that limiter needs an upgrade."

Stan's ears perked up, his drowsiness fading. If I become stronger, can I get revenge?

Jackal, lost in her own thoughts, missed his subtle reaction.

"Once that's done, you'll bring me that other one. I need to study her."

Stan's defeat had piqued her interest in Yuno. Previously indifferent, she was now intrigued.

Perhaps she can offer some inspiration for my Stigmata Project… she thought excitedly.

Become stronger, defeat that pink-haired, transforming demon, and get revenge! Stan thought, wriggling free from Jackal's grasp and darting towards the medical bay.

"What's gotten into him? He was just half-dead a moment ago…" Jackal was bewildered, watching him disappear. "Just how badly is he injured?"

......

Yae Sakura watched Stan disappear into a building – a prominent university's bioscience research institute – and not reemerge. This must be their lair, she realized.

After a moment's thought, she decided against entering, choosing to return instead.

Lin Wei had only asked her to locate World Serpent's base. Having done so, the rest wasn't her responsibility.

Besides, worried about Lin Wei, she didn't want to waste any time.

She glanced back, memorizing the location, then turned and headed back towards Lin Wei, moving as quickly as possible.

It was near dusk when she returned.

Despite the local police's impressive inefficiency, the Snow Lotus squad had responded swiftly to the Honkai beast sighting, arriving quickly, securing the area, and tending to the stranded tourists – mostly Lin Wei's group of "unconscious" hikers.

"Ugh…" Jell, looking exhausted, emerged from the parking lot, now a makeshift shelter, glancing up at the setting sun.

"Captain." A Valkyrie approached, having just helped calm the frightened tourists and gather information.

"Anything?" Jell asked, composing herself, forcing a reassuring smile.

"Same as you, Captain. Nothing useful. They seem to have suffered memory loss, only remembering the hike itself…" the Valkyrie shook her head, disappointed. "They describe it as if they were in the park one moment, then suddenly in our tents the next. That seems to have scared them more than anything." She gestured towards the tents, chuckling wryly. "A few kind souls have been helping us calm everyone down, though. It could have been worse."

"At least there were no casualties. For civilians, ignorance is bliss. It won't ruin their lives. Just a minor… inconvenience," Jell said dismissively, then opened her comms, addressing her squad. "No one enters the forest without my permission. Even if you find clues, do not engage!" Her tone turned serious. "That creature injured Vice-Captain Anna. Any other Valkyrie would be killed."

"…Yes, ma'am!" The Valkyries, startled by their usually gentle captain's stern tone, quickly acknowledged.

"Captain…" the Valkyrie beside her hesitated, then spoke softly, "Vice-Captain Anna… she'll be alright, won't she? Don't blame yourself."

Anna had been rushed to the hospital. They'd received word she was stable, but still unconscious. The entire squad was worried.

"I shouldn't have suggested that rafting trip…" Jell said, her voice filled with regret. She'd recommended the location; she felt responsible.

"At least Vice-Captain Anna and that Valkyrie from HQ, Yuno, repelled the Honkai beast, didn't they?" The Valkyrie tried to reassure her.

Jell remained silent. She wished she were the one in the hospital.

"Where's Yuno now?" She asked, remembering their guest. She'd asked Yuno to stay out of the investigation. If Anna's friend were injured too, she wouldn't be able to face her.

"…Yuno is at the hospital with another Valkyrie, staying with Anna." The Valkyrie checked her comms, then chuckled wryly. "Hopefully, she's not scaring the other patients…" Yuno's aura was… intense.

"Good. That's good," Jell nodded, then checked the time. "Tell everyone to pack up. We're leaving."

"Now? Shouldn't we investigate further?"

"No. The forest is more dangerous at night. No need to risk any more casualties." Jell smiled. "Instead of searching the forest, we need to secure the city, prevent that creature from entering and causing more damage. And alert the other squads, in case it leaves our jurisdiction."

"Yes, Captain!" The Valkyrie understood. It was the best course of action. She turned to leave.

As she walked away, she heard her captain muttering to herself.

"Since that monster appeared in my territory, injured my squad member, I won't let it get away…"

"I'll find it and kill it, even if I have to tear this forest apart!"

The venom in her voice made the Valkyrie shiver. She quickened her pace.

Captain's kind of scary right now… she thought, hurrying away.

......

From a nearby tent, Lin Wei had been discreetly observing the Valkyries, watching them pack up and leave.

The parking lot was too open; sound didn't carry well. Even with his enhanced hearing, he could only pick up snippets of their conversation.

But he'd heard the part about Anna – stable, but unconscious, her condition serious.

The thought of that cheerful, kind, if slightly reckless, girl lying unconscious in a hospital bed filled him with dread.

"Damn it, at a time like this…"

With the impending Honkai eruption in Manila, Anna, already caught in the crossfire, was now gravely injured…

It was a death sentence!

Lin Wei, having traveled with her and forged a bond, couldn't accept this.

"Damn it… An elite Schicksal squad, and they don't even have their own medical facilities?!" He fumed, then paused, remembering Susannah's squad, sharing a single shower. Anna's Snow Lotus squad was likely no different.

Can't blame the Middle East for water shortages this time…

It's Otto being cheap!

He silently cursed Otto, blaming him for Anna's misfortune.

Just you wait!

He didn't know why he blamed Otto. He just did.

Let Otto come and bite me!

Lost in his thoughts, he caught a familiar scent, delicate and sweet, like cherry blossoms.

"Back?" he asked softly.

Yae Sakura's return freed him from his pretense. He could finally act.

If she'd returned sooner, he might have even approached the Valkyrie captain, instead of eavesdropping. Missed opportunity… he thought regretfully.

"Yes, everything went well," Yae Sakura's voice echoed in his mind. She'd chosen to merge back with him.

She relayed the information she'd gathered, emphasizing the unexpected encounter with Durandal.

"She didn't cause any trouble, did she?" He wanted to avoid unnecessary conflict before he was ready. Of course, if things escalated, he'd adapt.

"No, her appearance seemed… accidental," she said, recounting the events.

"Good. As for 'accidental,' I highly doubt that," Lin Wei scoffed, relieved they hadn't clashed.

"Maybe your encounter was accidental, but her presence here definitely isn't."

"What are you going to do?" Yae Sakura knew he was up to something.

She sensed his growing unease and restlessness.

"One step at a time. First, we pay a visit to some old friends. Hopefully, they won't disappoint."

He'd decided on his next move. Having found World Serpent's base, he wouldn't waste any time. He had to investigate.

If World Serpent was behind the Manila incident, nipping it in the bud was the most efficient strategy.

Millions of innocent lives, the Valkyries, and Anna, lying in a hospital bed, would be unknowingly saved.

He didn't need thanks. He simply wanted to do what felt right.

After that, he would deal with Otto – a personal vendetta stemming from the Key of Erosion, a conflict that, once ignited, would be unstoppable.

But before that…

"Then, we pay a visit to Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie…" he grinned, his teeth flashing.

"After all, I'm the Overseer's personally appointed 'spy'…"

"So, exchanging information with a fellow Schicksal Valkyrie is perfectly normal, wouldn't you say?"