Back at Helios, Ren was still continuing his duty on cleaning and repairing like the usual. Until the red lights and alarms began shouting like maniacs.
[All crews, the ship is being attacked by honkai beasts, please return to your respective rooms. I repeat, please return to your respective rooms]
Even though Ren knows what to do, he went to check on every room to see if no one was staying behind. But the ship was shaking already from the attack despite the shield up.
"What....the fuck is happening?"
Ren quickly went to the laboratory, to see Jessica still on her research table.
"What are you still doing here??"
Ren quickly went to her as he sees Jessica still working on those honkai energy vials.
"Just one more"
"Nope we don't have time!"
Ren tried to get her away but she was so persistent on her work. Genius but stubborn.
"Ahh fuck this."
He went and closed the laboratory on lockdown just like the rest as he sighed in relief. Hoping the honkai doesn't infiltrate the ship itself.
He looked at Jessica who didn't really care about anything else but her research.
"You do realize we might die right?"
"I'll die if I don't do this so I don't care"
She responded.
Ren was amazed and scared by this woman's determination and possibly obsession for her research.
"Do you want to be strong?"
She asked, yet he was silent.
"I can make you strong."
Ren looked at her with hope in his eyes and felt like finally something was giving him the opportunity to get his goal. His original goal in the first palace.
Yet, he answered something else.
"I....am fine the way I am"
He replied yet his voice had a bitter tone.
"You're a bad liar"
Jessica said and continued with her research. Ren on the other hand was still thinking about the choice that he made. Questioning it at some point but he already made peace from it.
-----------------------------
"Hah...hah...hah..hah"
Athena and squad had quickly retreated on another ruined building. The rest were tired from fighting and running. Wounded on the walls, leaning and resting. While the medics were treating them, the scouts came back.
"Captain, honkai beasts at both chariot and templar class have been roaming around the city"
Athena nodded and the scout had began resting. The rest had been eating, drinking and resting.
"Captain, it was weird how the honkai energy from Helios just spiked in a matter of seconds. Are you thinking what I'm thinking as well?"
Athena nodded at her guess.
"That's right, there's a Herrscher hiding. It would be a better guess if it was just a strong honkai beasts but the honkai beasts that have been attacking at us lately are either templar or emperor class."
Susannah who sat beside her and started eating some food rations.
"There are less lower level honkai beasts. So having a big strong honkai beast as a leader is out of the mark."
"Yep so the conclusion is, there's a stronger one in the lead"
The rest who have heard the possiblity of having a Herrscher on this city, were terrified. Herrschers are something S rank valkyries deal with.
They were underpowered at the moment. Even if they call back up, they can only do that in the ship.
"We have to survive and head back."
Athena's first command was set.
"Roger!!!"
-----------------------------
"It's been quiet lately"
Ren said who was just by the corner, sitting.
"Those disgusting beasts must have found this unbreakable baby boring"
Said Jessica who was still experimenting with her super drug.
"Hey help me with this. Come here"
Ren went to her side and looked at the thing she was messing around. It was vials filled with purplish glowing liquid.
"That's gross."
"You're not wrong, this was from a honkai beast"
"Why are you touching something so dangerous?"
"For fun"
This woman is crazy, is what Ren thought from her remark. She was experimenting with human blood and the honkai beast's blood. To see if the outcome would be what she thinks. To give a booster drug of some sorts.
A drug to boost the potent abilities for a valkyrie.
"Does it work on artificial stigmata users?"
"Oh you know about stigmata?"
"Well...I learned—"
Ren was a former captain candidate too.
"It works on artificial but it works very well on natural stigmata users. Especially on natural users because of their superior honkai adaptability"
Ren looked at her with surprise. For this woman who seemed like she only cares about things she sees. Not even caring about her own life being in danger, she wants to bring peace in her own way.
"Thanks for the blood"
"Wha—"
Jessica who manages to get Ren's blood without him noticing was something scary.
Very scary lady.
-----------------------------
Nightfall, Athena and the others had walked towards the building where they parked their vehicles.
"Be close, we don't know if it's safe yet. So be alert"
They continue to march. With long rest, they can go as far as much. The vehicle in sight, the rest of the valkyries began to check the condition of the jeep.
"Perfect condition"
"Tires are still good"
"No gasoline!"
Athena sighed in frustration.
"Alright, the rest of you stay behind and protect this car. Don't go far. Susannah and I will go get some gasoline. Hopefully there's still some in this hell hole."
"Always with you, Captain"
Susannah's cheerfulness is just infectious.
Athena and Susannah head to the south. Looking for a gas station but most of the ones she encountered were just dry.
"This is no good at all"
"It's to be expected, this is an abandoned city"
Suddenly the ground began to shake a bit, Athena and Susannah quickly went to the wall.
A honkai beast appeared again, specifically an emperor class at best.
"I could handle that one"
"It's a trap"
"Eh?"
The honkai beast didn't even move. It's like a statue, standing still and waiting for its prey. It's not one but a pack of them behind. The mastermind is leveling things up.
Athena who saw this, thought about the vials that were given to her by Jessica. It's an opportunity to use it now but she wasn't sure yet.
Rather she was afraid of what may happen. She's a captain after all, her life to end means doom for Helios.
But to survive this, she'll need power, and help from her valkyries.
"Susannah, I need three minutes. Will you buy me time?"
"I understand"
No questions asked, Susannah quickly went to battle. The honkai beast let out a loud roar as Susannah stood in battle. The rest of the pack had appeared so, she went after the smallest and weakest to the templar class.
Athena on the other hand, took out the two vials, she left the other spare in her pocket and quickly injected it on her arm. Red flowing lines began to appear from her arm to her face.
She held her screams as the pain was excruciating.
The blood spilling from her mouth as the honkai corruption began to overwhelm her body, her first natural stigmata had awakened in the process.
"This fucking hurts......!!!"
The pain was done, as long as she had the will to fight. The corruption won't take over.
While the first stigmata had appeared, she failed to regain her second. This only acquired 10% of her potent abilities, temporarily.
The vials were prototypes, they won't make her powerful permanently by any means.
Meaning she has 10 minutes to defeat the emperor class.
In terms of ranking, her abilities reached A rank.
Athena slowly stood up, leaning on the wall for support. She tried to calm down, the pain was slowly reducing. She then punched the wall only to put a hole.
With that result. She smirked.
"I'm gonna fuck you up—"
Susannah, who was in a pinch finally managed to defeat the rest of the pack but the thing was troubling her was the big emperor class.
"This big dummy!"
Susannah said.
"SUSANNAH! GET OUT OF THERE!"
Susannah who was alerted by her Captain's shout quickly backed away from the location, and looked at the bright light on the sky.
Athena who had a fire attribute ability, formed a flaming sword on her hands. A big burning everlasting flame that was once a reflection of a weapon for humanity.
With one strike, Athena hit the beast in the head, ripping the strong shell of the beast. Burning her left arm as she pushes through, screaming with her heart until she kills it.
The light, the fire that she had portrayed soared throughout the sky.
The best had died, the captain had fallen on the ground with an injured arm. Susannah quickly ran to her captain. Quickly aiding her burning arm but it was hot that any amount of treatment was burning it. The honkai energy Athena had was slowly leaving her head and moving to her burnt hand.
Susannah who had carried her captain back, was once again ambushed by two emperor class beasts.
Susannah was tired, Athena was unconscious. Would this be their end?
It wasn't, when a tiny beam of light had shot both of the beast down. As the bodies disappeared, a figure appeared right in front of them.
Susannah, who was on guard looked at this mysterious figure. The figure had a rifle on their shoulder, a cloak covering their body and a hood with a mask.
"Stand down Susannah."
The figure spoke with their hand upfront, stopping at any possible meaningless fight.
"It's just me"
The figure took their hood and mask off, her appearance was familiar with Susannah.
The silver hair and the absurd drill like twin tails.
A ruined left eye and an emotionless expression yet a cute smile to those she cares about.
"Bronya Zaychik, former Herrscher of Reason"
Susannah's eyes light up with hope to see a former comrade of hers, who she thought was dead.
"It's been a while, Susannah"
She said with a smile.
To be continued.