Honkai Simulator: Start with Confessing to The Herrscher of Finality

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Xia Chen led Rita to the training grounds.

To Rita's surprise, despite it being break time, numerous Valkyries were actively training there.

She couldn't help but ask, puzzled, "I recall Lady Theresa's educational philosophy has always emphasized treating Valkyries as ordinary individuals, allowing them to enjoy a fulfilling life."

"It should be their leisure time now. Are they training here because of your presence?"

Her guess captured part of the truth.

"I might have had some influence on this."

Xia Chen casually replied, "Who knows? It might just be a momentary surge of motivation. Without discipline and relying solely on self-awareness, it's easy to give up."

Due to his influence recently, Raiden Mei and Kiana began striving harder, inspiring other Valkyries to follow suit.

No one willingly accepts defeat, and the Valkyries were no exception.

As a result, even during their downtime, they continued pushing themselves.

However, that was all it amounted to.

A sudden burst of effort cannot bring lasting value. To maintain consistency, discipline is necessary.

The contradiction lies in Theresa's unwillingness to enforce strict discipline upon them.

"It's not quite like that," Rita shook her head with a smile. "Have you ever considered another force you often overlook - the heart's yearning for beauty?"

"Isn't that just motivational fluff?"

"Motivational fluff... I'll assume that's not meant as praise." Rita sighed, "Xia Chen, I must acknowledge your excellence and rationality. But let me ask you, when you first sparred with Lady Durandal, what prompted you to challenge her?"

"I suppose it was... impulse."

After experiencing numerous simulation scenarios, Xia Chen had somewhat forgotten his mindset during that initial encounter.

Even he couldn't recall it clearly now.

"Hmm, so that's what you thought at the time?" Rita smiled. "But regardless of your feelings, where does this strength truly originate from?"

"Do not underestimate the human will; it is the true power behind Valkyries daring to confront Honkai."

Clearly, Rita did not agree with Xia Chen's perspective.

She never believed that spur-of-the-moment efforts were futile.

Rita chuckled, "I didn't expect you to have such a significant impact on them. Hmm, could this be the power of admiration?"

"It seems necessary to discuss this with Ana." The vice-captain's eyes sparkled mischievously.

Xia Chen forced a smile, "Let's skip the teasing. Although they're young, they aren't naive."

"You do have a point."

Rita's gaze slightly shifted as she noticed someone on the training ground. Fu Hua was silently exercising nearby.

As a key insider of Sirin Project, Rita naturally knew about Fu Hua and understood her current role in conducting data tests for the project.

Instinctively, Rita glanced at Xia Chen.

"To the bishop, this youth represents an unpredictable variable," Otto had told her before her departure.

Rita had another objective: assessing Xia Chen's influence on Sirin Project. Firstly, she needed to determine if there was any special bond between him and K423.

Casually, Rita asked, "By the way, I heard that Lady Cecilia's daughter, Kiana, also attends Saint Freya Academy. Do you know if she is here as well?"

Xia Chen, unsure of Rita's intentions, simply replied, "At this time, Kiana should be attending tutoring sessions."

Apparently, her test scores were consistently failing, causing Mei to become unusually upset on several occasions. Recently, Bronya has been helping Kiana with her studies, hoping for Mei's forgiveness.

"Tutoring?" This caught Rita off guard.

Although she was aware of Sirin Project, she wasn't directly involved. In fact, she hadn't reviewed much of its related documentation. Due to her teacher Ragna's influence, Rita harbored a subtle resentment towards Kiana, naturally leading her to avoid learning more about these matters.

Regardless, considering that Subject K423 of Sirin Project possessed the exceptional lineage of Lady Durandal, it seemed highly unlikely that she would require tutoring.

It's worth noting that despite often appearing absent-minded, Durandal always achieved perfect scores in both theoretical exams and practical combat assessments.

Could it be that Sirin's genes have such a significant impact?

Xia Chen didn't dwell on it and simply said, "The A-rank Valkyrie assessment should be coming up soon. Perhaps she lacks confidence."

Similar to Headquarters, the Far East Branch has stringent assessment requirements. After all, Schicksal is a military organization, so the standards cannot be lowered.

Xia Chen couldn't help but inquire, "By the way, Vice-Captain Rita, I'd like to ask about the process for the S-rank Valkyrie assessment."

"Oh? Already feeling confident?"

"Indeed, at least when it comes to combat, I don't foresee any issues." Xia Chen spoke with unwavering assurance.

Rita once again found herself impressed despite her expectations. Although Xia Chen's exceptional performance on the Memory Battlefield indicated his potential as an S-rank Valkyrie, hearing him express confidence still astonished her.

His progress was astonishingly rapid.

Considering the time elapsed, it had been just half a year.

While perhaps slightly behind Lady Durandal in talent, there wasn't a noticeable gap between them. In fact, due to gender differences, Xia Chen held certain advantages. For instance, the offspring from his lineage would likely inherit and express the Stigmata gene present within him.

From this perspective, purely based on logic, Xia Chen should contribute his sperm.

Of course, it was just a fleeting thought that crossed her mind.

"S-class Valkyries have always been scarce, as you well know. Therefore, Schicksal Headquarters considers actual achievements and battlefield performance more heavily when conferring S-rank titles, without strict criteria. Naturally, one widely accepted belief is being able to defeat an Imperial Rank Honkai Beast alone."

"However, currently there aren't any Imperial Rank Honkai Beasts left for you to face." Rita pondered briefly before continuing, "As such, there isn't a formal process in place for this aspect. Generally, if the Lord Bishop believes you deserve the title, then it's yours."

"Of course, if you lack tangible accomplishments but still wish to claim this rank, you can challenge me or Lady Durandal."

"The rules of Schicksal have always been straightforward. Just remember to spare my pride at that time; after all, being surpassed so quickly by a junior isn't easy to accept," she added with a touch of relatability, akin to an ordinary person.

However, Xia Chen understood that this was merely Rita's habitual facade and social courtesy.

Believing such words from her would likely lead to his own regret.

He paused before responding, "I see. I'll look into it when the time comes."