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

Why did Durandal suddenly appear at this time, in this place, and in such an unreasonable way?

Let's rewind time a bit...

Using a special drug to stimulate the Honkai Beast's ferocity, making it more aggressive and threatening—this was a function that Jackal had temporarily added to the inhibitor on Stan's neck before sending it to confront Durandal, just in case.

It was originally intended to be used as a last resort for Stan to fight with all its might when it was at a disadvantage, but due to a series of unexpected events, Jackal was forced to activate it.

"Kill her!"

This was the last command Jackal gave to Stan.

But Jackal probably never imagined that this counterattack and revenge she made in a critical moment would objectively buy more time for Lin Wei.

After all, if Durandal had really been sent to the surface by Stan and entered the battlefield before Otto announced his withdrawal, Lin Wei would have had to abandon the assassination plan. The best outcome would have been to snatch Jackal and retreat safely.

Fortunately, Jackal's "timely intervention" put things back on track—of course, from Lin Wei's perspective...

In addition, Stan's unexpected rampage temporarily hindered Durandal's progress, buying more time for the scheming on the ground—even if this time was measured in seconds, in this crucial moment when the final whistle was about to blow, gaining even one more second was precious!

Underground space.

"Roar!"

After knocking Durandal away, Stan lost its last bit of rationality and began to destroy everything like a maddened beast.

However, compared to ordinary ferocious beasts like bears, tigers, and leopards, Stan's current size and strength made its destructive power incomparable.

The half of the underground passage that Durandal had walked through was almost completely destroyed by it in an instant.

"This guy is not normal now."

Durandal, with her sharp battlefield awareness, quickly realized Stan's abnormality and made a quick decision,

"I have to stop it."

If this continued, not only would Stan's condition worsen, but the entire underground space might be completely destroyed by it.

After making her decision, Durandal began to unleash her full power and quickly rushed towards Stan,

"Little guy, either wake up or go to sleep!"

"Roar!"

As if hearing the sound of Durandal's running, Stan, who had fallen into madness, stopped its original action of turning its back to her and destroying everything in the opposite direction. It suddenly turned around, its two scarlet eyes staring at Durandal like a beast staring at its prey, and suddenly pounced on her!

At this moment, it almost didn't remember her. The force of this leap was so great that it sent countless pieces of rubble flying, like raindrops, towards Durandal!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Durandal calmly and leisurely moved through the gaps, or swung her fists, casually smashing the rocks she couldn't dodge, easily neutralizing this wave of attacks.

Then she raised her head slightly, because Stan had already pounced.

"Has anyone ever taught you not to jump so high when attacking an opponent?"

Durandal frowned, criticizing sternly like an instructor critiquing a clumsy student,

"You're wide open, full of flaws!"

As if to prove her point, Durandal easily dodged the giant claw on the left with a slight sidestep, and before the giant claw on the right could reach her, she suddenly turned and delivered a lightning-fast roundhouse kick, hitting Stan's huge cat head, sending it back where it came from.

"Crash crash..."

In an instant, the huge cat-shaped Honkai Beast was almost completely buried by the collapsing soil and rocks.

"Pathetic. Did the master who made you like this not teach you how to fight properly?"

Durandal continued to criticize sternly, while constantly chasing after it.

Hurry up and finish this quickly!

"Roar!"

Stan had just struggled out of the pile of dirt, and before it could catch its breath, it was hit by another punch and buried even deeper, almost fainting.

Durandal grabbed its thick hind paw and forcefully pulled it out of the rubble.

At this moment, Stan, after being hit hard by a kick and a punch, had not only lost its rationality, but also almost lost consciousness...

"Hmm? Why isn't it changing back?"

Looking at the cat-shaped giant beast, which wasn't sleeping peacefully, Durandal couldn't help but frown.

According to Lord Otto, the cat-shaped Honkai Beast had once attacked him, and when she encountered it, it was just an ordinary kitten, which meant that this transformation was reversible.

"There must be a way."

Durandal thought, carefully examining its entire body. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she noticed the huge collar around the cat-shaped Honkai Beast's neck, flashing with red lights.

She had seen this collar before. Stan had always worn it. The fact that it could grow along with its body after transforming into a giant beast meant there must be something wrong with it!

With this in mind, Durandal jumped up, landed beside the huge cat head, grabbed both sides of the collar, and forcefully broke it and pulled it off.

"It shouldn't hurt, right?"

Durandal, who had just mercilessly beaten Stan, was now worried about whether her action of removing the collar would hurt it.

Really, one thing at a time!

"Meow..."

The moment the collar was removed, Stan let out a whimper, and then its huge body rapidly shrank, like a deflating balloon, quickly returning to the familiar form of a kitten, lying weakly among the rubble, curled up like a furball.

"..."

Durandal looked, frowned, looked again, and frowned again.

"Would any despicable person teach such a cute creature to fight?"

In an instant, the cat-lover gene awakened, and Durandal's heart was filled with compassion. She instantly decided to beat up her past self from a minute ago.

Durandal bent down, gently scooped Stan into her hands, and held it in her arms. While gently stroking it, she carefully checked its breathing and injuries.

"Meow..."

After the collar was removed, Stan gradually regained consciousness and felt the familiar gentle touch.

It couldn't help but open its eyes slightly, saw Durandal's face, licked her palm with some effort, and then fell back asleep, half of its tongue sticking out, making it look even cuter.

"..."

Durandal chuckled and said domineeringly,

"Since your master is my enemy, I won't be polite. This little guy is mine now!"

With that, Durandal held it gently with one hand, satisfied, and strode into the unobstructed depths of the passage.

Even with the unexpected delay, she hadn't forgotten her original purpose for this trip.

Turning on the life detector, Durandal frowned. Apart from herself, there was only one life sign here.

Could it be He Kun?

Durandal hurried in that direction, but in a cramped laboratory, on a table that clearly looked like an operating table, she saw a girl whose body was mostly covered in metal. The heavy armor on her chest was slightly rising and falling, indicating that she was still alive.

"Is this another victim who has just been modified?"

Durandal thought silently.

Then, she went out and carefully searched all the rooms, but couldn't find any other living person.

"..."

Durandal was silent for a moment. She knew what this meant.

"Damn it, if only I had been faster..."

Durandal felt a little self-reproachful. Then she returned to the laboratory where the girl was, gently held her in her arms, and prepared to take her away.

She was still alive, perhaps there was still hope. Durandal thought.

This location was obtained at the cost of He Kun's life. So, saving the only victim here was probably the only thing she could do for that respectable gentleman she had met not long ago.

"Beep beep beep..."

Just then, Durandal's communicator rang.

Her eyes narrowed sharply, and all distracting thoughts instantly disappeared.

She opened the communicator, only to find that it was a location message sent by Lord Otto. For a moment, she even felt a little regretful.

Then, this trace of regret turned into surging motivation.

"If I'm not fast enough, then I'll become faster!"

Durandal steeled herself, clenched her fists, and slammed them together, instantly summoning the unstable Dea Anchora.

"Even if it's only for two or three minutes, it's enough!"

Durandal thought, raising her hand to condense a brilliant "Stygian Phantasm" spear, aiming it in the direction of the location, and kicking it away with all her might!

"Boom!"

The phantasm, carrying a surge of energy, blasted open a passage!

"Hmph, is there anything faster than a straight line?"

Durandal freed one arm, cradling the unconscious girl in her arm and gently holding the soft kitten in her palm. Then, she rushed into the "passage" she had forcefully blasted open, using her only free arm to condense surging starlight flames and constantly striking the endless earth in front of her!

In this way, Durandal used brute force to carve a path through the hard rock underground at the fastest speed, quickly reaching the location of the coordinates.

But here, apart from the "passage" behind her that was already beginning to collapse, there was still nothing.

"If it's not underground, then it's on the surface!"

Durandal's thinking was still so straightforward. As soon as she made up her mind, she didn't hesitate at all, unleashing the full power of Dea Anchora. The golden, raging flames engulfed her entire body, protecting the fragile person and cat in her hands, and she leaped up, piercing through the surface and soaring into the sky!

In this way, Durandal almost single-handedly created a strong local earthquake, and then, like a deity descending from heaven, charged towards the bewildered Jackal!

This became the biggest unexpected event when Lin Wei was about to reap the rewards of the entire battlefield.

But, it was ultimately too late.

The moment Otto officially withdrew, everything was already settled!

Lin Wei, who quickly reacted, also made a timely response and flipped over his last trump card.

Yae Sakura appeared like a ghost in front of Jackal, blocking Durandal's sure-hit strike!

The brief but intense collision between the two created a fierce storm, slightly lifting Yae Sakura's hood, revealing a strand of cherry-blossom-colored long hair and half of her pretty face.

These wouldn't have attracted Durandal's attention, but when she saw those calm, yet seemingly hiding undercurrents, blue eyes, she couldn't help but be stunned—this gaze was somewhat familiar, where had she seen it before?

Distraction was only for a moment, but Durandal's second attack was not affected, without the slightest hesitation.

Yae Sakura took a deep look at her, and before the second strike arrived, quickly retreated to Jackal's side, held the demonic blade with both hands, took a deep breath, aimed at an empty space with eyes like lightning, and slashed heavily!

Fifty thousand years ago, a Fusion Warrior named "Sakura" created a nameless sword technique that could unleash two slashes in an instant.

The first slash, to freeze time and space. Immediately followed by a sharper second slash, to shatter the frozen time and space!

Then, one could briefly leap out of this time and space, walk in the gap between time and space, and then return to this time and space at the most suitable space and time.

Achieving an effect similar to frame skipping or frame jumping.

To repay Lin Wei's kindness and to make up for her sister's debt to Yae Sakura, Elysian Realm Sakura taught her everything she had learned, including this ultimate slash that she had not named!

However, although Yae Sakura and she were similar in appearance and voice, their personalities and temperaments were vastly different:

Elysian Realm Sakura, her blood had already gradually turned cold. But Yae Sakura, her heart was always as fiery as fire.

Therefore, no matter how skilled she was, Yae Sakura could never unleash that slash that froze time and space, let alone the second slash.

But Yae Sakura was unwilling to give up, and Lin Wei was naturally willing to support her continued research.

Later, after a period of research, using the power of the Second Divine Key, Yae Sakura was finally able to use this trick to unleash a slash that could achieve a similar effect.

So, the first trial was in the ruins of Nagazora City, helping Lin Wei easily escape Gray Serpent's trap and successfully evade Durandal and the entire Schicksal intelligence system's investigation.

And this was also the reason why Lin Wei could still be patient and wait for the best opportunity in this crucial moment when every second counted—as a key trump card, it could ensure that even if he failed, he could retreat safely.

It was this confidence that allowed Lin Wei to maximize his gains!

And now, it was time to reveal the trump card. Suddenly, she realized that the second unsheathing of this slash was also against Durandal.

It has to be said, this is a very subtle kind of fate...

In Durandal's eyes, this slash, with its restrained aura, was aimed at something nonsensical. But when this slash was truly unleashed, her expression changed drastically.

In just an instant, the two people in front of her had completely disappeared into thin air!

"What happened?"

Durandal was fully alert and vigilant, but still couldn't prevent it.

This problem was seriously beyond her scope.

Kevin couldn't solve it 50,000 years ago, and Durandal couldn't solve it 50,000 years later.

When she suddenly realized it, even Lin Wei, who was far away, had disappeared without a trace.

Durandal frowned, fully opening her senses, carefully searching for any clues, but still found nothing.

"...Is it the Second Divine Key?"

For a moment, Durandal could only think of this possibility.

"Beep beep beep..."

A moment later, Durandal's communicator rang again. It was Otto himself calling.

"Lord Overseer?"

Durandal was a little surprised. This was the first video communication Otto had sent her in a while, making her feel a little unaccustomed.

"Cough... I've already returned to Schicksal Headquarters."

Otto, who had "successfully revived," brushed it off a little embarrassedly, and then got straight to the point,

"Did you catch the person from World Serpent?"

"I'm sorry, Lord Overseer, they escaped."

Durandal didn't shirk responsibility, directly admitted her mistake, and then briefly explained what happened, finally concluding,

"That's it. They should have used the Second Divine Key, successfully escaping with the power of space. I was careless and let the target escape, causing the mission to fail. The responsibility is mine. Please punish me, Lord Overseer."

"Ah, is that so?"

When Otto heard this information, he sighed with some disappointment. After all, he had unexpectedly screwed up and was hoping that Durandal would turn the tide. Now it seemed that he had been thinking too much.

Those guys from World Serpent were truly not to be underestimated!

In an instant, Otto's vigilance towards that organization was raised another level.

This thought only flashed through Otto's mind for a moment. He quickly put away those emotions and smiled comfortingly,

"You've done your best, so don't blame yourself, Durandal. After all, none of us know how the Second Divine Key works or what kind of power it has. It's inevitable that those guys took advantage of the situation."

"Yes, Lord Overseer."

Durandal nodded. The matter had already happened, and she wouldn't blame herself for something that couldn't be undone,

"What should we do next?"

"Since the operation has failed, you don't need to stay there. Come back, Durandal."

Otto said calmly,

"We didn't gain nothing this time. At least we know for sure that the Second Divine Key is in the hands of that World Serpent."

Speaking of this, he suddenly smiled grimly,

"In that case, we'll just have to find a way to dig it out!"

"...Yes, Lord Overseer."

After a brief communication, Durandal hung up.

"Sigh..."

She looked around at the messy pit one last time, sighed, and then walked to Stan and the cyborg girl, gently picked them up, spread her wings, emitting a blue stream of light, and slowly flew up, preparing to leave.

"Beep beep beep..."

The life detector suddenly made a crisp sound, detecting a faint life sign not far away.

"Hmm?"

Durandal was stunned. Is it Mr. He Kun?

He's still alive?

With this thought, Durandal quickly went to that location. Under a pile of rubble, she dug out a seriously injured girl, barely breathing.

Her short, light blue hair was soaked with blood, her body was covered in cuts and bruises, and she had almost lost all her blood.

But the Schicksal logo on her clothes was still clearly visible,

"Is she a Valkyrie who participated in the operation here?"

Durandal didn't know the details of Otto's operation, so she just made a guess.

Although it was a pity that she couldn't find He Kun, finding a Valkyrie who was still alive was also a great thing.

Opening the quantum transmission system, Durandal summoned the Divine Key she rarely used—Abyss Flowers.

Since they were comrades, how could she stand by and watch her die?

Durandal held the handle of the spear with both hands, holding the holy knight's spear upside down, and chanted softly,

"I am the black from the abyss, I am the white descending from the clouds..."

Abyss Flowers, Zeroth Rated Power, [Heilige Lanze Welwitschia], activated!

"Ugh..."

In just a moment, as if time was flowing backward, Jell's wounds quickly healed visibly, the broken bones mended, the almost dried blood flowed again, and the almost silent heart beat vigorously again.

She opened her eyes and immediately saw Durandal, standing beside her, holding the holy spear.

"It's... Lady Durandal!"

Jell sat up abruptly, grabbed her hand, and said excitedly,

"Are you here to support us?"

Durandal nodded, not minding that her hands were covered in blood and dirt.

"That's great!"

Jell was excited,

"Please go save Yuno quickly, she's still..."

Her words suddenly choked. She remembered everything, remembered the moment before she was knocked unconscious by the shock wave, the young girl being submerged by the energy torrent she had summoned.

"...It's too late."

Jell said dejectedly.

Yuno? Durandal was a little strange, how could she be here?

After thinking for a moment, she took out her communicator and dialed Alvitr's number.

"Ah, Captain! Long time no see!"

Alvitr, who was still in low spirits, forced a smile and greeted Durandal.

"Yes, long time no see."

Durandal nodded and asked directly,

"Where is Yuno now?"

"Yuno? Of course she's at headquarters. Who would dare to let her out!"

Alvitr complained,

"Captain, you don't know, our maintenance budget has been exceeded again this month... even though it's already been doubled!"

"Is that so? That's good. Leave the budget issue to Lord Overseer."

Durandal breathed a sigh of relief and said to Jell,

"Yuno has already returned to headquarters. Don't worry, she's fine."

"Is that so? That's great..."

Jell breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is that... Senior Jell?"

Alvitr on the other side of the communicator heard another familiar voice and was so excited that she almost cried,

"That's great, you're okay! That's really great!"

"Uh, sorry, Alvitr, I made you worry."

Jell smiled apologetically, and then asked Durandal seriously,

"Lady Durandal appearing here means that things have ended successfully, right?"

For some reason, seeing Durandal appear, her heart was at ease.

It seemed that most of Schicksal's Valkyries had this problem—no matter what great changes happened, as long as Durandal arrived, the world would be at peace.

"Yes, although there were some unexpected events, generally speaking, it's over."

Durandal nodded gently and said,

"I just treated your injuries slightly. Although it shouldn't affect your normal activities, it's best to rest. Do you need me to send you back to your base?"

"No need, thank you, Lady Durandal!"

Jell felt her body, feeling healthy enough to punch a cow to death, and waved her hands repeatedly,

"You have more important things to do, you shouldn't waste your time on these trivial matters. I can go back by myself."

"Is that so? Then I'll take my leave."

Durandal nodded, put away the Abyss Flowers, picked up the cyborg girl and Stan again,

"I found this person and cat in the enemy's base. I'll take them back to headquarters. I'll report this to Lord Overseer."

After all, they were working together, and Durandal felt it necessary to explain briefly.

Jell naturally had no objections, and the two parted ways.

"Woo... I hope my motorcycle is safe and sound..."

After watching Durandal become a small dot in the sky, Jell couldn't help but wail.

This world is so wonderful.

Just as one scene ended, another began. Lin Wei's interrogation of Jackal was still in full swing...