"Sis Serenade, what... are these?"
"Are these our helpers?"
The towering mechs before them, these products of the future, instilled both awe and fear in the observers.
Entirely composed of metal, its icy surface radiated a chilling aura that sent shivers down the spine—a foreign... steel behemoth of a Titan...
This was the primal fear of the unknown.
"Ah, let me introduce you to... the Valkyrie Terminator, a Titan-class mecha! Of course... here 'Valkyrie' refers to those immature Valkyries." Serenade strode up to the metallic colossus, patting its steel hull with a casual tone as she addressed the group.
"Valkyrie... Terminator?"
Kallen's eyes widened further, her gaze fixed on the towering machine before her...
As far as she knew, Valkyries represented humanity's pinnacle of combat power. Yet this machine bore the title "Valkyrie Terminator"...
Moreover, she herself was a Valkyrie...
What did "immature Valkyries" signify?
B-rank Valkyries? Or perhaps C-rank?
Serenade didn't elaborate on their curiosity. They would witness the Titan's combat capabilities soon enough.
"Let these two mechs give the Valkyries from Schicksal a proper surprise!" Serenade murmured, standing beside the Titans as she gazed northeast.
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"Captain Zofia, we're nearly at the target. We should reach the location shortly. Our operation plan..."
In the jungle northeast of Shinano, less than a few kilometers from Yae Village, a nun holding a device urgently addressed the knight girl Zofia leading the advance.
Though several kilometers might seem distant to ordinary people, it was barely a two- or three-minute journey for Valkyries.
After all, Valkyries were no longer human but super soldiers.
"Operation plan?" The knight girl Zofia turned to look at the nun, a hint of arrogance in her eyes.
"Do you think we need a plan to deal with a Kallen without the Oath of Judah?" Zofia's voice dripped with mockery, her eyes brimming with arrogance.
"But the combat energy signatures detected here over the past few months were S-rank. There's been at least an Emperor-level Honkai reaction here..."
"You're overthinking it. Do you really believe a Kallen without the Oath of Judah could possess such power? No need for any battle plans—just capture her directly."
As she spoke, Zofia turned and continued moving forward...
Watching Captain Zofia's actions, the nun sighed...
Zofia and Kallen's leadership styles were completely different.
Though Kallen's personality might be somewhat naive, she was incredibly cautious and meticulous when carrying out missions.
Even against weak enemies, she never let her guard down...
She would always develop detailed battle plans to ensure mission success.
Zofia walked ahead, her expression equally grim.
A lion doesn't hold back when hunting a rabbit!
How could an experienced veteran like Zofia not understand this principle?
But... Zofia refused to adopt Kallen's methods and habits. During Kallen's years as Valkyrie Corps captain, many of her combat styles had become deeply ingrained in the unit.
Especially after Zofia took over Kallen's position, everything she did was compared to Kallen's standards. Some even went so far as to claim... anything not done in Kallen's traditional way was considered wrong.
How could Zofia tolerate such treatment?
She had no intention of being Kallen's substitute.
Now she was the true captain of the Valkyrie Corps.
After taking only a few steps, the increasingly frustrated Zofia now had only one thought: capture Kallen and bring her back to Schicksal headquarters.
Even if Kallen wouldn't die, she could no longer remain the Valkyrie captain.
"Look out!"
As Zofia's mind raced with wild thoughts, the urgent voice of a nun behind her reached her ears.
An intense sense of danger suddenly washed over Zofia's head. Her face paled as years of combat experience kicked in. She swiftly executed a roll, escaping the spot just in time.
A massive object crashed down where she had stood moments ago, sending shockwaves through the ground that reverberated for seconds.
Zofia stared at the creature - a war beast made of steel, unlike anything she'd ever seen.
If I hadn't dodged, I'd be a meat patty right now!
"What is this thing?" Zofia demanded, her eyes locked on the steel colossus. The holy sword on her back was already in her hand.
"Captain Zofia, are you alright?"
By this time, all the Valkyries from behind had reached Zofia's side. They observed the steel behemoth before them but held back from immediate action.
"It's alright... It seems we've encountered some trouble," Zofia said, equally perplexed. Who could be attacking us?
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"Amazing, you dodged it! Impressive reflexes!"
Just as Zofia was about to approach for inspection, a familiar voice suddenly called out. She immediately looked toward a nearby branch where a figure had appeared—a beautiful young girl.
Perfect features, long silver-white hair...
She wore a crow mask as a decorative accessory and was dressed in dark blue attire.
"It's Kallen..."
The Valkyries gazed at the girl perched on the branch. All present were A-rank Valkyries, many having been trained by Kallen or fought alongside her in the past. Every one of them recognized her.
"Kallen Kaslana..."
Zofia gazed at the girl in the tree, her expression shifting...
She hadn't expected that in coming to find Kallen, Kallen would take the initiative first.
"Kallen Kaslana, sinner against Schicksal and all of Europe, surrender yourself! Perhaps... you might still live. Otherwise..."
Unlike the other stunned Valkyries, Zofia pointed the Holy Relic at the girl before her and issued a solemn warning.
"Oh... And what then?" The girl froze at Zofia's voice...
She'd been mistaken for Kallen, but it didn't matter - she was Kallen in a way...
What caught her attention was the knight girl before her, particularly the Great Sword in her hand. The girl was somewhat surprised!
It was...
"The 7th Holy Relic..."
The 7th Holy Relic was called the Shame of Holy Relics by captains, but it had to be admitted that its appearance was indeed very beautiful, like a sacred sword from the Bible.
That's why Serenade's warehouse contained a 7th Holy Relic that had been fully enhanced. After all, strength was temporary, but beauty lasted a lifetime. If the 7th Holy Relic wasn't suitable now, it could be stored in the warehouse for collection.
Every generation has its version and its god. What if one day the 7th Holy Relic becomes truly formidable?
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