"Zeke, Fu Hua, you two... have gone too far!" Hera repeated these icy words, striding across the cracked earth in her crystalline high heels to face them directly. Strands of her golden hair began emitting a mesmerizing golden glow—the unmistakable sign of highly concentrated Honkai Energy flowing within, remarkably tamed.
In that moment, even Wendy, being a Herrscher herself, felt the weight of pressure bearing down on her.
Fu Hua seemed at a loss for words.
Only Zeke casually yawned, looking lethargic from apparent lack of sleep, and nonchalantly asked, "What do you mean by 'too far'?"
Hera narrowed her eyes, her voice chilling as she responded:
"I have no interest in worldly power. Over these years, aside from necessary caution and self-defense, I've fully cooperated with your plans, letting Schicksal and Anti-Entropy's influence ebb and flow. I even subtly hinted that you could abandon the project involving K423. And how did you respond? First, it was that sly vixen, then Theresa—constantly pushing my limits... Have you forgotten to show me respect!"
"Boom!"
An immense surge of Honkai Energy erupted from Hera's petite frame. The aura of her advanced existence enveloped the surroundings, as radiant golden light illuminated the earth, casting the blonde girl like a divine being descended upon this world, awe-inspiring.
The dark night sky, the brilliant golden glow, and the shattered remnants of countless machines strewn across the ground formed a surreal tableau.
Had one not been directly facing Hera's overwhelming presence amidst this scene, it would indeed have appeared breathtakingly beautiful.
Wendy reacted first.
With a swift movement, she positioned herself in front of Zeke. Her long hair, a mix of jet-black and emerald green, flowed in the wind, eyes deepening into a mysterious shade of jade-green. Despite unleashing Herrscher-level Honkai Energy, she still felt suppressed by Hera's might.
Zeke gently patted Wendy's shoulder, signaling her to relax. Then, turning towards Hera, he asked with keen interest:
"A MANTIS fusion warrior?"
Despite framing it as a question, there was little surprise in her tone.
To the Gray Serpent, consciousness network technology served merely as a mobile database and multi-threaded communication tool. But in the hands of individuals like Otto and Zeke, it represented a breakthrough in computational power, opening up new realms for utilizing conscious entities.
Otto's resources were already unfathomably vast, and with this technological boost plus Zeke's prior expertise—of which he undoubtedly had meticulously copied all relevant experimental data and experience—it was only natural to expect such advancements.
In Zeke's view, Otto creating a MANTIS fusion body was a predictable move, hardly surprising.
"Yes, it is indeed a Fusion Warrior, but that doesn't matter," Hera replied coldly, dismissing the significance of the body.
Zeke nodded and continued, "If you claim caution and self-preservation, then obstructing the spread of Welt's ideology, delaying my efforts to harness the Valkyries' strength, also stems from these concerns?"
"There are many ways to unite the Valkyries, but if only one dominant voice echoes across the world, do you truly believe that's beneficial?" Hera countered, her brows slightly furrowed.
Hera frowned slightly and countered with another question.
Zeke nodded once more in agreement.
"Indeed, relying solely on one path is not ideal, and lack of debate poses the greatest challenge. But you've witnessed the scale of this Honkai event yourself. Perhaps our rapid development triggered its response? With danger imminent, time waits for no one. Now, more than ever, we need a unified voice that can rally all available forces without controversy."
Zeke analyzed the situation with his usual rationality.
Though Hera acknowledged the validity of his argument, there was no trace of warmth or amusement on her face. Her tone turned cold and somewhat impatient as she said:
"I may lift these restrictions, but that's not the main issue here. The problem now is, you owe me an explanation."
"What explanation do I owe you? Yae Sakura is the sword spirit of the Divine Key Jizo Mitama, while Theresa possesses strategic capabilities. From the perspective of civilization's future, I don't believe I need to justify my actions to you."
As Zeke met those confrontational eyes, his expression gradually hardened, radiating a chilling aura.
The atmosphere felt both frozen and like a barrel of gunpowder with a wick nearing its end, ready to explode at any moment.
"That's enough!"
At that moment, Theresa approached them with her Cross, stepping between the two adversaries. Several golden chains shot forth from the Cross and anchored near Hera, dissipating most of the Honkai Energy emanating from her.
"Theresa..."
Hera gazed at the familiar yet distant child before her, and the aura of fury surrounding her gradually dissipated. With reluctance and a hint of helplessness, she slowly ceased channeling energy.
Facing Hera, Theresa deactivated Judah's force field, speaking with a calm yet resolute voice: "Grandpa, this is my own choice."
Previously, Hera's true identity had never been revealed to Theresa. But now, with the mental fog cleared, her mind was exceptionally lucid. Based on past impressions and the current situation, she could confidently ascertain Hera's genuine nature.
"...I only did it for your own good."
"Grandpa, tell me, where is Kiana?"
Both grandfather and granddaughter spoke almost simultaneously.
Hera intended to explain his actions towards Theresa, while Theresa's primary concern lay with Kiana—specifically, the whereabouts of the young lady whose fate remained uncertain.
Both paused and stared at each other without speaking.
After a moment, Hera sighed softly. "She doesn't wish to see you."
"Is she doing well?"
"Yes, quite comfortably. Aside from her lack of freedom, she's lived a good life with a close friend who grew up alongside her."
"...Please take care of her until I find her."
"I will."
"Thank you, Grandpa."
Theresa let out a long breath.
She didn't doubt Otto's words.
It was true that Otto kept many secrets from her, as evidenced by his reluctance to reveal Kiana's whereabouts even now. However, whenever he chose to share information with Theresa, it had always been truthful.
With this mental burden lifted, Theresa's initial reaction toward Otto wasn't hatred but empathy—she understood his predicament. He was still her grandfather; no matter how many wrongs he committed, he was the one who created her, gave her life, and cherished her all these years!
In Theresa's eyes, anyone else might have the right to resent Otto, but she certainly did not.
"Grandpa, what is right must be acknowledged, and what is wrong cannot be ignored. I won't compromise on this."
After a prolonged silence, Theresa left those words behind. With mixed emotions, feeling both evasive and exhausted, she departed from the room.
Hera watched Theresa's departing figure, her expression momentarily wavering.
"Kallen, I know this is cruel, but for Schicksal's cause, for the greater good of humanity... some sacrifices are inevitable."
"I understand. But how can you expect me to turn a blind eye? Otto, right is right and wrong is wrong! If maintaining Schicksal's power requires such methods, then it must be Schicksal that is wrong. I won't compromise; this is my choice... You may leave now; this matter doesn't concern you."
Five hundred years ago, when attempting to steal the sealed Jizo Mitama intended for human experimentation, Kallen had spoken these words to Otto.
"How could I leave? If not for you, concepts like right and wrong, justice itself, would have no meaning..."
Hera whispered softly, her earlier assertiveness completely dissipated. Her dim, disheartened face looked exceptionally sorrowful and fragile.
Once, she saw glimpses of Kallen's spirit in Theresa, leading her to absurdly wonder if perhaps Kallen's soul had partially reincarnated within her.
Maybe it wasn't so absurd; they truly bore striking resemblances.
It was this unwavering refusal to compromise that left Hera utterly helpless.
******
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