A long time had passed since the appointed hour, and Durandal was growing impatient.
Fortunately, just as Durandal was preparing to leave with her lance to carry out the mission alone, Ryn finally arrived.
With a series of massive sonic booms, a battered and bruised Ryn came tumbling to a stop in front of Durandal.
"Sorry, I'm a bit late. Let me borrow Abyss Flower for a moment..." Ryn staggered to his feet, took Abyss Flower from Durandal's hands, and treated himself.
After the treatment, a fully healed Ryn returned Abyss Flower to Durandal. Durandal took the lance back, noticing that its stored energy hadn't depleted much.
"Can't you heal yourself? Why did you use my Abyss Flower?"
"There are too many people around. Healing instantly would be too shocking. Using Abyss Flower is a good cover."
Durandal nodded and didn't ask any more questions, though she felt that power was one's own and there was no need to hide it.
"Let's go. Ryn, you could leave earlier next time. There's no need for this kind of self-destructive travel."
"It's fine, no big deal."
Ryn smiled and rubbed his lower back.
He had originally planned to take his little purple friend, but he was already so far past the meeting time that he just had Judah toss him out. By rewriting his own gravity, he instantly broke the sound barrier several times over.
Although the supersonic flight nearly melted him, it was worth it to spend a little more time with his two beautiful wives at home.
On the way to the combat aircraft, Durandal explained the mission details to Ryn.
"This mission is to thoroughly clean up Honkai incidents around the world. After this, Overseer Otto said he has a more important task for us. Rita will be providing us with support from behind the scenes. Ryn, prepare for deployment!"
"All over the world, huh? That's quite a big project! I'm suddenly full of motivation."
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Autumn, 2015.
A fierce Honkai Eruption broke out in Dubai, UAE. The violent Honkai instantly paralyzed the entire city, placing over 3 million people in a devastating situation.
To prevent the expansion and impact of the Honkai, the Valkyrie units of Schicksal's West Asia Branch arrived at the battlefield at top speed.
Dubai, above the Burj Al Arab hotel.
Aboard the support aircraft for the Valkyries, Susanna, a B-rank Valkyrie from Schicksal West Asia's Phosphorus Sand Squad, was nervously taking deep breaths.
"What are you doing? What are you afraid of? Can you even call yourself a Schicksal Valkyrie like this! The Honkai battlefield is no place for cowards like you to survive!"
Matila, the captain of the Phosphorus Sand Squad, who had only one eye and one arm left, barked at Susanna, who was crouched in a corner.
"Pull yourself together and remember what I taught you!"
"Yes... Yes! Captain!" Susanna leaped up from the ground in fright, snapping into a military posture and saluting her captain. However, her trembling legs made her look somewhat comical at that moment.
Just then, Sophia, the vice-captain of the Phosphorus Sand Squad, walked over and steadied Susanna.
"Don't worry. You were personally selected by Matila and me. You have to believe in your own strength."
Sophia placed an amulet in Susanna's hand.
"Here, this is a protective charm for you. It will protect you."
"Yes! I will definitely not disappoint you two!" Susanna accepted the amulet emotionally, the encouragement from her two captains instantly filling her with fighting spirit.
At that moment, bad news came through their communicators. The leader of the Honkai Beasts in this eruption had been spotted ahead of the Phosphorus Sand Squad.
"Report! An Imperator-class Honkai Beast has been detected in the Dubai area! It's a new variant, a Sandstorm Imperator!"
An ordinary Imperator-class Honkai Beast would already be a tough fight for the Phosphorus Sand Squad, let alone a variant like the Sandstorm Imperator...
Matila's expression visibly soured, but her eyes were exceptionally firm. As long as it was a Honkai Beast, it was an enemy she had to eliminate.
"Just in time, Honkai Beast. Let me be the one to send you to your grave!" With that, Matila prepared to jump from the deployment hatch to fight the Sandstorm Imperator to the death.
But she was stopped by Sophia, who grabbed her arm, preventing her from taking that step.
"The Imperator-class is very strong. We need to revise our battle plan!"
Matila shook off Sophia's hand and told her resolutely, "No, you just need to follow my lead! I will personally destroy all Honkai Beasts."
Looking at Matila's determined back, Sophia was reminded of the day their former captain died... Matila had been just like this then, determined to annihilate every Honkai Beast. And she herself... had sworn to protect everyone.
"Captain... don't worry. Whether it's Matila or Susanna, I will definitely protect them." Sophia clasped her hands together, offering a final prayer for her squad.
At this moment, Susanna also walked up to Matila and Sophia, her eyes full of fighting spirit, and said with a smile, "Don't worry! The Phosphorus Sand Squad will definitely come back alive!!"
"I've been listening to you guys from up here for a while now. You're raising death flags all over the place!"
Ryn flew down from above the Phosphorus Sand Squad's aircraft and into the cabin, standing before the three of them.
"Although nothing will happen this time, try not to raise so many flags in the future, okay?"
——————————————
On the ground below, the movements of all the Honkai Beasts had become incredibly slow, as if someone had pressed a pause button.
People took advantage of the halt in the Honkai Beasts' attacks to flee frantically. Amidst the fleeing crowd, a resolute young girl was moving against the current.
One punch. All the Honkai Beasts, whether they were Assault-class or Templar-class, Durandal defeated them all with a single punch.
And now, this Sandstorm Imperator before her would also be just one punch...
"Haaah—!"
Durandal pulled her fist back to her waist, briefly charging up before throwing a punch.
The Sandstorm Imperator didn't even have time to scream before it was sent flying along with the shockwave from Durandal's punch.
It not only plowed a long trench in the ground but also smashed a large crater into the nearby Burj Al Arab hotel.
"Rita, the Honkai Beasts in Dubai are dealt with. Where's the next mission?"
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"Phosphorus Sand Squad, the Imperator-class Honkai Beast has been defeated by S-rank Valkyrie Durandal, dispatched from HQ. You may return to base. The rest will be handled by S-rank Valkyrie Ryn and the ground forces."
Inside the aircraft cabin, just as Ryn finished speaking, new information came through everyone's communicators.
"Tsk, I wasn't done talking. Well, see you around. Bye." Ryn waved at Susanna and the others, then jumped out of the cabin.
"Uhh..."
Matila and Sophia were at a loss for words, while Susanna was completely bewildered.
"So... we can return to base now?"
Flying in the air, Ryn pressed down towards Dubai. All the damaged buildings floated up, clearing paths for rescue operations. He used his power of creation to grow plants to stabilize most of the teetering structures and to suspend the victims, keeping them alive.
With that, the Dubai Honkai incident was perfectly resolved. As for the Phosphorus Sand Squad... it seemed this story had little to do with them.
Oh wait, actually, it did. After all, Ryn had taken over Rita's mission and was assigned to protect Susanna.
It was either Ryn or Rita; an S-rank Valkyrie secretly protecting a B-rank Valkyrie. Do you understand the value of Susanna, the wealthy lady who holds the lifeline of Schicksal in her hands?