And at this very moment, what guarded Schicksal's headquarters was a vast army of mechanical soldiers.
---------------------------------
Schicksal and Anti-Entropy.
Two forces, one inextricably linked to the other yet inherently opposed, each fights the Honkai in its own way.
Schicksal commands a vast and powerful army of Valkyries.
Anti-Entropy, in contrast, wields legions of formidable mechs.
Between the two, the difference is not easily discerned.
Valkyries are agile and versatile. Once they reach a certain rank, they can adapt swiftly to the ever-shifting battlefield.
Anti-Entropy's mechs, though expensive to build, are resilient and durable, but compared to the cost of training a Valkyrie, that expense is negligible.
After witnessing the efficiency of Anti-Entropy's mechs against the Honkai, Schicksal began investing heavily in mech technology. The results were remarkable. Every mech produced by Schicksal was a powerhouse, capable of facing several Anti-Entropy mechs at once in single combat.
The drawback, however… was cost.
Because of that cost, and their limited numbers, Schicksal's mechs were far less practical than Valkyries in most Honkai operations.
So the mechs were typically stationed at major bases as guardians, dispatched only in moments of great crisis.
Now, after years of silence, the mech battalions stationed at Schicksal's headquarters were being deployed for their first battle.
…
Outside, on the landing platform of Schicksal HQ.
"Grandfather really brought out every single mech Schicksal has?"
Under the sunlight, Theresa's face tightened as she stared at the glittering army of steel giants.
Schicksal's mechs were expensive, but their combat power was immense. A force like this surpassed many Valkyrie squads in strength.
"Leave this to us. You focus on finding a way inside and bringing Kiana out," Himeko said in a low voice, hefting her massive sword.
Theresa nodded firmly. The priority now was rescuing Kiana, and giving that old man a good punch while they were at it.
Though Himeko's Valkyrie armor allowed her to temporarily rival an S-rank Valkyrie, she was still bound by human limits, and couldn't hold that power indefinitely.
Their plan was clear. No one hesitated.
Durandal led the charge, while Himeko guarded the rear.
Raiden Mei focused on sensing the densest concentration of energy ahead, and surged forward.
A deafening crash.
"Bang!" Fu Hua retracted her fist calmly as the mech before her split apart, collapsing into scrap metal.
"Kevin," she murmured, "let me see what exactly it is you're trying to do."
Amid the chaos of battle, Schicksal's headquarters had never imagined a day would come when it would be invaded by outsiders… or rather, by those who couldn't quite be called outsiders.
Lightning flashed across the battlefield as Mei's blade fell, thunder coursing along its edge. The sight was dazzling.
The mech before her split in two, sparks flying. Mei frowned slightly.
"I can't control these mechs," she muttered.
All around her lay the wreckage of shattered machines, arcs of electricity still dancing across twisted steel.
Ever since awakening as a Herrscher, Mei had immersed herself in the study of electromagnetism.
She might not have mastered every nuance, even fine manipulation was well within her grasp.
Yet her power flowed freely through these mechs without any effect. She could obstruct them, damage them, but not seize control.
Complete reversal of control was impossible.
…
Kevin cast a sidelong glance at the Void Archives.
It was clear the mechs bore its mark.
As a divine key born from the boundless knowledge of the Previous Era, the Void Archives commanded more information than any living mind. With that, and as a key itself, control came naturally.
For the Void Archives, crafting these machines was trivial.
For Mei, a Herrscher though she was, to surpass it in this field would be like challenging the Herrscher of the End herself.
…
Anti-Entropy.
The chaos at Schicksal HQ did not escape their notice.
"According to intercepted data, the Hyperion departed for Schicksal HQ three hours ago. Reports from multiple bases also confirm an abnormal surge in Valkyrie deployments. This is clearly not routine."
Einstein spoke evenly, reading from her notes.
"Wait, isn't the Hyperion Saint Freya's ship? Don't tell me Saint Freya and Schicksal have finally split?" Tesla raised her hand.
It wouldn't be the first time such a rift had happened, after all, they themselves were the most famous example.
Schrödinger, newly returned from the Quantum Sea, shook her head calmly.
"Theresa, as headmistress of Saint Freya, would never truly turn on Otto. At most, Otto would step down and yield the title of Overseer to her."
As she spoke, Schrödinger waved a hand.
The massive screen flickered, displaying Coral Island, now frozen solid in a sheet of glacial ice.
"Recently, we detected a large-scale Honkai eruption on Coral Island. A new Herrscher was confirmed to have emerged, yet we found no trace of Herrscher energy. Instead, we captured footage of several Valkyries, including Saint Freya's Herrschers, battling a white-haired man."
"The result," she continued, "was that even with two S-rank Valkyries and two fully awakened Herrschers combined, they could not defeat him."
Her tone was calm, but the message was anything but.
"You're kidding. All those powerhouses, and they couldn't beat one guy?!"
Tesla shot to her feet, staring wide-eyed at the man on-screen, Kevin, wielding the flaming sword Judgment of Shamash, his presence overwhelming.
She had been recalled precisely because of the Coral Island incident, but to learn that such a force had been crushed by a single person was absurd. Was he even human?
"The leader of World Serpent," Einstein said solemnly. "Real name unknown, origins uncertain, but one thing is clear, he's from the Previous Era."
If Kevin had only bested one or two S-rank Valkyries, Einstein might have dismissed it as superior skill or power. But to dominate so many of Schicksal's elites single-handedly, that was beyond human.
At this point, the question wasn't about his strength. It was about whether he still counted as a person.
With the data they now had, tracing Kevin's background wouldn't be difficult.
"So," Tesla grinned, eyes gleaming, "are we going to sit back, or do something fun? Because I say it's about time Schicksal got what's coming."
Einstein exhaled softly. "Schicksal…"
Welt, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up. "This is our chance. No matter what's happening there, if we seize this opportunity, we can finally balance the scales between Schicksal and us."
The others fell silent, considering his words.
"If this can make Schicksal stop suppressing Anti-Entropy, it might truly be an opportunity," Einstein admitted.
"But how do we get in?" she asked.
Schicksal's Valkyries were stationed across every continent, their bases often directly across from Anti-Entropy's. Any large-scale movement would immediately provoke a response, unless…
"This mission will be mine alone," Welt declared, raising a hand. "No support needed."
Einstein sighed quietly. Typical Welt. Then she raised her hand in disagreement.
"I object. It's too dangerous for you to go alone!" Tesla slammed the table, glaring at him. "Have you forgotten every time you go solo, you end up disappearing for months, or years?!"
Einstein silently watched Tesla vent, fully agreeing with her. Welt's recklessness needed to be curbed.
Schrödinger, meanwhile, remained expressionless. Having studied Anti-Entropy's history since her return, she'd noticed a clear pattern, Anti-Entropy often operated under what she called the 'Leader Offline System'.
In short, Welt's constant vanishing acts.
It wasn't that they didn't trust him, it was that they feared he would go MIA. No one wanted to see the boy they'd watched grow up vanish quietly one sunny afternoon.
After several rounds of Tesla's furious outburst, Einstein finally cleared her throat.
"All right, that's enough, Tesla. What matters now is figuring out what Otto's planning."
She laid out her plan succinctly.
"Theresa is trustworthy. Saint Freya's personnel as well. Even Durandal, given her record, should be reliable. In short, aside from Otto, Schicksal's members can be treated as allies."
They all stood on the same front in humanity's war against the Honkai.
Given recent conditions and Bronya's position at Saint Freya, it wasn't easy to arrange direct contact, but perhaps now was the time to accelerate it.
At their insistence, Welt constructed a remote-controlled mechanical body using his powers, ready to infiltrate.
…
"Otto and Kevin… so that's how it is."
Through the river of gathered imaginary energy, Godzilla watched the figures of Kevin and Otto.
'This thing doesn't look good. That must be the Void Archives,' he muttered, analyzing.
The Void Archives' soulium body gleamed coldly under the flow of power, its nature unmistakable to him.
A divine key forged from a Herrscher core, its brilliance shone like a lone star in the night sky… but beside it now burned a sun.
"Little gray-haired one."
Godzilla's gaze swept the entire scene, taking in the flow of energy, the small figure feeding the current, and the reluctant Herrscher of the Void bound to the ritual behind Otto.
Flicking his tail lightly, he watched in silence.
Entertainment time.
Miss Memokeeper blinked, puzzled. "What are they doing?"
Sakura's expression grew distant as she looked through the spatial divide towards Kevin.
She didn't know exactly what he had endured, but she could guess. They had lost the battle against the Herrscher of the End. And she, considering Rin's state, would likely never live to see that day herself.
Kevin's task now was to carry out the last fragments of their failed dream.
She didn't know much about Dr. Mei's plan, but she knew one thing: it must be unbearably lonely.
"Miss Memokeeper," Sakura asked softly after some thought, "do you know anything about Kevin, the white-haired one?"
Miss Memokeeper tapped her chin. "Hmm, not much. Just that he was a warrior from fifty thousand years ago, still fighting to defeat the Honkai."
"Fifty thousand years…" Sakura's eyes widened slightly.
Fifty thousand years of solitude, that was an eternity beyond comprehension.
And Kevin had lived it alone. It was hard to imagine how he had endured it…
Wait.
"Hua."
From her angle, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure among the mech army. Her eyes lit up.
"I don't know how many of you survived to this age, but… seeing you alive, it's enough."
…
"How strange. I just felt… something."
Fu Hua frowned slightly as a ring of reinforced walls shattered around her, not caring about the repair costs.
Scanning the area, her instincts, honed through centuries of wielding Fenghuang Down, told her clearly: someone was watching.
Someone, somewhere, had fixed their gaze upon her.
She shook her head, setting the thought aside.
By now, the others had cleared the remaining defenses and regrouped.
Fu Hua, Theresa, Sakura, Raiden Mei, and Durandal.
Himeko and Welt stayed behind to hold off reinforcements.
Sensing the flow of energy, Mei's eyes snapped open.
"The Herrscher of the Void's presence, it's inside!"
Without hesitation, Theresa hefted Oath of Judah.
"Go, Oath of Judah!" A thunderous crash echoed as the massive gate shattered open.
"Grandpa, that's how you use Oath of Judah!"
The grand hall beyond was opulent, empty, and silent but for the echo of their steps.
Amid the dim glow of chandeliers stood a lone man, sword in hand, posture unyielding, aura solemn and cold.
"Kevin." Fu Hua's expression hardened as she met his gaze.
Kevin inclined his head slightly. "Hua. Give me a little more time. I promised you I wouldn't let her be harmed."
"I believe you, Kevin," she said softly. "But I don't believe Otto Apocalypse."
No one there did.
Kevin gave no reply, his face unreadable. His eyes drifted to Theresa, more precisely, to Oath of Judah on her back. After a brief pause, he said quietly,
"Oath of Judah… You wield it well."
"Enough talk! Hand over Kiana!" Theresa snapped, clenching her fist.
Kevin slowly shook his head. "In a moment. I will bring her out unharmed. Until then, please, stand down."
"So that's a no, huh?"
Theresa didn't hesitate. As soon as his words fell, Oath of Judah's chains whipped outward, intertwining in midair, sealing the entire chamber.
No path of retreat remained.
Kevin glanced at the glowing barrier and spoke calmly. "Oath of Judah's strength does not lie in direct combat."
"Hmph."
Theresa turned away, saying nothing. She knew that perfectly well. Fu Hua had explained Oath of Judah's properties before they came, its true power was not destruction, but restraint.
As a divine key forged from the Herrscher of Binding's core, Oath of Judah could suppress Honkai energy to an extreme degree. Even Herrschers were crippled within its field.
If the opponent relied on Honkai power, she would gladly trap them and settle things with brute force.
But after what Kevin had shown on Coral Island, power that surpassed even hers, who in their right mind would give him any advantage?