Fu Hua was angry.
But not even Leo, let alone Fu Hua herself, knew what she was angry about.
Yesterday, when she learned that the young man she couldn't protect had reappeared in this world, she was originally very happy.
If not for the fear that her actions would give the Herrscher Personality an opportunity, leading to unnecessary harm to Leo who wouldn't want to fight her, it would have been Fu Hua herself, not a martial artist from the Taixu Sword School, who went to the coffee shop yesterday.
However, upon seeing Leo being tightly hugged by Wendy, and even nuzzled a couple of times, Fu Hua found her heart in complete turmoil.
I should be happy right now, so why...
—Why am I so angry????
[You have the nerve to ask? Our disciple is about to be snatched away by this little brat Wendy!]
[And you're just standing there doing nothing—watching that little Herrscher seduce our disciple without lifting a finger, what kind of Fu Hua are you!]
No, this has nothing to do with being Fu Hua or not.
Besides, don't try to distract me with this. I will never let you out to hurt Leo again.
[What the f—who was the one who hurt Leo last time, was it me?!]
"Senior Brother?"
Feeling Leo's body gradually stiffen, Wendy, who had been very happy, suddenly seemed to notice something, and the smile on her face slowly disappeared.
Then, she looked into Leo's eyes, and a hint of...
—Wait a minute, where did those tears come from!
"Senior Brother, did my question trouble you?"
I haven't even done anything, why are you crying!
[Isn't it obvious? It's precisely because you didn't do anything that you hurt the poor girl's feelings!]
What the hell?
We've known each other for less than five minutes combined. What could we possibly do in a relationship like this!
[Oh, about that... let's first take a look at the almighty character profile template.]
After hearing this, two character profile templates suddenly popped up in front of Leo.
[Name: Wendy]
[Identity: Former Schicksal A-rank Valkyrie, Current Era's Herrscher of Wind, your Junior Sister.]
[Current Affection: 51...52...53...54...55...]
[Note: Don't doubt it, the number is jumping that fast. It was 45 when you first met.]
As for the second character template, it made Leo feel even more uneasy.
[Name: Fu Hua (Hua)]
[Identity: One of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers of the Previous Era, Shenzhou's Immortal Red Kite, former Schicksal A-rank Valkyrie, your Master, Current Era's Herrscher of Sentience, a high-ranking member of Shenzhou's leadership.]
[Current Affection: 75+30]
[Note: Fun fact, the normal limit for affection is one hundred.]
Putting Wendy aside for a moment, you said the normal limit is one hundred, which means...
[Her affection level has broken the meter.]
No, wait, is my relationship with Fu Hua really that good???
Your numbers are too ridiculous.
[Host, you need to understand one thing.]
[This affection level isn't about how good your relationship is in your eyes, but about her attitude towards you.]
[In Fu Hua's eyes, although she taught you the Edge of Taixu, it is precisely because of that that you had the means to step onto even more dangerous battlefields.]
[A woman who has been deceiving you about her true identity, upon realizing that her actions, originally meant to protect you, have instead accelerated your path to death, the guilt in her heart will naturally become a heavy burden, gradually breaking down her mental defenses.]
What can I say? I really didn't do much of anything.
[You say that, but did you kiss her or not?]
[And at that time, Fu Hua was asleep, but the Herrscher of Sentience, which was already showing signs of awakening, had recorded the event.]
[From the moment the Herrscher of Sentience knew about it, Fu Hua, in turn, found out about it through the Herrscher of Sentience.]
[So—]
Enough, I don't want to hear it.
[Heh heh heh, then the System won't say any more.]
[Just arrived at Mount Taixu, and the System already finds a chaotic love triangle.]
[Host, you truly never disappoint the System.]
If I could, I'd rather disappoint you in this regard a few more times.
"Wendy, I don't know what kind of person you've imagined me to be, but I have to tell you something."
Breaking free from the girl's embrace, Leo looked helplessly at the teary-eyed Wendy and said to her gently.
"I'm not a perfect person. In a broader sense, I'm not even a good person. You don't need to harbor any excessive feelings for me just because I did something in passing."
"But..."
Listening to Leo's baffling words, Wendy, wiping away her tears, said to him with great confusion.
"Everyone at Schicksal HQ thinks you're a good person who fights the Honkai with all you have."
"And you really did save me, because..."
"—That day, you could have killed me."
"About that, I think you shouldn't trust others too much."
Leo crouched down slightly and looked at the girl before him with great seriousness.
"Trusting people you don't know at all isn't always a good thing."
"I think, after everything you've been through, you should understand what I mean by that."
"Wendy."
Seeing Wendy still wanting to pester Leo, Fu Hua, who had finally suppressed her emotions, said to Wendy faintly.
"You should go down the mountain for now. I have some things to discuss with your senior brother."
"I understand."
Hearing Fu Hua's words, Wendy gave Leo a reluctant look but still chose to leap directly off Mount Taixu, using the power of the Herrscher of Wind to float in mid-air and descend.
And now, finally forced to be alone with Fu Hua, Leo looked at the woman with a complex expression and finally uttered the title.
"It's been a long time, Master."
"...Actually, you don't need to address me like that."
Hearing Leo's title for her, Fu Hua shook her head gently, a bitter smile on her face.
"Even without me teaching you the Edge of Taixu and Inch-Heart Fist Style, you would still have achieved what you have today."
"Moreover, after hearing what you said to Wendy, I'm certain of one thing."
"Leo, you were never really affected by the power of Fenghuang Down, were you..."
"—No, it's more than that."
"Perhaps you knew from the very beginning that I was one of Otto's enforcers, and you knew about the things Otto was planning."
I can't hide it.
[Yeah, you can't hide it.]
[After all, Fu Hua is honest, not stupid.]
Right. Before, it was her preconceived notions that led to her and Otto's massive misunderstanding of me.
But now, after I've revealed so many of my cards and taken so many actions, as long as Fu Hua calms down and thinks about the details of our past interactions, it would be easy for her to see through my previous disguise.
And at this moment, seeing that Leo didn't deny it, the bitterness on Fu Hua's face deepened.
"I knew it, my speculation was correct."
"That's why I said you don't have to follow that Herrscher's request and call me Master."
"I was a traitor from the beginning, betraying the expectations of the Headmaster and Major Himeko, infiltrating your side as Otto's spy to prepare for the awakening of the Herrscher of the Void."
"Even though I taught you the Edge of Taixu and Inch-Heart Fist Style in the process, it was merely out of self-satisfaction, a way to alleviate the guilt in my heart."
Facing Fu Hua's self-reproach, Leo naturally moved closer to her.
"Perhaps, all of that is true."
"But, I truly did benefit from Master. It's also a fact that I became stronger because of Master, and was finally able to protect more people."
"You are without a doubt my benefactor and teacher. In my eyes, there is no question about that."
"Benefit?"
"Ha... haha... hahahahaha..."
Hearing Leo's words defending her, Fu Hua suddenly burst out laughing.
But as Leo listened to this laughter, he heard a touch of helplessness, a touch of misery, and eight parts guilt and self-blame.
"What benefit are you talking about?"
"Do you mean that after obtaining the Edge of Taixu and Inch-Heart Fist Style, you could go and risk your life against the Honkai even more recklessly?"
Although the woman before him was smiling, looking at the tragic beauty of her smile, Leo felt no happiness.
Fu Hua might have been smiling on the surface, but from the moment he met her until now, the Fu Hua in Leo's eyes had been constantly 'crying'.
He really didn't understand. He had genuinely gained so much from Fu Hua, yet she showed such unsettling self-condemnation.
[What's so hard to understand? That's just how things are these days.]
[Bad people do evil and then ask 'What did I do wrong?', while good people who don't get things done perfectly not only condemn themselves but also get condemned by others.]
[No matter which dimension, it's always the good people who suffer and the bad people who have a blast. So, the System thinks...]
Are you asking me to abandon my principles and become a monster?
[Yeah, what else? Just look at Otto.]
[He did a ton of monstrous things, yet some people ignore it all and go crazy trying to redeem him.]
[Then look at Welt. He fought to save the world until his body was covered in scars, yet he got chewed out for not managing his subordinates properly.]
I actually think that Old Yang not keeping Cocolia in check wasn't exactly something to be praised.
[Yeah, but that's how it is now. Do evil and you'll be praised to the heavens, but do good and if you're not perfect, you'll be dragged through the mud. Faced with this situation, your choice is obviously—]
Who wants to be a monster with no principles?
Looking at the still self-reproaching Fu Hua, Leo said to the system in annoyance.
I'd rather be someone with principles who worries over nothing than a monster who harms others and feels at ease.
Perhaps the latter can indeed be exhilarating, but my parents' upbringing ensures that I will never choose the path of a monster.
It doesn't matter if Master can't figure out what she's done. I'll help her recognize what she's done.
[Ooh, is it coming? Your signature talk-no-jutsu!]
Is it possible that I'm just planning to tell the truth?
"Master, I came here today hoping to have a good talk with you, but honestly, I'm very disappointed."
Looking at Fu Hua, whose eyes flashed with a hint of astonishment, Leo spoke to her with a grim expression.
"Master is the Immortal Red Kite who protects Shenzhou, a pioneer from the Previous Era who has survived to this day carrying the beliefs of her comrades, and the benefactor who taught me divine arts and found me a divine weapon."
"Why do you feel guilty for all the good things you've done?"
"From the past to the present, you have protected countless people, helped humanity overcome countless beasts, and become one of the most dazzling heroes in this world. Having done so much good, shouldn't you..."
"—Shouldn't you feel proud?"
[That's right, look at what our disciple is saying!]
[Where did I, Fu Hua, go wrong? I did nothing wrong!]
[Sigh, my disciple really cares for his master—Let me out! I want to talk to my disciple!]
Shut up!
After snapping at the struggling consciousness in her body, Fu Hua's gaze towards Leo became even more complicated.
"Leo, perhaps in your eyes, I really am that kind of person."
"But the way everyone sees others is completely different from how they see themselves."
"In the past, I failed to complete the plan left by my comrades, and caused the deaths of the other comrades who traveled with me."
"And since then, as a pioneer, I failed to lead others forward, and could only use the power I received from my comrades to stop the Honkai's evil deeds with the most basic form of violence."
"In the end, I even failed to properly teach and protect my disciples, causing myself and them to face hardships they shouldn't have had to face."
"In your eyes, I am the renowned Immortal Red Kite, but in my own eyes..."
"I have perhaps always been a failure."
[You Herrscher, what are you even talking about!]
[I, Fu Hua, did my best to deal with the Honkai. How could I have predicted that something would go wrong with the Project EMBER they left behind?]
[That's not my fault! And it's not my problem that those seven scoundrels betrayed me!]
[The rule 'those who fall to darkness must be eliminated' was simply about dealing with people who were so severely corrupted by Honkai Energy that they could become zombies at any moment—what was wrong with that rule! What was wrong with our actions!]
[And Lixue—if it wasn't for Otto and his damn schemes, I had already defeated Sirin at that time. Lixue's death is all Otto's fault!]
Yes, what about Leo then?
[My disciple doesn't even think I have a problem, so why should I think I have a problem!]
[You are a Herrscher, a lackey of the Honkai, you are my enemy!]
[The more my enemy opposes me, the more it proves I'm doing the right thing!]
Faced with the Herrscher of Sentience's almost sophistical claims, Fu Hua couldn't be bothered to deal with her anymore.
This conscious entity had a mature set of logic that helped it perfect its self-perception.
No matter what Fu Hua said to her, the Herrscher of Sentience would find a way to twist it around and come to the conclusion, 'You Herrscher are trying to mess with my mind, I am the real Fu Hua.'
Forget it, forget it. I shouldn't waste time on this creature today.
"If failure means not being able to do everything to the extreme, then there are no successful people in this world."
Facing the self-condemning Fu Hua, Leo once again drew closer to her.
Faced with this 'disciple' who kept approaching her, Fu Hua wanted to distance herself from him.
But in the end, despite having this thought, Fu Hua's body inexplicably remained rooted to the spot.
"Master has already done almost everything she can. Under these circumstances—is there any point in self-condemnation?"
"...You really think too highly of me."
Listening to Leo's praise, Fu Hua tried to calm the feelings stirred by her argument with the Herrscher of Sentience while speaking softly to Leo.
"Five hundred years ago, after I was severely injured, I became Otto's ally..."
"No, an ally, but in reality, I could be said to have become his subordinate. He only left me some face by not ordering me around, instead calling me an 'old friend'."
[Hmph, if he wasn't worried that pushing me too far would make me blow up with him, would he have been so nice to us?]
Ignoring the Herrscher of Sentience's words, Fu Hua continued to speak to Leo.
"But no matter what my status was, I did indeed assist Otto."
"After I realized his true intentions, I understood very clearly what a foolish thing I had done in the past."
"You may already know that Otto is not a good person, but you may not know..."
"—He may have never intended to fight the Honkai from the very beginning."
"Towards such a person who allows the Honkai to develop, not only did I not stand up to stop him, but I became his ally, objectively assisting his actions of letting the Honkai develop."
"After knowing about my past with Otto, Leo, do you still think the so-called 'Immortal Red Kite' is a dazzling hero?"
"Yes, I still think Master is a dazzling hero."
After stating his thoughts directly, Leo pointed at Fu Hua, who was suddenly avoiding his gaze, and said word for word.
"Master may have made some mistakes, but after making them, you were able to clearly recognize your errors and try to make amends."
"A person like you is just a flawed hero. You don't need to let yourself fall into endless guilt and regret because of these things."
I can't take it anymore.
I really can't.
Just looking at him, I feel myself growing weak.
[Hey, you feel weak? That's great! Let me out, I want to chat with my disciple!]
[Hey, don't run away!]
Not wanting to face Leo any longer, Fu Hua suddenly prepared to turn and leave.
But at that moment, a crimson barrier enveloped the area where the two of them were.
"Leo, you—"
"Sorry, Master, but I won't let you escape today."
Looking at the stunned Fu Hua, Leo took a step forward and suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Besides, Master has always pushed herself too hard."
"A Master who has been constantly forcing herself to fight must be tired by now."
"What are you doing!"
Feeling a moment of reassurance, Fu Hua suddenly began to struggle frantically in Leo's arms.
"Let go of me!"
"No."
Hugging Fu Hua tightly, Leo could feel that although she wanted to break free from his embrace, she also didn't want to hurt him.
Perhaps because Fu Hua had punched through Leo's body under the influence of the Honkai consciousness and the Herrscher of Sentience, causing her severe PTSD, she was now, despite having almost recovered to her peak strength, easily suppressed by Leo because she was afraid to use her power.
"Are you insane!"
Struggling constantly, Fu Hua snapped at Leo with a cold voice that was more bluster than bite.
"You won't even listen to your master anymore, what are you trying to do!"
"Master Fu Hua, I am a greedy person. Insatiably greedy me, I've never been just a pure Avenger."
Embracing Fu Hua, Leo looked at her incredibly flustered face and said calmly.
"Greedy me, I hope that everyone around me... no, all the good people in this world, can find the happiness they deserve."
"And that includes you, Master."
"You are a dazzling hero, Master, but you have always forced yourself to act without ever considering your own personal feelings."
"Having ignored your personal feelings, you..."
"—How can you obtain the happiness you deserve?"
"My, happiness?"
Hearing Leo's words, Fu Hua paused for a moment.
Then, she began to struggle even more fiercely.
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
"You know exactly what I want to say, Master."
"If Master cannot find happiness, then I will strive to bring you happiness, so..."
Facing the woman before him, Leo suddenly pushed Fu Hua to the ground.
With a sharp impact on her back, Fu Hua was pinned by Leo's intense gaze, at a complete loss for words.
"Master, please forgive your disciple."
"Now, your disciple is preparing to 'betray his master'."
Facing the young man before her, Fu Hua couldn't utter a single word before he sealed her lips with his.
Within the Phantasmagoria, where no one could see...
—Leo and Fu Hua achieved the great harmony of life.
.......
At the foot of Mount Taixu
At the foot of Mount Taixu, Mei, Bronya, and Yuna, who had set out early this morning, looked at the members of the Taixu Sword School blocking their way, a hint of helplessness on all their faces.
"Sir, we really are acquaintances of the Class Rep... of the Immortal."
"We have come today with urgent matters to discuss with the Immortal."
"We don't expect the Immortal to see us, but—could you at least announce our arrival?"
Looking at the Far East girl, Li Pu said to Raiden Mei with great difficulty.
"Miss Raiden Mei, having met you once before, I am of course aware that you were once the Immortal's comrade undercover in Schicksal."
"In fact, it's not just you. Miss Yuna, Miss Zaychik, Lord Leo Ash, and the Immortal are all acquainted. I know all of this."
"Hmm, if you know we are acquainted with the Immortal, then why won't you let us up?"
Looking at the man with a troubled expression, Bronya asked Li Pu calmly.
"Is there some hidden reason?"
A hidden reason... how am I supposed to explain this.
The Immortal's power can spread to the surroundings, directly transmitting commands into our minds.
In other words, if the Immortal wanted to allow these Schicksal members up the mountain, she would have simply said so.
Since she hasn't said anything, it means they are not permitted.
Leo is still on the mountain. What if these people interrupt the meeting between the Immortal and Leo...
Even if the Immortal doesn't get angry, the Sect Master will!
"Ah, make way, make way!"
Wendy, slowly descending from the mountain, saw the three people below and suddenly felt a power that shouldn't be here.
"This power is..."
"—Herrscher power?!"
Upon simultaneously detecting the Herrscher power in each other, both sides immediately prepared for battle.
But after getting a clear look at who had appeared, the two groups, who thought a fight was about to break out, were both stunned.
Looking at the green-haired girl's face, Bronya, who had once seen Leo carry her back to Schicksal HQ, asked Wendy uncertainly.
"You're... Wendy?"
"You lot, you're Schicksal Valkyries—dammit, Otto's lackeys, have you come to capture me?!"
Wendy, who still hadn't figured out the situation, immediately said to the Taixu Sword School members behind her.
"Everyone, fall back! There are two Herrschers here. If a real fight breaks out, you might get caught in the crossfire!"
"I'll hold them off here, you go inform Master!"
"Um, Miss Wendy."
Seeing the tense atmosphere... well, only Wendy was tense, Li Pu, being in the know, walked up to Wendy and whispered to her.
"These ladies are definitely not enemies. After all, according to my investigation, they are all very close to Lord Leo Ash."
"Close to Senior Brother Leo Ash...!!!!!"
The moment she heard this, Wendy's fighting spirit instantly vanished.
But after coming to her senses, not only did her vanished fighting spirit return, it became even more intense than before.
Um, did I, did I say something wrong?
No, they're not exactly allies, but they're guests at least. Miss Wendy, please don't make things so serious!
"You lot... what are you doing at Mount Taixu?"
Looking at the group before her, Wendy, who was already imagining a 300,000-word drama out of jealousy, glared at the three of them.
"Master is busy right now and won't see you."
"The Master you speak of..."
"Is the Senior Fu Hua you know."
Huh?
Huh?
Huh?
Hearing Wendy's words, the group looked at Wendy, then thought back to their previous impression of Fu Hua.
Well, someone as prim and proper as Class Rep would indeed be very suitable for taking on disciples and teaching.
"Well then, if the Immortal is busy today, we will come back another day."
Seeing the three leave so agreeably, Wendy suddenly felt as if she had done something wrong.
Alright, the jealousy in her heart hadn't disappeared.
But being jealous didn't mean Wendy was going to be unreasonable.
Looking at the three Valkyries before her, Wendy felt as if she were seeing her past self.
In the past, Wendy was proud to be a Schicksal Valkyrie, able to save others with her power.
But that day, in Abyssal City, Wendy saw Otto's true face and, in her despair, completed the final step of her Herrscher transformation.
Even though Leo later used brute force to suppress her Herrscher Personality and used the legendary HSN serum that subdued the Herrscher of Thunder to suppress the power in her body, Wendy would never forget the despair she experienced that day.
Knowing the truth, having experienced despair, under these circumstances, even if Wendy knew that most of Schicksal's members were unaware of Otto's true face and were good people trying to save the world, she could no longer take pride in being a Valkyrie.
And now, looking at the Schicksal Valkyries, Wendy felt as if she were seeing her past self.
She detested Otto, but she still had feelings for the organization of Schicksal and the people within it.
If she had the chance, Wendy would definitely want others to jump out of the fire pit, rather than continue to be fooled by Otto like idiots.
And since these people were said to be close to the senior brother she admired, whether it was from the angle of getting to know her senior brother better or from the angle of informing these people of Otto's danger, she felt she had to have a good talk with them.
"Ladies, please wait."
After saying this to the group, Wendy cleared her throat and said to Li Pu beside her.
"Big Brother Li, can you find us a place that is 'absolutely safe'?"
"The topic we're about to discuss..."
"—Is really not suitable for too many people to hear."
.....