Disclaimer: 1. All characters in this book are adults. Please spare Shenhe. 2. There is no guidance for minors to engage in undesirable behavior. 3. The content of this article is purely fictional; any similarities are coincidental. 4. Dangerous actions within the text are purely fictional; please do not imitate them. 5. This article does not contain any scenes of gore or violence.
(The pace starts to quicken from Chapter 10; the beginning might feel a bit strange.)
(Love triangle and yandere elements appear after St. Freya.)
(I lost to Shenhe in the last book and was forced to start a new one.)
(There will be some Honkai Impact 2nd settings, which will not affect the viewing experience.)
Schicksal Headquarters, floating ship port, third berth.
The colossal steel beast—the "Asgard" class multi-role assault ship—rested quietly at its dedicated dock. Its streamlined hull reflected a cold, hard metallic sheen, and numerous engineers and autonomous robots swarmed over the ship like an ant colony, busy with the final pre-departure checks.
Captain Fu Chen stood on the boarding platform below the bridge, holding the newly issued appointment document, still smelling faintly of ink. His feelings were somewhat complex.
An S-Rank Valkyrie? No, he knew his own rating was A.
But next to Bishop Otto's ornate electronic signature at the end of the document, it was indeed noted: "Interim Captain, enjoys S-Rank authority, directly responsible to the Bishop."
"Tsk, 'strength comparable to an S-Rank Valkyrie'… Bishop Otto really knows how to make trouble for me," Captain Fu Chen muttered, rubbing his slightly throbbing temples.
If this evaluation got out, he didn't know how much unnecessary attention and challenges it would attract. He just wanted to complete his mission well and then go back to his dorm for some sleep.
Even with his Honkai Energy-enhanced body, thirty-six consecutive hours of high-intensity collaborative debugging left him feeling a hint of fatigue.
"The life of a corporate slave…" He sighed, then, resigned, he looked up again, re-examining the behemoth he was about to command. The responsibility was immense, but… it was indeed a bit cool.
"Hey! A'Chen!"
A vibrant voice broke through the clamor of the port, carrying an unmistakable cheerfulness.
Captain Fu Chen didn't need to turn around to know who it was. The only person who could call out to him with such volume in this place, and with a certain innocent charm, was Theresa Apocalypse.
He turned around and, sure enough, saw the petite Principal bounding over, carrying a giant gift box almost half her height. The hem of her white nun's habit swished with her movements.
"Congratulations! Fu Chen, you're the Captain of the Asgard now!"
Theresa ran up to him, trying hard to peer her small head from behind the gift box, her face beaming with undisguised joy, her eyes curved into crescents. "This is one of Schicksal's newest and most advanced warships! Grandma really made a wise decision!"
Captain Fu Chen looked at the huge box and instinctively reached out to help her. "Thank you, Theresa. Is this…?"
"A gift!"
Theresa proudly pushed the box forward. Captain Fu Chen took it, and it sank in his hands—a good fellow, quite heavy. "To celebrate your promotion and raise! Inside is my treasured limited edition Blu-ray set of 'Haxxor Bunny Adventures' and the latest game console!"
Captain Fu Chen's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. Well, it was very much Theresa's style.
He smiled helplessly: "…Thank you, I like it very much." Although his interest in Haxxor Bunny was moderate, he appreciated the sentiment.
After all, he and Theresa had known each other for over ten years. Since he was a greenhorn recruit, this girl, who looked much younger than her actual age, had always been his friend, comrade-in-arms, and even, to some extent… a mischievous friend?
The two had gone on missions together, and together they had stolen desserts from the kitchen—mainly at Theresa's instigation. Their friendship was truly solid.
"Fu Chen! Congratulations!"
Another voice rang out, gentle yet strong.
Captain Fu Chen looked up and saw Siegfried Kaslana, with his arm around Cecilia Schariac's shoulder, walking over with a smile.
Siegfried was as uninhibited as ever, his silver hair slightly disheveled, but his eyes were bright.
Cecilia smiled gently, her eyes filled with sincere blessings.
"Siegfried, Cecilia, you're here too." Captain Fu Chen greeted them with a smile, bumped fists with Siegfried, and nodded to Cecilia.
"How could we miss such a big event?" Siegfried laughed heartily, patting Captain Fu Chen's shoulder with considerable force. "Good lad! You've become a Captain so quickly! And of the Asgard! You'll have to look out for us from now on!"
Cecilia gently tapped her husband's arm, chiding, "Easy, Siegfried." Then, she said softly to Captain Fu Chen, "Congratulations, A'Chen. You deserve this. From now on, this warship and its crew will be entrusted to you."
"It's a lot of pressure," Captain Fu Chen admitted, especially after Bishop Otto's evaluation.
"Don't worry, you'll do fine." Cecilia's encouragement always brought reassurance.
"Oh, that's right!" Theresa suddenly interjected, popping out from behind the giant gift box again, her small hands on her hips, looking at Captain Fu Chen with sparkling eyes, "The weekend after next! Remember to keep your schedule clear!"
"What's up? Another joint exercise?" Captain Fu Chen subconsciously thought of work. After all, Theresa was the Principal and often coordinated training.
"No way!" Theresa puffed out her cheeks. "It's Kiana's birthday! Birthday! Our little Kiana is having a birthday!"
At the mention of their daughter, Siegfried and Cecilia's faces instantly brimmed with doting smiles.
"Yes," Cecilia took over, her voice soft, "Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, that little rascal is a year older. We're planning a small party at home, just familiar friends. A'Chen, you absolutely must come."
"Exactly!" Siegfried put his arm around Captain Fu Chen's neck, with an expression that said, "You dare not come and try," "You watched that girl grow up, and she really likes you! Last time she was still talking about how you promised to teach her aircraft evasion maneuvers!"
Uncle Chen… Hearing that address, Captain Fu Chen's heart softened involuntarily. That little one with pure white hair, big blue eyes, lively like a little angel yet a bit mischievous, he had indeed watched her grow up from infancy.
He had a close relationship with the kaslana family, often joining them for meals, and was frequently used as a "human climbing frame" by little Kiana.
Recalling the little one's bright smile and the way she'd lisp "Uncle Chen," much of the fatigue on Captain Fu Chen's face cleared away, and he nodded without hesitation: "Of course, I'll definitely be there. How could I miss such an important day."
He shook the "heavy" gift Theresa had given him. "Perfect, I also need to think carefully about what gift to get for our little Kiana."
"It's a promise!"
Theresa nodded contentedly, then seemed to remember something, taking a step closer, looking up at Captain Fu Chen with a hint of a playful tone, "That day you also have to play games with me! The newly released co-op mode! No backing out!"
Captain Fu Chen chuckled, instinctively reaching out to pat her head, but remembering it was a public place, he lowered his hand halfway. He simply nodded: "Alright, alright, I'll play with you. As long as you don't fall asleep halfway through again."
"Th-that time was just an accident!" Theresa's face flushed as she retorted loudly, drawing an unreserved laugh from Siegfried.
Cecilia watched the bickering group, covering her mouth with a soft laugh.
She looked at Captain Fu Chen, then at Theresa, who was bouncing around beside her, her attention almost entirely on Captain Fu Chen. A hint of understanding, and a faint, teasing smile, flickered in Cecilia's eyes.
Theresa's feelings for Captain Fu Chen were probably more than just "good friends for over ten years." At least, in Cecilia's opinion, the sparkling look in Theresa's eyes when she looked at Captain Fu Chen was not just a congratulation for a dear friend.
It was just that… Captain Fu Chen, this emotionally dense guy, seemed to have no idea in that regard.
He had always regarded Theresa as one of his most important friends, a comrade-in-arms he could trust his back to, and… a Valkyrie with a girlish personality who needed occasional looking after.
"Heh heh…" Cecilia chuckled softly to herself, without pointing it out.
Let them figure it out on their own.
"Alright, congratulations have been given, and invitations have been sent." Siegfried finally stopped teasing Theresa and said seriously, "We won't delay you from familiarizing yourself with the new ship, Captain Fu Chen. We'll head out now, you're busy."
"Yes, thank you for coming," Captain Fu Chen thanked them sincerely.
"Go get 'em, A'Chen!" Theresa gave a final wave of her small fist, then was gently led away by Cecilia holding her hand. Siegfried also gave him a thumbs-up.
Watching his three friends laugh and walk away, Captain Fu Chen took a deep breath, rolled up the appointment document in his hand, and tapped it against his palm.
Friends, comrades, promises… and people to protect.
These were the meanings of his struggle.
He turned, his gaze once again falling upon the majestic "Asgard," his eyes becoming sharp and focused.
"Alright, the work of 'corporate slave Captain' officially begins now."
He strode towards the bridge entrance, and the boarding platform gate behind him slowly closed, shutting out the outside clamor.