After the tremors subsided, Wendy stood in front of the fallen girl whose chest had a hollow, and she swayed for a moment before collapsing backward.
"Ugh!"
The blood she spat out was a mixture of airborne toxins, vine poison, and the deadly toxin of the pseudo-Herrscher's blood—three layers of poison combined.
"Cough... Icarus... is there any medicine?"
Lying on the ground and looking up at the darkened sky, Wendy's vision blurred.
She hadn't expected that just a few minutes of brief combat would allow the invading toxins to overcome the robust body of an S-rank Valkyrie.
It was a mistake, but one she had to make.
This pseudo-Herrscher was too troublesome.
If it had evolved into a full Herrscher, who knows if it would have unleashed a lethal toxin that could cover the entire city or even a larger area?
Too many people would suffer then—including the missing Seele, Rozaliya, and Liliya, who would likely be in danger as well.
Oh, Seele might fare a little better; the black armor could achieve internal circulation, so she might escape this calamity.
In short, Wendy was severely injured, but she felt it was worth it.
"Notification: Toxin analysis is still ongoing. No specific antidote has been found. A general antidote has been administered, but its effectiveness is uncertain."
"Th-that's fine, get us out of here. In my current state, it's not safe to stay—ugh!!"
Wendy couldn't help but let out a cry of pain.
Dark green Honkai energy corrosion patterns began spreading across her body.
The surrounding Honkai energy intensity was too high, and Wendy's condition had deteriorated to the point where her resistance was no longer enough to fend off the encroaching Honkai energy.
"Injecting Honkai energy suppressant now. Additionally, reinforcements from nearby units have been notified. Please hold on, Commander Wendy!"
There was a hint of urgency in Icarus's voice.
Though fundamentally still a cold algorithmic program, her level of intelligence had reached a point where she could express some basic emotions.
"Wait... have you found Seele and the others?"
"Not yet."
"What's wrong with you!? It's been so long, how hard can it be to find them!?"
Veins bulged on Wendy's forehead, though it was hard to say if it was from pain, anger, or anxiety.
Icarus attempted to soothe her:
"Commander Wendy, no abnormal signals have been detected from the black armor. Therefore, it can be assumed that the black armor is still functioning under the subroutine's control, meaning Miss Seele and the others are likely unharmed. The reason for their disappearance is likely external interference. The Lord Commander is already on the way and should be..."
Zzz... zzz... zzz!
"Danger warning! Danger warning! Herrscher reaction detected! Herrscher reaction detected!"
"What!? At a time like this!?"
Wendy forced herself to stand, coughing up a mouthful of abnormal black-red blood, which stained her chin and tattered clothes, making her look particularly disheveled and frightening.
"Commander Wendy, an evacuation procedure has been arranged for you. Please remain calm and try not to get agitated."
"A Herrscher appearing in a place like this, at a time like this, will directly affect Seele and the others! Where is my black armor!?"
"The black armor has arrived. Would you like to equip it?"
"Hurry up and give it to me!"
A dark shadow descended from the sky, enveloping Wendy's body and instantly transforming into a black tight-fitting armor.
The moment she donned the black armor, the surrounding Honkai energy influence dropped to a minimum, allowing Wendy's body to stabilize.
She quickly seized the opportunity, regulated her breathing for a few seconds, suppressed the toxins, and then charged straight toward the direction where she sensed the intense malice.
"Commander Wendy, your physical condition is dire. Immediate evacuation is advised, immediate evacuation is advised!"
Several worker drones followed Wendy, relaying Icarus's warnings.
But Wendy didn't look back, replying:
"I'm the only one who can hold the line! Request reinforcements from headquarters, from Sigurd! The situation is out of control, and we can't let this country fall!"
"…Understood, Commander. I've called for reinforcements as much as possible. I wish you a safe return."
"Thanks, I'll do my best."
This time, Wendy didn't limit the scope of support.
Facing a Herrscher, sacrifice was inevitable, and no one could escape it.
If anyone could play a role in delaying the battle, even if it meant dying as cannon fodder, it was an honorable death for a warrior.
Wendy accelerated again, completely leaving the slower worker drones behind.
Her determined yet petite figure disappeared into the distance.
...
When Wendy arrived at the source of the ominous aura, she found herself in the middle of a ruined city covered in glaciers.
In the center, she saw Ana, the Valkyrie she had encountered before, kneeling in the snow, holding a Valkyrie who had already lost all signs of life.
The atmosphere was silent, oppressive, and cold.
'That's… her teammate, isn't it?'
Underneath the black armor, Wendy's eyes revealed a trace of sorrow.
She took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, and then removed her helmet, slowly approaching.
"Ana… Miss Ana, are… are you alright?"
"I… I killed them…"
"Sacrifice is inevitable on the battlefield. They died with honor. Fighting alongside you to the end, they surely have no regrets… Please, be strong!"
"If… if only I were stronger… if only I were more decisive… my… my… ah… ah!!!"
A sudden burst of Honkai energy exploded, pushing Wendy back several meters before she collapsed to the ground.
"Miss Ana! Please calm down! If this continues, you'll lose control!"
The excellent qualifications of the Schariac bloodline, coupled with extreme grief and the terrifying Honkai energy gathering around her like rivers flowing into the sea—Wendy had already confirmed that the ominous feeling she had sensed earlier was coming from Ana Schariac.
She was already a Herrscher!
But she might still be in a confused state, not yet fully controlled by the Honkai.
This meant there might still be a chance to save her.
If this were the previous era, no one would think this state could be reversed.
But in this era, with examples like Welt, Raiden Mei, and even herself, Wendy believed there was still hope.
"Miss Ana, think about why you fight, about your teammates and everyone you love. They wouldn't want you to become like this! Please, calm down, don't give up your beliefs!"
"It's… it's already… too late for me…"
Ana stiffly raised her head.
The girl in her arms, now frozen by the sudden cold, shattered in her embrace.
"Cynthia! My Cynthia! No!!!"
This scene likely shattered the last of her fragile mental defenses.
Ana tightened her arms, but there was nothing left to hold.
She then threw her head back and howled at the sky.
Amidst her falling tears, the Honkai energy that had reached its limit surged, carrying sharp ice spikes and sweeping in all directions.
Boom!!!
With an earth-shattering roar, a towering glacier shot up into the pitch-black night sky, and the city was instantly plunged into winter.
"Damn it! Just a step too late!"
Wendy propped herself up in the distance, punched the ground, and muttered through gritted teeth.
Then, the nearly black toxic blood surged, spraying from her mouth as she collapsed weakly to the ground.
[Hey! The toxins are getting out of control. The black armor is external, after all. Your body can't keep fighting like this.]
"Do you… have any ideas? Please, someone has to stop her, or the whole city will be destroyed."
[The Honkai energy I absorbed earlier has filled me up. I feel better than ever.]
"Huh?"
[I'm saying, only a Herrscher can fight a Herrscher.]
"Can… Can I control it? Even though Sigurd and Fu Hua have been training my willpower, can I really control it?"
[What are you afraid of!? Aren't I here with you?]
"...You're right. I can't just stand by and watch her freeze the entire city. Seele, Rozaliya, and Liliya are still here… If I can't protect them, I won't have the face to return."
[Hmph! Power is something you should use for yourself first! It's because you're always worrying about this and that that you're in such a sorry state.]
"I don't really understand, but… maybe it's time."
[Are you ready? Once you cross this line, there's no going back.]
"It's okay. I trust you, and I trust myself."
[And you also believe that no matter what happens in the end, your dear Sigurd will save everyone, right?]
"Of course not… not at all! I can do this, I have to do this! Help me, other me!"
[Yeah, yeah! You know I can't refuse you, you sneaky little thing! Come on, let's–]
"Become one!" ×2
Boom!!!
A defiant surge of Honkai energy shot into the sky, Wendy's eyes turning a cold, dark green.
She held the black armor, now shrunk into a ring-like shape, and threw it to the ground, allowing more Honkai energy to pour into her body, triggering a true transformation.
The next moment, a fierce wind tore apart the glacier.
The clash of two powerful energies severed all surrounding remote monitoring signals.
At the same time, Raiden Mei made contact with Kiana on the moon, while the "Gem of Desire" pendant on Sigurd's waist lost its original luster.
<+>
Tn: If you want to see more chapter of this story, please go to my Ko-Fi[1], just for $5 each month, you can read till the latest chapter.
Latest Chapter in Ko-Fi: Chapter 274: Infighting? A Hundredfold Payback![2]
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[3] https://ko-fi.com/post/Chapter-274-Infighting-A-Hundredfold-Payback-E1E31DBJY8
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