Chapter 40: Promise, Heart of Guardianship

"Siegfried Kaslana lost to his own impetuous character," she said. "Kallen Kaslana lost to her own inner fragility."

"They didn't even touch the starting point of their ancestors—"

Transformed by the will of the Stigmata space, Durandal charged forward. With several afterimages trailing behind her, she brandished her spear, tearing through the air, directly aiming at the golden-haired knight.

"Defeat yourself, bid farewell to the past!"

"Clang!"

Durandal raised her eyebrows, and the golden spear blocked the opponent's attack—even though, before this, she had entrusted the Holy Sword Durandal to Rita for safekeeping, the power of the Bubble World had existed within the knight's body for years, and she could now use her own strength to reconstruct the armor representing the power of the Bubble World.

"Perhaps, they did indeed lose to themselves at certain moments. But that's not because they are weak, but simply because they were ahead of history."

The power of the Bubble World ignited the spear in her hand. Durandal swung her weapon, repelling the will of the Stigmata, splashing high temperatures, leaving a distorted trace in the air.

"They left behind milestones for future generations, they left behind legends for themselves... They are silent giants, who have built shoulders for us to look into the future!"

Two figures intersected on the crimson earth, the clear sound of weapons clashing echoing in the empty desert, each vibration accelerating Luo Lin's heartbeat.

The next moment, the girl suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground, almost biting a mouthful of sand.

"...Free? Wait, this is..."

Luo Lin looked at her hands, delicate soft light traversing her fingertips, dancing like elves.

With the increasingly keen perception gained from practicing the Edge of Taixuan, Luo Lin "saw" the invisible restraints that had bound her being gently torn apart by this soft light, disappearing without a trace.

"Oh? How did you do that?"

The black Honkai abruptly appeared in front of Luo Lin. The scene of the battle in the distance seemed to be covered with a thick layer of frosted glass, making it difficult to see clearly. Even the sound gradually faded away and eventually disappeared.

Luo Lin looked at the black Honkai warily and asked, "Weren't you fighting Durandal?"

"For me, dividing my attention is a simple matter, and there's no need to worry that it will affect the trial of the visitors."

The black Honkai's gaze was drawn to the shimmering light in Luo Lin's hand, and it couldn't help but exclaim, "It's almost identical! The power of the Schariac's Sacred Blood, and the Kaslana..."

It extended its puppet hand, and with this movement, Luo Lin felt as if her head was being struck by a sledgehammer, something probing her thoughts, peering into her memories, causing her intense headaches.

—Mental attack?!

But the next moment, a violent and overwhelming force gushed out from behind Luo Lin, directly repelling the black puppet's mental tentacles. A white light enveloped her body, and all pain immediately disappeared without a trace.

This power healed the wounds on Luo Lin's body and even invigorated her spirit.

"But why...?" The black Honkai said in confusion, "I checked, and you don't have the bloodline of Schariac and Kaslana, but you possess the Stigmata of both? Clearly, you haven't activated the base of these two Stigmata, yet their power erupts like this?"

For this, you have to ask the invincible system...

However, in this regard, Luo Lin had another speculation.

"Is it possible that I am just a medium. A carrier of power... and these Stigmata are not because of my existence, but based on a mother's love for her child?"

And in this world, love can create miracles!

The black homu was stunned for a moment, muttering incredulously, "Cecilia...?"

In the view where the will of the Stigmata could not be observed, light gathered around Luo Lin, and two figures appeared beside the girl.

Cecilia Schariac held the Holy Spear, Black Abyss White Flower, in one hand and cradled the small Bianka in her other arm. She leaned against her mother's embrace, feeling the long-lost care and fell asleep deeply.

On the Valkyrie's face, both anger and mercy coexisted, Cecilia gazed into the distance, where her daughter was fighting.

In the instant she appeared, the world seemed to be put in slow motion, and the passage of time became extremely slow. The exclamation of the Black Homu was elongated and distorted, appearing somewhat ridiculous.

But, this also gave Cecilia and Luo Lin ample time to communicate.

"Luo Lin... is it?" She gently looked at the girl and said softly, "Thank you for waking me up, and thank you for letting me see my daughter again... even once seeing two daughters."

Cecilia touched Bianka's forehead with her lips, with a slight smile on her lips.

"It seems that the version of her in the parallel world is also doing well... Don't worry, I'm not criticizing you. I'm just regretting that I couldn't always be by her side."

The Valkyrie smiled sincerely, "Luo Lin, I can feel the longing for you from my own daughter. They all say you are a good teacher..."

"They?" Luo Lin asked.

Cecilia nodded, "Yes, you have met my two daughters—Kiana Kaslana... or perhaps, you're more familiar with Bianka and Sirin?"

Luo Lin was suddenly speechless. It seemed that Cecilia knew everything.

"Bianka is a child who unconsciously forces herself, but now she has companions she can trust." The white-haired Valkyrie looked into the blue-purple sky, "And Sirin... has already used her own actions to make the name Kiana Kaslana shine far beyond my expectations."

"I didn't participate in their growth process, and I thought that everything was irreparable... but miraculously, I woke up from my dream."

Cecilia revealed a brilliant smile, "Yes, that's right, it's indeed a miracle... gathering the thoughts of two worlds, as well as the power of another Bianka—the most important thing is you, Teacher Luo Lin."

"You are like a link, connecting everyone—you are indispensable."

She even let go of the holy spear, and her arm drew a circle in the air excitedly. Black Abyss White Flower seemed to float beside the Valkyrie as if it had spirituality, gently brushing against Bianka's body with the gun barrel.

"Perhaps it's a bit difficult, Teacher Luo Lin, can I ask you to take care of my daughters? Whether it's this world or that world..."

Cecilia looked at Luo Lin, playfully sticking out her tongue and blinking.

"And this power, I'll consider it as an advance payment for you!"

With the Valkyrie's words, Luo Lin felt a clear stream spreading throughout her body, and under the moisturizing of this icy sensation, the girl's physical fitness became even stronger, capable of withstanding, storing, and mastering twice the dosage of Honkai Energy.

[Cecilia's Amulet (Upper)]

In the illustration, Cecilia, Siegfried, Theresa, and the small Kiana strolled through the neon-lit amusement park, enjoying themselves.

[Cecilia's Tower (Middle)]

Under the burning flame of the Babel Tower, Cecilia raises her spear high, the spear constructed of Holy Blood gradually extends towards the Herrscher energy blotting the sky, and under her feet, white flowers bloom.

[Cecilia's Wing of Sanctuary (Lower)]

Wearing a white dress, Cecilia reaches out to embrace the white, purple, and golden haired girls while pure white fluff wings extending from the shoulder blades protected them in her arms.

[When equipped with Stigmata, gain "Power of Creation". Automatically restores health, increase toughness, when Stigmata-equipped characters are in the rear of the team, characters on the field automatically regain health proportionally.]

[When equipped with Stigmata, gain "Lance Mastery", this skill can be thoroughly mastered by using the skill multiple times.]

[When equipped with Stigmata, gain "Determination of Guardianship". Receive additional damage reduction when attacked, when Stigmata-equipped characters are in the rear of the team, characters on the field gain additional attack power, critical hit rate, and critical hit damage bonuses proportionally.]

[The event Stigmata "Cecilia's Heart of Guardianship" has been added to the Stigmata Warehouse.]

["Heart of Guardianship" Stigmata can be upgraded through strengthening to obtain higher attack power, defense, health, and critical hit bonuses.]

[Under the current conditions, the "Heart of Guardianship" Stigmata receives additional attribute bonuses.]

Luo Lin felt the changes in her body and was momentarily speechless.

Facing the white-haired Valkyrie, she seemed to have many words to say, but in the end, she only uttered a few simple words.

"...I'm delighted."

With a light touch on her forehead, the girl's surroundings returned to normal speed.

The black homu puppet, after the shock, quickly made a decision: "Whoever it is, whatever power, anyone coming to the Stigmata space must go through a trial... face your own trial!"

Its figure flickered and appeared in the distance.

The next moment, as if looking in a mirror, "Luo Lin" landed lightly on the ground, aiming the gun muzzle at the girl!