Why is a 50,000-year-old woman sooo pretentious?

From a shadowed corner emerged a man in classic power attire: white shirt, crisp black tie, and a tailored gray suit vest.

It was none other than the leader of Anti-Entropy himself, Welt Yang.

"Well now, excuse me... Hare," Welt adjusted his gleaming glasses, his eyes flashing with cool analysis.

" The other party seems to be particularly interested in why inhuman things can gain people's respect. What we just discussed are all issues in this area – the complexities, the potential fallout..."

" It's an inhuman thing... maybe I can get along with her. "

Elysia narrowed her eyes, nodded her head, and traced an inexplicable path in mid-air with her fingers.

"Hmmm, may I know who this is??" Welt hesitated, a flicker of doubt crossing his face before he glanced at Elysia.

His intelligence network is not that bad, but the exact identity of the other party is indeed unknown.

All they had to go on was a rumor swirling around St. Freya – some overly enthusiastic do-gooder calling herself Miss Pink Elf, practically the patron saint of helpfulness toward fellow classmates.

As for himself... Although he has repeatedly stated that he has no malicious intentions, he just wants to experience the feeling of teaching.

But every time, Principal Theresa always kicked him out with an angry look on her face, and said that she had never suffered such humiliation before.

Yang thought about it for a long time. Sure, he could see how he might come across as some shady spy, especially with that whole keeping-tabs-on-Sirin business. But he'd never leaked St. Freya's secrets, at least not intentionally.

So what was her problem? It baffled the heck out of him.

Einstein and Tesla choked back laughter the moment they heard the news. No wonder Theresa always seemed ready to blow a fuse – they'd steer clear of her from now on! This was definitely something those two knew about all along.

"she... is probably your senior?"

Luo Mo tapped his chin thoughtfully. Going by the whole civilization and Herrscher order, Elysia had to have the edge.

"Whoa, hold on a second! I'm a gorgeous 18-year-old! How can I be anyone's senior?" Elysia's eyes widened in protest, no way was she about to accept that fact.

Obviously, she considered it based on age, probably just like Theresa who always emphasized that she was still young and never said her true age.

Seriously, why did this fifty-thousand-year-old woman have to act all coy? Luo Mo stifled a laugh, letting the ranting roll freely in his head.

"Hmm?" Elysia glanced sharply at Luo Mo, suspicion narrowing her eyes.

A woman's sixth sense, especially one honed by the whole 'Flame-Chaser' thing, was practically a superpower.

She could sense the shade, the intense shade being aimed her way.

Considering Luo Mo was the lucky soul she'd just enlightened about her background...well, the culprit seemed pretty obvious.

"Luo Mo, spill it. What exactly are you thinking in that head of yours?" She leaned in close, a playful smile on her face, but the smile was no longer bright and even filled with murderous intent.

Luo Mo's face was serious, very pious, he clasped his hands and said, " Yes, Elysia is the second member of the religious organization. It is a very large sect. No one can escape from this way. The Elysian Church The Aimen ——"

" She said that people in the world must have horns… pink horns, so..."

Luo Mo preached the doctrine devoutly, but was stopped by Elysia who was gritting her teeth.

"Seriously, can we move on? Why do you keep bringing up that ridiculous cult stuff? As the victim here, I feel the need to file a complaint!" Elysia jabbed a finger at Luo Mo, her usual cheer replaced with mock indignation.

Did he find this whole thing hilarious or something?

"Alright, alright," Luo Mo conceded, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

——He thought he could collect twelve loyal believers before the plot of Elysia started ~

Twelve devout apostles...the image shimmered briefly in his mind before fading away.

"You two get along really well."

Welt finally let out the comment he'd been holding back, shaking his head with a bemused sigh.

He was officially too old for whatever inside joke these two shared.

"What Yang said is true. If it weren't for Luo Mo, I wouldn't be able to invite this Forerunner. " Kallen's voice came from behind. It was obvious that she's in a good mood.

With the World Serpent off their backs, and that nagging worry finally settled, she was practically radiating good vibes – and a hint of playful teasing.

"Well then, Bishop, seeing as how I've saved the day, I think I'll skip out now~♪" Elysia's smile was all mischievous innocence.

No need to deny anything – she waved goodbye to Luo Mo and practically floated out of the room.

"Forerunner..." Welt muttered, turning the title over in his mind. If he remembered correctly, that's what they called the leader of the World Serpent, Kevin.

Which meant this mysterious lady was likely... not someone to be taken lightly.

"Bishop Kallen, I gotta admit, I'm impressed you managed to get Ellie on board," Luo Mo remarked, genuine curiosity in his voice.

"She's surprisingly down-to-earth, actually. Now, about those companions of hers – I'm hoping to find them some work sometime soon." Kallen smiled.

Offloading the whole Elysia-contact thing to Cecilia seemed wise, considering those two hit it off instantly.

"Well, Bishop, have you ever thought about who her companions are? " Luo Mo thought for a moment and felt that the other party must be trying to trick someone.

Really, don't learn well!

" h... ahem, " Kallen thought for a moment and smiled awkwardly.

She thought about how difficult it was for her to arrange a job as the Bishop of Schicksal. It was the kind where the job was unlimited.

At worst, she could just give her a free salary.

" It doesn't matter. I'll just leave it to Theresa to trouble you. There shouldn't be any trouble. "

Kallen looked at Theresa with encouraging eyes, Granddaughter, this is grandma's expectation for you!

"Huh?" Theresa's eyes went wide. Seriously? Why did she suddenly have the sinking feeling she'd just inherited a whole new breed of headache?

As Theresa's sharp Sword, Luo Mo must step forward to speak at this time.

He took a step forward and said with a bad smile, "as deputy principal I want to give my proposal… So, how about this, dear Principal? We give her a task at a time, each one a tiny step towards some impossible goal. That way, she helps us out, expends all that energy, and in the end... gets absolutely nothing in return!"

" You, you, you will be beaten! "

Theresa looked at Luo Mo in disbelief, wondering why he had such a bad intention.

"Hold on, though," Luo Mo continued, feigning a thoughtful expression, "There is some risk you won't be able to repay this debt. Then again, I suppose handing over the keys to the Academy wouldn't be the worst outcome..."

A glimmer of excitement appeared in Theresa's eyes.

Apart from the whole failure-at-the-end bit, this scheme actually sounded kind of appealing...

" Then, tell me that plan in detail when you get back? "

She touched her hair, her face was slightly rosy, and she was a little embarrassed.

"Hmm, this one's up to you," Kallen replied, casting a knowing look in their direction.

She knew her granddaughter well enough to trust her judgment – and that she wouldn't get carried away...probably.

"Alright, tomorrow you two – Luo Mo and Durandal – are off to Nagazora City to deal with that situation," Kallen announced, then paused for a beat.

"...And bring the gem," she added, the hesitation clear in her voice.

...

The next day, Nagazora City,

This once modern city is now almost polarized due to the ravages of Honkai.

after evaluation and control of Schicksal(and anti-entropy), about half of the city is deserted and lined with abandoned high-rise buildings. The river flows smoothly, and sometimes there are strangely modified buildings beside the riverbank.

According to residents living nearby, the roars of wild beasts are sometimes heard inside.

There whispers persist among the locals – rumors of clandestine experiments, of Schicksal's dark hand at work.

Across the divide, the city seems deceptively normal, bustling with a life rebuilt in the aftermath. The powers that be impatiently seek permission from Schicksal to reclaim the quarantined zone, but their plans remain mysteriously blocked.

Today, perhaps, this twisted status quo will finally shatter...

"Seriously, boss, this totally screamed 'Valkyrie mission'. You didn't have to haul yourself all the way out here..." Kiana mumbled, trying to ease the tension with a nervous laugh.

She shot a sideways glance at Luo Mo, hoping for distraction.

Mei, on the other hand, had been giving her the silent treatment ever since their conversation yesterday.

She must be angry, Kiana thought to herself.

Looking at the purple-haired girl with her eyes closed, Kiana's heart rippled.

However, I really did, and I clearly promised not to worry the other person.

"Naturally, I'm here to visit an old pal. Though, I'll also play dedicated inspector while I'm at it," Luo Mo replied with a Smile.

The memory of his rather... unique flight to the island still brought a smile to his face.

He settled back in his absurdly luxurious plane seat, ready to maximize the perks of this business trip.

" Speaking of which, do you really not need the help of Stigmata? "

Luo Mo had planned to take out the evil-repelling sleeve and put it on the opponent. After all... no one had ever tried to actively fuse the Haste gem.

Deep down, he knew there must be something to this plan, or else Kiana wouldn't have been so insistent, wouldn't have convinced Schicksal's Headquarters.

And it was his own words that had steered Kallen towards accepting this gamble – one more Herrscher on their side might just tip the scales.

That's right, what Kiana wants to fuse is the gem inside the God-killing Armor.

Kiana's goal was to fuse with the very gem from that cursed battlesuit, the Gem of Haste, a blazing testament to Himeko's sacrifice. This power, imbued with such weight, would now pass to Kiana.

" No need, since Mei and the others can do it, I believe in myself, I can do it too, "

Kiana smiled and said softly, " Besides, boss, since you haven't mentioned it for a long time, I guess it has some influence. "

" Not really..." Luo Mo muttered,

the three-star stigmata can still be removed, it's not a big problem, it's just a matter of time.

But... Kiana is right, she can give it a try,

And if worst came to worst... well, a massive dose of Ellie's energy should counteract any nasty gem-related issues, right?

Although Elysia waved her hands and refused three times at that time, I'm not, I don't, don't talk nonsense blablabla

But there is no way, he believes in Ellie! Shouldn't she respond to his expectations no matter where he is?

That would make me feel sorry for Mei again...

Forget it, why the overthinking? Luo Mo forced himself to clear his head and promptly fell into a deep sleep. Leave the existential crisis for later.

"Boss, do you think... I'll..." Kiana, on the other hand, couldn't quiet her nerves. She gripped the edge of her seat, palms clammy with a mix of anticipation and fear.

She also understood that the next step would be a crucial moment for her.

Since she can save the world in the game, she may not be worse than in the game herself if she studies and exercises every day...

Honestly though, if pain of losing was the key to getting stronger, she'd gladly take a pass.

Couldn't she just sleep in and level up instead? It'd still put her behind Himeko, but at least she wouldn't be covered in bruises.

When she looked back, she found that Luo Mo had fallen asleep.

She took a deep breath and looked at Mei to the side, but she seemed to be obsessed with the scenery outside the window, with "Don't look for me, I'm very angry" written all over her face.

But if you look carefully at her photo on the glass, you will find endless worry hidden between her eyes.

This guy... is always like this, she only informs herself at the end,

Looking at it this way, it's clear that nothing has changed!

"Mei, I'm gonna be fine," Kiana whispered, the words barely reaching her own ears.

Her first instinct was to curl in on herself, to retreat into that familiar, safe space of solitude.

But that wasn't how the world worked, not really.

It was the people you cared about, those invisible threads holding you all together, that truly mattered.

"We made a promise, remember? To save the world, fight for everything good..." It was a dream as old as time, and this time, a smile bloomed across her face – defiant and a little desperate.

This time, maybe reality would finally cut her a break.

...

As they entered the restricted zone, a lone figure waited – a woman in black, her open posture a gesture of peace.

Behind her stood a group of children, led by two familiar faces: Lyle, and Sora, straight out of the game.

"Well hey there, Raven! Been a while, and boy am I glad to see you," Luo Mo sauntered over, a wide grin on his face.

There was a playful tease in his eyes, alongside a spark of genuine curiosity.

Whatever life she'd carved out after everything...well, he'd been itching to know.

Is there anything like someone yell "Hey, isn't that the lady who blew up an entire island?" out loud? Hard to say.

Or maybe it was "Doesn't she look like that character in the game, the one forever running tearfully into sunsets?".

Luo Mo has always been good at malicious speculation, and as the boss of the company, he has the power to view game data.

Recently, the usage rate of the Raven Stigmata is one of the best. Many Valkyries who failed to graduate in the game are all wearing the Raven set.

Raven has already become famous.

Catching up with Kevin is a piece of cake! Beyond three protagonist is just around the corner!

Raven lowered her head and looked at the hand stretched out in front of her, which seemed familiar inexplicably.

It's a familiar scene, but now things have changed.

Although she told herself more than once in her heart that if this person appeared again, sooner or later she would punch him!

But... the facts are impermanent ~, I'm so angry ~

The most infuriating thing in the world was finding your enemy standing before you, and having to put on a polite smile. The worst part? Making sure not a single flicker of that righteous fury showed in her eyes.

She couldn't deny it anymore – the value in those ridiculous games of his.

Whether their scenarios were true or false, they held an odd power, even foretelling elements of the future.

So, with practiced grace and a plastered-on smile, she shook his hand.

The burdens of adulthood, indeed.

" Yeah ~, long time no see, in the future... maybe there will be a chance to become colleagues. "

"Whoa, is this the big boss of Honkai Impact III? Teacher practically worships you! she calls your name in the room every day."

Sora was a little excited, and almost wanted to hand over the paper in her hand. If you look closely, you can see there are traces of pinholes on the back of the hand.

——It 's not that she wants an autograph, but she heard that autographs from big names are very expensive. If she can get them, the teacher will be able to relax...

"Shh, Sora," Lyle whispered, the air of a seasoned expert about him, "Just 'cause someone yells your name doesn't mean they like you, y'know."

Raven managed a weary smile, "Ah, the wisdom of children..." Thankfully, they didn't catch sight of the villainous expression on her face.

It was bad enough the darn picture was covered in creepy pinpricks – the stuff of nightmares.