Chapter 17: Do You Know How Many Ways to Use Judah Exist?

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As Ana watched the golden chains coiling towards her, she felt stunned and momentarily speechless.

This development caught her entirely off guard.

In her perception, Judah was inseparable from Theresa. Although within the plot she knew, Theresa didn't frequently use Judah for combat, it was still the Key of Binding—a formidable artifact.

Even if not perfectly suited to her, with her own holy blood, Judah could achieve extraordinary effects. But why would Theresa...?

"Don't worry. As the Principal and head of the Far East Branch, I typically don't engage directly in battles, so I won't need Judah's protection much," Theresa reassured, smiling gently at Ana's bewildered expression.

"..."

Still unsure what to say, Ana remained silent. While Theresa's explanation made sense, handing over Judah truly seemed...

However, Ana understood that at this point, continuing to decline might jeopardize her role in the unfolding events, so she had no choice but to accept.

However, Ana understood that at this point, if she continued to decline, her role in the story would diminish significantly. So, she had no choice but to accept.

"I understand," Ana said seriously as she looked at Theresa. Honestly, if not for maintaining her character's persona, Ana might have directly quoted Lü Bu from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

"I will bring them back safely!"

This was the only way Ana could repay Theresa now. Besides, ensuring the safe return of the Main trio wouldn't be much of a challenge. In the context of the Chiyou scenario, it's akin to tackling a beginner-level quest in the starting village. The boss may have flashy effects, but lacking any significant power level, it would be a breeze for Ana, who is essentially a fully leveled end-game character.

As Ana spoke, she accepted the Oath of Judah. The golden chains naturally coiled around her arm, evoking a sense of familiarity.

Judah has its own consciousness and typically requires acknowledgment before one can use it. However, Ana's circumstances were exceptionally favorable. With the holy blood of the first Schariac generation, she possessed arguably the strongest Honkai resistance in the present era, along with a trace of Kaslana lineage due to intermarriages among Schicksal's Main trio.

Considering Theresa's instructions, there was no reason for Judah to resist Ana.

However, feeling the chains on her arm, Ana's expression turned slightly peculiar.

With Oath of Judah now in her possession, would her role shift from wielding a lance to carrying a cross? Wow! So I'm essentially the Judah Launcher myself?!

But this thought lingered only briefly in Ana's mind because—

The chains that had just wrapped around Ana's wrist transformed, becoming a lance adorned with golden and silver patterns resembling chains.

"I must have been thinking too narrowly."

A wry smile appeared on Ana's face.

Indeed, if even the Seven Thunderbolts of Purgation could change forms, why couldn't Judah? After all, Judah is known for assisting Theresa with administrative duties as well.

Theresa showed no surprise at Judah' transformation in Ana's hands; her mild smile remained unchanged, suggesting she anticipated this outcome long ago.

As the Hyperion's hatch opened, Ana leaped down effortlessly.

Due to having Judah at her disposal, she opted not to equip the Godslayer Armor. Without a Herrscher Core, its enhancements paled significantly compared to Judah' capabilities. At this moment, Ana couldn't help but envy Bianka's Starcraft Armor.

Of course, Bianka had earned it through her efforts; Ana merely wished for such an opportunity herself and hoped that someday the System might reward her with a Herrscher Core.

Although, entertaining that thought felt like wishful dreaming.

Descending from the sky, Ana pointed the tip of Judah directly at Chiyou below. As Honkai Energy flowed into it, the spear glowed with a golden radiance.

Like a beam of light, Judah streaked towards Chiyou, effortlessly piercing its skin and entering deep within its body.

Indeed, instead of using the "front door," Ana simply created her own entrance on Chiyou's form.

For someone possessing holy blood, achieving this feat was remarkably easy. With Judah in Lance Mode enhanced by her holy blood, it effectively operated at Base Power Level 0.

The moment the spearhead touched Judah's surface, its binding power and Ana's holy blood disintegrated the surrounding Honkai Energy. If not for concerns about the Main trio' safety, Ana could have instantly activated Judah's Zeroth Base Form to decompose Chiyou entirely.

To Ana, utilizing Judah's Zeroth Base Form, which Otto had considered his trump card during the Second Honkai, was no surprise. She could even force its activation without knowing the specific method.

However, it seemed that Oath of Judah primarily served as an embellishment for Ana, as her holy blood largely replicated Judah's abilities.

The primary benefit might be the extended duration of the Divine Grace Barrier. Within this barrier, Ana truly embodies the Herrscher of Binding, enabling her to combat effectively.

Nonetheless, reaching such a point would likely signify the final decisive battle.

Despite this, Ana remains deeply grateful to Theresa, recognizing that she has given everything possible from her perspective. As an S-Class Valkyrie of Schicksal, Ana never relied on Divine Keys for combat in the first place.

Overreliance on Divine Keys could lead to early withdrawal from the battlefield, as seen with Theresa during the Second Honkai Eruption. In fact, it was precisely because Theresa safely retreated that Otto felt emboldened to deploy the Honkai Fission Bomb.

Of course, now wasn't the time to dwell on such matters.

At present, Ana had successfully entered Chiyou's body, and the wound she created upon entering had already healed itself. After all, compared to Chiyou's overall mass, her initial strike was merely insignificant damage.

"Let's find Kiana and the others first!" Ana murmured, observing the fragmented ruins around her, resembling floating islands.

As she spoke, chains extended from Oath of Judah in Lance Mode, guiding her direction—the hunting mode activated.

"Thanks, Judah," Ana expressed gratefully, realizing she had forgotten about this feature. She initially planned to summon Heaven's Fire.

However, as an ELF, Heaven's Fire hadn't yet reached its intended release point in the game timeline. Introducing it prematurely might have unforeseen consequences for future versions.

ELFs were introduced relatively late in the game and had limited impact across many versions. It was only recently, due to ballooning power levels, that there was a demand for them. If Heaven's Fire were released prematurely and tied to her character's armor, players would likely bombard Ana with criticism.

While the blame would primarily fall on the game designers, it was inevitable that her character would also face backlash.