Chapter 97: One Turn after Another

After hours of relentless fighting, the dark aura and surging energy surrounding Jixuanyuan finally dissipated. She held the Xuanyuan Sword, which gradually transformed back to its golden hue, and fell forward into Fu Hua's arms.

Fu Hua's legs gave way, one hand gripping the sword for support, the other holding Jixuanyuan, and they both slowly sank to the ground.

"Hu~Hu~~"

Her lungs felt like they were on fire, and she exhaled heavily, sweat dripping from her forehead. Fu Hua felt an overwhelming exhaustion, her body, already severely injured, now utterly spent.

But, as she looked at Jixuanyuan's serene face resting on her lap, she couldn't help but smile.

"Look, we did it, Jixuanyuan."

Fu Hua said, panting, with immense satisfaction and joy filling her heart. It felt like the blank spaces in her memory and the loneliness of these years were finally being filled by Jixuanyuan's return.

"Tick!"

A tear accidentally fell from Fu Hua's eyes onto Jixuanyuan's fair face.

Fu Hua was momentarily stunned, then chuckled. She wiped the corners of her eyes and carefully dabbed the tear from Jixuanyuan's face.

In that moment, Fu Hua was truly happy.

...

In the distance, amidst the reunited group, Kiana tugged at the corner of Angel's clothes.

"Hey, Angel, why do I feel like they're flirting more and more as they fight? Damn, is the Class Monitor falling for that ancient guy?"

"...If you want more training, just tell me. I'll arrange it for you when we get back."

"Wait, I'm not kidding! I just think the Class Monitor is so strong! That swordsmanship seems even better than my Kaslana gun fighting technique! The Class Monitor is usually so low-key, I had no idea she was this powerful!"

"Humph! Master is a direct disciple of the Taixu Sect. Do you understand the value of Shenzhou Kung Fu? It's just that she doesn't need to use it often." Angel raised her head proudly.

Then, she stared at the two people snuggling in the distance, puffing up her cheeks as if she were jealous.

"What? I haven't even enjoyed Master's lap pillow!"

"Oh, is our little Angel jealous?"

"No, Himeko, don't talk nonsense!"

"Okay, okay, let's just say you're not jealous. Come give Sister Himeko a hug, and I'll show you some love!"

Angel was soon enveloped in Himeko's broad arms, and surrounded by her three roommates, receiving the affection a group pet deserved.

The heartwarming scene of intimacy and friendship made Welt smile knowingly, but Durandal frowned slowly.

"How can you be so relaxed when we're still on the battlefield? Especially Senior Himeko and Lady Theresa, you two are experienced seniors, this is inappropriate!"

Durandal criticized seriously.

Himeko, holding Angel, and Theresa, who was pinching Angel's cheeks, stood up awkwardly.

"Hey! It's not my turn as a small A-level player. It's a bit boring! I'll reflect on myself."

"Hey, hey! I'm taking care of the students' mental health! Today has been chaotic and thrilling enough. Shouldn't we consider the psychological well-being of the new recruits?"

The two responded simultaneously. Himeko stuck out her tongue playfully but admitted her mistake honestly. Theresa, however, resisted stubbornly and refused to admit she was distracted.

Most people looked at Theresa with narrowed eyes.

She is truly worthy of being the branch chief. Her resolve is as strong as a city wall!

But Durandal, pinching her chin thoughtfully, then nodded:

"It is reasonable to take care of the newcomers' mental health. I don't know much about the duties of the school principal. Maybe I spoke rashly. But I still suggest doing these relaxing activities after everything is over."

"Your suggestion makes sense. I'll consider it carefully in the future. Thank you, Durandal."

"It should be. I hope I didn't overstep, Lady Theresa."

"No, no, our experiences and perspectives naturally differ. Let's guide each other and make progress."

The two shook hands, their eyes serious, like an official exchange.

Welt shook his head helplessly, understanding Durandal's straightforwardness. Then he looked at Ninti and the incarnation of Chiyou squatting at her feet.

Ninti seemed to understand Welt's meaning. She took Chiyou's hand and walked to a nearby rock to sit down.

"Chiyou, that sister has stopped. We'll take her out of your body later."

"Okay, annoying, go, I'm happy!"

"Then, can your outer body stop moving first? You're too big, and moving around randomly brings disaster."

After so long, the teams formed by the two major organizations had separated and reunited several times. Now, Ninti finally made the most anticipated request.

However, Chiyou lowered his head, silent for a long time.

"But eating and destroying are my missions..."

Chiyou said, aggrieved and reluctant.

At this moment, Durandal slowly raised the lance stuck in the ground, and the other Valkyries changed their expressions, preparing for battle.

Ninti tilted her little head and asked innocently:

"Why?"

"I have to do it."

"But then, we can't see the rainbow together, and I can't introduce you to more friends. Because I have to stop you."

"Ninti, don't..."

Chiyou grabbed Ninti's hand, shaking his head violently.

Ninti nodded her snow-white chin, looking at Chiyou, and asked:

"If you don't do your mission, will you get hurt?"

"It seems, no..."

"Will there be other consequences, like illness or pain?"

"No, no..."

"Then why can't you stop? Will you be unhappy if you don't?"

"Yes, unhappy!"

Chiyou nodded vigorously.

Ninti blinked, looking a little distressed, and asked again:

"Then can I take you to do something else that makes you happy?"

"I..."

"We are friends. If there's no other way, I'll have to stop you myself. But if you can, please don't hurt this world. I like Mom, Sister Tesla, Sister Ein, Sin, Rosalia, Lilia, and Joachim... They all like this world, so I like it too. Is it okay, Chiyou?"

Ninti looked at Chiyou with clear and serious eyes.

Childish voice, innocent words, but everyone listened as if facing a great threat. Because they knew this conversation would determine whether a catastrophic battle would erupt.

"But she hates me, and they hate me too."

After a long silence, Chiyou said to Ninti, aggrievedly.

The first "she" referred to Jixuanyuan, who had fought her, and the latter "they" referred to everyone present except Ninti.

Ninti then looked up at everyone.

How to say it, if Chiyou were a fierce, evil entity, it would be nothing. But her behavior with Ninti showed she was just an ignorant child.

When Chiyou said that, it was hard for the genuinely good people not to feel conflicted.

Coincidentally, there were no bad people in this group of human elites.

So some people lowered their heads silently, some looked around, and some turned away awkwardly.

"Then, let them go out first, and we'll talk later, okay?"

"Yeah!"

Chiyou responded happily, and the layers of rock walls moved, revealing a straight, long passage.

Cocolia immediately stood up.

"No, how can I leave you here alone? Let's talk..."

Besides, if it doesn't work out, to destroy Chiyou, they'd have to start from inside and destroy Chiyou's last heart.

Welt, Durandal, and others understood this and nodded in agreement.

Ninti turned to Chiyou and said:

"Chiyou, promise me not to destroy this world, okay?"

"I..."

"Please, I'll tell you many, many stories later! Stories about Joyce, Joachim, and how I came to this world. I'll tell you everything!"

"Okay."

After a long silence, Chiyou finally nodded, and the tense atmosphere suddenly eased.

...

Finally, the large group decided to withdraw.

"Alliance leader Welt, is this really okay? What if Chiyou is deceiving us?"

"I trust Ninti. Besides, I'm not defenseless. I left some power with Ninti and secretly told her the location of the last heart I detected. If Chiyou deceives us, Ninti will severely injure it from the inside, and we'll destroy it from outside."

"This..."

"If you want the best outcome, you must take some risks. Durandal, we can't ensure everything goes smoothly." Welt sighed meaningfully.

Durandal stood on the broad iron shoulder of Titan BT and nodded slowly.

"I understand. If we can resolve this crisis peacefully, the risk is worth it."

Meanwhile, Cocolia sat on the shoulder of another mech, holding Bronya, with a blank look in her eyes. "Mom, are you worried?"

"I believe in Ninti. I've missed too much because I didn't trust my daughter, so now I believe in her. But... heh, I'm still worried."

Bronya leaned against Cocolia's chest, sighing with mixed feelings - the missed moment mom mentioned probably referred to Bronya.

The warmth and fragrance wrapped around her were what Bronya had longed for. But when she didn't know, another person came to share this motherly love.

Bronya felt a mix of longing, happiness, and inevitable jealousy.

In short, the group finally returned to the sea and came to the East Shenzou Sea Base to await the result.

Because of the anticipation, the time that followed felt like an eternity.

From dusk to dawn, when the morning sun slowly rose from the horizon, suddenly, the sea moved again.

Wendy once again hurriedly pushed the wheelchair to the edge of the deck of the Hyperion, where Delta, who was still wearing a salted fish eye mask, had been sleeping. She let Delta, who fell asleep with a salted fish eye mask on her face, come out to see the sea.

"Anyway, we're so close, there's no need to do this!" Delta held a thermos cup and stood on the calm sea. Then she took off her blindfold and showed a fake smile to Wendy who was close at hand. Wendy scratched her head and said with a silly expression: "I am too anxious. Sorry."

"Wait for me!" Delta rolled her eyes. After a flurry of activity at the East Shenzou Sea Base and the Hyperion, both sides came to a common conclusion. "The Honkai energy on Chiyou has completely disappeared, and there are no signs of life. It is slowly sinking back to the bottom of the sea like a rock."

"Is it dead?"

"Yes, suicide?"

The people from the two major organizations looked at each other, full of doubts about the sudden end.

Rita came to the edge of the Hyperion and asked Delta with a smile:

"Lord Delta, do you feel anything?"

"Dead, dead, dead, dead."

"Is that so? That's good."

Rita said with a smile, looking gentle and harmless.

Delta also showed her dead fish smile.

"Boom!"

The next second, a column of water shot up from the East Shenzou Sea base, tearing off a corner of the base and knocking Welt high into the sky.

"What are you doing!?"

"Schicksal, do you want to turn against each other now?"

"Titan Pilot Column, attack!"

"Rita, Durandal, Delta, what do you want to do? Aren't we allies?"

Both Saint Freya and Anti-Entropy were shocked by the sudden change, and the atmosphere suddenly became sinister.

Durandal frowned, sighed, and then flew into the sky without saying a word.

Rita turned around and smiled gently and elegantly at Theresa and others on the deck of the Hyperion. "Lady Theresa, this is Lord Otto's order. Please ask Saint Freya's people to return home immediately. It's our mission now. Lord Otto said that those who don't obey orders will be considered as traitors. I believe you know what to do."

At this moment, Theresa and Himeko looked at the tense Anti-Entropy side, the smiling Rita, and Delta who drank water leisurely and flew up slowly, and their faces became extremely ugly.