Volume 1, Chapter 24: The Kind and Beautiful Vice-Captain Rita

Upon returning to Schicksal Headquarters, Xia Chen's first action was to report at the Immortal Blades' base.

He was still a member of the Immortal Blades, and until receiving new orders, he needed to adhere to their regulations.

This time, upon his return, he no longer received the special treatment from before.

In other words, he endured Durandal's merciless training once again.

Silently participating in daily drills with the squad, Xia Chen unexpectedly discovered that his physical prowess—both speed and strength, without relying on the Valkyrie Armor—had significantly increased compared to before.

"Is it due to the Stigmata?"

A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

The Stigmata named Ana Schariac had formed a stigma space within his body. Now, Xia Chen could essentially be considered a natural-born Stigmata wielder.

In this world, individuals born with innate Stigmata invariably possess exceptional talent. He felt strong enough to kill two bears barehanded.

However, this newfound strength came at a cost - his daily food consumption significantly increased.

After just one hour of training, Xia Chen felt extremely hungry, reaching a point where continuing without sustenance would sap his energy.

This could be considered a side effect of possessing Stigmata.

He headed to the resting area within the training room, intending to consume some nutrient solutions directly.

To his surprise, upon arriving, he found Rita there as well.

Oh wait, that makes sense since Rita has been constantly attending to Durandal; her presence here is expected.

He greeted casually, "Vice-Captain."

"Hm? Team member Xia Chen." She looked at him, a subtle smile evident in her eyes.

Rita always maintained this demeanor, treating everyone with equal courtesy and professionalism.

For some reason, under her gaze, it felt like all his secrets were laid bare.

Xia Chen was no longer the young man who stuttered nervously upon first meeting Rita. Confidently, he stated his purpose, "I'm here for some nutrient solutions."

"I'm feeling quite hungry," he added.

"Here you go." Rita promptly retrieved a vial from the rest area and handed it to him.

"Thank you." He accepted it and drank immediately.

The taste of this nutrient solution couldn't compare to Kiana's chocolate bars, but its high-calorie content quickly subdued his intense hunger.

"I feel alive again," he remarked gratefully.

Rita smiled warmly and said, "Cadet Xia Chen has been progressing rapidly lately. Do you have any secret techniques? I must admit, I'm quite curious."

Xia Chen possessed commendable talent, with potential for A-rank Valkyrie abilities. However, potential does not equate to actual strength, especially considering he had only trained for three months.

"Probably due to Captain Durandal's excellent training." Xia Chen didn't wish to elaborate on such topics.

Perhaps influenced by the simulator, he now felt cautious around Rita.

What the System meant by excessive Simulation Scenarios affecting the player, likely pertained to situations like these. Due to their extreme realism, he found himself more guarded than usual.

Rita smiled warmly, "If you don't mind, would you spar with me?"

Perhaps the dream had left her somewhat troubled, causing her to pay more attention to Xia Chen than usual.

As an Executioner operating in secrecy, anything piquing her interest warranted thorough investigation.

Xia Chen hesitated briefly before agreeing, "Sure, but please bear in mind my skills are modest. If I fail to meet your expectations, my apologies in advance."

He also wanted to gauge the gap between himself and Rita without using the Red Sakura. At least, if the events from the simulation scenario unfold, he'd be better prepared.

Instead of opting for armored combat, they chose to engage in hand-to-hand fighting.

According to Rita, using armor could actually limit the display of a warrior's prowess.

Of course, Xia Chen has never relied on such flair.

Upon entering the training ground, Xia Chen immediately charged forward to confront her.

Despite not wearing Valkyrie Armor, his strikes were powerful and swift.

However, his punch was effortlessly blocked by Rita's seemingly delicate hand.

He felt a layer of icy chill emanating from it.

Even without the Valkyrie Armor, Rita could still manipulate Honkai Energy and infuse her attacks with coldness.

One might consider this as one of her 'powers'.

In a sense, Valkyries can be seen as a 'lesser version' of Herrschers.

Yet, Rita's eyes involuntarily narrowed.

Xia Chen possessed immense strength.

Moreover, his body seemed well-adapted to handling Honkai Energy.

"Vice-Captain, I won't hold back," Xia Chen declared before intensifying his speed against Rita.

Each strike landed forcefully, showing no mercy.

Perhaps influenced by the Simulation Scenario, he fought without any regard for hierarchical respect.

Rita defensively countered, appearing somewhat fragile amidst the relentless barrage of punches. Without the Valkyrie Armor, everyone relied on their physical capabilities, with no inherent advantages over each other.

Despite this, Xia Chen remained undeterred rather than becoming complacent.

However, throughout their spar, Rita had yet to retaliate.

As the vice-captain of the Immortal Blades, her abilities far exceeded what he'd displayed so far.

Just as Xia Chen threw another punch but missed, a sense of unease washed over him. He swiftly twisted his body and leaped away, only to see clear cracks appearing where he stood moments ago. Rita must have struck at that precise spot without him noticing.

The roles then reversed; Rita unleashed a torrential barrage on Xia Chen, leaving him barely able to defend himself. Frantically blocking with no time for proper defense, he took multiple direct hits to his chest.

Yet unlike his full-force punches, Vice-Captain Rita's strikes felt like gentle raindrops, causing no pain.

After both stopped, Xia Chen couldn't help but say, "Vice-Captain, you truly embody beauty and kindness. Even during training, you remember to hold back."

He realized that perhaps being too influenced by the simulator, he forgot that Rita was merely following orders from Otto.

His overly aggressive approach now seemed rather petty.

However, Rita simply glanced at him, smiling as she signaled the end of the session.

Only she knew that she hadn't held back at all.

After all, A-ranked Valkyries were not so easily overwhelmed.

However...

"Intriguing," she thought to herself.

It was clear that Xia Chen's body had undergone some transformation, yet he remained unaware of it.

As Xia Chen walked off the training ground, he felt hungry again.

"Is fighting really this energy-consuming?"

He headed towards the rest area once more, noticing no one else present this time. He promptly took two nutrient solutions—one for immediate consumption and the other to keep in his pocket.

The Immortal Blades were generous when it came to such supplies. However, the logistics personnel responsible noticed a sudden increase in the consumption of nutrient solutions. Previously replenishing once a week, they now required refills every five days.