The Return of the Palatinus Equinox

Did it work?

Theresa couldn't tell right now.

She strained to open her eyes. The dark gold gears in the sky were fading, returning to their clear, pristine state.

Her vision was blurry, the surroundings tinged with a crimson filter.

But… if it worked, that's all that mattered.

She had protected her precious students… The thought brought a wave of relief, washing over her.

She tried to speak, but her lips… no, her entire body was numb.

She couldn't even feel the wind anymore. All she could see were the fading sky and a few strands of her hair drifting in the breeze, reminding her that she was falling.

—Kiana, Bronya…

Everyone… please be okay…

For a Valkyrie, using the power of BINDING was like playing with fire.

It was dangerous, even forbidden.

But sometimes, there were things that had to be done, no matter the cost.

[Theresa… she actually looks kind of beautiful, unbelievable]

[Otto won't kill his granddaughter, right? Maybe, probably?]

[Tears! Finally, it's not the Judas Launcher anymore]

[Please, Judas's Oath~]

[I declare—this will be the Principal's final shining moment. Teachers at St. Freya are like this, they all get stabbed]

[Comment…]

Everyone present watched as the constraints' light curtain and gears dissipated, leaving behind a scene of awe and relief.

Both Seele and Theresa had performed admirably in this battle.

The two Seele's first collaboration had successfully utilized the Divine Key, Black Abyss White Flower, and with such perfection, they had brought Bronya back from the brink of death.

As for Theresa, she had finally shed the title of St. Freya's mascot.

She was the Principal, and it was her duty to protect her precious students.

Even in the most dire circumstances, she had to step up, sacrificing herself beneath the constraints' power, the Judas's Chain vanishing alongside the virtual seeds.

Her body, imbued with the Honkai Beast Vishnu's genes, was severely injured, but she had fulfilled her duty.

No matter the cost,

Theresa's small hand tightened, her eyes shining with determination as she watched the screen. Her on-screen self was performing brilliantly.

From her commanding tone to the final miracle she achieved, everything was deeply impressive.

The final scene of sunlight spreading, golden light colliding and vanishing, left her heart pounding with excitement.

"Aunt.. ah Principal she's pretty awesome, huh?"

Kiana scratched her nose, sighing as she watched the screen.

It was clear from the situation that they wouldn't have all been able to escape.

Although she still had some strength left, the others had poured all their energy into the fight, making even moving a problem.

Besides, it was already a miracle that Bronya was saved by Seele.

"How else could I be your teacher? I'm your Principal, after all."

Theresa glanced at Kiana, a hint of smugness in her tone. She had finally proven her strength.

"But Principal… Judas did most of the heavy lifting, right? You wouldn't… have any battles where you don't rely on Judas, would you?"

Kiana mumbled, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

She admitted that Theresa's performance was impressive, but why did it always feel like she couldn't do it without Judas?

She understood that weapons were meant to be used by people, but… every time she saw the Principal carrying Judas, which was taller than her, it felt strangely comical. It was hard to say which was the main character...

"As for Judas, it's incredibly difficult to fully utilize a Divine Key."

Kallen didn't deny or confirm Judas's role in Theresa's success, simply stating calmly.

"You… I, I've obviously had battles before! You wouldn't think that I never went to the battlefield before Grandma gave me Judas, would you?"

Theresa glared at Kiana, her eyes sharp. This girl really didn't learn!

"Judas… if Theresa could use it like that and still remain conscious, then she would have a lot more cards to play."

Kallen sighed, her eyes narrowing slightly as she continued to ponder Otto.

The more she learned about him, the clearer he became, yet at the same time, he remained shrouded in mystery.

Throughout history, he had played different roles, all for the sake of his unwavering plan.

He had openly revealed his plan, admitting that he was a rational villain, refusing to deny his crimes.

His detached emotions, his unwavering resolve…

"As for Judas… if Theresa had come out of that unscathed, it would have been incredibly powerful. Few people can unleash its full potential."

"Speaking of which, she has an incredibly good compatibility with Judas. It feels like she has developed functions that I never even designed."

Vill-V's face held a hint of suspicion, but then a cryptic smile spread across her lips.

After all, it was the Herrscher of Binding,

After she designed it, there hadn't been a suitable user in the last century. In that sense, Theresa was quite impressive.

"Judas… from the game's description, Theresa considered a MANTIS, right? Is it really okay to use it like that?"

Mobius frowned, asking the question that had been on her mind.

She knew how harshly MANTISs were suppressed by Binding.

Although the two in the video were of different strengths, one was a final act under the Binding's curtain area, and the other was the activation of a Divine Key, it wasn't something that could be easily overcome.

"Hmm, who knows? But my gut tells me she'll be fine."

Elysia said, playfully glancing at Luo Mo, then her smile focused on Mobius' face. "Mobius~, how about we make a bet…"

"No bet. Goodbye."

Mobius cut her off coldly before she could finish, her indifferent eyes watching as the other's expression shifted from joy to confusion. A small sense of satisfaction bloomed in her heart.

She had visited the company several times, getting familiar with those people. How could she possibly bet on something like this with her?

"Hey, hey, hey, don't use your Principal as a bet."

Theresa heard the conversation from a distance, sighing helplessly. "After all, you're all in this school, you should at least look out for each other."

They were still on her turf, don't make fun of her like that.

"Uh… alright, I was just suddenly interested, no big deal if you don't want to. But you all did really well, everyone was exceeding expectations."

Elysia said softly, her eyes twirling as she looked at Theresa, becoming even more interested.

But to be honest, she went to Luo Mo's company to learn more about the Flame-Chasers, not counting her own little hobbies, of course~

The three Theresas were quite interesting, and their personalities were even more different than Fu Hua and the others.

"Hmm, that's true. They… their growth in the game is truly remarkable. The environment really does have a huge impact on a person's growth."

Theresa was initially stunned, then she remembered their performances, and she couldn't help but say hesitantly.

But to say she felt sorry, she truly did.

How could she, as her aunt, not worry about Kiana's experiences?

-----

But just as the battle took unexpected turns, the predetermined future was constantly changing.

A divine white light shot down from the sky. It didn't feel threatening, it even felt… reassuring.

In Theresa's memory, she had only seen such a holy light on one person.

"——Cecilia…"

The name from the depths of her memory escaped her lips. It was a wound that never healed in her heart, a source of both pain and comfort, a friend she would always cherish.

As her consciousness neared oblivion, she seemed to see her shadow once again.

Then she fell asleep.

After uttering that name in her mind, Theresa had no strength left.

She closed her eyes, letting herself fall without a care…

But the white light was no illusion. From within the divine light, the knight who had been sent back, returned to the battlefield.

"I'm late… Theresa-senpai—"

The knight who had returned from the Imaginary (stigma) space descended slowly from the sky.

The golden-haired knight had once again escaped the swamp of the virtual space, rushing from that distant, faraway place to the battlefield.

Black Abyss White Flower responded to her call, spreading a warm white light from the ground upwards, enveloping Theresa's overexerted body.

"I am the black from the abyss, I am the white that descends from the clouds;

Born before creation, existing after annihilation;"

Her voice echoed through the air, majestic, holy, standing unyielding in the sky.

The healing light illuminated the entire night sky, singing a hymn of apocalypse for the wounded.

The knight had returned from the Stigmata Space, wielding new power.

And with it, her Valkyrie armor transformed, black and white colors intricately adorning her. A black inner lining, white armor and patterns,

A strand of defiant white hair mixed in with her beautiful golden hair, symbolizing her own bloodline.

Now, her appearance had changed drastically.

Now, her will was even stronger.

Even if the path to salvation was long and uncertain, she had found a clearer answer in her heart.

Palatinus Equinox.PNG

[Theresa's head and Durandal's… certain part, when you compare them, it's so weird.]

[So it's Durandal who came back? And at such a convenient time…]

[Theresa mistook Durandal for Cecilia, this must be some kind of hint!]

[Comment…]

-----

Her life had been a long and complicated journey, just like the path she had traveled.

Along the way, she had learned a lot about herself, especially about her childhood memories of the orphanage, a place that felt like a distant dream.

The origin of the universe, the intersection of laws.

Eighteen years and eight months was a tiny blip compared to fifty thousand years. It was like a quick blink of an eye.

For the guardian, this was its job.

—To tell every visitor what kind of power they had inherited.

Then, to engrave in their souls the promise that once belonged to "him."

They would fight Honkai, to the death!

And today, a visitor had indeed arrived.

Durandal scanned the crimson world around her, her eyes sharp with caution. Otto, her former leader, had banished her to this strange place.

The power that pulsed from the depths of the Imaginary space kept her trapped.

She was determined to find a way out.

But at this moment, she didn't understand

what kind of place she was in.

As she delved deeper, exploring further, her questions multiplied.

She soon came to a conclusion—this space was definitely more than just the depths of the Imaginary space.

The memory fragments she gathered, growing in number, confirmed her suspicions… they were all about the Kaslana family.

Whether it was Kevin, Kiana, or Siegfried,

they were all memories about the Kaslana family.

So, at this point, she hadn't realized why there were memories about her and Rita.

And the Homu doll that guided her forward, a failed wanderer lost in this space, gradually revealed his true identity, Kiana's father… no, her father as well—Siegfried.

Yes, through countless fragments of memories, she gradually realized that it matched the scene of the doll holding a picture, representing Siegfried.

She was that Kiana, the real Kiana.

And now, she had successfully broken free from the constraints of the Stigmata Space, gaining the opportunity to truly master the Kaslana Stigmata.

But she still couldn't forget the icy coldness in her heart at that time. The urge to kill Honkai almost consumed her mind. She was on the verge of succumbing to those countless whispers, but in the end, the gentle, holy power within her enveloped her.

"It's okay… child, try relying on… your mother's power."

The power was silent yet warm, gentle yet forceful. It stopped her from becoming a vessel for revenge, helping her become a knight who could control the ancient destiny.

—It was her own biological mother, a fleeting yet eternal embrace across time.

As a dark light emerged from her body, her golden Armor was obscured. A dark blue warhorse burst forth from an unknown place, sharp spikes protruding from its forehead.

"The path of Palatinus Equinox, opens here…!!"

She leaped onto the warhorse, spear in hand. The steed whinnied and charged, unleashing a powerful blow, engaging in battle with the Stigma seed that stood in her way.

The spear tip, combined with the warhorse's charge, sparked with friction as it struck the enemy, pushing it back relentlessly.

She had completed her own transformation.

She had also completed the inheritance of this space, gaining new power.

...Back in the present, Durandal gently landed with Theresa, and the others rushed over to inquire.

Finally, facing Kiana's questions,

She thought for a moment and answered a few questions, sharing some of her experiences in the Stigma space.

As for the matter of her being her sister… it wasn't the right time yet.

Durandal sighed silently, gazing at the church in the distance. That was the priority.

[The real Kiana has appeared!]

[So, Otto telling Theresa about the real Kiana wasn't exactly wrong?]

[In the end… it still comes down to Mom's power!]

[Kill him, Kiana!]

[Charge, Durandal!!]

[Comment…]

-----

Clearly, the players were excited by the warhorse. After all, compared to Duck Duck's motorcycle, riding a horse was another kind of manly dream.

And with that, there was a wave of surprise in the lobby about Durandal's identity.

Many people had thought of it, after all, they were sisters here, and their relationship wasn't as flawed as hers and Sirin's.

But since it was many people, not everyone, there were those who hadn't connected the dots.

"Uh… huh? Durandal is actually the real Kiana?"

Pardofelis' eyes glazed over, but she quickly jumped up in surprise, the gold coin in her hand falling to the ground with a crisp sound.

The moment she heard it, a visible pang of pain shot through her heart.

Her fluffy tail curled slightly, snatching the gold coin back with a flick. Facing the gazes of those around her, she awkwardly laughed twice.

"Ahaha, I, I… I really like shiny things, don't, don't mind me, keep talking."

Quickly, she ducked down again, avoiding any chance of attracting attention.

In secret, she quietly leaned back, trying her best to block the things inside. She had… secretly taken quite a bit.

But… everyone wouldn't mind too much…