Volume 1, Chapter 29: Wearing Rita's Armor
Rita never anticipated that just after clashing with Xia Chen, she would now become his mentor.
Well, perhaps not exactly a mentor. As Durandal mentioned, her role was to help him master the Stigmata's power.
Among all Valkyries implanted with artificial Stigmata, Rita stood as an exceptional outlier.
Possibly due to her high compatibility with Honkai Energy or some other unknown factor, her artificial Stigmata integrated seamlessly with her body. Even without the blessings of Heroic Spirits, the effects of Honkai corruption and rejection were negligible.
As a result, she could harness the full potential of the Stigmata's power through her artificial Stigmata, rivaling those born with natural Stigmata, rather than merely relying on crude manipulation of Honkai Energy.
However, currently no Valkyries primarily rely on Stigma's power to combat Honkai. The potential of natural Stigmata far surpasses that of artificial ones.
Only Rita understood how terrifying it is to utilize Stigmata during battles.
"Lucky fellow indeed."
In the training room, she observed Xia Chen testing his Stigma's power and couldn't help but internally remark.
Among numerous Valkyries, countless have been injured or even perished while rescuing victims from Major Honkai Eruptions.
Yet, those who awakened with innate Stigmata due to Honkai infection are extremely rare.
Rita was aware of a mysterious organization studying ways to stimulate latent Stigmata within humans using high concentrations of Honkai Energy. But could Xia Chen be somehow connected to this group? If so, "Serpent" must have invested significantly in him.
She needed to investigate further, though not at this moment.
"Vice-Captain Rita."
Having completed the test, Xia Chen emerged and greeted her, "The evaluation is finished, and the data has synchronized with the technical department."
"Indeed." With a smile, she showed concern, "How are you feeling? Any discomfort or issues with your body?"
"No," Xia Chen replied honestly.
Rita had mentioned that initially, using Stigmata's power might cause physical discomfort due to Honkai's inherent tendency to corrupt the body. However, he didn't experience such sensations.
It likely had something to do with the Stigmata consciousness within him.
Ana...
He couldn't help but glance at Ana, who was training under Durandal's supervision.
As if sensing his gaze, the young girl looked back, her face carrying a faint smile.
On the side, Rita seemed slightly resigned.
Suddenly, she felt that her dream from some time ago might not have been entirely without foreshadowing.
"Hmm, now please put on the armor next."
Rita paused and added, "But first, change into a snug bodysuit; I'm quite particular about cleanliness."
"Uh, Vice-Captain, what you mean is..."
"That's correct. The Mark-III Valkyrie Armor wasn't designed specifically for accommodating Stigmata's power, as it would be too costly. So, you'll be wearing a customized version of the Mark-III Valkyrie Armor made for me."
"You don't need to worry about appearance or fit; the armor material has excellent flexibility and can easily change its form. However, before trying it on, please put on clean clothes."
Her eyes flickered with a hint of danger.
Due to frequently operating outside Schicksal's jurisdiction, many people harbored ulterior motives towards Rita. Consequently, she was particularly cautious about such matters.
Xia Chen understood her concern.
After donning the armor, he felt a slight constriction around his chest. Thankfully, the armor's flexibility allowed him to quickly adjust.
Still, it remained somewhat uncomfortable.
Given the significant difference in physique between him and Rita, the armor's flexibility couldn't fully accommodate both body types.
"Next, try utilizing the armor's auxiliary functions along with your Stigma's power," instructed Rita.
"Alright."
Following Rita's guidance, Xia Chen activated the armor accordingly.
He soon discovered its unique feature—the Stigma's power suddenly amplified several times, causing the laboratory temperature to plummet rapidly.
Several curious gazes turned towards them.
Rita's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Xia Chen's situation proved more unexpected than she anticipated.
The power of Stigmata is a profoundly mysterious force, with its upper limits currently unknown. The lower limit lies in artificial Stigmata. Holders of artificial Stigmata typically struggle to master their Stigma's power, so when designing armor, this aspect is not usually considered.
Rita was an exception; thus, her custom armor assists Valkyries in controlling their Stigmata, albeit with limited amplification capabilities.
In Xia Chen's case, his innate talent already rivals that of S-rank Valkyries.
However, male Honkai combat soldiers often exhibit unusual traits, which Schicksal has been researching for over twenty years without reaching a definitive conclusion.
What Rita could teach him primarily involved efficiently utilizing and conserving the power of Stigmata multiple times in battle.
Following her instruction, Xia Chen engaged her in combat.
It seemed either he had not fully adapted to the amplified strength from the Stigmata or there was a mismatch with the armor itself. During combat using Stigma's power, he felt as if he exerted too much force.
Wearing the fourth-generation armor Artemis, Rita swiftly drained his stamina.
Observing Xia Chen's heavy breathing, she couldn't help but smile. "This armor is designed specifically for me, making it less suitable for you. I suggest seeking out Lady Nagamitsu at the Saint Research Institute to create a customized armor tailored to your needs."
"For now, you'll have to make do with this until we find a better solution."
Xia Chen grimaced, reluctantly replying, "Yes."
"You seem somewhat unwilling?"
"It feels like wearing women's clothing; I'm still not quite comfortable with it," he admitted honestly.
Although the armor's appearance could be customized, the thought of Rita previously using it as maid attire...
"All right, I didn't consider the psychological aspect. My apologies." She paused before continuing, "I will synchronize your data and upload it to the Saint Experimental Institute. Finding suitable armor for you might take some time."
"So, remove the armor now. And remember, no funny business, okay?"
Xia Chen remained silent, slightly taken aback.
After stripping off the Valkyrie Armor, he couldn't help but shiver.
The auxiliary armor had temperature regulation capabilities, but his actions had significantly lowered the overall temperature in the training room. Considering this was an enormous space capable of accommodating nearly two hundred people, the fact that his Stigma's power affected such a large area showcased his exceptional talent.
Rita's eyes narrowed slightly. "Let's loosen up and get moving then."
They engaged once more.
Without his armor, Xia Chen felt considerably more relaxed and confident, even when facing the vice-captain.
Of course, Rita was not wearing her armor or carrying any weapons, significantly reducing her combat effectiveness. Nonetheless, at this moment, Xia Chen far surpassed the other members of the Immortal Blades.
As he cornered Rita with a final strike, a voice echoed from outside:
"Brilliant."
Durandal couldn't help but applaud, praising Xia Chen, "I've always said your talent surpasses mine, and it's evident now."
"As expected, warriors must strive for improvement."
Both Xia Chen and Rita paused momentarily.
Rita, standing nearby, gave a slight bow and adjusted her hair, saying to Lady Durandal, "It seems there might be some subtle misunderstanding regarding talent on your part."
Unbeknownst to them, Ana had approached and whispered to Xia Chen, "Your talent is superior to Durandal's, and she mentioned it quite early?"
"The captain has consistently believed her own talent to be average," Xia Chen responded, unsure how else to comment.
Just then, Ana's communicator beeped, indicating a new message in her inbox.
Frowning slightly, she turned to Xia Chen after reading it. "We have a mission."