On the Possibilities of Abyss Flower
Who said girls were light? Lin Wei thought, his pride slightly wounded.
His back twinged. He'd almost thrown it out.
He remembered Fu Hua effortlessly carrying him across Nagazora, parkour and bungee jumping combined, without even breaking a sweat.
The disparity was… stark.
And it had to be a princess carry…
(*￣︿￣)
Forget it. He wouldn't risk injuring the girl.
He carefully extracted his arms from under her, glancing at Fu Hua, who was leaning against the doorway, clearly amused.
He was certain she was laughing internally.
Senti was basically Fu Hua unleashed.
He sighed. He had to swallow his pride. A real man knew when to bend.
He looked at Fu Hua pleadingly.
Help me out, Fu Hua-san.
Fu Hua approached, her expression neutral, but her body tense.
She and Lin Wei posed different levels of threat. The girl wasn't hostile towards Lin Wei because he was harmless.
But Fu Hua's presence might trigger a reaction.
Better safe than sorry.
Nothing happened. Fu Hua raised an eyebrow, summoning the feather and soothing the girl's mind again.
She clutched her chest, catching her breath.
She'd been using Fenghuang Down too much today.
Even at low power, it was taking a toll.
She took a deep breath, her strength returning, then frowned at Lin Wei.
"Just… take her back like this?"
Do you even know who she is? Taking her back to St. Freya? You're pushing all the responsibility onto me. Is this what you call a simple task?
Fu Hua didn't think Lin Wei was so careless. She waited for his explanation.
"If I'm not mistaken, she's not a pseudo-Herrscher, but a human bonded with a Honkai beast."
Lin Wei pointed at the withered vines and the dead potted plant.
"A natural-born MANTIS. Worth cultivating, don't you think?"
Fu Hua's eyes widened. "MANTIS…" The word stirred something within her.
She brushed it aside with a flick of her feather.
"And?"
She knew he wasn't finished. Anyone could talk the talk. But who knew if the consciousness controlling this girl upon waking would be Honkai or Order aligned?
"I have a theory. If Durandal uses Abyss Flower at full power, it might help her recover and control her powers."
Lin Wei rubbed his chin, a strange smile on his face.
He'd had this theory ever since reading the manga. What exactly was Dr. Magi's HSN-B46 serum?
It neutralized Honkai energy and repaired cells.
And it was derived from the Gem of Serenity, which contained the Herrscher of Death's power.
Was Abyss Flower limited to just healing injuries and repairing cellular blueprints?
Couldn't it do more?
His mind raced.
Back in Arc City, Rita and the Immortal Blades had been neutralized by World Serpent using the HSN-B46 serum. But they'd recovered within months, ready to fight the Herrscher on Coral Island.
Even if the Immortal Blades had rotating members, Rita was irreplaceable.
How had she recovered so quickly?
Had Durandal poked them all with Abyss Flower?
He imagined the scene—
A row of weakened Valkyries, Durandal wielding her large lance, poking them one by one…
The image was too amusing. He stopped, afraid of future retribution.
Knowing Durandal, it was entirely possible.
Then his thoughts went off on a tangent—
Himeko, Himeko, why bother searching for natural Stigmata to prolong your life? Just ask Durandal for a poke. She wouldn't refuse.
And it would be a chance to build a connection with Ragna. Two birds with one stone.
Hmm, interesting…
Should he play matchmaker?
Fu Hua watched him, his increasingly strange smile making her cough.
What was he plotting now?
Lin Wei snapped back to reality, closing his mental browser.
"And even if she's lost control, Durandal can easily suppress her and… correct her personality, right?"
If it didn't work, Durandal could just eliminate her. No loss there.
"Besides, if she gains control of her powers, she'll be a valuable asset against the Honkai. It's worth a try, isn't it?"
This was Fu Hua's weak spot. She couldn't resist the logic.
Then he remembered something, adding seriously,
"But if you do decide to… subdue her, be careful of her toxins. They're airborne and can be dangerous."
But with proper precautions, it shouldn't be a problem.
Not every S-rank Valkyrie was as careless as Theresa, who'd apparently read too many manga.
How had she managed to be poisoned twice?
He still couldn't understand that.
Fu Hua considered his words, finding no major flaws. Asking Durandal for assistance, using Abyss Flower, and having her as backup was feasible.
And St. Freya already had two Herrschers. One more wouldn't make much difference.
As for Otto, she knew he wouldn't object to such a minor detail.
She walked over, effortlessly lifted the girl, and turned to leave, her brisk pace making Lin Wei blush.
He compared himself to her, feeling a pang of shame.
So embarrassing.
(ノへ￣,)
Fu Hua paused, turning back to him, her eyes questioning.
"Anything else? Say it all now!"
No, nothing! I swear!
Lin Wei shook his head vigorously. He couldn't push his luck any further.
Fu Hua nodded, satisfied, then turned back again, her expression serious.
"Are you coming with me, or leaving on your own?"