0100 Hours. Training Cabins. The Hyperion.
The training cabin was illuminated by the harsh glow of simulated combat effects.
Theresa stood alone at the center of the chamber.
Her breathing was controlled, but sweat had already begun to form along her forehead. In front of her, the remains of the latest simulated Honkai Beast dissolved into countless fragments of light.
The Oath of Judas remained firmly in her hand.
SYSTEM: "Beeep… beep…"
SYSTEM: "Target destroyed."
SYSTEM: "8 items completed. Good work."
Theresa remained silent.
Theresa: "…"
She tightened her grip around her weapon.
Theresa: "…Keep going."
For a brief moment, the system remained silent.
Then a warning appeared across the walls of the training cabin.
SYSTEM: "Warning. Simulated training intensity has exceeded safety limits."
Theresa didn't even look at it.
Theresa: "Keep going!"
The warning disappeared.
SYSTEM: "Beeep… beep…"
The lights within the chamber dimmed.
SYSTEM: "Generating item 9. Generating scene 9."
The smooth walls of the training cabin began to vanish.
A new environment rapidly formed around Theresa.
SYSTEM: "Item 9 and scene 9 generated."
The Hyperion disappeared.
In its place—
A blood-red sky stretched endlessly above her.
The ruined structures of Schicksal Headquarters rose from the devastated landscape.
Broken towers.
Collapsed buildings.
Fragments of burning machinery.
The simulation recreated every detail with disturbing accuracy.
Theresa's eyes narrowed.
Then she saw her target.
Standing in the distance was a white-haired girl.
A dark aura surrounded her.
The Herrscher of the Void.
Theresa immediately raised the Oath of Judas.
The simulated Herrscher slowly turned toward her.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then—
The space behind the Herrscher rippled.
Theresa's eyes widened.
WHOOSH!
A Subspace Lance tore through the air.
Theresa threw herself to the side.
The lance struck the ground where she had been standing and exploded in a violent burst of energy.
Theresa rolled across the ruined ground before immediately pushing herself back onto her feet.
Another ripple appeared.
Then another.
Then dozens.
"Not giving me any time to breathe, huh?"
Theresa tightened her grip around the Oath of Judas.
The next wave of Subspace Lances descended.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Theresa ran.
She dodged the first lance by moving to the left.
A second one came from behind.
She jumped.
A third crossed directly toward her chest.
Theresa twisted her body in midair as it narrowly passed her.
The ruined ground exploded beneath her as the remaining lances struck one after another.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Theresa landed behind a collapsed structure.
For a brief moment, everything became quiet.
Then the ruins around her suddenly began to shake.
Theresa looked upward.
Her expression changed.
More than twenty Subspace Lances were suspended above her.
"Seriously?"
The lances descended.
Theresa raised the Oath of Judas.
Golden energy erupted from the weapon.
"Judah!"
Chains and golden spears burst outward.
The first several Subspace Lances collided with the golden constructs.
CRASH!
The explosions shook the battlefield.
Theresa pushed forward through the smoke.
She knew staying on the defensive would eventually overwhelm her.
The simulated Herrscher remained standing in the distance.
Theresa charged.
Another Subspace Lance suddenly appeared directly in front of her.
Theresa swung the Oath of Judas.
CLANG!
The lance was knocked aside.
She continued forward.
A second lance came from the right.
Theresa ducked.
A third came from below.
She jumped over it.
The distance between her and the Herrscher rapidly disappeared.
Theresa raised her weapon.
The Oath of Judas glowed brightly.
Golden spears materialized around her.
With a sharp gesture, Theresa sent them flying.
The Herrscher raised her hand.
A distorted barrier of space appeared.
The golden spears collided against it.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The barrier shook.
But it held.
Theresa clicked her tongue.
The Herrscher counterattacked.
A powerful blast of void energy surged toward Theresa.
Theresa crossed the Oath of Judas in front of herself.
The impact sent her flying backward.
CRASH!
She struck the remains of a ruined wall.
Pain shot through her body.
Theresa slowly pushed herself up.
The Herrscher was already approaching.
Another Subspace Lance formed.
Then another.
Theresa took a deep breath.
"No. I'm not stopping here."
She stood.
The Oath of Judas began to shine once again.
This time, Theresa did not wait.
She charged directly toward the incoming attack.
The first lance descended.
She sidestepped.
The second—
She knocked it away.
The third—
She ducked beneath it.
Theresa continued advancing through the storm of attacks.
Each movement was calculated.
Each step brought her closer.
Finally—
She reached the Herrscher.
The Oath of Judas slammed into the Herrscher's barrier.
CRACK!
The barrier trembled.
Theresa struck again.
CRACK!
And again.
CRACK!
The barrier shattered.
Theresa immediately thrust the Oath of Judas forward.
Golden spears erupted around the Herrscher of the Void.
One pierced through the simulation's target.
Then another.
Then several more.
The Herrscher's body was engulfed in golden light.
Theresa stepped back, breathing heavily.
The simulated Herrscher attempted one final counterattack.
A Subspace Lance formed.
Theresa gritted her teeth.
She raised the Oath of Judas.
With one final strike—
BOOOOOM!
The lance shattered.
At the same time, the simulated Herrscher's body broke apart into countless particles of light.
The battlefield fell silent.
The red sky began to flicker.
SYSTEM: "Beeep… beep…"
SYSTEM: "Target destroyed."
SYSTEM: "9 items completed. Good work."
Theresa lowered her weapon.
Theresa: "…"
A familiar voice suddenly came from behind her.
Einstein: "Hard at work, Madam Theresa?"
Theresa immediately turned around.
Theresa: "What?"
The simulated red-colored sky faded away and revealed the smooth cabin walls.
The ruins of Schicksal Headquarters vanished.
The Herrscher of the Void was gone.
Theresa looked toward the entrance.
Einstein was standing there.
Theresa: "Doctor Einstein? You're still awake."
Einstein: "I don't usually sleep at this time."
Einstein walked into the training cabin.
Einstein: "I'm here for something else."
She held a small data device in her hand.
Einstein: "While the system simulates the Sea of Quanta's waveform fluctuations, I've managed to finish your project."
Theresa raised an eyebrow.
Einstein continued.
Einstein: "I've ran a systematic inspection of your Blood Knight: Moonlight battlesuit."
Einstein: "I didn't find any backdoors. Schicksal probably isn't tracking us with this."
Theresa visibly relaxed.
Theresa: "Good. That's one less thing to worry about."
Einstein, however, didn't look entirely satisfied.
Einstein: "But there was a surprise finding."
She brought up a holographic display.
Lines of code appeared in front of them.
Einstein: "I identified a sub-routine named "Gleipnir" hidden within the main protocols."
Theresa stared at the unfamiliar name.
Theresa: "What? Is that Old Norse? I haven't been studying that…"
Einstein ignored the joke and continued.
Einstein: "The sub-routine appears to be aimed at limiting the potential of the Blood Knight battlesuit."
Theresa's expression became serious.
Theresa: "What do you mean by that?"
Einstein enlarged several sections of the battlesuit's internal data.
Einstein: "You possess the genes of the Emperor-class Honkai beast "Vishnu", which boosts your strength and regeneration."
Einstein: "But these aren't the true powers of "Vishnu"."
Theresa's eyes narrowed.
Einstein looked directly at her.
Einstein: "Listen to what I have to say, Madam Theresa."
She brought up another series of records.
Einstein: "Vishnu is an Emperor-class beast because it's extremely dangerous when destroyed."
Theresa paused.
Theresa: "When destroyed? Does that mean I have to destroy…"
Einstein continued before Theresa could finish the thought.
Einstein: "Vishnu gains power by devouring other Honkai beasts."
Theresa fell silent.
Theresa: "…"
Einstein nodded toward the Blood Knight battlesuit data.
Einstein: "Blood Knight is a Godsbane battlesuit designed to activate your Vishnu genes."
Einstein: "But Gleipnir, the Binder of the Wolf, is designed to suppress the release of the active elements."
The holographic display changed again.
A series of five locked levels appeared.
Einstein: "In fact, this suit keeps you at 15% of your true potential."
Theresa stared at the display.
Theresa: "15%? You mean I've been fighting at 15% all this time?"
Einstein: "Indeed. Active element release is divided into 5 levels. You've been locked at level 1."
Einstein pointed toward the hidden protocols.
Einstein: "The Gleipnir sub-routine in the Blood Knight suit does nothing but suppress your Vishnu genes."
Einstein: "If it were to be removed, active elements will increase with time and reach higher levels."
Theresa examined the information.
Einstein: "Interestingly, level 3 is labeled as "Danger" while level 5 is labeled as "Apocalyptic"."
Einstein's expression became thoughtful.
Einstein: "I surmise that reaching level 5 will max out your potential at 100%."
Theresa stared at her.
Theresa: "What happens when I reach 100%?"
Einstein remained silent for a moment.
Then she answered honestly.
Einstein: "I have no idea."
The training cabin became quiet.
Theresa stared at the holographic display.
Theresa: "…"
Theresa: "…"
After several seconds, she awkwardly scratched the side of her head.
Theresa: "Erm… Can you uninstall Gleipnir, or do something about it?"
Einstein gave a small smile.
Einstein: "Of course. So long as you're ready."