"I was just looking for a secluded place to have a good chat with Mei."
Durandal offered this explanation.
But who would believe that!
Takatsuki looked at Mei, who said nothing, only nodding.
Alright, he had no choice but to believe it.
And since both of them had given him an out, if he didn't know what was good for him, at best it would be a mixed doubles beatdown, and at worst, their personal relationships would completely collapse.
"Cough, cough, that's good. Well, since nothing's wrong, let's head back. Theresa and the others are probably worried."
Takatsuki said, looking at A2, who was waiting nearby. After a moment's thought, he added, "Wait a moment, I'll go say hello to A2 and them."
"Okay, but are they from St. Freya Academy? Their equipment doesn't look like Schicksal gear."
Durandal looked in A2's direction; her attire didn't resemble Valkyrie armor either.
"Ah, no. To be precise, they aren't human; they're androids I brought back from another world. As for the specifics…"
"I'll answer the specifics. Takatsuki, you go on ahead."
Mei interrupted Takatsuki, taking on the task of explanation herself.
Although it felt a bit strange, Takatsuki still agreed to Mei's suggestion and stepped onto the reef where A2 was, walking on water.
"Master. I must apologize to you."
A2 bowed to Takatsuki.
"No need for formalities, A2, but an apology?" Takatsuki thought of something. After confirming with his peripheral vision that the two weren't looking over, Takatsuki whispered, "What exactly happened before I arrived?"
"Uh…"
Whispering wasn't A2's nature, but the person in front of her was the current master of all YoRHa units. She still replied in a low voice: "When 2B, 9S, and I arrived, the two were fighting. I mistakenly thought that Lady Durandal was going to harm Lady Mei, so I attacked Lady Durandal…"
As expected…
"I see. You meant well, and besides, Durandal's strength is also very formidable."
A2 nodded: "Lady Durandal's strength is indeed very formidable. Even though I launched a surprise attack, I was almost shot down by Lady Durandal. If it weren't for Lady Mei's explanation…"
"So your addressing Durandal as Mistress is also due to Mei's explanation?"
A2 nodded.
Well, Takatsuki finally understood why their relationship had suddenly changed like this.
Although it was just a title, this title was a tacit acknowledgment of Durandal's identity.
Takatsuki didn't know why they initially had a conflict, but Durandal wasn't the type to dwell on things or be relentlessly persistent.
"But, A2, aren't you unable to harm humans?"
Takatsuki looked at A2, remembering this. Although he had changed the androids' core logic, the inability to harm humans was deeply ingrained within them.
"I am different from the others. The Master and Lady Mei saved me, so I only wish to obey your commands."
"..."
Looking at the sincere A2, Takatsuki didn't know what to say, but as long as it wasn't a logic virus, it was fine.
However, this incident did give Takatsuki a reminder: although the YoRHa network vulnerability had been patched by him, it was not foolproof. He would implement preventive measures for YoRHa when he returned.
"Alright, you and 2B can go back. We don't need any more help here."
A2 nodded and boarded the YoRHa single-person aircraft. Just as it started, a massive tremor suddenly came from beneath their feet, and the surrounding sea began to churn.
"What's going on!?"
Takatsuki turned back immediately, seeing Mei and Durandal also looking bewildered.
"Warning! There is a massive Honkai Energy reaction! It is rapidly approaching from below the sea surface."
A2's Pod suddenly blared an alarm.
"Oh no! Mei! Durandal! Get out of the way!"
Takatsuki immediately warned the two who had not yet realized the danger.
And the Pod also gave a timely warning.
"Time to contact, 9, 8, 7…"
Hearing there were still a few seconds, after letting A2 ascend on her own, Takatsuki instantly teleported beside Durandal and Mei, holding one in each arm and rapidly ascending.
And just as they flew hundreds of meters high.
The churning sea suddenly exploded, and a gigantic purple monster broke through the water and lunged into the air.
Takatsuki, holding one person with each arm, found it difficult to attack, but a massive fist descended from the sky and landed on the giant beast's lower jaw.
However, even the Shikoutazer's fist seemed incredibly tiny before this beast capable of swallowing continents. Takatsuki then completely threw the entire Shikoutazer at it, but it was shattered to pieces by the beast's collision.
The Shikoutazer!
Takatsuki felt like this thing always got the short end of the stick.
But thanks to the Shikoutazer's sacrifice, they gained a little time.
"This is… a Judgement-class Honkai Beast, Chiyou!"
Durandal, held around the waist by Takatsuki, looked at the monster below and recalled its name.
And Takatsuki had thought of it the moment he saw its size.
In this world, such an exaggerated Honkai Beast capable of swallowing continents could only be Chiyou, the ceiling of the Judgement-class.
Chiyou's target did not seem to be the three of them; chasing them was merely the inertia of its breakthrough and surfacing from its underwater seal.
After being interrupted by the Shikoutazer's sacrifice, it fell back into the sea and began moving towards the continent.
"Oh no! It's going to seek revenge on the Divine Realm."
Although he didn't know how Chiyou's seal was broken, Takatsuki immediately thought of the plot he had seen before when he observed its movements. According to the setting, Chiyou could swallow half of the Divine Realm, and seeing its size, which was even larger than the Far East, Takatsuki believed it.
"Takatsuki! Quickly put us down! We must stop it!"
Takatsuki would have done so even without Durandal saying it.
Chiyou did not hide its body; it simply floated on the sea surface. Its body was like a landmass, and Durandal didn't even feel the slightest bump when she landed on it.
Using the power of the Stigmata within her, Durandal wielded her lance and attacked the "ground" beneath her feet.
But it was like attacking land; no, it caused even less damage than attacking land.
On the other side, Mei's full-power attack, which drew down a sky full of red lightning, was also an innocuous attack to Chiyou.
Takatsuki's attacks were likewise.
Sometimes, sheer size is a form of power in itself.
Against this giant, comparable to a continent, attacks that couldn't destroy continental plates were no different from a mere tickle.
The three of them had strong offensive capabilities, but only against a single point. Let alone a continental plate, even a large city would be difficult for them to destroy with a single blow.
It wasn't a lack of destructive power, but insufficient area of effect.