On the very first day after obtaining the summoning authority, four Servants were summoned one after another.
Although Takatsuki also wanted to start the Holy Grail War quickly, he decided to leave a week's time after consideration.
Not only to allow those people to try and test, but also to give relatives a chance for reunion.
At least these past few days, Rita said Durandal's smile was much more frequent than before.
Although she wasn't a pessimistic person originally, she had carried too many burdens in the past, not only the world bubble within her but also the mission to resist Honkai.
Having lost her memories, she didn't know her origins, just like other orphans.
Durandal had once wondered who her parents were.
But in this world where one could die so easily because of Honkai, she couldn't be sure if she was abandoned or if her parents were killed by Honkai.
That heavy burden had not disappeared; it was buried deep in her heart, suppressed by the immediate matters at hand.
She had always relied on reasons like responsibility and becoming stronger to avoid thinking about those things.
But now there's no need.
She had already found her family again, and they were right by her side.
On the third day after Cecilia's return, she sparred with Durandal under the pretext of wanting to see how much her daughter had grown.
"It brings back so many memories. I used to spar with Fu Hua like this all the time."
Cecilia said with a hint of nostalgia after her Abyss Flower clashed with the Abyss Flower in Durandal's hand.
"Senior Fu Hua?"
Durandal knew Fu Hua because of Takatsuki; originally, she only knew of her existence.
"Yes, Fu Hua is really amazing."
Cecilia found it difficult to evaluate, although Fu Hua had always been rated as an A-rank Valkyrie, her combat power displayed on the Honkai battlefield back then far exceeded that of an A-rank Valkyrie.
One must know, countless A-rank Valkyries died in that battle, yet Fu Hua even once forced Sirin into a desperate situation, and it was then that Cecilia realized her friend and colleague was not just skilled in martial arts.
After their two weapons clashed a few more times, Cecilia said, "A Servant's Noble Phantasm is completely inferior to the original Divine Key."
Although Cecilia's Noble Phantasm was also the Abyss Flower, it was a weapon reproduced based on Cecilia's own spiritual foundation.
It only possessed the abilities of the Abyss Flower, but not the Honkai Energy storage of the Abyss Flower.
The original Divine Key used their Herrscher Core as the source of energy and abilities, but the Noble Phantasm version only had the abilities, without a Herrscher Core to provide energy, which meant that to use the Noble Phantasm, one had to supply Honkai Energy from their own body.
"Then, Mom, you use the Abyss Flower when the time comes."
Durandal stopped her movements and propped the Abyss Flower on the ground.
"Then what about you, Bianka?"
"As for me…"
Durandal reached into the golden doorway and pulled out a long sword: "I have other weapons."
"Mom appreciates Bianka's kindness, but there's no need. After all, the magic power used for the Noble Phantasm is also provided by you, Bianka, so there's no difference."
Cecilia didn't dwell too much on the Divine Key but looked at Durandal's hand holding the Durandal with some curiosity: "Actually, Mom was wondering earlier, what was that thing you just took out, Bianka? Is it new technology from Schicksal?"
"This?"
Durandal didn't expect Cecilia to ask about this. She reached out and put the Durandal back inside: "Takatsuki gave it to me, but it's not technology, it's more like magic."
"Magic, huh? It feels a bit unreal."
Not just magic, even the fact that she had become a Heroic Spirit and descended into this world again felt incredibly unreal.
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I really wouldn't have imagined Kiana growing up like that."
As Durandal spoke, she saw the scene of Kiana being sent flying by her other self.
Even though Kiana was holding a weapon, she was defeated by Flamescion with bare hands.
"Why don't you use the power of the Void? Although it's the power of a Herrscher, only power held in your own hands can protect your companions."
Flamescion looked at her other self, who had been sent flying, and felt as if she was seeing her past self.
Her past self, who refused to use that power due to some psychological barriers.
Although it was the power of a Herrscher, rejecting it was not a good thing.
On one hand, Honkai has some idealistic power; it's difficult to unleash its full potential if one doesn't internally acknowledge it. On the other hand, for the current Kiana, becoming a Herrscher is the fastest way to become stronger.
This was a path she had once walked, a path she had already blazed.
"I…"
Kiana propped herself up with one hand on the ground, then suddenly glared fiercely at Flamescion.
"I can become stronger even without that power!"
Flamescion frowned at Kiana's reaction. Just as she was about to say something, her expression suddenly shifted, and she moved her body to the side, simultaneously throwing a punch at the spot she had just vacated.
"Nothing?"
Flamescion frowned slightly, looking at her missed punch, but soon the same sensation surged through her heart.
Her body instinctively dodged again according to the previous sensation and counterattacked.
However, this time, she used the power of a Herrscher in her punch.
This time, the attack felt real, and just as she felt she had hit something, Kiana suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward.
"Kiana!"
Not only Flamescion, but even Durandal was startled.
"You idiot! A Stand's power isn't invincible!"
Seeing Kiana severely injured by Flamescion's punch, Durandal quickly fed her a Senzu Bean, which helped her recover.
Just now, she was the only one present who saw it most clearly.
Kiana, due to the recent argument, directly unleashed The Hand to attack Flamescion.
She did not use The Hand's ability to erase space, but instead used the characteristic that people without a Stand cannot see Stands to launch a sneak attack.
However, Flamescion sensed the location of The Hand purely by intuition. After her first normal attack missed, she immediately used Honkai Energy to directly injure The Hand, and the injury was then transmitted to Kiana's body.
"I'm sorry, Kiana, I didn't know that thing would hurt you."
Flamescion could be considered an awakened Kiana; she quickly realized that Kiana's injury was due to her injuring that invisible entity.
"Don't worry, I've already fed Kiana a Senzu Bean; all injuries can be recovered."
As Durandal said, Kiana's injuries had fully recovered, but she just sat on the ground, silent.
"Kiana, did something happen?"
Durandal looked at the silent Kiana and asked with some confusion, "Why aren't you using the Herrscher's power? I remember you used to use it often when you sparred with me, didn't you?"
Compared to the recently summoned Cecilia and Flamescion, Durandal understood Kiana better.
Although Flamescion was Kiana from the original timeline, Kiana in this world had undergone many changes due to various reasons.
Flamescion thought Kiana wasn't using it because she considered it Herrscher power, but Durandal knew that wasn't the reason, because she had seen Kiana use that power many times before.
"I…"
Kiana pursed her lips, then slowly began to speak under the gazes of the others: "I had a dream…"