"The Hyperion?!"
Xia Qi stared at the massive battleship that materialized before them, pressing down on them with an overwhelming sense of presence, her expression one of complete shock.
"It really is the Hyperion. But why is it here?!"
Himeko frowned deeply, thinking back to the last time she had checked on the Hyperion's repair progress. Back then, the engineers in Europe had confidently assured her that the ship would return to St. Freya in at most three months.
That same engineer had even tried to sell her their specially designed "complete cleaning and refurbishment package" for the Hyperion.
"This can't be our Hyperion." Himeko's expression grew calm. "Is it possible that this Hyperion is... yours?"
Bronya turned to look at Xia Qi, asking seriously.
"..."
Xia Qi's thoughts were in turmoil.
But there was no time to investigate, because at the bow of the Hyperion, a figure slowly materialized before their eyes.
"Kevin..."
Staring at Kevin, who stood at the ship's prow gazing at her with cold, merciless eyes, Xia Qi felt her body instinctively tense. A chill surged through her, the feeling of being locked in the sights of some apex predator.
"Hiss..."
She heard Himeko inhale sharply beside her and felt Bronya's tension matching her own.
"A Herrscher?" Kevin's cold gaze fixed on Xia Qi, then shifted to Bronya and Himeko, his eyes flickering slightly. "And humans? Traitors, then."
In Kevin's hand, the azure outline of a greatsword gradually took shape, then solidified into a blade radiating frigid cold, materializing fully as he gripped it tight.
"You're Kevin? The Previous Era's strongest MANTIS soldier?"
Himeko stepped forward, her voice low and solemn as she stared up at him. "We are not your enemies."
"I have nothing to say to a Herrscher and traitors."
Kevin stood atop the Hyperion's bow, took a single step forward into the void, and vanished.
"Look out!"
Xia Qi shouted, instantly propelling Himeko and Bronya clear with a shockwave. She spun around, deploying Project Bunny to form an ice drill, which clashed violently against Kevin's frozen greatsword.
"We can talk about this!"
In that brief moment of stalemate, Xia Qi's voice was strained.
"I have nothing to discuss with a Herrscher."
Kevin's voice was calm and frigid, like eternal ice that chilled to the bone.
The force emanating from his frozen greatsword was immense. Twin cannon mounts materialized on Project Bunny's shoulders, firing missiles.
But in that instant, the pressure from Kevin's blade intensified, sending Xia Qi flying backward.
The next moment, Kevin was upon her, raising his sword for a devastating strike.
"Bronya!"
Himeko and Bronya attacked from both sides simultaneously, but their strikes posed no threat to Kevin.
Yet it created an opening. Xia Qi instantly conjured a shield. The moment it met Kevin's sword, Project Bunny's other hand formed a drill and drove it toward Kevin's abdomen.
"Mere tricks."
Kevin's cold voice rang out. The force on his sword multiplied, shattering Xia Qi's shield in an instant. His blade swept horizontally, sending all three of them flying.
"Ugh!"
Bronya and Himeko crashed into protruding dark red rock. Xia Qi caught herself after skidding back several meters.
"Compared to the Herrschers of my era, your power is as laughable as a child's."
Kevin regarded Xia Qi with cold indifference.
"Is that so."
Xia Qi's gaze turned icy. Watching Himeko and Bronya struggle painfully to rise from the rubble, fury surged within her.
"If you still had your Key of Destruction, if you hadn't spent a millennium losing your energy in the Quantum Sea, Bronya might actually fear you. But unfortunately, you are not at your peak. Even if Bronya cannot defeat you, she can hold you here forever. Keep you from ever returning to the real world."
"You truly believe that?"
Kevin gripped his greatsword, his expression unchanging. That absolute coldness seemed almost inhuman, radiating an oppressive, frozen aura.
"Bronya, don't be reckless!"
Himeko gripped her blade tightly, her expression deadly serious as she stared at Kevin.
"We told you: we are not your enemies. Kevin, Bronya is a Herrscher who stands with humanity against the Honkai. This era is different from yours!"
Xia Qi kept her focus locked on Kevin without relaxing for an instant. She had no idea whether this man would believe them.
Nor could she transform into other Herrschers' forms to fight him now.
But at that moment, she received a sudden transmission.
[Detected: Our SSS-rank Valkyrie Bronya Zaychik under attack by Hyperion staff member, currently employed as Janitor, Kevin Kaslana. Pursuant to Article 35, Kevin Kaslana's employment contract is hereby terminated.
All shipboard weapons deployed. Awaiting Captain's attack command...
3...
2...
1...
No Captain signal detected within communications range. Quantum communications disrupted. Pursuant to Article 2, Hyperion operational authority transferred to highest-ranking personnel on site: SSS-rank Valkyrie Bronya Zaychik.
Awaiting attack command...]
Above them, every cannon and main battery on the Hyperion had deployed, all aimed directly at Kevin Kaslana.
"Hm?"
Kevin frowned, looking up. Clearly, he had received the termination notice and warning from the Hyperion as well.
"Janitor?"
Despite the dire situation, Xia Qi couldn't help but pause at that word. Her expression toward Kevin shifted, becoming something she struggled to define.
Then the shock hit her again.
"What is going on?"
She looked up at the Hyperion, hesitating to issue an attack order even as the Moonlight Throne rapidly charged.
"Why does Bronya have personnel records on the Hyperion, yet this world's Bronya and Teacher Himeko aren't recognized by the system? And... SSS-rank Valkyrie?"
In an instant, Xia Qi's eyes went wide. She stared at the Hyperion's majestic white hull in disbelief.
"Could it be..."
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