"What on earth is going on here? What kind of chaos has Elias caused again? The academy forum is calling him a literal angel descended from heaven! And Himeko—you're supposed to be a teacher! Why are you skipping class? You're not Kiana!"
Theresa stormed into the dorm with Judah slung over her shoulder, fuming. But the moment she stepped inside, she was hit by a strange, almost sacred atmosphere.
The white-haired boy lay peacefully asleep on Mei's lap.
Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing his form in a glow so divine and serene it was almost painful to look at. His snow-white hair shimmered faintly—so beautiful that no one could bear to disturb the sight.
Yet this sleeping angel was surrounded by a group of women breathing heavily, their expressions filled with a strange excitement.
The way Himeko and the others looked at Elias... it was as if a pack of starving wolves were eyeing a particularly delicious prey.
"Angel? Hm, you're not wrong, Theresa. My Elias is an angel. Ah~ look at him, sleeping so defenselessly, completely without vigilance... It's a good thing he's at home. If a bad woman found him outside, who knows what would happen."
Mei's face flushed as she gently brushed the hair from his face, feeling as though she were touching beauty itself.
Uncontrollable emotions welled up within her.
The Queen of Thunder's desire for possession was awakening.
She wanted to keep him locked away forever, to love and protect him for the rest of her life. This time, she would never let him go. This time, she would never let him die.
The world outside was far too dangerous.
And her Elias was far too kind.
So she would be the one to protect him—forever.
Mei knew she was acting strange, but she couldn't help it. Even if it had been in another world, she had tasted the agony of loss once before.
That unbearable emptiness—like her very reason for existing had been ripped away, like the world had turned gray—she would never let it happen again.
And she wasn't alone in that feeling.
After merging with the memories of their counterparts from parallel worlds, all seven girls had found their affection for Elias surging beyond control. They began to treasure every moment with him.
But along with that... came stronger urges—possessiveness, domination, obsession.
As Mei gazed at the defenseless boy asleep on her lap, she couldn't help but lick her lips unconsciously.
However—
"I can't let you girls get away with that. I don't know what exactly is going on with you all, but you look dangerously unstable. As a maid, I can't allow my precious master to fall into your hands."
Rita appeared out of nowhere, unfolding her scythe and stepping protectively in front of Mei. Her usual polite smile remained, but she had already switched from maid mode to S-rank Valkyrie combat mode.
And she wasn't the only one.
Kiana: "Mei, I want to give Elias a lap pillow too!"
Bronya: "Mei-senpai, please prepare lunch. Bronya will take over caring for Elias."
White Seele: "Please, my other self, let me."
Dark Seele: "Hehehe~ Big brother belongs to Seele!"
...
The air in the dorm grew tense—the girls' gazes clashed like blades.
When it came to anything unrelated to Elias, they were close friends—trusted comrades who could entrust their backs to one another in battle.
But the moment Elias was involved—they were enemies.
(If some masked fool of a trickster happened to pass by, they'd probably cheer, 'It's starting! It's starting!')
"Mm..."
The sleeping Elias stirred slightly, his brow furrowing as if he could sense the growing tension in the air. Instinctively, he curled up a little.
That tiny movement was enough to halt every girl in her tracks.
Mei: "We can't wake Elias. Let's settle this in the training room. Winner takes the throne—the right to accompany him for three days. Losers can't interfere during that time. Agreed?"
Everyone: "Agreed!"
Rita: "Though it's hardly an elegant solution, I can't deny that direct methods are sometimes best. However, I do have one additional proposal..."
The perfect maid gently placed a blanket over Elias and, using her professional—well, spy-level—skills, snapped a photo of his sleeping face before turning toward the others.
"We can fight all we like in private, but in front of Lord Elias, can we at least pretend to get along?"
"I'm sure you all know it too—everything he said about the Previous Era was probably true, but there's no way it went that smoothly. He must have hidden the painful parts."
"After all, Lord Elias is always so gentle. Since he doesn't want us to worry, it's our duty not to trouble him either. That's what a proper girlfriend should do."
The others agreed instantly.
It was already an unspoken rule among them.
But now that Rita had voiced it, it had become an unbreakable pact.
Even without Elias saying a word, Mei and the others—sharp as they were—could tell. Even that airheaded "horseshoe crab" Kiana could sense it through instinct: Elias had hidden something.
And it wasn't hard to guess what that something was—his wounds.
So while they might usually bicker, compete, and squabble, they had all silently agreed on one thing: at least they must not let Elias worry about their petty fights.
He only needed to lie there peacefully... while they fought to decide who would be his rightful companion.
"Well then, no point wasting time. Let's make this quick."
"Of course. Can't let it interfere with dinner preparations."
"Bella, let's go!"
"Yes! We won't lose!"
"Tch, two half-Herrscher hybrids, two S-rank Valkyries, one awakened Stigmata user, and a half–Vipralopa-class Honkai Beast... looks like this will be a tough fight."
"Don't forget about me! I still have a score to settle—you idiots ruined my confession earlier!"
The nine women exchanged fierce glances before simultaneously heading toward the training room. As for the rules of their duel—there were none. No teams, no restrictions. Just an all-out brawl.
Theresa, watching this unfold, could only stare in despair. If they actually went all-out, St. Freya Academy might just be reduced to rubble!
"You guys, calm down! Don't destroy the academy!"
"Theresa, you can't stop this war."
"I—I have to try!"
Grinding her teeth, Theresa looked toward the root of the conflict and made a snap decision—to wake him up.
Though her surname was Apocalypse, there was still a streak of white-haired husky in her veins, and in critical moments, she could be surprisingly quick-witted.
"Elias, wake up! You're the only one who can stop the greatest crisis in St. Freya's history!"
But before her short legs could reach the sleeping boy, she was stopped—not by Himeko or the others—but by her own weapon.
With a metallic clang, the golden cross Divine Key, Oath of Judah, suddenly turned on its master.
Clang!
Golden chains slithered out like serpents, wrapping Theresa's small body tightly and suspending her from the ceiling. Even her mouth was gagged to keep her from shouting.
Theresa: "Mmph! Mmmph!!" (Judah! What are you doing?! Why are you attacking me?!) Ｏ(≧口≦)Ｏ
Oath of Judah: (Noisy little launcher. Don't disturb my master's rest. Keep this up, and I won't help you with paperwork anymore. Actually—since Lord Elias has returned, why should I even stay with this midget?)
With a flash of golden light, the massive two-meter-tall cross shrank into a delicate pendant and gracefully floated onto Elias' neck.
At that moment, Theresa became... Theresa Dumbstruck.
She realized her connection with the Oath of Judah had been completely severed.
Theresa: "Mmphh!!!" (No! Judah! How am I supposed to live without you?!) ┭┮﹏┭┮
Before she could even process what had happened, a deafening explosion echoed from the direction of the training room. The Oath of Judah had already deployed a small-scale barrier to protect Elias' sleep, so he remained undisturbed.
But Theresa heard it all—loud and clear.
Theresa turned her head mechanically toward the source of the noise. From the direction of the training room, blinding lightning pierced the sky—accompanied by the roar of a dragon. The owner of the fridge was dancing amidst the chaos, occasionally hurling out a few Subspace Spears.
A full-scale Herrscher-level battle had already begun.
Theresa felt the urge to cough up blood. Each thunderous crash she heard was the sound of the academy's maintenance budget evaporating. She wanted desperately to stop the chaos, but...
Theresa: (I can't do anything!!)
...
St. Freya Academy — Training Ground.
The training area was now half-destroyed.
After all, unless the buildings were made of soulium, they stood no chance against Herrscher-level combat power.
Kiana, Mei, Bronya, Seele, Sirin, Bella, Rita, Himeko, and Raven—nine fighters in total. While their power levels differed to some extent, none of them had the overwhelming advantage to win easily. Honkai Energy strength alone wasn't everything.
Battle technique, combat awareness, ability synergy—these were all critical factors. And in a nine-way brawl where allegiances shifted by the second, anyone could turn the tide and snatch victory.
This should have been a long, drawn-out battle of endurance.
And yet... it was already over.
The victor of this Holy Grail War—no, this Elias War—had emerged.
Mei: "Hah... hah... I won!!"
The Thunder Queen stood, gripping her twin blades, chest heaving as she panted for breath—but her violet eyes were burning bright.
All around her lay the others—Kiana and the rest—collapsed, twitching, faint arcs of lightning still sparking across their bodies.
True, Mei's strength was formidable, but not enough to win so decisively in such a short time. The difference-maker... was a weapon she had conveniently "borrowed."
"Thank you, Raven. This Seven Thunders of Retribution works perfectly."
"Raiden Mei! You stole my weapon!"
Raven snarled from the floor, weakly throwing a small knife that Mei easily caught.
The Third Divine Key of the Previous Era, Seven Thunders of Retribution, contained the Gem of Desire—making it the most compatible weapon for the Herrscher of Thunder. Its resonance far exceeded even Mei's own Domain of Sanction.
When the chaotic battle had dwindled to about half its participants—Himeko, Seele, Raven, and Bronya having already fallen—Mei seized the dropped Seven Thunders of Retribution.
Now wielding twin Herrscher Cores in perfect resonance, her power skyrocketed to its limit. She unleashed a storm of lightning that swept through the remaining fighters.
Mei: "Elias once told me—two identical Herrscher Cores amplifying each other can increase power nearly tenfold compared to dual-type fusion. Looks like he was right."
Watching the crimson arcs still dancing in her palm, Mei reveled in her victory.
(Still, even if the double-core resonance was strong, the real reason I won... was my love for Elias! Just imagining what I'll do to him after winning filled me with so much energy—my Honkai output just kept surging!)
"Raven, I'll borrow this sword a little longer."
"No way! Give it back!"
"Cough, cough. I'll treat you to dinner next time. For now, you can all stay here and rest. The floor might be cold, but you won't catch a cold, right? I'll just... go enjoy my reward."
With that, Mei turned to leave—ready to return to the dorm and claim her victory spoils.
But then—
Clap clap clap clap!
Applause echoed from the entrance of the training room.
"As expected of Miss Mei—very clever tactics. That's what true combat is about—using everything at your disposal."
"Hmm? Fu Hua... class monitor?"
Mei frowned, instantly sensing that this newcomer was not here with good intentions.
The Fu Hua before her carried an aura entirely different from usual.
It was the presence of a seasoned, overwhelmingly powerful warrior—so much so that Mei almost didn't recognize her.
"Why are you here, Class Monitor? Don't tell me you came to join the fight. Showing up right when I've just beaten everyone else... that's kind of underhanded, don't you think?"
"I just thought it was time I fought for something too. And I didn't deliberately choose this moment—I only wanted to reassess everyone's strength."
Fu Hua removed her glasses. Ever since Misteln's little "advice," this honest woman had decided she wouldn't hold back anymore.
She knew that even if she didn't report it, the Elysian Realm would find out soon enough. When that happened, the Flame-Chasers and St. Freya would inevitably clash in a war... for Elias.
And Fu Hua was certain of one thing.
"Miss Mei, if this is the extent of your strength, you won't be able to stop Elysia and the others."
"Class Monitor... who are you, really?"
"Do you remember Elias mentioning the fifteen Flame-Chasers? I am one of them. Allow me to reintroduce myself—I am the Fourteenth Flame-Chaser, bearer of the Signet of [Vicissitude]."
Though she was normally calm about everything, Fu Hua couldn't help but straighten her posture—despite her flat chest—feeling a touch of pride as she declared her identity.
Mei's eyes widened in shock.
"What?! Class Monitor, you told us you were the Immortal Phoenix from Shenzhou! So that was...?"
"No, Miss Mei. I didn't lie."
Fu Hua shook her head calmly.
She had told them her identity before—but only the parts relevant to the Current Era, not her status as a Flame-Chaser in the Previous Era.
Fu Hua (thinking): I didn't lie. I just didn't tell the whole truth.
"From now on, call me Hua. And as your former classmate, I'll give you a word of advice... Only by uniting can you hope to stand even the slightest chance against the Flame-Chasers."
"I won't lose, Class Moni—no, Hua! Whether it's the Flame-Chasers or anyone else—if it's about Elias, I'll never back down!"
Mei took a deep breath, gripping her twin blades—Domain of Sanction in her left, Seven Thunders of Retribution in her right—and faced the Flame-Chaser before her head-on.
"Good. I like that spirit. Before everyone from the Elysian Realm arrives, allow me to represent them and show you what true power looks like. Try to withstand this—a strike that once halted even the Herrscher of Finality."
"Uh—wait, what?! The Herrscher of Finality?!"
Before Mei could process what she'd just heard, Fu Hua activated her Artificial Cascade. A massive flaming greatsword materialized above the Thunder Queen's head.
Fu Hua: "Don't worry, I'll hold back. Now then—Edge of Taixuan: Divine Resonance!"
Mei: "W-wait, Class Monit—!"
But she didn't even get to finish the sentence.
Even held back, the unleashed Taixuan Eminence descended like divine judgment.
Mei vanished in a flash of lightning to dodge—but the blade's spiritual force was undodgeable.
Mei: "!!!"
The instant the colossal flaming sword struck, its combined physical and psychic shockwave overloaded Mei's systems. Both her blades slipped from her grasp, clattering to the ground.
Then she fell face-first, her twin red horns embedding themselves in the floor—utterly defeated in an instant.
"Not the most graceful execution," Fu Hua murmured, "but I believe that makes me the winner."
Her gaze turned toward the dorm, a faint smile curling her lips.
"Well then... I'm coming, Elias."