Above the wind-ravaged plain, the world inside the cave and the world outside were two different realities.
Even though Siegfried and Bianka couldn't see what was happening outside, a suffocating pressure hung heavy in their hearts, making the air inside the cave feel increasingly thin.
Bianka could sense the fluctuations in Honkai energy, while Siegfried could only listen as the wind at the cave's entrance grew more and more violent. The hand gripping the Star of Judgment began to tremble with tension.
In the sky, the Honkai energy around the Desert Emperor had reached its explosive limit. A visible, condensed sphere of light materialized before it, its raw, violent power palpable even at a glance.
And just as the sphere of light, the Star of Judgment, and Bianka were all about to act, an unexpected presence entered the field.
"Meow—"
The sound wasn't loud, but both Siegfried and Bianka heard it.
Why is there a cat meowing here?
Siegfried's grip slackened for a fraction of a second. In that instant, a thousand thoughts raced through his mind: there was another cat hidden in the cave, the Desert Emperor was actually a cat-type Honkai Beast, or perhaps he'd hit his head and was having auditory hallucinations.
What he didn't notice was the pale look on Bianka's face behind him.
That voice... Is that Stan?!
Though the meow sounded powerful and full of vigor, Bianka was certain she hadn't misheard. It was definitely Stan's voice!
But more importantly, Bianka sensed a wave of Honkai energy, no weaker than the Desert Emperor's, appear on the battlefield!
Two variant Honkai Emperor-level enemies... With her current strength, could she really protect Siegfried and get him out of here safely?
And Stan... where was he now?
In their own ways, both Bianka and Siegfried's minds were in turmoil.
But was Bianka the type of person to abandon her plans over something like this?
No.
The real reason she was frozen in place was that the imminent explosion of Honkai energy had dissipated the moment the other presence appeared. It had reverted to its previous state, now in a standoff with the newcomer.
Outside, the rings and armor plates around the Desert Emperor slowed their rotation, now circling it at a steady pace.
Its slightly tilted body righted itself, directly facing the figure that had stepped into its storm field.
At the edge of the storm, a figure about two meters long—small for a Honkai Beast—walked with an elegant, cat-like grace. It stopped at the very edge of the wind and sand, placing one paw into the maelstrom.
The glowing markings on the Desert Emperor flickered, and the wind speed instantly intensified for a moment.
"Meow—!" The cat-type Honkai Beast let out a sharp cry, its voice full of threat. But it didn't advance any further, merely keeping its one paw inside the wind field.
The Desert Emperor flickered again. This time, the wind slowed slightly. The cat-type Honkai Beast's arched back relaxed a little, and the low growl in its throat subsided.
After another moment of standoff, Bianka suddenly sensed both waves of Honkai energy fading.
The wind stopped.
Bianka's heart tightened. She was about to rush out to find Stan, but Siegfried grabbed her arm just as she took a step.
"Wait! We need to wait a little longer!" Since his good hand was holding the Star of Judgment, Siegfried had grabbed her with his injured one out of urgency. Even though Bianka stopped in her tracks, his arm was still pulled.
But Siegfried's grip was firm. The only way for Bianka to break free would be with force...
So, despite her burning anxiety, Bianka could only let Siegfried hold her back, stomping her feet in place.
She wanted to say she had to find Stan, but Siegfried didn't know Stan! And he didn't know if the danger had truly passed. How could he possibly let her go outside?
Bianka opened her mouth several times but couldn't form the right words. All she could do was helplessly point at the cave entrance, her body fidgeting like a child throwing a tantrum.
This genuine, childlike display made the words of caution on Siegfried's lips die in his throat.
"Daddy!"
He remembered a time when he had held his own daughter, Kiana's, hand just like this. She had also wanted to pull away, but was worried she might hurt him...
It's so similar... exactly the same!
Suddenly, Siegfried thought of a very important question. How did Bianka activate the switch on the Star of Judgment?
The gun wasn't just for show; it had all the necessary identity verification systems.
Anyone could pull the trigger, but the switch that controlled the power output could only be used by someone from the Kaslana family... Not even Cecilia could use it directly.
How did this little girl do it? Was she a younger relative he'd never met?
As he made the connection, Siegfried felt that Bianka looked more and more familiar. Her behavior, her features, even his own gut feeling—it all seemed to fit.
But did his family have members with such brilliant golden hair?!!
Siegfried almost completely dismissed the possibility, which only deepened the mystery surrounding the girl.
But looking at the pleading expression on Bianka's young face, Siegfried felt a soft spot in his heart being touched.
"Sigh..." He let out a long breath and released his grip on Bianka's wrist. Thinking of the daughter he hadn't seen in months, he subconsciously raised his hand and placed it on Bianka's head.
The large, warm palm landed on her head, making Bianka freeze on the spot.
This is...
Siegfried only gave her a quick couple of ruffles before taking up the Star of Judgment again. He walked past her to the cave entrance and peeked outside, hugging the wall.
Bianka remained frozen, a faint warmth lingering on her head, stirring an indescribable feeling within her.
This was the first time she had ever been treated like this...
"Alright, there's nothing out there. Looks like that thing is gone." After peering outside for a while, Siegfried confirmed that the Desert Emperor had left. He turned and waved to Bianka.
Bianka looked at Siegfried, who stood at the mouth of the cave, backlit by the light streaming in, beckoning to her. On a whim, she felt an urge to run...
No... it's not that I want to run away... It's because I long for it so much that I want to run away...
The only way out is through this entrance.
With that thought, Bianka let her heart lead her, her body moving willfully toward Siegfried at the mouth of the cave.
Just this once...
Let me be... a little greedy...