Anti-Entropy. Radical Faction Temporary Base
Inside the temporary base, Cocolia recalled everything that had happened yesterday, feeling as if she had fallen into an abyss.
Before yesterday, although Otto's hounds had already entered Nagazora City, the overall direction of events was still in favor of Anti-Entropy.
Although the Far East was Schicksal's territory, Raiden Ryoma had laid down numerous backup plans in Nagazora City.
And after Raiden Ryoma was caught by Cocolia exploiting a weakness and sent to prison, Cocolia naturally took over all of Raiden Ryoma's arrangements.
Relying on the assets left behind by Raiden Ryoma and Anti-Entropy's advantages in electronic warfare, Cocolia had once suppressed Schicksal in terms of intelligence.
Originally, she just needed to follow the plan, force Raiden Mei's awakening, then continue as planned, using the Titan mech squadron to wear down the Herrscher of Thunder's power, and finally let the seemingly harmless Bronya use her Quantum Mech to deliver the finishing blow and knock out the Herrscher of Thunder.
Yes, that was her initial plan. In that plan, her adoptive daughter Bronya was the one responsible for retrieving Raiden Mei.
But ever since she discovered that Schicksal agent named Leo Ash, everything had started to spiral out of her control.
Siegfried took Raiden Mei away.
Schicksal's warship, after supposedly capturing the Herrscher of Thunder, still had the power to launch such a terrifying bombardment, annihilating more than half of her Titan mech squadron.
And Bronya, whom she had dispatched to act freely and be ready to retrieve the Herrscher of Thunder at any moment, had also lost contact with her.
In the end, relying on the intelligence advantage she held, Cocolia discovered that Schicksal had actually deployed a massive number of troops.
Originally, Cocolia thought the forces she would face would only be the Schicksal Far East Branch plus some Valkyries.
But after seeing the large contingent of Valkyries and Schicksal's Mechanized Units, even the supremely confident Cocolia had to admit—she had really messed up this time.
Having failed to deal with the Herrscher of Thunder at the earliest opportunity, Cocolia had worked so hard, only for Otto to snatch the fruits of her labor.
Moreover, due to insufficient forces, Cocolia was forced to choose to retreat.
Without having fully digested the X-10 Experiment data, she couldn't put the quantum teleportation system into practical use, forcing Cocolia to face another difficult problem.
Cocolia had no time to take away the 'legacy' that Raiden Ryoma had left behind in ME Corp.
And Schicksal's pursuing forces would sooner or later, taking advantage of the fact that Cocolia's Titan mechs had been wiped out by a single shot from the Hyperion, storm ME Corp.
It was obvious that they couldn't stay here any longer, so after taking what was left of Raiden Ryoma's legacy, Cocolia made a decision on the spot.
She decided to blow up ME Corp's headquarters in Nagazora City!
She had acquired this place through her own methods to begin with. To put it bluntly, after getting her hands on the technology, most of the remaining assets were not worth her heartache.
As for whether this was a wasteful and extravagant act...
Hmph, being wasteful was still better than handing it over to Schicksal.
With this thought, Cocolia decisively activated the self-destruct sequence once preparations were complete.
Of course, Cocolia was cunning.
ME Corp's technology and creations were things that Schicksal would definitely profit from taking.
After discovering that the Anti-Entropy personnel had withdrawn, Schicksal would certainly send people over to collect these items.
Under these circumstances, if Cocolia delayed the detonation time of ME Corp's internal explosion, the people from Schicksal rushing over to pick up the scraps would be caught in ME Corp's self-destruction upon their arrival.
Although she didn't think the Schicksal members coming to collect scrap would be of much importance, since she had chosen to abandon the ME Corp headquarters, Cocolia was determined to maximize her gains—every one she could take out was a win!
Then, it was only after returning to the temporary base with such thoughts that Cocolia discovered...
Something had gone wrong.
Although she didn't know why, ME Corp, whose self-destruct sequence had already been initiated, didn't explode???
Through the surveillance system, she watched as the things she couldn't take from ME Corp were being carted away by Schicksal, and her heart burned with anger.
What worried Cocolia even more was that her adoptive daughter, Bronya, still hadn't contacted her.
If not for the fear that Bronya was currently in hiding and that any rash action on her part would put Bronya in danger, Cocolia would have been tempted to use the 'Valkyrie System'.
After Anti-Entropy withdrew from Nagazora City, Schicksal had gradually seized the initiative in electronic warfare.
Soon, Cocolia's side would completely lose their 'sight' over Nagazora City.
Coupled with the various messages coming from Anti-Entropy headquarters, Cocolia truly felt her headache growing worse.
Out of sheer desperation, she could only bite the bullet and take action.
And a few minutes after taking this action, Cocolia saw a screen of light open up before her eyes.
Within the light screen, that detestable cyborg was now staring at Cocolia, his words laced with obvious anger.
"You really have the gall to contact me, Cocolia."
"To be able to mess things up so badly... Ha, in a way, your talent truly exceeds my imagination."
"Mr. Gray Serpent, I believe the problem this time does not lie with me."
At this moment, Cocolia listened to Gray Serpent's words, forcing herself to speak to him calmly.
"Those idiots from the conservative faction, it's one thing for them not to cooperate with my operation, but they even tried to obstruct my actions in every possible way."
"And Siegfried, who teamed up with the conservatives, was even foolish enough to choose a course of action that benefited Schicksal."
"Given the current situation, I feel I have done my utmost to try and complete the plan."
I cannot show any hint of 'cowardice' at this time.
This Gray Serpent is dangerous. If I am to continue cooperating with him, I absolutely cannot show any more weakness.
Otherwise, this vicious man, like a venomous snake, will definitely seize on my weakness and take a nasty bite!
"You really are..."
Although Gray Serpent himself had no intention of pursuing the matter further, after hearing Cocolia's statements, he still felt...
This woman is truly shameless enough.
Otto is shameless but has a sufficient brain, which is why he's dangerous.
Cocolia is different. This person's brain is usually fine, but at critical moments, she becomes shameless and brainless at the same time.
If her brain could keep up with her thick skin, I really wouldn't dare to continue cooperating with her.
But then again, her being this way also makes it easier for me to carry out my subsequent plans.
"Forget it, let's leave it at that."
As if exasperated, Gray Serpent continued to ask in an extremely annoyed tone.
"Why did you contact me?"
"I need you, Mr. Gray Serpent, to help me find out where my dear daughter is right now."
"Oh?"
Hearing Cocolia's words, Gray Serpent suddenly asked with a hint of mockery.
"It sounds like you care a great deal for that daughter of yours named Bronya?"
Damn it, this man... is he planning to use Bronya to threaten me?
"Naturally."
While sorting out her emotions, Cocolia replied nonchalantly to Gray Serpent.
"She is my most useful pawn. Her IQ is high enough, she's obedient, and with her Quantum Mech, she was a former child soldier. She's ruthless enough when it counts."
"Even in electronic warfare, she is a top talent within Anti-Entropy. If you had such a subordinate, Mr. Gray Serpent, I imagine you would also be concerned for his safety."
"...Ha, you have a point."
Remembering the high-level tool he had personally trained, Gray Serpent nodded slightly, retracting his mocking tone.
"It is indeed as you say. Very well, I will use my intelligence network to help you search for your daughter."
"Also, I need you, Mr. Gray Serpent, to help me keep an eye on the movements of those old fools in the conservative faction."
"That is not difficult either. However, Cocolia, you should understand one thing."
At this moment, Gray Serpent stared at Cocolia with his crimson eye, his tone suddenly becoming incomparably cold.
"The Serpent cannot work for you for free forever."
"The Gem of Conquest has been taken by Schicksal, and during this time, I have been continuously assisting you in completing your plan."
"You have already disappointed me once. To be honest, if you can't offer some sincere compensation, I'm not very keen on continuing to cooperate with you."
As expected.
If he didn't act this way, I would have found it strange.
When dealing with a person as greedy as a snake, if you don't give him some bait, it's impossible to keep ordering him around.
"Compensation... Hehe, Mr. Gray Serpent, how about the entirety of Anti-Entropy?"
Upon hearing these words, Gray Serpent in the light screen, as well as Jackal and Raven who were squatting beside him listening to the conversation, were all momentarily stunned.
Then, Jackal and Raven, who were usually at odds, exchanged a look with remarkable synchronicity, seeing the same thought in their companion's eyes.
This woman, Cocolia—has she gone completely insane???
"...The entirety of Anti-Entropy?"
After a pause, Gray Serpent suddenly spoke with extreme annoyance.
"Cocolia, if you think I'm a three-year-old child, then this conversation can end here."
"I would naturally not dare to treat you as a three-year-old, Mr. Gray Serpent. I am serious about what I said."
Having formulated her speech in her mind, Cocolia, with a smile on her face, said to Gray Serpent.
"To be honest, our Anti-Entropy radical faction has truly reached a critical moment of life and death."
"After losing a large number of Titans, we are already outmatched by the conservative faction in terms of military strength, and it's not just a day or two that those old fools have disliked me."
"If I don't find a way to suppress them first, they will make a move against me sooner or later. In that case, under such a disadvantage, it's not strange for me to make this choice, is it?"
"Besides, I think you should be well aware, Mr. Gray Serpent, that those old fools do not accept my methods. However, your methods are similar to mine. I believe you can understand that this world needs someone to step up and be a little bolder to lead humanity forward."
No, no, no, no, no, your method of actively inducing a Herrscher to awaken in a major city with a permanent population of several million is an extremely explosive move even in the Previous Era.
If the Lord found out I wanted to do something like that, I think he would be absolutely furious.
But, of course, Cocolia couldn't possibly know these thoughts in Gray Serpent's mind.
Watching the still-silent Gray Serpent, Cocolia added fuel to the fire.
"Ultimately, I joined Anti-Entropy not for power and profit, but to fight against the Honkai."
Hearing this, Raven, beside Gray Serpent, nearly spat.
She was considered the queen of mercenaries in the underworld; she had seen her fair share of shameless, heartless, and soulless people.
But considering the major things Cocolia had done recently...
She says she doesn't like vying for power, but it was she who tricked Raiden Ryoma into prison and took over ME Corp.
She says she wants to fight the Honkai, but she was the one who triggered the Third Eruption.
To judge a person, don't just look at what she says, but also at what she does.
For someone like Cocolia, who backstabs teammates and triggers Honkai outbreaks while brazenly claiming she dislikes power struggles and only wants to fight the Honkai...
Where's her sense of shame?
"In order to fight the Honkai, I don't need colleagues who only drag me down and engage in internal strife with me."
As Cocolia said this, a hint of ruthlessness appeared on her face.
"Rather than continuing to cooperate with these idiots, I might as well hand Anti-Entropy over to you, Mr. Gray Serpent, in exchange for your help."
...Although I know you're just making empty promises, that expression on your face is definitely not an act.
At this moment, Gray Serpent had to admit that Cocolia... made him, Gray Serpent, afraid.
As a cyborg, Gray Serpent rarely experienced emotions like fear.
But now, looking at Cocolia, Gray Serpent was beginning to regret helping this woman climb so high.
This woman had long since become obsessed.
Otto is evil, but at least Otto has a brain.
But Cocolia... she really is an obsessed, mad dog.
She smugly thinks she can deceive me, smugly thinks her actions are correct, and smugly tramples on everything her colleagues have done without even realizing it.
The higher such a person climbs, the greater the harm she poses to the world.
And I actually thought that the stupider this woman was, the easier she would be to control... Heh, have tens of thousands of years caused my thought processes to malfunction as well?
A super madwoman who would even send her own daughter for human experimentation and trigger a Honkai Eruption in a city of millions without a second thought, and I was thinking, 'She's stupid, so she's easy to control'—I am the foolish one.
Her final value is to make the entire Anti-Entropy even more chaotic.
And after she continues to fight with the conservative faction, we, the World Serpent, will be able to take control of the Eye of the Deep in the City of the Deep.
At that point, we'll cut off contact with Cocolia.
Continuing to associate with this mad dog, the Serpent itself might expose what should not be exposed due to her foolish actions.
"The Serpent has no need for Anti-Entropy."
Upon hearing these words, Cocolia's heart instantly trembled.
Damn it, this guy, did he see through my lies after all?
"What the Serpent needs are allies who are capable enough to walk alongside us."
After saying this, Gray Serpent saw a flash of joy in Cocolia's eyes and continued to speak to her.
"Based on our rather pleasant cooperation before, I'll give you one more chance."
"We will help you climb to the position of Anti-Entropy's Sovereign, but after that, you must also fully support our operations."
"And as for the price... heh, first, hand over those children from your orphanage to me."
Seeing the astonishment on Cocolia's face, Gray Serpent said to her.
"Don't blame me for not trusting you."
"You can't offer any compensation right now, so I think we need to have some leverage—otherwise, we can't cooperate with you with peace of mind, can we?"
"Besides, they aren't living too well in that icy and snowy place, and as for the conservative faction... I think you know what I mean."
A hostage... heh, this is good too.
Hearing Gray Serpent's words, Cocolia actually felt relieved.
If Gray Serpent had asked for nothing, Cocolia would have suspected that his easy-going nature was a front for some grand scheme.
But now that Gray Serpent was asking her for hostages—that was great.
This, on the contrary, showed that Gray Serpent intended to cooperate with her seriously, which is why he made this request after assessing the risks.
Although Cocolia was very worried about her children, on second thought, if they were with Gray Serpent, he wouldn't be bored enough to abuse them.
Moreover, it wasn't like no one in Anti-Entropy knew the location of Cocolia's orphanage.
Just as Gray Serpent had hinted, Cocolia actually suspected that the conservative faction, if pushed to the brink, might make a move on the children.
Entrusting the children to Gray Serpent's care was, in a sense, placing them under his protection.
And after all this was done, Cocolia, in turn, lost her last weakness.
Thinking about these things, not only was Cocolia no longer worried, she almost laughed out loud.
However, to ensure Gray Serpent continued to see the children as hostages that could threaten her, Cocolia still had to feign an indignant expression, clenching her teeth as she spoke to him.
"Mr. Gray Serpent, I... If you dare to lay a hand on my children, I will absolutely tear up the contract between us!"
"Alright, alright, don't worry. I'm very friendly towards children."
"Then, I will send someone to your location immediately to receive the children. Remember not to play any tricks, Cocolia 'Sovereign'."
After saying this, Gray Serpent proactively cut off communication with Cocolia.
On the other side, Jackal gave Gray Serpent a cold smirk.
"Gray Serpent, you're actually going to take in those brats? You don't really think Cocolia cares about whether those brats live or die, do you?"
"Haha, how could someone who uses their adopted daughters and sons for human experiments care about the lives of children?"
After saying this, Gray Serpent turned to Jackal.
"If I didn't ask that woman for something, she would have found it suspicious."
"This woman may be brainless in some aspects, but when it comes to conspiracies and schemes, she is surprisingly sensitive to details."
"If I didn't ask her for something, she would definitely think we weren't planning to cooperate seriously and would absolutely try to screw us over in secret."
"Although we are not afraid of Cocolia, for a trouble that can be avoided by spending a little money, choosing to pay to make it go away is not a wrong choice."
"A bunch of brats..."
Gray Serpent, wearing his mask, spoke in a very regretful tone.
"They are not suitable to be my experimental subjects."
"Alright, stop thinking about recycling waste. Let's continue preparing for the Stigmata Project."
After a brief calculation, Gray Serpent said to Raven and Jackal.
"The internal split of Anti-Entropy is now inevitable. And according to the intelligence I've gathered, some people within Schicksal have reached their limit with Otto's dissatisfaction."
"If we can get in touch with him, then as long as we can get our hands on a Gem and the Eye of the Deep, the Lord's return will be a certainty."
"After the Lord returns, we won't have to be so passive anymore. At that time..."
"—The entire world, under the guidance of our World Serpent, will triumph over the Honkai."
.......
Schicksal HQ. Third Research Institute
Inside the Third Research Institute, an old man with not much white hair on his head was looking at the data report in front of him, lost in thought.
"Um, excuse me..."
"Just call me Magi."
At that moment, Dr. Magi, the chief scientist of the Third Research Institute, looked at Leo Ash's medical report and asked him.
"After being injected with the HSN serum, did you feel anything unusual?"
"Unusual... It's hard to describe that feeling."
Recalling the sensation of injecting the serum in Nagazora City early yesterday morning, Leo Ash felt he couldn't quite describe the sensation.
"My body felt a bit... weak? No, I can't really say it was weak."
"In short, after I used about 20% of that vial of serum, those Honkai Beasts didn't want to get near me anymore."
"And the remaining 80% could calm down the Herrscher of Thunder?"
Saying this, Dr. Magi looked at another vial of serum stored beside him, feeling that something was not right.
The HSN serum was a serum Dr. Magi developed after his granddaughter Lin died in a failed Artificial Herrscher Experiment.
After witnessing his granddaughter's death, Dr. Magi felt that his past sins were too heavy, which was why he sought out Otto and applied for the development of this serum.
To Otto, he claimed that he was developing this serum to weaken the power of Honkai Beasts and Herrschers, giving Schicksal Valkyries a higher chance of winning against the Honkai.
But only Dr. Magi himself knew that he wanted to inject the completed serum into those Valkyries, to make them lose their powers and adjust their physical state to that of an ordinary person.
Admittedly, doing so would indeed cause the Valkyries to lose their powers.
But the power of the Valkyries was already shortening their lifespans to varying degrees due to the artificial Stigmata. If the Valkyries could be made to lose those powers, they could naturally reclaim the lifespan they were supposed to have.
Dr. Magi knew that if his methods were exposed, Otto would certainly not let him off easy.
But he had already begun planning to contact a new backer, preparing to flee with those few gems.
The reason he hadn't fled yet was mainly because his serum development project was not yet finished.
Otherwise—who the hell would want to see Otto's punchable face.
As for why Dr. Magi now had doubts about his own conclusions, the answer was simple.
He developed the serum. He knew exactly who a serum of this concentration could handle.
An A-rank Valkyrie probably couldn't even have her internal power completely disappear after one shot. A single injection into the Third Herrscher, who was far stronger than an A-rank...
Hehe, forget suppression, it would be like tickling her.
"The serum was one of the reasons the Herrscher of Thunder calmed down, but not the main one."
At this moment, Leo Ash activated his (Poker Face) ability and said to Dr. Magi with a straight face.
"It was mainly because Mr. Siegfried Kaslana was fighting the Herrscher of Thunder at the time, and he even unleashed the Judgment of Shamash and injured her. Only then did I have the opportunity to use the HSN serum to deal with the weakened Herrscher."
"Otherwise, this syringe of yours... would probably have disintegrated the moment it touched the Herrscher of Thunder's barrier."
"Ha, that makes sense."
After nodding slightly, Dr. Magi noted down Leo Ash's words.
It seems my dosage calculation was correct. This way, I won't have to worry about the serum being too strong and killing the Valkyries.
Next, I need to consider mass production and how to trick those Valkyries into using these serums.
Alas, Lin...
Looking at the young man before him, Dr. Magi, remembering his granddaughter, suddenly showed a bitter expression.
If you were still alive, you probably would have wanted to meet the 'man who defeated a Herrscher' too.
After all, you were so kind, so eager to offer your strength to fight against the Honkai.
"Um..."
Looking at the old man who often zoned out, Leo Ash asked cautiously.
"If there's nothing else, may I leave?"
"Young man, sit down."
Looking at the young man before him, Dr. Magi gave Leo Ash a kind smile.
"As the hero who resolved the Third Eruption, you don't need to be in such a hurry."
"You've already worked very hard. You can allow yourself to relax a little."
No, no, old man, you've got it wrong. I don't want to work hard at all.
I just purely don't want to get too involved with a traitor like you who is bound to betray the organization—to save myself from Otto thinking I have ulterior motives because of my good relationship with you.
You're definitely not lacking in the brains department for scientific research, but in other areas...
Of all people, you had to go and cooperate with Cocolia, the person who blew up Nagazora City. I have no idea how you came up with such a stupid idea.
"And also..."
Looking at the report in front of him, Dr. Magi continued.
"Your medical check-up values really don't match the values in the organization's database from before."
"The minor differences in physical fitness are not a concern, but in terms of Honkai Energy resistance, your resistance is much higher than that of ordinary agents and some Valkyries."
"It's clear that your adoptive sister has really done a lot behind your back to keep you in line—she even altered your data."
[Upon hearing these words, a flicker of emotion appeared in your heart.]
[She changed my data just to keep me safe—Sister Rita has me in her heart, so I'll forgive her for those little things!]
Wait a minute, it was you, the narrator, who wrote that I was angry. I wasn't actually angry.
[Such a sister, I should be gentler with her in the future, even in that aspect... hehehe.]
I don't even want to talk anymore.
Looking at the silent Leo Ash, Dr. Magi wasn't annoyed, but gently patted Leo Ash's shoulder.
"Perhaps you think fighting the Honkai is very important, but as someone who's been through it, I must give you a piece of advice."
"Cherish the people in front of you. Don't come to regret it after taking foolish actions."
"...I understand, Doctor."
Watching the rising Leo Ash, Dr. Magi said to him.
"Don't worry too much about your sister either. Altering an agent's data is not a major crime to begin with, not to mention she is a favorite of Lord Bishop Otto."
"Lord Bishop Otto... Heh, that guy is not too strict with his favorites."
At least, he'll do so when it's not necessary.
"Understood. Then, I'll take my leave."
Watching Leo Ash leave, Dr. Magi recalled the other's expressionless face. He was long accustomed to these young people wearing such expressions within Schicksal.
Many members of Schicksal are avengers who joined Schicksal for revenge against the Honkai after losing their families to it.
Dr. Magi had seen far too many avengers like Leo Ash who were single-mindedly focused on fighting the Honkai.
He, the one full of evil, had even personally exploited the vengeful hearts of those young people and done irreparable things to them.
Thinking back now, the reason Lin died in that experiment...
—No matter how I look at it, it must be the price for my own sins.
I'll just have to tolerate Otto for a while longer. Once the mass production of the serum is complete, I should find an opportunity to run away with the gems.
Once I, the core figure of the Artificial Herrscher project, leave the organization with the core items of the Artificial Herrscher project, [The Three Gems], Otto...
—At least he'll be able to harm a few fewer A-rank Valkyries.
......
After leaving Dr. Magi's sight, Leo Ash proceeded to his next destination according to his schedule.
After waking up yesterday, Leo Ash had wanted to leave Schicksal HQ earlier.
But at that time, Otto had bluntly stated—Branch Commander Theresa's condition has not yet stabilized. There's no need for you to rush off. You can go to the Far East Branch with her when the time comes.
And today, the person who had invited Leo Ash for a meeting was none other than Theresa Apocalypse, who had already awakened and recovered.
Gently knocking on the room's door, Leo Ash heard a 'come in' before turning the doorknob.
Inside the room, Leo Ash looked at Theresa, who had already changed into her nun's habit, and couldn't help but marvel at how powerful the Abyss Flower truly was.
In the original story, Theresa, who was taken down by Yuno's Herrscher poison, had a fever so high that she needed Yae Sakura to use her Stigmata to suppress the poison.
But the current Theresa, without having obtained that Stigmata, was still able to be up and about, which was clearly a testament to the Abyss Flower's prowess.
"Leo Ash—is it okay to call you that?"
Theresa, now fully awake, looked at the expressionless Leo Ash before her and said softly.
"Thank you for saving me."
"This subordinate wouldn't dare. Besides, saving Branch Commander Theresa on the battlefield is my duty."
"...You, you're so boring."
At this moment, Theresa, looking at the expressionless Leo Ash before her, said with a hint of helplessness.
"You had a perfectly fine attitude towards me when you were scolding that child earlier."
"Relax, relax. I don't want to treat my savior with the attitude I use for a subordinate."
"But this subordinate will become a student at St. Freya High School in the future. If I am too presumptuous, I feel it will affect Branch Commander Theresa's reputation within the academy."
Even though you slack off at work and embezzle public funds, I can't be too presumptuous towards you while I have to maintain my persona.
That person Otto can know what the Far East Branch is up to in real-time, he must have more than just Fu Hua as a backup plan.
Forget Fu Hua, I even think Otto watches the surveillance camera footage from the Far East Branch on fast forward every day.
After all, Theresa had genuinely rebelled before. No matter how much Otto doted on her, he would never neglect this aspect.
What a pain.
So even when I get to St. Freya High School, I still have to work hard to maintain my persona...
What kind of fresh hell is this.
"Reputation, huh..."
Upon hearing this word, Theresa, with a sense of self-awareness, wanted to ask, 'Do I really have such a thing?'
But in the end, she dismissed the thought.
Although her first meeting with Leo Ash was because she had messed up, now that Leo Ash hadn't mentioned it, Theresa certainly didn't want to bring it up herself.
The reason was simple: it was too embarrassing.
During the Second Eruption, she had at least fought fiercely with the Second Herrscher before being defeated.
But fourteen years later, she couldn't even defeat a Pseudo-Herrscher.
Although her defeat this time was also due to the need to save that unlucky child, Theresa still felt that she had thoroughly disgraced herself this time.
Oh, and the place where she messed up was the Far East.
That was even more awkward.
"Forget it, let's not talk about this."
At this moment, Theresa looked at the serious Leo Ash and spoke again.
"Alright, even if you are my subordinate, you can relax a little."
"We're not on a mission right now, it's just a private conversation between a superior and a subordinate."
But this conversation, Otto will also be watching, one hundred percent.
Looking at the silent Leo Ash, Theresa said to him.
"Grandfather has already told me about you, but from my judgment, even if you get top-tier equipment now, you won't be able to use it freely."
"So now, you can tell me what equipment you're used to using, and I will apply to headquarters for the corresponding equipment based on your request."
"Once you're familiar with the lower-level equipment, Grandfather has promised me that he will give you [ Pantheon]-class equipment."
"Yes, the equipment your sister Rita is currently using is of this level, so you can rest assured about the equipment."
Pantheon-series, huh...
This is already one of the strongest series of weapons below the Divine Keys.
[Heh, no matter how good the equipment given is, it won't change the fact that Otto is planning to use you. Understanding this, your heart doesn't waver in the slightest.]
[And to put it bluntly, Pantheon-class weapons are forged from Soulium. If Otto made fewer Soulium bodies for himself, the equipment of other Valkyries could be upgraded by at least one level.]
It's rare for me to agree with you this time.
But for Otto to give up his own interests for others, and people who aren't even close to him at that—if he really did something like that, I think I'd be even more scared.
He must have some deeper meaning for doing so. Actions with deeper meaning from him only subjectively screw people over and passively screw over his teammates.
If possible, I'd rather not see Otto start doing any good deeds.
But now... forget it, let's not talk. I'll just maintain a 'reserved' demeanor.
"Hey, you..."
Seeing Leo Ash's reserved demeanor, as if he didn't dare to say more, Theresa felt a little angry but couldn't bring herself to lose her temper.
Alas, Grandfather.
Why do I get the feeling that he was frightened by your actions back then?
Thinking about it now, it makes sense. Leo Ash's Stigmata was fine on the way here, but it flared up when he met Grandfather—it must be that Grandfather was planning to do something to him, but overdid it, causing the problem with Leo Ash's Stigmata.
"Forget it, I can't blame you for this."
Thinking of this possibility, Theresa continued to speak to Leo Ash.
"There is one more thing."
"Our Apocalypse family has never been a family bound by blood."
"Since ancient times, the Apocalypse family has continuously absorbed the most promising individuals in the world."
"Grandfather asked me to ask you if you have any intention of joining our family, and I myself, as the head of the Apocalypse family, also agree with Grandfather's idea in this regard."
At that moment, Leo Ash saw something in Theresa that he thought he would never see in this woman.
Theresa, staring seriously at Leo Ash, did indeed make Leo Ash feel a slight sense of 'dignity'.
"Now, I, Theresa Apocalypse, as the head of the Apocalypse family, solemnly ask you."
"Schicksal agent Leo Ash, are you willing to change your family name and join our Apocalypse family?"
..