As the syringe was pushed in, Tesla’s arm began to change. Her skin started to take on a deathly, bloodless pale.
Tesla was no stranger to this situation. She had witnessed this tragic state countless times before. But… this was the first time she had ever seen it happening to her own body. This was the state of a human transforming into a zombie [Honkai zombie/Dead Soldier].
She was confident that she hadn’t made a single mistake in any of her steps. If the experimental records from just now were correct, then the sample in the test tube right in front of her was undoubtedly the “Lance of God-Slaying.”
But that wasn’t enough. The experiment had not yet reached its final step. There was one most critical step necessary to ensure the experiment’s success.
No matter how perfect a theory is, if you never put it into practice, it remains just empty talk. But right now, the only person here who could serve as the experimental subject was Tesla herself.
“…Ah… Ah!”
All the liquid from the syringe had been injected into her arm. She only needed to wait a few seconds for a reaction. But those few seconds felt unbearably long for Tesla.
The theory is sound. Nothing bad will happen. Even though Tesla kept comforting herself like this, she unconsciously closed her eyes. Deep down, she knew very well that a person only tries so hard to reassure themselves when they are extremely anxious and frightened.
In the complete darkness, Tesla seemed to see countless scenes of the experiment failing:
Her own Honkai energy was neither activated nor neutralized. Her consciousness remained, but her body was riddled with holes from the erosion of Honkai energy. After all, she wasn’t an S-rank Valkyrie like Cecilia. Perhaps, regarding Honkai resistance, she would be stronger than an ordinary person after being modified by the Abyss Flower [Black Abyss White Flower], but if she had no protective measures and her body was directly exposed… she probably wouldn’t even be as good as a B-rank Valkyrie.
Of course, there was also the possibility that her body might have a strange reaction. White and pink matrices might appear on her skin, and she would transcend being a zombie to become a Honkai beast.
For some reason, mixed in there was also a strange fantasy of herself turning into a pink Houmu [a character/mascot].
Time was about up. Tesla opened her eyes and looked at her arm. What appeared in her vision was a slender, thin woman’s arm. Beneath the smooth, fair skin, she could faintly see a few veins. Tesla had never realized just how beautiful her own arm was.
“Ah… ha… hahaha… I did it!”
After letting out a laugh just like Otto’s that could give anyone a fright, Tesla got so excited that she lost her balance and collapsed onto the ground.
But she was still gleefully waving her right fist, her expression like a child who had just received a birthday present.
“See that, bird’s nest head? I’m a genius!”
At the same time, Himeko had successfully reached her destination: the very bottom floor of the lab.
Along the way, aside from the maze-like, winding paths and her increasingly exhausted body, she hadn’t encountered any other major difficulties.
What Himeko saw was a corridor that felt very serious and solemn. On both sides were pieces of equipment she didn’t recognize.
“Hah… Hah…”
Like a college student who hasn’t exercised in ages and is suddenly forced to run a thousand meters, Himeko moved to the end of the corridor, gasping for breath. There, imprisoned, was a set of crimson-red armor.
And Fu Hua was standing right in front of it.
“Fu Hua, I’m here. Is this the thing you wanted me to find?”
“You’ve finally made it here… That’s right, this is what you need. Otto’s secret, hidden deep here. His other trump card—the weapon capable of fighting a Herrscher. The God-Slaying Armor prototype, Vermilion Knight: Eclipse.”
“Now that the Herrscher has awakened, this armor is our only means of fighting against it.”
“This armor isn’t a product of this era. It’s a legacy left behind by the Previous Civilization. After Schicksal obtained it, they used it as a prototype to develop the current Valkyrie armor. But Otto’s plan didn’t stop there. He came up with an even crazier idea: to connect the core of the Herrscher of Fire to this armor and recreate the Herrscher of Fire’s power.”
“Before the experiment began, he ordered all S-rank Valkyries that once the experiment failed, this armor was to be used as the final measure against the Herrscher. But I can’t use it right now. You are the only person I can turn to for help.”
“However, the final choice is still yours to make…”
Himeko gave a faint, calm smile.
“At a time like this, don’t say things like that.”
“Alright then. I’ll help you put it on.”
Fu Hua stepped forward, unlocked the armor’s permissions, and the sealed hatch slowly opened.
“Next, you just need to step inside. When you put on the armor, the Herrscher core will begin to corrupt your mind. I’ll do everything I can to stop the erosion, but what matters more is you yourself.”
Himeko took a step forward, but then immediately pulled it back.
“Fu Hua… who exactly are you?”
Fu Hua looked at her own body, which was about to dissipate, and then bowed to Himeko.
“Someone who, like you, wants to change the current situation. Teacher Himeko, thank you for your guidance these past two years. If we’re fated to meet again, let’s do so in the future.”
Fu Hua vanished again. Himeko entered the armor pod. A few minutes later, now clad in the Valkyrie armor, she felt her heart boiling. Her body had never felt so light. She could no longer feel the pain from her wounds. Power surged forth from within her. She even felt that right now, she was stronger than she had ever been in her prime.
She returned to the upper level, just as Dr. Tesla had finished preparing the Lance of God-Slaying.
Just then, an alarm sounded in the lab. A group of Honkai beasts was approaching.
“Perfect timing. I’ll use these guys for practice!”
Himeko walked out of the lab with firm steps. But to her surprise, the Honkai beasts all stopped in their tracks, showing no sign of wanting to attack.
Just as Himeko was feeling confused, a familiar figure walked out from among the Honkai beasts. The beasts in front moved to the sides, automatically making way for her.
“Are you… Enoxia?”
“Teacher Himeko, if I told you that the danger you’re worried about is no longer a danger… what would you choose to do?”
