The next day, the Valkyrie assessments that had lasted for two days came to an end. Kiana had performed outstandingly in the final test, single-handedly defeating the simulated Emperor-level Honkai Beast, Ganesha.
Therefore, even though her cultural studies were indeed a complete mess, such an outstanding performance naturally justified retaining her title as a B-rank Valkyrie, convincing everyone.
While Kiana was enjoying the joy of passing the exam, under Otto’s arrangements, the Schicksal Oceania Branch launched a new round of research on the Core of the Wind Herrscher…
In the autumn of 2016, A-rank Valkyrie Wendy returned to Schicksal Headquarters to participate in the A-rank Valkyrie assessment.
【Agility: A+, Combat Power: S, Reaction Ability: A+, Intelligence: A, Weapon Proficiency: A】
【Comprehensive Evaluation: A++】
“In this year’s Valkyrie assessment, Miss Wendy, you are once again first among the A-rank Valkyries. I hope you will continue to work hard and wish you every success in becoming Schicksal’s fifth S-rank Valkyrie as soon as possible.”
Amber looked at Wendy’s assessment results and said to her very satisfactorily.
Wendy, born in 2000 in Hamilton, New Zealand, became a B-rank Valkyrie in 2014 and an A-rank Valkyrie in 2015. By 2016, she had become Schicksal’s strongest A-rank Valkyrie, only one step away from S-rank.
Although just one step away, Wendy’s rationality told her not to be impatient. This one step might take a very long time for her to cross over.
Because the last clearly recognized strongest A-rank Valkyrie in Schicksal was Cheng Lixue. She had been the strongest A-rank Valkyrie back in 1998, but becoming an S-rank Valkyrie was already a matter of 2013.
She knew very well that Senior Cheng Lixue was truly battle-hardened, having faced Herrschers and Pseudo-Herrschers head-on during the 2nd and 3rd Honkai Eruptions and survived. Currently, the highest-level Honkai Beast Wendy had killed was at most a Temple-class.
Not to mention, granting a Valkyrie the title of S-rank depends not only on her individual comprehensive abilities but also heavily on Otto’s subjective will. If he didn’t want Schicksal to have a fifth S-rank Valkyrie, then no matter how hard Wendy worked, she couldn’t advance further.
But after all, Wendy was just a 16-year-old girl. Achieving such great success, it was inevitable that her heart would swell with pride, much like a certain someone obsessed with puffed snacks. Feeling a bit impetuous after the assessment, she didn’t immediately return to the Oceania Branch. Instead, she proposed to Amber that she wanted to challenge an S-rank Valkyrie.
“Amber, I’d like to see where the gap between me and a real S-rank Valkyrie truly lies. Is that possible?”
“Please wait a moment.”
Amber turned around and operated a nearby terminal.
“Miss Wendy, Lady Cheng Lixue is in Shenzhou, Lady Theresa is in the Far East, and Lady Rita is also on a mission. So, the only one here at Schicksal Headquarters right now is Lady Durandal, the strongest S-rank Valkyrie. If it’s her, I believe she wouldn’t refuse a sparring match. If you’re sure, I’ll contact her immediately.”
“Becoming A-rank at 12, S-rank at 15… I’d like to experience it for myself and see how big the gap is between me and the strongest Valkyrie.”
“I’m sure.”
An hour later, in the third training room.
Wendy stood at the far left, holding dual blades in her hands. Durandal stood at the far right, holding an ordinary spear in her right hand.
“Lady Durandal, forgive my impertinence.”
Wendy dashed forward in a flash, instantly reaching Durandal, and stabbed towards her abdomen.
“A short weapon is dangerous at close range. Lady Durandal’s spear definitely won’t be as flexible as my dual blades, so she will surely choose to retreat and dodge, or raise her spear to block…”
As it turned out, in the face of absolute power, much thinking is superfluous. Durandal did not make a move as Wendy imagined; instead, she kicked her flying with one foot.
Wendy felt the whole world spin, then crashed into the wall, her weapons flying directly out of her hands.
Falling back to the ground, Wendy struggled for a long time before getting up. In just one exchange, she had lost her combat capability.
Wendy’s mood instantly plummeted from its peak back to the valley. Without even greeting Durandal, she walked out, utterly dejected and dispirited.
Wendy had thought she might lose—no, accurately, she hadn’t thought she would win at all. She had imagined losing very embarrassingly, but she hadn’t imagined being taken out the moment she engaged.
“So this is what an S-rank Valkyrie is like…”
Wendy knew clearly that it had nothing to do with effort or hard work. Even if she reached her upper limit, she could never last three exchanges against Durandal.
But what she didn’t know was that, even among S-rank Valkyries, the gap between Durandal and Rita was larger than the gap between Rita and a D-rank Valkyrie.
Feeling depressed, Wendy hadn’t walked far when she bumped into Otto.
“Lord Overseer, I’m sorry…”
Otto, with a smile on his face, asked Wendy about the situation. His eyes darted around a few times, revealing a faint, barely noticeable smile.
“Wendy, although you cannot compare to Durandal in terms of talent, it can be compensated for through acquired methods… You should know about the great Honai eruption that occurred two years ago in Nagazora City in the Far East, right?”
Wendy nodded, not understanding where this was going:
“I know, but wasn’t it resolved by Lady Theresa not long after?”
Otto extended his right hand forward, signaling Wendy to follow him.
“You’ve been at the Oceania Branch all along, so it’s normal that you might not know some information…”
The two walked into Otto’s office. Otto muttered a few words, and Amber immediately pulled up the information regarding the Nagazora City Honkai eruption.
On the screen, a girl in a black uniform was suspended in the air, surrounded by wrapped bolts of lightning.
“Her name is Raiden Mei, the carrier of the Core of the Herrscher of Thunder… Amber, play the report Rita submitted previously.”
The scene changed. Inside St. Freya Academy, Raiden Mei was fighting other Valkyries, lightning still flashing around her.
“This…”
Wendy was speechless with surprise.
Otto, however, spoke with a confident expression:
“Two years ago, the Herrscher of Thunder was not eliminated, but was transferred by Theresa to St. Freya Academy. Although she didn’t report it, I don’t see it as a problem. If we can turn a Herrscher into a Valkyrie, that’s more valuable than eliminating one. At least so far, this girl with the Herrscher core inside her hasn’t shown anything unusual…”
“And now, the Core of the Wind Herrscher is right there in the Oceania Branch. So… would you be willing to become the second Raiden Mei?”
