"Are you sure you want to go to the battlefield? I'm telling you, this is no joke!"
"Yes, I'm sure."
There were no cowards among the former soldiers of the W Magic Troupe. Even after a long period of peaceful life, their past skills had not grown rusty.
Therefore, with the front line becoming increasingly difficult to hold, the commander of the Far East branch had no choice but to agree. He provided them with firearms and assigned an officer to accompany them.
In the armory, Cocolia and her group watched the live broadcast from outside while calibrating the guns in their hands and changing into the battle armor of The MOTHs.
Just then, a cherry-blossom-haired young woman who looked to be no older than eighteen walked in.
The young woman wore a form-fitting, blue and white special-issue combat suit. Her light cyan eyes were exceptionally cold, and at her waist hung a samurai sword with a crimson cherry blossom pattern.
The front line was supposed to be a brutal and fiery place, but when she walked in, the surrounding temperature seemed to drop by several degrees.
She looked at Cocolia and her group and gave a military salute.
"Hello, Ms. Cocolia. My name is Sakura. I belong to the MOTHs' special operations department and will be your commanding officer for the upcoming operation."
"First, I want to thank you all for stepping forward. But I need you to understand that the Honkai is different from any war you have experienced before. So please, be sure to follow my orders."
"I have people to protect, and I will do my utmost to ensure the safety of the shelter. But if any of you hold us back, I will abandon you without hesitation. Understood?"
Normally, even the youngest among Cocolia's group had over a decade of combat experience, but when faced with this young woman, they didn't dare to underestimate her in the slightest.
This was because they could all smell the dangerous aura of a top-tier assassin coming from her.
As the leader, Cocolia stepped forward and nodded solemnly. "Understood, Miss Sakura. But I'd like to know, how much longer until our reinforcements arrive?"
"Reinforcements?" Sakura shook her head, her expression impassive. "Our situation is very unique. The entire Far East has been isolated in another dimension."
"Radio is down, satellites are unusable, and even aircraft will crash into a spatial barrier and explode if they fly too high. If you're talking about reinforcements, I can only think of one person."
Cocolia's face turned grim. "Who?" she asked in a low voice.
At this question, a strange light flashed in Sakura's eyes for the first time.
"Shelters 1, 2, 4, and 7 have already fallen. The special forces team sent to assassinate the Herrscher has been wiped out. But we still have hope."
"The boss of The MOTHs, Li. Only he has the power to kill the Herrscher of the Void, and only he can find a way to save us."
"As long as we can hold on until then."
That child?
Looking at Sakura's expression, Cocolia's face was filled with complex emotions. In a way, Li was a child she had watched grow up.
She never imagined that in just a few short years, he could climb to such a position.
To even be seen as a beacon of hope by such a capable young woman.
"I understand..."
Cocolia raised her weapon and fell in behind Sakura. "We will definitely hold on until he arrives."
"Mm."
Hearing this, Sakura nodded. Just as she was about to command everyone to move out, the emergency lights in the armory suddenly blared with a piercing alarm.
In the next second, the alarm was drowned out by the violent sound of flapping wings as an Assault-class Honkai Beast dove toward them.
The sturdy iron door was instantly smashed open, and a soldier was crushed into a meat paste in an instant.
In the next moment, a cold light flashed from its sheath.
Before anyone could react, Sakura drew her blade with one hand, stepped on the Honkai Beast's face, and plunged the sword into its head.
One Honkai Beast was killed in an instant, but soon, more Honkai Beasts and Deadwalkers swarmed in like a tide, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Sakura's expression did not change. With a flick of her longsword, she shouted, "All units, prepare! Open fire!"
"We are the shelter's last line of defense."
That's right...
Looking at the young woman's back, Cocolia thought of her own daughter. Overcoming her fear, she raised the gun in her hands.
That's right. To protect the children, we must overcome our fear.
Two flowers bloomed, each telling its own tale.
While Sakura and the others fought desperately against the Honkai Beasts, outside the pocket dimension, Ashara had halfway succeeded.
Under her control, the once-stable space had begun to crack like a breaking eggshell, faintly revealing the situation within.
But there was still one final membrane. When that membrane broke, that would be their chance to get in.
"Just a little more..."
Ashara was on the verge of collapse. Although she and the Herrscher of the Void were both Herrschers, due to the disadvantage in their respective authorities, she had to use her full power to have any hope of breaking through the space.
This was her battle against the Second Honkai Eruption. No one could interfere.
But now, she was about to succeed.
Under the continuous assault of the Herrscher of Reason's authority, the final barrier had been completely worn down.
"Li, get ready to go in. Three... two..."
"Outsider. Who gave you permission to intrude upon my domain?"
Outside the pocket dimension, several void rifts opened. Countless pale hands wrapped in bandages reached out from within, taking aim at the distracted Ashara.
Long, hair-like lances with purple stripes formed from the palms and shot mercilessly toward her head.
The attack was aimed to kill in one decisive blow, before the Herrscher of Reason could react.
---o---