Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

The sudden restoration of communication in Manila meant Rita could contact the other Valkyrie squads, coordinate with incoming reinforcements, and, most importantly, report directly to Otto.

This meant the Valkyries could finally shift from defense to offense, pushing back against the Honkai, reclaiming the ruined city, rescuing survivors trapped beneath the rubble.

And then, aside from the displaced survivors, and those perhaps silenced through less savory methods, the city would be forgotten, left to decay like countless other cities ravaged by the Honkai.

That was the good news. But every coin has two sides.

The restored communication also allowed Rita to report to Otto.

This realization soured Lin Wei's mood considerably. He knew he was back on Otto's radar. Knowing the old man's efficiency, he was likely already planning his next move.

"Can't catch a break, can I?" he muttered, his efforts to avoid this outcome ultimately futile.

He'd known it was likely inevitable, especially after meeting Rita. And after the eruption, when he'd prioritized the rescue efforts and spared her, he'd known it was practically guaranteed.

But knowing and experiencing were two different things. He'd still tried to avoid this outcome.

It was a bitter irony, being back where he started.

I guess I won't be peacefully playing games, fishing, and enjoying cherry blossoms with Sakura anymore… He felt a pang of regret. He'd grown fond of her homemade sakura mochi.

Sakura had said Singapore's cherry blossoms were inferior to those in Shinano, but he still enjoyed them.

He simply cherished the peace and quiet, the freedom from conflict, the ordinary, happy life everyone deserved.

In that respect, he and Raven had much in common. And, like her, his dream had been shattered. Twice.

He knew that from this moment on, the fuse had been lit, the war had begun. He had to prepare for the next battle.

The bad news was he wasn't ready. He only had one trump card, and trump cards were best kept hidden, a last resort, not something to be used lightly.

The good news was he'd achieved all his objectives in Manila: stabilizing the situation for Schicksal, rescuing Anna, and even saving the Chen siblings, an unexpected bonus.

Now that communication was restored, he no longer needed to maintain the "communication relay." He could leave Manila without guilt, foiling Otto's plans, and gain some time to plan his counterattack.

This is Rita's way of repaying a favor, huh? he thought, amused. Despite her enigmatic nature, she was still a Valkyrie at heart, simply following her own code.

"Communication is restored? That's wonderful!" Anna exclaimed, having overheard Jell. She knew what this meant for the overall situation. "We can finally launch a counteroffensive and end this damned eruption!"

Lin Wei opened his mouth to speak, but Anna grabbed his hand, her expression urgent. "Lin Wei, you have to leave!"

"Huh?" Jell looked at them, understanding dawning in her eyes. She discreetly moved away, gesturing for the Chen siblings to follow, giving them some privacy.

But Anna was too agitated to wait. "Lin Wei, while you still can, go!"

"Why?" He was confused. Had she suddenly become smarter?

"Don't play dumb with me! It's not the time!" Anna said, exasperated. "Communication is restored. Schicksal reinforcements will arrive any minute. Your aircraft is too conspicuous. They'll spot you, and then you'll be trapped!"

She tightened her grip on his hand, pleading, "For your own sake… please, leave! While you still can, before they arrive. Hide, like you did before. Forget about all this… and live a peaceful life, somewhere no one can find you…" She gently caressed his face. "You're such a skilled hacker… you can find a way out of any situation… this should be easy for you, right?"

Lin Wei took her cold hand, his voice gentle. "What about you? Will you come with me?" He knew it was unlikely, but he had to ask.

"I'm a Schicksal Valkyrie. I'm a Schariac. I can't betray Schicksal…" She smiled sadly, withdrawing her hand. "I'm the vice-captain of Snow Lotus. Protecting Manila is my duty. I can't leave. So…" She paused, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please, go… find somewhere… somewhere even I can't find you…"

Despite her naivete, Anna wasn't stupid. She'd received a good education, and she was intelligent. And having spent so much time at Schicksal HQ, she knew Rita would report to Otto. What would he do? Would he use her to find Lin Wei?

She was afraid, so she decided to sever the connection.

If she knew nothing, he would be safe.

The thought brought a pang of emptiness, a sharp ache in her chest. She forced a smile, trying to sound cheerful. "Don't worry about me! Jell and I are A-rank Valkyries. We can protect ourselves!"

Lin Wei met her gaze, his expression softening into a gentle smile. He wiped a tear from her eye. She quickly looked away.

"Okay," he said simply.

A sharp pain stabbed at Anna's heart. She lowered her head, her lips pressed tightly together, a choked sob escaping her throat.

"Don't worry so much. Take care of yourself…" He gently stroked her hair. "I'll come back for you, when the time is right."

As long as she couldn't leave with him, minimizing their contact, avoiding Otto's attention, was the only way to protect her.

The gap in power between him and Otto was too vast. Even Anna couldn't openly side with him, let alone anyone else.

This is going to be a long war… he thought, sighing. He gave her hair one last pat and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Anna called out, pulling the Chen siblings over. "Take them with you!"

"Anna…?" The little girl looked at her, confused and reluctant.

"Chen Tianwu has high Honkai resistance now, right?" Anna's voice was tight with anger. "They're willing to sacrifice their own Valkyries for experiments. What do you think they'll do to an outsider, a male outsider?" She harbored a deep resentment towards Schicksal, a resentment that had been building for a long time.

"Anna…" Jell sighed, understanding the source of her anger.

Chen Tianwu, alarmed by Anna's tone, looked at Lin Wei, knowing he held their fate in his hands.

"Alright, no problem," Lin Wei agreed after a moment of thought. He gestured for the siblings to follow him onto the aircraft.

He turned, and the world suddenly lurched violently. He stumbled, almost falling off the edge of the building.

The tall building, once a Manila landmark, swayed precariously, as if trying to shake off the tiny humans clinging to its roof.

"Ah! Be careful!" Anna cried, pulling him back. She lost her balance, and they tumbled together.

"Waaah! Brother!" The little girl's traumatic memories resurfaced, and she screamed, her voice filled with terror. Chen Tianwu held her close, his own face pale with fear.

Why? Not again!

"Damn it, another earthquake!" Jell yelled, pulling Lin Wei and Anna towards the center of the roof, away from the edge. Chen Tianwu, recovering from his shock, scrambled after them.

The higher the floor, the more violent the tremors, and this building, unfortunately, was very tall.

"What's happening?" Lin Wei asked, still disoriented.

Unlike the others, who had already experienced one earthquake in Manila, he was caught completely off guard.

But he quickly realized the severity of the situation. This earthquake was even stronger than the last. The building, which had withstood the previous tremors, was now collapsing.

The ground beneath their feet gave way, and they plunged downwards, the sky darkening as dust and debris rained down.

"Aaaaaah!" The little girl's scream was swallowed by the roar of collapsing concrete.

They were about to be buried alive.

"Tch!" Lin Wei cursed. He wrapped one arm around Anna's waist, arresting her fall, and with the other, he flung out a black chain, shattering several large chunks of concrete before wrapping it around the other three.

The Stigmata on his back glowed faintly as he hurled them upwards. He was propelled downwards by the force of his action, disappearing into the dust cloud.

"Lin Wei! No!" Anna twisted around, watching in horror as he was swallowed by the collapsing building, forgetting her own precarious situation.

"Clang!" A flash of cherry blossom pink sliced through the dust and debris, revealing Lin Wei, unharmed, though covered in grime.

"Damn it, that was close!" he cursed, then summoned his aircraft, soaring upwards and catching the four falling figures.

"Waaah! I was so scared…" Anna frantically checked him for injuries, then burst into tears, burying her face in his chest.

"Look! Over there!" From their vantage point high above the city, Chen Tianwu spotted a dark line on the horizon, rapidly growing larger and closer. His face paled. "What is that? A tsunami?" The nightmare was repeating itself.

Lin Wei followed his gaze, his expression darkening.

"What have those Anti-Entropy idiots done now?"

...

Thousands of miles away, at Schicksal HQ, the sky was clear and blue.

"Wooo!" The alarm blared.

Amber rushed into Otto's office, interrupting his thoughts. "A massive energy spike has been detected in the Pacific, east of the Philippines! Far stronger than the last one!"

"What?!" Otto exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.

What are those Anti-Entropy fools doing?

…

At the 3rd hangar, Durandal and Yuno sat in the cockpit of a shuttle, adjusting the controls.

"You've received pilot training, haven't you?" Durandal asked.

"Yes," Yuno replied, her hands busy.

"Good."

She wouldn't be using this shuttle if not for Yuno.

"Wooo!" The alarm blared.

"What's happening?" Durandal immediately contacted Alvitr.

Like Amber, Alvitr quickly relayed the information. "Captain, there's been a new development in the Philippines…"

"Understood. Thank you, Alvitr." Durandal ended the call, considered the situation, then looked at Yuno. "The situation has changed. We need a different mode of transport. Do you mind… a little wind in your hair?"

"Huh?" Yuno looked at her, confused.

"I'll take that as a yes." Durandal nodded, summoning her blue and white battlesuit. She punched out the cockpit window, grabbed Yuno, and leaped out, soaring eastward, a streak of blue light against the sky.

"Hey!" Yuno protested, finally understanding what she'd meant.

"No time for games!" Durandal scolded gently.

Yuno fell silent, allowing herself to be carried, a streak of blue light, like a meteor, against the azure sky.