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Originally, events shouldn't have unfolded this way.
If Seele, Liliya, and Lia hadn't gone missing, Wendy could have swiftly rejoined them after resolving the stadium situation. She would then escort the trio to safety before returning to the city with the black armor.
Following that, facing the triumphant Wendy, the three Pseudo-Herrschers would be like mere dishes waiting to be easily dealt with by her.
Furthermore, even if Ana transformed into a Herrscher, Wendy, virtually unexhausted, uninjured, and untainted by poison, although likely facing a grueling battle, would still be capable of containing Ana effectively.
Outside Nagazora City, without needing to focus solely on Welt, assistance could rapidly be dispatched to other cities in crisis.
With this, control over the situation in the Far East Region would significantly improve, allowing enough time for Anti-Entropy and Schicksal's main forces to arrive as reinforcements.
Thus, Raiden Mei wouldn't need to seek aid from the moon, giving Zeke an opportunity to encounter that indescribable entity.
By merely intercepting three girls, Young Lady Kiana had drastically altered the course of events. Then, with a swish of her garments, she vanished without leaving any trace. Even if investigated afterward, no one would connect it to her, hidden away all year round—her actions were inconsequential yet their impact immense, akin to a reincarnated individual altering a famous historical battle after foreseeing its outcome.
Finally, amidst the clash between two Herrschers, just as Welt was about to locate the missing girls, and as Zeke and Kiana ventured towards the most perilous battlefield, Young Lady Kiana disappeared without a trace.
"Zeke, I've found them; they're safe. Along the way, I also dealt with another Pseudo-Herrscher. Now, I'm arranging for the evacuation of the entire city. Please limit the scope of your battles to minimize collateral damage."
With the Herrscher battleground nearby, there was always a risk of catastrophe spreading throughout the city. Welt's decision was prudent.
In the distance, approaching the battlefield, Zeke nodded affirmatively.
"Roger that. We'll contain the conflict. Make haste with the evacuation," he replied, his face buffeted by chilling winds carrying terrifying amounts of Honkai Energy nearly on the verge of liquefying.
He shook off the sensation, glanced at Kiana walking steadily beside him, then looked ahead, continuing forward.
Wendy's feelings were strangely intense.
An instinctive urge for destruction surged within her mind, amplified by distressing memories from her past, stirring overwhelming negative emotions.
Malice brewed in her eyes, and for a moment, she contemplated leveling the entire city before hesitating.
"So this is...the Herrscher?"
The boundless coldness in her gaze gradually softened, as Wendy examined her flawless white hands. Looking down, she noticed herself adorned with a splendid emerald green gown.
With a gentle lift of her hand,
"Whoosh!"
The converging Ideal Fluid effortlessly sliced through the earth, seemingly aiming to bisect the city. After a significant delay, the thunderous echoes of devastation reached Wendy's ears.
It likely affected some people, didn't it?
A hint of apology flashed across Wendy's eyes, but there was no time to dwell on such guilt. The continuously escalating power and intensifying desire for destruction made it increasingly difficult for her to maintain control.
At that moment, she needed a target to vent upon.
"Ideal Fluid, frictionless and incompressible, represents absolute strength and unrelenting kinetic energy... Let's try, Fluid Cannon!"
"Boom!"
Invisible projectiles shattered the towering icebergs and sent the Herrscher of Ice flying far away.
Following Wendy's perception, these fluid shells pierced through distant clouds, soaring beyond the sky until they finally dissipated outside the range her Honkai Energy could influence.
Throughout this process, she felt no resistance from atmospheric friction, nor did it consume any additional energy upon firing. With just a single thought, she unleashed astonishing destructive power.
"So this is...a Herrscher?" Wendy murmured, suddenly grasping why Herrschers were considered archenemies of civilization.
At that moment, if she willed it, she could effortlessly shred the island nation beneath her feet, turn it into a honeycomb-like structure, or envelop it with fluid before crushing it outright—it was too easy. For a Herrscher, annihilating a nation and exterminating countless lives truly required minimal effort.
Suddenly, countless massive icicles streaked across the sky like shooting stars, marking the Herrscher of Ice's counterattack.
Wendy lifted her head, her emerald-green hair flowing freely with the wind, resembling a vivid and spontaneous painting. Without visible movement, a layer of fluid enveloped her. As the icicles descended, striking against this fluid barrier, they shattered into a shower of icy crystals.
"I suppose I'm the Herrscher of Wind now? Indeed, creating fluid within the air allows me to effortlessly manipulate it—generating gales should be simple... Let's give this a try."
Wendy murmured to herself as she lifted her hand, summoning a gust from behind laden with fluid blades. The swirling tempest carved deep scars across the ground, heading straight for the Herrscher of Ice protected by countless layers of icicles.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The wind carrying razor-sharp edges shredded through the icy defense, sending the Herrscher of Ice flying once more.
"Ahhh!!!" As they were hurled backward, the Herrscher of Ice let out a piercing scream that could have been born of pain or hatred. Suddenly, the surrounding temperature plummeted, encasing Wendy's hands in a layer of ice crystals.
"How fast it freezes..." Wendy exhaled a puff of white vapor, her pupils contracting. Hastily, she enveloped her entire body in Ideal Fluid.
Ideal Fluid negates thermal conductivity, rendering the Herrscher of Ice's chilling effect ineffective against Wendy.
With a slight bend at the knees, an invisible layer of Ideal Fluid materialized beneath her feet. Harnessing both Honkai Energy and Ideal Fluid, she effortlessly bypassed air resistance, appearing instantly before the Herrscher of Ice like teleportation itself.
"You might want to calm down, Miss Ana."
"BOOM!"
I am so powerful! Excitement flickered in Wendy's eyes as she punched the Herrscher of Ice into the ground, then swiftly followed up with another barrage of heavy blows.
Not far away, Zeke sat alongside Kiana atop an icicle and sighed as he gazed at Wendy's earlier test run, leaving behind seemingly endless gouges on the ground.
He had just promised Welt not to let the battlefield expand, only for Wendy to unleash this move without any chance to intervene—hopefully, Welt wouldn't take it personally; otherwise, Zeke would be utterly embarrassed.
Watching Wendy, enveloped by Ideal Fluid, pummel the Herrscher of Ice, Zeke turned to Kiana, who was swinging her slender legs leisurely, and asked,
"Did you observe how she fights?"
"I did! Wendy has become so strong!"
"No, what I mean is, remember this as an example not to follow."
"Huh?" Kiana tilted her head, blinking in confusion.
Wendy seemed to be performing exceptionally well, perfectly countering the Herrscher of Ice.
"What makes Herrschers truly terrifying is their ability to draw infinite Honkai Energy from the gateways to the Void and wield immense power capable of reaching physical limits. To put it simply, unless they specialize purely in physical enhancement, each Herrscher is essentially a max-level mage with virtually limitless mana reserves. Look at her—using a mage build like a fighter's, all smug about it. Isn't that quite foolish?"
Kiana excelled in anything related to leisure, including video games, naturally. She then turned to watch Wendy pounding on the Herrscher of Ice... Hmm, objectively speaking, there was indeed something off.
"Remember this: I prioritize your physical training so you have no weaknesses. However, engaging in close-quarters combat is not how Herrschers fight. Have you ever seen Welt exchange punches with someone? He always prefers overwhelming firepower straight out of his arsenal. Aside from his limited intelligence affecting the sophistication of his weaponry, he embodies the approach you should emulate."
"Gotcha!" Kiana nodded emphatically.
At a distance, Wendy, who was thoroughly dominating the Herrscher of Ice, froze mid-battle. Embarrassed, veins popped on her forehead.