"East at 53 degrees, altitude -1597 meters. Two targets approaching the boundary. Kiana, engage!"
In the pitch-black depths of the ocean, Kiana acknowledged Bronya's command with a hint of exasperation on her face beneath the black armor.
"Yes, yes, yes... Easy for you to say!" she muttered as she parted the turbulent currents around her and shot straight toward the target like a sleek, dark arrow.
Quickly leveraging the extraordinary strength of her black armor along with her own monstrous power, she shattered the heads of both Honkai Beasts, causing the massive creatures to lifelessly sink to the seafloor.
"NORTHWEST 12 DEGREES, DISTANCE 69K, ALTITUDE 4553. We're quite far from each other; Sin, it's up to you."
"Roger that! Leave it to me, Bronya!"
A long black spear pierced through the seawater, leaving a vacuum trail in its wake as it precisely and violently tore apart its target.
"Kiana, move northwest; Sin, southeast. I'll notify you when you reach your designated areas."
"Aye!" x2
Despite their distinct personalities, during actual missions, they worked well together—nothing like their usual headache-inducing antics.
This brought some relief to Bronya.
Despite the black armor's capabilities—allowing them to withstand high pressure, oxygen deprivation, and shocks of almost any magnitude—the underwater battle was still their first foray into such conditions. Even with Bronya's computational prowess, they were stretched thin.
Thankfully, these two little monsters listened well, and there were plenty of worker bees assisting them below. Otherwise, defending this vast front would have been nothing short of a pipe dream.
During a brief respite, Bronya connected to the video feed from the surface worker bees, keeping tabs on the situation at the seaside fortress.
By now, the battle had escalated to brutal intensity.
One Titan mech after another fell, only to rise again under the repairs of worker bees.
However, the fate of machines wasn't as gripping. What truly tugged at her heartstrings were the continuous sacrifices made by the Valkyries.
Some were crushed into pulp beneath massive Honkai Beasts, others torn apart or swallowed whole. Many succumbed to Honkai Energy corruption, unleashing a single supercharged attack before their lives flickered out like meteors crashing down.
Numerous Valkyries ceased breathing during their charges, while some, heavily corrupted, showed signs of turning into Zombies. With tears streaming down their faces, their comrades delivered the final blow, allowing those fallen warriors to rest peacefully with serene smiles.
Worker bees continuously delivered anti-Honkai energy inhibitors to save some soldiers, but they couldn't reach everyone.
Each scene, every piercing scream and wail, made Bronya pause momentarily, unconsciously biting her lip.
"...Bronya, do we really need to stay here?" Kiana's despondent voice suddenly came through the communication channel.
Taken aback, Bronya nearly forgot that to ensure seamless transmission of combat intel, their audiovisual signals were synchronized across all three of them.
Forcing herself to regain composure, she calmly replied, "Yes, we do! The Honkai Beasts on the surface are blocked by the Fortress, but those beneath the sea face no such barrier. We must prevent them from breaching our defenses underwater. This mission is just as crucial as the battlefield above."
"The number of worker bees on the seafloor is increasing rapidly, and the Valkyries of Schicksal and Titans have almost completed their deployment underwater. If we stay here, at most, we'll only be able to clear out a small portion of Honkai Beasts. Wouldn't it be enough with just those Valkyries and Titans?"
"...Focus on our mission; don't overthink!" Bronya replied sternly.
However, deep down, she somewhat agreed with Kiana's assessment.
"What do you propose, Kiana?" Sin's voice emerged over the communication channel, filled with cool skepticism.
Kiana fell silent for a moment before responding, "I just feel that the number of Honkai Beasts on the seafloor is relatively low, and Schicksal and Anti-Entropy's forces should suffice. Perhaps we could be more useful by joining the main battlefield."
"Don't forget Zeke's orders!"
"But what if he misjudged the situation? What if, perhaps, his real intention was to keep us safe, driven by personal concern?"
Sin fell silent, unable to respond.
Bronya shared the same inability to counter Kiana's argument.
They trusted Zeke's capabilities, but they also believed he might make such arrangements out of personal bias.
His apparent indifference couldn't mask his care and protection for them; sometimes, this safeguarding could even override their primary mission.
"Sin, Bronya, do you really want Zeke to treat us like useless little kids who can only perform meaningless tasks from the safety of our hideout? I don't. I want to be valuable—not just for Zeke, but for this entire world," Kiana declared.
In the ensuing silence, she directly connected to Zeke's signal.
"What's up? Lost your way or trying to desert back home for some sleep?" Zeke's cold voice echoed in all three girls' ears.
This time, Kiana ignored Zeke's condescension and biting sarcasm. Taking a deep breath, she mustered her courage and said:
"Zeke, actually, we don't need to stay submerged underwater, right?"
"...What are you trying to say?"
"I...I want to join the battlefield above. With the black armor's capabilities, we could accomplish much more..."
"Denied. Continue with your mission." Zeke's voice turned icy, carrying an unmistakable tone of authority.
But within that firmness, Kiana found confirmation for her suspicions.
"Then tell me honestly—you're not trying to keep us safe up there! Tell me we really wouldn't make any difference if we joined the battle above, that we couldn't save anyone! You've never lied to me before, Zeke!"
Silence.
Aboard the Hyperion, hovering over the sea, Zeke crushed the worker bee used for communication, his expression darkening instantly.
Just carry out your mission already—why so much chatter? Clearly, she needs more training! You dim-witted simpleton! Zeke wanted to immediately rebuke her but couldn't bring himself to say it aloud.
Never lied to her? Ridiculous!
Where does that useless little white-haired girl get such confidence?! I've deceived her countless times! Like...like...just like...
Zeke tried to recall instances where he had led that little fool astray. But upon careful consideration, aside from occasional pranks, it had been a very long time since he'd lied about anything serious.
Or perhaps, had he ever truly deceived her at all?
A hint of confusion flickered across Zeke's eyes.
Maybe he was just too tired, and his memories were hazy. How come he couldn't think of any examples that would justify his firm denial this time?
"Zeke, let us go to the front lines. They need our strength there."
"Do you really believe that with thousands of kilometers of battlelines and such massive warfare, your efforts could make a significant difference?"
"At least we can save some people, right? Even if it's just one or two, I don't want to hide in the sea pretending nothing is happening!"
"...The black armor's defense has its limits."
"I'm strong now! We're all much stronger! Don't treat us like children anymore—we can be genuinely helpful, not just playing pretend!"
"Strong? Try taking off the black armor first."
"What's wrong with black armor?! Strong is strong; don't try to twist my words!" Kiana defiantly retorted, her cheeks slightly flushed but refusing to back down.
Zeke held a new worker bee, remaining silent for several seconds.
"Rejected."
"I reject your rejection!"
"Feeling quite independent now?"
"Zeke, please!"
Onboard the Hyperion, a suppressed aura momentarily radiated from Zeke's slender frame.
Welt and Hera turned their attention towards him.
Zeke lifted his head, his expression grim, as if a dark energy was brewing behind him. He spoke coldly, "What are you looking at me for? Get back to your tasks."
Though he didn't explicitly threaten them, the warning was clear in his gaze and demeanor.
Welt and Hera silently diverted their gazes: one focused on maintaining the frontline, while the other continued monitoring the actions within Chiyou's body.
'Hey! Aren't you the Alliance Leader? Giving in so easily?'
'Sure, easy for you to say. Why don't you go provoke him then?'
The mischievous Hera and helpless Welt exchanged glances, both choosing silence, avoiding any conversation with Zeke at this moment.
"Why are you so persistent? Isn't safety preferable?" After a moment of silence, Zeke asked mildly, though internally he felt utterly helpless.
Kiana pursed her lips and said, "I'm sorry, Zeke."
"You haven't done anything wrong."
"I... I just don't want to have the ability to help yet do nothing. Even if it means saving one more person, that's all I'm thinking about."
"...Stand down from your orders."
Zeke crushed the worker bee in his hand, simultaneously cutting off communication.
Damn!
Why couldn't he firmly refuse? Won't this make him appear too easily swayed, as if Kiana could persuade him with just a word?!
However, amidst his frustration, hidden worries, and agitation, a voice resonated within him, causing an involuntary softening of his expression.
'True to form for my little goofball,' the inner voice spoke. The corners of Zeke's mouth gradually lifted, and for a fleeting moment, his eyes filled with tenderness—only to vanish instantly, as if it were merely an illusion.
He began deploying some worker bees to ensure the trio's safety. As he gazed at Chiyou's vast body, seemingly boundless like a continent, a new idea took shape in Zeke's mind.