SWNOVELXO Chapter 133: The Trial World
The blade pierced Joachim, but no blood flowed. The boy frowned, staring intently at Ren. He was Welt's guardian, his avatar. But Welt's own body had been destroyed; this child form was merely a construct.
Ren pulled the blade out and simply said, "Thanks."
Imaginary energy rapidly disintegrated Joachim's body. The boy considered Ren's identity as he quietly sealed Bronya's bubble universe.
This mysterious man, even if not a Herrscher, was definitely on the Honkai's side. Welt had no choice but to prioritize protecting Bronya. The portal to the Sea of Quanta could wait.
"I hope his goal isn't the Herrscher core," Joachim thought as he dissolved into motes of light, the barrier between the Sea of Quanta and reality vanishing with him.
Solving the proctor before taking the test. Ren was quite the student.
With the barrier gone, Ren, having no desire to fight Bronya for the First Herrscher core, plunged into the Sea of Quanta. He wanted to find the Gem of Desire before Kevin, though he wasn't sure if the rough coordinates he had would be accurate.
The Sea of Quanta was far more complex than he'd imagined. There were no stable coordinates, only bubble universes as points of reference. And as soon as he entered, a swarm of Quantum Shadows descended upon him.
These were formed from the negative emotions of people from countless worlds, virtually endless. Ren carved a path through them, and just as he was about to escape Welt's starting area, a powerful force yanked him back.
It was a Herrscher-level ability. Welt, using the First Herrscher core, had dragged him into the final trial's bubble universe.
"Trying to stall me with a trial?" Ren glanced at the snowy landscape in front of him. With a quick movement, his special blade, made of woven thread, disappeared.
It seemed Welt intended for Bronya to bypass the first two trials, take the core, and leave Ren trapped in the last one.
So much time had gone by that Ren barely remembered the tests. He was unsure what he was supposed to do next.
Just as he was getting ready to just force his way through the trial, a Schicksal transport ship landed. The person who got out made Ren stop and think.
Kiana...
In this alternate reality, Kiana hadn't left St. Freya Academy. But things here were even worse than in the real world he knew. Almost as soon as they landed, they were attacked by a large number of Anti-Entropy robots.
It seemed that in this reality, Welt had already rebelled against Schicksal—or maybe he'd never betrayed them in the first place and had always remained loyal to the Honkai
"How can there be someone there?" Kiana and the other Valkyries spotted Ren standing in the snow just as a barrage of rockets rained down.
Without even thinking, Kiana ran forward and tackled Ren to the ground. Explosions shook the area, and the snow flew up like huge ocean waves, covering both of them.
"Ugh…" Kiana, spitting out snow, shook her head and helped Ren up. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Looking at the familiar face, Ren sighed. She wasn't the same Kiana.
But she was still a Kiana. Even in the face of danger, she still rushed to protect others.
He remembered the general situation of this world. It was during the Second Honkai Eruption. Sirin had been killed by Welt, who had become the most powerful Herrscher.
Cecilia and Siegfried weren't present. Kiana and Mei were here as part of Bronya's trial.
"I'm here to help you."
"Don't joke! This is a Valkyrie's battlefield. It's too dangerous for a civilian." As she spoke, she failed to notice Welt's mechs approaching.
Just as Kiana braced for impact, Ren's threads shot out, seizing control of the mechs. The power of Dominance clashed with the power of Creation, wresting control away from Welt.
The towering mech gently scooped Kiana into its arms. Ren stood his ground, facing the man across the battlefield.
Welt. Although just a phantom in a bubble universe created by the First Herrscher, this was the first time Ren had seen him.
The infamous traitor, the one the Will of Honkai had repeatedly warned him to eliminate.
"Run. Just like I did back then." This Welt, however, was a genuine Herrscher, one intent on destroying the world.
The Valkyries fought bravely, but their numbers dwindled against the overwhelming odds. Welt simply raised a hand, and more mechs materialized from thin air.
"Put me down! I have to fight with them!" Kiana struggled. Ren gestured, sending the controlled mechs into battle.
With his help, Mei, who would have died in the original timeline, survived. But they were still losing.
"Self-preservation is a beast's instinct. Flee, like a wounded animal."
Finally, realizing they couldn't win, the Valkyries retreated.
Bronya hadn't arrived in this world yet. Kiana and the others brought Ren with them, falling back to Schicksal's base.
Schicksal in this world had suffered heavy losses. Most of their Valkyries had been killed by Welt. Fear and despair permeated the base.
Having narrowly escaped death, Kiana and Mei could only watch helplessly as their comrades perished.
Wiping away her tears, Kiana bit her lip until it bled. She found Ren, her dual pistols at her side.
She'd seen what he could do on the battlefield. She didn't know who he was, but every ounce of fighting strength was crucial.
"Please... take them and get away. If you can. I'll hold them back. It's our only chance. As long as Schicksal exists, as long as humanity survives, there's still hope." Her eyes showed a sad determination, a desperate request, hidden in a deep darkness.
There was no hope in this world.
Looking at her, Ren didn't voice that thought. He simply nodded.
A bitter, painful smile flickered across Kiana's face.
"I'll go with you."
Just then, butterflies appeared, fluttering and transforming into motes of light, coalescing into a dreamlike figure: Seele Vollerei.