The sea breeze, carrying the strong scent of scorched earth from the mainland, swept between the two opposing camps.
On one side stood the Titan Legion, exuding an aura of advanced technology, iron discipline, and raw power. On the other, the Valkyries and Divine Machines, their beauty almost ethereal, formed an impressive array. These colossal forces faced each other at a distance.
Despite the title suggesting a treaty signing, viewers found the atmosphere on display starkly contrasting with expectations.
[Wowww! Why does it look like they're about to brawl?!]
[Sultry Valkyries taking down Titans live?!]
[Nope, it's Titan Daddy teaching you how to craft Valkyrie Fragments online!]
[Schicksal is dead; long live Anti-Entropy (winking emoticon)?]
[Shh! Don't distract me while I'm watching these beauties! Schicksal, seriously... so pale... no, I mean, truly big... ugh! I meant genuinely round... smack!]
[Is there still time to apply at Schicksal? No ulterior motives, just want to contribute to humanity, nothing to do with those Valkyrie ladies.]
[Machinery is where men find romance! Go, Anti-Entropy!]
[Doesn't Schicksal have machinery too?]
[With that girlish paint job and gear, can you even call them proper machinery?!]
The bullet comments, translated uniformly into local languages according to regional settings, remained unseen by those present at the scene. Consequently, they continued their standoff amidst a silent and tense atmosphere.
"Psst!"
"Hssss—"
At the forefront of the Titan Legion, Cocolia stood atop an armored vehicle, holding the AE Banner high. With barely perceptible movements, she emitted several peculiar sounds.
From the adjacent armored vehicle, Raiden Ryoma, also waving his flag, glanced sideways at her and asked,
"What's up?"
Cocolia shifted her head slightly, indicating a direction with her gaze, "Look over there, first row, eighth from the left, the Valkyrie carrying the giant sword."
Ryoma followed her line of sight and indeed spotted that particular Valkyrie. She appeared young, likely not yet twenty, with a golden ponytail, silver-white skirt armor, long legs, a slender waist, fair complexion, and enticingly pale pink lips—a striking figure altogether.
"You know her?"
"She's Elin Anundr, German, and known as the 'Wall of S-Rank' among experienced A-rank Valkyries. Highly skilled, and unlike most of those dim-witted, single-minded Valkyries, she is one of the few who possesses strategic intellect. Not easy to handle. Fortunately, she has a significant weakness: excessive empathy, which often leads her to lose rationality."
Raiden Ryoma furrowed his brow; he had heard of this woman but only in passing, unlike Cocolia, whom he seemed well-informed about, even knowing her weaknesses.
He asked, "By your words, it sounds like you've clashed with her before?"
"Not really, I suppose? Two years ago, while I was trading Honkai Beast materials in Germany, she was sent by Schicksal to investigate."
"Did you come out worse for wear?"
"Not at all. Exploiting her weakness, I tricked her into volunteering at an orphanage in town for three weeks and then lured her to a terrorist base... The fireworks that night were incredibly bright and dazzling."
"..."
Raiden Ryoma remained silent. If not for the fact that this woman was under Mr. Zeke's command, he would never want such a cunning colleague.
"The issue is, after realizing she'd been deceived, she publicly declared that next time we meet, she'll break my legs... So if she charges at me later, remember to intervene on my behalf. You're a great swordsman, whereas I'm not. In hand-to-hand combat, she could easily take down a hundred of me without breaking a sweat."
"...But wouldn't she behave herself during a treaty-signing ceremony?"
"You know what they say: better safe than sorry. If I hadn't been cautious, considering my looks, I would've fallen prey to deception eight centuries ago and ended up as some firearm. By now, even my biological daughter's bra size would be two cups larger than Mei's—there wouldn't have been any 'today' for me."
Raiden Ryoma fell silent.
Once again, Raiden Ryoma confirmed that his destiny clashed with this woman's. Whenever they were together, whether near or far, conflicts were inevitable.
"Look at the sky, our leader has arrived!"
Amidst Ryoma's silence, Cocolia spotted the change on the horizon first and promptly alerted him.
Both Raiden Ryoma and, more accurately, all spectators present and afar turned their attention to the sky.
The reason was simple—the shimmering torrent of gold and silver, reflecting brilliantly under sunlight, was breathtakingly beautiful, almost dreamlike.
"Cree! Cree! Cree!"
Sharp electrical crackles echoed intermittently, harmonizing like a chorus of birdsong, surprisingly melodious to the ear.
The metallic surge swiftly approached, visibly growing from distant specks to imposing forms within moments. Soon, it loomed over the scene, resembling a colossal cloud radiating golden and silver hues, casting its resplendent glow across the sky.
The torrent surged towards the ground, resembling a fluid mixture of gold and silver metal. Instantly, it covered the area, creating a striking metallic floor divided evenly between golden and silver hues.
Schicksal's forces stood on the golden side, while Anti-Entropy's took their positions on the silver.
"Damn! That's seriously flashy!"
"It's probably Zeke's doing. Still not reconsidering your opinion?"
"Wow! Absolutely stunning! Elegant yet imposing—no wonder they call you Sir Zeke! In terms of aesthetics, I must say, Cocolia considers you unparalleled!"
Ryoma remained silent but agreed internally; when it came to survival instincts, Cocolia was indeed formidable.
As they conversed, the silvery-gold material continued rising, transforming into a grand hall over dozens of meters tall. At its central plaza, a raised platform with stairs from all four sides emerged. However, every architectural element was distinctly divided into gold and silver, making the faction separation unmistakably clear.
Gold belonged to Schicksal, and silver represented Anti-Entropy.
"Hum! Hum! Hum!"
Just as the hall took shape, another hum filled the air, sharper and more chilling than before.
Clouds once again shrouded the sky, this time enveloping it in pure darkness.
"Boom!"
A swarm of black figures descended like a massive cloud of smoke, dispersing swiftly to construct a circular black table and matching high-backed chairs on the raised platform at the center of the grand hall.
At the heart of this dissipating black tide, two slender figures of nearly equal height emerged, standing prominently before Anti-Entropy's front ranks, mirroring the placement of the AE Banners.
One was a silver-haired youth bearing a flaming greatsword, while the other was a blue-haired maiden clad in an elegant gown, her lips painted crimson. Both exuded striking beauty and shared an equally serene demeanor, calm as water.
"Hera, tardiness is not a virtue," Zeke spoke softly, yet his clear, youthful voice echoed throughout the entire hall.
"Oh-ho-ho! If it isn't my dear friend, Acting Archbishop of Schicksal, current patriarch of the Kaslana family, the unparalleled master of both power and intellect, Mr. Zeke himself! How come you're standing with Anti-Entropy? Did you get lost? Come over here; don't stay there—you're making me tremble!"
Zeke rolled his eyes, feeling overwhelmed with remarks to make but unsure where to start—anyway, Otto, you sure do love your mischief and drama!
"Crack!"
Following a gentle chime like wind bells echoing through the hall, there came another sharp sound akin to shattering glass. In the center of the chamber, the air seemed to fracture like a mirror breaking, forming countless cracks.
Then, with a thunderous crash, it shattered entirely.
Ahead of Schicksal's delegation, Hera, holding up her long gown, stood gracefully alongside Amber in her elegant military uniform, their presence picturesque.
"Oh? Where's Welt? Negotiating an alliance without even having your Alliance Leader present? Isn't that rather disrespectful?"
"And why isn't Archbishop Otto here himself?"
"A mere Anti-Entropy hardly warrants disturbing the archbishop for such trivial matters as treaty discussions. With countless responsibilities each day, he is constantly pondering the world's truths and humanity's future. How could he spare time to indulge in childish games with Anti-Entropy?" Hera said with a smile.
Zeke pursed his lips, unimpressed.
More nonsense! You're right here, having a grand old time! thought Amber.