"This… what is this…?"
The ear-splitting sound of a giant sword slicing through the building jolted Lunelle awake, her drowsiness vanishing in an instant. She had been drifting into sleep, lulled by the soft warmth of Mei's wife's thighs, but the sudden disturbance ripped her from that peaceful moment.
Lunelle's face, delicate and innocent, turned pale, a stark contrast to the fright that now gripped her. Her body trembled, like a frightened little rabbit.
Anyone who saw her right now couldn't help but want to gather the frightened girl in their arms and comfort her.
But Lunelle's inner thoughts screamed:
Damn it! This Honkai Beast had to ruin my time with Mei's sweet lap! Couldn't it have come later?
Now my wife Mei's comforting lap is gone. Crying (╥╯^╰╥)
Bronya, who always kept her eyes on Lunelle, immediately noticed the change in her beloved sister.
"Don't be scared, Seele. Bronya will protect you," she said, stepping forward, her voice soft and reassuring as she shielded Lunelle from the chaos.
In that moment, Bronya's voice seemed even more childlike than Lunelle's own transformation. Her declaration of protection, though, seemed a little far-fetched, no matter how you looked at it.
If Lunelle really did look like a tiny, helpless girl, someone might have been moved by the little duck's attempt to shield her in such a crucial moment.
However, Lunelle, ever the strategist, had already anticipated the Honkai Beast's attack tonight.
The reason she was startled and pale wasn't because she didn't expect it—but because she hadn't expected it to arrive this quickly.
So while she recognized the little duck's "protection" as an act of kindness, Lunelle couldn't bring herself to be moved as deeply as any typical fragile girl might have been.
Yet, the sheer size of the Templar-Class Honkai Beast sent a wave of panic through her. The oppressive force of its massive presence was enough to make her scalp tingle with dread.
But Lunelle, ever calculating, knew how to mask her fear, turning it into a perfect cover for her inner frustration.
Her performance, weak and frightened, only made Bronya more certain that Lunelle was indeed Seele's younger sister. After all, her behavior was undeniably "Seele-like."
In the meantime, the Templar-Class Honkai Beast, its urgency unclear, quickly transformed its massive sword into a deadly lance. The sharp tip gleamed a cold, violet hue.
Before Lunelle could fully process what was happening, the beast lunged at her, its lance aimed directly at her.
But Lunelle, having seen the unfolding story, knew the true target was not her—but Raiden Mei, who stood behind her, nearing the point of transforming into the Herrscher.
"[Duck Alert]..." Bronya murmured, noticing the shift in the Honkai Beast's attack.
"Heavy-duty Bunny 19C, lance mode."
Bronya, still distracted by gently patting Seele's head, quickly assessed the situation. At her command, the Heavy-Armored Bunny's gun instantly transformed, becoming a spear of soul steel.
The two lances collided—one large, one small—creating an earth-shaking force as they clashed.
The collision generated a shockwave that sent ripples through the air. Bronya, using her other hand, summoned a shield to protect herself and her beloved "Seele" from the overwhelming impact.
In the midst of this chaotic clash, Bronya could feel the Heavy-Armored Bunny's full power. Though it could theoretically hold its own against the Honkai Beast, the sheer difference in weight made the confrontation a tough battle.
The Heavy-Armored Bunny, though strong, was still just a small machine compared to the massive Templar-Class Beast, which weighed several tons. Without overwhelming strength, defeating the Honkai Beast head-on seemed impossible.
And sure enough…
"[Duck Duck is shocked]"
The reaction force from the beast's lance sent Bronya flying, her machine unable to withstand the sheer force.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
Bronya was struck away, her form hurtling through the air like a shooting star.
That was fast... she thought, groaning as she crashed through several buildings along the way.
"Bronya!"
Mei's voice rang out in concern as Bronya was flung away, her hope for any immediate help from the little duck now dashed.
With Bronya's firepower gone, the remaining girls were left with little chance of standing up to the Templar-Class Honkai Beast, even with their firearms.
Time was running out, and the likelihood of Bronya returning in time was slim—after all, she wasn't exactly known for teleportation.
As the beast's roar drew more of the surrounding zombies and Honkai Beasts, they surrounded the building from all sides, making escape nearly impossible.
In this desperate situation, only one thing was clear: if Raiden Mei couldn't awaken as the Herrscher of Thunder now, survival seemed impossible.
For Lunelle, though, whose affinity for Honkai energy surpassed that of most, this was a near-certain death sentence.
Her ability to grow stronger was frightening, but even she could only bear so much. Compared to the overwhelming crisis the group faced, Lunelle's fragile form was barely a match for the challenge ahead.
--+--
T/N: Please look forward to my new translation: I forgot the name!!! But it's the mc being an emanator of abundance so look forward to that.