It was the night before the four-member team of Durandal, Rita, Delta, and Wendy, sent by headquarters, arrived at Saint Freya to board the Hyperion with the Saint Freya troops to the East Shenzou Sea.
Welt had already left the academy. The combination of Durandal and Delta was quite intimidating. While he rationally believed the likelihood of a fight between the two sides was low, it was unwise to gamble with Otto's intentions. In the face of the Chiyou crisis, safety came first—leaving sooner was better.
And on this night, Angel was called to Fu Hua's dormitory.
"Master, I'm coming in!"
"Well, come on in."
Fu Hua smiled at Angel, who was peeking in from the door, and nodded.
So Angel walked into the room.
She looked around with curious, watery eyes. The gray and white color scheme, extremely simple and rustic decoration and furniture, and the cleanliness were typical of Fu Hua's room, completely different from the cute pink and red tones of Angel's room.
"Master, your room is so boring!"
"I asked you here today because I have something to give you. I originally hoped you would receive it after comprehending the Form essence, but with the rare disaster of Chiyou upon us, the next mission is unpredictable. If you can gain the recognition of this weapon, you might have a better chance of survival."
Fu Hua ignored Angel's complaints and picked up a delicate wooden box with a faint sandalwood scent from the table, bringing it to Angel.
Angel's heartbeat quickened, and she vaguely guessed what was inside. However, she tilted her head and asked innocently, "Master, what is this? The box is so pretty; I want to buy one too!"
"I ordered the box by express mail from Shenzhou... cough! Don't change the subject! This is the artifact passed down from my Taixu Sect, a special sword required to comprehend the meaning I mentioned before. Try to see if you can gain its approval."
Fu Hua opened the wooden box to reveal a short sword with restrained golden light lying on a cloth, about thirty or forty centimeters long, with ancient and mysterious patterns engraved on the blade.
It looked very old but otherwise ordinary, yet it exuded the charm of a divine object.
Angel suppressed her excitement, reached out, and slowly grasped the hilt.
"Buzz——"
A wonderful wave, along with the rippling golden light, spread from the sword, filling the entire room with dazzling golden light.
'Can Angel resonate with the Key of Domination so well?'
Fu Hua narrowed her eyes, greatly shaken.
Angel felt like she was holding another part of herself, perfectly fitting and completely under control, as if the sword was an extension of her body.
Given the characteristics of the power of domination, even the power of a Herrscher was forcibly plundered; the Divine Key created by a Herrscher core was naturally an even easier fit.
What's more, this was the Key of Domination! The Herrscher of Dominance using the Key of Domination—how could it not fit?
After a brief flash of light, a narrow Han sword with a dark gold hilt and a red blade appeared in Angel's hand. It was styled in the ancient manner of Shenzhou, both sharp and weighty, looking quite impressive.
However, Fu Hua kept a neutral expression, suppressed her shock, and complained, "I thought it would be a fancier shape."
"Master, what do you think I am?"
"A mischievous, self-willed disciple who always tries to make trouble for the master."
"Master!!"
Angel stamped her feet, and the long sword stabbed into the table, then pierced through it and deeply embedded into the floor.
Angel was stunned for a moment. "It's so sharp!"
"After all, it is a divine weapon that resonates with your mind. It is extremely powerful when used with the Edge of Taixuan. Remember, you can only use this sword against enemies!"
"Okay, Master. Then can I defeat you with this sword?"
Angel asked with sparkling eyes, suddenly excited.
Fu Hua hit her with a hand knife. "You are an unfilial disciple!"
"Just talking. I haven't defeated my master for so long that I can't tell whether I've made any progress or not!"
"Be calm. You have made great progress. Only a few A-level Valkyries can beat you now."
Fu Hua put away the wooden box and said calmly.
Actually, this was a conservative statement. During these days of teaching, Fu Hua witnessed Angel's rapid progress. Her Blade Mantra had entered the second level, her Ki had been refined, and her physical fitness and Honkai energy strength were improving rapidly. It was difficult for Fu Hua to measure Angel's strength now. However, in her impression, if she did not rely on armor, no A-level Valkyrie could compete with Angel.
On one hand, it was due to Angel's personality, and on the other, excessive pride was not conducive to growth, so Fu Hua rarely praised her.
Angel nodded, waving the sword, looking like she couldn't put it down, and asked, "Master, what's the name of this sword?"
"It's yours now; you can name it yourself."
"Then I'll call it the Peerless Sword!"
"Angel, be serious."
Fu Hua frowned, holding her forehead and shaking her head. Who would name a sword that?
Angel blinked and hesitated, "Can't we call it that? Then, how about Pink Furry Rabbit?"
"... Do you want to disgrace the Taixu Sect?"
Fu Hua's breathing stagnated. Just imagine, when Angel goes out to fight monsters or compete with others, she mentions this ancient Han sword and says, "I am Angel, the successor of the Taixu Sect, and this is the artifact of my sect, the Pink Furry Rabbit!"
But Angel seemed not to notice Fu Hua's hesitation and said proudly, "But I think no one can resist the humiliation of being killed by Pink Furry Rabbit! Well, no one!"
"Our enemies are mainly zombies and Honkai beasts; they can't feel humiliation."
"Hey, but..."
"Its body is like fire, so let's call it the Fire Spirit Sword."
"But I think Pink Furry Rabbit..."
"Shut up, that's it!"
Fu Hua said with a dark face. After all, it was the sect she founded; she still had to maintain its dignity, and Angel couldn't mess around.
Angel pouted and nodded aggrievedly, "Okay, Fire Spirit Sword it is, as long as it's useful. Master is really strict sometimes!"
"Alas! Why did I accept a disciple like you?"
The master and the apprentice looked at each other and complained about each other.
After a moment, they burst into laughter together.
Fu Hua smiled and tucked a few strands of golden hair behind Angel's ears, sighing, "This mission is very serious and contains many dangers. You must be careful not to get hurt."
"Master, don't worry. We are just assistants. The real main force is the elite sent by headquarters. But why is there someone in a wheelchair? This is the first time I've seen an S-level Valkyrie with such strong will but weak body."
Angel raised her sword, blinked her bright eyes, and looked curious.