The next day, Himeko and Theresa brought Jun'an to the Far East Branch, where they held an impromptu meeting with Hyperion's former crew members and senior staff.
Besides discussing official business and briefing Jun'an on the current situation at the Far East Branch, the meeting served to announce Jun'an's return. After all, spreading the news by word of mouth would be too inefficient, and Jun'an urgently needed the battleship to find Mobius and obtain the Hyperion Factor. This was Southeast Asia, after all, and the World's Paradise was thousands of meters underground on the other side of the Earth—even flying would take considerable time.
Among those present, the newcomers who didn't know Jun'an responded with skepticism and confusion, while the veterans who had fought alongside Jun'an in various battles showed mere skepticism. However, given that both Theresa and Himeko—the former and current branch directors—had thrown their weight behind this, they knew their objections would be futile.
"From today onwards, the Captain has officially returned and resumed his original position. Feel free to consult him on any work matters."
As the meeting drew to a close, Theresa added two more points:
"Lastly, the Captain's return is classified information, albeit low-level. Don't spread messages about it or mention it outside—or it'll affect your paycheck."
As far as Theresa was concerned, the fewer people who knew about the Captain's return, the better. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Naturally, while most people maintained an attitude of indifference, some dared to voice their doubts. After the meeting, Ragna immediately approached Himeko and Jun'an to express her confusion.
"You're the Captain?"
As the acting captain, Ragna looked at the photo, then at her phone. The resemblance was there, but this person hardly looked like the mighty warrior who could tear apart Quantum Remains with his bare hands.
"Yes, that's me."
"Really?"
"Yes. I was much more muscular back then."
Jun'an glanced at the photo Ragna handed over—it showed him standing atop a Quantum Remain's corpse, clutching its core. She had captured quite a heroic shot of him.
"This isn't you."
Ragna put away the photo and looked at the frail-looking Jun'an before turning to Himeko. "Himeko, be honest with me—why did you find someone who only looks seventy percent like the Captain?"
"I didn't find him, Theresa did."
Himeko said, "As Theresa just explained, this is the Captain—he just got resurrected, that's all."
"I can believe in resurrection, but you expect me to believe he's the Captain?"
Ragna pointed at Jun'an, then at the photo. "The original Captain was so handsome, but this one's just a sickly shota that fits your type. Speaking of which, you haven't done anything inappropriate to this kid, have you? He looks so... deflated."
As Himeko's former squad captain, Ragna was one of the few people in the Far East Branch who could speak to Himeko this way.
"Of course I haven't done anything inappropriate! Wait, no—I mean, Captain, weren't you resurrected too?"
Himeko said helplessly, "So the Captain's resurrection shouldn't be that hard to understand, right?"
Ragna's assault team had been wiped out in Siberia during their encounter with the Second Herrscher, except for Himeko who was absent due to illness. They were only brought back later thanks to the Captain's intervention.
"So you've followed Otto and the Captain's example and gone to hit up the tree?"
Ragna was surprised, but as someone who knew the inside story of resurrection, she didn't doubt this possibility—it was exactly the kind of thing Himeko and Theresa would do.
If anyone in the world besides the late Captain and former Archbishop Otto could perfectly resurrect someone—no more, no less—it would definitely be the current Destiny Archbishop Theresa and the current Hyperion Vice Captain Himeko.
Even then, the Captain had nearly gotten himself killed, and Archbishop Otto had consumed several months' worth of naturally produced Honkai energy from the entire world during the Great Collapse before they each achieved their goals.
But that was something that even a star-destroying-level Captain had nearly lost his life over. Ragna didn't think Himeko would have any motivation...
Wait... she actually might!
"Himeko, tell me honestly,"
Ragna suddenly turned serious, not even giving Himeko a chance to explain before questioning her: "Did you perhaps think work was too tiring, so you wanted to find a young captain to do your work for you?"
"No, I didn't!" Himeko couldn't believe how this had turned out. I mean, resurrecting someone just for that—how lazy would she have to be to do something like that?!
But Ragna didn't believe Himeko's excuses at all. "That's like saying you brought him into the office and didn't do anything!"
Just resurrecting the Captain without going in—how could that be possible?
"I've heard that you've always had this bad habit. Even the previous Far East Branch director did the same thing, dumping work on the Captain. You think the Captain's easy to bully, don't you?"
Ragna righteously accused, "Even if this is the Captain you brought back from the tree, look at how young this kid is! Was the Captain's previous life any way for a person to live? And you want this little one to go through the same thing?"
Jun'an wanted to retort that his current life wasn't much better either.
Seeing that communication was futile, Himeko had no choice but to push the Captain forward. "Say something too, Captain. I can't explain this alone anymore."
Jun'an had no choice but to explain things to Ragna, who finally believed that he had indeed resurrected himself.
But even Ragna couldn't help being surprised, "Why didn't you say you could resurrect yourself? The whole world thinks the S-rank Knight who fought against the Honkai is dead. People even sent wreaths for you a few days ago."
Jun'an's memorial day was just a few days ago.
"I'd never died before, how would I know I could resurrect?" Jun'an casually deflected the matter of the system. "As you can see, this smaller body and reset powers are the price of resurrection."
Ragna nodded thoughtfully, "So that's why you look so withered, like some monster sucked out your vitality—it's a side effect?"
Jun'an glanced at Himeko, who had been in an excited state lately due to his smaller size and had forced herself on him several times. Knowing she was in the wrong, Himeko awkwardly averted her gaze.
Jun'an could only nod silently, "Though I hate to admit it, in a way, that is a side effect."
"So, you really are the Captain?"
Only when Jun'an nodded matter-of-factly did she dare to truly believe it.
"But why are you keeping this news under wraps?"
Ragna looked at Himeko in confusion. Theresa had said at the meeting that Jun'an's return was classified. "Shouldn't the return of a great hero like the Captain be cause for celebration? Even if not made public, there's no need to keep it secret from even me, right?"
"Uh..."
Himeko guiltily looked away, somewhat red-faced.
"I wanted to live a quieter life. It has nothing to do with Theresa or Himeko."
Jun'an reluctantly covered for Himeko, as he didn't want others to know he hadn't won against her either.
"Well, if that's the Captain's wish, we'll do as you say."
Ragna didn't probe further and said directly, "Since you're back, Captain, why don't you come drink with me? I have a lot to talk about, especially about maids..."
Ragna and the Captain were both maid enthusiasts, and given that the Captain had given her a second chance at life, she indeed had many things she wanted to discuss with Jun'an.
Ding ding ding~
Before Ragna could finish speaking, Himeko's phone rang. She immediately answered it.
"Hello, is this Himeko?" From the voice, it should be Theresa on the other end.
"Yes, it's me."
Himeko nodded, "So, did you find a place?"
Theresa: "Found one, it's a ruins that hasn't started reconstruction yet. We can fight all out!"
Himeko immediately looked excited, "That's perfect! Wait a bit, I'll be right there."
Hanging up the phone, Himeko pulled Jun'an to leave, "Captain, let's go. You'll be the referee today."
But Ragna dissatisfiedly grabbed Jun'an's other hand, "Wait, I barely got to have a proper conversation with the Captain, haven't even repaid the debt of saving my life, why are you in such a hurry?"
Unable to activate his Honkai energy defense in time, Jun'an was caught off guard, and he seemed to hear a cracking sound of dislocation near his ear.
Himeko refused to back down: "This is a bet between me and Theresa. We might fight all day, and if we miss dinner time it'll be too late, so of course we need to go early."
Two fusion warriors might fight for an entire day, so time was precious.
Ragna's eyes were full of suspicion, "What did you bet on? Why do you need to specially pick a location and fight all day?"
For normal sparring, the memory battlefield should be enough. Choosing a location meant they were going all out.
"Captain, you wouldn't understand,"
Himeko snatched away the injured Captain, saying seriously: "Whoever wins gets to eat on the floor on odd-numbered days!"
"Eat on the floor? You're betting on something this big?"
Ragna was increasingly unable to understand Himeko and Theresa's friendship, feeling something was odd about it. "But since it concerns your dignity..."
"Then the Captain will be our referee first."
Himeko immediately left with Jun'an. Only after seeing them board the Hyperion escort ship Helios did Ragna have a delayed realization.
Wait? Why does the winner eat on the floor?
No, wait—the winner eats on the floor on odd-numbered days, which means the loser has to eat on the floor on even-numbered days?
Himeko, what exactly are you betting on!?
End of chapter