"Listen to the melody of the souls in the Sea."
"Leap forth, Diana!"
The girl's ethereal voice echoed in the spacious training grounds. The dazzling soul vessel radiated brilliant light, changing the surrounding environment.
The wondrous sight of the Tree and Sea coexisting manifested once more, leaving Miss Blue Wendy, who was drawn in as a spectator, completely bewildered.
"Wait, wait, wait...! You aren't planning to use that move, like against those puppets, are you?!" Seeing the spirit deer Diana running and the familiar scenery, Kiana, having witnessed this before, couldn't hold back and quickly called out.
Bronya also wore a wary, fearful expression—after all, the puppets had been dispatched with a single, casual swing after everything settled. Although she felt that without tricks, she was definitely stronger than those wooden dolls, facing such an inexplicable technique, Bronya couldn't figure out how to counter it.
"How could I? This is just training," [Seele] shook her head, slightly amused. 'Severing Life and Death' wasn't a technique to be used in training. Since it drew the line between 'life' and 'death', there was no concept of 'holding back'.
Therefore— "Relax, I'm just using it to isolate external influences. Otherwise, a mere training ground like this couldn't possibly contain the energy fluctuations of our battle."
"However, although I won't use such a technique, you must understand that a real enemy wouldn't deliberately 'hold back'."
The girl's serious words made Bronya grumble inwardly—What real enemy would have such a bizarre technique? Wiping out so many enemies with just a simple swing of a scythe...
Kiana, however, looked thoughtful, recalling her past battles with Kevin. Although the white-haired old man's techniques weren't as strange as [Jiang-Seele]'s, his straightforward, unstoppable strikes could indeed achieve similar results.
Their expressions were reflected in Jiang Qiao's eyes. He wasn't surprised. He knew their personalities well.
While Kiana seemed like the type more prone to slacking off and getting cocky, the Kaslana lessons and her experiences wandering had taught this white-haired ball of fluff to grow quickly and learn from setbacks. Like a feral cat in the city, learning to survive better in a harsh environment.
As for Bronya, although in the original story she had the best starting point and foundation among the main trio, excelling academically at St. Freya, that was mostly just the payoff from her past foundation.
In reality, that period didn't contribute much to Bronya's growth. After meeting Seele, the former Silver Wolf of the Urals entered 'playing house' mode. After being separated from Seele, she fell into self-abandonment.
Only upon regaining hope from Cocolia in Nagazora did she escape her slump. It wasn't until graduating from St. Freya, officially becoming a Valkyrie, and experiencing various setbacks—finally awakening after confronting Cocolia and being hospitalized—that Bronya truly grew.
Then came entering the Sea of Quanta, becoming the Herrscher of Reason... and promptly getting wrecked after provoking Kevin. Although she started training hard afterward, she ended up with a certain incompetent teacher—
Jiang Qiao didn't want to comment too much on Welt's teaching abilities. After all, judging by his own standards would be overly harsh. In terms of the Herrscher of Reason alone, Welt had indeed done what he could. As for taking it further—even Welt himself hadn't achieved it, so how could one expect him to teach Bronya?
Casually twirling the scythe, [Seele] dodged Kiana's charge and an incredibly tricky gunshot angle. Long hair flowed elegantly, the scythe blade, moving in sync with her body, cut through the scorching light with an extremely bizarre arc. Jade-white feet tapped the ground lightly, and with a faint glow, vines burst from the earth, binding the two.
[Seele] straightened up, kicking the unprepared Kiana, sending her flying in a straight line towards Bronya.
"Thanks, Bronya!" Shaking her head, Kiana, whose face stung slightly, was caught by Project Bunny. Wincing, she expressed her gratitude, her expression towards Jiang Qiao turning annoyed. Aiming specifically for this young lady's face, huh? Don't you know not to hit the face?!
However... It smells quite nice... hehe. Though angry and wanting to hit back, looking at [Jiang-Seele]'s dazzling white legs, Kiana couldn't help but have such thoughts.
And in the spectator seats, Seele blushed slightly. La... Lacy...! That's way too bold! Having caught sight of something scandalous during a brief opening, Miss Blue Wendy felt both shy and annoyed. Doesn't Brother Jiang Qiao realize he's wearing a skirt?! Everything was exposed!
But on second thought, maybe... it wasn't a problem? After all, Kiana and Sister Bronya were girls, and she... that was originally her body! The only problematic one might be Jiang Qiao, 'Jiang-Seele' himself—realizing this, Seele suddenly understood. The parts Brother Jiang Qiao exposed... seem to be mine...
—Although she desperately wanted to rush onto the stage and stop this shameless display, Miss Blue Wendy found she had no suitable reason, only able to watch with a red face and bitten lip as someone else 'used' her body.
"Hm?" [Seele]'s expression suddenly turned strange. He looked towards the source of the abnormality—Bronya wore a triumphant expression.
"Hmph, good thing Bronya was prepared!" As she spoke, she puffed out her promising chest armor. A faint, unusual light could be glimpsed. It was... a Herrscher of Dominance core!
"Bronya learned this from you," Bronya's small face showed a sly, mischievous grin. Having handled the Herrscher of Dominance cores, Bronya couldn't possibly not be interested in this Authority that could steal others' Herrscher powers.
So, she tried it out. And Bronya was pleasantly surprised to find that, unlike the previous Ice and Death cores, she could actually use this one. Because the Herrscher of Dominance cores were distributed, individual ones had very low user requirements.
Finding this Authority useful, Bronya snagged one, keeping it on hand hoping to use it during training later. And it turned out to be useful in this training match against [Jiang-Seele].
"How about that? Can't use your Herrscher Authority now, right?" The Herrscher of Dominance's power had strict activation conditions: it only worked when the target used their Herrscher Authority in direct contact with the user. In Bronya's eyes, the reason Jiang Qiao hadn't been affected before was likely because—the puppets were instantly defeated, giving no time to steal.
So she secretly kept a big one hidden, banking on him not knowing she possessed a Dominance core, then launching a surprise attack! The reason she and Kiana requested Jiang Qiao use the Herrscher of Death and Life form, besides the fanservice aspect, was also part of this plan.
"I see." [Seele] acknowledged.
"You probably thought that with the Herrscher of Dominance core, you could easily defeat me, right?"
"Isn't that so?" Bronya countered.
"Mm... Alright, fine. This is a good opportunity to teach you both a lesson, Kiana, Bronya."
"The Herrscher of Dominance's Authority can indeed usurp other Herrschers' powers, but... it's not absolute." The girl tilted her head up, smilingly lifting the 'soul orb' in her hand.
"Every Herrscher's Authority has an 'upper limit'. The Herrscher of Dominance can only usurp power from those whose grasp on their Authority is incomplete, half-baked." Just like the Herrscher of Dominance couldn't usurp Mei's Thunder Authority, any complete Herrscher could resist that kind of usurpation. In the original story, Kiana and Bronya were susceptible because they were half-baked. As for Fu Hua... if the Herrscher of Sentience herself had been present, those puppets absolutely couldn't have stolen her Authority.
"And a Herrscher like me, who has already completed their 'Metamorphosis'..."
"Is completely unaffected by that kind of Authority!"
The full power of the Herrscher of Death and Life bloomed at this moment. Not just small vines, but massive ones burst from the earth all around, erupting into vibrant, beautiful flowers. Bright yellow pollen filled the air.
"This pollen... is poisonous!"
"I have no strength..."
Bronya and Kiana both successively weakened, collapsing. The girl walked up to them, explaining softly with a smile, "Kiana, Bronya, when you fully understand and comprehend yourselves, you will step into a new realm. Mm... according to their terminology, it's called 'Eclosion'."
"As for how exactly to achieve Eclosion... that's something only you can figure out for yourselves." Eclosion wasn't something that could be taught, just like with Hare in the original story—despite wanting to help Bronya, she could only resort to roundabout methods, beating her up and guiding her indirectly towards that state. It's impossible to explain clearly; or rather, explaining might actually lead them down the wrong path.
This was something Jiang Qiao only understood after achieving his own Eclosion. Everyone has their own understanding, their own path to Eclosion. How to use Herrscher power isn't the key.
How to use one's own will to command it, to forge the future—that is the essence of 'Eclosion'. It was true for Truth, true for Finality, and Origin... at the end of her life, she finally understood this, carried it through, and entrusted it to the future.
The surrounding environment gradually faded. The pollen in the air slowly dissipated. [Seele] stood before the two, gently touching their cheeks with pale hands. A soft voice sounded in their ears: "But there's no need to rush. You have plenty of time to think about this."
"Although Dr. Tesla and Dr. Einstein might feel your current growth rate isn't entirely satisfactory, in my eyes, your growth has already far exceeded expectations." If everything followed the original course, they should still be living happy school lives at St. Freya.
Yet now, Bronya had become the Herrscher of Reason, and Kiana, though unable to accept that power, could still wield it when necessary to protect her companions.
Even if time was short, seeking rapid growth purely to achieve a certain goal could easily lead one astray. As the saying goes in Shenzhou: More haste, less speed. Originally, they had no choice, pushed forward by fate. But now... just as Elysia left behind seeds so future generations wouldn't have to face choices as difficult as theirs, Jiang Qiao chose to do the same.
The girl's expression was gentle and sincere. Witnessing that earnest smile, Kiana and Bronya, gradually regaining their strength, originally contemplating Eclosion and feeling pressured, both became somewhat lost in the moment.
Until... [Seele] took their hands, saying half helplessly, half amusedly: "Alright~ Stop spacing out. Let's end the training here for now. After a battle like before, high-intensity training right after would be too tiring."
"Come on, let's go to that dessert shop outside the base together. My treat~"
The two, originally dazed and not fully back to reality, instantly brightened upon hearing about dessert, especially Kiana.
"Yay~ Seele is the best~"
"My stomach was already rumbling!"
"This time I'll eat two... no, three parfaits!"
"Is idiot Kiana a pig?" Bronya retorted.
"Hmph, Bronya is the pig."
As the two bickered beside [Seele], the latter just smiled, having no particular opinion on this lovely-squabbling atmosphere. It was noisy, but fun, wasn't it?
The St. Freya playing house phase was already skipped; if the white-haired ball and the duck's bickering drama also disappeared, it would be quite a pity.
As Jiang Qiao thought this, Kiana looked around strangely, "Speaking of which, isn't something missing?"
"What could be missing?" Bronya replied dismissively. Idiot Kiana, Bronya, and [Seele]. Nothing seemed missing?