Time Dilation

After waking up, Kate immediately headed to the Desolate Dragon Ravine to promote herself to the next major realm, the Initial Foundation Realm. "The next major realm will allow me to use my Yuan Qi in my techniques, even if it can't leave the body yet," Kate thought to herself. But when she arrived at the ravine, she saw trees growing there. "Huh? Aren't these the Yang Fruits or something?" Kate thought to herself, surprised. "Why did the progression suddenly jump?" she wondered. "What chapter am I in?" she asked herself.

"I have to level up to the next realm now," Kate said. After some time, she opened her Character card and saw that her progression was 98 percent complete. "Looks like I need a little more push," Kate thought to herself. Suddenly, a realization hit her. "Wait, what if I copied my Yuan Qi and instead of directing it to the Void Archives, I directed it to my Dantian?" Kate's heart suddenly hastened its beat, and excitement slowly crept in.

With no hesitation, Kate placed her hand on her tummy and concentrated. After some time, a screen popped up in front of her, stating that three years was the required amount to copy her current amount of Yuan Qi. "Then let's start," she said. The sudden increase in Kate's Yuan Qi forced her Dantian to expand, and the result was excruciating pain. Kate started to cough blood, and after some time, she got promoted to the Initial Foundation Realm. Her forced promotion caused her to wreak havoc on her surroundings, and she got directly promoted to Initial Foundation 6th Stage.

Gasping for breath, Kate fell to her knees, feeling the immense surge of power within her. The surrounding area was in ruins, trees uprooted, and the ground cracked from the force of her promotion. "I did it... I really did it," she whispered, clutching her abdomen. The pain slowly subsided, replaced by a newfound strength coursing through her veins.

Kate stood up, feeling the power of her enhanced Yuan Qi. "With this strength, I can protect myself better and maybe even help Yang Kai more effectively," she thought. She looked around at the devastation she had caused. "I need to learn to control this power better," Kate resolved.

As she left the ravine, she couldn't help but think about the sudden jump in progression and the appearance of the Yang Fruits. "Something is definitely off. I need to find out what's going on," she thought. But for now, she would focus on mastering her new abilities and getting stronger. The mysteries of this world and the challenges ahead would have to wait.

"It's already dawn?" Kate said as she realized the sky had lightened. "Isn't that too fast?" she thought to herself. "Or did I just cultivate for a long time?" She glanced at the Anchored Universe Tab on her CCC. "The 'I'm an Evil God' universe is on cooldown, and 'Against the Gods' is almost done. The only option left is 'Honkai Impact,' huh..." Kate mused.

With a determined sigh, she selected 'Honkai Impact' on her CCC. "Let's see what this universe holds," she said, bracing herself for the transition. As soon as she pressed the button, the ground beneath her cracked once more, and she found herself falling into a lightless abyss.

"Here we go again!" Kate shouted as she plunged into the darkness, the familiar sensation of being transported to a different universe enveloping her. This time, she was prepared for the disorienting fall, her mind racing with anticipation of what awaited her in this new world.

In the cafeteria, a girl excitedly pondered her meal options. Suddenly, the air near the ceiling began to crack, triggering the facility's alarms and putting everyone on high alert. Valkyries gathered, weapons at the ready, as they watched the phenomenon unfold. Moments later, Kate fell through the crack and landed on the floor.

"Get ready!" a higher officer shouted, causing the Valkyries to tense up. Kate stood up from the fall, dusted herself off, and confidently addressed the crowd. "Hello, everyone. My name is Kate Apocalypse, the Archiver of this Branch. It's nice to meet you all," she declared.

A tall woman with crimson hair stepped forward. "My name is Murata Himeko. I am a teacher at this school. What are you?" Himeko asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Like I said, I'm an Archiver of this Branch," Kate replied.

Himeko observed her carefully. "I don't sense any Honkai Energy from her, but how can she appear from a crack in the void?" she thought to herself.

"I guess saying that I'm from another universe would be more fitting," Kate added, noting Himeko's confusion.

"What do you mean by that?" Himeko asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I came here to get stronger," Kate confidently declared. "Hmm, looks like you all have some kind of new energy on you. This is definitely the right place to get stronger," she added, observing the Valkyries.

"Before that, you need to tell me everything first," Himeko demanded. "Catch her!" she commanded, and the Valkyries swiftly surrounded Kate, determined to apprehend her.

"I don't mean harm, Ms. Himeko," Kate insisted.

"Then you shall surrender quietly," Himeko replied sternly.

"If I surrender, what will happen to me?" Kate asked.

"You'll be investigated," Himeko stated.

"Looks like you all will get hurt," Kate declared, opening ten Gates of Babylon behind her and revealing an array of formidable blades.

"Catch her!" Himeko commanded again. Kate immediately fired multiple swords, forcing the Valkyries to run and scatter to avoid the attack.

Kate's display of power caused a momentary pause in the Valkyries' advance, but Himeko quickly regrouped her forces. "We need to contain her! Use Barriers!" she shouted.

Kate, maintaining her stance, prepared for the next wave of attacks. "I didn't come here to fight you, but I won't be taken easily," she said, readying herself for the inevitable confrontation.

Kate opened a hundred Gates of Babylon facing downwards toward the whole cafeteria, causing everyone to freeze in awe and fear. "Wha- What is this power?" Himeko exclaimed, staring up at the Gates with a mix of shock and dread.

Suddenly, Kate was hit by a massive cat's paw, sending her crashing into the wall with tremendous force. "That should be Kiana's Neko Chan or something," Kate thought to herself while standing up and dusting herself off.

Without wasting any time, Kate opened multiple gates aimed directly at Kiana. The room filled with shouts of "Kiana!" from nearly everyone present as they watched in horror.

In an instant, Kate summoned Enkidu, the Chains of Heaven, and swiftly bound Kiana. "I'm sorry, but I need to do this," Kate said, her voice firm and resolute. With a single motion, she kidnapped Kiana, disappearing into a portal before anyone could react.

The cafeteria erupted into chaos as the Valkyries tried to comprehend what had just happened. Himeko, recovering from her initial shock, barked orders to search for any trace of Kate and Kiana. "We need to find them, now!" she commanded, her eyes filled with determination and concern for her student.

A large Gate of Babylon opened in a nearby forest, and Kate and Kiana emerged from it. Kate threw Kiana onto the ground and immediately placed her hand on Kiana's chest.

"What are you doing?" Kiana asked, struggling to understand the situation.

"I'm searching for your Herrscher Core," Kate replied curtly.

"Herrscher Core? How come I have a Herrscher Core in me?" Kiana wondered aloud, her confusion growing.

"You'll know in a while, so can you shut up?" Kate snapped, focusing intently on her task. She began to concentrate, her fingers glowing faintly as she probed for the core within Kiana.

Kiana, despite her fear and confusion, tried to stay calm. "You can't just kidnap me and do whatever you want," she protested.

"I don't have time to explain everything right now," Kate replied tersely. "But finding and understanding your Herrscher Core is crucial. Trust me, you'll thank me later."

Kiana, sensing the seriousness in Kate's voice, fell silent, though her eyes remained wary and filled with questions. As Kate continued her search, she knew she needed to be quick. The Valkyries wouldn't be far behind, and the clock was ticking.

"Found it," Kate said triumphantly, feeling the faint energy of the Herrscher Core within Kiana. "And then... copy it," she declared. But as she prepared to execute the copying process, a notification appeared, revealing a staggering requirement: 500 years of her lifespan.

The sheer absurdity of the requirement shocked Kate, making her pause. She let go of Kiana, stepping back.

"What happened?" Kiana asked, still on the ground and rubbing her chest.

"I can't copy it yet," Kate replied, frustration evident in her voice.

"Why?" Kiana pressed, her curiosity piqued.

"I need to sacrifice 500 years of my lifespan to be able to copy it," Kate explained, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's just too much, even for me."

Kiana, still processing everything that had happened, stood up slowly. "So, what now? Are you going to let me go?"

Kate sighed. "Yes, for now. But remember, your Herrscher Core is something very powerful and potentially very dangerous. You need to be careful."

Kiana nodded, still wary but somewhat understanding the gravity of the situation. "I'll keep that in mind. But you better have a good explanation ready when we get back."

Kate smirked slightly. "I always do." With that, she opened another Gate of Babylon, preparing to return Kiana to the Valkyrie base.

As Kate opened a Gate to St. Freya, she was stopped by Kiana.

"You said you wanted to get stronger, right?" Kiana asked.

"Yes," Kate replied, intrigued.

"Then why not become a Valkyrie?" Kiana suggested boldly.

Kate shook her head. "No, I have something that will be of good use to your Overseer," she replied.

After their brief conversation, Kiana and Kate returned to St. Freya. Kiana was the first to emerge, immediately seeking out Theresa to explain what had happened and to convince her to put Kate in containment for a proper discussion.

Theresa listened carefully to Kiana's recounting of events, her expression shifting from surprise to deep consideration. Finally, she nodded, agreeing to meet with Kate under controlled conditions. Shortly after, Kate stepped out of the Gate of Babylon.

Theresa approached her with chains specifically designed to restrain Valkyries. She secured them around Kate's wrists, the cold metal clicking into place. Despite the restraints, Kate remained calm, her expression unreadable.

"This is for precaution," Theresa explained. "We need to understand your intentions fully."

"I understand," Kate replied, her voice steady.

Theresa, Himeko, and Kate then made their way to the underground facility of the school. The hallways echoed with their footsteps, the atmosphere tense but controlled.

Upon reaching a secured room, Theresa gestured for Kate to sit. The room was equipped with various monitoring devices, and a few Valkyries stood guard.

"Now," Theresa began, her tone firm yet curious, "you mentioned having something of good use for us. Care to elaborate?"

Kate took a deep breath, her eyes meeting Theresa's. "I have knowledge and abilities that can aid your fight against the Honkai. My purpose is to archive and gather information, but in doing so, I've acquired skills and resources that could benefit your cause."

Himeko crossed her arms, her eyes narrowed in scrutiny. "And how do we know we can trust you?"

Kate smiled slightly. "I guess you'll have to take a leap of faith. Or, you can test me and see for yourselves."

Theresa exchanged a glance with Himeko before nodding. "Very well, Kate. We'll start with a controlled test. Show us what you can do, but know that we'll be watching your every move."

Kate nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

The stage was set for Kate to prove herself, and as she prepared to demonstrate her abilities, she knew that this was just the beginning of her journey with the Valkyries of St. Freya.