No Thanks!

That afternoon, the National Central University of the Philippines issued an urgent announcement:

[Due to equipment malfunction, a severe explosion occurred in the First Biological Research Laboratory, resulting in a major safety incident. A lethal virus has potentially been released.]

[To prevent further consequences, the campus is now under lockdown. All personnel, including students and faculty, are prohibited from leaving. Please remain calm and cooperate with inspections...]

This alarming announcement blared from countless loudspeakers across campus. Outside, the university was surrounded by police cars, military vehicles, and thousands of armed personnel. Helicopters circled overhead, patrolling constantly.

Panic erupted. Students and faculty feared becoming casualties of a cover-up. Fear spreads quickly, but it takes time. A sufficiently swift and impactful positive message can quell such negativity – temporarily, which was enough.

"A team of medical experts has arrived and will begin decontamination procedures. Thorough medical examinations will be conducted on anyone who may have been exposed to the lab or the virus. This is expected to be completed within 24 hours. As compensation for the inconvenience, the government will provide a substantial sum to each student and faculty member."

This brief second announcement silenced the growing unrest. Money? Why didn't you say so? Nothing to see here, folks! One day isn't enough. Lock us down longer! It's not about the money, it's about cooperation, right? Public opinion shifted rapidly in a bizarre direction.

"Seni, where did you get that idea?" Jell, maintaining her weapon, looked quizzically at a fellow Valkyrie. After the lockdown, campus negativity had spiked. Seni, the youngest Valkyrie, had volunteered a solution, leading to the second announcement – and its surprisingly effective outcome.

"Hee hee..." Seni scratched her head sheepishly. "When games mess up and players get upset, they usually give out free stuff... and... everyone forgets about it..." Her voice trailed off, her face reddening. She knew her reasoning was absurd.

"You..." Jell chuckled, patting her head. "Go get some rest."

"I won't grow taller if you keep doing that!" Seni mumbled, carefully stepping around the dead Honkai Beasts littering the lab.

The once pristine lab was now a wreck. Team Snow Lotus had just finished battling and were now securing the scene, awaiting the cleanup crew.

A standard Schicksal Valkyrie squad consisted of 3-5 Valkyries for frontline combat, led by two A-rank Valkyries as captain and vice-captain, each mentoring a B-rank Valkyrie.

Small but highly effective. "Branches" provided additional C and D-rank Valkyries for support roles like maintenance, communication, paperwork, transport, and cleanup.

These support Valkyries were typically managed by the branch, not integrated into the squad.

The Immortal Blades were an exception.

This massive, headquarters-affiliated squad had a lavish support system, due to both their direct access to resources and their unique composition.

While regular squads relied on A-rank Valkyries, the Immortal Blades had two S-rank Valkyries as the main force, with the rest acting as support, regardless of rank. A-ranks at least saw combat; B-ranks like Susannah handled tasks usually assigned to C-ranks. They had no C-ranks except for Yuno. A wasteful luxury for Schicksal's limited resources.

Team Snow Lotus faced the opposite situation. Also headquarters-affiliated, but stationed far from any branch, they had their own integrated support team of 10-20 members. Promoted B-ranks usually stayed with their team, fostering strong bonds. This resulted in larger combat squads.

Even with Anna, an A-rank, out of commission, they maintained decent fighting strength.

Soon, their support team arrived by transport, bringing equipment and taking over the cleanup.

"Thank you for your hard work." Jell greeted them, leaving Yuno and Seni to guard them while the other B-ranks investigated people connected to the lab.

"Stay safe. Call for help if you encounter danger." She reassured them, promising immediate support.

"Don't worry, Captain!" The Valkyries dispersed confidently.

Jell sighed, rubbing her tired face. She activated her communicator. "Alvitr, can you hear me?" She contacted the Immortal Blades directly.

"Roger, this is Alvitr!" A cheerful face appeared on screen, greeting her enthusiastically. "Long time no see, Jell Meister!"

"...Have we become so distant that you use my full name?"

"No, no, no! You misunderstand! I'm just excited! I remember your name always!" Alvitr waved her hands frantically. "You taught me everything when I was a rookie!"

"...And you became an intel officer?" Jell was speechless. Is she saying I'm a bad teacher?

"No, of course not!" Alvitr panicked again.

"Just kidding. It's been a while." Jell chuckled, then added, "I didn't expect you to be handling our intel support." Headquarters had assigned the Immortal Blades' intel officer to assist them.

"The Overseer takes your findings seriously, so he sent the 'ultimate tool' to help!" Alvitr saluted proudly. "I handle intel for Durandal and Rita! Leave it to me!"

Looking at her beaming face, Jell's lips twitched. What have I created? Is being a 'tool' something to be proud of?

"I'll leave the rest to you then." Putting aside her bewilderment, she spoke seriously. Initially, she'd thought the cat Honkai Beast that injured Anna was a natural phenomenon, perhaps a Judgment-class. Now, after the lab battle and Yuno's confirmation of seeing the creature escape, it was clear it was man-made and controlled. This wasn't reassuring; it was a dangerous sign.

Nagazora... will Manila be next? The thought chilled her to the bone. No! I won't allow it! She didn't need to understand their motives; she just needed to find them, stop them, and destroy them.

This city, with its millions of inhabitants, was her responsibility. She and her squad were the last line of defense.

"Stay focused!" She headed towards the wrecked elevator, intending to investigate the lab's lower levels for clues.

A sudden thud echoed from her communicator. The screen became fuzzy, obscuring Alvitr's image.

"Alvitr, what happened?!" Jell shouted, fearing the worst. Was HQ under attack? The recent string of bad news had made her jump to the worst conclusions.

The interference was brief. Alvitr adjusted her equipment, and the image cleared.

"It's fine, Jell." She chuckled. "Just a little incident. We're used to it..."

"Good..." Jell breathed a sigh of relief, still concerned. "What happened? Isn't HQ supposed to be secure?"

"A... special operative is dismantling the training room again..." Alvitr's usual cheerfulness was tinged with exasperation. "We keep repairing it, and she keeps destroying it. The maintenance budget has skyrocketed. It was just a tremor. Nothing to worry about..." Her smile was strained.

"I see..." Jell nodded, glancing at Yuno. Another monster like her? The Immortal Blades are truly something else...

"I'll introduce you to her next time you're at HQ!" Alvitr offered enthusiastically.

"No thanks!" Jell declined firmly.