"Not good! My Holy Blood is about to lose control over the Honkai Beast genes! Guh—!"
Black mist poured out from Durandal's body. The Honkai Beast genes of every species from the Previous Era hidden within her were roaring in unison.
Using the girl's body as their battlefield, they clashed, tore, and howled without restraint, shredding and trampling the gentle power of the Holy Blood.
Even with Durandal's iron will, facing the simultaneous erosion of her soul by tens of thousands of Honkai Beast wills forced a pained cry from her lips.
"What's happening?! The Holy Blood didn't suppress them?"
Elias' expression changed drastically.
Even he had not expected that the Schariac Holy Blood—absolutely suppressive toward the Honkai—would fail to carry Durandal through this crisis. The Honkai Beasts had already snapped the collars around their necks, becoming even more ferocious than before.
As a result, traits belonging to Honkai Beasts had begun manifesting across Durandal's body.
A pair of black-and-gold dragon horns grew from her head. A golden tail emerged behind her, along with a single wing like a cloak.
Though it had only reached this extent for now, it already exceeded the typical side effects of a fusion warrior, nearly entering the realm of Artificial Cascade—leaning toward Kevin's berserk, chaotic [Diabolic] form.
At this moment, Durandal possessed an eerie charm, yet her formidable spirit still preserved her clarity.
But no one knew how long she could hold on. The fact that she had endured more than three seconds was already a miracle.
"Misteln, you are the Schariac Stigma. Quickly find out what's wrong with Durandal! Damn it—don't tell me the Holy Blood in this girl is fake?!"
Since returning to the Current Era, Elias had never been this anxious. Supporting the girl's trembling body, he urgently questioned Misteln beside him.
"Let me see... Her Holy Blood isn't the problem. Hm? Why is the concentration so barely sufficient? It's only just at the passing threshold. With this level of purity, the Schariac Holy Blood simply cannot suppress so many Honkai Beast genes!!"
Misteln's brows knitted tightly, cold sweat forming at her temples.
Water can extinguish fire—but a single bucket cannot put out a burning skyscraper.
Durandal had indeed used the Schariac Holy Blood as reins around the Honkai Beasts' necks, but how could something like spider silk restrain a pack of feral monsters?
"Not pure enough? Damn it!"
Elias' face darkened immediately.
Because of the altered past, Durandal's biological mother was not Cecilia. Though she still possessed Holy Blood, it was far inferior to the strongest Schariac lineage.
What Elias did not know was that even if the original storyline had remained unchanged—if Cecilia were still Durandal's mother—this accident would have occurred all the same.
Because things were different from before.
Both Elias and Kevin had become far too powerful.
Although fifty thousand years ago Elias had successfully led Fire Moth to suppress the Honkai completely, in truth the intensity of the Honkai in the Previous Era had far surpassed its destined course.
Lower-tier Honkai Beasts were as common as stray dogs. Emperor-class roamed everywhere. Judgment-class were merely four-star purple cards. Only Vipralopa-class counted as five-star gold.
As the two Chimera MANTIS who had absorbed the Meta-Morph factors of all Honkai Beasts from the Previous Era, Elias aside, Kevin's strength alone had already far exceeded the original storyline.
But this also meant that the strength of the Honkai Beast genes hidden within the Kaslana bloodline had risen several tiers. Even Holy Blood at Cecilia's level would no longer be sufficient to suppress them.
If Durandal could overcome this trial, then the Palatinus Equinox she achieved would inevitably be monstrously powerful. But the problem was that she most likely would not survive this trial.
For the first time in a long while, Elias felt true panic.
If she failed, even the better outcome would be Durandal transforming into a [Diabolic]. But her consciousness would certainly vanish, reduced to a feral beast stripped even of language.
That future filled Elias with dread.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Panic was useless now. A solution had to be found.
"It's okay... I can still endure... Although the Holy Blood's purity isn't enough... as long as I endure..."
Durandal wrapped her arms around herself. Her eyes burned with unextinguished will. She had already devised a method.
Endure it!!
Even if the purity was insufficient, what flowed in her veins was still Holy Blood! As long as she persevered long enough, the Schariac Holy Blood could gradually tame the Honkai Beast wills.
Her resolve moved Elias and the two Stigma Wills deeply. They knew how difficult this was. Tens of thousands of frenzied Honkai Beast genes—among them over a hundred Judgment-class and more than a dozen Vipralopa-class.
Durandal was like someone cast into the heart of a monstrous tempest at sea—with not even a wooden raft. To rely solely on willpower to persist until the end was practically a fantasy.
But... if it was the Valkyrie named Bianka Durandal Ataegina, it might truly be possible.
"That is indeed a method. But with your Holy Blood, to command so many Honkai Beast genes... I fear it would require thirty days."
"No problem! I can do it!"
Durandal answered without hesitation.
"What a strong girl—no, a warrior," the Kaslana Stigma Will said in admiration.
To endure such agony for thirty days—an ordinary person would despair just hearing it, choosing death as relief.
Yet Durandal remained unwavering. Such unyielding will caused the Kaslana Stigma Will to glance subconsciously at the white-haired youth beside him.
Lord Elias, she resembles you.
"No. There's another way!"
Elias rolled up his sleeve. Beneath his pale arm flowed Holy Blood of even higher purity. The moment he ceased suppressing his blood aura, Durandal visibly felt lighter.
"If Durandal's Holy Blood isn't pure enough, then I'll make up the difference with mine. Heh... good thing Kevin forgot to absorb the gene of that Planet-class Honkai Beast back then."
If he had, then even Durandal would have failed instantly.
"Lord Elias, forgive my words—but even so, it would likely require more than half of your blood."
"What? Then I refuse!"
Durandal froze for a moment, then decisively pushed Elias away, distancing herself from him. She would rather endure for an entire month than let him use that much blood to save her.
"Refuse what refuse! This is the best solution. And besides, do you really think someone at my level would die from something as trivial as blood loss?"
As he spoke, Elias had already constructed a transfusion device using the authority of the Herrscher of Reason. But before he could operate it, Durandal smashed it to pieces with a single strike.
In her current half–Artificial Cascade state, even soulium could be easily shattered.
"Elias... don't casually talk about death... this isn't about whether you'll die... it's just that I... we... don't want you to be hurt or bleed again... in any way."
Durandal clenched her fists, her expression serious.
She knew of the boy's experiences in the Previous Era—those were adventures she deeply admired, the reason she looked up to him. But like the others, beyond admiration, what she felt more strongly was heartache.
She did not want this person to suffer any more injuries.
Thus, Durandal rejected him without hesitation. Rather than let Elias lose more than half his blood to help her, she would rather endure to the very end with her own will!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The two exchanged several blows in an instant.
"...What?"
Elias tried to pin the goose down and force the transfusion, only to find—to his surprise—that she blocked him.
Though Durandal's condition was terrible, she undeniably possessed immense power. For a moment, she did not fall behind.
This astonishing display made both Misteln and the Kaslana Stigma Will even more certain—if it was this girl, known as the Unbreakable Holy Sword...
Perhaps she truly could endure to the end on her own!
But...
"Alright. Thank you for caring about me, Durandal. Unlike that comfort from childhood, this time... I might really fall in love with you. Ich liebe dich."
Elias looked at the Holy Sword girl with gentle eyes.
"E-Elias?!"
The sudden confession made Durandal's cheeks flush—and caused a brief lapse in her focus.
And Elias shamelessly seized that instant.
He grabbed both her hands and pressed her to the ground, pinning her so she could not move. The gentleness from before vanished, replaced by dominance.
"Wait! Elias, what are you doing?!"
"Relax. It'll be over soon. Just like you can't bear to see me hurt, I can't bear to let the girl I like suffer—let alone for an entire month."
Their breathing was now within inches of each other. Durandal's face burned red as she tried to escape with her legs, but despite her current strength, the gap between her and Elias remained immense.
"It's fine. Even if I can't move, your hands are occupied—you can't transfuse blood."
"Heh... just as expected of a silly goose. Adorably silly."
"What?"
"As long as my Holy Blood enters your body, it doesn't have to be through your veins. So... sorry, Durandal. I'm taking your first kiss."
Elias' golden eyes were filled with seriousness.
He had already prepared himself to be hated.
And with that, he kissed the girl before him.
"Mmm—!!"
Durandal's mind went blank. For a moment, she even forgot the immense pain she had been enduring. And that opening cost her the last chance to resist.
Elias pried open her lips. From the tip of his already bitten tongue, Holy Blood flowed—dripping into her throat.
"!!!"
The strongest Schariac Holy Blood in existence displayed its effect instantly. Durandal could clearly feel that the once rampant Honkai Beast genes within her immediately cowered.
But she had no mind to focus on that now.
(How can he do something like this?! This is too reckless... I wasn't even mentally prepared... but...)
Durandal gradually relaxed.
The pain that had tormented her moments ago vanished like an illusion, replaced by an indescribably sweet sensation flowing down her throat.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. It tasted... good. Instinctively, she responded, her tongue entwining with his as she sought more of his Holy Blood.
(Wait! What am I doing?!)
Her powerful will snapped her back to clarity. Recalling her instinctive reaction, the usually valiant yet pure-hearted Valkyrie completely short-circuited.
Elias blinked in surprise, then looked at the girl in front of him with a teasing gaze.
(Even if this treatment isn't exactly proper, it's basically like artificial respiration... but, silly goose, why were you responding just now?)
(That was an accident! I didn't mean to—I just... touched it by mistake! Elias, believe me!)
(Alright, alright~ I believe you. Anyway, it's good you don't seem to dislike it. I'll suppress the Honkai Beast genes for you—control and guidance are up to you.)
(I'm still not used to this... can we...)
(No negotiation! And by the way, even though I've controlled the blood flow from my tongue... the wound isn't big enough. It'll take about half an hour to reach sufficient volume.)
(Half an hour?! We have to keep kissing for that long?!)
Since they were... transmitting Holy Blood, they couldn't speak normally. Instead, Elias and Durandal communicated through the authority of the Herrscher of Sentience.
Thus, from Misteln and the Kaslana Stigma Will's perspective, the two were simply kissing.
Misteln: "...This is complicated. I know it's probably necessary, but... I might really have gained another love rival. And it's Durandal... troublesome!"
Kaslana Stigma Will: "Uh... the crisis isn't over yet. Are you sure this is the time to think about that?"
Misteln: "Haven't you noticed? Durandal's condition has already stabilized. At this rate, in about half an hour she'll fully tame the Honkai Beast genes and step into [Palatinus]... half an hour!"
With Elias' intervention, Durandal's previously precarious state stabilized completely.
The silly goose was now flusteredly and clumsily guiding the formation of [Palatinus], while Elias transmitted his own past experience to her through their mental link.
(Looks like the problem's solved.)
(What problem?)
(Think about it— you don't want me to get hurt, and I don't want you to suffer. But right now, compared to injury or pain... isn't this more comfortable?)
Elias' eyes carried a hint of amusement. Seeing that Durandal showed no rejection or disgust, he finally relaxed.
(That... might be true... no, wait! I didn't say anything! Elias, let me focus—or talk about something else! Like combat techniques!)
(Hahaha—discussing battle techniques while kissing? As expected of you, Bianka.)
(D-don't laugh at me!)
Durandal wished she could crawl into a hole and disappear.
At the same time, she thought this person was completely unfair!
No matter how courageous she was, what girl didn't need mental preparation for something like a kiss?!
(Rita, come save me... I can't take this anymore...)
Instinctively, she called for her closest companion. But if Rita were here, she would probably only make things worse.
As time passed, under the assistance of Elias' highest-purity Holy Blood, Durandal finally fully subdued the Honkai Beast genes within her.
Durandal: "The path of [Palatinus]—here and now—begins!"
Elias: (Ow, ow! You bit me! At least let me pull my tongue back before shouting your lines!)