Honkai Impact 3rd: Don't Die For Me/ Book 3 Paradise

Chapter 12 Lair

Sasha stood by the entrance for as long as she could. She'd thought the smell of fertilizer had long made her immune to putrid scents but she was wrong. The sewer was unholy, blasting puffs of malicious fumes from its entrance. Humans were perhaps the most disgusting creatures on the earth. Sakura stood beside Sasha, clutching her stomach. The Miko was paler than salt and it looked as though she'd hurl at any moment. The tracker beside them was strangely unaffected, probably due to weaker senses, or so Sasha assumed. The smell alone would prevent any Valkyrie from entering the sewers.

"I'm late! I'm late! Sorry, I'm late!'

The Valkyrie sent by Frederick had arrived. Sasha could vaguely make out a figure about the same height as Sakura. The Valkyrie had luscious green hair and gentle eyes. Her face was full of innocence but her hands told another story. Calluses hardened the skin, a rare sight for any Valkyrie considering their regenerative powers.

"Elite Valkyrie Cohline reporting!"

She gave the professional Valkyrie salute to Sasha, right fist over her heart representing faith, left arm tucked behind her back representing respect. She carried a sack over her shoulder and a faint scent from her body seemed to nullify the sewer's egregious stench.

"Why were you so late?"

"I'm sorry squad leader. I was preparing masks for entry!"

"Masks?"

"Yes, on previous patrols, vice-captain Eleanor had unpleasant experiences with sewers. Since there were such niche cases, our protocol was not standardized. Anyways I brought various masks and scents to combat the fumes."

"That's brilliant! Let's see them."

"Yes, squad leader!"

The masks in question were in Cohline's sack. There were plague doctor masks made of hardened leather and curved off into a beak to hold powerful refreshers and filters. Soon none of them could smell the sewers. To sum it up nicely, it was worth waiting for Cohline.

"Excellent thinking Cohline! Let's not be too professional, it's a covert mission."

"Of course."

"Call me Sasha. I have a feeling we'll all get along."

Cohline nodded enthusiastically. Though she was bummed when Kallen raised the standards for Valkyries embarking on the new expedition, she understood it was necessary. The beasts had appeared more frequently and had gotten stronger. Cohline wasn't weak by any stretch of the imagination but she fell short of the new standards. If she wanted to return she'd have to prove herself again. Racking achievements was the best way to return to her friends and this way she could avoid confronting her greatest fears.

"That's great." Cohline started, but her smile drooped. Her eyes had fallen on a set of pink fox ears. "I'll do my best."

"Then lead the way, Gertrude!"

"Of course, let's finish this quickly."

The group entered the sewers. Sunlight began to fade as they inched deeper and deeper into the depths. Gertrude carried a flameless lighter, a chemical concoction sealed in a glass tube that lit up when shaken. It was a common tracker tool, used when stalking prey. The device held no smoke and was scentless, perfect for covert operations.

"It's so clear. The git even wrote a message."

"What does it say?" Sasha asked, whispers echoing along the stone walls of the sewers.

"Hurry up. You're taking your sweet time. Don't you dare make fun of me!"

"Is he even in danger?"