A Core Ship From The Start

“Very well, how many members are there?”

“Five.”

As the secretary spoke, he saw the Black Knight wave his hand, and four figures emerged from behind him – four beautiful young girls dressed differently. Among them, a girl with pink hair wore a bright and soft smile, and a pure white robe embroidered with gold edges that seemed out of place in this setting. Beside her stood a tall, silver-haired woman with a hunting gun, and a young girl shrouded in a cloak wearing clothes that hinted at nobility.

Following them was a girl with brown pigtails, festooned with white hair bands, dressed similar to a maid.

What kind of team is this??

The secretary had his doubts, he did not question the pink-haired girl being a member of the church, her presence alone carried an air characteristic of the clergy. However, he had never seen her style of robe before… As he was lost in thought, his gaze landed on a Holy Grail Emblem adorning the cloak of the Black Knight.

Could it be a Holy Grail Knight?!

Upon seeing the emblem, the secretary was taken aback. He rubbed his eyes vigorously to confirm– it was indeed identical to the Holy Grail Emblem detailed in text. Could it be then, that he was truly the Holy Grail Knight?!

Ah, then beside him, that must be the fairy of the lake.

Being a citizen of the Empire, the secretary had heard of the neighboring country Bartonilla, knowing that the Holy Grail Knight adventured alongside the fairy of the lake, battling evil. The adorable and beautiful lady with pink hair indeed suited this description.

The Holy Grail Knight seemed a bit……..

Stealing a glance at the terrifying helmet, the secretary diverted his gaze.

“Err… Excuse me, so you’re registering as a battle team… What is your team’s name?”

“Pink Little Bunny.”

“Alright, Pink Little…….Huh??”

As Duanmu Huai and his party left, Lorena’s face was beet red.

“Sir Knight, why did you choose that name?!”

Lorena stomped her foot, turned her head, and through the cracked and twisted wooden door, she could see the secretary still in shock – the impact was so great that he had forgotten all about blaming Duanmu Huai for damaging the door frame.

“What’s wrong with it? It’s my battle team, I’m free to name it whatever I want.”

“You’re right, but…”

“Besides, with the team being all girls except myself, isn’t it good to have a cute name?”

“Humph…Isn’t it too embarrassing… Why not name it Unicorn, or Pegasus or some such?”

“That’s exactly what makes it fun… Who said a battle team must have a cool name?”

“????”

Even though Duanmu Huai retorted calmly, for some reason, Lorena somehow visualised through his helmet that he was sporting a deeply meaningful grin.

“If you don’t like this name, what if I change it to ‘Fluffy Teddy Bears’?”

“I guess I’ll pass…….”

Lorena was summoned by Duanmu Huai. Before this, he had returned to the Holy City to find her, briefly explaining the situation. Despite a bit of surprise, Lorena eventually agreed to join his team.

As for Merlot, her conditions were a bit unusual. She was currently in a “hold and review” phase as a member of the Mechanical Religion, but since Duanmu Huai was quite influential in the Holy City, he was able to plead with the archbishop to let Merlot operate with him. If she could prove her competence, she could return to duty.

The only pity was that her mechanical wings were sealed away as heretical objects. But even so, Merlot was a skilled sniper, and Duanmu Huai did need a long-range attacker. Furthermore, Merlot’s combat capabilities were indeed commendable, evident by her card attributes.

[Sin Sniper. Merlot (Gold)]

[Cost: 3]

[Attack: 4]

[Defense: 5]

[Guardian]

[Entrance Music: Deal X damage to an enemy at the start of each battle, where X equals half the number of charms activated in the battle.]

Although Merlot’s special effect is currently useless, her high ranged attack power is ostensibly enough.

As for the deranged maid with the fanatical smile trailing them, she was none other than Fina, the core of the Masked Girl Legion that Duanmu Huai had battled with before.

[Slaughter Puppeteer. Fina (Gold)]

[Cost: 2]

[Attack: 1]

[Defense: 2]

[Critical Hit]

[Every time a Puppet steps onto the battlefield, sacrifice 2 points to transform it into a ‘Slaughter Puppet’]

[Finale: Randomly transform one of your Slaughter Puppets into Puppeteer. Fina.]

[Slaughter Puppet (Cost 2): 1/1, (Stealth)]

Yes, this is precisely why Duanmu Huai summoned Fina. Just like the card’s description, Fina could transform any [Puppet] entering the battlefield into a [Slaughter Puppet]. This was what Duanmu Huai had to face when fighting the Masked Girl Legion. Even though their attack power was not high, their ability was exceedingly useful.

[Stealth]

This was essentially equivalent to invisibility. Cards certain [Stealth] are invisible and cannot be targeted by spells or attacks before initiating an attack. Only when they make a move or face an Area of Effects attack, would they become visible. Otherwise, their shadows remain unseen.

For Duanmu Huai, these [Slaughter Puppets] are the best scouts, spies, and assassins. Though their attack power is low, Fina’s [Critical Hit] ability is sufficient to eliminate any enemy. Furthermore, Duanmu Huai can use them in this way – He would first summon a Puppet to the field, then transform it into a [Slaughter Puppet]. Leverage the [Stealth] of the [Slaughter Puppet] to infiltrate any defensively tight place before sending Fina away himself, transferring her to the [Slaughter Puppet] to deal with the target.

After that, he can transform another [Slaughter Puppet]. If Fina gets killed after successfully executing her target, she can transfer again.

It meant that as long as the [Slaughter Puppet] was not entirely obliterated, Fina would never die. Partnered with her [Critical Hit], an immortal assassin is indeed… terrifying.

Of course, if we were to discuss potential downsides, it would be Fina’s mental instability… For now, he can put up with it.

Now, Duanmu Huai’s squad had their Tank (himself), Healer (Lorena), AOE (Ogis), Ranged damage dealer (Merlot) and Rogue (Fina). They basically covered all the roles needed in a five-man team.

Next, they could delve into the Curse City dungeon!