What if your Honkai Star Rail was like this?

Chapter 410: Chapter 409: Peak Intelligence Duel

”Heh. Anaxagoras, it seems I underestimated you this time?”

Aglaea sneered: ”However, did you think that with that brain of yours which only knows how to fight and kill, you could scheme against a [Reason] demigod?”

”Tailor, second form, activate!”

Click click click——!

As soon as the words fell, the wheelchair beneath her instantly transformed, turning into a set of exoskeleton armor that wrapped around her body. She easily broke free from the ropes binding her, and with leftover momentum, while Anaxa hadn’t reacted yet, she punched him and sent him flying.

”Ahahahahaha——!”

Aglaea put her hands on her hips and laughed loudly: ”Anaxagoras, I already guessed your little scheme. You wanted to ambush my main body while I was off guard? No way!”

Stelle and Snowy beside them: ”??? How did she guess that?”

Aglaea: ”When dealing with people, you have to learn to think from the other person’s perspective. Since I already thought about how I would ambush him, then he must have also thought about how to ambush me. Hahahahaha——!”

”I’ll say it again. Don’t call me Anaxagoras. Call me Anaxa!”

Anaxa struggled to crawl out from a pile of ruins and said: ”Hmph. Despicable person. But did you think I had no preparations either?”

Clang——!

As soon as the words fell, the armor on Aglaea’s body suddenly made a sound of unbearable strain. The electric fan located in the center of her back fell off without any warning. In an instant, the whirlwind around Aglaea weakened significantly.

Anaxa: ”I already predicted that ordinary ropes wouldn’t work on you, so I tampered with your fan a long time ago. This form of yours probably won’t last much longer, right? Hahaha!”

Duang!

Anaxa charged forward and punched Aglaea flying once again.

”You’re celebrating too early!”

Aglaea took out two handguns in one smooth motion: ”Even without the fan, I am still a [Reason] demigod. I’m definitely stronger than a mortal like you! Anaxagoras, prepare to die!”

Duang!

Aglaea elbowed Anaxa flying again.

”Hmph! Of course I know you’re a demigod.”

Anaxa stood up again and sneered: ”So before we even departed, I disguised myself as a delivery person and put weakening potion in your lunch. Aren’t you feeling weak all over right now, to the point where even standing up takes a lot of effort?”

”What?!”

Aglaea’s expression changed. She subconsciously looked at her own hands. Just as Anaxa said, a feeling of weakness appeared at the perfect moment, making her body go soft. Even standing up took great effort.

”Hahahahaha! A [Reason] demigod is nothing more than a bookworm after all. While using every possible means is a quality a qualified warrior should have······ Er—— what’s going on?”

Anaxa was laughing when his expression suddenly changed. He also clutched his stomach and dropped to one knee, his eyes unyielding.

”You, you thought I wouldn’t guess a method like drugging in advance?” Aglaea’s breathing was somewhat rapid. ”If I guessed correctly, today you’re wearing the ’[Gold Lion] limited Earth Beast underwear’ inside, right?”

”Anaxagoras, did you think you were lucky the day before yesterday to buy this limited underwear from a scalper? Don’t dream. Caenis would never let such a fish slip through the net. She is a fanatical supporter of [Gold Lion]. She wouldn’t even leave a single thread behind.”

”So that piece of underwear was actually sold to you by me. Now, why don’t you think about what I would do to that piece of clothing?”

”You······!” Anaxa’s eyes widened. ”You, you actually! You actually poisoned the limited edition Earth Beast underwear. This is simply a waste of heaven’s gifts!”

He knew very well that once poison seeped into the fabric, washing it clean would inevitably damage the quality of the clothing. To him, this was undoubtedly something unacceptable!

Damn it. As expected, exposing one’s own preferences in advance was a fatal flaw.

Fine beads of sweat seeped out on Anaxa’s forehead. He was breathing rapidly as he asked: ”······Aglaea, I admit you are indeed an opponent on par with me. But I only have one question I want to ask you——was that limited edition underwear authentic?”

Aglaea: ”Hahahahaha! Of course not. How could I possibly let you obtain what you wanted?”

As the effects of the medicine took hold, both of them leaned against the walls on either side, vigilantly watching each other.

This duel that could be called the peak of intelligence warfare had left both of them heavily injured.

It was at this moment that Snowy couldn’t stand it anymore. He said helplessly: ”Teachers, stop messing around. Right now Nikador is only separated from us by one door. You two are already lying down. Don’t tell me you expect me and Miss Trailblazer to take action?”

”Although I won’t refuse, having the guest personally take action······ is still too impolite, isn’t it?”

He looked at Anaxa: ”Teacher Anaxa, you also wouldn’t want Mydei to find out about this and then make the [Gold Lion] Earth Beast series clothing become an out-of-print series in the future, right?”

Then he looked at Aglaea: ”Teacher Aglaea, you also wouldn’t want Mydei to cut off the research funding for the Grove, right?”

”So why don’t we just shake hands and make peace? Everyone take out the antidotes, then pour all the anger in your hearts onto Nikador. How about it?”

Aglaea was silent for two seconds, then said: ”This medicine was made for Anaxagoras, so I didn’t prepare an antidote at all.”

Snowy: ”······”

Anaxa: ”Antidote? My exclusively formulated ’weakening potion’ has extremely strong effects. The only antidote is the ’Earth Beast Special Limited Supreme Red Soil Bento’ that I personally cooked.”

”But unfortunately, only someone who truly resonates with my soul has the fate to buy this bento. And she, Aglaea, will never be able to buy it in her lifetime.”

”After all, not just anyone can be as beautiful and loving as that mysterious lady.”

Stelle beside them: ???

Red soil bento? Such familiar words. Didn’t Aglaea just eat one earlier? Wait, Masaka?! It couldn’t be this much of a coincidence, right?

Strangely enough, right after Anaxa finished speaking, Aglaea felt the weakness disappear in an instant and instantly recovered her vitality. She stood up in surprise and even jumped in place twice. ”Eh? I seem to be fine now?”

Anaxa: ”???”

Wait, how is this possible?!

Aglaea moved her wrist. She only felt a surge of delight in her heart. Looking at Anaxa’s weakened state, the corners of her lips immediately curved upward into a beautiful smile.

Whoosh——!

Under Anaxa’s disbelieving gaze, Aglaea pounced right in front of him. Her smile was beautiful yet carried a trace of distortion. Her eyes were full of mockery:

”I’ve always wanted to see this expression of yours······”

Anaxa stared at Aglaea unwillingly, not understanding even by nine-tenths.

”This jealous expression of yours.”