Long Live Money in Anime Crossover

The girl in the maid outfit trembled upon hearing this, the confusion in her eyes lessening considerably, as if reason had returned. Almost without hesitation, she nodded and said, "I understand. You need me to confront the enemy, right?"

It turns out that the girl dressed in a maid outfit is none other than Hong Meiling, the original gatekeeper of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Judging from her current appearance, she most likely took over the position of head maid after Izayoi Sakuya's death. After all, gatekeepers can be replaced, but the position of head maid is absolutely indispensable in the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

Unfortunately, judging from her bewildered and helpless eyes just now, even if she hadn't been sleeping soundly in her position as head maid, she was still far from being elegant and perfect. She probably could never replace Izayoi Sakuya, whether in terms of practical skills or demeanor.

That's why, when she was asked to go out and meet the enemy, she didn't hesitate at all; instead, her face showed a hint of excitement. This kind of thing truly suited her, making her feel as if she had returned to her days as a gatekeeper—no need to think too much, just face anyone who dared to barge in, don't be a coward, just fight!

However, Hong Meiling was not the kind of impulsive fool. Although she felt excited, she still looked at the petite figure sitting on the luxurious chair, the head of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and said, "Second Miss, please allow me to fight."

The petite figure sitting in the chair was clearly Flandre Scarlet, the younger vampire from the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Although she was only five years younger than her older sister Remilia Scarlet, the two had vastly different personalities.

As the head of the Scarlet family, the 500-year-old vampire Remilia is as willful and childish as she appears, but she still values ​​dignity and prestige like a noble, making her a mature person.

Flandre, the 495-year-old vampire who is only five years younger than her older sister, has been raised to be an extremely dangerous person due to some mental and cognitive problems, as well as the danger of her own abilities and the fact that she has been kept in the Scarlet Devil Mansion by her older sister for a long time without being allowed to go out.

Flandre possesses the ability to destroy everything. She can grasp the most important part of an object, called the "eye," and then easily destroy the eye, thereby destroying everything else. According to her, with a clench of her fist, everything in front of her is destroyed in a flash.

Simply possessing such abilities wouldn't make her an extremely dangerous character. Flandre's danger stems more from her mental instability, her lack of common sense due to long-term imprisonment, and her incomprehensible thought processes. Thus, Flandre, with her inherently dangerous abilities, is like a nuclear weapon capable of leaking contamination at any moment, making her completely uncontrollable.

This is also why Flandre's older sister Remilia imprisoned her. It's not because the older sister dislikes or doesn't love her younger sister, but because she, as the older sister, is helpless regarding her younger sister's abilities and current situation.

However, what's puzzling is that Flandre, who should have been imprisoned, is now sitting in her sister Remilia's seat without any problem. Moreover, compared to the extremely unstable and dangerous persona she was rumored to be, Flandre seems much more stable now, at least not showing any completely incomprehensible behavior.

She looked at Hong Meiling, who had volunteered to fight, and finally nodded, whispering, "Defeat them, then come back. We can't afford to be any shorter, understand?"

Those few words, spoken softly and still carried that adorable loli voice, almost instantly brought tears to one's eyes. Others might not know why Flandre had become like this, but those within the Scarlet Devil Mansion had all witnessed Flandre's transformation—a transformation forcibly imposed upon her by reality.

Perhaps Flandre isn't always reliable right now, and her mental state is still unstable at times. But compared to the dangerous nuclear weapon of the past who needed to be locked up, the current Flandre has become a girl who strives for self-control, trying to take over from her sister through her words and actions, and ensuring that Scarlett's name doesn't disappear—a trustworthy girl worth nurturing.

This is also the hope that supports everyone in the Scarlet Devil Mansion right now. As long as Flandre is still alive, then the Scarlet family will naturally still be alive, and the Scarlet Devil Mansion will stand firm.

"I...I understand. I will return victorious. Please look forward to me, Second Miss."

Hong Meiling forced herself to remain calm, then turned and left the crowd, heading towards the door.

173, strike! Invincible number 9!

"Waaah, you're so annoying, you coward!"

Cirno's small face scrunched up, and she stopped attacking the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Although she had written taunting words like "Cirno is the strongest" and "You are idiots" on the walls of the mansion, the people inside seemed determined to ignore her, leaving her helpless and gradually losing all her patience.

"Hey, Momo, they're not coming out. What should we do?"

Cirno ran to Momo's side, took Momo's hand, pointed to the open gate of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and said, "Also, what's with that strange and annoying power? Why can't I get close to the gate?"

Given Cirno's intelligence, she certainly couldn't understand that all three of them were currently being influenced by someone else's ability. Therefore, Momo didn't bother explaining and simply said, "This means our momentum isn't strong enough, Cirno. If we want to enter the Scarlet Devil Mansion and defeat the evil figures inside, we need stronger momentum and greater power!"

"oh oh!"

Seeing Momo's enthusiastic arm-waving, Cirno imitated him, waving her own arms excitedly, seemingly regaining her enthusiasm. However, she quickly deflated, saying, "But we still can't get close. I don't know what to do. Are we just going to keep waiting like this?"

Cirno's concerns were indeed valid, and Momo couldn't simply wait indefinitely. The stronger the defenders of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, the more important it was. And the more important it was, the more determined Momo was to break through.

"There's no other way. It seems I have to bring out my family heirloom."

Momo frowned in deep thought, then revealed a resolute expression. He gripped Cirno's small hand tightly and said, "Cirno, at this moment, only you can help me. Are you willing to become a chosen one, accept my power, and then give everything to become the strongest 9 in Gensokyo?"

Cirno's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this. Momo's words sounded impressive, making her heart pound. However, she couldn't understand exactly what Momo was saying; she only sensed that Momo was going to give her something good.

"What? What are you going to give me? Something that can make me the strongest in Gensokyo? If it's really something like that, then I promise you, I'll agree to anything!"

Cirno grabbed Momo's hand with both of hers, jumping up and down excitedly, almost throwing herself into his arms. Becoming the strongest in Gensokyo, crushing everyone else in Gensokyo—that was Cirno's lifelong dream!

Wait a minute, you're asking her why Cirno, who's already the strongest in Gensokyo, still needs to become the strongest in Gensokyo and crush everyone else?

Hmm... Ugh, those who are so particular about details are all number 9!

Anyway, Cirno is a 9, so whatever she thinks or says is right, because even her mistakes are right!

"Since you agree, that's for the best. Cirno, from today onwards, you will become my Heroic Spirit, and I will bestow upon you, whom I have summoned, immense power, so that you may rival the strength of all others. Is that alright?"

"Heroic spirits?"

Cirno tilted her head, blinked, and her mind raced with thoughts of Heroic Spirits and Mormor's invitation. The Hall of Heroes could ensure Cirno understood the meaning of Heroic Spirits; however, regrettably, the precise meaning of a single word was insufficient to salvage Cirno's level of understanding.

"Ah, whatever, I'll just become a Heroic Spirit if I want to!"

Cirno, with her carefree and unpretentious demeanor, flashed a bright smile and said, "Hey, what is this thing you gave me? If it satisfies me and I like it, I'll become your... what-that Heroic Spirit!"

"Good boy, Uncle likes good kids like you the most!"

Momo also gave Cirno a bright and innocent smile, and at that moment, their pure smiles signified the beginning of a platonic friendship. And within the white light of friendship, Momo's bait for Cirno… cough cough, the gift—appeared before her.

This is a Knightmare standing six meters tall, its ice-blue color shimmering faintly in the night. If the Knightmare, the exclusive mobile suit of the Knights of the Round Table in the second part of Code Geass, is the seventh generation, then the Knightmare that Momo brought out is the mature eighth generation.

The eighth generation of Knightmare is based on the seventh generation, drawing on the technology of Academy City and applying Unknown Matter in many key areas, thus pushing the limits of materials science and greatly boosting the overall performance of Knightmare.

At this level, the limitation on Knightmare's performance is no longer the Knightmare itself, but the pilot's physical abilities. If an ordinary person were to board this eighth-generation Knightmare, they would definitely be killed by the recoil from the Knightmare's powerful performance.

This is also why Momo didn't dedicate all his research resources to pushing Knightmare's performance to the limit. Until they acquire the absurd black technology of the IS world, Knightmare's superior performance is meaningless if the pilots can't keep up. After all, the Heroes of Valhalla, apart from Momo, are all still mortals.

Of course, with Momo's technological capabilities, developing unmanned, intelligent Knightmare or remotely controlled combat Knightmare would be a piece of cake. However, since they are remotely controlled or unmanned intelligent combat machines, there's no need to maintain the Knightmare form.

After all, Knightmare's form was designed specifically for a pilot; without a pilot, other war machines could be designed. Of course, that's another topic; those war machines already exist, with spider robots being among the best. Other models also exist, but Momo hasn't had the opportunity to use them yet.

As for the Knightmare that appeared before Cirno, it can be said to be the culmination of the eighth generation of Knightmare. Apart from the ice-blue paint job, which was added when Momo transformed, its internal technology is already quite mature. What the entire Knightmare lacks is only a pilot who won't hold them back.

The obstacles here place demands on the driver far beyond the limits of human physical capabilities. Aside from Momo, even the heroes of Valhalla would likely have to be severely injured to unleash their full potential.

However, this so-called limit, while a significant hurdle for humans, is nothing to Cirno at this moment. Although Cirno is incredibly weak, and even attacking humans wouldn't pose much of a danger, as an anomaly, her physique far surpasses that of humans.

"Waaaaaah!"

Cirno, having recovered from her initial shock, blushed and let out a series of excited shouts. Although Cirno didn't even know what the thing in front of her was, that didn't stop her from exclaiming in amazement at this magnificent toy.

Because Cirno at least understood that this big guy was a toy given to her by Momo. Although the price she had to pay to become the owner of this toy was to become Momo's Heroic Spirit.

But it doesn't matter. Mo Mo doesn't seem like a bad person. She gave her delicious food, helped her change her hairstyle, and even gave her such a big toy. Becoming Mo Mo's heroic spirit is fine, it won't cost her anything. Is Mo Mo going to eat her?

"I promised you, I'll become your Heroic Spirit! So now, this big guy is mine, isn't he? He's mine!"

Before Momo could confirm again, Cirno had already accepted Momo's invitation. Then, she flew to the top of Knightmare, stood there with her hands on her hips, and laughed proudly, saying, "Haha, this is amazing! What an incredible toy!"

Having accepted Momo's invitation, Cirno immediately became Momo's Heroic Spirit. Naturally, Momo wouldn't pull her back to the Hall of Heroes for Heroic Spirit transformation, and Momo hadn't even yet imparted all the information a Heroic Spirit should possess to Cirno.

Momo strongly suspected that if Cirno, with her current intelligence, were given information that a Heroic Spirit should know, it would cause her brain to explode. Therefore, what Momo instilled in Cirno was merely the basic rules and common sense that a Heroic Spirit should follow, as well as the duties, rights, and etiquette that a Heroic Spirit should enjoy.

Unfortunately, this information, which would shock, stun, or even drive anyone crazy, was merely useless stuff that flowed through Cirno's mind and could be tossed aside without a second thought. Cirno's only focus was on the first gift she had ever received, squatting atop Knightmare, stroking the top armor, and giggling incessantly.

Momo shook his head helplessly, beginning to feel fortunate about his decision. It was definitely the right thing to not instill too much in Cirno before the Heroic Spirit's transformation. If Cirno didn't understand or care about any of this, so be it; after all, she was a Heroic Spirit directly brought in. It was better to keep Cirno happy for now.

Having undergone the Heroic Spirit transformation and reaching a normal level of intelligence, Cirno turned around and sought revenge on Momo for abducting young girls.

"Oh, this is..."

Cirno's silly giggles stopped because Momo had instilled the concept of Knightmare and piloting knowledge into her. Since Cirno was focusing all her attention on Knightmare, let her have a good time playing with it.

"Amazing, so amazing, really amazing!"

Cirno gasped in surprise. Having learned how to operate the Knightmare and obtained authorization from Momo, she easily opened the Knightmare's cockpit and climbed inside. Soon, the Knightmare's indicator lights lit up one by one, and the Knightmare, which had been in standby mode, straightened up amidst the mechanical hum.

"Um... Momo, should I call for an attack next?"

Momo grinned, watching the Knightmare tilt and struggle to stay upright. It was clear that even with all her knowledge, Cirno wouldn't easily master the Knightmare. After all, piloting a Knightmare wasn't just about physical strength; it also required intelligence.

A brain is a good thing, but unfortunately Cirno doesn't have many.

"Then let's set off, Cirno. How about we call your Knightmare Invincible 9?"

Cirno quickly agreed, seemingly afraid that Momo would change his mind. Then, she shouted "Invincible Number 9, attack!" in a serious manner, and her Knightmare wobbled away, heading towards the entrance of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

After running a few steps, Knightmare's movements became smoother. Unfortunately, this wasn't because Cirno had mastered the trick; she was still clumsy and disorganized. What wasn't her body that was lagging behind was her mind—a hopeless situation that could only be addressed by a major overhaul once Cirno returned to Valhalla.

The smooth operation was due to Momo activating Knightmare's assisted control system. This system allows users to perform relatively complex operations with simple commands, which is its advantage. However, its disadvantage is also obvious, as these actions are performed with the help of programmed routines, leading to a high degree of habituality.

If you were to actually face a Knightmare pilot with the same style, such as an ace pilot like Kallen, this kind of habitual operation would definitely be exploited by her instantly, allowing her to destroy you in one strike.

However, Cirno doesn't have any ace pilots or even Knightmare in front of her right now. All she needs to do is pilot the Knightmare towards the Scarlet Devil Mansion and clear a path for Momo and Izayoi Sakuya.

At this moment, Cirno's external perception had been taken over by the device connected to her body, just like Momo's. As a result, the power that Yakumo Ran had applied to Cirno, preventing her from approaching the Scarlet Devil Mansion, instantly became ineffective.

Amidst Cirno's excited laughter, the invincible Knightmare #9 accelerated faster and faster, hurtling towards the Scarlet Devil Mansion's gate. Given the Knightmare's height and mass of six meters, let alone the gate, the entire Scarlet Devil Mansion would likely be reduced to ruins by its ever-accelerating speed.

This is no longer just a threat; it's practically going to destroy the entire Scarlet Devil Mansion!

Ironically, Momo watched all this from afar with a smile, making no attempt to stop it. Cirno, the person involved, probably had no idea of ​​the consequences. Of course, even if she had, she would have continued charging forward.

Who cares about the consequences, as long as it's fun, right?

Only Izayoi Sakuya, who was following behind Momo, had her eyes twitching wildly as she looked at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, which had been smashed through, with a hint of reluctance, mourning Momo in her heart.

Apologies... let's talk about that once we get into the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

However, the expected collision did not occur. As Knightmare got closer and closer to the gate, a figure rushed out at high speed and charged towards the six-meter-tall Knightmare.

Compared to Knightmare's enormous size, the figure that rushed out appeared so weak and insignificant. Although, in terms of height alone, she was already considered one of the taller people in Gensokyo.

"Stop right there! Don't even think about destroying the Scarlet Devil Mansion!"

With a roar, the figure was enveloped in a power like a current of energy, causing her speed to surge to unprecedented levels. As she charged towards Knightmare, this aura reached its peak. From a distance, the energy surrounding her vaguely formed a phantom image, seemingly the head of some ferocious beast.

Immediately, she pivoted on her left foot, spinning her entire body like a top, her momentum striking her right foot in an instant. Her right foot seemed to roar like a ferocious beast as it kicked towards Knightmare's knee.

"Earth Dragon Heavenly Dragon Kick!"

174 Ah, stand still!

The moment the figure rushed out, Mo Mo knew that it was Hong Meiling.

What Mo Mo hadn't expected was that Hong Meiling would possess such an unstoppable momentum. From charging to striking, the entire process was fluid and fearless, without the slightest hesitation. Facing the formidable and heavily armed Knightmare, she showed not a trace of fear or hesitation.

Seeing Hong Meiling's kick, which she had almost put all her strength into, Mo Mo felt that nothing could possibly stop her, nothing could stand in front of her. Everything in front of her would be shattered by that kick.

However, it turned out that this was merely Momo's illusion. Reality is cruel and does not change according to human will. Human agency is limited and cannot alter objective material facts.

Take the current situation for example. Hong Meiling has undoubtedly used her most powerful move, exerting all her strength, and displaying all her courage and determination. Mo Mo even remembered the name of this move; it was a move from the Gensokyo game that Mo Mo played in his previous life.

This made Momo almost want to betray the revolution and defect to the Scarlet Devil Mansion's camp to cheer for Hong Meiling, witness Hong Meiling's domineering attack that directly destroyed ⑨'s mecha, and then watch Hong Meiling perform the epic scene of dismantling the mecha with her bare hands.

Unfortunately, Hong Meiling is just Hong Meiling after all. Among youkai, Hong Meiling is not considered a strong one. Her strength is far inferior to the two vampire princesses of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and even less than the sickly mage Patchouli who is a shut-in for life. At most, she can only bully minor characters in Gensokyo.

This can also be seen from Hong Meiling's position - who would want to be a powerful person and guard someone else's door?

Although Mo Mo felt that the Hong Meiling in front of him was much stronger than the Hong Meiling in Gensokyo that he knew, it was not enough for Hong Meiling to withstand the mecha that Mo Mo made with the unknown matter with her low-to-mid-level youkai physique.