Kharn Valnikov

"God Damnit Kharn" -Chiaki Matsuda

Kharn Valnikov
Also Known As...	The Betrayer, Katerina/Ekaterina Valnikov
First Appearance	Thread 35
Organization	Ninth Officio
Rank	Research Assistant, ex-Warmaster, Maerorus
Occupation	Magical Girl
Ability	Brute Force
Weapon	Chainsword, Golden Chainaxes
Height	185 cm
Date of Birth	August 19

Character Summary

Kharn Valnikov, also knows as the Betrayer, is the former Warmaster of the Ninth Officio Assassinorum and previous owner of the golden Chainaxes. She trained Kirika Kure and used to be Chiaki Matsudas partner for half a year, and is also the one who named her Murderface.

She is the first ever Maerorus, created by the Thirteenth Officio's former Warmaster Emma Strauss.

Physical Description

• A russian girl with black hair down to the waist and entirely black eyes with crimson pupils behind red framed glasses.
• Her skin is almost translucently pale.
• She has a tall slender body.
• Her hands are black metal, ending in long skeletal fingers with sharp tips.
• Her legs seem to end at the knees, where edged black steel armor replaces the rest.
• Chiaki describes her as eerily beautiful.
• Kharns soul gem is a crimson teardrop with pure black gilding, bearing thorns instead of elegant reliefs. On it's base is a golden roman number matching her golden weapon.
• Kharns voice is described as cold and smooth. She has a thick russian accent.

Personality

• Kharn radiates an intense killing intent.
• She is usually friendly, cracking jokes frequently.
• She is also quite lewd around women but surprisingly bashful when it comes to her and Souji.
• In combat she turns into a fearsome berserker.
• Kharn is a humble woman who doesn't care for praise and awards as resting on accomplishments dulls the hunger to improve.
• She makes a point of combining duty and pleasure.
• Kharn hates filth.
• She is secretly ashemed of her unusually long tongue, despite it's advances in some areas.

Character History

Kharn grew up in a russian gulag managed by her father who raised her as a Valnikov first before a girl. Her mother was a war criminal.

In her five years of active service Kharn spent two years as Vindicare, switched to Eversor in the third, achieved Warmaster Rank in her fourth and abdicated the position in the second half of her fifth year to work with Murderface as partners for six months before voluntarily retiring one year prior to the quest starting.

It's established that Chiaki is responsible for Kharn's retirement, the details are still unknown however. After retiring Kharn transferred to the R&D base in Siberia where she still resides.

Betrayer & Hunt

Kharn Valnikov greets Chiaki upon her arrival at the Siberia R&D base, telling her she knows about her amnesia. Kneeling before the shorter girl, she submits herself to the new Warmaster whom she will be training herself. She treats Chiaki very friendly from the start, saying she misses the magical girl rituals as well as the city and takoyaki. Spotting Midori, the russian is pleased to see that Chiaki has already taken a subordinate as is expected of a Warmaster.

Kharn apologizes for the messy state of the lab and quarters and introduces Souji, shouting at him a lot. She thanks Chiaki for putting her coworker in place, telling her how she has changed for the better. She shows her guests their rooms, slightly blushing at the notion of her and Souji being a couple and tells Chiaki that they share a room only for convenience. She takes the suitcase with the golden sword and bangles from Midori to lock them into the vault and leaves.

Shortly after, she returns to the living area, and happily devours the takoyaki Midori made. Kharn advises Chiaki to wait with an apology to the upset Midori until the hunting trip as killing huge things together mends friendships. Following Chiaki to Midoris room, she tells the green haired girl that her takoyaki are masterfully done and asks to be taught to make them, pulling her back to the kitchen.

Later outside, Kharn argues with Misaka about what appears to be how many more spikes should be attached to Tiny Petes frame. Souji stops their argument, having Misaka shout at him instead. After he leaves, Kharn tells Chiaki to use this trip to relax, makes a jab at her sleeping with Midori and tells her guests that a team of ten will accompany them to a hunting ground up north where another group is already rousing the bears. She takes Chiaki to a stash of heavy weapony, telling her that the bears in the area are quite big and have been rather vicious lately, even attacking people in huge groups.

After Chiaki picks her weapon, Kharn introduces her to the soldiers as the new Warmaster and highest ranking officer and gives the order to move out. Chiaki asks the former Warmaster what happened between them and how she can still consider her a friend. Kharn answers that it doesn't matter anymore and that she has accepted her fate, having no reason to remember when Chiaki has already forgotten. The only important thing is that she enjoyed their time together. She also mentions a mutual departed friend, but refuses to speak of it any more at that point.

They talk about hunting, coming upon the month old remains of a skier killed by bears, impaled on a tree before eaten alive. Chiaki asks about the argument with Misaka earlier, but Kharn refuses to speak of it. In return, she tells her that her glasses were a present from Chiaki herself before she left active duty.

The hunting party stops, ahead of schedule, and Kharn gives out commands to the soldiers. Apparently a magical girl has shown up, leading a horde of bears, and killed the advance group. She recommends having Misaka and Midori brought back to the base, earning a stream of russian swearing from the young engineer. She tells Chiaki to decide as Warmaster, complimenting her on how well she handles Misaka. She mentions how it is nostalgic to be put against an army with just three people, handing Midori her rifle with a short explanation on its use. She manifests her soul gem, exclaiming that she will have her last swordfight and that she will be taking the enemies skull.

When they find the gory remains of the advance party, crimson fire briefly lights up in front of her left eye before she states that the enemy is further up north, spitting a small amount of blood. She prefers taking her target head on, but leaves the choice to Chiaki, amused at being ordered to take up flanking for once. She tells Chiaki to use their old battle cry as the signal to charge and that she should not shoot the good parts of the bears so they can salvage their meat.

Some minutes later she arrives at a clearing, takes a hiding spot and waits for Chiaki. When the new Warmaster utters the agreed words, Kharn engages Mirai at blinding speed, her chainsword repeatedly meeting her opponents massive blade. An attempt to assault Kharn with a bear is made short of by the russian cutting it right through. A moment later Mirai manages to injure Kharns leg, but is cut into her side and tries to escape. Kharn tells her to get back, a cold laugh in her voice, and gives chase until finally taking her skull.

She contacts Chiaki, stating her current location and examines her prize until the new Warmaster arrives with Midori, telling them that the fight did not satisfy her. She tells them to enjoy their opponents final gift, the warmth of her burning corpse, asking Midori to write the name of her prey on the skull since she is bad with japanese writing herself. She tells Chiaki that reinforcements are on the way and that she retrieved Mirais soul gem for interrogation.

She then notices Chiakis eyes being tainted and asks if she used a golden weapon. She tells Chiaki not to touch them anymore until after the treatment, making Midori promise to watch over her, and assures that Souji and herself will fix Chiaki. When asked about the details, Kharn says that the first procedure is simple but temporary, and if it doesn't work, a second one will change Chiaki, looking at her own metal hands, refusing to say any more. The procedure will be the first thing the next day, and Chiaki should spend the night in someones arms as she might not wake up for a month afterward.

Back at the base, Kharn grills the bear meat while Chiaki and Midori rest in their room. When Chiaki approaches her, Kharn decides to tell her a story about their shared past.

Kharn Flashback

In a flashback taking place one year and a half before the quest starts, Kharn is still Warmaster of the Ninth. She starts the day in bed with the Fourteenth Warmaster and Malal arriving to deliver her list of duties for the day. When Malal leaves, Kharn wakes her latest conquest with more affections, making her scream loud enough to be heard outside. She shuts Neros speech about enjoying their time together up with a kiss and heads to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Checking her corruption levels, the Warmaster notices that the darkness that started spreading from her untransformed hands when she turned into a witch and forced it back through sheer force of will some months ago, has spread further again. She transforms and inspects her inventory, containing candy and Neros panties, marking the first of many trophies, before heading out.

Noticing her Culexus guards looking exactly the same as Malal, she asks if either of them is her, to be told that both are called Alpharius. Malal steps out of her room, accompanies the Warmaster to breakfast and briefs her on her appointments.

Girl A, found six months ago in a witch barrier by Mami Tomoe and Sayaka Miki, has been allowed to participate in missions with her guardian. Two days ago, she murdered 21 Eversors from the Third Officio during a joint purge mission. The Third Incubator demands her death, but Kyubey is leaving judgement to his Warmaster. Asking Malal for her opinion, the aide replies that she would give Girl A another chance since the circumstances surrounding the incident are rather suspicious, despite professionally she should be executed.

Kharn decides to talk to Girl A herself, telling Mami who appeals to her on Girl A's behalf that she will listen to her afterwards and only then make her decision. Inside the silent room Kharn demands an explanation and is told that the Eversors called Mami a whore and cowardly retreated whenever they encountered an enemy. On further inquiry, Girl A delivers a detailed mission report up to the point where the Eversor leader said they would ambush Mami's squad and kill everyone except the blonde, to pass her around afterwards. She mentions how satisfying it was to kill their leader with a spiked bat before linking up with the rest of Mamis squad again, the blonde confirming that the Eversors never answered their requests for backup.

When Kharn asks why she didn't tell the full story from the start, Girl A replies that Mami trusted them and that she should be punished instead of the blonde. Mami and Malal mention that a group of supposed captives from the Third was never found, supporting the suspicion that the entire affair was a set up. Kharn then passes her judgement. She takes a knife from Malal and sentences Girl A to death, cutting off her braids and giving her a new name: Murderface.

She returns Malals knife and makes her way to Kyubey, announcing that the Third Officio will be brought down for their betrayal. The Incubator however refuses to allow a full mobilization and decrees that the three Eversor squads death is enough and any further steps will be decided after Kharns meeting with the Thirds Warmaster. He also inquires about Murderface and agrees to Kharn taking responsibility of her, suggesting to seperate her from Mami. Requesting information about the Warmaster she is going to meet, Kharn gets excited at her aparent power and leaves, Malal following close behind.

Outside the office, Kharn sentences Sayaka to penitence duties for abusing Murderface during captivity before departing with Malal and Murderface. On the way, in the companies Warmaster private marauder, Kharn sits close to Murderface, asking her about her relation with Mami.She is told that Mami belongs to Murderface, earning laughter from Malal. She advances on Murderface instead and is told that this would be forbidden love, earning more jeers from Malal and says that Murderface is not her type anyway before asking about her shield instead, impressed at it's powers.

Arriving at the Third Officio headquarters, the group enters an empty foyer, assuming the magical girls have taken position in the upper floors, and boards the elevator heading to the CEO office to meet Ahriman. Upon their arrival, Erebus prompts them to hand over their weapons. Kharn manifests Skulltaker and plunges it into the carpet covered floor, stating that letting somebody else touch it would offend the weapons spirit and impede its performance. She then convinces Erebus that Murderface is a new recruit whose shield is only for defense and that giving it away would be unreasonable.

Right after groping Erebus, Kharn spots a pink haired girl with eyes as black as her own and decides to talk to her before taking care of business. She flirts heavily with the girl who calls herself Faust, but is shot down as she is already spoken for. She tells Kharn that she wanted to meet somebody but realized that she is one of the departed, leaving a breath of a kiss on the Warmasters lips as a token before vanishing without a trace. Murderface tugs Kharns sleeve, telling her that she has been silently staring at a painting for a minute instead of talking, and takes her to meet Ahriman.

Kharn skips pleasantries and confronts Ahriman about her betrayal, the Third Warmaster ignores the accusation and brings up her killed squads, demanding the culprits soul gem and Mami Tomoe as compensation. At this Kharn burst out into a fit of mad laughter before stating that the gem is already shattered and that she will never hand one of her own over as barter pieces. Ahriman taunts her, weapon materialising in her hand, for being corrupted, threatening to reveal her secret.

On that offense, Kharn calls Kyubey, demands full mobilisation and proclaims to kill everyone in the building, no matter what he says. She orders Murderface to retrieve Skulltaker, taking hold of it a mere moment later and charges Ahriman, resounding her war cry. She easily slices through the body of a magical girl jumping in front of her, followed by many more before only the Third Warmaster and her aide remain of the hundred magical girls in the office hall.

Pointing at Ahriman trembling behind Erebus, Kharn exclaims that the staff wielder lacks what it takes to be Warmaster and offers to let the remaining members of the third Officio live if she surrenders herself to execution. As Ahriman tries to run, defended by Erebus, Kharn orders Murderface to stop her, who is then tossed at Malal by the suddenly empowered Third Warmaster. Confident in her new powers granted for sacrificing a hundred lives, the dirty work left to Kharn, Ahriman once again demands Mami Tomoe, now threatening to annihilate both the Ninth Officio and Mitakihara.

Kharn orders Malal to act as anti magic defense while she engages Ahriman and Erebus herself. Erebus steps in, blocking Skulltaker with her katana, and Kharn takes hold of the blade with one of her metal hands, retracts Skulltakers chain teeth and strikes her opponent with the now blunt weapon. This sends her flying through the room, bones shattered, the claws that touched Erebus' blade bleeding.

Charging behind Malal, Kharn waits for her chance while the dark bolts of lightning Ahriman starts throwing are deflected by the Culexus barrier. As both the magic user and Malal collapse from exhaustion, Kharn takes her stance to take Ahrimans skull, but is taken by surprise as Erebus tackles her, both of them falling out of the building.

Kharn thrusts one of her metal claws into the concrete wall to slow their fall and breaks a window with her feet, smashing back into the building. She tosses Erebus, who is still holding on to her, away and gets up, exchanging formal introductions with the red head before fighting her seriously. It takes Kharn only one swing to cut her down, after which she tells the frightened, dying girl that Ahriman will soon follow her and crushes her soul gem under a bladed foot. She takes one of the blood stained prayer parchments from Erebus hair and makes her way back up to where Ahriman and Malal are still fighting.

She throws Erebus' accessory at Ahriman, stunning the corruption twisted form of the Third Warmaster, and signals Malal to get Murderface to safety while praising the red heads fighting spirit and blaming Ahriman for her death. Switching Skulltaker to its devastating Burn mode, Kharn charges the crying Ahriman. Skulltaker collides with an invisible force a short distance from Ahrimans skin, and is shattered by her magic. Several shards of the chainsword impale Kharn, sending her to the ground, paralyzed with pain while Ahriman goes after Malal and Murderface.

At this point, the russian Warmaster hears a voice inside her head, that of the pink haired girl from earlier, offering help. She pulls Skulltakers shards from her body and pulls herself up. As Kharn takes Fausts hand, the pain and exhaustion vanish, perfect clarity filling her mind, golden chainaxes appearing in her hands.

She immediately charges at Ahriman, pushing the now terrified Third Warmaster back with a relentless assault, cutting off her right wing as she tries to escape into the air. Breaking her defense further, Kharn cuts Ahrimans legs off in one swing of Gorefather and kicks the hequin staff away. She pins the crawling girl down with a bladed foot and asks about Mami Tomoe again. Dissatisfied with Ahrimans rambling about the Blessed Ladys True Herald, she finally cuts off Ahrimans head and crushes her soul gem underfoot.

Losing no time, she heads to Malal and Murderface, places her chainaxes on the ground and calls Kyubey for an evacuation team, checking their soul gem purity at the same time. While talking to her Incubator, she knocks Malal awake and jokes around with her until the medics arrive.

Treatment

After finishing her story, Kharn answers some remaining questions. She doesn't go into any further detail about Malal, but tells Chiaki more about Faust, telling her to be wary of the dark god's promises. She then recounts the events after the Ahriman incident. The Third Incubator Sanbey claimed that he was not aware of what his magical girls had been doing for months and was only interested in his business side of the Officio. He gladly handed over all remaining troops to Kyubey like it was nothing, much to Kharns irritation.

Afterward, she takes Chiaki to the bases communication room where the new Warmaster in training makes calls to inform her friends of her safe arrival in Siberia and the possible delay in her return. A few minutes later, Chiaki calls her back into the room for a conversation with Kyubey to report about Mirai and the Tenth possible plot, receiving permission to interrogate the girl with the order to kill her if she proves too resistant.

Heading back to the living area, Kharn once again suggests that Chiaki spends the night with Midori before she possibly remains unconscious for a long time. She tells her to give her friends good memories of her before she eventually dies on the battlefield as the chosen of the Blessed Lady are fated to before returning to her own room.

Later, she finds Chiaki unconscious in the elevator and carries her to the room the scheduled procedure is to take place in, securing the Warmaster in training with a series of restraints. Kharn informs her that she and Souji decided to start ahead of schedule upon finding her. She explains that they will implant something into Chiakis soul gem to form a circuit that directs parts of her corruption to something else that feeds on it, refusing details once more due to classification.

When Chiaki mentions the thing in the absement, Kharn assures her that this procedure is the only way to keep her from corrupting further, stating that this solution is better than killing her right away. She also says that the chances of affecting Midori through her link to Chiakis soul gem are negligible and takes messages to pass on to everyone before administering narcotics and starting the process.

Training

Some hours after the procedure successfully finishes, Chiaki wakes up to Kharn poking fun at her. Unfortunately, her amnesia has relapsed, making her forget about the procedure, Kharn and her friends. The russian explains that the treatment was successful and the memory loss should not have happened, stating that it might be only temporary. She quickly examines Chiaki, tells her a few things about the current situation and takes her back to the living area of the R&D base where the others are waiting.

After Chiaki tells her friends about the amnesia, Kharn tries to calm the crying Misaka down, but only gets shouted at. Misaka locks herself in her room, Kharn reintroduces Midori and heads into the kitchen to look after Souji.

Later during breakfast, she restates that Chiakis treatment was a complete success and should not have any side effects, temporary or not, telling Souji that they will have to make sure a resurgence of amnesia doresn't happen again during the final procedure. He replies that another treatment might not be necessary, but Kharn insists they should be prepared for it nonetheless.

Kharn then refreshes Chiakis memory about the R&D base and their incubator before deciding to continue their schedule with a training session. Souji voices his concern about using the golden weapons, but Kharn insists on them being available for Chiaki to use. She tells her partner to lead Chiaki to the training area and heads off to change, obviously excited.

In the training area she tells her friend not to mind Souji's behavior, explaining thet he is just worried about a dream he had about Chiaki killing Kharn, who went berserk and murdered Misaka and Midori. She tells Chiaki not to worry, who replies that they can worry about her boyfriends dreams later, making Kharn finally resign and admitting to a more intimate relationship with Souji.

She choses her weapon, a wooden staff, warms up with a set of elegant moves and stances and offers Chiaki a bet to make the training more interesting. Chiaki replies that she doesn't remember anything she could bet, and Kharn decides to bet a package from Malal that Chiaki should receive when she really needs it, and Chiaki should bet a favor for Kharn that she cannot refuse if called to. Chiaki agrees and Kharn calls Midori over to give them a start sign.

Before the green haired girl finishes, Chiaki starts a surprise attack, but Kharn easily blocks the strike and beats her training partner down before saying that she likes how Chiaki can still cheat properly. For the next round, Chiaki approaches the golden weapons, but hesitates to pick one up. Kharn explains that she made sure Chiaki is shielded from the Blessed Lady's influence and impatiently prompts the Warmaster in training to pick a weapon and start fighting again.

Chiaki touches the weapons in order and tells Kharn about voices and feelings she is perceiving from them, and the russian explains that they still know very little about the golden weapons, but that the voices and visions are harmless echoes best to be ignored. When Chiaki asks what they do to Kharn, she replies that she felt as if she could fight without end until the effect eventually faded over the years, replaced by a vision of her death against a monstrous foe.

She picks up the twin chainaxes while Chiaki puts on the bangles, fumbling about until they transform into giant gauntlets. Chiaki mentions that she suddenly remembers some names, but is in no rush to go back to her past self, calling herself a good for nothing excuse of a magical girl, which angers Kharn who considers the past Murderface an important friend. She shouts a command and the weapon racks are removed from the area to make way for a more fierce match.

This time the russian starts a surprise attack before Midori can give the signal, impressed that Chiaki manages to block her opening attack. After Chiaki manages to catch the second attack, Kharn unleashes a furious flurry of blows until she penetrates her oponents defense and hits her shoulder. She explains how her weapon works, telling Chiaki that she will not cut off her arm if she gives up. A purple flame appears in front of Chiakis left eye and she moves much quicker and stronger than before, removes the chainaxe from her shoulder and punches Kharn across the room with a massive fist.

She gets up again, gives the round to Chiaki, congratulates her on figuring out how to use the weapon properly faster than she did herself, and taps into her own weapons power, crimson fire dancing in front of her left eye. She demands a final round without holding back, however Chiaki decides to give up on Midoris request, giving the victory to Kharn. The russian is disappointed, but accepts Chiakis decision, patting her shoulder and stating that she never fails to surprise her. She returns the chainaxes to the weapon rack and tells Chiaki to keep the bangles to acclimatize them and to ask the girl inside for her name.

Back in the living area Misaka approaches Chiaki again, burying her face into her stomach, crying. Kharn leaves the situation to the Warmaster in training and leaves to take a quick shower. Upon returning, she finds Chiaki calming Misaka down but fumbling with her words. She silently forms words to help Chiaki out, telling her to be a big sister to the young girl. As Misaka leaves, Kharn warns Chiaki that chosen of the Blessed Lady should be careful with promises like that. She returns the soul gem that she held on to during and after Chiakis treatment, explaining that the changes in look are harmless.

She suggests starting interrogating the captured Mirai Wakaba soon and that Chiakis return to Japan was moved ahead. On the way to the interrogation room, Kharn and Midori fill Chiaki in on her current Officio background and the situation with Mirai. Inside she explains how the surrogate body, an old looking PC, works, assuring that it has powerful technology inside that betrays its look.

Kharn pushes Chiaki to start the interrogation, assuring her of its safety and explains that it works just like a chatroom. She leans on Chiaki during the interrogation, reading the text on the screen, explaining that being placed in this device is quite disturbing. All senses are disabled, only allowing the text on the screen to be perceived, which creates enough pressure to make lying nearly impossible.

Mirai quickly gives in, begging to be released, but then another user appears in the conversation, surprising Kharn as this shoulod be impossible. She reaches out to remove the soul gem from the machine, but stops as the intruder threatens to detonate the gem if they sever the connection. Kharn states that the elevator doors would withstand an explosion, but might close behind them, making this an interesting gamble. The Tenth demands Midoris return, but Chiaki tells him that she belongs to her and Kharn laughs, stating that she learned her second lesson as Warmaster.

While Chiaki keeps talking to the Tenth, she asks if Kharn has any countermeasures in case things get ugly, and she replies that Souji is infomed and a short range teleporter is prepared. She sends Midori out of the room into the elevator, handing her keycard over and explains that the teleporter is set to bring them next to her, instructing Midori to head up no matter what.

Chiaki types her reply to the Tenth and forces Mirais soul gem out of the machine, but the incubator already did something as it fills with darkness, transforming the magical girl into a witch. The teleporter brings Kharn out on time, Chiaki however is left behind and swallowed into the barrier.

Midori & Miracle Midori

Up in the living quarters, Kharn is taken to the couch by Souji, speaking different languages incoherently, stating that the Blessed Lady is displeased and wants to take her Chosen back. While Midori and Souji try to figure something out, Kharn cries pitifully about leaving Chiaki to face the Blessed Lady alone. Souji injects a silver liquid into her neck, causing her body to relax and the rambling to stop before she eventually falls asleep. He explains that she will be all right after recovering in a silent room for a while.

Not long after being locked up, she recovers from the drug, escapes the silent room and uses the base's teleporter to enter the witch barrier. Inside she finds the pink haired goddess in bad shape and offers her service, supporting the Blessed Lady.

After a while Kharn finds Midori's group and the armored fragment of Chiakis psyche and demands to fight her. Malal tries to stop her, but Kharn exclaims that the Blessed Lady has chosen her as the Betrayer and wants her to fight the armored fragment. Malal screams at Kharn to remember a promise she made to her, but the Betrayer refuses to listen to what she considers a barrier born phantasm, calls upon her golden weapon's power and sets the Culexus ablaze. While the flames die out on the unconscious magical girl, Kharn admires the armored fragments perfect from as a tool of war before telling Midori to get out of the way.

Filled with rage, Midori walks past the armored fragment towards Kharn, unconsciously transforming into her magical girl from, and slaps the former Warmaster twice, hard enough to knock her hat off, and screams in anger and frustration. Stunned Kharn steps back and tries to justify her actions as the Blessed Lady's will, but Midori doesn't let up and exclaims that the Blessed Lady never never cared about her, that all she ever cares about is Homura. She tells the shocked magical girl that none of them ever had a chance against their connection and reminds her of how she is throwing away everything she built up with Souji. She calls the scientist with the teleport beacon and prompts Kharn to tell him about it herself, but the russian can't bring herself to do it and retreats, her fighting spirit broken.

Some time later, Kharn arrives at a graveyard and challenges the fourth fragment in one final act as the Betrayer, but is mercilessly defeated and left to bleed to death with an arm torn from her shoulder. During the course of the fight between Midori's group and the fourth fragment's servants, Kharn regains consciousness and fights alongside Tiny Pete, wielding the combined Blood God in her remaining hand, effectively fighting off their enemies. Closeby, Malal and Mirai are holding their ground. The fragment that closely resembles the current Chiaki manages to defeat the winged fourth one and Midori, who miraculously appears after dying while Kharn was still unconscious, manages to fuse the four fragments back together.

Back in the real world, Kharn lies in the ruined interrogation room, holding the wound that used to be her right arm, with Tiny Pete standing watch next to her. She is in bad shape but recognizes Midori and Chiaki and tells them to carry out the death sentence for her betrayal quickly before Souji and Misaka can return. Chiaki is silent, seemingly considering her request, but Midori calls her an idiot and shuts the Betrayer's protests up. The aide suggests to punish Kharn by having her live with her crimes to which Chiaki agrees and orders the former Warmaster to marry Souji as part of her sentence.

Kharn claims that she can't possibly face Souji again but Midori tells her that he is already in the same room. While Kharn looks around in shock, Chiaki tells Tiny Pete to reveal his pilot. To their surprise they find Misaka instead, just as her brother walks in through the door with an ice pack to his head, removing the electrical tape he was apparently tied up with. He explains that Misaka knocked him out before he could board the Terminator and asks to talk to Kharn.

Midori suggests leaving the two of them alone and leaves the room with Chiaki, who is carrying the sleeping Misaka. Kharn tries to explain her behavior but Souji keeps dismissing her reasons. They shout at each other for a while before Kharn eventually breaks down. Souji slaps her tree times before talking in a low voice to which Kharn replies in a murmur, and they embrace each other.

Malal Flashback

In a flashback episode featuring Malal that takes place five years prior to the quests starting point, the young Vindicare recruit Ekaterina Valnikov one day stopped coming to training. It was suspected that the Tenth Officio abducted her, but no evidence was found and she was declared deceased after a few months.

A month later, Malal starts a mission to find and rescue her in Varrigan City. It is later revealed that she underwent torture to break will, body and mind before being used for cruel experiments by the Thirteenth Warmaster, Doktor Emma Strauss, in her attempt to create a hybrid of magical girl and witch. The Doktor succeeds and makes Ekaterina Valnikov the first Maerorus in existence, a magical girl that gains witch powers and retains her personality and conscious thought.

She grafts corrupted witch flesh onto Ekaterina's body and soul gem and makes her fight in the Casino Town underground magical girl fighting circuit. Utterly broken the girl kept on saying a just a single word: Malal.

On the day Malal comes to rescue her, she is scheduled to fight the Blessed Lady's Champion of the Second Officio's Black Templars. When Malal infiltrates the arena grounds, she finds Ekaterina sedated and chained down in an elecrtified cage. A crest of metal wires protruding from her skull, covered by a horned black metal visor encircling her head in addition to what has been done to her arms and legs. Her blood covered and torn uniform and hair evidence of the abuse she went through.

While Valnikov is still unconscious, Malal convinces Souji, who also wants to save her, to cooperate. The young man disables the cage and moves in to inject more sedatives, but at that moment Ekaterina's visor starts glowing red and her claws move in from behind his back. Malal quickly unleashes her power on the russian magical girl, flinging her back as far as the chains allow and making her collapse.

After Malal takes care of approaching goons coming to take Ekaterina to the arena, Souji tranquilizes her and wraps the girl in a poncho to hide her features. The group makes their way outside and departs on a fast bike towards the docks for evacuation.

On board of the Thirteenth Officio's flagship Rafflesia, Ekaterina is taken to an operation room and prepared for removing Strauss' implants. The Thirteenth' new Warmaster, Souji and Malal work together on the procedure and later, the Culexus tries to heal her mind. As a side effect of this, her memories of this time are wiped out.

Trivia

• Kharn's character design is based on Black Gold Saw from Black Rock Shooter.
• Kharn is a reference to Kharn the Betrayer, avatar of the blood god Khorne from Warhammer 40k. She shares some character traits with him, as well as the choice of weapon.
• The name Valnikov is likely a reference to Andrei Valnikov from Black Marble, a cop who partnered up with a no-nonsense woman plagued by nightmares, much like Chiaki.
• She has an insatiable apetite for takoyaki and Jolly Roger candy.
• She never managed to bed Mami and never quite got over that.
• Her chainsword Skulltaker is two meters long, weighs ten kilograms and has two rows of teeth. It is painted black with a few golden bits, the handle wrapped with leather and tipped with a screaming demon skull. It has three settings: Kill, Maim which moves the teeth in opposing directions, and Burn which is Maim but on fire. Kharn takes loving care of her weapon.
• The weapon's name is a reference to Skulltaker, a Bloodletter and Herald of Khorne. Much like the Kharn in Magical Girl Noir Quest, Skulltaker is known for collecting the skulls of his enemies, which are then carried in a great sack until he can present them to Khorne.

NECO Profile

*ROOKIE*
NAME: Ekaterina Valnikov
	-None on record.-
OFFICIO: Ninth, in Mitakihara City
RANK: Vindicare
BIO: A rank and file Vindicare that would ordinarily be kind of unremarkable. Apparently she grew up on a gulag in Siberia and already knew how to shoot and everything before becoming a magical girl, but…maybe this is one of those ‘the real thing is a lot different from the rifle range’ sorts of things? She’s kind of infamous, from what I’ve heard… b-but, she’s kind of cute, isn’t she?
WEAPONRY: Mostly the butt of a rifle.
	STRENGTH	 A
	SPEED		 B+
	MELEE 		 A
	RANGED		 C+
	MAGIC 		 ??*
	TACTICS		 D
	CHARM		 D(?)
*it’s tied tight into her basic abilities, so it’s really hard to determine

TRIVIA
-Normally I wouldn’t be worrying about rank and file like Ekaterina Vanikov, but some people are interested in her?? I heard Rank Leader Malal went through hell and high water just to save her, so she must be important.

-Apparently she’s kind of a…failure as a magical girl, a lot of the time? She’s clumsy and I heard she drops her gun about every other time she tries to reload it. Then she starts hitting people with it instead of trying to shoot them, though. Once she goes a little crazy, everything comes up golden for her. It’s a pretty weird talent.

-She sort of reminds me of a girl at my school. I don’t really know her name or anything, but she smells weird and hides under one of the stairwells at lunch.

BONUS?

-She was thought to be dead in Varrigan City until the rescue operation Rank Leader Malal mounted to save her. She came back, sure, but she came back…different. Hungrier. More vicious.

Gallery

Art by Deculture

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  Research Assistant Kharn

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  Kharn as Warmaster of the Ninth

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  Quest title page during the Kharn flashback episode

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  Quest title page during the Kharn flashback episode, now with Warmaster hat

Art by Nicehatguy

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