The rotorcraft passed close to the surface of the sea, kicking up air currents that sliced through the dark sea.
The sky was moonless, a deep black with only dim lights inside the cockpit. Ryan sat with his legs sprawled, eyes closed, resting.
Perhaps influenced by Möbius, he found little interest in meetings. After voicing his opinions, he immediately threw himself into the battle, participating without hesitation.
Sakura took a small bite of her onigiri and stole a glance at the man sitting upright, and said to herself that the feeling she gave off had changed again
She had become colder, more rational—almost like a killing machine, calculating every moment.
Brave, resolute, unparalleled in strength, just like the warrior models described in books, providing an endless sense of security.
"Sakura, do you have any questions?" Ryan opened his eyes slightly, catching her surprised expression.
"No, I just wanted to ask, did the Chief of Staff understand?"
"Don't underestimate high-ranking official. They're all sharp. Everything I said today was already speculated by the Intelligence Department." Ryan snorted lightly. The best agents and intelligence officers of humanity were gathered together, so they certainly didn't miss anything. He wasn't arrogant enough to think that he embodied all of humanity's intelligence.
"So the original battle plan was to target high Honkai energy sources, but they wanted me to say it out loud," Ryan continued.
Sakura immediately felt a bit overwhelmed and asked why.
"Because Fire Moth need to validate their assumptions. They can't commit a huge amount of troops without knowing for sure. If the assumption is true, their defenses will be useless, let alone launching an attack." Honkai energy isn't just limited to the Herrscher. As he had discussed with Möbius, this was a game played on a global scale, where every piece has a role. "So this battle depends on us and the few Punishment Sword teams?" Sakura glanced out the window, noticing another rotorcraft changing direction.
Ryan didn't answer, tacitly confirming it. This hypothesis was crucial, and it left Fire Moth with no choice.
If the global collapse could synchronize, it would indeed be a tidal wave. Humanity takes twenty years to create a soldier, but collapse only takes an instant.
'The Herrscher, still the Herrscher,' he repeated in his mind. This was a war, so methods would never be simple. No one could single-handedly win, just like the Seventh Herrscher or the Ninth Herrscher, whose continent-level destruction wasn't easily accomplished.
Frankly, if the Fourth Herrscher had enough time, she could destroy an entire continent. So even a small-tier collapse beast had its value.
Ryan gathered the clues he had and muttered to himself. "The Herrscher, as the perfect tools of destruction, have no emotions or human desires. She's been missing for so long, she can't possibly be enjoying life. And now, with this new high-energy collapse source appearing..."
"I'm sure the Fourth Herrscher is likely in British Isles."
"Hmm? Did she expect you to come?" Sakura turned her head. On the battlefield, she wasn't a rookie—she knew that the Fourth Herrscher wanted to kill Ryan.
"I don't have that kind of influence. The Herrscher main job is still to destroy civilizations. She's just learned to assess the situation. Because of my existence, she can't fulfill her main duty. Oh, I see, everything is interlinked, like the ouroboros, affecting each other." Ryan eyes lit up as he realized a blind spot. Not only was he an "outsider," but his actions had also drastically altered the timeline.
Even the Seventh Herrscher birth was now a key to destruction. If collapse wanted to destroy the world, it would need to innovate, take a different route.
Sakura quietly sat beside him, not wanting to disturb his thoughts. A few minutes later, when Ryan snapped out of his contemplation, she softly asked:
"So what should we do?"
"Follow the original plan—search for clues, do it properly, and win this war." Ryan expression darkened, and he needed to verify his suspicions. When the warm sunlight touched his face, he slightly lifted his head.
With the arrival of dawn, the coastline finally appeared ahead. The rotorcraft quickly found a flat spot to land before quickly taking off again.
This area was too dangerous to reclaim, with minimal intelligence available. Satellite reconnaissance was unreliable, and a collapse beast could emerge at any moment. The rotorcraft didn't dare linger.
Because the source hadn't been cleared, the collapse energy concentration in the air reached 7HW, causing severe electronic interference. Any creature without collapse energy adaptation would perish within a day, while those that adapted turned into monsters.
The pollution was staggering—everywhere was full of mutated creatures. It was no wonder Fire Moth hadn't thought of counterattacking. Sakura surveyed the surroundings cautiously, gripping her sword tightly, feeling uneasy. "There are mutant beasts everywhere. It's like we've entered..."
"Like we've entered another world, as if this area has been ripped from Earth, filled with unfamiliar smells." Ryan completed her thought, lifting his gaze to look around.
North British Isles was scenic, with majestic mountains, beautiful valleys, tranquil lakes, and rushing streams. There weren't many forests, but occasionally, abandoned houses could be seen. While it wasn't exactly teeming with life, it did offer a sense of peace.
But within this picturesque scenery, there were also red crystals and countless animal carcasses. Creatures without collapse adaptation quickly died, while those that adapted turned into monsters.
Deadly silence hung in the air, with almost no signs of civilization left, though the Honkai energy crystals glistened like jewels.
A beautiful hell—that was Ryan strongest feeling. The high concentration of collapse energy had accumulated over time, enough to change the environment. That's why Fire Moth meticulously cleaned up the remnants after each mission.
"Sakura, link up with communications. See what's happening in other directions."
"Okay." Sakura immediately crouched down, manipulating the terminal on her arm. It didn't take long before she got in contact with the other two teams. Luckily, Ryan had prepared fusion warriors in advance. Otherwise, Fire Moth wouldn't have been able to choose suitable reconnaissance personnel.
Sending ordinary soldiers here would be like sending them to their deaths, and even specialized response teams would struggle.
The communication soon connected, and Ryan immediately heard intense gunfire.
"Engaged?"
"Yes. Honkai beasts and mutant creatures are launching a joint attack, but they pose no real danger," Sakura explained. "Of course, even though they're using lower-tier collapse beast genes, they're still fusion warriors, and with advanced weapons, they're not something these trash can handle."
Ryan wasn't surprised. That First Team even made him feel some threat. Simply stacking numbers wouldn't work, but if paired with coordination and proper equipment, it would be effective, even leaving time to speak with Ryan.
"First team will proceed to the designated coordinates."
"Second team is about to disperse and investigate the surrounding collapse beasts." Two avatars appeared on the terminal, with Vinal being the more recognizable one. The other team commander was a fiery red-lipped blonde woman, codenamed 'Razor.'
Because the Fourth Herrscher exhibited human-like traits, the map had been encrypted, and codenames were used for communication.
"Doctor, we will reach the designated coordinates by 12:05. Should we send someone to meet you?"
"No need. Manage your subordinates and don't waste too much energy on these minor threats. Also, keep each team's distance. When you spot an emperor-level enemy, quickly converge." Ryan quietly reminded. He had seen these fusion warriors—most had the potential for madness.
"Haha, don't worry. We've killed two emperor-level collapse beasts in Europe. How about we find the Herrscher first?" The blonde woman laughed softly, twirling her golden curls.
Ryan wasn't familiar with her, but her bold demeanor reminded him of Himiko. He furrowed his brow instinctively.
"Razor, are you planning to clear all of North British Isles?"
"Yes, if we can really find the Herrscher, Fire Moth will deploy forces worldwide to attack. This place may be poor, but it's my homeland, so I might as well use it." The woman continued to smile, hiding a trace of sadness.
The nature of this operation was still a reconnaissance mission—figuring out what the high-energy collapse source in the North Sea really was before making further arrangements. However, if the Herrscher was here, Fire Moth wouldn't hesitate to sink British Isles to eliminate it.
Ryan didn't have command authority and often respected others' destinies. He quickly gave up the argument, then remembered something else.
"How's the hunting situation in Scandinavia?"
"Don't mention it. The higher-tier collapse beasts are good at hiding, and the abandoned zones are just plain cursed," the woman cursed under her breath, shrugging. "I feel like something's wrong, but we can't find any leads. Once we finish this, I'm taking my team back to raid it properly."
Cursed? Something wrong? Ryan noted it for now. This wasn't the time to discuss it.
"Then do as you wish. Just don't interfere with my mission."
"Haha, relax, relax. I've been through countless battles." Ryan disconnected the communication and checked the other information.
The Raven was using low-orbit satellites to monitor all of Great British Isles, with dozens of staff planning routes, collecting intelligence, and sending it to the tactical terminals.
An electronic path appeared on the map, leading to a spot deep within the continent, where a high-energy collapse source had flashed and disappeared.
"One hundred kilometers. Let's get going," Ryan turned around, slowly drawing his straight sword. "This time is different from last time. It might get busy. Remember what I said, try not to use full force."
Sakura raised an eyebrow, unsure why Ryan made such a request, but she didn't ask more. She silently got up.
"Yes, what's the combat style?"
Ryan thought for a moment, gazing at the picturesque scenery, then grinned, revealing his sharp white teeth.
"Kill all enemies!"