The fire extinguished, the fuel consumed. The Herrscher was actually crushed by him.
The most resplendent Herrscher ultimately left nothing behind, only this crystallized, pitch-black earth still radiating heat.
Ryan knelt on one knee, almost numb to the pain in his body. He only looked at his hands.
The black shadow was evaporated, his flesh and blood also gone. His charred hand bones were clenching and relaxing, and he even had the illusion that this thing didn't belong to him.
But it was finally over. Only the Herrscher ashes remained.
This was definitely the cleanest death for a Herrscher, and also the Herrscher that brought Ryan closest to death. Just one second more, and the Herrscher of Flamescion's last power would have exploded, and he would have had no remaining strength to block the raging fire.
At that point, I would have been the one charred. What a close call.
Ryan felt no lingering fear. From the very beginning, he had never thought of retreating to save his life, even if that would have been more logical and increased his chances of victory if he had waited for Elysia and the others to arrive.
Since he decided to fight to the death, there was only going forward.
Ryan didn't feel much joy either. He had already sensed the difficulty was sharply increasing. This was just the beginning.
There would be even stronger, more unknown Herrschers appearing, leaving only a deep sense of exhaustion.
Sometimes he really felt that the coming of the End was a release.
He pulled at the corner of his mouth, feeling charred flesh falling off, and closed his eyes helplessly.
"I should have known not to name it 'Dark Souls'. It's too unlucky."
The last of the Honkai energy was released. White mist swirled, and the ice coffin completely sealed his body. In the instant his vision ended, he saw a group of MANTIS rushing into the forest. At this moment, his fatigue vanished, and a sense of relief welled up in his mind.
At least, I'm not fighting alone.
"Emergency team, follow me!"
"First squad, form a defensive formation. Second squad, immediately search the surroundings and intercept any Honkai Beasts that have been attracted."
Vinal stepped on the slightly hot ground, continuously giving orders. His subordinates had already scattered.
When the battle spread to the jungle, he unhesitatingly brought his people to support, even though they could barely withstand the aftershocks of a battle of this caliber.
But he was also a warrior, and he couldn't sit by and watch Ryan fight so desperately. This was precisely the source of Ryan relief.
Even if he was killed by the Herrscher of Flamescion, the Herrscher kill would be taken. Perhaps this would restore the world line, and by taking out the Herrscher of Flamescion, who was like a cheat, he had also corrected the world line and prevented her from becoming a disaster.
Of course, the warriors who came to support didn't know. They only saw an ice coffin, and a scarred warrior in the center, barely recognizing him.
"We found Director-General."
"Quick, quick, shield formation defense!"
A group of people surged forward, then looked at the ice coffin with some shock, unable to describe their feelings at that moment.
Just moments ago was the end of the world, the coming of the End. Flames consumed everything, and human power seemed ridiculous in its face. But this person crossed the End, allowing human civilization to continue.
This is what a Director-General is! What was the previous bureaucrat!
Regardless of whether they had experienced the Battle of New York, at least at this moment, they were utterly convinced. The banner of humanity should be the strongest, and should rush to the forefront. No matter how terrifying the demon, it would be crushed by him.
"And we, we only need to follow his footsteps forward, from victory to victory." Vinal heart swelled, and even his breathing quickened.
Only by experiencing it firsthand could one know the terror of the Seventh Herrscher. Only by experiencing it firsthand could one know the greatness of a hero. He even felt that if Ryan ordered people to cross the abyss, many would cross without batting an eye.
Simply because, in front of them, was a man who made the impossible possible.
"Miss Eden, please don't touch it." He warned, making the girl who had walked to the ice coffin withdraw her hand, looking blankly in front of her.
Eden had also come along. She had just experienced the most unique performance of her life.
There were no spectators, no accompaniment. There were only terrifying scenes that made the soul tremble, and this apocalyptic sight vanished in the blink of an eye, not even ash remaining.
This was his battle, this was his value?
Eden looked at Ryan. His severely burned body was somewhat unrecognizable, but the residual aura still made her heart pound, making her feel that all the heroic epics she had read were now alive before her eyes.
"He is creating an epic."
"Yes, every step of the Director-General is an epic, allowing human civilization to continue forward." Vinal replied solemnly.
"But we are also creators of this epic. I feel very honored right now."
Looking at the girl's exquisite smile, Vinal paused, then nodded vigorously.
Ryan solved the most difficult problem, but not all problems. For example, he completed his own mission, and Eden also left her mark in this epic.
Everyone was creating history in their own way. This battle had great significance; at least it made all humanity experience despair and hope, and would make their hearts stronger.
"We can't help here. The emergency team, go to the beach immediately. Captain Kevin has been found. Do everything to save his life."
There was another commotion, but these things were no longer important to Eden. She stood in the center of the Honkai energy shield, standing before the ice coffin, slowly clenching her fist.
"I want to be a part of this unique epic too, at least to contribute my own strength."
She made up her mind, looking at Ryan again and again. His incomplete body seemed incredibly beautiful in her eyes, like an indescribable treasure.
If the anthem of humanity is the anthem of courage, then you are the singer of this anthem, and I, I am willing to play the harp for you.
Ryan complex image deeply pierced her heart. In their usual interactions, he didn't seem like a hero; instead, he made people feel at ease. It was hard to connect that casual elegance with his steel-like fighting spirit.
But precisely because of that, you are especially precious.
Eden smiled all the time. Those who didn't know would have thought she had a deep hatred for Ryan. After a few more minutes, she slowly raised her head.
Starlight streaked across the sky. Just as the soldiers were on alert, several people quickly descended. The first one had pink hair, wore a long dress adorned with various flowers, and held a longbow.
"Super Elysia, arrived quickly, ah? How come I'm a step late again?" The slowly rising girl was a bit dumbfounded. Only after confirming Ryan wasn't dead did she pat her chest.
No one blamed her. Three hours to travel fifteen thousand kilometers was already very good, and the journey hadn't been peaceful either.
There were missile attacks, satellite electromagnetic cannon launches, and Honkai Beasts blocking the way. Most of the half-human centaurs who had swarmed out were busy clearing those 'traitors'.
"Elysia!?"
"Eden!" Elysia turned her head, her eyes blooming like a flower. She pounced directly, hugging Eden neck, scrutinizing her. "Are you hurt? I heard you continued the concert. You're truly the person I admire, so brave."
"Wait, shouldn't you be more concerned about Ryan?" Eden tried to maintain her elegance, dodging Elysia embrace.
"Him? It's a regular occurrence. You'll get used to it."
This kind of thing, one could get used to it?
Eden twitched her lips. It seemed being a hero was tough; this kind of pain was unbearable for ordinary people.
"Also, if I'm too concerned, someone might be unhappy, right?"
Looking at Elysia smile, Eden was full of questions. Just then, four more people descended from the sky. The first was a masked man, exuding a terrifying aura.
"Where is the Herrscher? Where is the Herrscher? Get out and die!" Kalpas roared. He had just finished an MANTIS surgery and was on an IV drip. After hearing the news, he pulled out the needle and rushed over directly.
"Definitely dead, Big Brother won't fail." Hua casually replied, then circled the ice coffin, very anxious. "Sister Sakura, Big Brother's energy signature is so weak. Should we cut open the ice coffin?"
"He'll die instantly then. Move aside. I'm the professional at a time like this. Wait until the cell repair chamber arrives." Mobius, on the other hand, was very calm, continuously checking with instruments.
The group was busy, and Eden, who was observing, raised an eyebrow. Based on Ryan stories, she mostly guessed who was who.
However, this anxiety was somewhat unexpected. It wasn't just as simple as friends.
"Ryan luck with women is very good. If you're interested, you'll have to work twice as hard." Elysia whispered with a chuckle, but found that Eden wasn't blushing or shy. Instead, she retorted.
"If it were you, perhaps you wouldn't need to try so hard. That wedding photo was quite perfect."
"Oh, I was teasing you, why are you asking me instead?" Elysia covered her face, immediately not daring to continue the topic.
On the path of teasing, she had two great enemies: Vil-V cheerful personality and Eden. While covering her face, she didn't notice Eden gaze.
Those amber eyes were a bit strange, subtly sweeping over Mobius and the others, then she let out a soft sigh.
Luck with women?
The high-level MANTIS's intuition was very sharp. Mobius instantly turned her head, seeing Eden with wine-red long hair, exquisite features, and elegant attire. She had specifically investigated the enemy before, so of course she recognized the other party.
Their gazes met, and Mobius snake eyes narrowed slightly.
This feeling couldn't be wrong; it was a hidden enemy.
Their gazes collided. Even though Mobius could crush her with a single finger, Eden didn't look away. That calm composure made Mobius snake eyes twitch slightly. After a few seconds, she actively looked away.
She finally understood why this bastard always found trouble for herself. In this desperate apocalypse, a scorching sun would always be watched.
"Sakura, Hua, wrap up this ice coffin! Don't let any idlers see it!"
"Why? Wouldn't it be better to observe Big Brother's condition like this?" Hua didn't quite understand, but didn't notice that Sakura had already started working.
"Stupid! He in such a miserable state, only we can see him!"
Concern made her flustered. Mobius was somewhat irritable, but in Eden eyes, this not only didn't cause annoyance but actually brought a smile to her face. She turned to look at Elysia, and the message in her eyes was clear.
It seems this doctor is easy to deal with?
Elysia rolled her eyes, looking helplessly at the sky, and gently spread her hands.
You're a good judge of character!