As the raging flames fell from the sky, as walls of ice spread out in front, as a massive battleship fired barrages in all directions, and as pink arrows tore through the long sky.
The battlefield instantly became chaotic. The crystal constructs were blasted flying. Even with their extreme hardness, they shattered into pieces under the increased output of Fire Moth's forces.
This loss in volume was insignificant. The critical factor was the intervention of forces not included in the plan. While the Honkai units were being attacked, their primary target didn't even move a finger; he merely continued to march forward.
This wasn't just an increase in targets. Every MANTIS was battle-hardened, and individuals like Elysia and Kevin were capable of holding their own. It was still a war of attrition, but with everyone working together, the pressure on each person was naturally reduced. Moreover, a collective brain was planning everything on the battlefield.
"The [Annihilation] Team is deploying on the right flank. Is Kalpas disobeying orders again? Send Aponia to cover him."
"[ICE], [Salvation], and [Scarlet] are to be deployed in a column formation at the front, sequentially weakening the enemy's attack."
"Control the speed. Don't press too hard. Force 'Him' into a corner."
"Dr. Mei, the crystals are mutating."
"Transmit the image to the main screen."
The screen flickered. The deflected and smashed crystals grew limbs or even propulsion vents, transforming into extremely hard monsters. The ice giant, created by Andavich's Perpetual Collapse, shattered only a few with a single punch. Those glass-like fragments then quickly dissolved into the air.
I see. Targeted evolution specifically against Ryan.
Mei instantly understood. Just as Mobius's research report stated, the 'Beast' possessed the ability to evolve, understanding how to adapt by adding or removing features based on the environment. Ryan's enthusiastic feasting had clearly been detrimental to it.
The ability to evolve was troublesome. It seems the things I prepared cannot be used against it, or what if the Honkai compensates for the weakness in a targeted manner?
"It's still fine for Ryan. Don't forget that dissolving into the air is only a difference in absorption efficiency."
She knew the Authority of Blood could absorb Honkai energy from the air. Looking at the value on the detector, it was a dense 55 HW, no different from the concentration inside a low-level Honkai Beast.
Of course, even this dense Honkai energy was not enough to sustain a war of attrition, but Fire Moth's purpose was to solve problems for Ryan.
He only needs to advance. We'll handle the bothersome work of breaking through the thorns.
Mei quickly made up her mind. Fire Moth had been refined for so long; it was only right that they demonstrate their value.
"This vessel will press forward as the tactical core. Tell Eden it's her time on stage."
Ryan had become the foundation, enabling Fire Moth to reach this moment almost intact. Fire Moth was returning the favor, unhesitatingly becoming his foundation after the 'Beast' evolved.
The combat pressure almost entirely shifted to their side. For a moment, it was the 'Beast' that was bewildered. This evolution was aimed only at Ryan, and its effectiveness in a large-scale corp battle was poor.
But with Kalpas roaring and raising his fists and Kevin leading the charge, it had essentially evolved for nothing. It was suffering from choice paralysis due to the overwhelming number of targets.
Should I attack these humans, or focus my main energy on Ryan behind them?
In its hesitation, the battle line was pushed back sharply by over a dozen kilometers. The linear distance between the two sides had shrunk to less than a hundred kilometers. At this point, it no longer needed to choose.
First, crush Fire Moth, then deal with the main target!
The crystal monsters suddenly changed direction, beginning to attack Fire Moth's aerial fleet, clashing with the escorting MANTIS.
At the same time, dozens of crystal flowers bloomed on the surface of the trunk. Purplish-red light flashed on the petals, coiling like electric arcs, then converging toward the center.
"Frontline, high energy reading!"
"Defense!"
As dozens of beams swept out, Kevin and the others charged forward. Flames, ice, and storms rose sequentially. After one wall was breached, there was a second, and finally, the beams were deflected, piercing the sky above.
"The second round of attacks is coming."
"Frontline, scatter! Honkai Energy Array Cannon, fire!"
As the multiple energy walls were breached, the crystal flowers decomposed, turning into rotating circular saws. But they were met by the main cannon of the Hyperion.
Some were melted, some were deflected, and those that spun in the air decomposed into thousands of spears, whistling toward the battleships at the center of the formation.
It recognized that this is the human brain. A dense barrage exploded in the air but failed to stop all the attacks. The few crystal spears that managed to break through the close-in weapon system were met by a black hole that suddenly appeared above the battleship.
Zero Rated Output: Simulated Black Hole.
Similar to Ryan's earlier counter, the 'Beast,' which had heavily stacked its physical defense, could not resist this force. It plunged into the black hole and vanished without a trace. Only a few broke through all defenses, creating ripples on the Honkai energy shields.
The friction turned the crystal spears scarlet. The extremely hard material began to deform, becoming even sharper and narrower.
Cling—
Over a dozen streaks of light pierced through, slamming into the alloy deck. They then decomposed and reorganized, forming human-shaped monsters without facial features. They were using their limbs to bore through the deck, trying to infiltrate the interior.
Elysia, who had just finished commanding the rain of arrows, was startled. The human-shaped monsters that had already dented the deck suddenly froze, then were cleanly sliced into over a dozen pieces.
"Sakura, your speed is too fast." Elysia smiled, turning back. The fox-eared girl was already standing behind her, her long blade sheathed with a soft clang.
"Speed is my strength. With Eden's encouragement, I'm even faster than usual," Sakura replied calmly. "This thing is very hard. Its strength is comparable to Soul Steel."
"It's a specialization targeting Ryan, after all. The goal is to make his consumption from breaking it greater than the consumption he gains from eating it."
"Hmm, it is indeed unique. Given the time, Vill-V might be able to manufacture a new material from it."
Sakura glanced at the purple-haired songstress at the ship's bow, then followed her gaze forward to see the dazzling 'stage.'
The beams scattering, refracting, and colliding in the air surpassed any lighting effects. Sonic booms burst continuously. Occasionally, fireballs flew, icebergs crashed, lightning flashed, or hurricanes swept through.
With the Hyperion as the center, energy filled all directions. Sakura reached out, her fingertips tracing the air, feeling the sensation of rolling particles.
"It's so beautiful, like festival fireworks. And the fight is so lively. No one seems to be struggling too much?" Elysia always found beauty. Her purple pupils reflected clusters of brilliant sparks that looked like a protective canopy.
"Because those who survived the Herrscher of Constraint are all strong. After participating in the hunt, everyone has gained new insights."
"Like chicks leaving their mother hen?"
Elysia's peculiar metaphor made Sakura pause for a moment before nodding. "That's about right. Some things need to be carried by oneself to understand their weight."
Elysia was less complicated than Sakura imagined. A moment later, Mei's voice came through the headset, asking her to replace Kevin.
"I'm going to help out. I'll leave the Hyperion to you."
"Understood. No one can breach my final layer of defense."
She's full of confidence. And rightly so. Everyone's brilliance was usually obscured by Ryan, but in reality, they were all very capable.
She floated up. As her field of view expanded, she saw the full picture of the battlefield.
Dozens of kilometers away stood the colossal tree. The endless attacks slammed into Fire Moth's great canopy, splashing countless sparks. Behind the canopy was a surging ball of blood.
It looked like a red ball of yarn, with countless blood threads swaying on its surface. Visually, it was shocking, but a Honkai energy detector would show that the area was incredibly 'pure,' as if a void had been gouged out of the energy spectrum.
"Enjoy your meal, Ryan."
The pink trail quickly disappeared into the night sky. Then, clusters of similarly colored light balls exploded in the distance. The 'Beast' began a targeted evolution. The suppressing fire intensified, and the number of crystal split bodies soared, but the great canopy continued to advance, relentlessly moving forward.
The 'candlelight dinner' on the battlefield had a unique flavor. Ryan had kept his eyes open, admiring the beautiful scene—a principle he had maintained for years.
Though not completely hands-off, he hadn't selfishly treated Fire Moth as a pig farm. Some things he could do, but some required help. At this critical moment, Fire Moth had unhesitatingly stepped forward.
The defense line was impenetrable, completely shielding his front, rendering the 'Beast's' evolution useless. Even when it tried to sneak attacks from underground, they were blocked by Hua and Mobius nearby.
Ryan showed a satisfied smile, watching an enemy trying to sneak attack being hit by green lightning or frozen by a Divine Key, then disintegrated into powder by concentrated fire.
"The benefit of ample manpower is clear. I don't even have to divide my attention to command."
His meal was undisturbed, and his advancing speed was no slower than before, giving the illusion of a total win. But when he considered the effort and time spent to reach this moment, he felt it was all perfectly reasonable.
All that blood and sweat—wasn't it all to be put to use at the crucial moment?
Energy devoured. He had the Authority of Blood for so long, and this was the first time he had the satisfaction of a full meal. Furthermore, the Honkai couldn't easily overcome this advantage.
Step-by-step preparation, one foreshadowing after another. By the time the process reached the end, the situation was already deeply entrenched.
"You cared too much about me. Did you really think Fire Moth was just a group of good-for-nothings?"
The 'Beast' noticed it even without Ryan saying a word. Not only could it not stop his advancing steps, but the 'vacuum' area behind the battle line was also within its perception.
He is using me as sustenance, and he is relentlessly closing in.
His speed was not fast, but it was relentless, like Mount Tai bearing down, urging the 'Beast' to make a choice. Logically, it should choose to give up now, get a little closer, and then detonate the accumulated energy. There would be countless future opportunities. At the current rate, it could create another world-ending crisis in about five years.
The running program was calculating and selecting. The opponent would undoubtedly be on guard. That Constraint domain was truly troublesome. What if the self-destruct failed to cause damage?
The only benefit of doing so would be a pyrrhic victory—depriving Ryan of growth material. But that would mean the Earth would return to tranquility in the short term, giving him ample time to prepare.
He reached this point in four years. Over a long decade, even the Honkai itself wouldn't know the result.Don't forget, this is tranquility, not purity. The energy injected by the Cocoon never disappears.
This was a one-way train with no return. When the first Honkai Beast and the first Herrscher descended, even the Cocoon of End couldn't close the valve.
The problem arose: launching an attack without sufficient strength would only repeat previous failures. If it stood by, the human with the Authority of Blood, Ryan, would surely not stand idly by for ten years. This human mastered Authorities at an astonishing speed. Who could guarantee he wouldn't advance further at the Herrscher level?
Furthermore, the Tree could be controlled, but who could control the Sea? Ryan's control over the Sea's power was still limited because he lacked time, and the pressure from the Honkai was high.
If that pressure suddenly disappeared, guess what kind of trick he could pull off?
The fervent battlefield and cold logic intertwined. The underlying program felt like it was crashing, like a corrupted save file in a game that ran into a bug when trying to reboot.
Time seemed to favor both sides, and the moment for the final decision had arrived:
Should 'He' switch from rebooting to destruction, or should 'He' abandon this trial?
"You may have the luxury of playing chess, but I only have one chance."
Between the heat and the cold, a strong emotion suddenly erupted.
The Tree and the logic behind it had no concept of 'pressure.' It was merely a functional process unable to account for reality under high-speed operation. But Calis was different. He could feel the killing intent closing in. That man was advancing with a thunderous pace.
The feeling was strange. He felt the opponent was both close and distant. He was suspended in the air, close to an indescribable entity. He subconsciously 'twisted' his head to the side.
The Herrscher of Death had stopped thinking. Even her Herrscher personality had been recalled, a clear lesson learned. 'He' was unwilling to send another Authority to Ryan's doorstep.
'It's a good thing I reclaimed my humanity. I can still maintain my self.'
He did not fear death, but after struggling for so long, being instantly determined to die was still unacceptable. He poured all his effort into maintaining his obsession, concentrating his unique Authority, and using this 'internet cable' to touch the supreme destiny.
The timing was perfect. The Cocoon of End was caught in a state of confusion and perplexity because it couldn't find a perfect solution. The Authority of 'Fate' could not be used for direct combat, but fundamentally, it was the closest thing to the Cocoon that wove all things.
This was the condition he had assembled with all his might. He had even established a certain understanding with Ryan. But as he finally used it, he felt like a tiny, insignificant salted fish, struggling forward a single step, just to subtly nudge the thought spiral in his desired direction.
"Failure has been too frequent. A creator of miracles cannot be controlled. If all the Beasts and Herrschers are annihilated, do we start from zero again? Spending decades, centuries, millennia constantly trying? Who can guarantee that he won't use that as a catalyst to forge a new path forward?"
"There is only one chance, right here, right now. The wager is everything—"
"Give Birth to End!!"