"Ask me?"
Kevin's brow furrowed slightly.
Azure ice crystals had already condensed into the shape of a greatsword in his palm.
"Between me and a Herrscher..."
Kevin's voice paused for an imperceptible fraction of a second. His fingers, which had slightly loosened, hesitated for only an instant before clenching tight once more.
"There is nothing to talk about!"
"SWOOSH!"
The greatsword swung through the air.
Ice spikes tens of meters high surged out like a tsunami, rushing toward the seemingly defenseless Xiao Zi—
"BOOM!!"
A sharp roar echoed in the air.
But this was merely the sound of the ice spikes breaking the sound barrier. The probing attack, powerful enough to heavily wound a Judgement-class beast, came to a dead stop before the longsword Xiao Zi held vertically in one hand.
"HSSS!!!"
In complete opposition to the extreme cold of the frost tide, intense heat instantly melted all the ice. The rising steam obscured everyone's vision.
"WHOOSH."
A fierce wind howled past, sweeping the air clean.
As vision returned, the longsword in Xiao Zi's hand was now wreathed in spiraling, intertwined flames of crimson and azure.
"Not a Herrscher of Domination?"
Although he had vaguely sensed that this entity was different, to be able to block that last attack so easily... her level of power far exceeded Mei's estimations for the Herrschers of Domination.
All Herrschers of Domination, once their identity was exposed and they knew escape was hopeless, would launch frenzied, suicidal attacks. Not a single individual Herrscher could maintain their usual rationality under such conditions.
But this one was different.
Not only did she appear before him willingly, she even...
Kevin's left arm, which he had just raised, did not lower, but the frost energy condensed from Honkai Energy had quietly dissipated. This move was originally meant to defend against a sudden attack, but the familiar "wind" and "flame" did not erupt into a storm. Instead, after dispersing the ice spikes he had released, they slowly faded from the blade's edge.
"Correct."
"I am not a Herrscher."
She flicked the vertical sword to her side.
An entity that possessed a Herrscher's authority, and not just one, but multiple, was claiming not to be a Herrscher?
Completely instinctively, Kevin focused all his attention on Xiao Zi's left hand.
Atop a rather thick-looking book, whose pages turned without any wind, rested a regular hexahedron pulsating with a golden halo.
Kevin recognized this object.
To be precise, he had seen something almost identical at Mei's lab—it was one of the only two Divine Keys in human hands that had not been taken by the Monarch. It was also the most important research achievement of Mei's over the past six months:
[First Divine Key · Key of Revelation]
Kevin was well aware of the First Divine Key's abilities. The "wind" and "flame" authorities from just now were indeed not from a Herrscher of Domination, but from the mimicry ability of the First Divine Key.
But...
Kevin did not continue his attack.
The Divine Key in Xiao Zi's hands, while not shattering humanity's understanding, had achieved something the Flame-Chasers had attempted countless times without success. One must not forget, the method Xiao Zi had used to travel to the Quantum Sea was through the Sea of Quanta's gate opened by the [Thousand-Realmed Ichinen] back then.
Kevin's mind was certainly not the sharpest.
However, as long as it was something Mei had taught him, he would strive to carve it into his memory even if he didn't understand it.
"You..."
"Are from off-world?"
The other party showed no intention of attacking.
After much hesitation, Kevin asked the most important question—this was related to another path Mei had envisioned.
"No."
Xiao Zi denied Kevin's assumption.
"I was born on Earth."
"I have just been away from home for a rather long time."
Before Kevin could show his disappointment, Xiao Zi continued.
"However."
"Mr. Kevin, I am indeed part of an extraterrestrial civilization, but it differs quite a bit from what you imagine."
Under Kevin's puzzled gaze, Xiao Zi added:
"According to Xiao Bai's words."
"This is... no, we are creating... a civilization for Honkai Beasts."
"You're a Honkai Beast?"
This was the most unbelievable thing to Kevin.
Of all the Honkai Beasts discovered to date, regardless of their individual strength, none had ever manifested a state so close to a human. The so-called quasi-humanoid Honkai Beasts all appeared in "alien" or "giant" forms.
The only creatures that possessed a human form and used Honkai Energy were Deadwalkers and Herrschers.
And the angel before him—
He could barely sense any aura of a Honkai Beast from her. To be honest, she felt more like one of Mei's new-model Divine Machines... even a Divine Machine had a more distinct Honkai Energy signature than she did.
"Form is not important."
Xiao Zi looked down slightly at her current appearance.
"Humanoid Honkai Beasts, monstrous humans."
"Mr. Kevin, that 'form' you and your companions reveal... what is the difference between it and a Honkai Beast?"
"To be precise," Xiao Zi's voice was as gentle as ever.
But as she spoke these words, her gaze carried an unwavering conviction.
"Humans and Honkai Beasts..."
"The line between us is not as clear as you imagine."
"..."
Xiao Zi's words plunged the scene into silence.
Whether it was Kevin or the teammates he shielded behind him, upon hearing her statement, they all inevitably fell into deep thought. However, what they were considering was entirely different... even with a common goal, how could the perspectives of pure humans and impure humans be completely identical?
Time ticked by softly.
"You have a point."
"But at my level, I cannot determine whether such a matter is right or wrong—that is something for Mei to judge."
Kevin raised the greatsword of ice in his hand once more.
"Your existence..."
"Is very important to Mei."
His snow-white hair was lifted by the sea breeze.
"And as for what you just said... regardless of why you appeared here, please come with me. Mei and Elysia will be willing to hear your suggestions."
"For that..."
"For that, you are willing to use force?"
Xiao Zi finished the latter half of Kevin's unspoken sentence. He responded with silence.
"..."
"Alright."
"SNAP!"
The massive book slowly closed.
Amidst the swirling, surging crimson flames, the Authority of Reason, which had manifested as a book, began to deconstruct and reforge itself, until it became a second longsword in Xiao Zi's hand—
[Judgement of Shamash]
"Xiao Bai was right."
"Mr. Kevin, you are indeed interesting... interesting to the point of being uninteresting."
She now held two swords.
The power of her authorities stained her deep purple wings.
"Mei and Elysia."
"Although I would indeed like to chat with them, it is a pity..."
"That is the job of others."