Xiang Yu had abandoned his flesh and transplanted his soul into a mechanical body.
But why?
Was it because his original body was diseased, nearing its limit?
Yet, that didn't seem to be the case.
No, it was likely for greater power and an extended lifespan.
Just as future humans would attempt to break the limits of their short-lived existence, one method was to transfer their consciousness (soul) into machines to achieve immortality.
Upon closer inspection, Brunhilde sensed that this mechanical body wasn't purely a product of technology, nor was it solely a creation of magic (immortal arts). Instead, it seemed to be a fusion of both?
Then, who had crafted this mechanical body for Xiang Yu? How had they acquired such technology? Had they received support from the Eastern immortals?
"Sister, over there—!"
Randgriz pointed toward the river, where something was amiss.
Brunhilde turned her gaze to the flowing waters, toward the distant end of the river. There, the surface churned violently, surging toward them.
It was as if something monstrous was rushing through the water, barreling straight for them.
"That's—!"
An ordinary human wouldn't have been able to make out anything at this distance, but Brunhilde saw it clearly, her expression tightening in shock.
There was indeed something massive surging through the river toward them.
In the West, such a creature would be called a "monster," while in the East, it was known as a "yao"—a demonic beast.
It appeared to be a colossal water serpent, coiling through the river and generating massive tidal waves that crashed toward them.
If they didn't move, those waves would sweep all hundreds of them into the river.
Had the creature targeted them, intending to devour them?
Its frenzied movements suggested an almost ravenous impatience.
Brunhilde's gaze returned to Xiang Yu, who had also sensed the approaching malice.
He raised his halberd high above his head, twisting his body slightly.
In simple terms, he was preparing to hurl it.
The next instant—
The air exploded.
A thick white mist erupted around Xiang Yu, formed from the violent compression of air as he launched the halberd with unimaginable force.
The weapon was already gone from his grasp.
The excessive speed tore through the air, producing a sharp whistling sound.
The extreme velocity, combined with friction against the air, caused the halberd to glow red-hot, leaving a trail of orange-red light in its wake.
The sheer speed skimmed across the river's surface, the high-pressure airflow generated by the halberd splitting the water apart.
The fissure in the river spread toward the massive serpent charging forward.
Thus, in the very next moment—before the serpent, which had been churning the waters like a tempest, could even react—the halberd struck, shredding its body into countless fragments as a dense mist of blood exploded outward.
Was this the power of Xiang Yu after obtaining a mechanical body? With just this single strike, he could already rival an ordinary demigod.
But merely matching a demigod wouldn't be enough to defeat the gods. Yet Brunhilde believed this wasn't the full extent of Xiang Yu's current strength.
After all, this was his first time wielding this body—he was still unfamiliar with it. That attack was likely just a test of his capabilities.
Her pupils constricted as Brunhilde realized it wasn't just the water serpent surging toward them—more demonic beasts were rapidly devouring the serpent's remains before charging viciously in Xiang Yu's direction.
This sight left Brunhilde somewhat puzzled.
Looking into the eyes of these beasts, each one was filled with madness, as if Xiang Yu possessed some kind of miraculous elixir they were desperate to seize.
A miraculous elixir? Perhaps there was some divine artifact within Xiang Yu's new body that was attracting these creatures.
Immediately, under Xiang Yu's command, everyone retreated into the teleportation gate. He alone remained by the riverbank, ready to face the oncoming horde of demonic beasts.
When dozens of magical beasts were about to reach the riverbank, Brunhilde realized her earlier assumption had been wrong.
These beasts weren't targeting Xiang Yu—their goal was the portal.
Was the portal something valuable?
No, it was more accurate to say that whatever lay on the other side was what drew them in, driving them into a frenzy.
Faced with such a horde, Xiang Yu clenched his fist and delivered a devastating punch forward.
At that moment, the air trembled violently—no, it was space itself that shuddered.
The charging monsters crashed into what seemed like an invisible wall of air, howling in agony.
In truth, they hadn't hit an actual barrier.
Xiang Yu's strike had destabilized space, causing it to warp chaotically, and the beasts collided with the distorted dimensions.
The weaker creatures died instantly on impact.
Witnessing this, Brunhilde's pupils dilated, her body trembling faintly.
To achieve such an effect with sheer physical force alone—this was no feat an ordinary demigod could accomplish.
Brunhilde had seen a similar technique before, one that disrupted space to create obstacles. It belonged to a certain figure—Hercules, the Greek god of strength.
At this moment, Brunhilde knew these beasts stood no chance.
Yet, strangely, despite Xiang Yu's overwhelming power, the creatures showed no intention of fleeing. They still frantically rushed toward the portal.
What kind of allure did that portal hold to strip them of their reason?
"What… lies beyond?"
The last surviving beast—a horned serpent, the strongest of them all—uttered these words in its final moments of clarity.
Brunhilde pricked up her ears. Would Xiang Yu answer?
"The Qin Empire!"
Xiang Yu's reply left her stunned and bewildered.
Whether the beast heard his answer or not, it had already closed its eyes, its life extinguished.
With a single stomp from Xiang Yu, the ground quaked violently, as if mountains were shaking and the earth splitting apart.
The corpses of the beasts were swallowed by the churning earth, buried deep beneath.
Once finished, Xiang Yu strode toward the portal, where only one figure remained standing—his own physical body.
Suddenly, he turned his gaze toward her.
That piercing stare seemed to transcend the barriers of time and space, pressing down on her with such intensity that cold sweat trickled down her face.
Then, Xiang Yu smirked, his expression inscrutable.
Had she been discovered?
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