The business sedan sped through the streets, tires splashing through puddles, exceeding one hundred kilometers per hour in the storm.
Ryan decisively changed his plans, once again realizing the unpredictability of Honkai.
He'd just sensed the Honkai descent; though he lacked precise instruments, he knew it was coming from the east, near where Mosha had been repelled a few days ago.
The prelude had begun. A heavily wounded Emperor-Class Honkai Beast shouldn't reappear so quickly, but they weren't human; they lacked survival instincts.
When the superior being's "call" came, they would respond without hesitation, disregarding reason.
"The city is experiencing an unusually severe storm. Citizens are urged to evacuate; if unable, stay indoors, lock your doors, and do not go outside."
An evacuation warning blared from the radio; if you listened closely, you could hear a faint rustling sound.
The Honkai energy was rising; the affected area was vast. It had to be: Herrscher of the Void was descending upon Shanghai.
Ryan furrowed his brows, speeding towards the coast, his mind racing.
Mosha was a peak Emperor-Class; its unusual behavior suggested a hypothesis:
The Herrscher's descent was imminent; it responded to the call, seeking to transcend its limits, becoming a collaborative Judgment-Class Honkai Beast?
The more he considered it, the more likely it seemed. It explained Mosha's strange behavior. Honkai Beasts didn't fear death, nor Fire Moth.
Therefore, the storm had arrived; they awaited the thunder.
Passing through the streets, more vehicles appeared; people, sensing the danger, were evacuating. The previously deserted streets became bustling.
But among the dense traffic, a lone speeding sedan drove in the opposite direction, attracting attention.
"What's that car doing? Aren't they supposed to be evacuating? Why are they heading towards the sea?"
"Maybe it's a news crew. This storm is unusual; it'll be a major news story. By the way, why hasn't Dr. Damian left yet?"
"He said he's reached a critical point in his research and must stay at the university to conduct experiments."
"Whatever. Let's just treat this as a mini vacation."
Ryan sped past them, noticing a university-branded vehicle. He instantly thought of his former colleague.
This is terrible luck.
Suppressed by Mei in Chiba, then encountering Honkai in a new location; why does he keep encountering bad luck?
After a moment of distraction, Ryan refocused. He didn't interfere with others; his former colleague's fate wasn't his concern.
'Why bother pretending?'
He reached the fence; the "No Entry" sign swayed. Only a few police cars were parked nearby.
If the previous readings were wrong, the current surge in Honkai energy across the entire area meant Fire Moth's detectors were malfunctioning.
Leaving a few sacrificial lambs to guard this area—who are they trying to fool?
Ryan floored the accelerator, sending the police officers scrambling, then smashed through the fence with a loud clang, pulling out his phone.
"Hello? Is it done?"
"Your junior sister's friend has been picked up and is heading out of the city. I've also contacted Ms. Elysia; the situation in the city is deteriorating."
"What's happening?"
"Zombies and Low-Rank Honkai Beasts have started appearing; fortunately, their numbers are small, and the troops in the city can handle it."
The storm was intensifying.
Ryan tapped the dashboard. He'd seen Fire Moth data: before a Herrscher's appearance, Honkai energy in certain areas would gradually increase; zombies and Honkai Beasts would appear sporadically.
A Herrscher wasn't a nuclear weapon that instantly destroyed large areas; it was more like a radiation source, altering the environment.
Those without Honkai energy resistance would die quickly; some would become zombies, joining the Honkai Beasts in wanton slaughter, destroying everything like locusts. The Herrscher wouldn't bother with ordinary people.
'So the best survival method is to flee the affected area. If escape is impossible, stay indoors and hope for the best.'
Ryan recalled that Shanghai should have been completely destroyed. Even now, at least 10% of the population could survive; he felt a strange sense of wonder.
Changing fate, forging a new path. Multiply this by a hundred thousand, a million times, and this might be a giant leap into the unknown.
Turning the impossible into the possible, altering the course of fate—this was far more interesting than researching the nature of Honkai.
Boom!
A heavy sword fell from the sky, cleaving the business sedan in two; the front half rolled into a field, splashing mud.
The phone went to voicemail. Ato looked at the terrified Carole, then at the calm Hua. "Did you hear?"
"Yes, I understand Senior Brother's decision. He wants to be a hero and protect the people of Shanghai!"
Ato wasn't sure how to respond; he shook his head. "Uh, I think it's a little different. It's not just about protecting everyone; it's more like… he's excited about creating a new path."
"Exactly. It feels like the joy of creating a new martial art technique." Hua patted her friend's shoulder, looking at the chaotic street.
Cars were crashed together, blocking the road; monsters emerged from the alleys, attacking people indiscriminately.
Chaos, slaughter, destruction.
These terrifying scenes flashed before her green eyes, intermingling with her memories of strolling with Ryan two days earlier: Huaihai Road noodle shop, the snack street, the university tea shop, the fleeting moments of beauty now shattered. Helplessness and anger threatened to overwhelm her.
After a moment, Hua took a deep breath, putting on the alloy gauntlets Ryan had given her, as if bravely stepping forward.
"Mr. Ato, I want to fight too. I want to—"
She suddenly punched a zombie lunging at Carole, sending its chest caving in.
"Follow my conviction."
...
Six massive transport helicopters circled overhead. In the distance, a massive storm cloud covered the sky, an enormous, unnatural formation engulfing all of Shanghai.
Purple lightning flickered within the clouds, interfering with electronic systems; it was impossible to imagine the scene below.
A blond man swirled the wine in his glass; the crystal reflected the lightning; behind him was a busy dock.
Fire Moth's airborne command ship, Raven, had arrived immediately upon detecting the anomaly in Shanghai.
Before him was a full-information display, but no images, only the "SOUND-ONLY" notation.
"The plan is in motion; no one can stop it. But Shenzhou is putting pressure on us, seemingly alarmed by the previous evacuation information."
"I know. Those people want to be saviors, but they don't understand that if they don't let go now, they'll lose everything later." Chalice sighed, replying calmly. "We can restore things; Fire Moth needs time to consolidate, to reduce troop numbers. You can interfere now."
A moment of silence. From their perspective, they couldn't discuss evacuation; otherwise, they'd shoulder the blame.
"Okay, but who will take responsibility for this excuse…"
"It's not an excuse. Humanity knows nothing about Honkai; who can guarantee the Herrscher will appear in Shanghai?"
This was irrefutable; no one could bear that responsibility.
"Understood. I'll lead the fleet closer to the coast. Also, Assistant Director, something else to report." Erwin paused before continuing. "Elysia has evaded surveillance; I'm still investigating how."
"No need. She must be heading here; once they notice the problem, they'll think of their savior." Chalice showed no surprise.
"But it's too late. The Herrscher is about to appear; even the aftershocks will cause significant casualties. But a swift defeat is preferable; minimizing casualties while achieving the objective is ideal."
The storm clouds had arrived; their scale was too large to conceal; they'd already set their limits.
Half the city, eight million people—the sacrifice should suffice; the Herrscher still had to be defeated.
Ding!
A soft chime; Chalice pulled out his terminal, seeing a shattered Temple-Class Honkai Beast on the screen; half its body was buried in the ground.
Near the corpse, a black-haired man stood like a mountain. For a moment, he felt observed, instinctively tightening his grip on the wine glass.
Only when the man headed towards the village did he exhale.
"It's finally begun."
Car parts were scattered after the explosion; the rain had turned the field into mud. A five-meter-tall Templar-Class Honkai Beast was embedded in the ground; its upper body lay several meters away.
Rain soaked his clothes, plastering his hair to his forehead. Ryan retracted his right fist, shaking his slightly numb arm.
He'd used his elbow like a hammer, smashing the Honkai Beast into the mud, then, before it could climb out, delivered a devastating Inch-Fist strike, tearing it in half.
In just six months, Templar-Class Honkai Beasts had become insignificant to him. Fortunately, Fire Moth didn't understand this growth rate; otherwise, they would have deemed him a monster.
Great power is understandable, but limitless power is terrifying.
Ryan stretched his shoulders, pulling the crate from the wrecked car. He secured it to his back with nylon straps, wiping the mud from his shoes, and gazed towards the nearby village.
Days had passed; the village, ravaged by the storm, remained the same.
"But the Honkai stench now surpasses the smell of dead fish."
Ryan, without instruments, could sense the presence of numerous Honkai Beasts; the main one was approaching, as if its followers were awaiting their king's arrival.
The Herrscher was about to appear; but who would it be?
No one knew. According to Fire Moth data, a Herrscher was a Honkai Apostle, bestowing power upon a human, who then became the Herrscher's vessel.
Besides knowing the vessel required high Honkai energy adaptability, the rest was a mystery, completely random.
Unpredictable. Hundreds of millions of people couldn't be screened for resistance; no one knew who would be chosen, perhaps even Ryan himself—he was among the top candidates in Fire Moth's records.
"It's just a monster; I don't care who it is." Ryan knew the Previous Era Herrschers were irredeemable; they possessed personalities, but not humanity.
There's still time; I should grab a snack first.
Ryan resolutely headed towards the village. His goal was simple: eliminate the vanguard before the Herrscher's arrival, especially Mosha. A heavily wounded creature wouldn't leave the deep sea unless the Herrscher was imminent.
A wounded, extremely powerful Emperor-Class Honkai Beast would be the perfect whetstone.
"Injured, yet it leaves the deep sea but doesn't flee; it truly is a suicidal fool."
A few kilometers from the village, Ryan stopped. He saw the village's buildings collapsing like dominoes, colossal monsters emerging.
A five-story-tall Chariot-Class, several heavily armored Templar-Classes, hovering Honkai Emperors, and a colossal monster emerging from the sea—a silent army of monsters marching forward, crushing all resistance.
Mosha had moved; the threshold was near.
Ryan could hear his own heartbeat pounding. He looked at the monstrous army in the torrential rain: dozens, no, hundreds of Honkai Beasts charging towards him.
Knight-class Honkai Beasts trampled through the mud; Chariot-Classes cracked the pavement. Before them, Ryan was insignificant.
But the man stood in the rain like a javelin, silently counting in his heart, amidst the thunderous roars, then suddenly looked up.
"Fire Moth used me; now it's my turn. Come on, let these monsters see what civilization's power looks like!"
Whooooosh!
A shower of stars suddenly appeared in the sky, like celebratory fireworks, trailing long tails. Seconds later, the gloomy, rainy sky was illuminated by a series of intense blasts.
Rumble, rumble, rumble…
The ground trembled; the air roared. Hundreds of missiles exploded, transforming into dense fireballs. The torrential rain momentarily ceased; shockwaves formed spheres within the rain curtain.
Beautiful.
From Ryan's perspective, the countryside had become a dazzling chain of pearls; the civilized weapons created blinding light, consuming the monsters.
Honkai energy interfered with electronics, but it didn't matter now. If accuracy increased tenfold, so did the ammunition. This barrage demonstrated humanity's firepower.
No wonder the higher-ups were so calm; they'd used this overwhelming firepower against two Herrschers. Even Ryan, standing at the epicenter of this storm, wouldn't be safe.
"As I suspected, Fire Moth might have other plans, but they wouldn't stand idly by. It wouldn't be negligence, but a crime." Ryan inhaled the smoky air, knowing this was just a small part of it; they were merely taking advantage of the situation.
Because the moment a Herrscher is born, the surge in Honkai energy creates more partners; Shanghai would be destroyed anyway.
"But at least I changed the fate of ten thousand, perhaps a million, people?"
Ryan didn't know, and didn't seek an answer. He simply unhooked the crate, tapping the box; with a whirring sound, a two-meter-long spear emerged, easily held in his hand.
The cold, smooth feel of the metal in his palm was familiar. Ryan glanced at it; the spear, made of hyper-pressure alloy, was plain silver, lacking any ornamentation.
Simple, yet deadly.
"A good spear." Ryan nodded approvingly, knowing the material was top-notch. He lightly tapped it.
Whizz!
The spear spun, scattering raindrops, then was firmly grasped; the meter-long tip touched the ground, then propelled Ryan forward.
Sizzle…
Sparks flew as the spear tip scraped against the cement, like a lightning bolt extending towards the chaotic dust cloud.
The missile barrage had passed; even more deadly creatures approached. Ryan stepped over a Honkai Beast corpse, charging into the dust, meeting a colossal fist.
A five-story-tall Chariot-Class's fist smashed down. Though its body was torn, it felt no pain or fear; this didn't affect its combat capabilities.
Ryan charged forward, leaning away as the fist descended, the spear scraping the ground, describing a graceful arc.
Swish!
Precisely timed, the spear struck the fist's weak point, sending the massive hand flying. Before the Chariot-Class could react, Ryan passed between its legs; the spear, like a knife through butter, severed both its massive legs.
Rumble.
The Chariot-Class lost its balance, shaking the ground. Ryan pressed forward, casually impaling several maimed Knight-class creatures. He stopped abruptly and lunged forward.
Clang!
Cracks appeared on the large shield; the Templar-Class slid back several meters. Ryan didn't pursue, leaping into the air. Blades of light appeared, forming a vortex that shredded the spot he'd occupied.
A Honkai Emperor emerged. Before it could target Ryan, a terrifying pressure descended from above; two blades of light formed above his head.
Boom!
Energy collided. Ryan's Honkai energy was far stronger; the spear pierced through the light blades, embedding itself in the Emperor's chest. Ignoring the counterattack, he twisted and swung.
Crash!
The sudden vortex of blades tore the Honkai Emperor apart. Before its brethren could react, the spear, piercing through the debris and residual energy, impaled another Honkai Emperor's chest.
Ryan lunged forward, the spear passing completely through. At close range, a hidden fist exploded outward.
Advance. Annihilate.
The fist struck the second Honkai Emperor's abdomen; Honkai energy surged, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. Ryan didn't slow down.
Clang!
A second explosion struck a Templar-Class's sturdy shield, then lifted it, using it like a battering ram to topple dozens of Honkai Beasts. Before they could recover, blades of light descended.
The sounds of flesh being sliced filled the air. The remaining Honkai Beasts couldn't rise; Ryan, maintaining a steady pace, gripped the spear's haft, swinging it powerfully.
Upward.
The nearly four-meter-tall steel monster flew into the air. It struggled, watching its enemy use the distance to kill several more creatures. As it fell, Ryan was waiting.
The spear wrapped around its neck; following the body's movement, Ryan gripped the shaft, swinging it with force.
Thump!
The rain curtain was pierced; a Low-Rank Honkai Beast, known for its defenses, flew like a cannonball, striking a larger Chariot-Class.
The previously intact Chariot-Class lowered its head, seeing its chest completely shattered, deeply embedded with tattered remains.
The slow-moving behemoth paused, its crimson eye slowly rising, meeting the gaze of the human standing above it; its eye was cold, as if looking at a corpse.
Rumble…
With a heavy thud, the creature created a cloud of dust. Ryan stood on its corpse, gazing ahead.
The sky was dark, the rain torrential, the sea waves crashing. A three-clawed "crab" stood on the dock; its chitinous shell was riddled with holes; only one eye remained.
Even with its Honkai core, a few days wouldn't be enough to heal its injuries. It looked at the powerful, familiar enemy.
"Long time no see." The man landed lightly, plunging the spear into the corpse behind him.
"Let me send you on your way."