Torrential rain fell; unfortunately, Honkai Beasts didn't bleed; otherwise, the ground would have been awash in blood. Even so, the air was thick with the stench of destruction.
Behind Ryan lay a scene of devastation—cratered ground, hundreds of Honkai Beast corpses scattered everywhere. Before him lay the vast ocean and the Emperor-Class Honkai Beast he'd just defeated.
Rain poured down; Ryan stood still, observing Mosha's movements. Unfortunately, the Honkai Beast lacked intelligence, showing no surprise at its enemy's presence.
Rumble…
The heavy rain blurred everything. Water cascaded down his forehead. Ryan's pupils constricted.
Gone. The massive Honkai Beast had vanished from his sight—no, from all his senses.
This mysterious disappearance was startling, but Ryan, having faced Mosha before, was prepared.
Mental control? No, a distortion of consciousness?
Without hesitation, his legs dug into the ground; he gripped the spear haft and swung it with force.
The four-story-tall Chariot-Class corpse was flung into the air, then, a moment later, glowed crimson, like boiling shrimp.
Boom!
Like a giant swinging a greatsword, energy surged through the corpse, cleaving a section of cliff face in half; dozens of tons of rock fell, creating a massive splash.
That momentary distraction was enough. Ryan leaped backward, watching the ground ahead turn molten; his brows furrowed.
Long-range attacks were devastating; a single misstep, and there would be nothing left to find.
The energy was terrifying; Ryan didn't want to be hit. He didn't hesitate, first sidestepping, then changing direction.
Swish!
A smaller, faster beam of light passed before his feet, bisecting a Templar-Class corpse; the cut was clean, like a laser.
The origin of the beam… there!
Before his foot touched the ground, Honkai energy formed a flat "tile" on the mud. Ryan jumped, cleaving the rain curtain, instantly closing the distance.
Nothing!?
There was nothing on the hillside. Without thinking, he rolled forward, his hidden fist exploding outward.
Whizz!
Intense heat seared his back; his muscles burned, but Ryan ignored the pain, focusing on the distant feedback.
A miss?
The falling beam didn't collide with any energy, indicating a direct hit on empty air. He pushed off the ground, leaping forward, his brain working at full speed.
Ryan wasn't a reckless warrior; facing a powerful opponent, he remained exceptionally calm, like a scientist meticulously analyzing data.
Using Imaginary Space to teleport? No, the attacks were launched simultaneously; it couldn't move that fast.
Ryan quickly dismissed that idea. Combining this with previous information, there was only one answer—
It was still a distortion of consciousness; it wasn't actually there; of course, he missed.
This answer was correct. The question remained: how to deal with this spiritually-specialized Honkai Beast?
The rain and dust completely obscured his vision. Relying on Fire Moth was useless; they wouldn't launch tactical nukes, even if it meant killing him too.
Maintain distance; it's not as fast as me.
Stopping, changing direction, charging—a fluid series of movements, dodging beams of varying sizes, Ryan felt like he was dancing through a hail of bullets, remaining calm.
After about ten seconds, having covered several hundred meters, Ryan smiled.
Found it!
An indescribable sensation, as if the fog had cleared, revealing the truth. Ryan planted his feet, spun, and smiled.
"So, that's it."
The colossal Honkai Beast appeared before him as if by magic. It wasn't on the coast; it was standing on the village ruins, its massive, black eye focused on him.
An intense wave of dizziness washed over him, but Ryan leaped sideways, circling Mosha, drawing his conclusions.
"Its ability is mental control, but my Honkai energy resistance and willpower are too strong; it can only distort my consciousness. Within a five-hundred-meter radius centered on it, a mental field is created. That's why I couldn't find it when I tried to close the distance."
"If I maintain distance, it uses its eye to monitor me, as if concentrating its energy."
These thoughts flashed through his mind; Ryan felt Mosha was more difficult than Adieto—lacking the overwhelming force, but with superior abilities.
Control, defense, and long-range attacks were all present. But the mental field's range was limited. If expanded tenfold, it would be almost invincible, except for a nuclear strike; and if it retreated into the water, it would be practically unbeatable.
"Fortunately, you emerged and were injured."
Ryan's daring approach was based on calculated odds. He spun, the spear, enveloped in Honkai energy, swinging.
Whizz!
A beam of light streaked across the sky. Ryan continued charging, leaping fifty meters away.
The beam melted a large hole in the ground, a deep crater. Ryan had lost sight of his target; retreating, he spotted Mosha moving to his right.
Its many legs moved rapidly; in an instant, the colossal body shifted dozens of meters.
Four hundred and fifty meters.
Ryan's every move had been precise, noticing the mental field's shrinking area. This was natural; even with a core, Honkai Beasts didn't possess unlimited energy.
Mosha was injured; its outer shell wasn't fully repaired; it lacked energy.
Emperor-Class Honkai Beasts possessed intelligence, but their existence was too short; they were predictable. Noticing this, Ryan first sidestepped, then focused on Mosha's lower body.
Blades of light, formation.
Combining long-range control and energy shaping, he created a five-meter-long blade just before Mosha moved. Then, Ryan stood motionless.
In that instant, the black eye locked onto him, like a hammer descending on his head; Ryan lost consciousness, feeling the deadly energy gathering.
Mosha had lost patience; this beam was two or three meters thick, enough to bisect an aircraft carrier. Simultaneously, the blade struck its rapidly moving leg.
Whizz—Swish!
First came the sound of the blade slicing through chitin, then a crimson beam of light passed over Ryan, streaking towards the horizon. Mosha collapsed to one side; the fatal blow missed; the black eye lost its target.
Ryan instantly regained consciousness, seeing the brilliant beam, feeling the intense heat; the rain evaporated before reaching the ground. He felt neither fear nor excitement; he simply observed.
So close, yet so far.
While the colossal creature was rising, Ryan, positioned outside the mental field, leaned back, energy accumulating in the spear, forming a swirling vortex. Then, his left foot slammed into the ground.
Boom!!
Within several meters, raindrops, mud, and Honkai Beast debris were suspended mid-air. Using his left foot as a pivot, Ryan shifted from a leaning-back to a forward position, throwing the spear.
Spiral Falling Star spear!
Whoosh!
A pale circle exploded in the rain curtain; the spear whistled through the air. Ryan didn't falter; the throw propelled him upward. He swung his arms, sprinting.
The spear struck Mosha's raised claw; energy was drawn into a swirling vortex, followed by blinding sparks.
Energy dissipated in a shriek; the hyper-pressure alloy spear continued forward, piercing a large hole in the claw, then penetrating the colossal body, reaching the core.
Mosha, already with a severed leg, lost its balance, its back twisting; its black eye desperately searched for its enemy. Before it could lock onto Ryan, a crimson short spear followed.
"Do you know why I severed your left leg?" Ryan smiled gently, watching the short spear approach, aiming for the black eye.
Boom!
A crimson sphere exploded behind Mosha; its eye was destroyed; the blast melted a large hole in its chitinous shell.
Before the colossal creature could recover, Ryan, standing outside the mental field, leaned back, energy surging through his spear, creating a swirling vortex. Then, he slammed his left foot into the ground.
Critical strike. Shattered metal.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Three consecutive blows, each more ferocious than the last, drove the spear deep into the body, sending Mosha crashing to the ground; then, Ryan plunged into its body.
The Honkai Beast had no flesh or organs; within the hard chitin was empty, pure energy. In this strange world, he saw a "spirit."
It was a rhombus-shaped crystal—the core that animated the Honkai Beast's colossal body. Ryan wasted no time, grasping it.
"Reveal your essence to me!"
Mosha remained motionless, like a boulder, silently enduring the torrential rain. The dust settled; the drone finally transmitted the image.
Silence reigned on the Raven's bridge. From above, the scene was even more shocking.
Craters everywhere, corpses everywhere; not a single intact building remained. Mosha's colossal body was the most prominent feature. The Emperor-Class Honkai Beast that had baffled the South Shenzhou branch was motionless; it showed none of the terror that could obliterate a destroyer squadron in two or three strikes.
Exclamations arose; only Chalice frowned.
"What benefit does it bring to kill Mosha single-handedly? Could it be…"
His doubt vanished as a pair of hands emerged from Mosha's tattered back.
Like splitting a coconut, tearing through the chitin, a figure emerged, expressionless, looking at the drone.
Ryan. Returned.
...
Torrential rain continued to fall; Mosha had created a large crater in the village ruins, collecting rainwater to form a small pool.
"Phase one complete."
Ryan exhaled a plume of white smoke, withdrawing his gaze. Fire Moth had provided some assistance; let them watch.
Their motives were irrelevant; strength would silence any dissent. Transcending limitations was why Ryan could escape such situations.
Anything could be attempted, explored; the difference lay in whether it was forced or self-motivated.
Expansion should be free, but few possess this freedom, highlighting its value—like his presence in Shanghai.
Because I chose to, without many reasons.
Focusing again, Ryan extended his hand; energy coalesced into a red sphere, illuminating his pleased face.
"700HW of energy; enough to break through defenses," Ryan mused, though not ecstatic.
A top-tier Emperor-Class Honkai Beast, plus its minions, only increased his energy by 200HW; this proved that Emperor-Class Honkai Beasts didn't necessarily grow exponentially like Adieto.
"It's mysterious; I still don't understand the energy increase formula."
Ryan shook his head, absorbing the high-concentration Honkai energy sphere. In this world, energy was only fundamental; something else was more important.
His grey eyes turned pitch-black, like ink spreading in water; even the whites were "stained." Then, Ryan felt a strange sensation.
It was as if he'd entered an invisible spiritual realm; everything had both real and imaginary aspects. This strange sensation warned him of the outcome.
Lifeforms emitted an invisible spiritual light, and he could touch it, consume it, control it.
This was difficult to explain; it was similar to the upcoming spiritual warrior fusion project—rare, even the participants couldn't explain its nature.
Invisible phenomena were always profoundly mysterious; even with Ryan's knowledge, he couldn't fully explain it.
"Theoretically, this is the effect of Imaginary numbers on the real world; fundamentally, it's an application of Honkai energy, thus affected by Honkai energy resistance. Even as a byproduct, it's still affected by the target's willpower."
Ryan stood in the rain, lost in thought, sighing after a long while.
He'd killed too efficiently, leaving no material for experimentation, no time to practice controlling this power.
But his luck lay in his ability to adapt. Once he'd taken a step, countless possibilities appeared. No matter how mysterious the power, he'd quickly master it and use it better than its original wielder.
Turning, Ryan drew the spear; it was now black; the once-smooth surface was etched with signs of corrosion. Fortunately, the hyper-pressure alloy was durable enough not to affect its functionality.
"Two more full-power activations, and it'll be destroyed. The materials alone cost over a million Euros; Mobius would be heartbroken." He chuckled cruelly, then thought that he should accelerate Soulium research and production.
Weapons are crucial; they enhance lethality and offer versatility. I don't know how to throw a rocket punch.
He returned to the wrecked car, hearing ringing. He found his phone amidst the wreckage.
"Senior Brother, are you… alright?"
Hua's voice was urgent, with static interference.
"I'm fine; I dealt with Mosha. It's sleeping soundly." Ryan sat in the wreckage, soaked, unconcerned. "What about you? What's that noise?"
Hua wasn't surprised by the Honkai Beast's death; in her eyes, Ryan was invincible.
The wind whipped against her raincoat. The girl stood on an overpass, seeing the dense traffic below, surrounded by chaos.
Countless cars were jammed together; no one could move. Soldiers were using loudspeakers.
"Everyone, get out of your vehicles and walk."
Helicopters flew overhead, their lights flashing in the darkness; sporadic gunfire was audible—evacuation forces engaging scattered Honkai Beasts and zombies.
It was chaotic but not hopeless. The Honkai's influence was limited to Shanghai. Beyond the expressway, it was a safe zone.
Hua relayed her observations, making the man at the storm's center silent.
Ato had done well, contacting the military to maintain order and evacuate people. Fire Moth's goals had been achieved; this Honkai impact's scale and population density were too great to suppress.
Escape was fortunate; the city was now a hellscape; even if Fire Moth deployed all its forces, it couldn't suppress the chaos.
"I'm glad you're safe. What about Carole?"
"I took her to the military base; it's safe there. Mr. Ato is commanding the scene, and I…" Hua hesitated, nervously asking, "I want to join the battle, to protect the evacuees."
"You're afraid I'll be angry?"
"A little." Hua was genuinely scared; Ryan had told her to evacuate for her own safety; how could she risk it?
At that moment, a loud laugh crackled through the phone.
"Hua, you're quite endearing. Don't worry about what I think; you're not my possession. So…" Ryan stood in the downpour, shouting. "Go forth; follow your conviction; forge your future!"
"Yes!" The girl stood at attention, as if a switch had been flipped. Before hanging up, she softly replied, "Thank you, Ryan."
Without waiting for a response, she crossed the barrier, clenching her fists, looking towards the sea of zombies.
The busy tone filled the receiver. Standing silently in the rain, Ryan smiled.
That girl, she actually shouted my name. But it's good.
He vaguely remembered Hua as just a survivor, found trembling by Fire Moth, having lost friends, classmates, and all aspects of her normal life. But this time was different.
The girl had become a protector, bravely standing up. Though this path might lead to her death at the hands of a Honkai Beast, Ryan wasn't worried.
Fate was capricious; he'd shattered the original trajectory. Kevin, Hua—their fates were heading into the unknown; no one could predict the ending, nor force them back.
Escape was futile; Ryan couldn't shield them from every storm.
So, charge forward, follow your conviction, explore your unknown destiny.
"But I must walk at the front of this path." Ryan looked up; the torrential rain had stopped; around him, only the sound of dripping water filled the silence, a disturbing quiet.
The clouds, far from dissipating, thickened, pressing down like a dark shroud. It was afternoon, yet it seemed like midnight.
Silence concealed terror. Standing amidst the ruins, Ryan remained calm, gazing at the sky.
Boom!!
Without warning, a tremendous roar shattered the silence, like a war drum, resonating in the hearts of Shanghai's millions; then, pure terror erupted from within.
Ryan felt it too, but unlike the others screaming and fainting, he tensed every muscle, looking up.
A purple lightning bolt sliced through the darkness, lingering in the air. In an instant, hundreds of thousands died or transformed into zombies. Fire Moth's Honkai energy detectors blared; chaos erupted on the Raven.
Even Ryan trembled slightly from the sheer power; instincts urged him to flee, to hide. But a stronger emotion replaced it.
The desire to alter the course of history. Even if futile, even if some would die at the hands of Herrscher tomorrow, at this moment, Ryan wanted to change this trajectory. Only one thought remained:
The thunder has finally arrived!