"Haaahhhh!"
"Boring and useless. Don't you know any other moves?"
"Damn it! So this is a Judgment-class Honkai Beast… This is a Herrscher?! Isn't this a bit too ridiculous?!"
Siegfried broke into a cold sweat as he stared at Elias and Bella, gritting his teeth under immense pressure.
From the very start, he had been on the receiving end of a one-sided beatdown. The synergy between this human and dragon was impeccable, and even individually, both of them far outclassed him in sheer power.
Bang!
"Urghh!"
Elias used spatial teleportation to position Bella at Siegfried's blind spot. The next moment, the dragon girl's fist crashed into his otherwise handsome face.
A punch from a Judgment-class Pseudo-Herrscher could easily reduce a tank to scrap metal.
But as expected from a Kaslana, Siegfried could take a beating. Though his face was swollen and bruised, he remained standing. However, the next second, Elias' relentless assault resumed.
Electromagnetic blasts, searing flames, and even the subspace spear—though Elias was holding back considerably.
If he weren't, a single wave of the Herrscher of Death's black mist would have been enough to finish Siegfried for good.
"Damn it, even my wife never hit me this much!"
"Consider this a lesson."
"Oi, quit hitting my face! Argh! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?! That's it! I'm going all out! Judgment of Shamash—Greatsword Mode!"
"Tch, if you had this move, you should've used it earlier. Not that it'll change anything."
If Herrschers were like Pokémon, then their defining trait would be "Overconfidence."
Even the usually cautious Elias felt a bit cocky dealing with Siegfried.
But there was simply no way he could lose.
(Siegfried Kaslana, combat analysis… Without triggering his Kaslana blood's Honkai Beast-like traits—essentially a controlled version of Herrscher corruption—his combat strength is roughly on par with an S-rank Valkyrie. Aside from strong physical abilities and combat skills, his only true offensive advantage is the Key of Destruction—Judgment of Shamash.)
After thoroughly analyzing the situation, Elias found zero reasons he and Bella could lose to Siegfried Kaslana.
Even if they stood still and let him attack.
"Raaahhhh!"
Siegfried roared as he swung the giant flaming sword.
In Greatsword Mode, Judgment of Shamash's power increased dramatically. Though it placed immense strain on the wielder, a single strike could take down an Emperor-class Honkai Beast.
"Impossible!"
But it did nothing to Elias and Bella.
The flaming sword stopped mid-air, as if striking an invisible wall. No matter how much force Siegfried put into it, he couldn't even graze his targets.
It wasn't magic or some divine intervention.
It was the power of the Herrscher of Wind—Ideal Fluid Creation.
A protective barrier formed from an ideal fluid, an ability that theoretically pushed the limits of physical defense to their absolute extreme. On a smaller scale, it could create vacuum pockets devoid of oxygen. On a grander scale, it could generate winds strong enough to breach the ozone layer.
Used for defense, it was a near-absolute shield. Used offensively…
If not for Siegfried's greatsword shielding him, he wouldn't have lasted even a second—he would've been sliced clean in half.
And so, the merciless beatdown continued.
Ensuring not to deal fatal damage, Elias delivered a thorough and brutal lesson on behalf of Kiana.
"Damn you, Herrscher! Now I'm really pissed! You know you're not supposed to hit someone in the face, right?! How am I supposed to face my wife and kid now?!"
"Hah, then go ahead and hit me! I don't believe you actually have the guts to use that move—Wait, you're actually doing it?!"
For the first time, Elias was genuinely startled.
Siegfried gripped the hilt of his greatsword with both hands. The nonchalance from before had vanished, leaving only the pure resolve of a Kaslana warrior.
This was neither recklessness nor stubborn pride.
It was the will of a man fighting to protect the ones he loved.
"As much as I hate to admit it, you're strong—far stronger than any opponent I've faced before. Even if Cecilia and Theresa were here, I doubt we could win," Siegfried muttered, spitting out a broken tooth.
Flames surged along the blade of Judgment of Shamash, igniting not only the sword but the very man wielding it.
"Which is why I have to finish this before they arrive! Even if I have to bet everything!"
Ever since Kiana was born, Cecilia's health had never fully recovered, and she was far from her former peak.
And Siegfried knew for certain that even if he, Theresa, and Cecilia fought together, they would stand no chance against Elias.
Recognizing the insurmountable difference in strength, Siegfried Kaslana had already made his decision.
As a man.
As a husband.
He would not let his wife face an enemy as terrifying as Elias!
Sure, he was a fool. Immature, unreliable, and an absolutely terrible cook.
But!
When it came to protecting his loved ones, his resolve was second to none!
"So, you actually dared to use it…"
"Of course! To protect those I cherish, I will give my life!"
"And unleash an amazing attack, right?"
Judgment of Shamash—Key of Destruction.
The Kaslana family's 7th Divine Key, a weapon passed down through generations. In its greatsword form, it could unleash its ultimate 0th power—Unleashed.
A single, devastating inferno capable of reducing any enemy to ashes. But this overwhelming power came at a steep cost—whoever unleashed it would burn away along with their target.
"A mortal body needs only burn once! Unleash! Judgement of Shamash!!"
"Siegfried… as much as I still think you're an idiot, I acknowledge your resolve to protect those dear to you."
"Shut up and take the hit, Herrscher!"
A fiery storm engulfed everything, reducing the surrounding landscape to scorched earth. Snow vaporized, and the ground blackened beneath the searing flames. True to its name, Judgment of Shamash brought absolute destruction.
And when the flames finally died down, Siegfried remained standing, sword extended.
His entire body was severely burned, but by some miracle, he had avoided the fate of previous Kaslana clan leaders who perished after unleashing this technique.
Yet before he could even catch his breath—
A slender hand emerged from the dissipating smoke, effortlessly gripping the still-scorching blade of Judgment of Shamash.
And then—
It was pulled from his grasp.
"T-That's impossible!!"
Siegfried's eyes widened in disbelief. He had never heard of anyone surviving Unleashed—let alone coming out unscathed.
Meanwhile, Elias, now holding the greatsword, curiously ran his fingers over its surface, examining every inch of the legendary weapon.
"Perhaps because of its legendary track record, many tend to overestimate this sword. While Judgment of Shamash is undoubtedly powerful… it is not invincible."
With the Herrscher of Fire's authority, Elias could manipulate molecular motion, counteracting a significant portion of Unleashed's power. Adding to that his Imaginary Barrier, Ideal Fluid Shield, and Electromagnetic Shield…
Even Unleashed was far from enough to break through his defenses.
Though, to its credit, it did manage to penetrate one or two of his layers of protection—proving that its destructive power lived up to its reputation.
"As renowned as Judgment of Shamash may be, its true strength came from its original wielder—Kevin Kaslana. The sword itself was never the true force to be reckoned with."
Right now, Siegfried couldn't even unlock Might of An-Utu, let alone compare to the man who used Might of An-Utu as his basic attacks.
However, just as Elias finished his analysis—
"Siegfried!"
"Second Herrscher sighted!"
"Target confirmed—engaging combat mode."
One down, and three more instantly arrived.
Elias sighed helplessly.
Two of them, he immediately ignored.
His gaze locked onto a single individual. The previous relaxed demeanor vanished, replaced by a heightened sense of caution, as if facing a truly formidable foe.
Because the 50,000-year-old flat tablet of Shenzhou had arrived!