The ordeal wasn't over yet.
Five thousand years ago, Chiyou's consciousness had been severed, but his body persevered intact due to its extraordinary resilience.
Now, fueled by the high concentration of Honkai Energy unleashed during this Major Honkai Eruption, the massive creature kneeling beneath the waves continued regenerating its lost half-body. However, given its enormous size, the healing process appeared painfully slow.
Moreover, the thick layer of charred earth left behind by Red Lotus' strike made it impossible for even Zeke, descending directly above Chiyou, to discern any movement within the scorched ground below.
"Whoosh!"
A fleeting black shadow flashed across the sky, catching the falling Zeke.
"Many thanks," Zeke said, his limp body draped over Fu Hua's armored back as he continued to watch Chiyou.
Fu Hua glanced down at the horrific state of Chiyou's exterior and sighed deeply.
"It was the least I could do."
"How was my 'Red Lotus'? Any feedback?"
"You've yet to master Divine Essence, but you can already harness Honkai Energy far greater than that of a Herrscher with remarkable control. The power behind that strike is beyond imagination; there isn't much advice I can offer. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely you can replicate such an attack again anytime soon, or else we might have completely obliterated Chiyou's body."
Fu Hua spoke with evident regret.
Although she no longer remembered her past encounters with Chiyou and her former friends, on some subconscious level, Fu Hua felt an intense loathing towards this colossal beast.
Zeke pointed at the scorched "ground" below, signaling for Fu Hua to descend while saying:
"Indeed, that was my current limit. If I were to attempt another strike like that, it'd likely take at least three months from now? This situation truly caught me off guard. Such a monstrous size—it doesn't seem remotely possible for any creature to be nurtured within our planet."
As Zeke spoke, Fu Hua gently descended and touched down.
Zeke jumped off her back, knelt amidst the scorched earth, and plunged his hand deep into the soil.
Despite reaching as far as he could, all Zeke retrieved were insignificant chunks of burnt debris. He couldn't help but furrow his brow.
"Blow open a hole for me," Zeke said matter-of-factly, still not looking up, as he rubbed the charred fragments between his fingers.
Understanding it was a command directed at her, Fu Hua raised her hand and forcefully struck downward.
"Short-inch Strike: Rockbreaker!"
BOOM!
A magnificent crater formed within the scorched earth. As Zeke stood, his legs suddenly buckled, causing him to sway backward.
"Careful!"
Fu Hua swiftly supported him, feeling how light he weighed, almost like a feather. Her lips pressed together, a sense of unease welling up inside her.
No matter how prodigious or powerful Zeke might be, it couldn't change his youthful age. Yet despite his tender years, he had already achieved incredible heights. What force compelled him to advance so rapidly? Perhaps it was this relentless world itself?
Fu Hua's gaze dimmed, shifting to Zeke's expressionless yet slightly pale face. Involuntarily, her demeanor softened.
"What do you need?" she asked softly.
Zeke responded without hesitation:
"Give me a piece of fresh flesh, preferably with distinct biological characteristics."
"All right, rest here while I fetch it; I'll be back shortly."
After helping Zeke sit down, Fu Hua darted into the deep crater. In the blink of an eye, she returned carrying something resembling a fragment of dark brown rock.
Zeke accepted the shard, took a deep breath, and strained to channel some Honkai Energy, his eyes shimmering with purple light.
Activating the Key of Thunder's ability, he gained a higher-dimensional perspective.
Instantly, the tissue structure and genetic blueprint within the fragmented flesh unfolded as vast amounts of information before Zeke's eyes.
The purple glow persisted for about ten seconds before Zeke put down the shard and murmured:
"As expected, it's far from over."
"What have you discovered?"
"I've found that our troubles exceed initial expectations by a significant margin," Zeke replied to Fu Hua.
At that moment, behind them, a nearby Honkai Beast sensed their presence and approached swiftly, raising its massive forelimb to stomp on Zeke.
"Boom!!"
With a casual punch, Fu Hua shattered the monstrous creature, towering like a skyscraper.
"Crash! Crash! Crash!"
Following the sounds of earth breaking, more Honkai Beasts emerged from beneath the scorched ground, encircling the duo.
"Should we leave first?"
"No, I still have matters to attend to."
"I'll go take care of these Honkai Beasts. If you need any help, just let me know."
"All right."
Zeke watched Fu Hua depart. Soon, amidst thunderous explosions, the colossal monsters emerging from Chiyou's body burst one after another.
He looked up at the vast blue sky, where countless tiny shadows were swiftly returning from the distant horizon.
The Hyperion was on its way back.
To avoid being swept away by the terrifying power unleashed with Red Lotus' strike, this airborne aircraft carrier—incorporating humanity's most advanced technologies—had swiftly retreated hundreds of miles under Welt and Hera's protection.
But now, to assess Chiyou's condition and more importantly, ensure Zeke's safety, it returned at top speed once again.
"That attack surpassed any act of destruction in human history by far. Even my Honkai fission bomb would be no more than a tiny firecracker compared to it. The situation for Zeke looks dire."
Hera paced anxiously around Welt, biting her thumb, evident worry etched across her beautiful face.
She had miscalculated.
While she anticipated that Zeke's move would be extraordinary and eagerly awaited seeing his trump card, she never expected him to go all out like this.
Even the legendary Kaslanas, barring Siegfried the reckless, could barely withstand using Heaven's Fire Greatsword once.
Given the sheer terror, the unimaginable magnitude of the power just witnessed, what price must have been paid? Whether it was Chiyou or Zeke's ultimate gambit, none of it mattered anymore. What truly mattered above all else was ensuring Zeke survived!
As Hera contemplated the dream she had pursued for five centuries, her foot inadvertently dug deep into the Hyperion's high-strength alloy deck.
"Arrange for the best medical facilities... No, my old friend is nearby too. If needed, even just stabilizing Zeke's consciousness would suffice... Clones, clones—the experiments were halted by Zeke himself. I can't clone him under his watchful eye, and without a backup body prepared beforehand, that becomes another issue... Welt, don't just stand there, boy! Where's your Herrscher Authority? Keep accelerating!"
Hera glared fiercely at Welt, shedding any pretense of elegance and composure, with unbridled menace now clear on her face.
The accumulated malice of five hundred years sent shivers down Welt's spine in an instant, making him feel as if he were plunging into the Abyss.
Welt forced a wry smile. "I'm already working on it; no need to rush me. I'm deeply concerned about Zeke too."
Despite considering himself an old acquaintance of Otto, only now did Welt realize that this inscrutable man had never truly taken him seriously. At least until this moment, he had never sensed such pure and intense murderous intent from Otto before.
Fortunately, Zeke, who could keep this guy in check, was on Anti-Entropy's side!