Ryan and Kalpas fought like close allies. Kalpas was straightforward, relying on brute strength, while Ryan integrated skills and authority into his combat. But to be honest, Ryan still held the advantage. Kalpas' power was formidable, but it lacked the nuance that made a fighter truly unpredictable. Ryan, with his thousands of battle experiences, could anticipate Kalpas' moves without thinking twice.
Kalpas' strength lay in his directness—his sheer force and relentless aggression. Once his opponent let down their guard, even a Herrscher would fall in an instant.
Of course, from the perspective of the gathered Cocoon, this battle looked like something between gods.
"What kind of monsters are they fighting!?" Xiao leaned halfway out of the cabin, his eyes scanning the ground. The landscape was riddled with ravines and gorges, and the hills were shattered as if struck by meteorites. His mind quickly jumped to a conclusion:
This wasn't a typical exchange of firepower. Judging by the destruction, it was clear that two people were fighting—so the real question was: What kind of monster could cause such devastation?
"Chief, should we continue the mission?"
From the distant canyon, they heard the muffled sounds of explosions and even visible shockwaves, matching the information sent back by Unit 03. Suddenly, they saw a white-haired man soaring into the air, lifting a helicopter weighing several tons as if it were a mere brick.
Xiao remained silent for a moment, thinking deeply. Could there be a Herrscher here? Could the Fire Moth be avoiding this desert, too afraid to provoke him?
It was highly likely. Damn it, we might be the scapegoats.
"Land, set up long-distance communications, and send the information to Zhuhuo..."
Boom!
Before Xiao could finish his orders, a sudden explosion shook the air. He flinched, turning just in time to see a gyroplane erupt into a fiery display, its wreckage falling in a spiral, leaving behind a white trail.
Xiao followed the trail, spotting a figure clad in a combat exoskeleton and heavy helmet. He couldn't discern whether it was a man or a woman, but the individual was holding a second shoulder-fired missile.
"Dodge!" Xiao barked.
The two remaining helicopters began diving, releasing decoy bombs. The Cocoon agents gripped the handrails tightly, and in an instant, their leader jumped down from the helicopter.
A fall from a hundred meters would be fatal even with a powered exoskeleton, but none of the Cocoon were worried. They followed the communicator's orders without hesitation.
"I'll capture this person alive. You, set up the antenna and prepare the coordinates for the 'Scepter of God.'"
They didn't know who the enemy was, but they understood that if they were discovered by the monster's allies, escape would be impossible. They had to act first.
However, after witnessing the battle, even the most arrogant assassin knew he wasn't qualified to fight against such power. This was when the gift from the Pure Blood faction came into play.
Just blast him!
Why is there only one person? Why isn't he going after the monster?
The Owl moved swiftly through the wilderness, calm and composed. After seeing the earth torn apart by the battle, he knew the hunt was over before it even began. The Cocoon couldn't resist such overwhelming power.
But the mission had to be completed. The person in front of him seemed to anticipate that the Cocoon had the authority to use the "Scepter of God," so he had to act quickly to stop it.
"Then I'll capture you and use this situation to divert attention. It will achieve the same effect."
An assassin is not just a berserker; quick thinking is the most essential skill. Xiao's reflexes were sharp, and as he neared within a hundred meters, he narrowed his eyes.
Not running anymore?
Da da da da...
Gunshots rang out instantly, with nail bullets traveling at several times the speed of sound, falling like a storm. Xiao evaded them by halting and changing direction at the last moment, his jet pack spewing out azure flames.
He ascended into the air, the world seeming to slow in his eyes. When the opponent raised their gun, Xiao had already calculated the trajectory, and his shoulder-mounted nozzle activated.
"You can't run away!"
Spiral Slash! He spun down like a top, his two alloy knives slicing through the rifles and cutting a path in front of the enemy.
He was quick, precise, an expert in combat.
The enemy retreated swiftly, and Xiao began spinning again, his two swords forming vortex-like patterns close to the ground. One sword cut at the legs, the other at the waist—speeding up with every turn, moving at tricky angles that made it hard to focus.
Sakura realized she could not retreat. With a flick of her thumb, she stepped forward and drew her sword.
A sudden slash!
Clang!
The sword clash was quick, and Sakura's strike was perfectly timed. At the last second, Xiao leapt backwards, narrowly avoiding the heavy slash, and landed a distance away, frowning.
"Forget-Me-Not?"
"Owl."
The two locked eyes, but neither had any words. There was no righteousness in the poisonous Cocoon—just rules.
"So, you're the traitor."
"Do you think he needs a traitor to lead the way?" Sakura retorted bitterly.
These words silenced Xiao. He didn't know who he was fighting anymore. Judging by the aftermath, it seemed the opponent didn't need any internal support; they could simply plow through them.
"That's right. Then answer me one question, and I won't pursue this further. Who rescued Vil-V with you? And why did they let you go?"
Sakura's lips twitched. This was a tempting offer. If she revealed Ryan's identity, Ling would be safe. After a brief pause, she raised her knife.
"He treated me with sincerity, and I will repay him with justice!"
"You're too foolish. Do you really think we don't have a plan for this kind of monster?" Xiao sighed, holding both his swords horizontally. "After all these years in the Cocoon, haven't you learned that the winner is never the strongest?"
Sakura's eyes widened, and she turned her head as she heard a whistling sound in the sky. A massive hole appeared, and the 'Scepter of God,' descending from low-Earth orbit, was falling straight into the valley.
It's here!
At the same time, Ryan smiled and glanced up. He had fought Kalpas for over ten rounds, and the tide of battle was beginning to shift in Kalpas' favor. The Honkai energy was draining rapidly. The more time passed, the weaker Ryan became, and his chances of winning decreased. But the final goal of the battle had always been to lure in the right moment.
Just as Kalpas was about to strike, a space-based weapon locked onto him. It was the "Scepter of God," and it was aimed directly at Kalpas.
Kalpas raised his head, startled. He had not expected such a weapon to fall from the sky. His anger flared as he realized it was a deliberate intervention.
"You have help!"
Ryan didn't answer. He didn't have time to. The weapon—powerful enough to obliterate an entire town—fell in the distance. He watched as the earth trembled, the blinding light of the impact forcing him to close his eyes. The shockwave from the explosion hit him, and the ground around him cracked open.
The "Scepter of God" could not kill Ryan, thanks to his electromagnetic force field and the authority he wielded. Even though the shockwave pushed him several meters back, he remained conscious and unscathed.
The Cocoon couldn't understand why Ryan hadn't been killed. They didn't know about his authority and the unique capabilities it granted him. Ryan took advantage of their ignorance, using the shockwave to push Kalpas away without fighting directly.
It was time to rest.
Ryan didn't engage further. He quickly turned and moved toward the side, hearing the distinct sounds of clashing swords and Sakura's heavy breathing. It seemed she was at a disadvantage.
The Honkai energy was nearly exhausted, so Ryan hurried toward her, hearing her voice from a distance.
"Forget-Me-Not, last chance, tell me who he is?"
"Didn't you use space-based weapons to destroy it? Why don't you go and take a look yourself?" Sakura spat, her blood dripping from her wrist and staining her blade. Her helmet was cracked, but her face was resolute.
"You're talented, but so stubborn. You won't be the King of Assassins for long."
"Heh, you know the joke I heard recently?" Sakura's lips curled into a sneer. "Someone told me this title is so naïve, no one wants it."
Xiao's eyes twitched. He had no idea what had gotten into Sakura, but he didn't waste time. His next move would settle it.
"Then don't blame me. I'll kill you first and send you to reunite with your sister."
Xiao only knew how to cut the grass at its roots. He sprinted forward, jumped lightly, and when he was three meters away from Sakura, all the nozzles pointed backward.
Zheng——
The blade passed by her chest, so sharp that it even cut through the exoskeleton breastplate and scratched the combat uniform, leaving a bloody mark. Sakura slowly widened her eyes.
It was the same again, he was injured but not dead, his dynamic vision was different from that of ordinary people.
But no matter what she thought, Xiao came back at an even faster speed, holding both swords high and slashing down crosswise. His ferocious eyes stared directly at the blades, and saw the blades cut off the pink hair and touch the top of her head, and then, as if attracted by a magnet, they passed along the sides of the girl's head.
Um???
Xiao blinked, a little confused, completely unable to understand the situation in front of him. Instinctively, his hair stood on end and he quickly raised his head.
The black-haired young man squeezed forward and stabbed his chest with a knife. Even though the world was in slow motion in his eyes, the speed was very fast.
Dodge.
All the nozzles moved at full speed to the left, and he completed a lateral move in a few tenths of a second.
Huh?
Ryan also raised an eyebrow. He didn't expect that this person could actually dodge it. He caught a glimpse of a knife slashing towards his calf, but he walked forward to meet the blade.
Bite!
The thin blade broke into several pieces. Xiao looked at the flashing arc and was somewhat unbelievable. The alloy blade was directly broken, and the man had already arrived in front of him.
His dynamic vision far exceeded that of ordinary people, allowing him to see the other person's face clearly, and he subconsciously opened his mouth.
"It's you..."
Bang.
He closed his mouth with his palm and rose up from the ground. Ryan grabbed his calf and slammed it to the ground like a brick.
Owl sank into the ground and bounced up again, parts of his exoskeleton flying everywhere, his head buzzing, and dynamic vision became a torture at this point.
He watched helplessly as a big foot stepped down, but he could not avoid it. He could only watch as the sole of the shoe touched his chest and crushed him into the mud.
Boom!!
Ryan stepped the man into the ground, and the ground within dozens of meters cracked. Then he lowered his head and looked at the bulging eyes.
"Ha, the King of Assassins!"