The tides were hitting the shore, the moon was dim and the stars were sparse. At this edge of the equator, there was not the slightest chill of late autumn. In addition, the concentration of the Honkai was too high, and all insects, birds, and animals had died. Everything was quiet.
If it weren't for the few human bones blown up by the waves, this vine-covered ruin would have a feeling of a paradise.
On the roof, a bonfire was lit. Sakura was half-kneeling on the ground, making tea, while Ryan stood on a high place, looking around the island.
Whether Honkai Beast has intelligence and can use tactics has always been an important topic for Fire Moth.
At least until now, relevant data is still very scarce, but Ryan didn't take it to heart. He knew that there was no trace of collapse at all, but one thing was certain about the previous civilization:
Honkai will use every possible means to destroy human civilization.
"Now the unknown is getting worse. Not to mention my experience, even my foresight has lost its effect."
In fact, it will still be useful in the future. At least Ryan understands that the Herrscher is not a group of brainless world-destroying monsters, just like the Herrscher of Domination, whose strength and destructive power are completely disproportionate. He also knows how to assassinate Mei, just like he can tell who poses the greatest threat.
Human resistance will constantly provide feedback, and then Honkai will adjust it. If they have intelligence and strategies, the Herrscher will even beg for mercy. It all depends on when to use it.
"The starting point is the only thing that never changes. Even if Herrscher and Honkai have emotions and personalities, they cannot defect to the human side, so they cannot be called personalities and emotions."
Ryan took a deep breath. This thing was too scary. As long as the starting point didn't change, having emotions and personality would make Honkai more difficult to deal with.
They can think, be afraid, be curious, learn and adjust their tactics, and never act in a half-hearted manner. They are much better than a group of beasts whose minds are only focused on destruction.
"Ryan, what are you thinking about?" Sakura handed over a few rice balls. The rice balls were warm, obviously scalded with boiling water.
"I'm thinking about the evolution of Honkai. This thing is not a simple monster. All it needs is feedback and opportunity." Ryan held the teacup in his hand and did not say obscure words like imaginary numbers.
Sakura doesn't understand research, so she only analyzes from a tactical perspective: "This is originally a war. The Fire Moths are constantly developing weapons, and the enemy will certainly fight back. It all depends on who can get ahead."
If it were that simple, I wouldn't have to think about life.
Ryan had long realized one thing: the original ending of total annihilation could only be achieved without him, let alone a destiny that did not exist in this world and the need to seize the authority of the Herrscher with his own hands.
Even if he lets someone who is doomed to die survive, the feedback from Honkai will change, it's just a matter of whether the reaction is big or small.
But what Sakura said was not wrong. In a war, it is impossible for only the human side to be strengthened. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if the war ended in collapse?
"No matter what, once you take a step forward, there is no turning back. I can only verify it myself to see how many of my dozens of hypotheses can come true."
A dozen hypotheses?
Sakura raised her eyebrows, thinking that Ryan was indeed very shrewd and had thought about so many things in secret.
"You smart people are trouble. Just curious, what is your worst assumption?"
From her perspective, there was the sea in front of her and a dark jungle behind her. The moist sea breeze carried the smell of blood.
All the Honkai beasts on this island have been killed by the two of them. Just like before, they are like a group of brainless monsters that will jump out and die when they see humans.
"Worst?" Ryan repeated the word with a wry smile on his face, but he couldn't explain it to Sakura.
The worst result is the destruction of the previous civilization. The adjustments made by Honkai are not the limit at all; it is simply because this human civilization is only worthy of allowing Honkai to do those things, release the thirteen Herrschers, and declare the end of the game.
As for the post-civilization era, it is completely useless as a reference because Elysia and Mei have already laid the foundation for them, making Honkai look like a winery.
"The worst result is that there is no upper limit to the collapse. Within this range, all struggles are in vain, unless——"
Ryan took a sudden step forward, drew out his straight sword, and slashed down at Sakura's shoulder.
Crash!
The two bolts of lightning collided and exploded, turning the house and the bonfire into debris. The girl turned her head in astonishment and saw the remaining arc of electricity in the darkness. The starting point was another small island across the sea.
"One can transcend the world limitations!"
Sakura didn't hear the second half of the sentence at all, because the air wave had already blown her away. She finally adjusted her posture in the air and held on to the tough vine.
The electric arc was still there, and a white line was cutting through the sea surface and heading into the distance. This 'surprise' made her breath stop.
Śeṣa was here, and he seized the opportunity to launch a shameless sneak attack. If Ryan hadn't been vigilant the whole time, the two would have been killed or seriously injured.
In other words, his guess was completely correct. The Judgment-level Honkai Beast had been here from the beginning, lying dormant, waiting for a fatal blow, just like...
"It's hunting!"
A strong wind was blowing towards him, but Ryan was not excited at all when he found Śeṣa's trace. Instead, his heart beat faster as if he was getting closer to the truth.
Why is it hunting? Did it know that the Fire Moths wanted to use them to create Mantis, or was it simply targeting me? But how did it know it was me?
The unknown lingered in his mind and the battle was no longer pure, but Ryan was not afraid at all.
Touch it, explore it, kill it!
Making bold assumptions and carefully verifying them, Ryan simply longed for answers, climbing up suddenly like pulling onions out of dry land.
Swoosh——
Another bolt of thunder passed along the sea surface, clearing away the reefs and shipwrecks. Following the flash of lightning, Ryan finally saw the true face of the enemy.
It was a giant, winding snake that was more than ten meters long. It had a flat head and four giant hands. Its body was covered with green lines, and sticky black mud was oozing out from where it touched the ground. A very violent aura was coming towards it.
"In terms of the amount of Honkai energy, it's not weaker than mine, and this feeling..." Ryan's eyes twitched, and he blurted out: "It feels like he's been waiting for me for a long time?"
They neither fled nor confronted the Fire Moth head-on, but simply lurked here, waiting to be conquered. Before the fusion of the warriors succeeded, there were only two people who could conquer it alone.
Interesting.
Ryan, who was climbing rapidly, suddenly stopped in the air, and then fell down like an electrified comet. Looking at the thunder flying like a spear, Ryan gripped the hilt of the sword tightly and swung it down.
Purple lightning dragon roars!
Chi Xiao carried all the energy and transformed it into a roaring thunder dragon, swallowing the spear in one gulp, causing the "comet" to fall.
Boom!!
Sakura, who had just climbed onto the roof, covered her face and saw the island in the distance was as bright as day. The spreading arcs of electricity tore through the sea and annihilated the trees. Even though Śeṣa condensed two flashing lightning swords, his body was still pinned to the ground.
Is this his full strength?
Sakura didn't think too much, she just rushed over there with the knife in hand. The quiet island seemed to come alive, and there were countless Honkai beasts roaring.
She didn't dare to join the battlefield, but she knew that her mission was to stop these miscellaneous soldiers and prevent them from consuming Ryan's energy.
The electric current was entangled, just like the mournful cry of a thousand birds. Ryan looked at Śeṣa under him and basically had an idea:
He is of the same level of strength as me, but he is no match for me.
Even though the strength of the Honkai energy is similar, Ryan's authority is one level stronger than Śeṣa's. After a few seconds, the Thunder Blade was directly cut through by the Straight Sword, and the giant snake began to spin rapidly.
A sword mark was melted on the hard shell, and as soon as Ryan landed on the ground, the huge tail was already in front of him.
Bang!
The air was compressed and then expanded, and Ryan slid out, knocking down trees and boulders on the road. His sword pierced into the ground and stopped right at the seashore.
"Well, your physical strength is indeed better than mine."
His figure flashed and he suddenly appeared ten meters away. He saw the thunder sword merged and slashed at the place where he had just stood, splitting the sea surface and evaporating a puff of white smoke.
It is very resistant to blows and has great power output.
Ryan squatted down, saw the huge knife coming close to the sea surface, and sprinted forward in advance.
Using the technique of magnetic levitation, it only takes a blink of an eye to go from a standstill to a rapid speed. The huge body of the Honkai Beast cannot compete with his agility. If he gets close, that will be Ryan's home court.
Śeṣa obviously understood this principle. He immediately raised his remaining two hands, held the ball of lightning in his palms, and pressed it under his feet without saying a word.
Boom--
Arcs of electricity wrapped in dust surged over, Ryan narrowed his eyes and raised his straight sword.
Thunder at dawn.
The strong electric light was like the first ray of sunlight at dawn. The sprint stopped for a moment, and the energy was offset in the collision, causing the net formed by lightning to bulge high.
Soon, the concentrated energy broke a big hole in the roaring thunder waves and dust, and fell heavily in the center of the island, creating a big pit.
"Faster and sneakier than I thought."
Ryan turned his head and saw that the giant snake on the ground had flown into the air. Its huge body blocked the moonlight, and then it curled up into a ball, like a glowing thunder ball, rolling down with a roar.
Boom boom boom....
A "tire" rolled across the island, leaving behind only lava-like trails wherever it passed, chasing after the enemy closely.
Ryan turned his head and saw the huge "tire" being destroyed with ease, and his eyes became solemn.
This thing can suppress breath and launch long-distance assassinations. If I hadn't been sensitive to electromagnetic forces and had already been hit, I could have used my physical advantages to maximize my abilities.
The crushing speed was very fast and the turning was very flexible, so I couldn't turn around to attack them, and then use those Honkai beasts and mutant beasts to consume my physical strength.
A very insidious tactic, proving that Śeṣa is indeed intelligent and is constantly learning in his cat-and-mouse game with Fire Moth.
"But you haven't learned enough!"
Surrounded by cold air, the Honkai beast that was crossing the sea was being stopped by Sakura and her sword. The speed of the "electric wheel" chasing behind was getting slower and slower. Upon closer observation, some black sand was constantly sticking to Śeṣa's body.
Ryan has used the power of the Third Herrscher to great effect. He used electromagnetic force to suck the iron sand out of the soil, just like coating the constantly rotating "electric wheel" with a layer of chocolate. When Śeṣa slowed down, he suddenly turned around.
In front of the spinning Honkai beast, Ryan looked extremely small, as if he was about to be swallowed up in an instant. He had no expression on his face, he just threw up 'Chi Xiao' and then raised his right fist high.
He exerted all his strength and struck the disc-shaped sword head heavily. The electric arc quickly spread from his arm to the entire sword body. With flashes of light, Chi Xiao turned into a laser and burst out of the sword.
It swept through the night, penetrated Śeṣa, obliterated the mountains and forests, leaving only a blue trail, just like——
Thunder opens the sky!