The Horn Has Sounded; Their Number Is Six.

The victory in a Herrscher Subjugation Battle had come only at the cost of countless machines and several squads. Had it not been for Kevin's bravery and strength at the end, the Fourth Herrscher would have caused even greater destruction and losses. This terrifying casualty ratio made Moth to Fire's upper ranks feel a sense of urgency, driving them to desperately seek ways to strengthen Moth to Fire's combat power. (Or perhaps the Fourth Herrscher's arrival on Mu Continent, closer to where they were stationed, had given them a sense of crisis.)

At the same time, the Research Department had made some progress. Then they happened to encounter Gabriel, a powerful Honkai Beast that might have appeared because of the Fourth Herrscher, along with the endless tide of Honkai Beasts emerging from the sea and coming ashore... For all these reasons, the higher-ups had deployed weapons that had not yet completed testing, hoping to gauge their effects through this battle.

That had gone a little off-topic. Let us return to the present... Somewhat relieved, Hen turned to look at Xi Wang and Sakura's squads.

He had thought their squad members would share his own members' concerns over the new weapons in their hands, but he found that they had none at all. They even seemed rather excited.

They muttered strange things like, "Great! New equipment!" and "Finally... finally! Only at times like this do I feel like I'm not in a rescue or medical squad..." Clearly, Xi Wang and Sakura's habit of directly abandoning their squad members to clear areas on their own had left quite a "shadow" on them.

Of course, what Hen cared about most here was Xi Wang and Sakura. The weapons they had received differed from everyone else's—not firearms, but blades.

Taking their usual weapons into consideration, the blades had been designed in the form of katanas. Their backs were white, while the hilts and edges were black. At the border between the black and white, a faint glow of clearly flowing energy could be seen.

"How is it? Are you getting used to it?"

Hen asked with considerable concern. Aside from these blades, neither of them had taken any other weapons, meaning they still intended to fight Honkai Beasts at close range in the coming battle.

"It is alright. It is heavier than it looks, but that is not a problem for me."

Sakura smiled and nodded.

"I don't care."

You replied casually, poured a piece of candy from the Candy box into your mouth, then slipped it back into your inner pocket—there was barely any candy left. You would have to restock immediately after returning.

"Though I trust your skills, your positions in the coming operation will be extremely dangerous... I am not criticizing your combat methods, but if anything unusual happens or you sense danger, remember to retreat at once. We will cover you."

Hen spoke very seriously.

"Thank you for your concern. And the same goes for you, Captain Hen. You have a family, so do not put yourself in too dangerous a position."

"Heh~ Who can say?"

Sakura responded politely, but Hen merely smiled, clearly unwilling to dwell on the subject.

"Griseo will miss you."

Xi Wang suddenly reminded him.

"...We'll see."

Hen paused, then did not continue the topic.

After all... who could say for certain what would happen on the battlefield?

"Attention, everyone. We have arrived at the destination."

"Alright, enough chatting. Time to support our comrades!"

The pilot's announcement had arrived. You immediately ended the conversation and gripped your equipment tightly. As the cabin door opened, the previously muffled sounds of artillery fire became clear in an instant. Countless wails, shouts, and roars blended together, only to be swiftly drowned out by fiercer gunfire. Then came the sound of surging seawater, along with the trembling impact of countless monsters, countless Honkai Beasts, charging and attacking.

Ah... the detestable, terrifying, hateful smell of gunpowder unique to war sharpened everyone's spirits. Then they moved in silence and with speed.

Everyone's tasks had already been assigned. Hen and the other squads would head to the front line to relieve the teams fighting there, while Xi Wang and Sakura would conduct high-mobility operations, restraining or eliminating threatening targets when necessary. The squads led by the two would move with them, assisting with the defense of the line while ensuring follow-up support.

To be honest, upon seeing this battlefield, many veterans found it strangely familiar. The only difference was that the two sides in this war had changed from humans against humans to humans against Honkai Beasts.

And perhaps this was what war was like. Not long after Xi Wang and Sakura began moving, they felt constrained. Their combat style was not suited to this sort of battlefield. The overly open terrain made them less nimble than they were in urban areas, and there was nothing to block sightlines, weakening their threat somewhat.

But... only "somewhat."

"Sakura, three hundred meters ahead, ten o'clock. Save them."

Stepping lightly across the beach, Xi Wang gave the instruction while drawing his blade.

"Mm."

With a simple response, Sakura's figure rushed out alongside Xi Wang. They were so fast that people could scarcely believe it, and some instinctively shifted their weapons, wondering if they had encountered some new type of Honkai Beast.

Then, like a fleeting illusion, blade light flashed past. The Honkai Beast that had been about to attack froze in an instant before its body split into two.

Xi Wang was a little surprised. During the inspection, he had not felt that the blade itself was especially sharp, yet when it struck the Honkai Beast, it felt like cutting soft tofu. There was some resistance, but it was extremely slight.

Perhaps that was Honkai Energy.

Xi Wang did not dwell on it. He simply cleared the surrounding Honkai Beasts swiftly. Though the terrain prevented you from fully displaying some of your strength, the upgraded weapons were enough to make up for that minor shortcoming.

After signaling the defensive squad behind her to drag the injured people back, Sakura turned and joined the battle. Soon, the pressure in this area eased, and the defensive line that had been on the verge of collapse quickly stabilized.

"Go."

"Mm."

After confirming that the situation here had eased and the line had mostly been rebuilt, Xi Wang and Sakura immediately shifted to another battlefield—there were many such critical areas across the entire line. They could not wait here until the defenses were completely stabilized; they could only help relieve the pressure.

With their extraordinary mobility, the two rapidly rushed to support nearly one-third of the defensive line, greatly reducing the strain on the defenders.

However, though that sounded like a lot, it was still a drop in the ocean before the endless Honkai Beasts pouring out from beneath the sea.

The two knew that it was all because of Gabriel.

It was a massive Honkai Beast that flew through the air, with six broken wings and the shape of a horn. It was also the culprit behind this tide of Honkai Beasts.

Though Xi Wang and Sakura did not yet know what was special about this Honkai Beast, they would soon find out.

"Captain, the captain of First Squad wishes for you to go discuss a countermeasure."

The adjutant's voice came through the squad communications.

"Location."

"Proceed two sectors in the current direction. Someone will meet you there. As for us, we will continue our mobile operations."

"Alright."

After the brief, forceful exchange, Xi Wang and Sakura set off at once, clearing Honkai Beasts along the way as they rapidly headed for the designated point.

When you arrived, you also encountered Hen and a striking woman with fiery red hair—Himiko, captain of Fifth Squad.

Clearly, the two of them had also been called over to discuss a countermeasure. You nodded to one another in greeting, then quickly exchanged intelligence, namely matters concerning Gabriel.

"So the Honkai Beast tide here was actually spawned by Gabriel?"

"Yes. Every time that horn-shaped Honkai Beast makes a sound, Honkai Beasts emerge from the sea, and there are always more of them than the previous time its horn sounded. The number may even double."

Rubbing her brow, Himiko spoke as though troubled.

"At first, there were very few Honkai Beasts. When Gabriel was first observed, it was only regarded as a powerful Honkai Beast that had emerged alongside the Fourth Herrscher, so Moth to Fire only dispatched one squad to encircle and suppress it. But no one expected Gabriel's ability to be a legion-type one. That squad was trapped by the numerous Honkai Beasts, and before our reinforcements arrived... they were wiped out."

"..."

"Then, as Gabriel sounded its horn more and more often, Moth to Fire had no choice but to send more people to establish a defensive line. In the end, what had originally been a subjugation battle turned into something like a small campaign... By the way, Gabriel's horn has only sounded five times from the beginning until now."

Himiko looked somewhat helpless. This incident could be called carelessness, or it could be called an accident. If Moth to Fire's upper ranks had been a little more cautious and sent one or two more squads, perhaps they could have directly subjugated Gabriel while the number of Honkai Beasts was still low. But at this stage... things had become rather troublesome.

There were too many flying Honkai Beasts of too many varieties surrounding Gabriel, the ground battlefield was too intense, and conventional weapons were beginning to lose effectiveness. At this point, they were essentially using soldiers' lives to build the defensive line.

"So there is only one choice now, right?"

Xi Wang fed himself a piece of candy and spoke softly.

"Yes."

A calm yet slightly weary voice sounded from nearby. Soon, a white-haired young man lifted the tent flap and entered the makeshift meeting room.

He looked somewhat disheveled. His uniform and face were covered in dust, fine sand still clung between his conspicuous white hair, and the smell of gunsmoke hung around him. Clearly, he had only just withdrawn from the battlefield.

"We must subjugate Gabriel first. Only then do we have hope of victory."

He pulled himself together and saluted you in greeting.

"My apologies, everyone. I am late."

"Acting captain of Moth to Fire's First Squad—Kevin. Greetings, seniors."

The Horn Has Sounded, and Its Number Is Six

First Squad's captain—this identity was surprising, yet not unexpected. Given Kevin's abilities, he would possess that position sooner or later. The previous captain had recruited him precisely because he valued Kevin's talent and capabilities.

But the word acting was quite thought-provoking, especially under these unusual circumstances. Having acquired this position in such a short time, coupled with the word acting... likely indicated something far from pleasant.

The other members of First Squad, where Kevin was stationed—had all perished. And they had most likely died in the Fourth Herrscher Subjugation Battle, leaving him as the sole survivor.

Perhaps they should learn the details of the Fourth Herrscher Subjugation Battle later...

Xi Wang thought instinctively, then paused for a moment before asking.

"Is everyone here? Also, there is no need for such greetings in the future. We are all comrades. There is no need to draw such clear distinctions."

"I understand. As for Elysia, captain of Second Squad, she is currently leading her team to subjugate the Companion Honkai Beast of the Fourth Herrscher and cannot assist us for the moment. However, she will come support us after completing her operation."

Kevin, who knew something about Xi Wang, naturally understood whom he was asking about. After nodding to show his understanding, he explained Elysia's whereabouts to those who did not yet know.

After all, Elysia had the accomplishments of single-handedly subjugating the Second Herrscher and leading a team to subjugate the Third Herrscher. Although Kevin now also had the record of charging alone into the storm to subjugate the Fourth Herrscher, he had only achieved that after others created the necessary conditions for him. In comparison, Elysia's reputation was undoubtedly more resounding, and in a situation like this, her name was more reassuring.

Of course, Xi Wang's question might simply have been out of concern for Elysia...

But now that they knew where Elysia had gone and that she would come to support them later, everyone temporarily set their minds at ease and began discussing how to subjugate Gabriel.

"So, Kevin, do you have any ideas?"

Himiko asked first.

"...Me?"

Kevin seemed somewhat bewildered.

"Yes. You were the one who called us here. Did you think of some solution?"

"...What if we use aircraft to charge in from the air and kill Gabriel directly?"

"A reckless charge is hardly a solution. And what about the ground battle?"

"...Sorry."

Clearly, Kevin had not thought that much when he gathered everyone. He had only hoped someone might have a way to resolve the situation before them.

"It seems you have not yet adapted to your current position. That is my oversight."

Himiko spoke softly. Under normal circumstances, when someone gathered the other captains to discuss a matter, it meant that person had an idea. They called the others over to gain approval and hear different opinions, and they should be the first to speak—an unspoken rule of sorts.

But from the looks of it, Kevin did not understand these matters. Though his former captain had intended to train him as a successor, circumstances were unpredictable and the battle situation changed constantly. Before Kevin could learn the necessary knowledge, he had been forced to shoulder this responsibility.

And considering his achievements, he would very likely be shaped into a figure similar to Elysia in the future—a powerful human warrior capable of killing a Herrscher alone. By then, he would likely officially become the captain of Moth to Fire's First Squad.

Because Xi Wang was especially familiar with the thoughts of those higher-ups, he also made a prediction about Kevin's future. Though he felt some regret, there was nothing Xi Wang could change. Instead, he asked.