Archers Really Need to Fight Up Close to Win

"Yes, it's over."

A smile played on "Yu Luo's" lips as he stepped back, creating distance. He began to chant, hands crossed in front of him, crackling with electricity. A third pair of black and white swords materialized.

"Crane Wings Falling, Mountain Heart Technique Arrives, Yellow River Crossing Heart Technique, For the Name, Heaven's Will Be Done, Two Heroes Share Their Fate."

He finished chanting quickly. The Third Herrscher's long sword pierced through "Yu Luo's" body, but not his throat. "Yu Luo's" final Heart's Eye (True) had successfully seen through the strike, allowing him to slightly shift his body and make her miss the vital point. The sword embedded deeply into "Yu Luo's" left shoulder. No blood flowed, as "Yu Luo's" body was now composed of magical energy.

"Ah! That hurts!" Yu Luo, who felt like he was watching a 3D movie in his mind, suddenly felt a searing pain and cried out, "Why? You're the one fighting, but I'm the one suffering!"

"We're brothers, aren't we? It's only natural for me to go all out and for you to take the hits."

Outside, the Third Herrscher realized her sword had missed "Yu Luo's" vital spot and felt a sense of dread. She tried to retract her sword and create distance, but "Yu Luo" laughed and, instead of retreating, surged forward, embracing the Third Herrscher.

"Pulled a stunt and now you want to run? Go offline!"

"Crane Wings Triple Strike!"

Yu Luo's black and white short swords slashed downwards at the lightning wings just inches away. However, they were blocked by the sturdy wings, leaving him in a stalemate.

"A mere human cannot tear apart a god's wings!" the Third Herrscher retorted defiantly. But then, four sword shadows flew in from afar – the two pairs of black and white swords that had been repelled earlier. They cut through the air with a whistling sound, striking the Third Herrscher's already shattered lightning wings from behind.

"Ding!" With a crisp sound of shattering crystal, the lightning wings on the Third Herrscher's back, which were already on the verge of collapse from the Fantasy Honkai explosion, finally gave way. They turned into fragments that scattered in the air. The Third Herrscher could no longer support her body and fell from the sky.

"To be defeated by you, remember this, I will return!"

"Yu Luo" stepped forward and caught Mei Raiden, who had fainted, before descending into the ruins. Kiana and Bronya were still lying unconscious on the ground. The protective barrier that had shielded them had vanished with the Third Herrscher's consciousness.

"Yu Luo" placed Mei Raiden's body with the other three and said to Yu Luo in his mind, "Did you learn? True powerhouses anticipate everything during battle; brute force alone isn't enough."

"Don't think I didn't see you almost mess up!"

"Ahaha, just a small mistake. Even Li Guapi makes mistakes, so it's normal for me to slip up. Don't worry about it." The System chuckled, trying to make Yu Luo forget the near disaster.

"In any case, I've taken my payment. I won't help you next time." As the System spoke, Yu Luo felt his control over his body return. Simultaneously, his magic-infused body reverted to its normal state. The tearing pain throughout his body surged into his mind. Caught completely off guard, Yu Luo couldn't even cry out before he passed out.

Only the System's prompts echoed faintly in his ears: "Ding! Unauthorized operation, warning issued, 300 Saint Quartz deducted!"

"Ding, insufficient Saint Quartz, permission removed. 2 Saint Quartz deducted, Heroic Spirit Card stat bonus effect removed."

"Ding, Master's Mystic Code System erased."

"Ding, compensation, Command Spell System activated early."

On the bridge of the Hyperion, Theresa and Murata Himeko were the only two conscious individuals left on the battlefield. Watching the Third Herrscher, born from the third Honkai outbreak, being defeated by a man, Theresa said with some reluctance:

"This Honkai outbreak was too sudden. Not bringing Judah was a miscalculation!"

"Cough... cough..." Murata Himeko coughed and leaned against a cannon barrel behind her. Looking at the four people lying in the ruins, she asked Theresa:

"Headmaster, what should we do with these four?"

"Bring them all back!" Theresa made the decision after a brief thought. Himeko was stunned and asked uncertainly, "That girl still has... something residing within her body..."

"But the Third Herrscher's will has been repelled, hasn't it?" Theresa narrowed her eyes, like a cute little fox. "As long as she can maintain her human consciousness, she is an indispensable force in our fight against the Honkai."

"Himeko, you should return to the ship and receive treatment. I don't want you to die here." Theresa turned to Murata Himeko. "Don't mention this battle. Just say they are survivors from Changkong City."

Murata Himeko watched Theresa's small figure leap directly from the bridge, hundreds of meters above the ground. She could only sigh deeply, open the bridge door, and drag her battered body back to the command center.

In the command center, the operational staff had witnessed scenes like a nuclear explosion, been tossed about by violent shockwaves, and seen a dark sky with a monstrous lightning dragon. Having lost contact with the outside world, they could only pray in their hearts that Theresa and Murata Himeko would win this battle.

When they saw Murata Himeko, covered in wounds, return to the command center, they swarmed her. Even the usually calm adjutant had an excited expression as he surrounded Murata Himeko, anxiously asking, "Major Himeko, where is Headmaster Theresa? Why hasn't she returned yet?"

"After we defeated the Third Herrscher, that shorty found a few survivors. She'll be back with them shortly." Murata Himeko leaned her body against the adjutant. "I'm going for treatment first. Ask that shorty for the specifics."

Three days passed in a flash. The massive floating battleship Hyperion sailed above the sea of clouds. Inside the ship, a young girl with long silver hair sat behind a desk. Her small body was completely hidden by the desk, only her head barely visible.

On the desk, the data of Yu Luo and the other three floated before her. Murata Himeko sat on a sofa in front of the desk, her legs crossed, wrapped in black stockings. She reported, "We couldn't find any information about the man who ultimately defeated the Third Herrscher and is suspected of having Stigmata abilities."

"Oh?" Theresa gripped the edge of the desk with one hand, trying to keep her head above the surface. With the other, she flipped through the files of the four. As Murata Himeko had said, the page belonging to Yu Luo only contained a photo and gender; even his name was three large question marks.

"How strange. Male Honkai energy adaptability is extremely poor, which is why we train women to fight the Honkai. Stigmata shouldn't appear on men." Murata Himeko swung her long legs, saying to Theresa.

"Have you identified his Stigmata?" Theresa strained to look up at Murata Himeko. Seemingly finding it too much effort, Theresa leaped onto the desk.

Murata Himeko scratched her face, confused. "His Stigmata appeared on the back of his right hand, a different location than normal Stigmata. After comparison, the Schicksal headquarters database does have records, but this data is classified as SS-rank, only accessible to Archbishops."

"Grandpa..." When Murata Himeko mentioned the Schicksal Archbishop, Theresa's eyes flickered. She then pretended nothing had happened and turned the page from Yu Luo's file to Mei Raiden's.

"Is the Third Herrscher this young girl? It's hard to believe. Wait... she's the daughter of ME Corp's president, Ryoma Raiden?!" Theresa was slightly surprised. Murata Himeko, sitting on the sofa, smirked.

"ME Corp, which is controlled by our greatest rival, Anti-Entropy. I was indeed surprised when I first saw it."

"Mmm..." Theresa made an unconscious sound and continued flipping through the files. "Bronya Zaychik, former member of a mercenary organization, later suspected of being adopted by Anti-Entropy..."

"This should be the Anti-Entropy member sent to retrieve the Third Herrscher. No wonder they let the Third Herrscher awaken in Changkong City," Theresa playfully tapped her small head. "But why would the retrieval personnel be working with them? Could they have defected?"

Completely unaware that she had guessed correctly, Theresa looked at the file of the last person. The person in the photo gradually overlapped with a small figure from her memory. Theresa's eyes softened with nostalgia.

"Long time no see, K... Kiana Kaslana."