Death, Their Respective Resolve.

Kevin Kaslana can never forget the scene she saw that day.

The brilliance, surpassing even the sun, slowly faded, and the monster known as the Herrscher stood in the center of the city, her icy blue eyes staring directly at the undulating gray clouds above.

The girl's bright red blood and fair skin intertwined to create a beautiful picture. Despite enduring such an attack, only a small part of her slender body was charred, barely demonstrating that she was not unharmed.

Her white skirt, adorned with exquisite crystals, swayed gently in the breeze.

Even purer ice crystals surrounded him, spreading a clear glacial realm across the ruins. A gentle sapphire blue enveloped the scorched earth and the restless scene, as if vibrant paints were being used to paint over a large area of what was once a completely black oil painting.

The Fifth Herrscher did not die.

She maintained her fighting capacity even under attacks far exceeding the tonnage of previous Honkai Fission Bomb, while humanity's plate tectonics had already paid a heavy price for it.

The erosion of Honkai Energy and the freezing of power follow the chain reaction of Honkai Energy, growing like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Several kilometers of coastline near Spain have already suffered varying degrees of erosion.

Along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, large ice floes mysteriously froze in nearby waters. These ice floes drifted into the distance, sowing the seeds of Honkai energy and creating entirely new Honkai Energy territories.

The current outcome proves the boy was right— the Herrscher is not an enemy that can be easily dealt with.

The authorities are not incapable of continuing to launch Honkai Fission Bomb, but the situation along the coast and in neighboring countries has demonstrated that this crisis could potentially spread to the entire world.

According to speculation from relevant sources, the Herrscher may have reversed the principle of the Honkai Fission Bomb, pushing the previously insufficient Honkai Energy output to a higher limit.

That Sky Island was like a warehouse containing billions of seeds. Since such tiny things as Honkai Energy particles would not be annihilated by them, they could instead be blown far away by the Honkai Fission Bomb, like dandelions.

The Herrscher Core is linked to the Imaginary Space, and the Honkai Energy it can obtain is completely immeasurable. A Sky Island is far from its limit, which means that continuing to launch Honkai Fission Bomb could further compress the human living space.

Moreover, it's simply impossible to expect the Herrscher of Ice, now freed from the island's constraints, to obediently stand still as a target for human bombardment.

The Honkai Fission Bomb completely shattered the Honkai Energy Domain set up by the Herrscher, and also damaged the Fifth Herrscher herself. The damage was so severe that it could no longer maintain the nearby electronic interference, which is why satellite observations were able to reproduce some of the scene.

This image, so clear it captured a human figure, lasted only a fleeting moment. The blurry yet powerful Honkai Energy field once again enveloped the surroundings, obscuring the Fifth Herrscher's exact form. Her suddenly vanished figure, as the image zoomed out and rose higher, resembled a white line slicing through the heavens and earth, disappearing directly away from Barcelona in just a few breaths...

Mei stared at the monitor screen, while Kevin stood quietly by her side. Just a few minutes earlier, he had taken on a long-term mission to ensure Mei's safety, so standing here was also part of that mission.

Mei already had a pretty good idea of who the other person was going to see, and she said:

"Prometheus, calculate this: assuming they're going to see Mr. Su, how long will it take for them to arrive?"

"At the Fifth Herrscher's current speed, there are approximately 87 seconds left, Doctor."

Mei glanced at the real-time map showing the coordinates of the two getting closer and closer, and frowned.

"Contact Mr. Su and tell him to leave immediately."

Kevin hesitated for a moment, then asked:

Why would Herrscher cause trouble for the teacher?

She pursed her lips in response:

Who knows?

"Perhaps it's because he's the strongest human being for the time being, Honkai thinks it's more in their interest to eliminate him first."

"Perhaps it's because Mr. Su severed the link between the Herrscher body and the Honkai Consciousness last time, leaving a deep impression on the other party."

The girl narrowed her eyes slightly and said softly:

"Or perhaps... the Honkai itself is a selection process, and in the eyes of that god, Mr. Su might just be the biggest joke that this selection process has given him."

Kevin tried to process these answers, and he said softly:

He won't run away.

Mei adjusted her glasses. She didn't condone pointless acts of reckless courage, but she herself understood that it would be difficult for Su Qing'an to escape the Herrscher's pursuit.

Although the Fifth Herrscher did not directly attack the boy, she must have done something to tamper with his entry into Barcelona, which is why she could pinpoint his location so precisely.

It's not easy to dispel this tactic in a short time, and once the two sides meet, trying to stay away from a monster like Herrscher will be even more impossible.

Mei was still very Kevin's reasons for saying that. Perhaps in her eyes, these choices and the will they represented were not entirely without merit.

Of course, this is also related to the Fusion Warrior Project itself. As the person in charge of this project, Mei must not only consider the individual's Honkai Energy literacy and adaptability to Honkai Beast genes when selecting candidates.

Such immense power, coupled with the potential physical transformation that might result from fusing with Honkai Beast genes, could easily lead to unnecessary conflicts if the wielder's character is disregarded.

So, based on some observations and references, Mei asked some questions that even she found quite boring:

"Even if the opponent is a monster far stronger than us?"

"Hmm," Kevin nodded.

She pulled out a light screen, which displayed the boy's various data:

"I've calculated Mr. Su's physical condition. Last time, he was able to survive the Honkai Fission Bomb thanks to his other abilities, and it took him half a year to fully recover."

"In contrast, the current Fifth Herrscher, despite bearing Honkai Fission Bomb far exceeding the equivalent of the one that hit Canghai City back then, only suffered some damage."

"And even with just that, I won't let Mr. Su leave directly. After all, under such an offensive, it's impossible for even Herrscher not to be seriously injured."

Based on what Su Qing'an said last time about the essence of the Herrscher Authority —weakening molecular operations.

Mei has already made some guesses about the current state of the Herrscher of Ice.

The girl converted the data into an analysis diagram of the Artificial Stigmata and various data detection pages, and continued:

"The key point is that the Artificial Stigmata inside Mr. Su's body has completely entered its final stage."

Her eyes, framed by glasses, narrowed slightly as she spoke:

"If this battle takes place, regardless of whether Mr. Su wins or loses, the Artificial Stigmata in his body will completely enter an endless rejection reaction. This means that the Artificial Stigmata will no longer be able to provide him with any assistance in the future, and it will also be unable to maintain his remaining lifespan."

Kevin was stunned for a moment. He understood what Mei meant. If the Artificial Stigmata in Su Qing'an's body was really rendered useless, then the significance and weight of the Stigmata Project would be greatly increased. And because of the little life he had left, the project was even subject to a time limit.

Kevin never doubted Mei's talent, but he also vaguely sensed that even for Mei, the Stigmata Project was a massive blueprint destined to be fraught with difficulties.

Mei's statement now further proves that she cannot guarantee the completion of the Stigmata Project before the other party's physical condition completely collapses.

He said with a complicated expression:

"The teacher won't run away, that's what my gut feeling tells me, he's that kind of person."

The satellite tracking footage of the Fifth Herrscher traversed countless areas within a brief minute, easily and successfully approaching its target.

Mei stared silently at the moment in the video when the boy's clear, snow-white eyes were engulfed in crimson.

Seele curled up on the sofa, clutching a blanket, her bare feet resting on the soft leather, the slight indentation caused by the tension on the surface. Her slender fingers held her phone, the screen still lit up, revealing a virtual image of Prometheus in one corner.

It sat in the center of a large cushion, its gray hair spilling over the edge of the pure white wallpaper. Its eyes, the same color, were slightly lowered, glancing at the small television next to it, its expressionless face seemingly lost in thought.

At this moment, the huge villa was so quiet that only the soft rustling of the cleaning robot sweeping the floor could be heard. The indoor temperature was comfortable and warm, and even though one of her white shoulder straps had slipped down to her arm, revealing her delicate collarbone in the air, she still did not feel the slightest bit of cold.

The widescreen television in front of me is broadcasting satellite images in sync.

She murmured:

"What do you think Sister Hua is doing right now?"

"The appearance of the Fifth Herrscher was not widely publicized, and Mr. Su's request kept her and her companions unaware of it, as they remained in Estonia on their mission."

Looking at the boy's snow-white hair, Seele whispered:

"I see."

Everyone is working hard.

"In my own way."

The delicate sounds were like an evening breeze blowing through a forest, or like branches bent low by snow in winter, weaving a trail unheard by anyone...

Why not choose to leave?

Su Qing'an separated the abnormal Honkai Energy particles from his surroundings and gathered them into a blooming flower between his fingers. He watched the petals fall and the roots melt, all turning into a scene of falling white snow, but he remained silent.

Even without Mei's reminder, the boy understood where the Fifth Herrscher intended to go.

This distinct mark was quickly removed by Su Qing'an after he became wary. He was not an easy opponent to deal with. The reason why the Herrscher's little tricks were effective was that the side effects of the Artificial Stigmata Erosion the body had rendered the senses almost nonexistent.

However, Su Qing'an had already cracked this method before the other party arrived. As long as he wanted to get away from this place, escaping the pursuit of the Herrscher would not be a difficult thing.

The Fifth Herrscher's strength is not speed.

If it were the Third Herrscher, it would probably take less than 40 seconds to get here from Barcelona.

Even if we cannot rule out the influence of the other party's injuries, this alone proves that Su Qing'an has the ability to make more choices.

But why not escape?

Perhaps because there was a base behind him and a small number of civilians nearby, Su Qing'an's values and emotions would not allow his departure to cause a devastating disaster to occur here.

Perhaps Su Qing'an understood that the Artificial Stigmata would eventually leave him, and rather than letting them wear down to their limit in the near future, it was easier to choose a suitable opponent and accelerate the process, facing reality.

The main reason— Su Qing'an still really hates Honkai.

In such times, the ability to see souls is like a curse. The streets of Barcelona are filled with the gradually disappearing spirits of the dead, and the boy sees all of this but is powerless to stop it.

Su Qing'an disliked seeing the soul of Herrscher imprisoned under distorted emotions and control; the constant wailing and lamenting caused him both physical and psychological discomfort.

It's disgusting, he thought.

They toy with souls, trample on life, disregard order, and act recklessly.

That kind of guy is annoying.

The boy didn't actually blame humans for not being able to understand the Herrscher's physical form.

Trying to redeem the other person through so-called understanding and achieve a perfect happy ending sounds simple.

If it were that simple, it would be like a stage play you've rehearsed for months, where the script tells of travelers and their companions touring the world, enduring countless hardships, and finally finding a treasure.

Then, when it came time to actually perform on stage, they discovered that everyone had misread the script. The treasure was actually in the village chief's house in the starting village. All that talk about traveling across the world was just a stupid, unnecessary thing to do. At the start, just walk straight into the other person's house and drop three gold coins, and the trip will be complete.

It's just growing so much grass, it's almost a joke.

But actually, jokes are good too. If it were really that simple, so many people wouldn't be sad about it.

Su Qing'an wanted to free the soul within, but perhaps he simply didn't want to escape.

He's never been good at running away.

The boy gazed at the Fifth Herrscher approaching from afar. [Udu-dust • Critical] slowly unfolded, and [Thousand Stars], based on a new chain reaction, was pushed to its limit.

Su Qing'an lowered his eyelashes, feeling something twisting and writhing within his body like never before, like magma that could melt into nothingness at any moment, raging yet exuding an empty void.

He thought to himself indifferently.

The last time.

This is the last time I'll ever do something as convenient and easy as trading my lifespan for power.

Even the most greedy devil begins to despise these useless chips and loathe the transaction on this unequal scale.

The opportunity to gain power is a precious gift, and kindness in itself is hard-won.

But gentleness always has its limits, just as fairy tales always have an ending.

The girl's icy blue eyes were like inorganic glass beads. She stared at the enemy's suddenly rising aura and the level of danger. Her heavily injured body was instinctively screaming, as if she disliked this threat and tremor.

However, a stiff smile inadvertently appeared on the Fifth Herrscher's expressionless face.

Su Qing'an casually replied, seemingly addressing someone else:

"Don't worry, I will kill you."

The boy was met with the Fifth Herrscher's meaningless roar and a barrage of attacks.

Immediately.

The deep, dark ink transformed into a radiant light illuminating the sky, engulfing the frozen landscape like a blazing sun...

Kevin Kaslana can never forget the scene she saw that day.

The boy stood on the edge of the Herrscher's corpse, which even the Honkai Fission Bomb had failed to kill. His pure white hair was stained with blood, but when the battle ended, his hair turned back to jet black, covering the deep crimson.

Su Qing'an's dark pupils were unfocused, and the mysterious pattern on his back gradually dimmed and then completely lost its crimson color. Finally, the winding lines slowly disappeared, turning into black dust and scattering on the soft snow.

The Artificial Stigmata that had been transplanted simply vanished, leaving only a few remnants.

The furnace called the body was thus abandoned, only the firewood inside still retained a little warmth, perhaps it could remain for a while longer.

Su Qing'an succeeded.

In truth, the Fifth Herrscher should have died long ago in that Honkai Fission Bomb. It was the power to weaken molecular operations that forcibly kept her body's functions afloat, supporting that embers that stretched endlessly into the distance.

Even with her health bar reduced to almost nothing, the Fifth Herrscher's strength remained largely unaffected, and successfully killing Fifth Herrscher was no easy feat.

Just as the boy had predicted, only with pure killing intent could one possibly kill Herrscher.

Udu-dust returned to his Sea of consciousness and fell into a brief slumber, the crimson halo dim and weak.

[Soul Essence: 19.82 (78.31)]

For both Udu-dust and Su Qing'an, this was a battle that pushed them to their limits.

Using his swordsmanship and perception, he manipulated Honkai Energy to extract the Herrscher Core.

The jewel-like crystal exuded a strange force field, somewhat different from the Third Herrscher Core that had been touched before. If it wasn't continuously bound by a net woven from Honkai Energy, it might have floated up on its own with this force field. Honkai Energy particles could hardly touch it directly before being annihilated.

Su Qing'an used Honkai Energy particles as the initial power source on the outside, and then used them to convert them into basic kinetic energy, which allowed him to bind them without using his limbs.

After placing it in a special container delivered by the Mechanical Force, the boy chose to rest against the slightly soft snow nearby. He wearily closed his eyes, and his consciousness gradually faded into darkness.

Under continuous satellite surveillance, the warrior who killed the Herrscher, covered in wounds and blood, fell into a brief slumber.

Because the battle between the Fifth Herrscher and Su Qing'an spanned hundreds of kilometers, and was almost constantly taking place across vast distances in a way that would be incomprehensible without specialized equipment, medical personnel did not arrive until five minutes later.

As Kevin Kaslana watched the boy being taken into the medical pod, she suddenly recalled the words he had spoken that day.

You will become stronger.

Finally... one day I must become far stronger than I am now.

Seele Fulei lowered her gaze, her fingertips digging into the corner of the blanket.

His eyes were cold and deep.