Jie Mie, Time Domain, Introduction

The power of the Ninth Herrscher is beyond doubt.

But putting aside the fact that there are three people at the moment, Kevin Kaslana alone, who has obtained the Judgment of Shamash, has the chance to kill her one-on-one.

The Herrscher with the Sequence Number seven should not possess the limits of those with higher Sequence Number, but the Seventh Herrscher, born in accordance with the trend, is a rare exception.

In addition, after the Herrscher Core was transformed into Divine Key, the element that originally determined its upper limit has become the power of its host.

The essence of power is not about accumulating Honkai Energy to become invincible; the key lies in the compatibility with one's soul and the utilization rate of that energy.

Kevin Kaslana is a genius in combat. He used his [instinct] to learn how to actively condense the power of souls and push them apart under the intervention of the Eighth Herrscher.

This means that the Herrscher Authority, which once displayed immense might under the control of those who had become beasts, has undergone a transformation into a new limit and a new history as it is transferred to this warrior in the form of Divine Key.

Kevin's Judgment of Shamash will undoubtedly possess the strongest fire power.

However, just as the Herrscher of Flames must stay away from the center of the offensive she creates, the host who gains such powerful strength through a medium will inevitably pay a much heavier price.

When the Judgment of Shamash is activated at its maximum output, it will completely devour any enemy, including the user.

This requires the controller to possess defensive capabilities capable of withstanding its maximum output in order to survive after its use.

Even for Kevin himself, before accepting the Chimera Project to push the freezing power within his body to a higher limit, using the full power of the Judgment of Shamash was an extremely dangerous thing.

The first step in the plan devised by the three was for Kevin to unleash the Judgment of Shamash beyond its own limits, directly shattering and annihilating the gravitational field surrounding it like a giant band of light, the Pseudo Black Hole accumulating in front of it, and the remnant phenomenon that seemed to still be under its control sinking into the sea. Finally...

Penetrate through that surging, ever-flowing cycle of surface-level Honkai Energy and annihilate it.

This plan is not reasonable for a solo operation.

For Kevin at the moment, the full release of the Judgment of Shamash will take some time, and the resulting fluctuations will be difficult to conceal.

Leaving aside whether its power is sufficient to penetrate that series of defenses, it simply cannot evade the detection of the Herrscher of Rock.

However, if the opponent finds out in advance, the power cannot be charged to the limit smoothly, the defense will be more vigilant, and killing the Herrscher will become absurd.

The key to a sneak attack is that the Ninth Herrscher must be unaware that they are being targeted before the actual attack lands.

Under normal circumstances, the conditions for ambushing the Ninth Herrscher cannot be met.

The gravitational field that had coalesced into a tangible form around her was an extremely robust defense, but it was not the limit to the range of her vision.

Beyond that vast band of dark light, the perception field, which overlapped with the Honkai Energy Domain and the even fainter gravitational wavelengths, stretched for tens of kilometers, enough to detect approaching life forms and any Honkai Energy traces belonging to others.

Furthermore, the constant circulation of Honkai Energy covering the body's surface makes this flawless system the fundamental reason why civilized technology is so helpless against it.

The apostles of the gods are constantly evolving. The first few Herrscher did not have the awareness to use Honkai Energy to spread into a domain, but now they also know how to use their powers in reverse to create a wider field of vision.

But since it was Su Qing'an who devised the plan, it means he has the means to deal with it.

After pushing the intimacy between soul and flesh to its limit, and for the first time reversing flesh into soul, he could vaguely sense that he was slowly approaching the final step toward the materialization of his soul.

Even without the boost from advancing to the Void Realm, the [Stigmata] is still more flexible and free than before.

Although the upper limit has not changed, it allows for more effective and unrestricted use of conceptual abilities.

Absorb all Honkai Energy phenomena and release the contained Honkai Energy phenomena.

This seemingly rough ability can actually be made extremely precise.

For example, the thunderstorm absorbed during the initial battle with the Third Herrscher can be released in its original form under Su Qing'an's control, or it can be transformed into pure Honkai Energy for other uses.

The gravitational waves of the Ninth Herrscher and the detection of the Honkai Energy Domain are essentially phenomena caused by Honkai Energy. Therefore, while absorbing them, the [Stigmata] also replicated the original wavelength and Honkai Energy Domain back to the past with its own will, thus deceiving the Herrscher's vision.

The group is now hiding less than three kilometers above the Ninth Herrscher, their forms obscured by a thick sea of clouds.

Su Qing'an's task was to conceal all traces of his side, including the detection of the Herrscher and the release fluctuations of the Judgment of Shamash.

On the other hand, the boy also needs to use the Feather of Illusion attached to Kevin to absorb the backlash caused when he released the attack, and at the same time use the Honkai Energy to transform it into the offensive of the Judgment of Shamash released on the trajectory of the Ninth Herrscher, forming a two-way balance and cycle.

Otherwise, Kevin, in his current state of combining Judgment of Shamash into an ultimate attack, would inevitably suffer severe damage.

The Key of Destruction - Jie Mie.

The only being currently capable of mastering this Divine Key is the seed that carries Parvati, thereby gaining the power of frost. It possesses a body beyond that of ordinary people and a white-haired warrior whose will has been tempered to Clear Mirror, Still Water stillness.

Kevin knew everything about this weapon. As its master and exclusive binder, he naturally understood all the functions of this Divine Key, just as Amuro knew about the Rx78-2.

Jie Mie is the final form of Judgment of Shamash.

The prerequisite for this Divine Key to transform directly from the dual-gun state is to have at least half of the Seventh Herrscher Core's storage capacity.

After using this as the foundation for opening the door, one still needs an unwavering will, as calm as a collapsing sky and as still as a deep well, to communicate with the internal powers to the greatest extent and unleash the final form.

Therefore, anger and sorrow must be contained within the endless depths of the sea.

Therefore, guilt and pain must be forged into solid ice.

The white-haired warrior's jet-black eyes and the beastly symbolism of his vertical pupils gradually froze into a pure and desolate ice blue. The gilded patterns on the black and white twin pistols in his hands were slightly hot, and the two core fragments embedded in the safety pins automatically connected, thus igniting a magnificent flame.

The soul steel and core, like a handful of crushed withered leaves and broken branches, grew and spread in the surging lava in an instant, eventually intertwining into a rough-looking, alien greatsword that fell into his palm.

Su Qing'an had heard that the Kaslana family in the later era used the Judgment of Shamash by connecting the two halves of the Herrscher Core together, causing the twin guns to extend and deform to form the hilts, and then the molten gold-like flames would condense into the sword blade.

This is equivalent to the Heavenly Fire: Unleashed.

As the original progenitor of Kaslana and the first master of the Judgment of Shamash, Kevin was able to bypass this stage of manipulation and directly reach the most powerful state of Jie Mie.

However, it is clear that for him, the backlash from maintaining the Jie Mie is not so minor as to be completely ignored.

The sudden drop in temperature around us was clear evidence of that.

The white-haired warrior silently grasped the flames that forged stars and purified the world in his hand. He raised the flaming sword high without a sound, determined to sweep away all obstacles in the world and deliver judgment on the souls that bore sin and punishment.

The scorching heat and golden-red flames continued to rise, while the active genes released a corresponding freezing field that counteracted the terrifying destructive power.

Feather of Illusion drifted around, absorbing the fluctuations into nothingness.

In the brief yet excruciating half-minute, cracks appeared on the warrior's skin, and his internal organs, under the strain of being overloaded, continuously burned and repaired themselves—a result of the Fusion Warrior's physical functions and the boy's creation using [Creation].

Kevin lowered his eyes and gazed at the Herrscher below, his pupils growing brighter and more resolute.

Chimera Project.

If one wishes to perfectly control this power without the help of a teacher, one must accept embarking on this truly inhuman path.

The events on the Mu Continent and the existence of Fuxi both signify that one's own weakness remains unchanged.

Even though the latter seemed hopeless even after accepting the Chimera Project, Kevin believed that he would eventually reach the same realm and safeguard his inner vision and future.

But before that, there were still obstacles in his path!

The outer Feather of Illusion shattered into nothingness, and golden light, like surging waves, swept in an endless storm. The flames that annihilated the world were like the judgment brought down by the sun god Shamash.

The blazing pillar of fire instantly melted the gravitational field that had been twisted into a giant band of light from above. The Ninth Herrscher could only raise her head in time to use the Pseudo Black Hole in front of her as a barrier, but it suddenly disintegrated into a chaotic mass of Honkai Energy under the power of molecular acceleration, becoming completely threatening.

Immediately, the Herrscher's skin revealed a deep, dark color. She pushed her gravity to the limit and plunged into the vast abyss created by the Pseudo Black Hole in the sea. The sea of fire mixed with crimson light feathers relentlessly pursued and forcefully embraced the abyss, as if the praise of the sun god had arrived!

This Pseudo Black Hole, which sent the entire Mu Continent into the Avici Hell, just like the nascent form from before, slowly dissipated into nothingness under the interference of the power of molecular acceleration.

"Eight layers."

Before Su Qing'an could give the order, Yae Sakura embraced him without hesitation. Her gaze narrowed slightly, and the power brought by the Fusion Gene was thus enhanced to its limit.

The world came to a standstill.

In the void, the girl who had absorbed the Emperor-class gene known as Garuda indifferently used the katana entwined with wind and snow to cut through layers of space, and leaped into the hopeless deep sea with the person in her arms.

Within a few breaths, she moved like a ghost to the back of the Ninth Herrscher, and at the same time, as if she had reached her limit, her gray pupils began to dilate.

The Time Domain.

The Emperor-class Honkai Beast killed by Su Qing'an possessed similar potential, but it was only a brief pause of one ten-thousandth of a breath and extremely fast speed. However, in Yae Sakura, who was the suitable candidate, it produced an unparalleled mutation and evolution.

She can briefly enter a wondrous realm and boundary, where she can not only transcend the constraints of time but also shatter a portion of space, resulting in an extreme speed akin to instantaneous teleportation.

Bringing people into this field requires far more mental and physical effort than it does for an individual.

Therefore, while successfully finding the Ninth Herrscher, Yae Sakura also lost the luxury of launching an immediate attack.

But this is also part of the plan.

The boy gazed at the wailing and weeping soul, the Abyss Flower field in his Sea of consciousness swaying silently, and the Jacaranda Christmas carol seemed to still echo in his ears.

When will this spiral finally end?

Su Qing'an's expression was tinged with sorrow as he plucked the Black Abyss White Flower, bringing the judgment to its final moment.

A long time.

The group gazed at the sea, which was slowly closing its gap beneath the sword, remaining silent and sorrowful.

The white-haired warrior, who had never shown any confusion or fear from beginning to end, looked up at the torrential rain caused by the war, his expression revealing no discernible emotion.

Water droplets dampened his newly grown white hair, peeling off several charred scabs and bringing a cold touch.

Kevin let the raindrops fall into his pupils, only to scatter into tiny frosty fragments. He asked:

"Teacher, will humanity emerge victorious?"

This is really not a question that this man should ask. He should be like someone born with an indomitable will that never gives up and becomes stronger with each setback, needing neither hardship nor growth, neither wavering nor confused.

So-called saviors and heroes who rise with the tide are nothing more than this.

Kevin Kaslana should be a bloodless, tearless monster, marked with a predetermined goal.

Only a born monster can wield the power to resist this overwhelming tide and forge a different future and hope.

Su Qing'an thought, without her, there would be no Kevin either.

Perhaps civilization has already perished.

In the original timeline, how far did this man, who shouldered the banner of humanity's resistance against the Herrscher, travel alone before reaching the Finality?

He thought that must have been a very arduous and long journey.

Without Kevin Kaslana, even Mei would be powerless to turn the tide.

The Seventh Herrscher is the dividing point of everything.

Apart from Kevin, no one else, even if they became Fusion Warrior, would be a match for the Seventh Herrscher.

The boy believed he was already good enough.

Crush the enemy, overcome obstacles, defeat the Honkai, and save humanity.

Kevin has always held this belief and has consistently practiced it, needs neither comfort nor further words of response.

So he only said softly:

Yes, it will.

"That day will come."

"Humanity will surely defeat the Honkai."

Kevin nodded silently, gazing up at the sky, and repeated:

"Humanity will surely defeat the Honkai."

Su Qing'an remained silent for a while, as this prayer gradually accumulated a deeper and deeper weight amidst one war after another.

Australia still has a Memorial Stele.

But what can the Mu Continent, whose tectonic plates have all sunk into the deep sea, offer as a memorial?

Time and again they faced loss, time and again they endured sorrow to create victories stained with blood, time and again they told themselves, "Humanity will surely defeat the Honkai," otherwise they would not be able to suppress their despair and pain.

The girl with cherry-blossom hair adjusted the blue triangular hair clip behind her ear. She wore a wireless over-ear headphone around her neck. Her outfit was simple: a gradient transparent white shirt and a black and blue two-tone short jacket. She wore black and blue two-tone hot pants that exposed most of her legs, along with white stockings that outlined her delicate lines.

The shirt had an English message printed on it.

[My name is Hermes, the bird that devours its own wings to control its own heart.]

She thought for a moment, gazing at the Seawater that had swallowed all traces of civilization, and said softly:

"They are somewhere in the Sea of Quantum, in the distant future, where we will eventually become stellar dust and merge with them."

Yae Sakura's grey eyes blinked, a vibrant and resolute light shining through their cool hue. She said:

"But until then, I will not give up the struggle."

Su Qing'an glanced at the girl beside him whose face, name, and even soul aura were exactly the same as that of that old friend, and her thoughts were complicated.

Yae Sakura.

This Miko, who had a connection with herself in the Stigmata Space, was the second Fusion Warrior to be born in the previous civilization. The reason why Rin is so persistent probably lies in the warrior beside her.

He asked:

"Yae, you have a younger sister, right?"

A fleeting, habitual wariness crossed the girl's face, but it vanished as she realized who was speaking to her. She followed the person's gaze into the distance and asked:

"Does Teacher Su know what a bell is?"

Su Qing'an explained:

"Because of the missionary's matter, all the Fusion Warrior in reserve had to undergo my observation before the actual experiments could be conducted. Mei provided them with relevant information, including details about interpersonal relationships."

"That child seems to be about the same age as the children around here. You can bring Ling to play with her next time you train."

Yae Sakura was silent for a moment. She remembered that her teacher was about the same age as her, right?

She glanced at the boy's face again, and realized he was probably younger than her, a sense of bewilderment creeping into her heart.

Kevin's expression was no longer calm; he wondered if Mei had secretly conducted some strange experiment using the teacher's genes without his knowledge.

Su Qing'an sensed a subtle difference from the fluctuations in their souls. He took the Little Feather out of his Mind Lake, held it in his palm, and said earnestly to the two of them:

"You've met before."

As golden light shimmered and rippled, Su Qing'an reached under his arms and lifted the exquisitely beautiful girl high into the air. Looking at the increasingly silent scene between the two, he smiled and explained:

"Her name is Su Muxi. She is the child born from the soul matter of Hua and me within the Udu-dust."

"Isn't it cute?"

Yae Sakura looked at the little girl who resembled the boy and felt that something was wrong.

But under the long, unwavering gaze of those dark eyes, the girl couldn't help but gently pinch her tender cheek.

Then, under Kevin and Su Qing'an's stiff gazes, the girl looked at them, a hint of curiosity showing in her cool expression, and gently pinched the two fox ears that were so close to her.

Yae Sakura: "?"