The End

Xu Ying moved incredibly fast. After catching Gu Yan as he fell, he retreated without hesitation, while everyone else also fled for their lives.

A sense of certain death enveloped everyone, as if the Grim Reaper's scythe were pressed against their necks.

Blocked by the Honkai Energy, Xu Muchi had been unable to approach the Herrscher Core. After unleashing a full-powered sword beam, she quickly withdrew as well.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. Ji had no chance of dodging Xu Muchi's attack after forcefully knocking Gu Yan back. The sword beam pierced straight through her throat—

"Ugh!"

Morr let out a mournful howl, devastated beyond words.

"Ugh... Heh, this is a gift from God. Humans... don't deserve it!"

The Herrscher's vitality was indeed formidable. She could still speak after suffering such an injury, but that was all she could do.

Cracks appeared across the Insight Gem, sending dazzling light in every direction.

In the next instant, heaven and earth fell silent.

All sound vanished at once. The light seemed to have been severed, splitting apart inch by inch before collapsing. If he had not still been able to see Xu Ying flying with him on her back, Gu Yan would have thought he had died.

A blue radiance filled the entire world, and berserk energy devoured everything.

The seawater had disappeared. A massive crater had appeared behind them, while the distant water had been scattered by the shock wave and had yet to surge into this area. Centered on the Herrscher Core, an unknown expanse had been blasted into a vacuum.

Gu Yan closed his eyes and sighed softly. The Herrscher of Reason had actually chosen to destroy the Herrscher Core and self-destruct directly.

She should not have even left a trace behind. Gu Yan could not judge the Herrscher of Reason's actions. Perhaps she had merely been loyal to the Honkai God and had given everything for it...

As her enemy, he had felt no pity. But the storm had already settled.

Ding! Loading progress updated. Current progress: 70%

December 20, 250. The First Herrscher was killed on Madga Island. The First Honkai ended.

"I'll heal you."

Xu Ying placed Gu Yan on the beach, and the others arrived one after another.

A dense vitality flowed into Gu Yan's body, sweeping away his pain. He felt every cell in his body cheering. This sensation was different from being healed by Honkai Energy.

Perhaps Xu Ying's ability surpassed that of ordinary superpowered individuals. Gu Yan's Plunder had never been able to take effect. If not for the ability's inherent limitations, her power to control vitality might have been comparable to that of the Herrscher of Death.

"Thanks. I'm fine now."

What he had meant was that Xu Ying did not need to give him special treatment. The others had all followed them, and their injuries were quite severe.

Unfortunately, Xu Ying had never intended to save anyone else. She merely nodded before sitting down on the ground.

After fighting for so long, Gu Yan's buffs had already expired. Now that the infusion of vitality had restored most of his condition, he secretly lowered Resurrection to Advanced Healing and applied it to everyone again.

After the final explosion, only eleven S-rank combatants remained, and all of them had been seriously wounded. Xu Ying was the only one left completely unharmed.

Xu Ying had just used her ability, and everyone's injuries had been treated as well. They all mistakenly believed that Xu Ying had helped them and cast grateful looks her way.

"..." Gu Yan was speechless for a moment, but he showed no other reaction.

"Thank you." Xu Muchi knew that this was Gu Yan's ability. She had flown such a long distance while seriously injured and had exhausted her strength, leaving her slumped down near the two of them.

She had been the closest to the explosion, so naturally she had been injured the most. She had nearly become a bloody mess.

Gu Yan silently increased her Advanced Healing, then glanced at Xu Ying. Xu Ying tactfully extracted vitality and used it to heal Xu Muchi.

"How do you feel?"

Xu Muchi's question came out of nowhere, and it was unclear who she was asking. But Xu Ying always wore that stiff, corpse-like expression, so she was probably asking Gu Yan.

"..."

After thinking for a moment, Gu Yan still did not answer. He merely shook his head and slumped down as well.

Aside from taking a serious beating this time, everything else was still acceptable. The Herrscher's anti-superpower shield was simply too unfair. It had left everyone else completely unable to fight back. But without that shield, Gu Yan estimated that the casualties caused by the Herrscher would have been reduced by more than seventy percent.

If this world continued opposing the Honkai in this manner, it probably would not survive five Herrschers. That estimate even included himself.

"What is the 'God' she mentioned?" Xu Ying was clearly very puzzled. Otherwise, she would never have spoken.

"Perhaps it's some extraordinary existence, but it definitely isn't human." Gu Yan pretended to be puzzled. He had not chosen to reveal everything. He understood the Honkai, but precisely because of that, he could not explain it clearly.

Cheating on an exam meant having one's qualifications revoked.

"According to the Herrscher, her power, including that crystal, all came from the 'God.'" Xu Muchi used a cleansing spell on herself, washing away the bloodstains as she frowned deeply.

"Are you worried that what we fought this time wasn't the true source?" Gu Yan asked with a doubtful expression, while inwardly thinking:

Yes, yes, that's exactly it. Go on.

Everyone else had exceptional hearing as well, and the group made no attempt to conceal their conversation. The moment Gu Yan said this, the atmosphere instantly grew tense.

"I'm afraid that's the truth."

"Let's inspect Madga Island one more time, then head back. We need to prepare ourselves. The situation isn't looking good."

Pfft!

A black shadow suddenly burst out of the water, and everyone in the middle of their conversation immediately went on guard.

"Damn! This energy is disgusting!"

Elfa shook out his soaked coat. During the explosion, he had plunged straight into the sea, only to be knocked unconscious by the shock wave.

"Why are you looking at me? Wanna fight?"

After being caught in the explosion, perhaps thanks to the water's cushioning effect, Elfa was in nearly as good a condition as Xu Ying.

Gu Yan looked at the hot-tempered black dragon and was speechless for a moment.

Stop shaking your coat. Could you find some pants to put on first? Please!

"Add sugar, then the egg mixture..." The girl wore an apron, her long hair tied behind her, and muttered to herself as she worked.

She was making cookies. Although the idea had come to her on a sudden whim and she had never made desserts before, she was extremely serious—almost excessively careful.

"Put it into the piping bag, and it'll be finished!" A smile appeared on the girl's face. She seemed to have already imagined her creation receiving praise, and she looked delighted.

Even though she had heard terrible news earlier, all her sadness vanished when she was about to face that person. Only anticipation remained.

The sound of a doorknob turning rang out.

"Wow! What is Fornia making?" Nelly hugged Fornia from behind and gently rubbed against her like a kitten.

"Cookies for little Nelly~" Fornia turned around and wrapped both arms around the petite Nelly, resting her chin on Nelly's forehead.

Their heights were a perfect match.

She felt the person in her arms seem a little surprised and let out a soft laugh. "I'm fine, little Nelly. You don't need to worry about me."

"Huh?"

"Silly, you were never this lively and proactive before." Fornia gently flicked Nelly's forehead with her finger, her eyes filled with affection.

"Okay. But Fornia, you absolutely mustn't be sad by yourself. I'll stay with you."

Nelly's cheeks had already turned bright red, and she looked as if steam might pour from her entire body. She was incredibly cute.