The tremors from above shattered the circuits.
The central control room plunged into darkness, only for dim red emergency lights to flicker on moments later.
Under that lighting, even the most ordinary expressions looked exceedingly eerie.
Just then, the ceiling above them shattered, and Lin Qing's face emerged from the darkness.
"Found you."
Extreme terror flashed through Shinnō's eyes.
"Enemy att—"
Before he could finish shouting the word "attack"—
Time stopped.
Lin Qing tore through the metal deck and dropped into the central control room, striding up to Shinnō.
He and Star Platinum clenched their fists together.
One punched through Shinnō's heart.
The other shattered his skull.
Still fearing it might not be enough, Lin Qing grabbed Shinnō by the throat and poured searing Sunlight Yellow Ripple into his organs, roasting Shinnō down to the cellular level.
That should kill him, right?
Lin Qing released Time Stop.
Time began flowing again.
Splat—
Blood and brain matter sprayed everywhere as Shinnō, seated upon the throne, flew backward. The impact tore apart several patches of overcooked muscle and bone, releasing waves of steaming meat fragrance.
Shinnō slammed heavily into the wall, his whole body embedded within it.
Like a mosquito swatted dead with a single slap.
Scalding blood splattered across their faces. Only then did the Sky Ninja Legion soldiers in the central control room finally come back to their senses.
What had just happened?
Hadn't Lin Qing only just appeared above them? How had he suddenly arrived before the throne?
Lord Shinnō... was he really dead?
Lin Qing was considering the same question as he waited for the system notification.
A second later, the notification arrived as expected:
"Slain Sky Ninja Legion soldier ×1. Obtained 20 Soul Shards."
The dead Shinnō's face changed, becoming that of an unfamiliar man