Honkai, Survive

Even with the Chrono-Break System installed, only a coordinated effort from multiple B-rank Valkyries could take down a Temple-class Honkai Beast. The one before him was about the same strength. Their senses didn't rely entirely on sight, and their reactions were unnervingly fast for their size.

Fang Jie was alone. No matter how he maneuvered, the colossal tank-type Honkai Beast locked onto him, adjusting its stance and accelerating its approach.

With both sides charging forward, their collision was imminent…

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Fang Jie was ultimately more agile. He suddenly accelerated again, and his right side, the Honkai Beast's left, saw its columnar forelimb narrowly miss him.

And then, The blade in his hand, shimmering with faint light, left afterimages as it grew brighter.

In a split second, he unleashed the Honkai energy that had been flowing into it, and a crescent-shaped beam of light slashed at one of the behemoth's limbs.

He wouldn't be foolish enough to attack its thick, towering neck. It couldn't adapt to this speed right now. Just because it wasn't directly touching the ground didn't mean it couldn't draw power from it.

Otherwise, if the Honkai Beast charged, he wouldn't be able to dodge. If he didn't want to be instantly killed, he'd become a 2D character, Fang Jie-chan.

The Composite Blade: Willow Leaf lived up to its three-star rating. Its specialized cutting power, amplified by Honkai energy, sliced through the Honkai Beast's body like a laser, penetrating nearly ten meters. It was a leg-chopping blow that made the hundred-meter-long giant stumble. Its wound split open, releasing a large amount of Honkai energy-rich 'blood,' which left trailing marks in the air like splashed ink.

"Tech-sword energy, kid!"

If he had hit a vital spot, its core buried deep within the Honkai Beast's body, this single strike would have been fatal.

Without pausing, Fang Jie rushed out of the area shadowed by the Honkai Beast, dodging the columnar impact as the beast stomped its crippled right forelimb towards him, ignoring its wound.

"Thrilling!"

"But I succeeded!"

Fang Jie rushed into a building, the wall cushioning his impact like water. Of course, as everyone knew, diving from too high was no different from hitting concrete.

The Honkai Beast hadn't harmed him, but it had nearly knocked itself out against the wall.

High attack, low defense. Desperately needs armor.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough…"

Spitting out a piece of cement he'd accidentally swallowed, Fang Jie jumped through the window of the building, its wall cracked and the ceiling of the room below torn open by the beast's claws. He didn't hesitate to jump out.

As expected, the building behind him shattered. It was the colossal tank-type beast, completely disregarding its injuries and ferociously pursuing him.

Damn it, they all reacted so intensely when it was time for a kill. What's with this cold, iron-blooded Honkai Beast that feels no pain?

"Normal attacks really don't do much." While busy, Fang Jie glanced back and noticed the wound he'd inflicted was healing visibly.

With the dense Honkai energy of Chang Kong City, the wound would begin to heal in about three hours. Within a day, it would be completely restored.

Ridiculous vitality!

Why are Death Troopers so easy to kill? Just chop off their heads, and they stop moving quickly… Oh, right.

Running at high speed, the world around Fang Jie seemed incredibly slow. He could even see the slight tremor of his moving blade tip. He then found the stable direction to exert force, keeping the tip and body of the blade at the same height and in a straight line to his side, maintaining stability even as he scrambled.

His gaze was firmly locked onto the colossal tank-type beast's body, focusing on its head, the part with the most concentrated Honkai energy in its entire body – its core.

For humanoid Death Troopers, a severed head means death.

For beast-type Honkai, a severed heart means stillness.

"Games have ruined me. Why bother trimming the legs? After all that effort, you still have to attack the vital spot. Aren't health bars supposed to be convenient? If it's this slow, why would I grind it down like this…"

So, instead of retreating, he advanced.

Changing direction nimbly, Fang Jie leaped to higher ground, kicking through walls to ascend, running vertically at ninety degrees. He continuously leaped between the skyscrapers of the city, like Spider-Man, before the Honkai Beast could chase and destroy them, moving upwards.

Finally, he was level with the colossal Honkai Beast!

These terrifyingly large monsters, a hundred meters long was one thing, but their height was at least fifty meters. How could their solid weight stand on ground that was only slightly damaged? Even Gaia would give them a thumbs-up!

Fang Jie was also puzzled. He could barely accelerate using the friction from his feet touching the ground, always slipping, especially on snow.

Do Honkai Beasts gather Honkai energy at the soles of their feet?

Such thoughts were a sign of an unstable state of mind, but Fang Jie couldn't do anything about it for the moment.

He had already leaped high and was now running on the Honkai Beast's back, ignoring the corrosive damage from the Honkai energy on its surface as it accelerated towards its head.

Come on, the moment of life and death!

At Fang Jie's current speed, six slashes per second wasn't his limit, but he only aimed for one.

"Slash!"

He exhaled and went all out.

He didn't know any sword techniques. If he were to compete with martial arts enthusiasts from his memories, whether unarmed or with weapons, Fang Jie could only punch them down and beg them not to die.

So, with his entire body crackling with electricity, a purple-black figure like a meteor approached at full power, an ominous, malevolent star.

Then, the colossal tank saw half of its face.

A body capable of withstanding orbital cannon fire, a body capable of ravaging cities and trampling any man-made object on Earth not created by Honkai.

In an instant, it was split into two halves with a horizontal slash straight through its nape!

"ROAR!!"

The fierce roar finally took on a different hue.

Pain!

Even the Honkai Beast, which seemed impervious to pain, cried out in agony, lamenting its imminent death.

Nape, back of the head, core, beastly face... all severed in one stroke.

It severed not only the head but also the heart.

As smooth as a hot knife through butter, a single, fatal blow.

Amidst the peculiar rain of blood, thick with Honkai energy, Fang Jie, nurturing the state of mind he wished to cultivate, landed on one knee, his hands gripping his blade, his gaze intensely fixed on the path of life and death he had just cleaved not far away.

He was already good-looking, and now, appearing a few years younger, back to his youthful days, with the monster as a footrest and his cool landing with residual electricity crackling around him, he looked even more dashing.

"I... I can actually do this?"

Fang Jie muttered to himself.

Even with so many things beyond his comprehension happening, and no time to break down as he lived on, what was happening before him now proved that even without his 'cheat system,' he had surpassed his own perceived limits.

"So there's nothing to be afraid of."

He was already twenty-four years old...

It was an age where retreating meant aging, and fear meant death!

He slowly stood up, silently remaining atop the head of the giant monster that was falling, looking ahead. The ground beneath the Honkai Beast felt solid, and Chang Kong City, burning in the night, now added to the battlefield atmosphere.

Though his blood was boiling, he was surprisingly calm; his thoughts had never flowed so smoothly...

Joyful, extremely joyful.

Unable to help himself, acting on impulse, he plunged his blade into the 'ground' and stood it upright, then spread his arms wide, reaching forward as if to part the mist.

Until the remains finally fell.

Emerging from the dust, Fang Jie, carrying his blade without sheathing it, walked with a swagger like a street punk, his steps light and easy, continuing forward and even kicking a surviving trash can by the roadside.

The lingering sense of impending doom, which had been a well-intentioned attempt to protect but had inadvertently nearly caused an apocalypse, was completely swept away.

Yes, why dwell on internal struggles? The area ahead was even wider than the sidewalk.

Chapter 10: If Pantyhose Appear, They Will Be Torn

Meanwhile, Theresa was in a much worse situation.

On the artificial island where St. Freya Academy was located, a place she knew all too well, she descended with a whistling trajectory, ravaging the night as she landed with a thud.

Behind her, the sky, darkened by the burning Chang Kong City, was faintly visible.

The city's neon lights no longer shone, replaced by the flames of disaster.

Those flames of calamity had scorched the sky.

Would that be the future of St. Freya Academy?

"No, absolutely not!"

Theresa swore, her will so firm it could quell all enemies.

Even if I often rely on Judah's Shadow, even if Judah's zero-rated power—God's Grace Barrier—can no longer be activated, and I've never even over-activated the mutated genes within me...

So what? Theresa wouldn't forget the will with which Himeko fought, nor what the 'low-ranking Valkyries' who left their suicide notes and rushed to Chang Kong City along with her had been sacrificing.

It wasn't just about everything 'Kiana' represented.

She remembered, she remembered even the last messages left by the lowest-ranked D-class Valkyries in the academy, one by one...

"For my hometown, I will find all my enemies."

"I'm sorry, Mom, I can't come home."

"I will fulfill my duty like her, even unto death."

"There's not much time left. I hope I don't turn into a very powerful monster, hahaha..."

One by one!

Therefore, never!

Without needing Judah, she would surpass Judah.

Theresa pushed open a hospital room in the former St. Freya Academy hospital, her face tense, her steps firm, and heard:

"Don't be nervous, Mei. Everything will be alright. We promised, I want to drink Mei's... hehe, guhehe~"

Theresa was stunned.

What a...

Great!

"Eh? Mei, silly Bronya, quick, look! Where did this little shorty come from? Come in, come in, we'll let you get a check-up first."

Kiana was incredibly enthusiastic, greeting the little loli who, with a blank expression, pushed open the door. She was likely another rescued child.

Her complexion was so poor. I should be even more enthusiastic.

Kiana simply hopped over, putting on a creepy old man's lecherous expression: "Heeey! Let me lift you up high..."

Can't... can't lift her?!

"Weird?"

Kiana froze, doubting if she hadn't eaten enough. No, that wasn't right. She had eaten so many candies and chocolates that Fang Jie carried around earlier, and she hadn't needed to fight much afterward.

Could it be... I'm weak?

I don't feel weak. Although I'm tired, I still have plenty of strength.

I'll lift again!

"Hyaa! Lifting you high!"

Theresa remained completely still.

It was so quiet all around too. The gentle and lovely nurse who had been there earlier also seemed to have received some order and left without returning.

Busy, that's normal.

Kiana refused to believe it. She hugged Theresa with both hands and exerted force, not believing Theresa could be heavier than a weeping willow.

Kiana had pulled up countless of those things. One punch from me can create a deep pit on flat ground, you understand?