Support Zone, platform.
The massive black-and-white body emitted strange, ominous growls.
Asta led the people of Herta Space Station, alongside March 7th, Dan Heng, and the others from the Star Rail Express, in a long battle against the Doomsday Beast.
Yet they had never expected its shell to be so outrageously hard.
A barrage of artillery fire had poured onto that shell, yet all they had managed so far was to destroy one of its strange black claws.
Dan Heng held his spear across his chest to block the storm and shouted to March 7th behind him:
"March, hasn't Uncle Yang arrived yet?!"
March 7th shook her head.
"Not yet. He should be on his way—there's been such a huge commotion here, after all."
Dan Heng gritted his teeth.
The Doomsday Beast was even more dangerous than he had imagined.
If Mr. Welt still did not arrive, then he could only...
"If it really comes down to it, why not fire the orbital cannon?" Asta suggested. "Repairing the Space Station afterward will just be more troublesome, that's all."
Ignoring the bloodstains on his body, Arlan stood before Asta and raised his greatsword to shield her from the fierce winds whipped up by the Doomsday Beast.
"Miss... that's the last resort. Unless there's no other choice, it would be better to proceed cautiously. The orbital cannon's range is too wide. It could cause friendly fire."
"Then what do you think we should do now?!" Asta was frantic.
Every extra second the Doomsday Beast remained alive meant that more researchers might be injured.
She looked around.
Ahead, the Doomsday Beast frantically spread its enormous, bizarre wings, and researchers were continuously sent flying back by the storm.
Its sole remaining claw kept resonating with its core, as though preparing some terrifying attack.
Meanwhile, the severed claw that had originally been shattered was slowly reforming. Before long, it would likely recover as well.
And what about our side?
Dan Heng said nothing, but he was still holding on with all his strength. No one knew what he was thinking.
March 7th stood beside Dan Heng, drenched in sweat. Her condition was not looking good either.
And then there was Arlan.
More than half his body was wrapped in bandages, yet he was still desperately shielding her from the impact of the storm.
Aside from Asta, Himeko's expression was also extremely grave.
If Welt still hasn't arrived, perhaps we should do as Asta said and activate the orbital cannon, Himeko thought.
Before that, we need everyone to retreat and get away from the platform to avoid friendly fire as much as possible.
Just as Himeko was about to convey this idea to Asta, a tall figure slowly walked past her.
"This is my first time observing the Doomsday Beast from this close."
Himeko blinked. "Hm? Yan Huan..."
Yan Huan smiled at Himeko and waved.
"I arrived a little late. How's the battle going now?"
"Not well."
Himeko sighed.
"I was just planning to have everyone evacuate and activate the orbital cannon."
Seeing an unfamiliar face, Asta moved closer as well.
Her bright, watery eyes sized Yan Huan up and down.
"You're the one who had... something stuffed inside your body..."
Himeko coughed. "Ahem."
Asta laughed awkwardly. "Ahaha... Arlan mentioned you to me earlier. I heard you can strangle a Trooper Trampler to death with your bare hands?"
Faced with such a grand scene, Yan Huan seemed somewhat inexperienced.
"It's nothing worth mentioning, nothing worth mentioning. Strangling a Doomsday Beast to death is doable too."
Asta fell silent.
Although Arlan had said this man was strong, she could not help feeling that he was a little unreliable.
So Asta looked toward Himeko beside her, wanting to hear her thoughts.
But unexpectedly, Himeko froze.
She looked back at Asta in disbelief.
"What did Arlan say? Yan Huan can already strangle Trooper Tramplers to death with his bare hands?"
Asta nodded. "That's right."
She glanced at the researchers around them and whispered to Himeko.
"Didn't you say he has some kind of Stellaron inside him? Isn't that normal?"
Himeko stroked her chin.
She studied Yan Huan while pondering.
He could already reach this level?
Himeko knew that Yan Huan had a Stellaron in his body and had roughly guessed that he was fairly strong. That was why she had recommended him to Asta and sent him to support Arlan.
But...
Crushing a Trooper Trampler to death with his bare hands was a little too unbelievable.
Before Himeko could react, Yan Huan headed toward the Doomsday Beast.
He stepped in front of Dan Heng and March 7th, bearing the fiercest part of the storm alone.
March 7th froze for a moment.
"Huh? It's you. Why did you come up front?"
Dan Heng was equally puzzled. The moment Yan Huan stepped in front of him, the pressure on him lessened greatly, allowing him to take a breath.
"Yan Huan, are you sure you're okay?" Dan Heng asked. "March and I can hold this position."
Yan Huan waved his hand.
"No need. I came here to prove something."
Dan Heng asked, "What?"
Yan Huan asked, "Do you know Kapote?"
Dan Heng was baffled.
Who was Kapote?
"I'm not familiar with him," he could only answer honestly.
He had no idea why Yan Huan had suddenly brought up that name.
Could Kapote have been involved in this invasion as well?
At that moment, March 7th raised her hand.
"Me, me, I know!"
She looked at Yan Huan and eagerly recounted what she had seen and heard at the Space Station.
"Kapote is really famous at the Space Station! Lots of researchers even want his autograph. They even started a fan club for him!"
Dan Heng came to a realization. "I see."
Then, he looked again at Yan Huan, who stood at the very front with his hands in his pockets, the hem of his long coat fluttering as he stared directly at the Doomsday Beast.
"Does he have something to do with this battle?"
Yan Huan shook his head. "No."
Dan Heng and March 7th fell silent.
March 7th protested coquettishly, "Then why did you bring him up?!"
Yan Huan frowned, the long hem of his black trench coat whipping violently in the wind.
"Some kid doesn't believe me. I want to show them what Eastern shock is."
Yan Huan slowly walked into the enormous shadow of the Doomsday Beast.
This was the very front edge of the platform, directly before the Doomsday Beast.
Yan Huan quietly raised his head and stared at the colossal creature.
Standing amid the storm generated by the Doomsday Beast's flapping wings, many people felt the wind blades cut like knives, leaving their entire bodies in agony.
Yet Yan Huan's expression did not change at all.
Even Dan Heng and March 7th were dumbstruck, forgetting to pull him back.
There he stood beneath the Doomsday Beast, amid the storm, tilting his head slightly.
In a deep voice, he spoke to the incredulous crowd behind him.
"Everyone, watch closely."
Then Yan Huan stood with his hands behind his back and looked up at the sky.
"Watch Yan Huan slay this monster right here!"
The moment his words fell, Yan Huan abruptly raised a hand.
The surrounding Imaginary Energy was swiftly mobilized, emitting a faint hum.
"Boom—!!"
A thunderous sound came from the distant starry sky.
The faraway galaxy slowly gathered, forming an endless galactic vortex above the Doomsday Beast.
Asta stared in shock.
Watching the breathtaking sight of the galaxy converging overhead, she turned and asked Wen Shiling behind her:
"What did you say to Yan Huan? What's going on with Kapote?" She had naturally heard Yan Huan mention Kapote to Dan Heng.
Wen Shiling innocently shook her head and stubbornly said:
"I-I don't know either."
Seeing the galaxy churn with such terrifying force, Wen Shiling was nearly frightened to tears.
What was he trying to do?!
Even the originally emotionless Doomsday Beast suddenly froze.
It mechanically raised its head and looked toward that strange galaxy.
Yan Huan's coat fluttered wildly as, from within the vortex formed by the gathered galaxy, the tip of a golden sword slowly emerged.
"Rumble, rumble, rumble—!!"
Its immense momentum was accompanied by a low, rolling roar.
In an instant, the galaxy roiled, and the entire Herta Space Station began to shake.
No one knew how large that golden sword truly was, but it now filled their entire field of vision.
The patterns along the blade carried the distinctive character of ancient Eastern artistry—magnificent without extravagance, eternal and profound.
Golden radiance spread everywhere, illuminating the entire universe.
The sound of a sword cry echoed through the vast cosmos.
Then Yan Huan's gaze sharpened.
He recited:
"The divine... transforms to the extreme!"
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