BOOM!
Elysia was incredibly strong as well.
And Kevin... he epitomized sheer might among men.
Together, they withstood three rounds of Zeke's thunderous bombardment. Afterwards, Durandal's golden armor lay nearly shattered, and Elysia had fallen unconscious, both unable to continue. Among the trio, only Kevin managed to slowly stand back up, his expression grim as he faced Zeke.
As Kevin had surmised, the power disparity was immense. Even Zeke's casual attacks could illuminate half the lunar surface, visible from Earth itself—a level of destructive force far beyond human capability.
Yet, observing Kevin, Zeke frowned slightly.
'Even at my current state, I can't decisively end this battle with one strike? The Final Herrscher of the previous civilization is stronger than I anticipated. Clearly, I still have more work to do.'
Based on available information, the Final Herrscher of the previous era was virtually unstoppable, save for being momentarily breached by a supercharged blast from the Selene Throne.
Zeke compared himself against that power and felt there were still gaps. This realization visibly displeased him, causing the gravity around him to intensify even further.
"Danger!"
Kiana, seasoned through countless battles, keenly sensed Zeke's mounting tension. Swiftly, she used her Void ability to pull Durandal and Ellie close to herself.
Meanwhile, Mobius began administering first aid to Kevin for the first time, licking her lips as she eyed Zeke with lingering fear yet eager anticipation—Oh, how I wish I could obtain his current body; it would make for an extraordinary specimen!
Unbothered by their reactions, Zeke shifted his gaze towards Hera, who held the Herrscher of Corruption's core.
From a distance, Hera took two steps back and exchanged glances with Kiana nearby. After receiving a nod from Kiana, she smiled mischievously.
"Oh dear, my hand slipped!"
With a swift motion, Hera tossed the Herrscher of Corruption's core into a suddenly appearing space tunnel, sending it back to Earth.
Zeke's eyes flickered, silently issuing orders to his loyal henchman, the Herrscher of a Thousand People: Retrieve the core!
They possessed spatial abilities too, theoretically enabling them to swiftly recover the core Hera had sent away.
Just as Zeke anticipated, a space tunnel gradually opened before him, emanating the distinct aura of corrosive power. However, in the next moment, the tunnel vanished without trace, leaving Zeke empty-handed. Simultaneously, he lost contact with the Herrscher of a Thousand People.
"Hm?"
Zeke sensed a subtle force just before the space tunnel disappeared, a realization dawning in his eyes.
'Jizo Mitama, Yae Sakura, I see. She remains steadfastly obedient to my previous command.'
Zeke lowered his gaze, realizing Yae Sakura acted like a leash tethered to the Herrscher of a Thousand People. With her interference, retrieving the crucial Herrscher of Corruption's core would likely require him to return to Earth personally.
Hera feigned surprise and innocence, acting completely oblivious as she exclaimed, "Wow! That scared me!"
"Boring."
Unmoved by this performance, Zeke understood that obtaining the Herrscher Core was temporarily out of reach. He swiftly shifted his focus to the present situation. Raising his hand towards Hera, destruction's lightning crackled in his palm.
As the blinding white light flashed, shadows of fear crept into everyone's minds.
With a simple gesture, Zeke unleashed a terrifying surge of Honkai Energy, unmatched even by Kevin. His presence alone seemed to eclipse the combined Honkai Energy of all others on the scene. Without needing any technique, just a wave of his hand displayed an overwhelming might that induced despair.
"Look out!"
At that moment, Mobius had just finished her temporary healing, and without hesitation, a much-improved Kevin stepped forward to shield Zeke.
Simultaneously, Fu Hua sprang into action.
Boom!
A torrent of lightning filled their vision, hurtling towards them. Kevin threw a punch, and Fu Hua countered with a strike; these two veteran comrades-in-arms, who hadn't fought side by side for fifty thousand years, united to face the onslaught together.
Boom! The unstoppable torrent effortlessly shattered both MANTIS warriors' attacks and pushed them back relentlessly.
Hera stepped forward, intercepting their retreat, placing her hands on their backs to help resist the thunderous onslaught.
The blinding light persisted for quite some time before subsiding. When it finally cleared, a scorched ravine stretched across the lunar surface, with the trio standing side by side at its end, blood seeping from the corners of their mouths.
"Don't take this head-on," Kevin warned. "We'll all perish here if we do."
"You're right," Fu Hua agreed. "Zeke is now far beyond our level... Unbelievable. I never imagined a human could reach such heights!"
"His body was already the pinnacle of biotechnological achievement—unmatched in perfection," Hera explained. "After becoming a Herrscher, wielding multiple Divine Keys alongside his Herrscher Core no longer strains him; instead, it further amplifies his energy threshold. Now, he commands the Seven Cleansing Thunders, Judgment of Shamash, Herrscher Core of Rock, the yet-unknown power of the Thirteenth Herrscher, along with his original capabilities. Even Sirin with her six cores likely pales in comparison when it comes to sheer energy!"
As Hera shared her insights, the two others beside her gained a clearer understanding of the extraordinary nature of Zeke.
Kevin frowned deeply, involuntarily recalling his memories. The only other time he felt similarly powerless was during the era of Finality. This sensation of helplessness was profoundly disheartening, yet knowing that it now involved Zeke instead of Finality couldn't help but bring him a sense of relief and surprise, creating a sudden internal conflict within him.
In the end, Kevin merely sighed, "A miscalculation indeed. Had I known, I wouldn't have left Judgment of Shamash behind; the disparity wouldn't be this stark."
"It was my command, stemming from my own misjudgment. Don't dwell on it," Hera comforted Kevin casually before turning to observe Kiana's direction. She noticed Mobius already attending to Durandal and Elysia's injuries.
Mobius's achievements in the field of biology needed no further explanation—her expertise in poisons naturally extended to healing as well.
Hera understood that with their inherent resilience, these two would recover their combat capabilities swiftly. Nonetheless, she remained deeply concerned.
"Scattered forces hold little meaning against Zeke now. It seems we must make a decision..."
With a thought, Hera sent a telepathic message to Kiana, who had been eager to join the battle but repeatedly instructed to wait.
Kiana paused momentarily, then turned with a solemn expression toward Hera.
Hera smiled and nodded reassuringly.
A moment later, Kiana opened a space tunnel, disappearing onto the battlefield.
Simultaneously, dozens of Hera clones materialized across the field, approaching from various directions.
"In phase one, our primary objective is to delay Zeke at all costs... Oh, except for you, old friend and Li Sushang—please act within your limits. The most crucial task is preserving the power of the Sword Goddess. Everyone, let's give it our best." This message echoed simultaneously from every Hera clone, primarily directed at Li Sushang. After all, Fu Hua could withstand some of Zeke's attacks, while Li Sushang... Well, her focus should be solely on preparing the Sword Goddess; anything else would be wishful thinking.
Instantly, the emerald eyes of each Hera transformed into resplendent golden hues as they initiated their assault on Zeke.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Fists, energy blasts, and various Divine Key Mimicry attacks filled the sky, showcasing Hera's overwhelming force right from the start. However, amidst the dazzling spectacle, none of these strikes managed to breach the formidable defense naturally formed by Honkai Energy around Zeke. Just like previous encounters, not even a single attack compelled him to take a step back.
Zzzt!
Zeke slowly brought his hands together, lightning dancing between them.
In the next instant, explosive bolts engulfed both land and sky, their brilliant radiance reaching even down to Earth—so vivid that people on its surface could glimpse the glow.
Following this cataclysmic display, a deep crater formed around Zeke, resembling the aftermath of a meteor strike or a nuclear explosion.
Amidst the devastation, Zeke ascended gradually, standing in mid-air with golden eyes gazing upon Hera and the other warriors who had reassembled below.
His lips curled coldly as he spread out his arms, with lightning and flames dancing at his command. An immense gravitational force coupled with a crushing psychological pressure enveloped the entire field.
"If entities beyond human limits can be defined as gods, then now, I am your god... Struggle all you want, but savor defeat!" declared Zeke.
The two energies rapidly intensified, dividing the surrounding world into extreme landscapes—one filled with flashing lightning, the other consumed by raging fire.
Together, the brilliance of thunder and flame illuminated half the lunar surface.