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"So you're having Kiana return to harness other Herrscher powers?"
Tens of thousands of miles away on the barren lunar surface, the scattered survivors regrouped with the remaining Hera clones. Fu Hua addressed the one nearest her.
At that moment, two exceptionally powerful energy sources were unmistakably clear even from this distance. One belonged to Kiana, radiating like a miniature sun amidst the night, several times stronger than a typical Herrscher. Yet compared to Zeke nearby... it felt surprisingly feeble.
Hera glanced back at the desolate landscape behind them and nodded. "Yes. During the Herrscher of a Thousand People incident, she had already fused Raiden Mei's abilities to confront Sirin. This is a unique talent exclusive to Kiana—or rather, Sirin. I believe only energies transcending boundaries can effectively counteract each other."
Fu Hua sighed softly, shaking her head as she flew alongside the group. "Using a monster to fight another monster? It's not entirely misguided... By the way, where's Sushang?"
"I took her straight to the Lunar Base."
"How is she?"
"Sushang never directly faced Zeke's attacks throughout the battle; it was simply exhaustion that overwhelmed her. With proper treatment and rest, there shouldn't be any major issues."
"That's good..."
Fu Hua's heart, which had been constantly on edge, finally settled slowly. Then, refocusing on the main topic, she furrowed her brow and said,
"However, Kiana still isn't a match for Zeke. Energy strength is just one aspect; Zeke's abilities have transcended mere energy limitations. No matter how much power Kiana gathers, she cannot surpass him."
"Of course I know that! I never expected Kiana to defeat Zeke outright, but only with her can we ensure no harm will come. Do you understand what I mean?"
"..."
Fu Hua found herself at a loss for words.
If their opponent were indeed Zeke, it was true—hardly imaginable for anything untoward to happen to that girl, Kiana. Should Fu Hua say it's like reconciling after a lover's quarrel, or perhaps... even predators spare their mates?
Feeling somewhat flustered by this peculiar yet plausible thought, Fu Hua abruptly halted her steps.
"Huh?" × N
The group swiftly flying away from the battlefield also stopped, puzzled, as they looked back at Fu Hua.
"I..." Fu Hua hesitated briefly before sighing and shaking her head.
"I need to go back."
"Huh? Are you crazy? Feel the energy over there—those two are monsters clashing! Kiana, my old friend, this isn't a situation where numbers matter. We should take advantage of Zeke's current playful mood with Kiana to regroup, rest, and devise a more perfect strategy..."
"Kiana won't die, so neither will I."
With these simple words, Fu Hua silenced Hera's incessant chatter.
Hera stared wide-eyed for a moment, blinked slowly, then smacked herself on the forehead.
"Fine, although I'm sure there's some fascinating backstory here, now is not the time. Let's save it for another day. Alright, Zeke won't harm you, but so what? Do you think combining forces with Kiana would be enough to defeat him?"
"Kiana and I form the strongest duo with the highest chance of success. Among those who can sway Zeke emotionally, we're the most formidable, giving us the best opportunity. Hera...Otto, I don't know exactly what Zeke has planned, but it must be disastrous. Convincing someone as proud as Zeke through mere words alone won't work."
"But...fine, your analysis is correct. However, if Kiana gets captured, you'll be our last trump card. If we bet both on this gamble and still lose, what then?"
"The outcome isn't crucial; what matters most is making Zeke understand that pursuing such extreme measures comes with a far greater cost than he imagines. Regardless, I must go back and try. Should I fail too, the fate of this world rests upon your shoulders!"
Fu Hua was never indecisive. With those words, she swiftly turned, transforming into a vibrant crimson flare, and raced against their retreat direction.
As the fiery glow vanished from sight within moments, Elysia took a step forward, her expression wavering. Even Kevin's icy demeanor showed a hint of concern, but ultimately, they held themselves back.
Fu Hua had journeyed an unimaginable distance, perhaps farther than any of them. She was no longer the little sister who needed covert protection from vigilant heroes. Thus, it was essential to respect and trust her choices.
"Lord Bishop, shall we truly leave things as they are?" Durandal faced Hera, now openly addressing Otto by his esteemed title, evident hesitation in her voice.
Whether as a Valkyrie or Kiana's big sister, once Fu Hua made her decision to return, Durandal yearned to provide support.
Hera shook his head without addressing Durandal directly and instead turned to Kevin.
"What is your answer now regarding Zeke's question earlier?"
Kevin paused momentarily before shaking his head.
"I...don't know."
"In other words, both their powers exceed your understanding?"
"That's one way to put it. I cannot gauge the limits of either the Final Herrscher or Zeke at present."
"Understood. Let's go then, back to the Lunar Base for respite. If Fu Hua and Kiana don't bring good news, we truly must unleash all our accumulated resources..." Hera chuckled wryly, shaking his head mid-sentence.
Indeed, as Fu Hua had stated, winning or losing wasn't crucial. In fact, should they definitively decide victory or defeat with Zeke now, the outcome for this civilization might not be much better than the final stages of the previous one.
Instead, they needed to show their stance: make Zeke aware that any reckless actions would risk alienating everyone, potentially jeopardizing even the foundation he has worked tirelessly to preserve. Surely, even Zeke would weigh the consequences when faced with such a scenario?
When Fu Hua returned to the battlefield, she was taken aback by the scene unfolding before her.
"Aargh!" The white dragon let out a defiant, anguished roar as its wings tore apart mid-flight, plummeting from the sky. Overwhelming gravity then pinned it deep into the ground, immobilizing it completely. Its blood, rich with concentrated Honkai Energy, seeped into the earth, staining the soil with a striking golden-red hue.
"Bella!"
In the air above, Kiana cried out the name of her beloved companion, tears streaming down her face. Holding aloft a colossal flaming blade that pierced through the starlit sky, she swung fiercely at Zeke.
Zeke raised his hand, summoning a burst of lightning within his palm.
"Take a nap here. By the time you wake up, it'll all be over."
"Snap out of it, Zeke!"
"Kiana, watch out!"
Each moved swiftly—Kiana and Zeke poised for confrontation, while Fu Hua rushed toward Kiana, her hastily channeled ki glowing brightly on her hands.
"Snap Strike: Heaven-Cleave!"
Boom!
A blinding radiance, akin to daylight itself, enveloped the boundless earth once more.
Following the intense energy explosion, Zeke remained suspended in the air, while Kiana and Fu Hua emerged from the gaping fissures in the ground, both visibly battered and bruised.
"Fu Hua-sensei, why did you return?"
"I... Let's not get into that now. It seems Zeke wasn't joking around at all," Fu Hua replied with a wry smile and a shake of her head.
If Zeke hadn't been fully committed, he wouldn't have hurt Kiana and Bella this badly. The situation was far worse than Fu Hua had anticipated.
Kiana's expression darkened as she looked toward Bella, still trapped beneath the ground. Biting her lip, she said, "I noticed too. Especially after his coronation, there was always a heavy burden on Zeke. If I'm right, that pressure is what compelled him to act like this... Fu Hua-sensei, do you know anything about it?"
"That can wait for later. Seeing how much damage he's already inflicted, even against you, makes me dread just how dire his intentions must be."
"I agree; we need to stop him! Absolutely, under no circumstances, can we let Zeke do something he'll regret!" Kiana declared earnestly.
As they briefly conversed, Zeke descended from the skies, landing before them. His indescribably terrifying aura slightly subsided, and he spoke calmly:
"Kiana, you're someone I cherish more than my own life. Fu Hua, the woman I love. Are you two truly willing to stand against me?"
"Then tell us first what exactly you plan to do!" Kiana demanded, her eyes reddening, paying no heed to Zeke's words directed at Fu Hua.
This wasn't the Zeke she knew!
Although the original Zeke was also violent, he always exercised restraint and had valid reasons for his actions. It wasn't like this current state, where it seemed as if...
Kiana couldn't quite put her finger on it, but this disregard for consequences, this determination to act despite knowing it's wrong, deeply troubled her.
"At least tell us what's troubling you, what you're worried about! No matter the difficulty, we can face it together with you! I hate how you constantly burden yourself with dangerous and stressful situations alone. Do you think that allows me to be carefree? Don't be so arrogant; don't treat me like an ignorant fool! Damn you, Zeke!"
Kiana's sudden outburst, her eyes reddened as she stubbornly stood despite being battered and bruised, tugged at one's heartstrings.
Fu Hua pursed her lips, feeling somewhat taken aback by this impromptu scene of a young couple quarreling.
Zeke fell into a prolonged silence. Gradually, his eyes transitioned from golden back to their usual blue, the terrifying aura of Honkai Energy subsided, and even the intense gravity around them began to diminish.
As if surveying a devastated landscape ravaged by an apocalyptic disaster, Zeke looked at both Kiana and Fu Hua calmly and said:
"I... foresaw a truly grim future. I'm likely to die, and you would go to extraordinary lengths trying to reverse it, with dire consequences for others as well. After gaining control over time, my perception of the future's weight and chaos became clearer. I must prevent that outcome; I must... protect all of you!"
Zeke spoke with unwavering calmness, as though articulating an inevitable mission, conveying his determination unmistakably to those listening.
"So, you decided to take extreme measures to ensure victory against such a future?"
"Yes."
"Zeke!"
Kiana performed a jaw-dropping action, yelling as she forcefully punched Zeke right in the face. Caught completely off guard by her immense strength, blood even appeared at the corner of Zeke's mouth.
"Fu Hua-sensei, get ready! We need to knock some sense into this arrogant fool!"
While Zeke was momentarily stunned, Kiana, amidst Fu Hua's astonished gaze, unleashed a palm strike carrying tremendous heat towards him.
"Flame Demon: Heaven-Cleaving Strike!"