Blinding firelight replaced all other brilliance. The roasting hiss of flames searing the air seized control of the senses. The wrath of heavenly fire turned the Imperial Army's internal communication channels around the massive impact crater into a cacophony.
"Spread out! Increase the distance!"
"All units! Deploy energy shields, alternate cover! Pull back from the Legion Commanders' combat zone!"
"Astartes, Titans, Knightmare Frames—assist the Imperial Auxilia and Servitor Army soldiers around you!"
From the moment Roboute drew Judgment of Shamash, the blue-armored giants of the Astartes Thirteenth Legion, the Ultramarines, responded in unison, calling to their comrades to avoid the enormous crater blasted open by the orbital lance.
One moment an ice storm, the next a firestorm, with thunder coiling at the edges of this extreme climate—so long as they avoided the main direction of attack and the nearby shockwaves, their Astartes warriors could rely on their heavy fully sealed power armor, personal energy shields, and company void-field generators. Even if they looked somewhat battered, it did not matter.
But ordinary Imperial Auxilia and Servitor Army soldiers could not withstand it.
When gods fight, mortals suffer. If these transcendent figures clashed and the soldiers were caught in the aftermath and killed, how disgraceful would that be?
Even if the Imperial Ministry of War did not care about Servitor Army casualties, dying to the aftershocks of one's own side's battle—such an exchange rate of lives—if the numbers grew too large, it would be a waste of Imperial property and someone would be standing before a military tribunal.
Those Servitor soldiers witnessing such a godlike battle for the first time moved instinctively in response to their officers' orders, yet their gazes could not help drifting toward the crimson sky.
The atmosphere itself seemed to boil. The surrounding temperature climbed at a terrifying rate. Even dozens of kilometers from the epicenter, the searing heat could be felt, sweat pouring down their bodies.
Faced with the towering sea of fire composed of endless flames and molten lava, they lost the ability to speak.
Indeed, aboard the Imperial Navy's massive warships, each spanning tens of kilometers, what kind of heavy firepower was lacking?
From surgical precision strikes capable of demolishing a single building or city block, to planet-killing weapons that could destroy an ecosystem or crack open a world's crust, every category of armament was in service.
Yet destruction wrought by an individual always struck the senses more deeply than that caused by man-made weapons.
Woom—boom—!
The flames merely brushed the ground, and the horrifying heat instantly exterminated all life at the center—viruses, bacteria, every microorganism reduced to ash.
The earth dried and withered, splitting into abyss-like fissures. Then the fissures themselves melted, turning into crimson liquid that bubbled and churned with heavy gloop gloop sounds.
Crack crack crack!
Releasing an endless, merciless blizzard with one hand, Kevin's azure eyes flashed with thought. The probing was over. Judging from Roboute's current firepower output, his initial conjecture could be discarded.
The Judgment of Shamash in Roboute's hand was absolutely not a construct mimicked by the First Divine Key · Void Archives. It was genuine.
Indeed, Void Archives could replicate weapons and tools whose structural principles the user understood—but a replicated Divine Key was far inferior to the real one.
Though he could not determine its complete forging materials, the sheer temperature output and that exceedingly familiar fluctuation—almost sharing the same origin as his old comrade's Herrscher of Fire's core—left no doubt. It was the Key of Destruction · Judgment of Shamash.
And most crucially... how should he put it?
As expected of Finality. Even the Honkai energy bestowed upon subordinates was entirely different from that of other Herrschers. Its corrosiveness was so violent that even the body of a "MANTIS" could not automatically regenerate.
Kevin's gaze flickered subtly toward his sleeve. There, where heavenly fire had grazed him, aside from the burn marks, purplish-red corrosive spots were steadily eroding his self-repairing flesh.
It was merely a scrape of skin, yet the piercing pain was unmistakable. His own Honkai energy was being eaten away.
Though it was only a small amount for now and seemed insignificant, as the battle continued, the number of hits would inevitably accumulate. With deepening corrosion, the balance of combat would tilt ever further.
He could not drag this out. "Parvati's" power of ice and snow was no match.
Thud—thud!
In the blink of an eye, a streak of fire burst forth, smashing through layers of icebergs. Roboute had already arrived before Kevin.
Clang—vrrm!
The crimson blade of Judgment of Shamash, wreathed in scorching flames and killing intent, cleaved down from above, clearly intending to incinerate this insolent wretch in a single strike.
Crack crack crack!
"Hmph!"
Massive glaciers were visibly annihilated in dense succession. Kevin, his features seemingly carved from ice itself, let out a cold snort.
His hand lifted slightly, sparks suspended in the void—then flared to life. Amid dazzling intertwining flames, before Roboute's astonished gaze, molten-gold heat stretched and reshaped, forming a gilded hilt.
Then came the greatsword's crossguard inlaid with a crimson Herrscher Core, a black blade, and an edge gleaming with searing scarlet radiance.
"The true Judgment of Shamash is meant to ignite humanity's path forward. You—fool who kneels to Finality—cannot understand that."
Flames surged skyward. The collision rang out—clang!
Rumble—!
The two heavenly fire greatswords crashed together like thunderbolts.
The ground beneath their feet fractured inch by inch. The temperature of the flames was so extreme that the sound of matter being incinerated echoed continuously around them.
Hiss—!!
Driven by the shockwave of the impact, the flames shot upward, forming a colossal tornado wall of fire that spun and burned without cease.
The atmospheric temperature spiked abruptly—scorching, burning, blazing. Two nearly identical Judgment of Shamash, yet imbued with utterly opposing wills, together burned out a vacuum into which even thunder could not reach.
If there was any difference, it was that the Judgment of Shamash in Roboute's hand was larger in scale to suit the superhuman physique of an Astartes.
If, in the previous era, Dr. MEI had forged the Key of Destruction · Judgment of Shamash from the Herrscher of Fire's core felled by humanity, its intent had been selfless dedication—the radiance of humanity, a tool to carve a path for civilization.
Then what noble intent could possibly exist in the bestowed Judgment of Shamash forged by Selene through the authority of Honkai?
"From this blade, all I feel is madness, brutality, cruelty, slaughter, selfishness, coldness, arrogance—utter irrationality."
His brows drew together, his eyes sharpening with killing intent. Kevin angled his gaze upward at the towering blue-armored giant looking down on him. "That is the essence of the being you serve. Finality will never change."
Bestowed upon meritorious subjects—titles and ranks earned on the battlefield—such honors were born from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
No matter how subordinates interpreted it or sang its praises, it was nothing more than a manifestation of Selene's personal desire.
Clang! Clang!
"MEI... I'm sorry."
The apology went unspoken, but Kevin resolved to use his true power.
The mission he bore was to eradicate Honkai, to save the world. Why had Dr. MEI created Judgment of Shamash? Was it not to light humanity's path forward?
After taking up Judgment of Shamash, Kevin had not failed her expectations. He had become humanity's strongest warrior, slaying countless enemies of Honkai.
But only this once—this blade, which had never once been turned against his fellow humans in Kevin's hands, was now pointed at a human.
Though abnormally towering in stature and deeply bound with Honkai energy, the fact that Roboute was human was beyond dispute.
Not a Herrscher. Not a pseudo-Herrscher. Not a zombie, nor a Honkai Beast. He was closer to the product of something like their own "MANTIS" project.
Boom!
"Still yapping nonsense."
"Insolent thief courting death!"
At Kevin's mockery, Roboute sneered. "Do you think you're qualified to stand before me for no reason? If not for Her Majesty's orders, Exterminatus would have been the fate of every last one of you!"
Rumble—!
His muscles tensed. Inside the legion commander's custom-crafted precision power armor, the built-in Honkai energy hybrid Tyrant-cell electro-muscle bundles roared violently. A torrent of purplish-red Honkai particles surged outward with a shrill howl.
"For Selene—!"
BOOM!!
Crashhh!!!
Overwhelming force traveled along the blade. The ground beneath Kevin could no longer endure it. In an instant it collapsed, plunging into the depths and forming a vast, pitch-black cavern.
Kevin did not yield.
Cling—!
His steps were like a soaring swan, his sword light like a swimming dragon.
He lunged forward, movements swift as lightning. Planting his stance, veins bulging along his arms, he swung his wrist with explosive force, tearing through the air to clash directly against Roboute's greatsword.
Scorching flames canceled each other out. Blade struck blade. The shrill metallic collisions rang so sharply that those nearby felt their ears buzzing. The strength of both was astonishing.
Clang!
Yet it was clear—in pure physical power, Roboute was superior.
A flash of red. The enlarged Judgment of Shamash in Roboute's grasp came crashing toward Kevin's skull, the angle precise and lethal.
Bang!!!
Dropping into a bent-knee guard, Kevin blocked the incoming strike. His own heavenly fire blade tilted aside, guiding the enormous sword—larger than his own body—past him.
In the next instant, he used his crossguard to briefly hook Roboute's blade. Twisting his body, he lifted his leg high and delivered a swift reverse kick toward Roboute's... abdomen.
Originally that move was meant to strike the head, but... the difference in height left him no choice. (Kevin's estimated height: around 185 centimeters.)
What met him was a massive iron fist clad in blue-and-gold gauntlets.
Bang!
Roboute did not budge an inch. Kevin staggered back a single step but said nothing. Almost simultaneously, both stomped forward and charged at each other again.
Clang!
Blade ground against blade. The roaring explosions echoed far into the distance.
The earth trembled once more, groaning under relentless torment. Their techniques were flawless—without a single unnecessary movement...
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A web of swordlight unfolded before them. Scarlet slashes crossed and interwove. Blades collided. Explosions hurled molten lava outward. Cracks spread in dense succession. The entire metropolitan region fractured and split apart under the shock.
...
At the same time, elsewhere—
Crackle!
Racing through the sky, Raiden Mei glanced down at the countless war machines across the land. From those giants, the stench of blood rushed up to meet her, causing her brows to knit instinctively.
What she sensed—the aura surrounding every member of the Imperial Army—reeked of slaughter. Especially that old diehard with the short golden hair. The bloodiness clinging to him was so thick it felt impossible to wash away.
Thunderclouds filled the sky. The instant the violet gleam faded from the crimson-black blade of Domain of Sanction, Raiden Mei moved—swift as a thunderbolt.
Lightning flickered within her purplish-red eyes. She and her blade tore through the heated winds stirred by constant bombardment, raising a howling storm of thunder as she slashed toward Budo.
His massive frame twisted through the air at an almost unscientific speed, darting like living lightning. Lifting his head and discerning her intent, Budo clenched his left hand into a fist midair.
"Thunder Prison!"
Like the collision of heavy hydraulic presses, his iron fists smashed together. The two metal stakes on the Teigu · Divine Key Ascended Version, Thunder God's Rage · Adramelech, emitted a dull explosive roar.
Vrrr—zzzzzt!
Violent lightning erupted, transforming into tangible shockwaves. Centered on the point where Budo's fists met, the waves rippled outward in expanding rings, making the sky crackle sharply.
In the next moment, thunder descended from above. The storm swept across the ravaged earth. Countless arcs of lightning as thick as water tanks sealed off Raiden Mei's escape, confining her to only a few narrow channels.
Budo's eyes held no emotional fluctuation, calm as still water. Clearly, he did not believe Raiden Mei could escape.
"You were too impatient. Thunder Bone!"
Like a massive hydraulic piston, his armored arm shot forward in a single-handed punch at blinding speed.
Boom!
One strike served two purposes. The heavy armguard deflected her blade, and in the same motion, an iron rod larger than her entire body slammed violently into her chest.
Bang!
A tremor rippled through the air. From the point of impact, a ferocious gale burst outward in all directions, forcing the dense thunderclouds apart.
With that heavy blow, the horned headpiece upon her brow snapped to the side. Raiden Mei's body was carried along, stuck against the iron fist.
"Gah—!"
Even with her Herrscher armor absorbing part of the impact, it felt as though a gigantic Honkai Beast had crashed directly into her chest. The punch displaced her organs. Blood-tinged foam spilled from her lips.
Then, with a sharp whoosh, she shot through the air like a cannonball, smashed into the ruined city below, and kicked up a towering plume of dust.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Her body tore straight through countless collapsed buildings. Amid the rattling cascade of falling rubble, her momentum did not diminish. She was driven clear into the forest park at the city's outskirts.
"Cough... cough..."
Within the crater of fallen stone, fine cuts now marred her pale skin, blood seeping from them. Her hair and clothes were caked with dust and gravel.
But she had no time to tend to it. Enduring the pain wracking her body, Raiden Mei wiped the blood from her mouth, slapped her palm against the ground, and with a thunderous blast launched herself in the opposite direction, soaring back into the sky.
Though it hurt, and though she looked wretched, her objective had been achieved.
"Cough... Kiana... I'm coming to find you."