"Somehow, this cake just doesn't taste as good anymore."
Stigmata Kiana tossed the cake in her hand aside and rubbed the large bump on her head.
Damn Tianqi, not even giving her a chance to finish her sentence. As the administrator of the Stigmata, how could she not know what Ryn and Tianqi were doing in the Stigmata Space... Even if she didn't look, wouldn't the Stigmata automatically record it?
So annoying. I'll find a chance to trick her again.
——————————————
In the early morning, Ryn once again got up like an inchworm, his soul completely drained by Tianqi.
Penglaiji Ryn squatted beside Ryn and poked him.
"What's wrong with you? Didn't you sleep well?"
"No... it's because I slept too well."
Ryn wriggled up and got dressed, but because he was drained, he was as weak as if he hadn't eaten for ten days.
"?" Penglaiji Ryn held up a mirror for Ryn to see his current appearance.
"Are you sure you slept too well, and not that you're about to turn into a Honkai Zombie? If Seele, the one handing out food, saw you like this, she'd have to give you a few extra portions, afraid you'd starve to death the next moment..."
"Don't you worry your little head, kid. You don't understand the world of adults."
"???"
——————————————
Because they had already decided to go all out against Mei, the remaining survivors once again began a doomsday carnival to welcome the final moments of their lives.
Seeing Ryn in this state, everyone seemed to understand something. Every time they passed by Ryn and Penglaiji Ryn, they would silently pat Ryn's shoulder, then turn to Penglaiji Ryn with a mix of envy and anger and say,
"You need to have some self-control..."
"Huh?"
Penglaiji Ryn tried to pull them aside to ask why they said that, but they all just gave her a 'you know' look and then ran away crying.
Seele, on the other hand, neither comforted nor questioned. Instead, as if having a great epiphany, she pulled a clueless Bronya back into their room.
"Seele? What are you doing!"
"Everyone's going to die soon anyway, so Big Sis Bronya, just give in to me! Jiejiejie!"
"Seele, no!"
It wasn't just Seele and Bronya; many others, thinking they were going to die anyway, confessed their feelings to those around them.
In these five desperate years, suppressed emotions erupted all at once today.
Although Ryn was the only male, gender was never an issue. The camaraderie forged through five years of life and death had already surpassed ordinary love.
Wait, wait, the tone isn't quite right here.
Himeko, who was patrolling the battleship, froze on the spot when she saw the situation.
Just the day before, they were all fixing their equipment, planning to go all out against Mei. How did it turn into a lewd party today! Just because it's Christmas?
"Maybe... I should find someone too!"
Himeko lowered her head in thought. She had been wanting a man for so long. If she were to die in battle just like that, wouldn't it be too much of a loss to die without a man.
As she thought, Himeko walked to the door of Ryn and Penglaiji Ryn's room and knocked.
"Himeko? What's up?" Ryn opened the door and looked at Himeko.
Himeko looked Ryn up and down. His physique was not bad, but when she saw Ryn's 'zombie makeup' face, Himeko instantly sobered up.
"Useless."
Himeko gave Ryn a disgusted look, then turned and left.
"???"
——————————————
The night before advancing on Nagazora City, Ryn sat on Kukulkan's head, gazing at the stars in the sky.
Kukulkan lay on the ground, pondering for a long time, before finally speaking.
"Boss, are you guys going to fight the Herrscher?"
"Yeah."
"Can I not go?"
"Why?"
"I'm afraid of dying."
"You probably won't die, right?"
"I will die... if the Herrscher of Finality makes a move..."
"Alright, then you don't have to go."
"..."
"..."
The man and the dragon remained silent for a long time.
"I'll take you to Nagazora City... and then I'll leave."
"Yeah."
"At most, I'll help you fight the Herrscher of Thunder. If the Herrscher of Finality shows up, I'm running immediately..."
"Yeah."
"Boss, don't just say 'yeah'! You're scaring me."
"What's there to be scared of? I'm not scared, so why are you? If you want to fight, then fight. If not, then stay here. This is this world's war of resistance against the gods. The choice is in your own hands. I'm not forcing you."
"Roar—"
"Stop yelling, everyone's resting."
Resting... but in reality, few could sleep.
Although they spoke of going all out against the Herrscher, in their hearts, they were still terrified.
——————————————
The next morning, everyone had sorted out their emotions and gathered on the deck of the Hyperion.
This was the last chance to choose their fate, but fortunately, not a single person chose to back out.
Since they had all decided to risk everything, there were no longer any reservations among them. But Bronya didn't know if she could open fire when facing Mei, so she still chose not to reassume the position of leader.
Except for Ryn and Penglaiji Ryn, everyone else was carrying anti-Honkai explosives.
Even Yiselian had a few bags of explosives hung on her by Emisha. Only now did Yiselian understand something. So the reason so many people had recently come to her to modify weapons and make explosives was that they were going to be a suicide squad! But why did they have to drag her into it too!
Ryn and Penglaiji Ryn stood on Kukulkan's head, facing the faintly visible silhouette of ME Corp in the distance, and gave the final order to attack.
Kukulkan flapped its wings, pulling the Hyperion into the air and heading towards ME Corp.
The Hyperion had been modified by Yiselian. Although she couldn't turn it into an atomic bomb, the final self-destruct was estimated to have a yield of 20,000 tons of TNT. It was unlikely to blow Nagazora City sky-high, but it could take the Honkai Creatures of Nagazora City with it.
Ryn also gave everyone a Star of Eden: Self-Destruct Grenade version, which was much more powerful than the previous Ryn's little grass brand grenades.
It could be said that if Mei was careless for a moment and didn't defend with Honkai energy or elementalize, one grenade could possibly send her to her doom.