Something on Earth, or perhaps some rule, has drastically limited the power of Honkai, preventing Herrschers' Authority or a Great Honkai Eruption from unleashing their true potential.
The stronger the entity, the more severe the restraint.
But this is the Sea of Quanta, not Earth. Freed from that rule-like restriction, a Herrscher's power is like a bird escaping its cage, free and unrestrained.
Of course, this is all on the premise that the Herrscher can absorb and convert the energy within the Sea of Quanta…
Otherwise, forget freedom; it's another question whether their own energy would conflict with the Sea of Quanta, causing energy to permeate or leak, and whether they would lose their energy supply and revert to a normal person.
As a child of the Tree and the Sea, Ryn had more than enough energy, if not access to both sides.
This was even more true for Kukulkan, who was linked to Ryn's energy. Freed from the constraints of Earth's rules, and without figures like Finality Kiana and Janna who not only suppressed her in status and power but could also directly strip her of her control over Honkai energy and nullify her skills, she was unburdened.
Never mind fighting Vita, even if she were to go up against Sa… at the very least, Kukulkan could ensure her own safety and escape.
"Damn it, why does someone who can control time exist?! Can't we just be like in the anime, you punch me, I punch you, a good old-fashioned brawl?! What's the point of messing with rules, where you one-shot me, and I one-shot you?!"
Ryn found it more and more ridiculous. He had just figured out true time stop from the distorted dimensions of a black hole and thought he was on the verge of becoming invincible, only for a Sa, an Ai, and a distant Ometeotl to suddenly appear.
Setting aside Ometeotl, just Ai and Sa alone could both manipulate time. Although they couldn't kill Ryn, they could certainly annoy him to death.
Just like right now…
Ryn had thrown Vita to Kukulkan to deal with, then thought he'd go help Ai. Since she was holding back the enemy for him, there was no reason for him not to check in.
And then…
Before he could even see Ai and Sa, Ryn was pulled into Ai's time loop…
Whenever Ryn tried to approach the location of Ai and Sa, just as he was about to see them, his own time would be forcibly reset to the moment he was preparing to head to their location.
———————————————
"Ai! I know you can hear me! What is the meaning of this? I'm here to help!" Ryn shouted in Ai's direction.
He didn't believe that someone capable of time loops could have issues like being unable to control the range and accidentally hurting him.
So the only possibility was that Ai was blocking the white continent-like moving celestial body while also blocking him from getting past.
Ai's phantom appeared before Ryn. She pointed at the two large buns on her head with both hands, as if thinking hard about something, then explained seriously to Ryn:
"Isn't my intention obvious? I'm stopping the current you from meeting the current Sa.
Neither you nor Sa have the ability to kill the other in one blow. Once you start fighting, it will inevitably lead to a series of bad outcomes.
Especially since we're not far from the barrier between Earth and the Sea of Quanta. If the aftershocks of your battle affect the prime world, causing the aura of the Sea of Quanta to flood into Earth, or if Earth shatters and falls into the Sea of Quanta…
Even if I don't explain it, you should understand what such an outcome means, right?"
"I understand…"
Ryn nodded, the mythological story of 'Nüwa Mends the Heavens' involuntarily surfacing in his mind…
The battle between Zhurong and Gonggong shattered the world barrier, causing waters from beyond the heavens to threaten to flood the world and destroy everything.
If he and Sa replaced Zhurong and Gonggong, and the waters from beyond the heavens were replaced by the energy of the Sea of Quanta condensed into water, it was all very easy to understand…
"In that case, with your abilities, we can move the battlefield to…"
"No, we can't. Ryn, I know what you mean, but there are far more worlds in the Sea of Quanta than you can imagine… We can move the battlefield away from Earth… but the price would be tantamount to sacrificing another 'Earth,' destroying other worlds…"
Ai shook her head. Although she was doing this to see the great spectacle of Sa getting one-shotted by Kiana's spear in the future, it didn't stop her from also wanting to protect other worlds.
"So, for now, Ryn, you should go back. Leave the rest to me. Just wait peacefully for Kiana to complete her evolution, and then take them away from here."
"…"
Ryn was silent for a long time, considering all the possibilities. He then realized that he truly had no way to instantly kill a being no weaker than himself without endangering other worlds.
To one-shot someone who could manipulate time, the attack had to be faster than her reaction, giving her no time to reverse time.
That meant the speed had to be superluminal. Anything faster than light transcends space and time, making it an attack on the level of causality.
Secondly, the power had to be immense, enough for a one-hit kill, destroying all her life force. This would require an attack that was the manifestation of a rule, powerful enough to severely damage a divine body and annihilate the opponent's very concept.
Clearly, Ryn could do neither of these things right now…
"Fine… You take care, then. If you die, I'll definitely avenge you in the future." Ryn blinked and waved goodbye to Ai.
Although they had only met a few times, Ryn would remember the kindness Ai showed by blocking Sa for him.
"Uh, are you cursing me to die…"
Upon hearing Ryn's promise of revenge, Ai's face was covered in awkward lines.
Ryn raised a finger and pointed upwards, hinting to Ai about the true gods that existed above.
"Nothing is absolute… Even I could die, you know."
Ai instantly understood Ryn's meaning but remained unconcerned. She even gave Ryn a playful wink, then patted her chest and said with full confidence:
"Don't worry, I am the eternal, unsinkable ship of samsara—Ai Hyperion Λ. I won't die that easily~"
"Alright, take care then. If you come to Earth in the future, I'll treat you to a meal."
"Mhm."
Ai nodded and sent Ryn out of the time loop, giving him a little push that threw him over to Kukulkan's location.
After seeing Ryn off, Ai turned around with her chakram in hand and walked toward Sa.
"The disparity between worlds is truly vast. That's why the stories of each world are so different, completely unique. But their stories ultimately follow the same path, a cyclical timeline.
But why should I care about this world?
Is it because I am the one and only, and you are too…"