Time passed slowly above the skies of Haicheng.
A streak of scarlet flashed by, and a figure dropped from the heavens.
"Boom!"
With a thunderous crash, a massive crater yawned open in the ground, spiderweb cracks radiating in all directions.
"Finally here."
A figure encased head to toe in red armor climbed out of the pit. Staring at Haicheng ahead, he spoke in a voice tinged with complicated emotion.
On paper, the Flame Dragon Steed was fast enough to exceed the speed of light, but only if its bearer could withstand that velocity.
Obviously, he wasn't that strong yet, so the trip from the Imperial Capital to Haicheng had still taken a while.
"Gululu—"
"Gululu—"
"Ch-ch-ch—"
A chorus of noises drifted into Skyler Quinn's ears. He turned toward the sound. Behind the visor of the armor, his gaze went cold, and a savage, frigid aura erupted from him.
Everywhere he looked, small, squat mutant crabs swarmed over human bodies, devouring flesh and blood.
It wasn't just here; within the range of his perception, the surrounding area was the same.
"Die."
Skyler's voice was icy beyond measure.
Even as he spoke, searing flames surged from the armor.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom—"
Crimson fire uncoiled like a dragon and turned the whole area into a sea of flames. For hundreds of meters around, countless mutant sea beasts were scorched where they stood, howling in agony.
Humans eat the meat of mutant beasts; mutant beasts eat human flesh.
At first glance, that sounds fair.
But to Skyler Quinn, it was only right and natural for humans to eat the meat of mutant beasts. Mutant beasts eating humans?
They deserved to die.
What is "fairness," if not something defined by humans?
Unless those things could replace humanity and write new rules.
Until then—follow the rules of humankind.
Double standards?
Yes, a double standard. What of it?
Holding nothing back, he loosed the terrifying fire, and everything within a hundred meters vanished into the blaze.
"Mom— Mom, don't die!"
"Monster, get away! Don't eat my dad!"
Suddenly, Skyler heard human voices. His face lit up; in the next instant he vanished from where he stood and flashed toward the source of the cries.
A heartbeat later, he saw them: a mother and child, both in rags, both soaked in blood.
The mother was barely conscious. Beside her loomed a three-meter-long mutant sea turtle, its mouth working as if it were chewing something.
He glanced at the ground—at a man's head, all that remained of a body.
As if sensing Skyler's arrival, the mutant sea turtle swallowed the head after finishing its mouthful. Then it turned to face the armored human who had appeared without warning.
Skyler said nothing. His right hand clenched into a fist until the gauntlet creaked.
He had come too late.
If he had arrived a little earlier, that man would not be dead.
At least he wasn't too late for everything. The mother and child were still alive.
"Boom!"
Scorching radiance coiled around Skyler's arm. With a thunderous report, his fist slammed down on the sea turtle's shell.
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
"—"
The sound of shattering glass rang out. The shell dented inward, fractures veining across its surface. They widened and crawled faster and faster; before the beast could even react—
A lance of fire exploded, and the mutant sea turtle burst apart.
"You're…"
The mother on the ground forced her head up, staring at the armored stranger who had saved them.
"Flame Dragon! Mom, he's the Flame Dragon!"
"Flame Dragon came to save us!"
By her side, the boy lit up as if he were staring at his idol. Stars seemed to gleam in his eyes, pure worship spilling across his face.
"Flame Dragon, can you save my dad?"
He looked at Skyler with desperate hope. In a child's mind, heroes can do anything.
But…
Skyler opened his mouth—and no words came out.
The boy's father was already dead.
"My condolences."
In the end, he could only say that to the woman. He dismissed the armor, reached to his waist, and took out a small vial of pills.
"This is for healing. Take one. Then take your child and live. Live well."
It was all he could do.
"Thank you."
The mother was silent for a while. Then she took the vial from his hand. After a long hesitation, she picked out a pill and swallowed it.
Warmth spread through her body, knitting together torn flesh and rekindling strength.
But no joy rose in her heart.
Rationally, she knew she shouldn't blame the person who had saved her and her son. Emotionally, she wanted to—she wanted to vent, to demand why he hadn't come sooner.
Why hadn't he come sooner… If only he'd come a little earlier, her husband would be alive.
She did not say it, because she knew it would be wrong.
Even the fastest relief takes time.
Her husband wouldn't want her to blame a hero who had saved his wife and child.
Skyler stood in silence, then turned away and summoned the Flame Dragon Armor again.
The commotion had drawn a tide of mutant sea beasts, and they now pressed in around the house.
He had more important things to do than offer comfort.
"Take him and stay on my heels."
His voice was low. He stepped forward and walked out.
Behind him, the mother did not hesitate. She grabbed her child and followed.
On a battlefield, time is life. If they stuck to him, they might live.
Crimson fire swept the war-torn streets. With every step, a multitude of mutant sea beasts were swallowed by the flames.
Skyler looked back at the mother and child. He knew that what he should do was rush to exterminate the mutant beasts infesting the city, and that ordinary people ought to hide somewhere safe and wait for him to clear the field.
Bringing them along would only slow him down.
He couldn't do it.
There was no such thing as a "safe place" here anymore. To live, you needed strength—or luck.
No matter where he left them, they might die.
Only by staying with him were they safest.
So he did the only thing he could: purge the mutant beasts in their vicinity while searching for other survivors, and lead them all toward the place where the city's military and the Bureau of Spiritual Energy had gathered.
For now, that was the safest place in Haicheng.
One man could only do so much. The beast tide in Haicheng was nothing like the one in the Imperial Capital; it would not be resolved easily.
The difference in numbers was too great.
"Hoo—"
He drew a deep breath. The air grew hotter, and violent fire unfurled in serpentine torrents, devouring every mutant beast that dared approach.
"Gululu—"
"Gu—gu!!!"
"Hisssssss!!!"
(End of this chapter)