The wind howled, and the snow fell thick and fast. The sea and sky were both covered with snow, and the further reaches of the landscape were hidden in a blanket of white.
Ryan gaze was fixed in the distance, where a girl with short gray-blonde hair floated effortlessly through the swirling snow. The cold wind around her felt almost like an extension of herself, wrapping around her like an ethereal force. No one could match her aerial agility.
The Herrscher stood, staring coldly at the distant island, her expression unchanged. Her face was almost identical to the third Herrscher, but her eyes held a livelier spark.
"I can't go. He's waiting for me."
After standing for a long moment, the Herrscher reached her conclusion. If the Fire Moth's intelligence team had seen her, they would likely be in trouble again.
The Herrscher had actually refrained from charging forward like she normally would. She suppressed her Honkai energy to avoid detection, staying close to the military base.
This was a troubling development for humanity. In the original world line, Kevin had been swayed when the Herrscher of Death begged for mercy. After all, the Herrscher appearance was deceptively benign—she didn't look hideous or frightening at all.
But Ryan wasn't surprised. The Herrschers were inherently intelligent and conscious. They had simply been too arrogant to use these traits fully. As time went on, they would develop emotions and learn to care.
But even now, the Herrscher of Wind hadn't made that move. Though she had identified several key targets, after weighing the odds, she chose to retreat.
"Humans truly are creatures that fight until the very end."
She shook her head indifferently, diving into the original memories of her body, beginning to plan using the lieutenant's knowledge and experience.
Honkai energy was still gathering, and it would take time to create the next Herrscher. She couldn't accomplish both objectives alone, and humanity's combat power was rapidly increasing. She was no match for them with her hastily acquired strength.
Should she try contacting the Fire Moths, induce them into a civil conflict?
After a brief moment of hesitation, she dismissed the idea. Her authority wasn't suited for infiltration, and a battle of wits and strategy wasn't a safe move right now.
But continuing to wait wasn't an option either. The alien would eventually find a way to destroy her.
Raising her head, the Herrscher seemed to notice satellites moving across the sky. The Fire Moths were closing in, more determined than ever to track her down. Yet the suppressed Honkai energy wasn't enough for her to escape quickly.
She had read about the fate of the three previous Herrschers when they were captured. In terms of raw combat power, she wasn't as strong as the Herrscher of Thunder.
"Then let's say hello and stir up humanity with fear and destruction. I'll break out of the encirclement first."
She opened her arms, and the wind from high above swept her forward like a current. Invisible energy spread toward the sea, sending a message following the usual Fire Moth protocols.
[Wake up, Varuna. It's time to do something.]
Deep beneath the sea, a green Honkai beast with four wings and a dragon-like body opened its eyes. Slowly, it rose from the depths and let out a roar that shattered the water's surface.
Roar—
Nearly 1000 HW of energy spread out in an instant, triggering alarms at monitoring points all over the eastern Pacific Ocean.
"A Judgment-level Honkai beast has been discovered, and it is presumed to be heading towards the west coast of Mu Continent."
Immediately, several branches and command centers went into overdrive. They began scouring the Pacific Ocean, pulling in data, and realizing the enormous Honkai energy signature was coming from the seabed. If it reached land, it would be a major blow to the parliament.
All media outlets began reporting on this global manhunt. Giant steel warships, swarms of fighter jets, and weapons straight out of science fiction movies flooded the scene. It was a spectacle for military enthusiasts. But if this massive public relations operation failed, it would be a huge blow to humanity.
The combat power displayed by the Fourth Herrscher wasn't impressive, but if they could capture her, it would provide a much-needed morale boost to the world.
"Keep monitoring and check for any satellite orbit changes. Since a Judgment-level Honkai Beast has appeared, the Fourth Herrscher can't be far behind."
At Fire Moth headquarters, Commander Carius was personally overseeing the operation. He looked intently at the big screen, where the source of the Honkai energy swirled like a vortex, while friendly forces spread across the entire ocean.
"Ms. Elysia and Dr. Ryan are likely in Hawaii," he suddenly recalled.
"Yes, and Dr. Mei, Dr. Mobius, and others are also on vacation in Hawaii," the operator replied, pulling up a massive amount of files detailing the birthday party. There was no attempt at concealment.
Carius looked up, seeing many faces beside Ryan and Elysia, and subconsciously frowned.
Is it really such a coincidence?
He saw a group of elite fighters but didn't think much of it. He felt some regret, however, that the Honkai beast hadn't attacked Hawaii, or else the beast and the Herrscher would have been defeated.
Fortunately, they weren't far away.
"Notify Dr. Mei to end her vacation and have Elysia and Ryan join the battle immediately. Send the Sword of Punishment troops. We cannot let the Herrscher escape again." The General took a deep breath, turning to his staff. "Carius, do you have any additional thoughts?"
The blonde man frowned, staring at the big screen with a strange expression.
He had personally approved the party application, which was part of the encirclement and suppression plan, but...
How could it be such a coincidence?
According to the timeline, the birthday party had just ended when the Herrscher appeared.
" Carius?"
The blonde man snapped back to attention and didn't voice his thoughts aloud. Instead, he simply responded, "Sir, I have nothing to add. I just suggest that no one other than Elysia and Ryan join the battle for now."
"Are you thinking about the second step of the Mantis Plan?"
"Yes. They're one in a million—very precious—but they're just sticking together right now, and their stance is problematic. Whether they can be used will depend on the outcome of this crusade."
Supermen were valuable, but maintaining balance was even more important. It was best for them to remain full of contradictions with each other. This was how Ryan controlled his subordinates, but only living people were worth using tactics on. The most urgent task was to deal with the collapse.
Carius thought for a few seconds, then nodded.
"License granted."
Inside the glass room, Ryan was kneading Mobius face, who had fainted from pleasure. There was no response after a long time.
Her skin was soft and smooth, and Ryan couldn't help but wonder what kind of facial cleanser Mobius used.
He pinched her cheeks, causing her to pout, but suddenly, she raised her head.
"Elysia, if you take a picture, I'll destroy your phone."
"Hehe, I just want to leave you with a guilty conscience. You can't be so cruel to a girl!"
"Don't give me that. Haven't you made me suffer enough these past two days?"
"But you're happy too, right?"
I…well, these past two days have been really interesting.
Ryan hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time since leaving Qianyu Academy. Seeing so many friends and letting them get to know each other was a joy in itself.
Even without considering the future, this kind of happiness was precious.
Ryan smiled gently. When he saw Mobius shaking her head, he quickly withdrew his hand.
"So, did your big operation succeed?"
"Well, it was a great success! I haven't felt so relaxed in ages. I feel like I haven't pinched little Griseo chubby cheeks enough." Elysia stretched, feeling refreshed. She turned to Mei, who was taking out her phone and supporting her head.
"It's a shame that happy times are always short-lived. It would be wonderful if I could live like this every day."
Ryan glanced at Mei and then at Mobius, who was resting on the rattan chair. He yawned.
These days had been too comfortable, leaving him a little sluggish. But Ryan was the best at adjusting to different situations in an instant, so he lightly slapped his face to snap himself back to reality.
Instantly, he became cold and sharp.
"It's a shame we're warriors, born into a messed-up world. Laughter is just a temporary respite, and fighting is the only thing that endures."
"But that's what makes laughter so precious." Elysia smiled softly, making Ryan pause for a moment before nodding.
That's true. It's because of the storm that the calm before it seems so precious.
He saw Mei put down her phone with a slightly apologetic look. Before she could speak, Ryan asked, "Has the Herrscher of Wind appeared?"
"No, a Judgment-level Honkai beast was detected. The Intelligence Department speculated that it's the companion beast of the Fourth Herrscher."
This response stunned Ryan for a moment, but he immediately replied without hesitation, "The Herrscher is playing tricks, maybe she's trying to take advantage of the situation to break out of the encirclement."
"I guess so, but I can't confirm it for my superiors." Mei shook her head, not needing to explain further.
There was no evidence, and besides, who would report it? Should Ryan tell them he'd spoken to the Herrscher and knew her true identity?
"Thank you." Ryan nodded slightly.
"Don't thank me so quickly. I think your value is greater than that of the Fire Moths combined. Humanity can't afford internal strife." Mei responded before Ryan could say anything. "There's another update. The higher-ups have only agreed to let you two join the battle. Seems like they're not completely stupid."
Kevin and his group were still too inexperienced for battles at the Herrscher level.
"They're not stupid. Just not very pure. Some of them must be keeping a close eye on me, testing me."
"So what will you do?"
"Of course, I'll be cautious. I even suspect this battle won't start at all." Ryan stood up slowly. He heard the sound of helicopter blades, saw the lights in the room flicker, and then Sakura peeked her head through the door.
"Tell Kevin I'm sorry. It was a bit anticlimactic at the end."
"We're already happy enough. We should be the ones apologizing." Mei frowned.
"Then hurry up and catch up. I'll create the opportunities." Ryan shrugged, seeing the helicopter hovering in the air. As he started to move, he was pulled back by Elysia. Then he realized that he was used to it.
He held her hand, and the two of them flew up in a pink glow, cutting through the wind and snow, heading towards the helicopter.
Mei watched their figures disappear into the snowstorm, then kicked the chair and muttered, "Hey, how long are you going to pretend to sleep? Are you really that embarrassed?"
Mobius opened her eyes and seemed to have been awake for a while. She muttered, "That bastard is too brave. I'm afraid of falling out with him."
She rubbed her face, as if still feeling the lingering touch.
Mei snorted softly, unable to stand Mobius stubbornness. She sat beside her, crossing her legs.
"Aren't you worried?"
Mobius gave a hint of a smile, spreading her hands confidently.
"That's Ryan. There's nothing to worry about."