"Hahahaha, Kosma's expression of questioning life is so funny. We must record this precious moment."
A bell-like laugh came from Elysia's mouth, causing the soldiers passing by to turn their heads, thinking to themselves what could make her so happy, and why the commander-in-chief's cheeks were twitching.
"Is it that funny? I was teaching with sincerity." Ryan tried to maintain an indifferent expression, and in his heart, he added another line to the teaching outline:
Never travel with people who can break your composure. It's easy to lose all your cool and become a comedian.
"It really is funny. And when I found out that you were deliberately pretending to be that way, it became even funnier." Elysia covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling slightly. It took a while for her to return to normal.
"Alright, if I tease you any more, I'll be stepped on too. By the way, weren't you against me teaching Kosma?"
Uh, I couldn't resist the urge to act cool for a moment.
Ryan didn't know how to answer, so he simply corrected her: "Because what you taught was wrong. Why would you show your back to people? And after Kosma remembers it, he'll have more fighting spirit."
Acting cool also requires capital. Kosma has to complete his primitive accumulation.
"You really put a lot of effort into it." Elysia didn't expose him and stretched comfortably. "Ryan, was today pleasant?"
She wouldn't have asked if she hadn't, but this question really made Ryan fall silent. He found that he was unprecedentedly foolish today, and his mind didn't think about anything serious at all.
This seemed to be the third time he had been on a date with Elysia. Every time, the time passed by unintentionally, and that relaxed feeling was unique.
Elysia seemed to have a kind of magic that made him forget his mission, identity, goals, and everything else.
"It was very relaxing. It's just that after spending so much time with you, I'm afraid I'll really become a slacker."
"Hmm, you're scolding me again." The girl instantly turned into a pufferfish.
"That's not it. I'm being sincere. I just feel very unique when I'm with you, like I've entered the life I've always dreamed of." Ryan's eyes gradually became hazy, and he suddenly remembered his original intention after his rebirth.
That's right. In the beginning, I never thought about bearing the destiny of the world. I just wanted to be a slacker who raised birds and watched the sun.
"That path is already isolated from me, but with you, I occasionally get to experience the scenery of my dreams."
Elysia's face instantly turned red. She gently rubbed the ground with her toes, thinking to herself that Ryan was a bold person. He said all kinds of confessions without any shame.
"This is a gift in return. Look forward to it. I'll give you an even better gift soon. See you later."
Ryan subconsciously reached out to grab her, and his fingertips brushed against her hair. As he savored the feeling, he watched her light figure run away. It took him a few seconds to come back to his senses.
He really is... young.
It was the most ordinary date, and also the most intense date. Ryan had fantasized about this scene many times, and it only became a reality with Elysia.
I remember when I first entered Chiba Academy, I complained about the strange couple Kevin and Mei, and at the same time, I fantasized about what a real date would be like. But the cruel reality quickly swallowed all feelings.
Ryan had thought about it, but he couldn't do it. After fantasizing, he had to go hunt Honkai Beasts and deal with tricky problems for the big shots of the Fire Moth. When blood soaked his shoes, and he looked at the twisted corpses, all the emotions of that age would seem a bit unreal.
Unexpectedly, his dream came true before the end.
He slowly clenched his hand into a fist and finally put it in his pocket. His blood was like fire, full of motivation.
In an instant, Ryan felt a sense of fighting for his life, and an anticipation for the life after the storm.
Hmm, I'll go find Mei in a bit. I have to work hard.
He didn't know what the next challenge would be. Theoretically, the Herrscher of Finality wouldn't come so soon, but with the trouble he had created, the Honkai would definitely do something in the dark.
Will it be the Finality?
He looked at the direction where Elysia's figure disappeared, feeling a bit conflicted. If possible, he would of course hope that the Honkai would continue to send fodder, preferably for fifty thousand years, to fatten him up.
But this was impossible. If they were pushed too hard, they might just drop a 'self-destructing Herrscher' to blow up the Earth. He could even vaguely feel that the 'Cocoon's' patience was at its limit.
The proctor is being slapped in the face every day. Why would he continue the exam?
"At most, one or two more attempts, and it will pretend to be dead and then hold back for a big one, not even giving me a chance to reap the benefits. It'll just flip the table."
Ryan sighed. He both hoped to slow down the pace and make full preparations. But he also knew that this was impossible. He was not facing a fool. It had the ability and the will to blow up the planet.
Fortunately, the 'Cocoon' was not a human, and it wouldn't get angry. When it feels that it can still execute the underlying program and bring everything back to the normal track, it will still go with the 'restart' plan.
At least for the next attempt, I have to get enough benefits. While making preparations as much as possible, I also have to solve Elysia's problem. And this problem—
It depends on whether the other chess player is capable.
...
In this long war, the Herrscher of Binding was undoubtedly a climax.
The Honkai energy fluctuations all over the world began to stabilize, even giving people the illusion that the catastrophe was over. It seemed that humanity no longer needed to leave their homeland and could start a new life immediately.
But this doubt never appeared. It was true that the storm had passed its peak, but the aftermath still remained. Not to mention the distant things, just looking at the present, there were still two Herrschers, so how could the end come?
For the Herrschers, life was also not good. The overall migration of humanity made their targets scarce, especially after Mu was completely lost. The defense range of the Fire Moth was set around the Pacific Ocean, and their forces were more concentrated than ever before.
"Even the Herrscher of Binding couldn't take them down. What's the difference between me going and me looking for death?"
Calis sat on a crystal chair, propping his chin and looking at his kind in front of him. He knew it was sophistry, but he couldn't refute it.
"Are you also afraid of death?" The Herrscher of Death spread her hands and said in a mocking tone: "I have no fear at all, and as a result, I've lived the longest and am called the 'Herrscher of Cowardice' by humans."
Two years was indeed not long, but for a 'Herrscher', a living being, it was already unimaginably long. One must know that the Third Herrscher only lived for a few hours in total.
"Perhaps this is what humans call luck. You are lucky every time. But if you want to die, it's also very simple. Go three thousand kilometers west from here, and that person will crush you into dust. Hmm, probably within three minutes."
"And then you'll send me my authority, right? Forget it. I have no concept of life and death, and I don't plan to discuss these troublesome issues with you." The Herrscher of Death didn't take the bait and instantly became expressionless. "At that last moment, why didn't you intervene?"
"Humanity cannot be fabricated. What's wrong? Are you angry at my retreat? Or are you questioning my position?" Calis asked leisurely, and then he saw the Herrscher freeze.
That's right. For a Herrscher's personality, anger and questioning are void. It's like a robot without these programs. They can't even understand, let alone take a countermeasure.
Even a 'vivid' Herrscher like the Herrscher of Death is essentially as easy to fool as a baby because she only knows friend or foe, mission, and rational calculation.
'It seems that the words I prepared are all useless. They are not beings that can be moved by words. I am her kind. Our missions are the same. Attacking me will reduce the success rate. Grasping these three points, there's no need for sophistry.'
Calis looked at the crashed Herrscher of Death and was a bit amused. This kind of machine could never defeat humanity. On the contrary, a being like the Herrscher of Binding, who was caught between humans and Herrschers, was more terrifying, because there was a thing called 'desire' that could transcend instinct and was full of uncertainty.
That's right. Now I have to add myself.
The man rubbed his chin and had no intention of thanking Elysia. Everything had been labeled with value in the dark. If he hadn't regained his 'human heart', he would have instinctively gone all out.
Guess who is stronger, that little cat or me?
The answer didn't need to be guessed at all. Calis also had no intention of making Elysia thank him in return.
I can only say, they got what they needed.
Besides, things were going too smoothly. Maybe that Dr. Ryan had set up some hidden traps in the dark.
"Now we're in a stalemate again. The Fire Moth doesn't have the energy to completely wipe us out, and I don't have the strength to deal with them."
As he said this, he turned his head to look at the half-human, half-monster Dr. Damian. He thought to himself, as expected of a mad scientist, to have his body modified to such an extent. And the look of admiration from the other party made him very satisfied.
"I'll write the script for the remaining two experiments."
"Mm, we have such good chemistry. You can turn a one-percent success rate into reality, but please don't have any more twists and turns next time." Damian's eyes were not only full of admiration but also like he was appreciating a work of art.
A human heart, a Herrscher's authority. This was a treasure second only to Ryan and Elysia. And unlike those two stubborn people on the opposite side, he really wanted to use the Honkai.
Even if the goals were different, the starting point was the same as his.
"I'm just finding possibilities. Twists and turns are necessary paths to the end." Calis was a bit bored. He did admire Damian's willpower.
It was not just about fighting for a breath. It was also to prove that humanity had another path to take. They could barely be considered同行者fellow travelers.
"Dr. Ryan won't just wait foolishly. With his personality, he will act only after he has prepared everything."
"But what about the Herrscher of Human? To welcome the Finality, you have to kill her too." Damian quickly found the key point, stroking his warty face and octopus-like tentacles. "Dr. Ryan has gone to so much trouble. With his personality, he won't go back on his word. But if the Finality doesn't come, this war will never end. Will he bet humanity for personal feelings?"
"Of course not. Dr. Ryan, Miss Elysia, and humanity are a whole. No one can leave anyone." Calis subconsciously frowned, feeling more and more that something was wrong.
"Could it be that he wants to take the initiative and deliberately slow down the Finality's descent?"
"He can't control that. Besides, the Honkai is not stupid even though it has no humanity. It will only target him more fiercely. The Herrscher of Binding has just ended, and it's already preparing for the next one."
Damian obviously knew what the next one was and nodded slightly: "But he might still win."
"Then he'll just win again. It's not good for him to drag it on. Dr. Ryan has a weakness." Calis extended his index finger and said faintly: "He wants to protect too many things, and the beings who can become Herrscher vessels have not been cut off. At least he can't accept his friends becoming Herrschers."
"What if we retreat to the Sea of Quanta?"
"That would be the path of a stray dog. This path is even more full of unknowns. If he was going to run, he would have done it a long time ago and wouldn't have waited until today. And if it's dragged on for too long, he can win, keep winning, but the Earth can't handle it, and no one can stop the Honkai from flipping the table."
The Cocoon of Finality was a bit gloomy. Anyone with a discerning eye knew that it was holding back for a big one. But due to the difference in dimensions, knowing the thoughts was useless. There was no way to interfere.
A month, a year, or ten years. If it continues to accumulate like this, the Fourteenth Herrscher will be more terrifying than imagined. This was also a hidden danger for Calis. Who knows if the next Herrscher would also eliminate people like him who had a 'human heart'?
It was also reasonable and well-founded.
Damian thought for a moment and then asked: "Then does he want to welcome the Finality?"
"This isn't a question of whether he wants to or not. It's about the right time, whether it's early or late. Of course, considering his growth, the Honkai side should be more urgent. That's why it has so much hostility towards the Herrscher of Human. After all, no one wants to see the table being flipped."
"Including you?"
"Of course. I gave up everything to get to this point. In a way, he and I have the same request, the same dilemma." Calis didn't hide his fear. His finger slid across the crystal armrest.
There was one thing he didn't mention, and that was that Dr. Ryan alone could not solve the problem of the Herrscher of Human.
Could it be that he's scheming against me? And I have no choice but to do it?
If it's true, this open scheme is interesting.
Calis pondered for a moment, and then he smiled. Thinking about the problem from Ryan's perspective, it was indeed very difficult to welcome the Herrscher of Finality and fight a decisive battle with the Honkai. But since he first showed his abilities, he had been working towards this.
The probability was small, but it was not zero. On the other hand, if the Honkai flipped the table, all the years he had spent would have been for nothing. It would have been better to just run away early.
"So the key item is in my hands, but its value is not that great. Is it better to keep this 'figuring out a way' item?"
"What are you saying?"
"An unimportant hypothesis. Let's get ready too. Take your research to the extreme and induce her to bring down the Honkai and stir up this stagnant water."
"And then? Aren't you afraid he'll swell up to the point of being uncontrollable?"
"How strong he is has nothing to do with me. I'm not thinking of becoming a simple Herrscher to fulfill a mission. I just want to find a way. How does that saying go?" Calis paused and thought for a long time before he remembered.
"After I get what I want, who cares if there's a flood!"