Battle Rabbit turned to Sayu and said, "Go investigate the boss's business! I want to develop equipment specifically for dealing with blood stealth."
He pulled out an energy bottle.
"What is this?" Wanzhang asked curiously.
Battle Rabbit replied slowly, "Inside this bottle are remnants of Pandora's Box. I plan to use it to quickly create equipment that will enhance the power of the Creation Riders."
On the other side, Soichi spoke to Nanba Juzaburo. "The energy bottles required for Pandora's Box have all been purified."
Nanba Juzaburo's expression was cold as he replied, "What do I plan to do? I will use the immense energy dormant within Pandora's Box to create military weapons that surpass nuclear arms. That is our ultimate objective."
The audience across the three realms watched this scene unfold with furrowed brows. Creating such a destructive weapon would undoubtedly be a disaster for the world if Pandora's Box fell into the wrong hands.
On the screen, Soichi sighed. "It's truly terrifying!"
President Nanba replied indifferently, "Match the energy bottles with high compatibility. The metal plate will glow, correct?"
"That's right," Soichi confirmed.
He then took two energy bottles and placed them on the magic box. A mechanical voice chimed, "Wrong match!"
Soichi's expression darkened. "This is fake!" he exclaimed.
Nanba Juzaburo chuckled. "You are indeed quite impressive," he remarked.
Soichi realized the energy bottles were all counterfeit, replaced without his knowledge.
Meanwhile, in the extraordinary chat group, members began to discuss the revelation.
Fu Nina: "Oh, so all those energy bottles were fake?"
Fu Xuan: "Hehe, that's so clever!"
Sanyueqi: "Yes, Zhantu is incredibly smart. After discovering that Soichi was a blood diver, he replaced the energy bottles with fakes."
Paimon: "Zhantu's intelligence is truly admirable. He's amazing!"
At a coffee shop, Wanzhang looked at Battle Rabbit in surprise. "I didn't expect you to use fake bottles to replace the real ones!"
Zhantu's voice was calm. "The boss will come to steal the energy bottles eventually. I must complete the equipment to strengthen myself before that happens."
Later, Sayu returned to Zhantu with new information. "I found some details about the boss. Ishido Soichi was once a student astronaut. It's said he was straightforward and had a strong sense of justice. However, ten years ago, during the Mars rover's return ceremony, he tried to forcibly open Pandora's Box. This led to the tragedy of the Sky Wall."
Battle Rabbit nodded. "So, his personality drastically changed after that incident."
Sayu continued, "He was taken to a nearby hospital due to his deteriorated mental state. Another curious thing I discovered is that Misora was also sent to the same hospital on the day of the Sky Wall tragedy. She fainted in the room where Pandora's Box was kept and remained in a coma after being hospitalized. For a brief time, she and Soichi stayed in the same hospital."
"That's surprising," Battle Rabbit remarked.
Sayu added, "The boss escaped from the hospital within a month. Seven years later, he became a consultant specializing in analyzing the magic box. However, he resigned after Faust stole the magic box's metal plate."
The audience was equally astonished. Misora and Soichi sharing a connection from the hospital raised more questions about their pasts.
Battle Rabbit speculated, "So, the boss was already a member of Faust during that time?"
Sayu whispered, "What confirms this is that when Faust stole the metal plate, the boss took Misora from the hospital."
Battle Rabbit frowned, "He likely intended for her to purify the energy bottles. But how could he take her away from Faust afterward?"
Later, Soichi challenged Battle Rabbit to a fight at the location where they first met. Both arrived at the designated spot.
Soichi smiled nostalgically. "I miss this place. I met you here a year ago. That year was incredibly fulfilling."
Zhantu's voice was low. "Was everything you did for me and Wanzhang a lie? And Misora, too? Were all the moments we shared fake?"
The memories of Soichi being part of their lives seemed starkly at odds with his current persona. It felt surreal to Zhantu.
The audience across the three realms shared mixed emotions. If everything Soichi had done was a lie, his actions were nothing short of cruel.
On the screen, Soichi chuckled softly. "You can't say it was all fake. There were moments when I felt so moved, I wanted to cry. I even felt guilty for deceiving you."
"Stop joking!" Battle Rabbit snapped. His anger was evident as he whispered, "Transform!"
Soichi responded calmly, "Steam blood."
It began to rain heavily, drenching both fighters. Without hesitation, they clashed. Their battle was fierce, showcasing their respective strengths.
After several intense rounds, they fought their way indoors. "Vortex Crush!" Battle Rabbit used his drill crusher to push back the blood diver.
As the fight continued, Battle Rabbit was momentarily distracted by memories of his time with Soichi. This lapse gave Soichi the opportunity to knock him down, forcing him to revert to his human form.
Zhantu's expression was conflicted. "I can't do it! After all, it was you who made me what I am today. You gave me the chance to live like a human being."
His emotions were torn. Despite everything, he felt gratitude toward Soichi, making it impossible for him to strike decisively.
Soichi's face remained calm. "It seems the winner has been decided." He raised his gun and pointed it at Zhantu.
At that moment, a sword knocked the gun from his hand. Wanzhang appeared, standing firm in the pouring rain. His clothes were soaked, but his resolve was unshaken.
"Then let me take him down!" Wanzhang declared.