"Visitor."
"This is a different matter."
Odin made no attempt to hide anything, speaking directly.
"A different matter?"
Just as Lu Xing raised his question, the great golden bird opened its tightly shut beak. A transparent, regular tetrahedron, shimmering with a crimson-gold halo, slowly floated in front of Lu Xing. As a gravitational field gently lifted the tetrahedron...
"Shenhuo?"
"Correct. This is Shenhuo."
"A consciousness born from two Herrscher Cores and Honkai energy... my old friend has already been devoured and erased by the power of 'Binding'."
"The Shenhuo of today is merely a powerful container for energy."
"Within it."
"It contains all the technology left behind by the 'creators,' as well as all the attempts 'It' made to create a brand-new race (civilization)."
"Now."
"It is yours."
"..."
[Shenhuo].
Through his earlier conversation with Odin, Lu Xing had gained a deeper understanding of this object's value. Even on the most superficial level, [Shenhuo] would grant Lu Xing a brand-new authority: the "Authority of Reason."
At the same time, his "Authority of Sentience" would be fully completed. Without needing to recall Cheche, Lu Xing would no longer fear mental attacks on any level—unless an opponent could completely suppress him on an energy level, this weakness of his would be completely eliminated from this moment forward.
More importantly.
[Shenhuo] contained the records of an entire civilization capable of cosmic exploration, all the technology born during their development!
Compared to this civilization's present (if they had one), this knowledge might seem somewhat outdated, but its existence was still far more than a single step above the technological level of "Earth's" civilization. Even without looking, he could be certain that many of the creations within were on the level of the black technology Dr. Mei had produced.
Honkai Beasts didn't need knowledge.
But a Honkai Beast with knowledge... the legions could become even stronger!
With the help of [Shenhuo], as long as Lu Xing was given enough time to understand and master it—the "leaf" could no longer restrict Lu Xing's footsteps. And in the future, even without the Emperor's help, the legions would possess the power to walk out of the "leaf."
Thinking of this.
A very appropriate word suddenly popped into his mind:
"Expedition!"
The changes [Shenhuo] could bring were simply too numerous.
And that wasn't all!
Its existence wasn't just for the benefit of his legions or to help him complete his set of authorities. There was another very important point—
This [Shenhuo] was a perfectly regular tetrahedron!
In other words.
It could be used...
"Hah."
Lu Xing calmed his somewhat excited heart.
This wasn't a matter of keeping his composure. Only by coming into physical contact with [Shenhuo] did Lu Xing realize what kind of changes this thing could bring... and there were even more eagerly anticipated, unopened surprises.
"Visitor."
"It seems you are quite satisfied with this down payment."
Odin did not disturb Lu Xing as he played with the [Shenhuo] in his hand. Only after the latter withdrew his focus from the object did the god continue to speak.
"..."
"That's right. In my hands, this thing can indeed play a very significant role."
In response to Odin's directness.
Lu Xing likewise did not hide anything.
This was a fair, contractual transaction, but the circumstances of its "signing" were too unfavorable for the former party. There was no need for Lu Xing to add any chips that might fracture their "friendship."
Moreover.
Odin was right.
[Shenhuo] could truly only serve as a down payment. Its help to Lu Xing and the legions was undeniable, but to "cash in" on these benefits, he would still need ample time and a "future."
In other words.
Shenhuo was of no help whatsoever to the current situation.
Otherwise, Odin could have just used the technology recorded in [Shenhuo] to create a "gate" to the outside of the World Bubble, without needing to go through such trouble.
What truly restricted them was the most unadorned of things: Honkai energy. A massive amount of Honkai energy. An exaggerated quantity of Honkai energy, sufficient to allow Lu Xing to send out all the Honkai Beasts except for Odin!
Was there Honkai energy here?
No.
The Honkai energy reserves in Odin's body were just barely enough to maintain his existence and prevent him from fading away.
And the energy he had shared with the Hybrid Honkai Beasts had mostly been depleted in the previous battle. After all, half of the Hybrid Honkai Beasts' energy came from their nuclear engines. They could contribute their Honkai energy, but the amount... 2%, at most it would replenish Lu Xing's reserves by about 3%.
This was far from enough.
That being said.
In reality, there was Honkai energy here.
A very simple, yet very cruel answer was right before them: one must not forget that the shell of a high-tier Honkai Beast... is condensed from the purest Honkai energy.
That's right.
The Honkai energy that formed the shell could also be used!
The reason Odin believed that "the visitor has the ability to take the Hybrids, all except myself, away" was because...
Lu Xing's title was the Imaginary Emperor.
But only the parts that formed his "blood vessels" and "nodes" revealed a golden color. Whereas Odin before him—He was a great golden bird. The god's body was entirely condensed from the highest quality Honkai energy!
Odin could not leave.
Because the Honkai energy required to send away all the Hybrids present came from Odin's body!
This god had "ruled" this world for an unknown length of time, and regardless of what He had done in the past, at this very moment, He was prepared to burn himself to give all his "children" hope!
Odin's "Authority of Binding" was far more powerful than Lu Xing remembered.
By burning his own body, He could strip away his own Honkai energy and transfer this power to Lu Xing... As long as one ignored the damage to the body and the pain endured from tearing and incinerating his flesh, this method was incredibly efficient. If Lu Xing had to directly absorb this golden Honkai energy that had already solidified into a metallic form, he probably wouldn't be able to finish before the next Quantum Tide arrived.
"Visitor."
"Our time is short."
"Are you... prepared?"
"..."
The one who truly needed to be mentally prepared was asking the executor of the plan, who only needed to follow a predetermined path, if he was ready...
This was the final question posed by a "senior" who called himself ruthless, a senior he had "known" for less than an hour.
"Have you... said your goodbyes?"
His response, and the one he was responding to—
"But of course."
"...Very well. Let's begin."