In the real world, Station 13.
Though Tendo hadn't yet made a move, and his tone was as gentle as if chatting with an old friend, rather than confronting a dangerous enemy, this casual demeanor, flowing through his every gesture, now felt like invisible hands gripping the hearts of the dimensional viewers. It made them truly feel the power of "Ink Wash" the Fifth Squad Captain.
It was only after hearing his detailed breakdown of a Star Envoy's potential that the dimensional viewers finally understood the gap between Chen Kong and others, and this "Ink Wash" as well as how incredibly powerful "Tendo" was in the first season.
"If Captain Ink Wash's words are accurate, then Tendo must be that kind of monster who pushed every attribute to its extreme in each stage, right?"
When this comment appeared, other dimensional viewers began to chime in. Based on Tendo's performance in the first season, if he hadn't maxed out all "six-dimensional attributes" back then, he absolutely couldn't have stood out among a group of monstrous children of the stars, let alone become the monster among monsters. It could be said that while previous dimensional viewers knew Tendo, the "Pinnacle of Stars," was incredibly strong, they didn't have a direct grasp of what that "strong" truly meant. Some even thought that a significant portion of Tendo's "strength" was due to his development of the Star Source: Vector Control. If he had lacked this Star Source, Tendo would still be strong, but probably not to the exaggerated extent seen in the first season.
But now, "Captain Ink Wash's" words completely debunked that notion. According to "Captain Ink Wash's" description, even if Tendo had used a different Star Source back then, he would still have crushed everyone of the same period and remained the undisputed pinnacle of the stars. Tendo's strength wasn't because of the Vector Control Star Source, but because of him!
And after realizing this, someone suddenly remembered what Chen Xing had inadvertently said to Chen Kong in the first season, shortly after Tendo acquired his Star Source:
"The strong one has never been the Star Source, but Tendo himself."
Previously, dimensional viewers had simply thought Chen Xing's words were an exaggeration of Tendo's terrifying talent. But now... those words weren't an exaggeration at all!
With this realization, even though "Tendo" hadn't truly appeared in this second season, discussions about him once again dominated the entire screen.
"Holy cow, so 'Old Man Tendo' was that ridiculous?"
"If only 'Old Man Tendo' were here now, there wouldn't be all this trouble."
"Just started watching Season 2, who's 'Old Man Tendo'?"
"To the person above: I recommend finishing Season 1 first. You'll understand why everyone's missing him now. Because if he were here, how could this 'Ink Wash' guy be so arrogant?"
"Day 367 of missing 'Old Man Tendo'."
Watching Liu Ma and Chen Kong on screen, pressed almost immobile by the Captain-level aura, the dimensional viewers suddenly felt an intense nostalgia for that perpetually lazy, erratic figure. While safe, that guy was everyone's greatest "danger." But in times of "danger," he was everyone's greatest reliance.
It was a dead end. Seeing Chen Kong and Liu Ma unable to even move under "Ink Wash's" oppressive aura, the dimensional viewers felt it was a desperate, inescapable situation.
"Is this the classic painful failure that a hot-blooded shonen anime protagonist must endure?"
Just as some dimensional viewers sighed, preparing for the upcoming frustrating plot, the anime's background music suddenly changed without warning. The previously gentle piano melody took an abrupt turn, like the crisp sound of breaking ice, sounding the charge for Chen Kong's attack!
"I admit, I did overdraw my future too much back then, but—"
Chen Kong's voice, though accompanied by suppressed gasps, was unusually clear. He slowly raised his head, revealing resolute eyes beneath his sweat-dampened, messy hair.
"...Only a future where we can see tomorrow is truly a future."
"If I can't even see tomorrow, what's the point of all that potential?"
At the same time, the anime's camera focused on Chen Kong's right hand. There, a peculiar, sky-blue colored candy was clutched. Staring at this candy, the dimensional screen once again exploded with comments.
"It's Sweet Dream Candy: Blue!"
"The famous item from Season 1!"
"Come forth, my Star Energy potential, let me see your limits!"
Under the expectant gazes of the dimensional viewers, Chen Kong swallowed the [Sweet Dream Candy: Blue]. The moment the candy entered his mouth, a soft gulping sound emanated from Chen Kong's throat. The next second, the Star Energy on his body surged visibly, and his aura, like a beast breaking free from its shackles, shot straight up!
At this moment, he finally broke free from Tendo's oppressive aura and regained his freedom!
However, Tendo didn't pay too much attention to this scene. He slightly raised an eyebrow, a ripple passing through his gaze behind his black-rimmed glasses. He calmly watched as his special oppressive aura, mixed with a portion of "Vector Control," was forcefully pushed back by Chen Kong's sheer "brute force."
A moment later, Tendo spoke again.
"I admit there's some truth to what you said, but—"
Tendo's tone was very calm, his moon-white captain's robe swaying without wind.
"...What does that have to do with me?"
He slowly placed his hand on the hilt of the blade at his waist. Special ink-like liquid, like a tide, slowly covered the hem of Tendo's moon-white captain's robe.
"My mission is simply to bring this Knight Lady back to the association intact."
"But what if I don't let you do that?"
Chen Kong raised his hand, and a specially modified, technologically advanced black star-energy gun appeared in his grasp. Facing the black gun, whose barrel was continuously accumulating star energy and aimed directly at him, the gentleness on Tendo's face slowly vanished, replaced by an almost indifferent calm.
"If you insist on doing that, then I can only ask you to sleep well here for a while."
Before Tendo's words finished, a gun fired, tearing through the air!
A specially made "Void-Pattern" bullet, with a sharp ripping sound, arrived before Tendo in the blink of an eye.
Ding!
Amidst the intertwining black light and shadows, Tendo drew "Star-Shatter" from his waist, deflecting Chen Kong's "Void-Pattern bullet" with a single strike. In slow motion, the dimensional viewers clearly saw the black ink wrapped around Tendo's blade instantly assimilated by Chen Kong's Void-Pattern power, turning into pure star energy and dissipating into the air. But the effect produced by the Void-Pattern bullet stopped there.
Before Chen Kong could pull the trigger a second time, Tendo gave a swing. The ink-like fluid, manipulated by Vector Control, condensed into a blade energy, whistling directly towards Chen Kong's face!
In a split second, Chen Kong sharply rolled to the side. The blade energy grazed his ear, leaving a mirror-smooth cut on the wall behind him. A few strands of severed black hair floated gently down, bouncing on the ground before finally settling. But in that moment of evasion, Chen Kong unexpectedly raised his gun again.
Bang, bang, bang!
As special, faint blue gunshots illuminated the dim underground space, three Void-Pattern bullets, arranged in a triangular formation, shot towards Tendo, who stood with his blade ready!
However, responding to these three bullets were three streaks of inky blade light from "Star-Shatter."
Ding, ding, ding!
A series of crisp sounds rang out as the Void-Pattern bullets, capable of severely wounding ordinary Star Envoys, were effortlessly sliced down by Tendo, turning into points of star energy and completely dissipating in the air before him.
Tendo held his blade, the ink still spreading across his robe's hem. On the other side, Chen Kong was kneeling on one knee, his gun barrel trembling slightly, and cold sweat continuously dripped from his temple down his jawline, splashing tiny droplets onto the dusty ground.
Watching this scene, everyone outside the dimensional screen held their breath. They knew that although the current situation remained suffocating, they could see precious hope in it!
And according to anime law, when the protagonist's background music plays, he cannot lose!