If it hadn't been for Hua Yi's timely warning, Theresa would have been caught off guard by the inconspicuous vine snaking toward her feet.
From a distance, she hadn't noticed anything unusual about the forest. But observing it now from such close range, the sheer number of vines was overwhelming. They were like giant jungle pythons, coiled tightly around trees, buildings, and even the earth itself, striking at Hua Yi and Theresa like venomous snakes.
As she thrust the Oath of Judas horizontally across her chest to parry a vine, Theresa noticed the numerous sharp thorns protruding from it. Judging by the force of the strike, the vine's toughness far exceeded that of any normal plant. The thorns likely possessed significant lethality; had she failed to block in time, she certainly would have sustained a serious injury.
Just as Theresa began to grit her teeth in frustration at the insidious ambush, Hua Yi's voice drifted over from beside her.
"One way plants protect themselves against predators is by growing thorns on their stems. However, a more common and effective method is through toxins. I doubt these vines are as simple as just being thorny. Be careful not to let them scratch you, Theresa."
"Thanks for the warning, but you're the one who needs to be careful Oath of Judas, deploy!"
The giant cross, which she usually wielded as a blunt instrument, was slammed heavily onto the ground. It unfolded into a semi-circular weapon rack. Several spears appeared upon it for a fleeting second before vanishing into streaks of flowing light.
Then came the whistle of sharp blades tearing through the air, accompanied by the clatter of chains moving at high speeds.
Everything within a ten-meter radius was transformed into a "pure land" under the fierce, wide-range assault of the Oath of Judas. Vines, grass, and trees were all shredded by the spears, and the debris was blown away by the shockwaves generated by the weapon. Aside from Hua Yi and Theresa, the only thing remaining was freshly overturned soil.
Truly, the Oath of Judas was terrifying.
Having completed her staggering wide-area attack, Theresa turned her head to look at Hua Yi.
"Now then, are you going to keep following me deeper to find the Pseudo-Herrscher, or are you going back to the destroyer on your own? Your injuries haven't healed yet; you aren't fit for the coming battle."
"If I hadn't warned you, you would have been ambushed by those vines just now, wouldn't you? How could I possibly feel at ease turning around and leaving? Let's keep moving together. At the very least, I will never be a burden to you."
"...Fine."
Theresa had indeed been a bit careless earlier, so she didn't feel right forcing Hua Yi to leave now. Taking a moment to steady her breathing, which had grown ragged after the explosive use of the Oath of Judas, she prepared to head deeper following the indications of the Honkai Energy concentration map. However, Hua Yi pulled her back.
"Are you planning to just walk in like that?"
"How else? Those vines are a nuisance, so I'll just have to use the Oath of Judas to force a path open."
"If you do that, you'll be exhausted by the time you actually find the Pseudo-Herrscher, won't you?"
Exhausted was an exaggeration, but she would certainly be tired.
Theresa fell silent. Hua Yi gazed into the depths of the forest, which radiated an aura of unknown danger, and spoke up.
"It looks like this place is already that Pseudo-Herrscher's stronghold. Since the enemy is waiting for us to tire ourselves out, there's no need for us to walk into a trap. Look at this beautiful scenery of green trees and red flowers wouldn't it be a shame not to set it on fire?"
"!!"
Theresa was stunned by Hua Yi's bold idea. Hua Yi glanced back at the path they had come from and continued.
"Senba Academy is a girls' school surrounded by reinforced concrete walls. Outside are broad asphalt roads. These are all non-flammable materials. With a little care, we can ensure the fire won't spread to the rest of the city. So, shall we?"
"...Alright."
This guy, Hua Yi, really did have a knack for providing constant surprises.
Theresa agreed. Nagazora was already a city abandoned to the Honkai. If they could eliminate a Pseudo-Herrscher simply by burning down Senba Academy, it was an incredibly cost-effective trade.
However—
"Don't you plan on saving the Pseudo-Herrscher this time? To think you'd be the one to suggest this."
"I told you before, this Pseudo-Herrscher was likely a Zombie corrupted by Honkai Energy. She can't really be considered human. Besides, even if she were some unlucky soul who wandered into Nagazora after the outbreak,
becoming a Pseudo-Herrscher wouldn't turn her into an idiot. A common fire isn't going to kill her. Even if an immature Pseudo-Herrscher is weak enough to be threatened by flames, she'll just avoid them. Essentially, this fire is just to clear the vines and the forest. Whether it actually traps her remains to be seen."
"Fair point."
Soon, flames began to spread from a corner of Senba Academy.
"Theresa, one of us will stay here just in case, while the other goes to the unburnt side to wait. According to the instinct of living creatures to seek benefit and avoid harm, the Pseudo-Herrscher will most likely flee in the opposite direction of the fire. Of course, she might do the opposite, which would prove she possesses high intelligence."
"And if it's the former, it proves she was transformed from a Zombie, so there's no need to hold back. Even if she stays put, we'll just go in and find her after the forest is gone."
Theresa finished Hua Yi's sentence for him and picked up the Oath of Judas, heading toward the other side.
"Keep in touch. The Honkai Energy monitoring map will show her location. If she runs toward you, I'll come back to support you. Since you were able to get the 3rd Herrscher, Raiden Mei, to join the human side, don't go dying at the hands of another intelligent Herrscher."
"Don't worry. On the contrary, if she runs your way, remember to let me know."
"You don't believe I can defeat her?" Theresa looked back, seemingly a bit annoyed.
Hua Yi smiled. "I believe in you. It's just that if I don't hear from you for a long time, I'll worry."
"Tch, I get it. I won't leave you standing there wasting your time."
Now Theresa could somewhat understand how Hua Yi had managed to pull the 3rd Herrscher, Raiden Mei, over to the human side. It was through this kind of sweet-talking, wasn't it?
Hmph. It certainly was pleasant to hear. He clearly still lacked confidence in her strength, but by simply changing the way he phrased it, he could make her feel entirely different.
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