[The red point displayed on the radar is a low-level xenogeneic. It is recommended that Phainon proceed to clear it.]
Cyrene stared at the panel; that crimson light point was currently moving slowly.
[Incidentally, clearing the xenogeneic is an effective way to obtain memory vestiges.]
The system's voice remained as flat as ever.
Cyrene's fingertips curled slightly, instinctively clutching the bedsheet beneath her.
In her mind, that hellish scroll unfurled once more.
The torn armored vehicles, the severed limbs flying through the air, and that dark red monster that had slaughtered an entire army.
That nauseating smell of blood felt as if it hadn't yet dissipated.
She turned to look at Phainon.
The youth was standing quietly by the window, moonlight spilling over his golden shoulder guards, casting a cold layer of flowing light.
"Um..."
Cyrene swallowed hard, her voice a bit hesitant.
"Didn't Phainon say before that only a small fraction of his strength remains?"
Cyrene turned her head, a hint of worry in her azure rhombic pupils.
"Facing that kind of monster... will he really not get hurt? I mean, what if..."
What if something really happened? If it did, what could she even do?
Letting a companion who was still in a weakened state take such a risk made her feel uneasy.
Though she knew they would eventually have to face monsters, she hadn't expected one to appear so soon.
She had originally wanted to find a way for Phainon to recover some of his strength before engaging in such dangerous tasks.
[Please rest assured.]
But the system interrupted her worries.
[The current world is in the early stages of the catastrophe. Simulated space xenogeneic capable of withstanding missiles have not yet been born.]
[With Phainon's current physical functions, handling a target of this level is like crushing a bug.]
[Furthermore, if Phainon truly encounters an invincible enemy, he can directly enter the entity data space from anywhere to evade danger. Therefore, please be at ease.]
After listening to the system's explanation, Cyrene pursed her lips, and the heavy stone in her chest settled somewhat.
"That's good then."
She took a deep breath, looked up, and met Phainon's eyes earnestly.
"Phainon, that red point is to the southeast, very close by."
Cyrene pointed her finger at the direction on the panel, her tone suggestive.
"If it's not too much trouble, could I ask you to handle it?"
Phainon glanced at the radar following her finger.
Then, he withdrew his gaze, and those eyes reflecting Kephale curved slightly.
"Leave it to me."
His voice was warm and mellow, carrying a reassuring power.
"Since it is Cyrene's request, and for the sake of protecting this place, it is my duty."
Without any hesitation, Phainon turned and walked toward the bedroom balcony.
The night wind caught his snow-white long robe, making it snap loudly.
He braced one hand against the railing, his silhouette as light as a feather.
"Wai—wait a second!"
Cyrene's eyes widened. she scrambled off the bed, her bare feet making a dull "thump" against the floor.
"This is the third floor!"
Before the words had even left her mouth, Phainon's figure had already vanished beyond the railing.
Cyrene lunged to the edge of the balcony, her hands gripping the cold iron bars as she leaned half her body over to look down.
The lawn below was empty, with only the bent blades of grass swaying in the night wind.
He was already gone.
"He... he just jumped down?"
Cyrene's mouth hung open. The entire sequence of movements had been fluid as water, without even the sound of a landing.
[Though his power is limited, he was once, after all, someone who faced destruction directly.]
The system's mechanical voice seemed to carry a hint of helplessness.
[To him, this height is no different from flat ground. You seem to lack a basic understanding of your companion.]
"Ugh..."
Cyrene retracted her body awkwardly, her index finger scratching her flushed cheek.
"I was just worried... I guess I was overthinking it."
...
The night was as thick as ink.
The city's neon lights could not reach this remote, deep alley. Only the occasional sound of traffic from afar emphasized the deathly silence here.
"We're here. It seems to be inside."
Phainon stopped his pace. His finger tapped the air, closing the semi-transparent pale blue light screen in front of him.
He turned his head slightly, his straight nose sniffing the scent permeating the air.
It was the smell of rotting trash, and... a faint, nauseating metallic scent of rust and blood.
Phainon did not hesitate. He set off, his boots treading on the damp bluestone slabs with a dull, rhythmic sound, walking step by step into the profound darkness.
Crunch—crunch—
He had barely gone ten meters into the alley when a bone-grinding friction sound reached his ears.
It was the sound of bone and teeth gnashing against each other, echoing through the enclosed alleyway and sounding exceptionally piercing.
Phainon stopped, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Truly an unpleasant sound."
He spoke in a low voice, his right hand making a grasping motion.
Buzz!
Golden particle streams converged frantically in his palm, and the air instantly became hot and dry.
In the next instant, that massive two-handed sword "Qinchen" solidified in his hand, the solar patterns on the blade emitting a faint but majestic glow in the darkness.
Crunch.
As if sensing the aura of a high-level predator, the chewing sound deep in the alley came to an abrupt halt.
The entire alley fell into an eerie silence, and even the sound of the wind seemed frozen.
Faced with this calm before the storm, the expression on Phainon's face remained unchanged.
He maintained his original pace, each step exactly the same distance as the last, as if he were taking a stroll in his own backyard as he continued to close in on the depths of the darkness.
Swoosh!
Just as he passed a corner piled high with discarded cardboard boxes, the darkness overhead was suddenly torn apart!
A shrill sound of breaking air, accompanied by a foul-smelling gust of wind, lunged straight down toward Phainon's crown!
It was a dark shadow so fast its outline was nearly invisible, launching a lethal sneak attack under the cover of night.
However, Phainon didn't even look up.
As if it had been rehearsed a thousand times, at the moment the shadow lunged down, he used his right foot as an axis, his waist exerting a sudden burst of power, and his whole body spun instantly like a gyroscope.
"Too slow."
Accompanied by a cold whisper, the incredibly heavy "Qinchen" greatsword was swung with one hand, turning into a golden half-moon that struck the dark shadow first!
Shred—!
There was no crisp sound of metal clashing, only the dull thud of a sharp blade cutting through worn leather.
"Roar—!!"
A shrill scream exploded instantly. The dark shadow was slammed away by the massive kinetic energy, crashing heavily into the brick wall on the other side of the alley.
Bang!
The wall vibrated violently, and gravel and dust fell in a pitter-patter.
By the faint light emitted from the blade of "Qinchen," the true face of the attacker was finally exposed.
It was a humanoid monster, its body covered in a pitch-black, shiny cuticle layer, with limbs that were disproportionately long.
The ends of its forelimbs were not palms but had evolved into two sharp bone scythes, looking like a mutant mantis that had been enlarged several times.
At this moment, dark red bits of meat and slime still hung from the corner of the monster's mouth, and its cloudy compound eyes were full of pain and hatred.
On its hard abdomen, a terrifying sword mark had nearly sliced it in half.
No blood flowed from the wound, because the flesh there had been instantly carbonized by the high temperature attached to "Qinchen," emitting a burnt smell. Golden embers continued to burn at the edges of the wound, making a "sizzling" sound.
"It seems your intelligence is decent, knowing how to use the terrain for an ambush."
Holding the greatsword, Phainon walked slowly toward the monster slumped on the ground, his tone as flat as if he were critiquing a dish.
"Hiss—roar—"
The monster curled on the ground, letting out pained roars.
It tried to struggle to its feet, its sharp forelimbs carving deep furrows into the concrete floor, but the lethal injury to its abdomen caused its lower body to lose all sensation, leaving it to twitch in vain.
Phainon looked down at this ugly creation from above. There was no pity in his eyes, nor disgust—only indifference.
"Unfortunately, you made a fatal mistake."
He slowly raised the greatsword in his hand, the tip pointing at the monster's head.
"When prey senses the hunter's presence, the smart move is to run and use the shadows to linger on, rather than like now..."
Phainon's voice paused, and the greatsword in his hand stabbed down violently!
"...actively delivering your neck to my blade."
Puchi!
The broad blade pierced through the monster's head without hindrance, pinning it firmly to the concrete floor.
The monster's limbs convulsed violently a few times before it went completely still.
"Phew."
Phainon released the hilt, letting out a soft breath of air.
"True tenacity; the nerves can remain active for nearly ten seconds even after the brain is destroyed?"
He shook his head, and with a wave of his right hand, the greatsword embedded in the ground dissipated into countless golden light points in the air.
"Mission accomplished. Time to return and report to Cyrene."
Phainon straightened his long robe, which wasn't even messy, and turned to walk toward the alley entrance, soon vanishing into the night.
The alley returned to a deathly silence once more.
Only the gradually cooling corpse of the monster lay quietly in the center of the ruins, recounting the slaughter that had just occurred.
...
About ten minutes passed.
A burst of hurried and chaotic footsteps broke the silence of the alley.
Several blinding tactical flashlight beams instantly pierced the darkness, swaying frantically against the alley walls.
"Quick! The energy reaction vanished right here!"
"Group A, block the exit! Group B, advance with me! Stay alert!"
A group of soldiers wearing black special combat uniforms and carrying heavy firearms rushed into the alley, their expressions tense.
They stood back-to-back, muzzles pointing at every shadow that might hide someone, their tactical boots splashing through stagnant water.
"Captain! We have something here!"
A soldier walking at the very front suddenly stopped his pace, a hint of a tremor in his voice.
Several light beams converged instantly.
In the center of the light, the corpse of the mantis-type monster—nearly sliced in two—was reflected in everyone's eyes.
"This is..."
The captain's pupils contracted violently.
He stepped forward quickly, kneeling down to examine the monster's wound.
"This kind of cut... it was a one-hit kill."
The captain reached out, touching the charred marks at the edge of the wound through his tactical gloves, feeling a residual warmth.
"And the wound was instantly carbonized by high temperature; not a single drop of blood flowed out... what kind of weapon caused this?"
He looked up, scanning the empty, dark alleyway. A look of deep wariness and confusion flashed in his eyes.
"No shell casings, no signs of a struggle. It's almost like... a one-sided steamrolling."
The captain swallowed hard and spoke into his headset in a heavy voice:
"Command center, this is Falcon Squad. The target has been cleared... repeat, the target has been cleared by an unknown individual. The scene is... very clean."