Waves converged upon the greatsword.

The blade's edge, carrying a surging vortex, coalesced into a ferocious maw, biting down viciously towards Moyuli!

The Honkai Beast Trace had fused with was an Emperor-class Honkai Beast named after Ammit, the "Devourer of the Dead" from Egyptian mythology, depicted with the head of a crocodile, the body of a lion, and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus.

By harnessing Ammit's fusion genes.

Trace had gained formidable physical attributes, along with the power to control water currents.

This strike.

Was the product of Trace completely pushing his genetic power to its limits.

Within his golden, vertical pupils, the urge to tear his prey apart was faintly beginning to overpower his human rationality.

And this slash, capable of shredding all things—

"Clang!!"

A fierce wind erupted, like the tolling of a great bell!

The surging waves shattered into a torrential downpour; the impact halted before an insurmountable chasm.

The strike, infused with Trace's strongest power, the strike that was about to pulverize Moyuli's shell, was met by a shield shimmering with a deep blue halo…

And was blocked, unyielding.

"What!?"

An unprecedented Temple-class Honkai Beast stood before Trace.

A menacing single eye, pitch-black armor, and mysterious, eerie dark-gold demonic veins carved all over its body.

This appearance alone.

Was unlike any Temple-class Honkai Beast Trace had ever seen.

Not to mention the slowly rotating ring of fragments behind its back, simultaneously igniting with flames and exuding frost, and its weapons, as exquisitely beautiful and intricate as works of art… The shield that had blocked his ultimate attack, even to Trace, who possessed little aesthetic sense, seemed more suited for an art gallery than a battlefield.

But—

Trace had no time to react at all. The surface of the shield, pressed against his blade, already rippled with an irresistible, colossal force!

"Boom!!"

The terrifying force nearly jolted the greatsword directly out of Trace's hands!

His charging body was forced to retreat.

And just as Trace raised the shield in his hand the next moment, the pitch-black figure had silently closed the distance between them—Trace's attention was entirely focused on the lance in the Black Knight's hand. Unfortunately, he had never imagined that the Black Knight's primary offensive weapon would be the very large shield it had just used for defense!

"BOOM!!!"

The shield crashed down like a warhammer!

Vibration, impact, explosion, fierce winds!

An unimaginable power erupted violently the instant the shield struck, directly tearing the Soul Steel weapon in Trace's hands into fragments!

Trace's solid and robust body was sent flying backward for more than a hundred meters!

"Thud!!"

———

The dust gradually settled, the thick smoke slowly dispersed.

Trace, sent flying by the impact, managed to adjust his center of gravity in mid-air and ultimately landed steadily on both feet.

Of course.

He was only able to complete this "damage control" maneuver because the Black Knight did not pursue.

His sword-wielding right hand trembled ceaselessly.

It was both proof that he hadn't recovered from the shockwaves and a testament to the fear hidden deep within his heart.

This newly appeared Temple-class beast was not inferior in strength to the great peacock behind it… No, although both were roughly equivalent in destructive power, this one's application of techniques and tactical choices surpassed the former by countless leagues.

"Trace!"

Destobier had only been grazed by the shockwave and hadn't suffered much damage.

Watching the girl, whose staff was now covered in cracks, approaching him, Trace's heart gradually sank.

Fighting the great peacock was already the limit for both of them.

Now, an even more formidable foe had appeared… For the two of them, escape, he feared, would be somewhat difficult.

———

Lu Xing had made his move.

He wasn't particularly moved by Moyuli's "sincerity"; it was just that it would be too regrettable for a rare Emperor-class material to be eliminated by humans.

Therefore—

[Teleport] [Echo] [Dawnbreaker]

Lu Xing used a standard combo to successfully rescue Moyuli from the hands of the Fusion Soldier.

Of course.

He hadn't needed to go through such trouble.

If he wanted to complete the mission, he just needed to beat the Fusion Soldier to it and impale Moyuli with a single spear thrust.

However.

Lu Xing changed his mind at the last moment.

The two Fusion Soldiers before him should be Trace and Destobier from Kevin's First Squad—Trace's features were still relatively distinct. As for Destobier, a true side character, Lu Xing had to observe for a while before he could identify the girl from her techniques.

If he remembered correctly.

In the original story, Destobier had died during the Eighth Great Honkai Eruption.

Whether she had her consciousness devoured by Moyuli, or failed to awaken after being affected by the Herrscher of Sentience at the Observation Hub… Lu Xing didn't recall clearly.

Sooner or later.

The girl would die in this incident.

On the frozen battlefield, the Black Knight's gaze swept lightly over Trace.

Should he say, as expected of Griseo's father? This man's current physical characteristics already showed many features belonging to Honkai Beasts: reptilian vertical pupils, rough, firm, and distinctly wrinkled beast-like skin, and with each breath, increasingly sharp serrated teeth and fangs became visible.

Humans were not like this.

Just by looking at Trace's current state, Lu Xing could glimpse why Fusion Soldiers were feared and alienated by humans.

And the stronger their power, the less human they appeared… the closer they were to Honkai.

When that dividing line, maintained by humanity, completely blurred, that would be the taboo Lu Xing craved, belonging to Fusion Soldiers:

Man-Made Honkai Corruption.

Destobier was a very cute girl. If Lu Xing were still human, she would definitely be his type.

Therefore…

"What a pity."

Compared to Trace, Destobier's Honkai characteristics were still too superficial. Considering Trace also had a close relationship with Kosma, who had fused with a Doomsday-class Honkai Beast—Kosma, who experienced Man-Made Honkai Corruption in the original story, was one of the targets Lu Xing hoped to "win over."

Lu Xing could only…

"Whoosh!"

"Careful!!"

The Black Knight's figure vanished in an instant!

For Lu Xing, who was gradually mastering spatial abilities, [Teleport] was as simple as drinking water or eating a meal.

Destobier's strength was inferior to Trace's.

Added to that, her losses in the previous battle had been too great—the mental attacks from Moyuli had to be blocked by relying on the girl's power… If Trace had relied solely on his mental strength to resist, he would have fallen countless times already.

To stop Moyuli.

Destobier had long since reached the point of utter exhaustion.

That she could still stand now was merely due to relying on medication and the sheer willpower of "not allowing herself to rest."

In such a physical condition, to even think of dealing with the inherently unpredictable [Teleport]…

Unrealistic.

"Whoosh."

A shadow materialized behind the girl.

Between the lance and her delicate body, only that lively, bouncing single ponytail remained—

"Pfft!"

Her slender neck hadn't even turned.

Her side profile didn't even have time to allow Lu Xing a glimpse of the eyes, slightly dim in their brilliance, revealed beneath her bangs.

Accompanied by the sound of a sack tearing, the lance had already pierced through her body from behind the heart!

"Plop."