The very stars realigned.
The instant the Monarch condensed [God Fist Pulverizer], the surrounding scenery underwent a cataclysmic transformation.
A deep blue expanse hung overhead, filled with a myriad of stars.
It was as if they had stepped from the silent depths of space into an ocean of constellations.
Although it was much larger, and its "decorations" had changed in many ways, Lu Xing still recognized the original form of this starry sea:
Origin Space.
At the same time, Elysia's form had changed once again. By releasing all of her own emotions and using the power of the [Sea of Bygone Stars], she entered an "initial" state that surpassed the Herrscher of Human:
The [Herrscher of Origin Form].
The collapsing spatial fragments transformed into a white and purple formal gown. Draped around her legs, they adorned Elysia like a mermaid—
"A little mermaid?"
"Coming from the sea onto land, an existence that wishes to become human."
Elysia held a scepter as tall as herself, the stellar orbit at its tip slowly rotating, as if weaving the spiral of humanity's aspirations:
It symbolized the origin of the universe and the continuation of life.
This was the true Herrscher of Origin.
In this form.
Elysia's power was further elevated, reaching a level as high as Lv.85, with all attributes at a level of at least 500 or more.
At least…
Excluding the special case that was the Monarch.
The combat power of all Honkai Beasts could be distinguished into a general range through [Analysis].
The average attributes of an ordinary lower-tier Honkai Beast were mostly in the range of "Level x (1-2)".
Emperor-class (Lv.61-Lv.70) was calculated as "Level x (3-4)".
Judgement-class (Lv.71-Lv.80) was calculated as "Level x (4-5)"; the attributes of an ordinary Herrscher could be referenced against a Judgement-class Honkai Beast.
Above that.
Based on the level Elysia displayed, using the attribute calculation provided by the system, her combat power should be a little over 510 (Level x 6). Considering that the level changes after Lv.80 were far less pronounced than before, this calculation might not be accurate.
In other words.
In the feedback Lu Xing received from [Analysis], the numbers for Elysia were all displayed as "???". It wasn't impossible that her attribute values were close to 600 (Level x 7).
Such on-paper data was already approaching that of a stat monster like Lu Xing—no, perhaps that was a problematic way to put it. After all, the Monarch's current true level was only Lv.70.
With a gap of two major tiers between them, the Monarch's attributes were still higher than Elysia's...
That was the most terrifying part.
The Herrscher of Origin Form.
With the enhancement from this unknown domain, Elysia had directly elevated herself to the same level as the Monarch.
However…
Elysia's Honkai energy was draining at a rapid pace.
It was obvious that maintaining this Origin Space consumed a massive amount of energy. Unable to connect to Imaginary Space for replenishment, the maximum time Elysia could hold out was:
Twelve seconds.
If she were at full strength, the duration of the Origin Space should be around 18 seconds. But after clashing with a major ultimate move, her remaining Honkai energy was only enough for Elysia to maintain the Origin Space for 12 seconds.
And such a colossal consumption and price… was merely to bring herself, in terms of attributes, to a level on par with the Monarch in his normal state.
Was it wise?
Yes.
It was the most helplessly wise move, and it was the only way Elysia could defeat the Monarch. Since a battle of attrition offered no possibility of victory, then before she was exhausted, she had to take down the Monarch's main body with her strongest move!
The Monarch could revive.
Therefore, no matter how hard she tried, she could never kill him. But as long as she defeated the Monarch's main body, this wager could be declared her victory.
This.
Was the only method Elysia could think of—
Starlight and Honkai energy mixed together as a faceless, god-like female figure appeared behind Elysia.
Heaven and earth became her bow, the stars her arrow.
Raising the tip of the scepter in her hand high, the starlight enveloped in the center of the golden spiral was already shining like a sun…
That was the tip of an arrow that pierced through heaven and earth.
"Flawless."
"True Self."
"Eternity."
The final chant was recited from Elysia's lips.
The power of humanity sublimated within the "Origin Space." Her fully energized [Divine Ring], at the cost of burning itself, launched its final strike—
"By this fated body,"
Heaven's grace from start to end, Love's blessing upon the world.
Light bends as constellations turn, reflecting a brilliant stellar gleam.
"Brilliant Eternity!"
SWOOSH!!!
It could not be denied.
Elysia's strike, which burned her Divine Ring, had indeed surpassed the scope of the word "damage."
This kind of attack, which used Authority as "fuel" at the cost of permanent, unrecoverable damage, could indeed kill the Monarch… once.
However.
There was a very important prerequisite for this: that the Monarch failed to defend against this attack.
VMM.
His open palm faced the brilliant constellations.
As his fingers slowly closed, a ring formed from gathered starlight assembled into a bright, silver-hemispherical shield in front of the Monarch.
[Stellar Ring]
Lu Xing rarely used this move for defense.
[Perfect Fluid] and [Phase Shift] could perfectly defend against optical and physical projectile weapons. Any attack that could break through those two defenses… even if it managed to barely injure him, would be nothing more than an itch, not even a scratch.
But now.
Facing Elysia's attack, Lu Xing deployed the Stellar Ring defense for the first time.
Although it could only block one strike, one must know that with the Monarch's current constitution of 604, a skill capable of breaking through the [Stellar Ring] defense—
Would require an attack power of 2400…
Lu Xing didn't even know where he could find a monster of that level. They certainly existed somewhere in the boundless deep space, but they were far beyond what the current Elysia could achieve.
Therefore.
SWOOSH!!!
The arrow, sweeping through the deep space like a comet, crashed directly into the shield of starlight before the Monarch.
The next instant—
"!?"
It passed right through!
The [Stellar Ring] had no effect whatsoever. The moment the arrow struck, it didn't even produce the slightest ripple!
This was not an attack on the physical level!
The terrifyingly massive amount of Honkai energy had dissipated into thin air even before touching the [Stellar Ring]… It was merely a trap to conceal the Authority!
That's right.
Elysia had indeed burned her [Divine Ring], but not to provide energy for this final blow. Instead, she had used the Honkai energy as cover!
All for the sake of—
Clink.
—driving the Authority named "Humanity" into the Monarch's body!
The pale pink and white Authority poured into the Monarch's body, its rainbow-like afterglow slowly fading behind him. And the point where the two intersected…
Was the Honkai Crystal buried deep within Lu Xing's body!
Swoosh!
The ribbons of Authority billowed as if struck by a gale.
Within the misty, iridescent halo, a faint, transparent "human figure" slowly emerged from the void.
That was—
Snap!
The resplendent river of stars vanished.
The Origin Space dissipated due to insufficient power, and Elysia reverted directly from the Herrscher of Origin to her initial human form.
Her beautiful face was etched with exhaustion.
However—
"I succeeded."
Her efforts were not in vain.
From the moment she initiated the wager until now, Elysia, who had been on edge, fearing any mistake, could finally relax…
"Is that so?"