"We... have been separated."
He Caitou murmured, his voice laced with gravity.
Just then, a "clack" of grinding bones sounded from the alley entrance. Two Reavers and one Eliminator were slowly approaching.
Their pitch-black eyes locked onto the two people in the alley. They emitted inhuman shrieks from their throats, clearly regarding them as their next targets.
Two fierce flames instantly shot from Karna's eyes, like two scorching hot spears, penetrating the distance of a hundred meters in a flash.
Where the fire passed, the air was warped and scorched. The heads of the two Reavers exploded instantly, dissolving into a shower of black particles.
The Eliminator, which was attempting to condense a Dark Matter Energy Cannon, also disintegrated in the flame.
The entire process was clean and swift, not even allowing the enemy to let out a full shriek.
"Master, do you need me to search for the others, or go and provide support over there?"
Karna withdrew his gaze and looked at He Caitou, the flames in his eyes slowly receding.
He could clearly sense the fierce energy clashes in the distance; the battle on the main front was clearly still ongoing.
He Caitou was silent for a moment, unconsciously gripping the corner of his clothing with whitened knuckles.
Outside the alley, the sounds of commoners' cries interwoven with the shrill screams of the Honkai Beasts should have filled him with anxiety, but at this moment, they were like a fine needle, lightly pricking his long-healed wound.
"No."
He abruptly lifted his head, the confusion in his eyes instantly receding, replaced by a near-obsessive resolve.
His gaze leaped over the layers of rooftops, locked firmly onto the brightly lit area in the center of Mingdu—the direction of the Imperial Palace.
"We go to the Imperial Palace."
The moment the words fell, a chilling coldness permeated from his body. It was the hatred accumulated over a dozen years, freezing the surrounding air like ten thousand years of ice.
Karna didn't hesitate in the slightest, merely giving a slight nod, and stood quietly by He Caitou's side, like the most loyal guardian.
Whatever decision his Master made, he would unconditionally obey. This was his destiny as a Servant, and his commitment to the contract.
He Caitou took a deep breath and reached for the Soul Tool storage pouch at his waist.
"Click, click," the sounds of mechanical operation rang out one after another. Pieces of precisely shaped Soul Tools flew out of the pouch, automatically assembling onto his body. The profound iron armor covering his entire body shimmered with ethereal blue runes. The cannon barrel on his left shoulder slowly raised, sharp blades sprang from the gauntlet on his right arm, and the thrusters unfurling on his back faintly hissed with white steam.
In just a few breaths, he was armed to the teeth, his whole being resembling a poised war machine.
If he relied only on himself, even as a Soul Emperor-class, Rank 7 Soul Tool Engineer, he would never dare to dream of setting foot in the Imperial Palace, which symbolized the apex of the Sun Moon Empire's power.
But now, standing beside him was Karna—the Son of the Sun God. This absolute power finally gave his dormant flame of revenge an outlet.
In his mind, the deeply buried memories surged out like a broken dam.
The dark, damp secret room, the suffocatingly thin air.
His younger self, hidden by his Mother, watched helplessly as his Mother and sisters were executed and killed one by one.
Even until their deaths, neither his Mother nor his sisters betrayed him, protecting him with their lives.
Those images were branded onto his soul like a burning iron. Every recollection was like his heart being slowly sliced apart.
He Caitou's body trembled slightly, not from fear, but from extreme fury and hatred.
He clenched his teeth until a strong metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, barely suppressing the choked sob in his throat.
Outside the alley, Mingdu's streets had already become a living hell.
The cries and pleas of the commoners rose and fell, those who were supposed to be his citizens were now being twisted and broken under the iron hooves of the Antimatter Legion.
A cold arc twisted He Caitou's lips. An inexplicable sense of satisfaction surged within him—this is perhaps retribution, the blood debt the Sun Moon Empire owed him, now being repaid in the most tragic way.
As for the commoners struggling in the disaster... there was no trace of pity in his eyes, only frozen indifference.
In his view, these people enjoyed the prosperity plundered by the current Sun Moon Imperial Family, turned a blind eye to the bloodbath of that year, and even cheered it on. They did not deserve salvation.
Were it not for the "righteous" reputation of Shrek Academy, requiring him to maintain a facade of peace, he wouldn't even bother to feign benevolence.
"Let's go, Karna."
He Caitou's voice was cold as quenched ice. The thrusters suddenly spat out scorching hot airflow, carrying him and Karna beside him, like a black lightning bolt, speeding toward the palace, which symbolized all his pain and hatred.
The wind at the alley entrance swirled up the bloodstain on the ground, leaving behind two resolute figures, whose forms interwove with the flames of the distant main battle, mirroring a storm of vengeance about to break.
"Master, be careful!"
Siegfried's voice, wrapped in chilling sword intent, exploded. His figure was like lightning. The Demonic Sword Balmung in his hand slashed horizontally.
This Noble Phantasm, which possessed the dual attributes of both a Holy Sword and a Demonic Sword, now bloomed with a sacred silver light in his hand, clearly completely transformed into its Holy Sword form.
The blade clashed with the sharp claw of a Reaver, creating a screeching metallic ring, shattering the claw that was strong enough to tear apart refined iron.
"Huabin, we're surrounded!"
Zhu Lu's voice held undeniable panic. She frantically waved her twin claws, barely forcing back two nearby Honkai Beasts, but her peripheral vision caught sight of a Trampler nearly ten meters tall slowly turning its head, its cold gaze locked onto their position.
Were it not for Siegfried's astonishing combat power, holding back most of the offensive alone, she and Dai Huabin would have likely become ghosts under the Honkai Beasts' blades long ago.
Zhu Lu was not a Master, merely a Shrek Academy participant who came with the team.
She had thought this trip to Mingdu was just a fierce competition, but she never expected to be dragged into such a terrifying killing trap.
The Antimatter Legion's surprise attack was without warning, turning the entire Mingdu into a battlefield in an instant.
Dai Huabin clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead. He naturally understood how dangerous their current predicament was.
Xu Tianran was utterly ruthless. This seemingly out-of-control massacre was nothing more than a carefully planned hunt.
The Soul Master Tournament was merely bait to lure the continent's elites to gather in Mingdu. Whether it was the younger generation of the original three Douluo Empires or the main pillars of the major powers, if they died here, the Sun Moon Empire's obstacles to unifying the continent would vanish.
Like Nan Shuishui of the Earth Dragon Sect, Poison Douluo Du Busi of the Body Sect, and Shrek's Xuan Zi... if all these people were to fall in Mingdu, the future continent would have no one left to withstand the iron hooves of the Sun Moon Empire.
But Xu Tianran's madness far exceeded imagination. He was willing to sacrifice tens of millions of Mingdu commoners and even the entire city. This resolve sent shivers down everyone's spines.
"Step, step, step..."
A steady sound of footsteps came from behind them, standing out clearly amidst the chaotic sounds of battle.
A figure slowly stepped out of the shadows, blocking the path in front of Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu.
"Long time no see, Dai Huabin."
Huo Yuhao's voice carried a hint of laziness, yet it was permeated with bone-chilling coldness.
His blood-red pupils stared intently at Dai Huabin, a sinister smile curling on his lips, as if he was enjoying the prey's fear as it fell into a trap.
"Huo Yuhao?!"
Dai Huabin's pupils contracted violently. He instinctively took half a step back.
Enemies meeting would naturally be filled with hostility, especially on this life-and-death battlefield.
The Huo Yuhao before him was a completely different person from the silent, reserved youth in his memory—blood-red eyes surged with crazed killing intent, and the aura surrounding him was frigid and strange, like an Asura returned from Hell.
"So you're a Master too."
Huo Yuhao's gaze swept over Siegfried, his tone filled with undisguised ridicule. "But does trash like you deserve to have a Servant?"
The moment the words fell, the humiliating memories of the Duke White Tiger's Mansion flooded his mind like a tide.
Dai Huabin's punches and kicks, the servants' sneers, and the sight of his mother coughing blood as she collapsed in his arms... every scene was like a red-hot iron, fiercely branding his soul.
The blood-red color in Huo Yuhao's eyes grew deeper. His face was slightly contorted by suppressed hatred, and even his breathing became heavy.
"Master, this person's malice is extremely deep."
Siegfried held his sword up, guarding Dai Huabin. The Holy Sword's light grew fiercer.
Although he didn't understand the enmity between the two sides, the killing intent, which was almost substantial, made him instantly enter a state of alert.
"Kill him! Siegfried!" Dai Huabin fiercely ordered, a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes.
He had long wanted to eliminate Huo Yuhao. The previous failed attempt at hiring an assassin led to punishment and warnings from the academy, filling his heart with resentment.
Now, Huo Yuhao had been proactively abandoned by Shrek Academy, and in this chaotic battlefield, killing him would be as easy as crushing an ant. No one would pursue it.
A twilight-colored sword energy suddenly erupted, like a bolt of lightning tearing through the darkness, striking directly at Huo Yuhao's face.
Huo Yuhao instinctively dodged sideways but still felt a sharp pain in his left arm, and blood spurted out—his entire left arm was sliced off at the shoulder by the sword energy. The severed limb landed on the ground with a "thud," splashing blood.
Surprise flashed in Siegfried's eyes. Huo Yuhao's reaction speed was clearly unexpected, but the next moment, the twilight sword energy wrapped around the Holy Sword again, clearly intending to follow up the attack.
However, what happened next made Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu simultaneously suck in a cold breath.
Huo Yuhao looked at his severed arm, yet showed no sign of pain. Instead, he reached out his right hand, picked up the severed arm, and pressed it back onto the wound.
A bizarre scene unfolded—the moment the severed arm touched the wound, a faint red glow appeared. The flesh and blood seemed to possess life, wriggling and fusing. In just a few breaths, the entire arm was completely restored, without even leaving a scar.
"T-this... How is this possible?" Zhu Lu exclaimed, her face etched with disbelief.
Even a Titled Douluo couldn't possess such terrifying recovery power. This had already surpassed the human realm, practically identical to those Buli Werewolves!
"Careful, Master, he is just like those werewolves!"
Siegfried's eyes narrowed. More torrential twilight sword energy condensed on his greatsword. This time, he would hold nothing back.
"How long are you going to watch the show?"
Huo Yuhao, however, seemed utterly unconcerned by Siegfried's offensive, merely calling out faintly behind him.
"My apologies."
Following a clear, cold female voice, a shower of cherry blossoms suddenly bloomed. The pink and white petals surged like a tide, carrying a refreshing fragrance but concealing a deadly intent.
A figure of a fox-eared girl with cherry-colored hair appeared out of nowhere, wielding a katana that also shimmered with a cherry color, precisely blocking in front of Huo Yuhao.
"Clang—!"
The Spirit Blade Sakura Fubuki and the Holy Sword Balmung fiercely collided. Sword energy and blade light interwove into a violent storm, instantly shredding the nearby Honkai Beasts.
The shockwave spread out, cracking the ground in spiderweb patterns. Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu were forced back repeatedly, barely managing to stand firm.
Yae Sakura slightly frowned, her heart full of helplessness.
She didn't want to get involved in this conflict, nor did she want to help a person like Huo Yuhao, but the contract between her and Tang Ya had already bound their fates—if Huo Yuhao died here, Tang Ya would likely not survive, and she, as her Servant, would naturally dissipate with her.
She could not disappear yet.
She hadn't seen the Holy Grail yet, nor had she confirmed whether the Holy Grail could grant her wish. She wanted to see Kallen again, even if just once, even if it was just an illusory bubble, she was willing to pay any price for it.
"A Servant?!"
Siegfried's eyes hardened. Green lightning instantly wrapped around his body. The hand gripping the sword hilt abruptly exerted force, and the Holy Sword erupted with an even more brilliant light, forcefully pressing the Sakura Fubuki into a slight bend.
A flash of red light appeared in Yae Sakura's eyes. Cherry-colored airflow encircled her body, and the blade hummed, unleashing even greater power.
Their weapons clashed fiercely in the air. Every engagement erupted with violent energy, warping the surrounding space. Even the Trampler in the distance was momentarily deterred by this powerful force, halting its steps.
Huo Yuhao stood behind Yae Sakura, watching the intense battle unfolding before him, his smile growing even more sinister.
He slowly turned his head to look at the figure quietly emerging from the shadows. The Command Seals on Tang Ya's hand were emitting an ominous red light—this was his true confidence.
Otherwise, why would he dare to recklessly show up and block Dai Huabin, knowing he had a Servant guarding him?
The answer was simple—Yae Sakura, this piece, was already calculated into his game.
As long as Tang Ya was firmly controlled by the Holy Spirit Church, Yae Sakura could not break free from the shackles of the contract. Even if she was extremely unwilling and fought half-heartedly, she still had to obey the command to strike.
It would be truly foolish not to utilize the combat power of such a top-tier Servant.
Just like now,Hoolay had gone to cause trouble for Jing Yuan. Yae Sakura just happened to be the most useful piece in his hand to hold back Siegfried.
Huo Yuhao's plan was cunning. He never intended for Yae Sakura to defeat the Dragon-slayer Hero. All she needed to do was delay him for a moment, giving him enough time to deal with Dai Huabin.
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