"What?!"
Seeing the attack he'd used to toy with Yuno so effortlessly and casually blocked by Leo Ash, the blue-haired man, who had been absolutely furious, was now forced to calm down slightly by the power Leo Ash displayed.
"Is there a need to be so shocked?"
After confirming that Yuno wasn't going to die for the time being, Leo Ash focused his full attention on the Joyce clone before him.
"The gap between you and me was never that large to begin with. An exploratory attack like that is useless against me. Is that really so strange?"
"Or should I say—you son of a bitch, can't you even sense the disparity between us?"
Leo Ash's tone was perfectly calm, but when he uttered those contemptuous words with such placidity, the Joyce clone suddenly felt the anger that had just been suppressed by reason surge violently within him.
Watching the suppressed anger flare up again on the other's face, Leo Ash could only sigh internally—*kids are so easy to fool*.
Although the Joyce clones had the appearance and intellect of adults, psychologically, they were essentially newborn infants.
And people who have gained great power and a mature body but whose minds haven't kept up with their growth... oh, right, they're called man-children.
These man-children share some common characteristics.
Because they do possess certain strengths, they subconsciously feel superior to others.
But because their minds are actually very childish, certain practical combat tricks that are useless against adults can have miraculous effects on this group.
For example, right now, Leo Ash had just casually thrown out a couple of provocations with a straight face, and the other's already meager rationality was instantly overwhelmed by rage.
Driven by anger, this Joyce clone's Honkai Energy intensity might even increase.
But a battle is never just about power; it's also about brains.
An enemy who is easily provoked and loses his head when angered, no matter how troublesome his authority or how great his power, is nothing more than a target riddled with openings in Leo Ash's eyes.
As for Leo Ash having blocked the Joyce clone's attack just now, it might have looked impressive, but he himself knew that the hastily deployed Phantasmagoria wasn't actually that strong.
Because one of his hands had been blown off by Leo Ash's sneak attack, this Joyce clone had launched his assault in a hurry upon seeing him, resulting in attacks that had quantity but lacked quality.
With the attacks being so dispersed, Leo Ash was able to use the 'weakening' property of Phantasmagoria to first diminish the power of the gravity spheres, then set up a second layer of mana barrier behind the Phantasmagoria to completely nullify the remaining aftershocks.
If it were the previous Leo Ash, even with Royal Guard, he wouldn't have been able to perform such a precise operation in such a short time.
But after gaining the Precision Control enhancement, he discovered that many of the ability applications he had only conceived of in the past could now be brought to reality with its help.
Of course, if the Joyce clone were to unleash the hundred-fold gravity wave from the original story, Leo Ash's [Phantasmagoria + Mana Shield] combination definitely wouldn't be able to stop it.
But for the enemy to use such a move, they would need to 'gather energy,' 'lock onto the enemy's position,' 'predict the enemy's movement trajectory,' and so on, just to ensure that a high-wind-up ultimate skill like that could successfully hit its target.
Leo Ash didn't know if the Joyce clone had that level of operational skill.
But he knew that as soon as the opponent began to charge up, they would inevitably reveal an opening due to the distraction.
"You've successfully pissed me off, little brat."
At this moment, the Joyce clone, staring at Leo Ash, suddenly aimed his right arm at him and lightly flicked his fingers.
"How dare you provoke the First Herrscher? You don't actually think—that the good luck you had in Nagazora City will continue to follow you, do you?!"
"Wow, what terrifying pressure."
After saying this with a deadpan expression, Leo Ash looked at the attack flicked over by his opponent.
This time, the Joyce clone attacked Leo Ash again by flicking his fingers from a distance. However, unlike the previous gravity spheres, this attack was much faster.
In the Joyce clone's eyes, although Leo Ash had blocked his attack with that strange curtain of light, the curtain didn't deploy particularly quickly.
If he flicked out a small, bullet-like shockwave, then in the face of such a swift strike, Leo Ash would have no time to either dodge or deploy that strange light curtain.
In the end, if nothing unexpected happened, this overconfident brat would be hit by his surprise attack, and a part of his body would be crushed by the gravity wave.
As for what would happen after that, the Joyce clone didn't think too much about it.
In his eyes, as long as the opponent was injured, how could he possibly lose?
He was the First Herrscher!
The incredibly powerful First Herrscher! Even if a shameless piece of trash had stolen one of his arms in a sneak attack, he was absolutely not someone a despicable ambusher could hope to challenge!
"Ha, you changed tactics. A pity..."
At this moment, Leo Ash imbued his right arm with both Honkai Energy and mana, then raised it to block in front of him.
"Hmph, foolish—what's happening?!"
Watching the gravity shockwave make contact with Leo Ash's arm, the blue-haired youth let out a cry of alarm at the scene unfolding before him.
"What the hell did you do?!"
The moment the gravity shockwave hit Leo Ash's arm, it was blocked by the arm fortified with two types of special energy, relying on the properties of Royal Guard.
And the subsequent gravity collapse effect was instantly interrupted when Leo Ash absorbed the energy directly, thanks to Royal Guard's energy absorption property.
Of course, from the Joyce clone's perspective, he couldn't see so many fine details.
He only knew that his attack had been effortlessly blocked once again by this brat whom Cocolia had called 'not much of a threat.'
Although they had only exchanged two blows, if it had been anyone else facing the now extremely serious 'First Herrscher,' they would have been severely injured after two moves.
But now, forget bleeding or scratches, Leo Ash didn't even have a rip in his clothes, nor did his brow furrow in the slightest. This result...
—How could the great 'First Herrscher' possibly accept this!
"Oh my, just two failed attacks. Isn't that perfectly normal?"
Seeing the man before him seem to get even angrier, Leo Ash suddenly let out a helpless sigh.
"Sigh, when experts clash, they sometimes have to exchange hundreds or even thousands of moves to probe for information and combat capabilities to achieve their desired outcome."
"It's only been two moves for you, yet it feels like your mental state has already collapsed. Forget being an expert, you're worse than a primary schooler."
"Why the fuck do you have so much bullshit to say?!"
Though the two on the battlefield were undoubtedly mortal enemies, the blue-haired youth was shocked to find that the other was currently speaking in the tone of a teacher lecturing a student.
His attacks couldn't get through, and he couldn't win a war of words. Under this dual assault on both a physical and mental level, the Joyce clone was clearly becoming more and more irritable.
And facing an enemy who was so agitated that he began to wildly throw energy spheres, Leo Ash couldn't help but sigh—*wow, idiots are so easy to deal with*.
Just because I said a few words, he started flinging energy spheres all over the place.
Without even testing my movement speed, he fires gravity waves at my previous location, trying to crush me.
After a frenzy of attacks, he looks at his damage output and sees it's all zero, not to mention he's wasted a good chunk of his own power.
Sigh, compared to him, Chiyou was far more terrifying.
Even without considering energy intensity, Chiyou itself couldn't be provoked by words; it would only try to destroy anything that hindered its quest to 'become stronger.'
Compared to a man-child like this Joyce clone, who has emotions, a brain, and power, but is very easily provoked, a Honkai Beast like Chiyou that acts on instinct is actually better at unleashing its true potential.
To be honest, while Leo Ash had been provoking the other party, he had also been observing this Joyce clone's attack patterns.
And this Joyce clone's attack patterns...
One could only say that while he hadn't inherited Joyce's terrifying intellect, that strange thing called 'muscle memory' had indeed left its mark on him.
Besides inheriting the authority of gravity manipulation through muscle memory, the Joyce clone's level of power control was actually not low.
That shockwave he'd flicked from his finger from a distance was essentially a complex maneuver of compressing Honkai Energy, using that highly piercing attack to penetrate the enemy, and then inducing a gravitational collapse.
This operation required a high level of authority and Honkai Energy control, and the fact that this man could use such a refined attack in a fit of pique showed that his strength was not to be underestimated.
If it weren't for the fact that he really had issues with his mind and temperament, Leo Ash was certain he would be worth more than just an [Intermediate Lottery Ticket].
However, there are no 'ifs' in this world.
If your brain doesn't work, it just doesn't work.
From the moment he started senselessly wasting his power, he had already stepped into the trap Leo Ash had long since woven for him.
"Ha... ha... ha... ha..."
Seeing a gash finally appear on Leo Ash's face, a hint of unconcealable joy finally appeared on the Joyce clone's face.
"You little brat... you finally couldn't dodge!"
"Sigh, I just saw how tired you were from fighting and decided to give you a little sense of accomplishment, you know?"
The moment a drop of blood hit the ground, Leo Ash, who had cast Powerful Healing Spell, instantly healed the wound on his face.
"See? It's gone now."
"Are you mad? Are you mad? Are you mad?"
Not far away, Yuno, watching Leo Ash say these things with a perfectly composed expression, almost laughed so hard she coughed up another mouthful of visceral fragments.
*Senior... hah, I never expected him to have such a playful side.*
From the start of this battle until now, it looked as though the blue-haired guy was chasing Senior around with energy spheres, and Senior was unable to fight back.
But from the beginning until now, Senior has only expended a little stamina and Honkai Energy.
Meanwhile, the opponent has not only consumed a large amount of stamina, but his Honkai Energy also seems to be clearly depleted.
Even without considering the disparity in their mental states, if Senior were to suddenly launch a direct frontal assault now, he would probably win easily.
*Hmm, so this is the art of language...*
*I feel like I might have to ask Senior for some practical tips in this area in the future?*
As for the Joyce clone now standing before Leo Ash, upon hearing his words, he felt the last string of rationality in his mind snap completely.
He had finally managed to inflict damage on the enemy, and he thought it was the start of his counterattack.
However, just as he saw a glimmer of hope, Leo Ash instantly told him—*heh, just kidding.*
*Are you mad?*
Honestly, even knowing it was the enemy's provocation, he was already beyond furious.
"You, you, you—you just die!"
Seeing everything around his opponent begin to float, clearly a sign that he was about to unleash an ultimate move, Leo Ash didn't feel any panic.
After all, when he was setting up his plan, he had long anticipated the opponent's desperate move.
"Ha, Lord First Herrscher, you seem to be in quite a hurry."
"But if I recall correctly, gravity manipulation isn't the authority held by the First Herrscher."
"You clearly have other powers, yet you insist on bombarding me with gravity manipulation. Let me ask..."
"—Lord First Herrscher, are you actually an idiot?"
"Heh, you're right. The First Herrscher's power is indeed not limited to gravity manipulation."
At this moment, the Joyce clone, now floating in mid-air, picked up Leo Ash's line with a cold smile.
"Manipulating gravity is merely one manifestation of my abilities. My true ability is..."
However, as the Joyce clone tried to continue, he suddenly realized that he had no idea what the 'First Herrscher's' true ability was.
*My... my ability, what was it again?*
For him, it was only a momentary lapse.
But for Leo Ash, who knew the script and had been laying the groundwork for this very moment...
"An opening."
—Even a momentary opening was more than enough.
This time, in order to unleash his ultimate move, the Joyce clone had cut off the power supply to his Imaginary Shield and funneled all his energy into offense.
But right now, his emotions were in a state of self-doubt due to Leo Ash's earlier words.
Coupled with the fact that his stamina had been significantly depleted by Leo Ash, in other words, while the Joyce clone's offensive destructive power had reached its peak, his defensive capabilities had simultaneously plummeted to rock bottom.
Against an enemy whose spirit had fallen into self-doubt, what Leo Ash had to do was, of course...
—Aim his Phantasmagoria directly at the enemy's head and land a vicious blow!
From the beginning, Leo Ash had been looking for an opportunity to use Phantasmagoria.
If the opportunity wasn't ripe, even if he controlled the enemy with Phantasmagoria, he might not be able to deal enough damage in time.
And even if the enemy was within the Phantasmagoria, if they were awakened by Leo Ash's attack, they would definitely be wary of Phantasmagoria in the subsequent fight.
Therefore, if he didn't want to waste the opportunity afforded by Phantasmagoria's first-time-use surprise effect, Leo Ash had to be more cautious in choosing the right moment.
And now, the opportunity had arrived.
Frantically pouring power into the Grips of Taixu, Leo Ash stomped hard on the ground and dashed in front of the Joyce clone.
The gravity around the Joyce clone was indeed more abnormal than in other areas, but in order to execute this single, most powerful ultimate move, he had already concentrated his power in his right hand.
A simple few-fold gravity pressure was clearly not a big problem for the current Leo Ash.
In the previous battle, Leo Ash had already accumulated a considerable amount of power through Royal Guard.
And this time, while channeling power into the Grips of Taixu, Leo Ash performed another action.
The moment he threw the punch, Leo Ash coated the outside of the Grips of Taixu with Phantasmagoria.
"Phantasmagoria—Destructive Punch!"
With a single punch, Leo Ash's fist struck the opponent's head.
The Joyce clone, hit in the head by Leo Ash, was instantly awakened by the intense pain.
But after being awakened, this Pseudo-Herrscher, who had been so arrogant just moments before, discovered something with utter horror.
The energy intensity in his body was dropping rapidly!
*No, not just the energy intensity, my control over my body, even my consciousness is...*
*What... what happened...*
The Pseudo-Herrscher, who should have been fighting for his life, found his mind gradually going blank after taking that punch.
And unable to control his body, he was naturally incapable of manipulating his authority with the same finesse as before to complete his attack.
As the Honkai Energy in his hand dissipated, this Pseudo-Herrscher, who had been so arrogant but had in reality achieved nothing, collapsed completely to the ground, losing his last bit of fighting capability.
"Battle over."
Looking at the enemy before him, Leo Ash finally let out a sigh of relief.
Sea Tiger Destructive Punch, a move created by the magnetic field powerhouse Bai Junlang, had actually demonstrated its powerful versatility in subsequent works.
In the later history of magnetic fields, several powerhouses, including Bai Junlang, had relied on the versatility of the Destructive Punch to merge it with other moves, forming new techniques.
And the Phantasmagoria Destructive Punch that Leo Ash had just executed was essentially a variation achieved through the Sea Tiger Destructive Punch.
By coating his fist with Phantasmagoria and then using the explosive property of the Sea Tiger Destructive Punch, he blasted the power of Phantasmagoria into the enemy's body.
Then, by detonating the power of Phantasmagoria inside the enemy, he directly weakened their biological functions from within, diminishing their own control over their body and ultimately rendering them completely unable to command it.
As for why Leo Ash suddenly thought of creating such a move, to put it bluntly—although the Joyce clone had been bullied so miserably by him, the man was undoubtedly a powerhouse.
When a powerhouse makes a final, desperate counterattack after being tormented for so long, it can be terrifying.
As a small character who cherished his life, Leo Ash certainly had to find a way to reduce the enemy's threat level to a minimum.
Facing Chiyou before was a matter of necessity. Now that he had the chance for a no-damage fight, and since he wasn't crazy, why would he risk his life like that?
Otherwise, if he had gone for a head-on clash, he could have finished the enemy sooner, albeit with some risk.
As for what to do with the completely incapacitated Joyce clone...
Looking at the man who was still alive before him, Leo Ash hesitated for a moment before directly crushing his throat with his foot.
This was the second time in the forty days since he had transmigrated that he had attempted to take another person's life.
The last time he had made such a move was against Ji Lin, when he chose to deliver the finishing blow.
He had to admit, humans were creatures that adapted to things very easily.
But now, he had no time to dwell on sentimentality.
After casually digging out the Pseudo-Herrscher Core that had already formed inside the body, Leo Ash quickly walked over to Yuno and used Powerful Healing Spell on the heavily injured girl.
"Hah... I'm alive."
Feeling her internal injuries heal considerably in an instant, Yuno ignored Leo Ash's outstretched hand and supported herself with her arms to get up from the ground.
"Senior, while I'm grateful for your rescue, now that my injuries are healed, I'm not that fragile."
"...You have a point."
Looking at the expression on Yuno's face, Leo Ash didn't say much.
After their chat in the shopping district, although Yuno's internal issues hadn't been completely resolved by Leo Ash, she had clearly become much stronger since then.
Even though he knew Yuno was just putting on a brave front, Leo Ash didn't want to interfere with her current state of mind.
For Yuno, words of comfort were truly unnecessary.
*Sigh, back then, I chose to quench her thirst with poison just to keep her from seeking death.*
*But now, Yuno has clearly grown into an outstanding Valkyrie, yet why do I feel like something is increasingly off about her?*
"Besides, instead of me, Senior, you should contact Teacher Himeko and Headmaster Theresa."
Standing there, suppressing her internal pain, Yuno recalled the day's events and spoke to Leo Ash with great seriousness.
"The enemy deployed a combatant on the level of a Pseudo-Herrscher this time. They definitely didn't just come here to cause destruction."
"If I'm not mistaken, I, this Pseudo-Herrscher, was never their target at all."
"Their true target is either the head of the Far East Branch or the thing we brought back from Jiuyou this time."
......