An indescribable surge of irritability.
When she returned to her comrades, this irritability aggressively surged through her heart.
"Lin, what did I do wrong? What should I do now?" She asked "Lin," who was still standing in the same spot, as if seeking his opinion, yet also sounding like she was venting something.
"…The current you can use your power to kill them." "Lin" provided an answer, but it didn't satisfy her.
Use that power?
She knew what he meant, but she felt that power was far inferior to her own attack in terms of speed and destructiveness. Didn't that blade-wielding zombie manage to dodge the black mist?
"You are resisting the use of your ability. You can completely use this power to kill all the zombies in the entire city."
"The entire city? No, what if there are still survivors in this city? Before support arrives, I still… Ugh…"
Mid-sentence, she painfully clutched her head again, her long hair wildly tossing.
"Survivors… Are there really still survivors in this city…" After the pain subsided, she murmured to herself, "I can't feel any living person in this city…"
The power of Creation reminded her that there were absolutely no living organisms left in the city. In this high-concentration Honkai Energy zone, all living creatures would be eroded by Honkai Energy. Even small insects would undergo unexpected mutations. It was simply not a place where living people could survive.
And judging by the extent of the decay, the city had been under Honkai attack for at least several days. Even if there were survivors, they must have been rescued already.
Right… I can't let these zombies leave this city and harm more people…
"That's right, this is for the sake of more people…"
She was still murmuring, but the expression on her face was already different. Black mist emanated from her body with a strange speed, showing a tendency to spread outwards.
However, in less than half a second, the black mist retracted back into her body.
She looked at her comrades around her with a look of dread. She shook her head, rebutting herself: "They are still here. I can't do this. It will harm them."
"…We can still be resurrected by you."
"No! I can't… hurt them again…" She instinctively shrieked, but still stopped mid-sentence, asking confusedly, "Can't… what?"
She had forgotten something. Some very important memories had vanished from her mind.
This time, she became aware of that blank space, but soon, she stopped caring.
"Then let me do it."
"Lin" said to her.
…
"Was what you injected just now medicine?"
"Yes."
In a sense, it was indeed medicine to delay the progression of the illness. However, while it restored Lin's condition, it was also killing him. But there was no need to clarify this. The difference between him dying from Honkai Energy erosion and from the injection was merely dying by his own hand or by the Honkai's hand.
As long as it gave him the ability to fight, he would drink it without changing his expression, even if it were poison.
Sakura instinctively realized that this medicine was not a good thing, but she couldn't worry about it now. The immediate priority was understanding the Sixth Herrscher and stopping her: "Is the Sixth Herrscher's ability to raid and retreat also part of her Authority?"
"No, that is a Phase Transfer device. It works on the same principle as your Time Fracture device, but the side effects are much greater, causing the user to suffer Honkai Energy erosion and the risk of consciousness collapse." Lin revealed the intelligence to Sakura without reservation. "However, this side effect should be almost non-existent for a Herrscher."
The main reason for consciousness collapse caused by using the Phase Transfer device was that the device's void space was composed of high-concentration Honkai Energy. A human consciousness entering it would lose the five senses and the perception of time flow. But a Herrscher would likely not experience this. That is why the Sixth Herrscher showed no signs of abnormality after continuously using the Phase Transfer device.
"If possible, take that device away. She will lose her means of transfer."
Another reason for seizing the device was that Lin needed a method of rapid movement. All his equipment was left at the headquarters, so he couldn't move using his most common methods. And being unable to walk easily, he was completely exposed as a target after losing the option of the grappling hook.
"Also, be aware. It might be next time, or the time after that… but the one who attacks us may no longer be just the Herrscher."
In every major Honkai outbreak, some high-concentration Honkai Energy creatures would be born at the call of their master Herrscher, serving as guardian Honkai Beasts. These companion Honkai Beasts are all High-Class Honkai Beasts, standing at the apex of the Honkai Beast hierarchy. One could say that, aside from the Authority, their lethality surpasses that of the Herrscher.
The Sixth Herrscher is currently the most unique Herrscher. She not only believes herself to be human, but also shows no detectable Honkai Energy signature. All the creatures appearing around her are zombies; there hasn't been a single Honkai Beast.
It is known that although many variants of zombies exist, they are entirely below Honkai Beasts on the Honkai Energy biological spectrum. No matter how ferocious a zombie is, it is not as terrifying as an ordinary Chariot-class Honkai Beast.
Thinking of the Emperor-class Honkai Beast that only belatedly arrived on the battlefield after the Fourth Herrscher appeared, Lin guessed that the Sixth Herrscher's companion Honkai Beast had likely already been born somewhere in the world, and might be heading here.
What they were competing against the Sixth Herrscher was the speed of their respective reinforcements.
If headquarters support arrived before the Sixth Herrscher fully realized she was a Herrscher, they could subjugate her at a relatively small cost. But if the High-Class Honkai Beast arrived first, it would be a disaster for the city.
Just then, communication from the Fifth Branch sounded again. Lin answered the call without hesitation.
"Lin, we have completed three-quarters of the population evacuation. There are no civilians around you, but there is one more piece of information you need to know. After hearing it, you decide whether to withdraw."
Spaciel's voice was flat. He looked at the upward-climbing curve on his screen and sighed: "Around you, a massive source of Honkai Energy is rising."
"…"
A massive source of Honkai Energy.
This sentence meant that the Sixth Herrscher's companion Honkai Beast was already being born, and it was right in their vicinity.
If the Herrscher were fully formed, the appearance of the Sixth Herrscher's Honkai Energy signature would have been a sudden spike, not this upward-climbing trend.
"…Headquarters support is approximately one hour away," Spaciel said.
"…"
One hour to face the simultaneous assault of a Herrscher and an Emperor-class Honkai Beast?