I am, Flame-Chaser of Previous Era-Chapter 56: Elysia!!!

A massive bomb fell from the sky, its wings deploying, guided by Honkai energy.

This was the N1 burst munition, one of Fire Moth's deadliest weapons—a fourth-generation tactical nuclear weapon with thirty-five times the power of TNT, without the lingering radiation.

This was what Ryan had feared. Its core temperature reached one million degrees Celsius, capable of piercing Honkai energy; even a Herrscher couldn't withstand a direct hit; it would consume massive energy.

"This could've been dropped on me and Elysia." Ryan watched the massive black sphere, feeling no resentment.

Frankly, humanity would sacrifice anything to combat Honkai. At least these people had conviction and were willing to sacrifice themselves, instead of being hypocritical and sending others to their deaths.

"Those who step forward, whether willingly or not, are true warriors."

Ryan closed his eyes, feeling the intense heat; the air was like a battering ram, slowing his breathing until he was submerged in warm seawater.

The "sun" seemed to fall on the sea; the burst munition enveloped the warship; even without the explosion, it created waves dozens of meters high, tossing nearby ships around.

Ryan opened his eyes; a twisted mass of metal bobbed on the sea's surface; the nearly hundred-thousand-ton yield and million-degree heat had obliterated everything; there were no survivors on the ship.

He wasn't as naive as Fire Moth's higher-ups; Herrscher of Thunder was far stronger than the previous two; even this tactical nuclear weapon wouldn't destroy it.

Two thousand lives, for a single opportunity.

Ryan gripped his spear, intently watching; arcs of lightning flickered within the twisted metal; then, a thunderbolt struck the sea.

The Herrscher rose, hovering above the churning waves, still puzzled.

Those humans... why such a foolish act?

"Sacrificing their pitiful lives to gain a chance to wound me?"

She muttered, then sneered, filled with arrogance and contempt.

A pointless act. That level of attack couldn't kill her; the energy expended could be easily replenished...

Her thoughts were interrupted; a familiar energy approached from behind. Ignoring the surrounding warships, she turned, raising her left hand.

Whizz—Boom!!

A spear flew from afar, striking the lightning shield; energy intertwined and clashed; the spear continued to penetrate, but a significant difference remained between their Honkai energies. But, as the spear paused, a figure charged, striking the spear's haft.

Clang!

The Herrscher leaned back, the spear passing harmlessly through her chest; the figure then used the spear to propel himself back.

Clang!

She raised her blade, blocking the spear, slightly puzzled. "You dare return?"

This was incomprehensible. Humans had sacrificed themselves to create an escape route; why return to die?

"Herrscher, sacrifice creates opportunity. I am responsible for their lives," Ryan replied calmly, his tone even, but his meaning clear.

"I bear the weight of their lives; I will kill you!"

"Irrational."

The blade vibrated with unleashed lightning; Ryan was flung over a hundred meters, landing on a destroyer's mast. He looked up at the god-like Herrscher.

"Destruction has no order; this is a predetermined outcome. So struggle, resist, and finally—"

"Die!"

Lightning coalesced on the blade, forming a massive arc that slashed down. Ryan leaped away; the destroyer was bisected; ammunition exploded, creating a massive, brilliant firework.

This deafening explosion awakened everyone; the scattered retreating warships understood their mission.

"Adjust fire; bring down that monster!"

"Turn this ship around; we can't let it escape; we can't let those Fire Moth soldiers die in vain."

Silence was shattered by cannon fire; countless projectiles slammed into the sea, forcing the Herrscher, pursuing Ryan, to reluctantly change course.

"Her Honkai energy is low; she's hesitant to expend it freely."

Ryan weaved through the waves, calmly calculating. The Herrscher Core could draw energy directly from Imaginary Space, like an inexhaustible well, but intense, short-term energy expenditure still had limits.

Like a dragon's breath, even at maximum output, it had limits; filling a reservoir took time.

I never said I wanted to duel you.

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Ryan wasn't reckless; he treated the enemy and allies as variables in a plan, reaching his conclusion in seconds:

The remaining ships couldn't stop her; Elysia was still some time away; I have to die!

The conclusion was brutal. He couldn't outrun her; the second N1 burst munition was en route; continued engagement meant shared destruction.

He didn't know if the Herrscher would die, but he wouldn't survive the N1.

"Then let's collide."

His eyes remained cold, but his actions were reckless. Ryan leaped onto a warship's deck; this time, he didn't retreat, watching the Herrscher charge, raising her blade.

Clang!!

A deafening explosion partially submerged the ten-thousand-ton cruiser; scattered energy and lightning bisected the tall dock.

Ryan knelt, his knuckles trembling, his eyes bloodshot.

Even after hours of exertion, how much power remained?

He heard the spear creak, ready to break. He leaned to the right, his left foot pushing off the ground.

The Herrscher was flung backward, momentarily suspended over the partially destroyed dock, as if magnetically clinging, narrowly avoiding another beam.

The speed was too great; fortunately, it lacked finesse; it was merely brute force.

Ryan moved, his left shoulder striking a main cannon; with a tearing sound, dozens of tons of steel were flung forward.

This served as a projectile; the Herrscher of Thunder disintegrated it. But this time, she leaped forward.

Boom!

Steel clashed; but Ryan saw a bolt of lightning emerge, then refract several times, rapidly approaching him.

Fast.

The spear blocked; before the Honkai energy could ignite, the lightning vanished, refracting again; the beam grazed Ryan's face.

Whizz!

A searing pain shot through his brain; three sections of the high-molecular shielding armor were pierced; blood sprayed out.

'The Herrscher's power is superior to Honkai energy. If I don't actively defend, I can't block it. The problem is its speed; I don't have time to gather Honkai energy for defense.'

The chill of death and rationality clashed. As the lightning flickered again, he turned, his legs planted firmly on the deck, his left foot pushing off; his hand thrust forward with maximum speed.

Furious Force. Wind-breaking Spear.

Unable to defend, he abandoned defense. Time slowed in his eyes; he saw the lightning, the blade, and the silver-haired girl; then, energy clashed, metal scraped.

The precision of the attack left Ryan no room to react. The blade sliced past the spear, aimed at his head; this strike could sever his head and the warship.

Retreat was impossible; escape was impossible. But Ryan stepped forward, charging. Before the blade could strike his forehead, a hidden fist exploded.

Inch-Fist. Heaven-Opening!

Whizz—Thump!!

Blood sprayed from Ryan's neck, instantly vaporized by the lightning. His fist struck the Herrscher's chest, sending her flying.

At close range, the sudden burst of power, the Honkai energy on his fist pierced her defenses, striking her flesh. Pain surged into her mind, followed by confusion.

How was that possible? How did he know he could break through my defenses?

The silver-haired Herrscher didn't know; she didn't understand that the spear was a feint; the Inch-Fist was real. She crashed into the sea, flying over ten meters before stopping, looking up at the human whose neck was half-severed; a thin Honkai energy membrane sealed the wound, preventing further blood loss.

Even for a Herrscher, this was a heavy blow. As the warship sank, the human charged again.

This wasn't foolishness; it was madness?

Ryan moved through the waves, appearing insane, yet his expression was devoid of fury.

Only calmness remained—the stillness of a mirror, ignoring pain, silencing distractions, his gaze fixed solely on the Herrscher.

Boom!!

The spear struck the sea, like a dragon emerging, creating churning waves, accompanied by a thunderclap.

She retreated.

Ryan didn't hesitate; he plunged into the sea. He saw the lightning striking the water, almost boiling the icy sea; through the churning bubbles, he saw the Herrscher.

That punch had pulverized an Emperor-Class Honkai Beast, yet hadn't inflicted significant damage. Her eyes remained cold; she lightly raised her left hand.

Scattered lightning arcs sliced through two destroyers that had run out of ammunition. Then, she raised her right hand; her power condensed into a massive lightning blade.

She'd lost patience; she wanted to vaporize this section of sea and the human within it.

A final strike?

Ryan didn't dodge, didn't gather Honkai energy for defense; he didn't have much strength left; this final strength would be used for an attack.

Skill could compensate for strength differences, but not the immense gap between them. Ryan didn't hope for a sudden power surge.

Through the churning bubbles, he silently roared—

Elysia!

The descending lightning blade paused; the Herrscher of Thunder looked up, seeing a pink arrow.

Descending rapidly from the sky.