After the defeat of the Third Herrscher, Honkai Beasts exhibited unusual behavior.
For the next few days, Ryan repeated this sentence, his unease confirmed. The change was subtle, almost imperceptible.
His expression remained impassive. He cooked, chatted, helped Rin with her homework, read bedtime stories, seemingly forgetting about Honkai, determined to spend normal time with his sister.
He walked Rin to school in the morning, strolled through the park, enjoyed cherry blossom tea made by Sakura, leisurely reading the newspaper while watching the diligent girl polish the floor to a shine.
But Ryan's mind never rested, constantly hypothesizing, discarding, and hypothesizing again, yet finding no answers.
Honkai did have targeted attacks, but on a strategic level. For example, the Herrschers' attacks intensified, but after realizing the failure of the Seventh Herrscher, it switched to psychological warfare, viral warfare, and espionage. Upon identifying the core of human resistance—the Fusion Warriors—it sent the Herrscher of Binding to neutralize them.
But the original world's timeline was irrelevant; the biggest variable was him. If he recalled correctly, the Herrscher of Thunder had experienced an unexpected emotion at the last moment, a surprise that wasn't her own.
Ryan flipped through the newspaper faster and faster, reading reports on High-Rank Honkai Beasts. It seemed like prediction, but Honkai shouldn't be capable of prediction.
"Move your foot."
Lost in thought, Sakura's voice interrupted. He unconsciously lifted his foot, seeing her on the floor, polishing the tiles.
Initially, he felt a bit of regret, but he soon got used to it, adopting a lazy posture as he watched the girl diligently work beneath his feet.
Sakura wore a loose-fitting robe; the thin material clung to her body, her round buttocks like ripe peaches. The V-neck robe revealed the curves emphasized by gravity.
Perfectly shaped, ample in size, impossible to grasp with one hand.
After a brief glance, Sakura turned, wringing out a washcloth and wiping the sweat from her brow.
"Rin asleep?"
"Yes. You played with her in the park for hours today; she must be exhausted. You worked hard today."
"I didn't have anything else to do, so I took her out. Rin is adorable; she promised we'd go to the amusement park next time. You'll come too, of course."
"I've already promised her, but I've been busy."
"My fault. If Fire Moth hadn't been watching, you could have had a proper rest."
Ryan sighed, folding the newspaper, noticing Sakura's lack of resentment; she calmly brewed a cup of tea and placed it on the table.
"There's still time, and I know you've been worried lately. Your ability to soothe Rin is extraordinary." Sakura said calmly. She'd witnessed Ryan's abilities and knew the Third Herrscher was connected to him.
"Aren't you curious?"
"Curiosity is an assassin's enemy. Everyone has secrets, but I trust your judgment."
If Sakura was as sharp as a blade in battle, now she was as gentle as water.
"Sakura, I appreciate your understanding, but I'm afraid I must end this peaceful life." Ryan took a deep breath, feeling a pang of regret at leaving her behind.
"Your comfort is enough for me." Sakura smiled, pushing back her tangled hair and slightly bowing her head. "I've blocked Fire Moth's communication. Śeṣa has appeared on Parrit Island, two hundred kilometers from here. Please wait; I'll prepare for deployment."
She said no more, heading towards her room, leaving Ryan stunned for a moment before he chuckled and folded the newspaper.
Even though I've concealed it well, she still saw through me. Why was she so decisive, interrupting this life she enjoyed?
It was simple. Ryan had done nothing for days, making the agreement less of a transaction.
My urgency, her understanding, a friendly exchange.
Soon, footsteps sounded again, hurried and brisk.
Ryan turned to see Sakura in familiar attire—leather boots and shorts, white knee-high socks on her right leg, a dark blue jacket over a white T-shirt, and a long sword at her hip.
Her pink hair flowed naturally; she wore blue headphones. Aside from the lack of fox ears, she was practically indistinguishable from her Flame-Chaser days.
An unusual but fitting outfit.
Under Ryan's unwavering gaze, Sakura averted her eyes, explaining, "Rin drew this [Goushinnso Memento], and I based my outfit on it."
"I see. I remember the first time we met; you were wearing tight combat gear. Oh, and you don't need to carry that sword."
"You want me to fight with my fists?" Sakura frowned. Her skills were entirely focused on swordsmanship; her hand-to-hand combat was purely for self-defense.
As she spoke, she saw Ryan approach the balcony, carrying a metallic briefcase. Before she could ask, he explained:
"This is something I retrieved today. The latest Soulium prototype; Mobius sent it. She even charged me five times the agreed-upon fee! That woman took advantage of the situation!"
Sakura automatically dismissed her earlier concerns, questioning, "How did she send it?"
"Express delivery, of course. That lazy woman wouldn't make a special trip."
Express delivery… they're bold.
Sakura almost laughed, remembering this was a serious mission; she suppressed her amusement, eagerly watching Ryan open the briefcase.
Inside were two weapons: a cyan-colored sword and a crimson longsword, both gleaming metallic.
Ryan lightly brushed them. According to Mobius, these were Soulium prototypes, incomplete and unfinished.
"The Third Research Institute's top technology, made of Soulium. It has incredible abrasion and corrosion resistance; it's essentially a self-repairing nano-machine."
"Because it can fully handle Honkai energy, besides weapon strength, they've added an interesting program, mimicking the core of High-Rank Honkai Beasts to manipulate Honkai energy."
This prototype was designed by Ryan. While the strength was insufficient without a Herrscher Core, Soulium weapons were an excellent platform for experimentation—the reason Mei turned a blind eye.
Ryan could manipulate energy without weapons, but Sakura couldn't before becoming a Fusion Warrior, making her experimental data valuable.
Sakura, lacking the scientific knowledge to understand, only found them impressive. She took the sword Ryan tossed her, drawing it slightly. The blade was thin as a dragonfly's wing, incredibly light. Upon closer inspection, a faint cold mist was visible.
"A fine blade. It seems to contain Honkai energy?"
"The internal program can manipulate Honkai energy. The manual says it was inspired from an Ice-type mutated Honkai Emperor , but it's not fully developed. Your innate abilities aren't strong enough; the strength won't be too high." Ryan tossed her a thin manual. "Instructions and precautions are detailed here. They really did create something extraordinary."
Precisely extraordinary. He even considered adapting this technology to human bodies, potentially replicating something like the Edge of Taixuan.
Sakura carefully examined the densely packed text and diagrams, reminded of childhood stories—magic, cultivation.
But calling it a martial arts manual would be wrong; it lacked any fantasy elements, filled with rigorous Q&A and 24 parallel usage recommendations.
"Is it rare?" Sakura ignored the details of prototypes and Honkai energy manipulation; this was a fundamental breakthrough.
"Soulium will never be mass-produced; the requirements for users are also very strict. If your Honkai energy adaptability is insufficient, using them is suicide." Ryan also picked up the longsword. Its shape and structure were reminiscent of ancient Shenzhou styles, appearing both straight and generous.
He hadn't studied the additional programs in the weapons; for Ryan, weapons only needed sufficient durability and good energy transmission.
"Cold Cherry."
"Huh?"
"I'll call it Cold Cherry." Sakura hugged the sword close, visibly pleased, bowing slightly. "Thank you for your gift."
"Glad you like it. As you grow stronger, the weapon can be continuously optimized. This sword wasn't forged by a blacksmith; all divine weapons are products of material science advancement."
Ryan's words lacked romantic fantasy, emphasizing scientific rigor instead. Sakura's face reflected her dreams; if she became a Fusion Warrior, this sword would also improve.
Her earnest contemplation wasn't lost on Ryan, or perhaps he approved of this fundamental breakthrough.
A good weapon depends on the wielder, but it at least improved overall human combat power. If they could create a Soulium God's Rod with some additional features, perhaps even the Herrscher of Thunder could be stopped.
"What about your sword?"
The question startled Ryan; he didn't like naming weapons; they were consumables, quickly damaged.
But these were among the first Soulium weapons in the world; they deserved a name.
He examined the longsword closely. Its shape and structure were weighty, reminiscent of a Han sword, exuding an aura of authority.
Probably Vill-V's work; the craftsmanship was exquisite. The hilt was adorned with meaningless carvings, resembling writhing lightning bolts. The crimson blade, made of Liquidmetal, was extravagant; Mei might have been furious at this waste of resources.
"Let's… call it Crimson Blaze."
"A good name, sounds powerful."
"Power resides in the wielder, not the sword." Ryan chuckled, waving his hand. "Let's go, before Fire Moth gets wind of this."
"Okay, I'll drive." Sakura nodded calmly, her movements swift and steady, without hesitation.
She passed through the meticulously cleaned living room, the recently busy kitchen, and the hallway, even going past her sister's bedroom without a glance.
Afraid to pause, to linger?
Ryan shook his head. This coldness was Sakura's unique form of gentleness. He could have kept Sakura, treating her like Hua and Kevin.
He never interfered with others' choices; good intentions often lead to tragedy.
Ryan followed, pausing at the bedroom door. He saw it slightly ajar, revealing a pair of deep green eyes.
Rin stood by the door. Even though Sakura was less than five meters away, she didn't run to her sister, remaining silent, watching them leave.
She understood; Sakura's actions weren't simple. Lingering would only endanger her; she suppressed her emotions, stifling her desire. For a ten-year-old, that was more than enough to ask.
Understanding the situation, Ryan met Rin's gaze through the slightly open door, gently tapped his chest, then walked away as if nothing had happened.
Click.
The door closed; footsteps faded. Rin slowly sat against the wall, hugging her knees, realizing she didn't cry this time, only remembering the signal Ryan had given her.
The posture was simple, yet after just a few days, it was ingrained in her memory.
Be at ease; Mr. Rabbit will handle everything.
"I trust Mr. Rabbit. I need to do my part."
Rin slowly stood, her expression as calm and resolute as Sakura's. She climbed into bed, pulled the covers up, listening to the car starting outside, a faint smile playing on her lips.
The night was peaceful; she slept soundly.