Lu Xing had no idea what was happening across the sea.
The current situation had already exceeded his best-case scenarios.
His previous actions had definitely poked the hornet's nest. Based on Lu Xing's deductions, he was likely being treated as a subordinate of the Knight Captain, sent to infiltrate and sabotage the human-controlled zone.
The human side, seemingly hopped up on stimulants, launched a frenzied offensive, acting as if they wouldn't rest until every Honkai Beast's head was smashed.
Thanks to this.
The fires of war, which had subsided for less than half a day, flared up again. Everywhere lay the dismembered corpses of humans and the fading ashes of Honkai Beasts shimmering with halos of light.
Most importantly.
Now that Heimdall had been dismantled by the combined efforts of Lu Xing and the Loli Demon God, the Leader Absolute Zero Knight Captain, the final BOSS on the Honkai Beast side, had yet to show itself.
Unless it was severely injured, the Knight Captain would absolutely not sit idly by waiting for death—this was simply a heaven-sent opportunity for Lu Xing.
His condition had mostly recovered.
On the direct path towards the side of the city where the Honkai energy felt densest according to his senses, Lu Xing had already cut down everything blocking his way.
Whether it was Honkai Beasts "stepping forward bravely" or humans "fleeing in panic," all were treated equally without bias under the sharp edge of [Power Strike].
Humans wouldn't let Lu Xing go, and the Knight Captain was practically his nemesis—treating them as dog food and batteries was, naturally, perfectly justified.
"Boom!!"
Humans were actually better at destruction than Honkai Beasts.
Rocket launchers, grenades, anti-materiel sniper rifle bullets—these weapons could all inflict a certain amount of damage on Lu Xing.
But as long as it wasn't fatal.
He could always regain health by consuming other Honkai Beasts.
Among the humans Lu Xing encountered along the way, he hadn't met any of the Fusion Soldiers he'd seen before, nor any sign of the "Divine Machines."
All those who were sliced apart, sending sprays of blood into the air, were, without exception, purely flesh and blood.
"Perhaps they were mostly depleted in the previous battle. The remaining ones are likely recuperating in the rear."
Lu Xing paid little attention to this detail.
His speed towards the intended target point was even faster than planned—if not for the risk of being focused fired upon while flying high in the sky, and the need to rely on the food scattered throughout the city for replenishment, Lu Xing could have actually arrived much sooner.
And now.
After trekking for nearly fifteen minutes.
Lu Xing finally reached his destination—drifting snow, chilling wind, cold air currents, and a layer of purplish-blue ice covering the ground, a full 20 centimeters thick.
In the center of it all.
Frozen within a towering ice pillar, an imposing figure slowly opened its eyes, which flowed with an eerie light.
Name: Leader Absolute Zero Knight Captain
Level: 36
Abilities: Ice Dash, Thrust, Honkai Lance Projection, Domain Aura: Ice
Remaining: Unknown
————
"Bang!"
First came a dense series of "crackling" sounds.
Then, accompanied by the sudden shattering of the ice pillar, the Knight Captain's figure slowly appeared before Lu Xing amidst a crystalline white mist.
Lu Xing could now see more information about the Knight Captain.
This wasn't due to his own level increase—the gap between Lv.29 and Lv.36 was still quite significant—but mainly because the Knight Captain's body was severely damaged.
Normally.
As long as the Honkai energy reserves within the body were sufficient, external damage could be repaired with the help of Honkai energy—this wasn't an ability unique to Lu Xing; Little Purple had proven this by absorbing energy from a Honkai Fissure to heal.
As for killing other Honkai Beasts to absorb the energy from their Honkai Cores... he hadn't verified this with other Honkai Beasts. The Knight Captain hadn't done it, and Lu Xing didn't know if it was impossible or for some other reason.
In short.
Upon discovering he could appraise more information about the Knight Captain, and seeing that its appearance was indeed severely damaged.
Lu Xing solidified his confidence in defeating it: If he didn't strike now, such a good opportunity might never come again!
And since he was going to fight, he would strike first to gain the upper hand!
The Knight Captain's aura power was formidable. Even though its injuries reduced its strength to less than a quarter of its peak, it could still significantly impede Lu Xing's attacks and evasions.
For a Ranger-class that relies on speed, this was an extremely suppressive and fatal ability, not to mention it was a passive skill.
None of Lu Xing's current abilities could directly break through or negate the effects of this [Domain Aura: Ice].
But since he had come here, he couldn't possibly be unprepared!
"Schwing——"
Turbines at full speed!
The instant the Knight Captain awoke, the six wings, already poised and ready, tilted backward at an angle of 34.3 degrees. Overflowing Honkai energy surged out impatiently!
"Boom!!"
Lu Xing's method was simple.
With the Honkai energy thrusters at full blast, his [Dash] ability could break the sound barrier in an extremely short time. The resulting sonic boom would generate a bow shockwave, drastically increasing aerodynamic drag. The fluid disturbance caused by this shockwave could create something akin to a "wind shield," pushing aside all surrounding air to form a pseudo-vacuum zone.
Within this zone.
The frigid air generated by the Knight Captain couldn't invade Lu Xing's body.
There wasn't much difficulty in using this method, but it placed immense stress on Lu Xing's body. Repeated use could even cause his own body to fall apart.
Which meant...
He had to end this quickly!
————
His body like an arrow, his wings like blades.
Lu Xing charged straight towards the Knight Captain without fear!
The opponent's reaction was within Lu Xing's expectations.
Facing the Variant it had once scared off with a single move, the Knight Captain disdained dodging. The moment Lu Xing made his move, it raised its grimly dark Knight Lance with a sharp "Clang!"
The tip of the lance, swirling with frost and freezing air, ruthlessly thrust towards the rapidly approaching Great Universe—
"Tzzzzla!!"
Ice fragments danced, light exploded brilliantly!
In this tip-against-tip confrontation, Lu Xing chose to evade first!
A simple [Dash] wouldn't even achieve mutual destruction. He wouldn't forget that what he was currently clashing with was merely the Knight Captain's weapon!
With fine adjustments to his thrusters.
At the very instant of impact with the Knight Lance, Lu Xing completed an angular tilt of less than 8 degrees.
He narrowly avoided the sharpest point of the Knight Lance less than 0.1 seconds before contact—
The Honkai energy enveloping his body clashed against the severe cold imbued in the lance, grinding against and annihilating each other.
All of the Knight Captain's skills carried slowing or even freezing effects. Just grazing it once would seal Lu Xing's almost certain defeat.
To counter the "cold" attribute, Lu Xing had prepared another countermeasure—by concentrating Honkai energy as if using [Honkai Lance Projection], he formed high-intensity Honkai crystals on his body's surface to negate the effects of the cold!
The deep cyan light particles scattering across the sky were the spectacle of the two energies colliding.
"Zzzt——"
A clash lasting mere milliseconds.
Amidst the dazzling display, Lu Xing successfully broke through the Knight Captain's thrust; the energy consumption was significant, but his main body remained unharmed.
"Now's the chance!"
The dark lance body was already behind his right side. It was definitely too late for the Knight Captain to change its move now.
"Voom!"
His wings shone even brighter, gathering dazzling light for [Spinning Slash]—aimed directly at the largest and deepest wound on the Knight Captain's right side.
He struck down fiercely!
"—Boom!!"
————