Zeus turned his gaze and beheld his wife, Hera—a mature woman of poised elegance. Draped in a pristine white suit and adorned with flawless makeup, Hera radiated an irresistible charm. With a stern expression, Zeus spoke gravely, "At last, you have arrived. But this time, the trouble is dire. Our adversaries are formidable—never before have I encountered such a vexing challenge. I must trouble you once again."
Hera regarded Zeus's anxiety with a faint smile. "What's the fuss? You mean that boy who controls bullets? Ha, I fail to see what's so extraordinary about him."
Zeus shook his head solemnly. "Perhaps he wasn't exceptional before. But prior to our capture, the Messenger used purification abilities to strip him of all his powers. Do you understand what that means? He was powerless—yet now, suddenly, he wields tremendous abilities. It's baffling, inexplicable."
Having finished speaking, Hera removed her elegant hat and coat, leaving her clad solely in a flowing white gown as she approached Xiao Feng with measured grace.
From behind, Zeus cautioned, "Dear, be careful."
Hera shot him a sharp glance and whispered scornfully, "A useless fool, shameless to the last." As she walked, she slowly slipped off her delicate white lace gloves, revealing hands as pale and flawless as polished jade, which she gracefully warmed with gentle stretches.
Upon stepping into the chaotic battlefield, all the Alliance soldiers ceased fire instantly. The bullets suspended near Xiao Feng clattered softly to the ground, scattering in silence. Standing amid the scattered ammunition, Xiao Feng frowned deeply, eyes fixed upon the approaching woman.
Though unfamiliar to him, an unmistakable intuition warned Xiao Feng that this woman was no mere opponent to be taken lightly.
Hera halted some ten meters before him, casting a glance toward the alluring Pandora nearby. With a playful smile, she inquired, "Child, is all this the work of you two?"
Xiao Feng's gaze turned icy. "Yes, it's the handiwork of the two of us—including those three espers. And who might you be?"
Hera smiled gently, regarding him like an indulgent elder addressing a child. "Child, one should show respect and courtesy to one's elders. Don't you know?"
"Indeed, I ought to respect you. But I'm not here for dinner—I'm trying to survive. Do you understand?" Xiao Feng's confusion at this woman's demeanor was palpable.
Hera's eyes flickered with a faint warmth. Xiao Feng's charm was formidable—even she, Hera, could scarcely deny a fleeting pull toward him. She chuckled softly, "If I invited you to dinner now, would you accept?"
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm more concerned with living than dining." He turned to Pandora. "Beauty, let's get moving. If we want to leave here alive, we'll have to clear every last one of them. Otherwise, there's no way out."
Pandora, twin blades gleaming coldly in hand, strode to Xiao Feng's side. "What's wrong? Won't fight an old woman like that? If you won't, then I will."
Hera's smile faded at Pandora's boldness. "This girl seems even less courteous than you."
With a frosty retort, Pandora lunged fiercely at Hera.
Hera's brow furrowed briefly before a strange beam shot from her eyes, sweeping across Pandora's form like a precise laser scan. Then, to the shock of both Xiao Feng and Pandora, Hera herself began to transform.
Within seconds, Hera had assumed an exact duplicate of Pandora's appearance.
More astonishingly, she wielded two long blades identical to Pandora's. With a sharp cry, she engaged the real Pandora in fierce combat.
As their four blades clashed, Pandora's surprise deepened. Hera's mimicry extended beyond mere appearance—her strength, speed, and even the resilience of her blades were flawlessly replicated.
With a smile identical to Pandora's own, Hera taunted, "Well? Not bad, huh? Surprised?"
Pandora's brow knitted tightly; she was not one to smile easily. With a swift withdrawal, she delivered a sharp kick to Hera's jaw. "Don't speak to me—I've come to truly loathe you."
From a distance, K, Rush, and Earth Dog watched in stunned silence as the two Pandoras fought, unable to distinguish the original from the copy.
"How is this possible? Another esper like this?" K gasped.
Rush offered a wry smile. "If she can become anyone, wouldn't she be the strongest esper? Meet a Level Ten, and she becomes one too—that's a terrifying prospect."
"True. Strength begets strength."
"Should we really stand here debating? We ought to help—finish this quickly and get out. The longer we stay, the more perilous it becomes."
"What's the hurry? Isn't Xiao Feng handling them alone? I think he's enough by himself."
"Man, you guys really lack loyalty."
"Look! Xiao Feng is moving!"
The three turned their attention to Xiao Feng, who advanced toward the Alliance soldiers bearing automatic rifles. As he walked, the water swirling around him intensified, coalescing into a roaring watery tornado.
The soldiers stared in terror, clueless as to his intent.
Suddenly, the water began to freeze under Xiao Feng's psychic command, transforming into icy arrows. With a fierce cry, he flung them toward the soldiers.
"I don't want to kill you—leave now if you can!" he bellowed.
The icy barrage descended like a hailstorm. Even as pure ice, it would have overwhelmed them, but these arrows bore razor-sharp tips—a nightmare unleashed upon the Alliance troops.
In moments, nearly all the soldiers were wounded, their anguished cries piercing the air.
Inside the command vehicle, Zeus and the commander were utterly stunned. The magnitude of Xiao Feng's terror was beyond their comprehension, and a shared sense of looming crisis gripped their hearts.
"What shall we do, Lord Zeus?" the commander's voice wavered.
Zeus fell silent for a long moment before replying, "Withdraw. This battle exceeds what your forces can endure. Leave the rest to our temple. I cannot bear to witness further bloodshed."
The commander nodded and issued the retreat order over the headset: "All units, withdraw immediately."