"Shamash—Assault!!"
Elias hurled the flames from the Might of An-Utu greatsword.
With just that single Shamash Assault, nearly all the Honkai Beasts were incinerated instantly. In truth, if Elias hadn't been concerned that excessive power would cause civilian casualties, that one strike would have been enough to ignite the entire Kolosten.
"This is... the Judgment of Shamash?"
Kallen stared blankly at the greatsword in Elias' hand. In her memory, Shamash Assault required the head of the Kaslana family to pay with their life to unleash that ultimate strike.
For example, her father—the previous head of the Kaslana family, Francis Kaslana—had once burned his own life to ignite Shamash and perish together with a Honkai Emperor.
Yet compared to Elias' casual swing at this moment, the flames ignited by generations of Kaslana patriarchs at the cost of their lives seemed no more than tiny sparks.
"How is this possible?! How can you use your power?!"
Otto's heart skipped violently.
He had anticipated that even the most meticulous plan might go wrong when facing Elias—but he hadn't expected it to spiral completely out of control from the very beginning.
In a virtual world, abilities from reality should have been unusable. Yet Elias had summoned the Judgment of Shamash itself. That was far beyond Otto's expectations.
However, Otto was shocked far too early.
"Quite a lot of targets this time. Opportunities like this don't come often. Let me try some new moves. If I solve everything with Shamash, it would be far too boring."
Elias muttered to himself as he put away the Judgment of Shamash.
He first activated the Authority of the Herrscher of the Void, opening spatial portals beneath the feet of every resident in Kolosten. Within moments, hundreds of thousands were transferred to safety.
Even though his pseudo-divine authority was in a shattered state, it still granted tremendous amplification to all his abilities.
"Heaven Devourer of Ten Thousand Beasts, descend upon this body."
"Above and below heaven, I alone am supreme."
"At the end of [Reverse God], I shall fall—and become a god!"
Elias unleashed Artificial Cascade fused with his shattered pseudo-divine authority. Upon his once pure-white, sacred [Reverse God] body, golden patterns spread. A halo of imaginary divinity appeared behind him.
At that moment, all who witnessed him widened their eyes, believing they were gazing upon a true god.
Otto Apocalypse was no exception.
"Otto, your intelligence on me is long outdated. The current me has already surpassed your imagination."
Elias looked at the cleared battlefield, raised a hand toward the heavens, then brought it down sharply. Instantly, golden divine lightning poured down like a torrential storm.
"World-Cleansing Divine Thunder!"
Rumbleeeee—!!!
It was also the Authority of the Herrscher of Thunder—but in Elias' hands, its power was nearly a hundred times that of Mei.
Anyone or any Honkai Beast struck by the golden lightning was reduced to ashes in an instant—whether Emperor-level, Judgment-level, or S-rank Valkyrie.
The scene resembled a descending god cleansing the sins of the world with thunder—sacred, majestic, and awe-inspiring.
"Damn it! It's only been a few seconds! He's about to kill them all! Initiate the replication program! Unlimited deployment!"
Otto's face darkened. In less than ten seconds, the vast number of data bodies he had deployed were nearly annihilated by this single move.
He could not comprehend what had happened to Elias in the mere two months since the Fourth Honkai Eruption ended.
How had he grown so monstrously powerful in such a short span of time?
Yet perseverance was one of Otto Apocalypse's defining traits. He decisively activated his backup plan—something he had believed he would never need.
"Oh? Now this is somewhat interesting."
Elias' eyes lit up as even more enemies appeared.
Otto's method was simple—mass replication of the previously deployed data bodies.
In that instant, Elias saw dozens of Welt, dozens of Siegfried, dozens of Benares, and more rushing toward him.
The scale was exhilarating even to him.
Such a thing could never occur in reality.
Only a virtual world made it possible.
"Good! It has to be like this! Otherwise I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself! This time I can fight to my heart's content!"
A battle-hungry smile curled on Elias' lips.
With a wave of his hand, storm clouds churned across the sky. Violent winds formed a tornado that reached from earth to heaven, sweeping countless Honkai Beasts, Valkyries, and Herrschers into its vortex.
Yet wind alone was insufficient to kill the stronger data bodies.
"Then let's add some fire!!"
The Authority of the Herrscher of Fire activated.
Golden-red flames surged into the tornado, instantly transforming it into a blazing inferno vortex. Fire borrowed the power of wind, its might multiplying as everything caught within was burned to nothingness.
Then extreme frost froze innumerable enemies in place. These immobilized ice sculptures were swallowed one by one by a pseudo black hole.
"..."
Otto was completely dumbfounded.
His replication speed could not even keep up with Elias' slaughter.
At this moment, he felt as though he were opposing a god who commanded nature itself.
So overwhelming were Elias' Authorities that even this virtual world was beginning to collapse under the strain.
"Hahaha~ This is refreshing! As expected of a virtual world—I can use my power however I please!"
Elias laughed freely.
His current power was far too terrifying for reality. Not only was there no enemy who could force him to go all out, but his full strength would directly devastate Earth's environment.
Incidentally, though there were data bodies of Mei, Kiana, and the others—Elias destroyed them without hesitation.
(Back in the Previous Era, the Herrscher of Sentience used a similar trick. I remember leaving it to Misteln to handle back then. But... after so many cycles, perhaps my heart has hardened somewhat.)
They were merely puppets with familiar faces, devoid of hearts.
Not the girls he cherished.
Afterward, Elias fought to his satisfaction. At times he didn't even use his Authorities, engaging them directly. Whether Honkai Beast, Valkyrie, or Herrscher—none could withstand a single strike of the [Reverse God].
It was a one-sided crushing.
A showcase of absolute violence.
No matter how many times Otto replicated the data bodies, not a single scratch appeared on Elias.
Though Otto had initially hoped for a war of attrition, the imaginary divine halo behind Elias continuously replenished his Honkai energy, allowing him to battle eternally.
...
"Alright. I'm getting bored."
After eliminating millions of data bodies, Elias snapped his fingers. Instantly, the endlessly spawning army ceased replication.
"...What did you do?"
"I have no obligation to answer you, Otto. Any other tricks? If not, you can log off."
"..."
A Subspace Lance rested against Otto's throat. At Elias' will, it could slice through his neck.
Otto paid it no mind. Death held no terror for him. Even if killed here—where his consciousness could not return to reality—it would not matter.
He had long since backed up his consciousness.
Even if Elias killed him, a stored copy would revive Otto Apocalypse within a new soulium body and continue pursuing the dream of resurrecting the saint.
"Elias, every encounter leaves me deeply shaken. Once again, you have exceeded my imagination."
Otto inhaled deeply, forcing himself to calm.
"Regardless of where these abilities came from—if they truly exist in reality—then I fear I can no longer kill you."
Ignoring the Subspace Lance at his throat, he stared directly into Elias' eyes.
Otto could not help marveling. During the Second Eruption, Elias had been but an inexperienced youth—transparent enough for Otto to see through every lie and truth.
Now, within those white eyes lay a will and power surpassing Otto Apocalypse himself. He could no longer read Elias' heart.
"It's too late to beg. I'll teach you a lesson this time—but it won't be enough. Otto, one day you will repay every sin you've committed."
"I look forward to that day. For someone like me, the chance to atone for my sins is itself a luxury. However..."
Otto's gaze shifted into the distance.
"Today's affair isn't over yet."
"Roarrrr!"
With a roar, a weak Honkai Beast crawled from the nearby ruins.
Its rank was so low it likely didn't even reach Chariot-class.
Yet Kallen's face turned deathly pale.
Her body froze instantly, unable to move. She could only watch helplessly as the Honkai Beast approached step by step.
She could not flee.
She could not evade.
Because this was destiny.
"It survived that?"
Even Elias was surprised. He had scoured Kolosten multiple times with his Authorities. Even Judgment-level beasts had been obliterated. Yet this one remained alive.
The only explanation was the setting of this virtual world.
Until [Kill Kallen Kaslana] was fulfilled, this Honkai Beast could not die.
"Elias... Elias..."
Under the program setting of [Certain Death], unable to move, the only thing Kallen could do was call his name.
"..."
Elias stepped in front of her without hesitation.
As long as he stood there, even if this Honkai Beast represented the will of the world itself, it would not touch her. Until the white-haired boy was defeated, no danger could harm the one he chose to protect.
He possessed methods to kill it.
Yet after a brief pause, he stopped himself from releasing his Authority and instead turned to Kallen behind him.
"This isn't an enemy I should defeat."
"Eh?"
"Defeat your own destiny yourself, Kallen. As for the chains binding you—I'll tear them apart."
Elias opened his arms and embraced her. Under the effect of a certain Authority, her immobilized body regained freedom.
"!!!"
Kallen felt the change in shock.
For the first time, she possessed the power to defy destiny.
"...I understand. Thank you, Elias."
She hugged him back tightly.
At that moment, her feelings underwent a qualitative transformation. Determination filled her eyes.
"Go. If destiny cannot be escaped or avoided, then we will overcome it—step on it openly and crush it beneath our feet. I'll prepare everything you need."
Elias constructed the Divine Key—Judas' Oath—once belonging to Kallen Kaslana. In addition, he forged for her a Valkyrie battlesuit.
Holy white garments, a skirt blazing crimson like fire, and a pure white veil—evoking the very word saint.
Valkyrie Battlesuit: Divine Prayer.
"Elias, I can feel your strength. With you here, I will never again lose to my destiny!"
Kallen strode forward toward the Honkai Beast.
Judas' Oath unfolded like a peacock displaying its feathers. Twelve golden lances shot forth, piercing the beast and nailing it to the ground.
"Disappear—my destiny!"
Grasping the final golden lance, Kallen brought it down with all her strength, cleaving the Honkai Beast in two and utterly destroying it.
In a fair fight like this, she would never lose.
Across tens of thousands of cycles, she had memorized every attack pattern and ability of this beast.
What she lacked had only ever been the chance to challenge fate.
"..."
As the beast disintegrated into dust, tears streamed from the corners of Kallen's eyes. Sacred sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone upon her—as though celebrating her victory over destiny.
Clap clap clap—!
"Congratulations, Kallen. You did it."
Elias applauded sincerely.
No one understood better than he did—destiny never grants favors. Only those who resist with all their might earn the right to overcome it.
Kallen wiped her tears and threw herself into Elias' arms. Words could no longer express her feelings.
So she rose on her toes.
And kissed the boy before her.
"I like you, Elias. No—I... I've fallen in love with you."
"Is that so? Heh~ I did warn you not to accidentally fall for me."
"No matter how careful I was, it wouldn't matter. How could I not fall in love with you now? Thank you for coming to my side."
Elias looked into Kallen's eyes filled with love and kissed her soft lips again, accepting her feelings.
Not far away, the still-living Otto watched the two kiss. For a moment, he felt the impulse to simply lean forward into the Subspace Lance and end himself.
(To think that this virtual personality of Kallen has developed true will and self... The probability of such a miracle must be less than one in ten million.)
Otto's emotions were complicated. In a sense, this already counted as the saint's rebirth. Had he discovered her sooner, he would have protected her at all costs.
But it was too late...
(She now belongs solely to Elias. Truly... how enviable. How infuriatingly enviable.)
Otto watched the blissful Kallen and Elias locked in a kiss. His hands clenched unconsciously.
Anger?
Hatred?
Neither.
At this moment, there was only envy and jealousy.
He had never envied anyone to such an extent in his life.
"Elias, Otto Apocalypse hereby offers you his highest respect. You accomplished what he failed to achieve five hundred years ago—you saved your saint."
"I don't need your respect, Otto. But I will use you as a warning—those I love will never end in tragedy."
Otto felt as though he were gazing at something radiant. He could not help thinking—had this white-haired boy been born five hundred years earlier, perhaps his own mistakes could have been prevented.
His resolve hardened once more.
No matter the cost, he would use the Imaginary Tree to create a world where the saint lived.
But before that—
"In that case, Elias, allow me to see how you will choose in the final test to come."