"You saw through it."
"Perhaps it's the Fourth Herrscher?"
"Dr. Ein recently detected a special 'Honkai signal' in New Zealand, and its Honkai wavelength is extremely close to that of a 'Herrscher.'"
Elysia's voice was gentle, but to Eden's ears, it felt like snow in summer, chilling her to the bone.
Saying this, Elysia handed Eden the latest month's detection report.
Eden glanced at it; she could understand a little.
She forced herself to swallow, her throat feeling unusually dry.
A thin stack of papers now felt heavier than a thousand pounds.
"Is this true?"
"Yes."
Elysia nodded, looking directly into Eden's golden, radiant eyes: "New Zealand is about to experience a major Honkai eruption."
Eden's face turned pale.
After a long while, she suddenly stood up, her small fists clenched tightly.
"Then I must immediately cancel this tour. I cannot let my gathered fans die because of me!"
A major Honkai eruption.
Seemingly simple words, yet behind them lay the loss of millions, even tens of millions of lives.
What pained her even more was that, because of her tour, hundreds of thousands of fans had gathered in New Zealand with eager anticipation.
If a major Honkai eruption truly occurred, she would bear the burden of hundreds of thousands of lives.
"No rush."
Ryuga suddenly reached out, grasped Eden's wrist, and gently pulled her back onto the sofa.
Feeling Eden's trembling hand, he patted it lightly.
"Don't panic. This Honkai eruption is a bit strange."
Ryuga scanned the report, his brows slightly furrowed.
Eden frowned: "What do you mean?"
"Before the previous three major Honkai eruptions, there was a clear period of rising 'Honkai concentration.'"
"The free Honkai energy in the air gradually accumulated, Deadwalkers frequently appeared, animals became restless, plants mutated... these were all precursors."
"Until the 'Honkai concentration' reached a level capable of giving birth to a Herrscher, the major Honkai eruption would occur."
"And in the city where it erupted, a Herrscher would be born."
"But New Zealand has none of that."
"No rising concentration, no precursors, not even abnormal Honkai environmental changes."
"New Zealand doesn't follow the pattern of the previous three major Honkai eruptions."
Saying this, Ryuga paused, as if deep in thought.
In a relatively calm environment, a Honkai wavelength highly approaching that of a Herrscher suddenly appeared.
The most crucial thing was that it appeared occasionally, but for the most part, it was absent. "So, you're not sure either, right?"
Eden closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
"Yes."
Elysia nodded.
"Because Eden's influence is too great."
"Many dignitaries, celebrities, and media executives will attend this tour."
"The Moth of the Flame is also observing. If they rashly cancel the tour and no major Honkai eruption occurs, it might trigger a crisis of trust."
"Of course, those were their exact words."
Eden closed her eyes weakly, her chest heaving violently.
Reason told her that she should immediately terminate the tour.
"So, we're essentially bodyguards?"
Furina blinked.
"You're very perceptive." Elysia smiled, "But, we are indeed here to watch the concert too."
Ryuga patted Eden's hand: "Don't worry, aren't we here?"
"Master Yixuan and Furina are currently a bit weak, but fighting a Herrscher to a standstill is absolutely no problem. Elysia, Jingliu, Skirk... they can all slay Herrschers."
"You don't need to worry too much. The current situation isn't that bad."
"With us here, the tour can continue."
Ryuga gently patted the back of Eden's hand, feeling the delicate skin and warm touch, and lightly caressed it.
"..."
Eden stared blankly at Ryuga, her eyes instantly regaining their sparkle.
That's right.
With the Demon God here.
And Skirk, who can easily slay Judgment-class Honkai Beasts with a single strike, what more did she have to fear?
Her taut nerves slowly relaxed, and the heavy weight on her shoulders lightened considerably.
"Tsk."
Yixuan rolled her eyes. What did he mean by 'currently a bit weak'?
When the Herrscher truly arrives, she'll show him by slaying one on the spot.
"Excuse me, I'd like to rest for a bit first."
Eden suddenly stood up, her face still showing some fatigue.
"Alright. Furina, go with Eden."
Ryuga said gently.
"Leave it to me."
Furina lightly followed, walking beside Eden.
They walked out of the VIP suite one after another.
What no one knew was that on the New Zealand coastline, a small figure of a girl stumbled, her heart roaring.
She was suppressing it.
She was resisting, but...
"..."
"Ryuryu, what are you thinking?"
Elysia moved closer, sitting beside Ryuga, her clear eyes reflecting a hint of curiosity.
"Perhaps, the pattern of future major Honkai eruptions is about to change."
Ryuga slowly shook his head and said.
He remembered Himeko.
Himeko had accumulated too much suppression, anger, and despair, and was eventually silently dragged into the abyss by the Honkai.
She had originally wanted to go to Eden's concert to find a moment of respite and alleviate her negative emotions.
But Eden's music had too strong an infectious power.
It could easily trigger soul resonance and emotional tides, enough to pry open the deepest vulnerabilities of the human heart in a very short time.
The singing was heartbreakingly beautiful.
And most of the songs were sad.
This was also why heartbreaking breakup love songs always brought tears to people's eyes.
Because pain is more profound than joy, and sorrow is more real than happiness.
Kevin and Su had attended Eden's concert.
The atmosphere was too infectious; the girl next to them cried.
Even Su, who was always rational and composed, almost cried.
But Himeko, who had intended to heal herself with the singing, was instead swallowed by the overwhelming melancholic infectiousness, completely breaking down her last line of defense.
The Honkai, at this most vulnerable moment, seized the opportunity.
The infinitely amplified negativity ultimately devoured her rationality.
Thus, Himeko became the Herrscher of Flame.
Ryuga believed that this 'Herrscher of Wind' might also be such a case.
That the 'Honkai' directly spawned a Herrscher, and then the Herrscher triggered a series of major Honkai eruptions.
Many Herrschers in the Current Era were like this.
After he voiced his conjecture, everyone was stunned.
"So, Ryuryu, you think Eden's 'singing,' like a catalyst, will amplify the negativity in a potential Herrscher's heart, ultimately prompting her to fully awaken and become a Herrscher?"
Elysia's crimson lips were slightly parted, her clear eyes somewhat bewildered.
"Uh, in that case, should we still stop Eden's concert?"
Yixuan's brows furrowed slightly, as if they had reached a dead end.
"Why don't we go and investigate..."
Skirk had just spoken when she gently shook her head.
There were already over a hundred thousand audience members who had arrived, not to mention the locals.
And the stadium could accommodate over two hundred thousand people; how could they investigate that?
Moreover, the 'Herrscher wavelength' would suddenly disappear. If it was truly triggered by singing, it would be even more impossible to investigate.
Ryuga waved his hand: "That's just my guess."
"Eden's singing, at most, is just a catalyst. The real problem is the Honkai itself. It's pervasive, always whispering temptations when people's wills are at their weakest."
He paused, his expression growing even more solemn.
"And, Elysia, from the report, the 'Herrscher wavelength' has appeared three times in the past week, averaging once every two days."
"This means she's already struggling to suppress it."
"Even without Eden's catalysis, the Honkai will find another breakthrough."
"She is destined to erupt."
As Ryuga's words fell, the atmosphere once again became silent.
"Jingliu, what are you thinking?"
Ryuga was very curious.
Standing by the window, with her back to everyone, Jingliu's white hair cascaded down like frost and snow, her figure as solitary as a sword plunged into a snowy field.
From the beginning, she hadn't offered any opinions.
It was as if all the disputes, worries, and decisions around her had nothing to do with her.
"..."
Jingliu remained silent for a long time, then spoke calmly, almost indifferently: "Apologies! I don't care about the lives of the people here."
She paused, then sighed softly.
"This world... cannot be saved, at least in my opinion, that's how it is."
Ryuga's heart trembled.
Straight to the point, Master Jingliu.
He had long anticipated Jingliu's attitude.
Among all emotions, Jingliu chose the most fervent and purest hatred.
It was like a sword, piercing through nothingness.
Now, she held only a sword in her hand, and only lingering regret in her heart.
Her sword pointed at the Abundance, and her lingering regret was naturally Baiheng.
In her heart, besides the obsession to kill the Abundance and her friend Baiheng, she no longer cared about anything else.
Even if tens of millions of people died here, she would feel nothing.
In the battle against Shuhu back then, an entire Earth died.
It could be said that she had practically no emotions left.
Didn't Skirk keep her distance from her? "Jingliu, don't say that. It can still be saved."
Elysia pouted, humming discontentedly.
Even though she had long sensed it, even though she realized Ryuga was already preparing for the future, she still refused to give up.
Ryuga gave a wry smile, somewhat worried: "So, why are you here? Honestly, I'm worried you'll be targeted by the Honkai."
To the Honkai, Jingliu was simply the perfect host.
A life form left with only hatred, with no light in her heart, was the most ideal vessel.
"Hmm, I've already sensed the 'Honkai' you mentioned."
"My flame of revenge has grown by a hair's breadth."
"But it still can't affect me."
Jingliu slowly turned around, her gaze as icy as ever.
"..."
Ryuga exclaimed, "What the hell?"
If we're talking about Honkai adaptability, Jingliu, who possesses Imaginary energy, has it maxed out, alright?
"To find you."
"To revive Baiheng."
Jingliu said, a subtle ripple flashing in her indifferent red eyes, like a quiet ripple emerging from the depths of a cold pond.
"Since you could save Yijiang and Yasuya, I thought you should be able to save Baiheng."
"But that's not urgent. Let's deal with the current trouble first."
Saying this, she turned back to look out the window.
"..."
Ryuga's brows furrowed tightly.
Saving Baiheng wasn't the problem; the problem was doing it quickly.
Baiheng held an absolutely dark 'sun' in her hand.
In an instant as fast as eternity, her hand vanished, her face vanished, and she completely disappeared.
Moreover, the black 'sun' pulverized everything around it into fine dust, destroying Shuhu and herself at the same time.
Only a wisp of broken hair and a few drops of blood remained.
'Quick!'
To seize that instant required a precision far exceeding that for Yijiang.
And the black 'sun' eruption could even devour Shuhu; Ryuga wasn't confident he could withstand it.
With his current strength, he could fight Shuhu to a draw.
"I actually have a better method. Did Baiheng leave behind any blood, hair, or anything like that?"
Ryuga asked.
He wondered if the 'Time-Wrapping Cloth' would work?
'Perfect Restoration Fluid' probably couldn't fix it, right?
He'd kill someone another day and try it with a drop of blood.
Most likely, it wouldn't work.
"This matter, perhaps we should go find Jing Yuan."
Jingliu thought for a moment, then said with some hesitation.
Back then, blood and hair were left behind, but they were most likely used by Dan Feng.
"You don't want to see Jing Yuan, do you?"
Ryuga saw through her.
Jingliu hesitated, then nodded: "The time is not right."
"That's simple. Just have Skirk impersonate you. Anyway, if you two swap clothes and disguises, Jing Yuan won't recognize you."
"And have Jingliu go to Teyvat to impersonate Skirk. Isn't your master Surtalogi trying to destroy everything about you? Then have Jingliu go and chop him up."
Ryuga looked at Jingliu, then at Skirk.
Uh, can Jingliu beat Surtalogi?
Skirk: "..."
Jingliu: "..."
So, you want Skirk to go to the Luofu and be chased by the Cloud Knights, right?
"..."
The next day, night.
Eden's concert was about to begin.
Elysia, who had received the latest intelligence, suddenly changed her expression.
"It's bad, Ryuryu."
"Look at the latest report from Dr. Ein. The Honkai concentration on Equatorial Coral Island suddenly erupted like a geyser."
What?
Ryuga's heart tightened. He took Elysia's phone, and after a glance, his pupils constricted slightly.
On Equatorial Coral Island, the Honkai energy concentration had soared to over thirteen times the critical value in just three hours, almost spiraling out of control like a rocket.
"Another Herrscher?"
"Or did the 'Herrscher of Wind' go there?"
Ryuga's brows furrowed tightly. Coral Island was not far from New Zealand.
"Currently, no Herrscher has been detected, but at this explosive rate, a Herrscher will definitely descend within two hours at most."
Elysia said with a frown.
Ryuga was silent for a moment, then looked up: "So?"
"My fleet is almost here. I have to leave immediately."
"I'll leave this place to you, Ryuryu. Nothing must happen to Eden."
Elysia spoke rapidly.
"Don't worry, I'll let Skirk..."
Ryuga was about to speak when Elysia raised her hand to interrupt him.
"No need. Hua has also set off and is rushing to Coral Island at full speed. I will rendezvous with her en route."
As Elysia spoke, a roar suddenly came from the sky, and several silver-gray aerial battleships broke through the air.
Powerful wind pressure swept across the entire venue like a tide.
At the moment the cabin door opened, Elysia leaped, her agile figure soaring like a swallow, landing steadily inside the ship.
She looked back and waved gently at Ryuga.
As the cabin door closed, the aerial battleship formation changed course and sped towards Coral Island.
"..."
Soon, Eden's concert officially began.
Furina gracefully leaped onto the stage, her water magic accompanying Eden's singing, causing the audience below to erupt.
The fans exclaimed that they had come to the right place.
Ryuga sighed, Eden's infectious power was indeed very strong.
He slightly narrowed his eyes, his divine sense spreading out like a spiderweb, enveloping the entire venue.
As long as there was the slightest abnormality in the Honkai energy index, he would nip it in the bud.
But he never expected that the Herrscher was not here at all.
On a desolate beach several kilometers away.
A small girl was curled up on the sand, several drunken thugs surrounding her, grinning menacingly and swinging their fists.
"Stealing my hamburger, you deserve to die!"
The drunkard kicked the girl in the abdomen. The girl was sent tumbling, hitting a reef.
Blood seeped from her nostrils and the corners of her mouth, blooming into dark red flowers on the sand.
Her consciousness was dissipating.
Her pupils were trembling violently.
Her blood was boiling.
Deep in her mind, a seductive voice seemed to drift?
Like an abyss whispering.
'Do you hate it?'
'Do you despair?'
'Is it unfair?'
'Kill!'
'Go kill!'
'Go destroy this world!'
'Go take revenge on them!'
"Ah—!"
The girl erupted, a scream so shrill it didn't sound human tore through the night sky.
In an instant, the world changed color.
A Category 12 hurricane erupted out of nowhere, sweeping up sand, broken wood, and crashing waves, forming roaring vortexes that tore the thugs who were beating her into bloody mist.
Reefs were uprooted, and the sea surface churned with waves several meters high, crashing violently onto the shore.
The girl slowly floated up, her eyes no longer containing pupils, only a cluster of cyan wind glowing and swirling in her eye sockets...
She looked up at the sky.
Dark clouds immediately surged like ink, pressing down in layers.
The clouds churned wildly, splitting into hideous cracks, and thick tornadoes descended from the sky, drilling fiercely into the earth.
Wherever they passed, everything disintegrated.
The 'Herrscher of Wind' had descended.
To be continued…
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