[After the equipment and team members were updated and supplemented, the Fire Moth discovered that the concentration of Honkai energy in the offshore area was a bit abnormal, and Honkai energy began to frequently break out in coastal areas, which made many people alert]
[As expected, within a very short period of time, several extremely powerful Honkai beasts appeared in the coastal areas, causing the warriors who had updated their equipment to once again feel the difficulty of fighting Honkai by relying on stacking lives.]
[The entire ocean and even the coastal areas of the continent are beginning to become dangerous. In order to prevent the true information of the collapse from being exposed to the public, the Fire Moths are also working hard to block the news, and the soldiers are running around in various battlefields.]
[What’s worse is that among these terrifying Honkai beasts, there even appeared a “monster” that refreshed everyone’s cognition, so much so that the Fire Moth had to add a separate “level” to highlight its power… No, that’s not right, it’s to highlight its “incomprehensible” and indescribable ability, a power that once made people doubt the common sense of the world]
[Although the appearance and characteristics of "Honkai" itself can refresh people's three views, at least there are traces to follow, and its power will only make people feel at a loss, and even made many scholars who study Honkai overturn their previous theories.]
[If it weren't for the desperate fight of all the Fire Moth teams at the end, I'm afraid the world would be destroyed by it]
[That is the first Honkai beast that was identified as the "End of Dharma Level" - "Mahayana"]
[Because these powerful Honkai beasts all came from the sea, or appeared in coastal areas, some people in the Fire Moths speculated whether this was related to the last horn sound of "Gabriel". Unfortunately, there is no actual evidence, but the Fire Moths still raised the danger level of "Gabriel" to second only to "Mahayana"]
[After a period of time, almost all coastal areas were listed as dangerous areas, the near sea was highly dangerous, and the far sea was a restricted area. The whole world suffered varying degrees of impact as a result.]
[But all this stopped after you killed a Honkai beast codenamed "Vorona"]
[No one knows why, after killing the whale-like Honkai Beast that was so huge that it could even fly in the sky, no Honkai Beasts appeared in coastal and offshore areas, and the concentration of Honkai energy dropped sharply and returned to a safe area.]
[No one knows why the other party did not resist when you attacked "Vorona" and let you kill it.]
[These things are very strange, but generally speaking they are good things. Although the open sea is still a restricted area and even more dangerous than before, people on the sea will not be attacked by Honkai beasts as long as they are at a distance where they can "clearly see the land"... Although it is very strange, this is the result observed by the Fire Moth.]
[This incident also sounded a wake-up call to the top management of the Fire Moth. Many plans that were previously abandoned or terminated because they were too dangerous were put back on the agenda, and Dr. Mei, who had proposed many plans, also gained a lot of say.]
[Days passed, time flowed by, the warriors of the Fire Moths ran across the ruined battlefield, countless people died, and countless more joined, and just like that... you welcomed the "Fifth Herrscher"]
----------
"pat-"
A crisp and familiar sound; that was the sound of Xi Wang opening the candy box. Obviously he was eating candy again.
"It's rare that you didn't act with Sakura this time."
Hen said with a smile on his face.
"She's been assigned other duties, you know."
"Yeah... the collapse is becoming more and more frequent..."
Hen sighed, and then said half-jokingly.
"And I guess you don't want her to take part in this mission, right?"
He seemed to want to lighten the mood, but he was clearly looking for the wrong person.
"…With Sakura and I's skills, we can both survive."
In other words, he actually didn't object to Sakura's participation in this mission, but Sakura didn't come because she was really assigned other tasks.
"...Haha, I really don't understand you guys."
Obviously, Hen was also speechless after hearing Xiwang's words. In the end, he could only sigh and attributed everything to "the two of them were very confident in their own abilities."
"Ah... But don't think I'm nagging. Although I feel like I've been talking a lot since I got married, you know..."
Hen shrugged.
"I have no one else to talk to here."
"You can tell him."
Xi Wang glanced at the young man following behind Hen. With his thin figure, he didn't look like a soldier, but he could feel his strong and positive will...but this will was being tested at the moment.
"Kosmo? What? You're not leaving? Or are you frightened?"
Hen patted the boy's shoulder and spoke in a relaxed tone.
"You are unlucky. You have just joined the team for a few days and you have encountered such a mission... I will definitely report it to the people above me when I get back."
"...Captain, are you telling the truth? The role of this team... is to die?"
The young man named Kosmo seemed a little bit unbelievable.
"You can say that. After all, there are always people who think that when necessary, [dying] is meaningful."
"I know, but you're going to die alone..."
"Clap!"
A clear and loud sound was heard; it was the sound of Xi Wang closing the candy box with force.
"Although I think I have some experience in hiding my aura, isn't it a bit too much for you to ignore me so directly?"
Xi Wang spoke softly, interrupting the young man's somewhat sad mood.
"Hahahaha... That's right, Kosmo, you see, I'm not alone."
Hen laughed loudly and patted the boy's shoulder hard again.
"But... these are what you call your [duties]?"
Listening to Hen's signature laugh - he used to make a similar laugh when he teased others in the past - Kosmo wondered.
"That depends on how you understand it."
Hen shrugged, and quietly reached out his hand, trying to get a candy from Xiwang, but Xiwang dodged it nimbly. Hen couldn't help but sigh, showing an annoyed expression, and Xiwang also raised his eyebrows with a somewhat smug expression - Hen had tried many times in the past, but had never been able to get the candy box from Xiwang's hand.
Well... although it feels a bit childish, it can be regarded as a little game between the two of them. After all... this is how it is between boys.
"But if you do this... you will destroy yourself and the mission you were supposed to carry out."
Kosmo said so.
"Ah, yes, yes, you are right. But I don't like lying. No one should be responsible for the world without knowing the truth, so I showed them a way out."
Hen said this indifferently... Although when he told the truth, the result was that all members of the team he led ran away, leaving only Xiwang, Kosmo and himself.
"What else? Kosmo, can you find any other way for us?"
"........."
After knowing the true information of the mission, Kosmo naturally couldn't think of any good solution.
"Besides, even if I get unlucky, he still has the hope of staying with me. You know, this guy went much further than me and didn't even bring anyone from the team."
"No, it's just that the people in my team didn't catch up with me. After all, I should be the third batch."
"Oh, please don't ruin my show. Be careful or I'll let Greshu draw on your face. Greshu loves drawing. Let me think... how about drawing a turtle?"
"…It doesn't matter. Besides, if it's just a turtle, you underestimate Gray's painting skills."
"...Why don't you buy into this?"
"You can try this tactic on Dr. Mebius."
"Tsk... Never mind. I don't want to wake up one day and find myself lying on an operating table. Even Blanca won't be able to save me then."
Hen curled his lips, looking helpless.
"........."
Looking at the two people who were still joking in front of him, Kosmo pursed his lips.
They were clearly on the road to death, but they still seemed relaxed, even laughing and joking, as if they were playing around, and treated the serious, tragic, and heroic sacrifice as nothing...
Obviously everyone has left... Obviously with so few people, they will definitely not be able to complete the mission, and will only end up in failure. The Herrscher will wreak havoc and kill others. Even if I survive by chance, I will only be judged by the Fire Moth...
Why are you still so relaxed?
"wrong."
The boy said so.
"The mission will not fail like this, and those who leave will survive."
His voice was firm and full of determination.
"……Right."
Hen paused for a moment, looked at the boy with admiration, and then spoke again.
"You may be able to do it, but there will always be a day when you can't. If this is what you insist on, please don't forget him... But I still suggest that you look at other people's choices today. There's nothing wrong with being a shrink. At least they can see the smiling faces of their families again, right?"
"What about him?"
The young man pointed at Xi Wang, who had been silent the whole time.
"...This guy is different. He is much more powerful than us, and if something really happens, he can run faster than us."
"really."
"Hey! You have to save me at least? At least say a few words!"
"...Okay, I promise you."
Xi Wang tilted his head, then nodded and agreed.
"Okay, let's go, it's time for us to leave... And don't tell Kevin what I just said. Although that guy was forced to be the captain, he is still a young man like you and cannot accept the decision of "sacrifice". The Fire Moth has enough troubles now, don't cause trouble for those people above~"
Having said that, Hen pulled Xiwang away.
"…You are wrong, Hen."
But the boy spoke again, as if he had noticed something.
"Those people... they are not shrinking people, they are heroes."
"It's just that the moment that determines who they are is only coming now."
"........."
Xi Wang raised his eyes slightly, glanced casually, and then stopped paying attention. However, Hen looked back with some surprise.
At this time, the footsteps around gradually became clearer. The people who had just scattered and the soldiers who had just escaped gathered again. Familiar faces appeared again, without a single person absent.
The young man stood among them, smiling a rare smile. Anyone who was not blind could see the pride in the smile - during this time spent with the captain and Hen, this was the first time he had the upper hand.
The boy tried to see surprise on Hen's face, or to see some surprise on Xiwang's face which was always as calm as a lake... but he failed.
Hen was only slightly surprised for a moment before he regained his composure. He was not happy about the return of his companions. Xi Wang's expression did not even change, as if he had foreseen it.
Then, a message came over the team's communication that froze the boy's expression.
"…This is Kevin."
Kevin, who was from the first team, or led the first batch of "suicide teams", said so in the communication.
"We have arrived at the location of the Fifth Herrscher and...found her body."
After that, Kevin gave a brief report and speculation on the scene, but Kosmo was already a little dazed. Apparently, he had guessed why those people came back again... and that answer had a big impact on him, a young man with a sense of justice and a clear distinction between good and evil...
"So, do you understand?"
Xi Wang, who had been silent until now, spoke at this moment.
"At this moment, you are so precious, you are so passionate, you are not afraid of sacrifice, and you are so young."
That’s why Hen hopes that you can leave and “escape” together like everyone else. At least children like you can survive, and at least there will be people like you in the future.
Or maybe you can really learn from those who retreat, learn to retreat and "escape" from certain things, so that you can at least live a little longer... There is nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing to despise, it is human nature.
"If you still want to persist, then go ahead."
Xiwang opened the candy box again, stuffed a candy into himself, and spoke casually.
"There are only a few brave people left who are willing to sacrifice."
The rest are just cowards or those who are "not ready yet".
Therefore, Xiwang and Hen were not surprised at the beginning when they saw their companions fleeing. Rather, they thought that it was natural. On the contrary, those who stayed behind, like Kosmo, were the outliers.
after all……
"The kind of [hero] you're looking for and yearning for has already died on an earlier battlefield."
Xi Wang stated a fact calmly.
Chapter 19: Well, it's just sugar
[The crusade against the fifth Herrscher ended so suddenly, leaving everyone at a loss, especially since you had made so many preparations. Even the Fire Moth had prepared for the annihilation of all teams, just to get information about the Herrscher so that Alicia could kill him... but none of this could be done.]
[Also, even though the Herrscher was dead, the top leaders of the Fire Moth were not happy, but became more nervous. After all, judging from the traces Kevin found at the scene, the Herrscher was killed in an instant, and this terrifying combat power that could kill the Herrscher instantly was actually beyond their control, which made them feel more and more dangerous.]
