Adam could not exist like the Herrscher of Corrosion, who could hide within their authority without a physical body. When he was consumed by the lightning, it was truly his death, and even the remnants of his black shadow disappeared into the air.
But Ryan did not feel much of a sense of victory or joy. The journey to the snowfield was far from pleasant, and he could already sketch out the life of this pseudo-Herrscher.
In a place called "Paradise," he had tasted the deepest darkness of the world. What happened there Ryan didn't even want to think about—it was too disgusting. Then, he was taken to this secret laboratory, enduring the tortures of human experiments.
Perhaps because a Herrscher came from "Paradise," or maybe due to his extraordinary talent, he survived the experiments and became a fusion of Honkai Energy, essentially existing as a pseudo-Herrscher.
Later, it was discovered that this was the best vessel for a Herrscher, essentially preparing the material for Corruption on behalf of the Herrscher. But for some reason, he didn't get the core to become a true Herrscher, instead becoming a strange existence.
In the post-civilization era, there might have been a chance for recovery, but in this pre-civilization, his humanity would continue to erode, eventually turning into a real Herrscher.
So, I had no choice but to kill him.
Ryan looked around but didn't find the Herrscher core, confirming his hypothesis. The faint melancholy and exhaustion accumulated, making his mood worse.
"This time, I guess I've truly delved into the dark side of the world."
The journey to the snowfield left Ryan feeling weary. He once again witnessed the evil of humanity. If one's will isn't firm, it could even lead to identification with it. Fortunately, he was beyond the age of youthful naivety and wasn't a sheltered flower in a greenhouse.
For every good, there's evil. Where there's the order of Lundeum, there's the chaos of Snow Prison Town. But one must understand, the world is not just black and white, and some people must be distinguished from humanity.
"Some things are beyond the reach of power. Evil will never cease. There's always material to become a pseudo-Herrscher, and there's no shortage of idiots courting death. Compared to them, killing Honkai Beast is somewhat more reassuring."
Ryan sighed. Such things really make one feel powerless. A large part of the pre-civilization was about self-destruction.
His hesitation lasted but a moment, and he quickly regained his clarity and determination. As long as he maintained his 'true self,' these things could actually provide strength.
"Similarly, some things are within the range of my power, and I can do them."
Ryan decisively turned around and pulled out his phone.
"Mei, it's done. Help me investigate something."
"You're saying?"
Mei hesitated for a moment, sensing Ryan tone. It sounded like there was no joy of victory after a battle.
"Find out who established 'Paradise' and who participated in it. Other than the founders, the rest should be easy to trace."
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. With Mei's intelligence, she had already guessed the reason. The pseudo-Herrscher must have something to do with it. Being sent to thousands of kilometers away in Northern Europe was definitely no coincidence.
"Do you want to follow the trail or play the role of a righteous partner?"
"Both."
Upon hearing this answer, Mei tensed for a moment but quickly relaxed. "Should the world be saved?" had always been a philosophical question. When one stares at darkness, it will eventually consume them.
"Heh, at least you're not on the other side. Ryan, the authority you've shown always worries me. I'm afraid you might be shaken."
"Of course, there's been some shaking, but I'm not at the point of changing my worldview. Don't treat me like a child."
"Ryan, you're only twenty."
"But I live more thoroughly than those who are on the verge of death."
The third silence followed. Mei gave a self-deprecating smile, feeling a sense of control, wanting Ryan to stay obedient and not run around. The world had too many things that could shatter one's worldview.
But she didn't say it out loud, feeling such thoughts would insult Ryan.
That man was a killing machine, seemingly indifferent, but had seen both bad and good, filled with the most complex aspects of humanity, yet maintained his true self amid the turmoil.
"Fine, I'll help you look into it. Do what you need to do, then come back for an important meeting."
"What meeting?"
"The Divine Keys has yielded results."
Ryan paused as he walked back to Snow Prison Town, a glimmer of joy appearing on his face.
"Alright, then."
He hung up, sighed deeply. Now humanity had another trump card, and he had a chance to witness that miraculous weapon.
Let's go back quickly.
Ryan muttered to himself, kicking open the door and returning to the satellite room. The people there were either turned into anchors for the pseudo-Herrscher or fled from the aftershocks of the battle. The entire town was empty.
He went to the deepest secret room. He had already found it during a negotiation last time. The lightning shattered the explosion-proof door, and the room was filled with ammunition, food, and gold.
But Ryan didn't even look at it. He walked behind the large desk, rummaging around, and found a list, filled with high-ranking officials who had come to experience Snow Prison Town's unique tourism.
Ryan flipped through the list numbly, muttering to himself.
"I've understood the ability of the pseudo-Herrscher. It really is a degraded version. Unlike a true Herrscher, it cannot fully control its power, then learn and strengthen it, much like the previous Honkai Beast."
Under the light, Ryan shadow shifted like flowing water, turning into a thin, long blade, cutting the safe in half, slicing through thick metal without a hint of delay.
"Is this all that's usable? It can't decompose, spread, and corrode endlessly like him, turning people into puppets, let alone fully replacing them and reading memories."
He sighed, estimating that in battle, he could use changes and stealth to outmaneuver people, a bit of both offense and defense.
The ability still had some use. At least it could serve as a final line of defense. Adam had resisted many full-force attacks with this.
"The biggest gain is that Honkai Energy has finally reached 2000HW, completely surpassing the limit of a Herrscher."
Ryan hand paused as he flipped through the book, gazing at the VIP customers' names, his lips curling into a cruel smile.
"Then let's do some Herrscher-like things."
He put away the list, cut open the wall, and returned to the sunlight. The snowstorm had stopped, and the town was quiet.
Ryan never planned to be a savior. With only power, he could not make everyone live happily, nor could he return countless small towns to what they once were.
But he was neither arrogant nor indifferent.
He couldn't eradicate all evil, but within his reach, he could make people pay the price, the price they deserved.
Ryan took a step, vanishing directly from this lifeless town.
This was the power granted by authority.
...
The brief battle changed the weather, but by evening, the wind and snow began howling again. It seemed as if natural laws could be influenced by humans, but after some time, things would return to what they were.
The terrain within several dozen miles had also been altered by the battle, especially at the center of the town, ten kilometers away. An entire grove of snow pines vanished without a trace, and the mountains turned into deep pits, leaving only some broken walls.
Tap.
A man wearing a double-breasted long coat landed in the ruins, holding a cane, walking like a British gentleman through this pure destruction site.
There was nothing left. The surface had collapsed, burying the underground research facility. The air still carried a strong scent of Corruption.
"It's him."
The Ice Herrscher stopped, quickly making a judgment. His handsome face showed no change—no relief, no anger for his kind dying by his hand. Only his brows were tightly furrowed.
Two authorities, the threat had escalated sharply. The chance of leading humanity to victory had increased several percentage points. However—
There was nothing they could do.
The Honkai was growing fiercer, but it followed a gradual process. For some reason, bringing about an end immediately would make everything meaningless.
Learning, thinking, planning, and even group fights hadn't worked. That human was steadily growing stronger. The Ice Herrscher had no doubt that if they met, he would be eliminated.
What was even more ironic was that humanity now had more fusion warriors. From a comparison of power, they had far surpassed the current Herrscher strength that could be brought down.
Some emergency mechanism was automatically unfolding, continuously adjusting according to the feedback from the world, and the Ice Herrscher had found the answer.
He looked at the remnants of the research facility and realized that everything in this world was a source of Corruption.
Herrschers, beasts, human hearts.
He gently raised his chin, and it seemed as though a voice echoed through the heavens:
"Truly full of flaws, humanity."