From the outset of this battle, Kalpas sensed something different.
He was sent flying right at their first clash.
"Zzzt!"
Lightning crackled, illuminating the ground with flashes of thunderous brilliance as Raiden Mei held her sword firmly, the electricity swirling around her Phantom Armor dazzlingly intense.
After being propelled back nearly a hundred meters, Kalpas flipped mid-air, skidding across the earth upon landing, leaving a trail behind him. He raised his head, eyes narrowing beneath the mask.
"Oh? No longer suppressing yourself, Herrscher?"
"No need for restraint. This battle is to validate my cultivation progress; I will unleash my full potential. Please enlighten me, Mr. Kalpas."
"Intriguing... Ha ha ha ha!" Kalpas murmured before bursting into unrestrained laughter, causing the surrounding sea of flames to intensify dramatically.
He then burst through the inferno, his iron-like fist carrying enough force to shatter mountains.
"Boom!!"
An explosive sound echoed, tearing up the ground beneath them.
Raiden Mei retreated three steps but swiftly countered with a fierce strike.
Fist meets sword, fire clashes with lightning—distinct energies vying equally, ravaging the earth and gradually eroding the terrain where they stood.
'Faster, stronger... Harnessing the Herrscher's physicality with electric currents, amplifying each swing with magnetic fields, my limits extend far beyond what you see!'
As their exchanges grew increasingly rapid, Raiden Mei's gaze remained steely, fully embodying her recent insights and growth with the power of a Herrscher.
In one instant, as if breaking through some barrier, the corner of her mouth lifted, and she vanished before Nihility's eyes.
"What?"
Nihility missed his punch, but before he could react, lightning streaked toward him from the side.
"Whoosh!"
Raiden Mei's sword sent Nihility soaring into the air.
In the next moment, her figure disappeared entirely from view. All that was visible were relentless strikes landing on Nihility from every angle, leaving numerous gashes across his seemingly invincible body.
Desperate to counterattack, Nihility struggled against the paralysis from electric currents and the suppression exerted by electromagnetic forces, always lagging just behind—such delay, amidst this level of combat, equated to abandoning resistance altogether.
"One Thousand Afflictions... Mr. Kalpas, these moves are inspired by your own techniques."
After her swift onslaught, Raiden Mei paused beside Nihility, adopting a drawing stance, and calmly remarked.
Unheeding of her comment, Nihility seized the brief opening and unleashed a fierce flaming punch.
"Boom!"
The flames shattered the air, creating a deafening sonic boom.
Unfortunately, it only tore through some electrical arcs without impacting any solid form.
"A mirage?"
Narrowing his eyes, Kalpas swiftly glanced upwards.
As expected, Raiden Mei stood aloft, maintaining her sword-drawing stance, with her giant armored arms mirroring the same poised motion, empowered by her Herrscher abilities.
"Next comes the finishing strike, inspired by my own insights. Please be cautious, Mr. Kalpas - One Blade: Unfettered Thought!"
Raiden Mei lowered her gaze as lightning blossomed brilliantly in the sky like a dazzling white flower.
In that instant, two blades, one large and one small, simultaneously struck, their combined radiance nearly blinding Kalpas.
"Whish!"
"Boom!"
This "Unfettered Thought" strike encapsulated Raiden Mei's understanding of the Heart, Form, Intent, and Soul aspects of Taixuan Sword Qi. Although she had yet to fully grasp the Divine Essence aspect, combining these four elements allowed for an unparalleled mastery of Honkai Energy. Enhanced further by the Herrscher's transcendent power level and the intricacies of her abilities, this single blow approached the pinnacle of physical attacks.
Consequently, Kalpas lay at the bottom of a deep fissure in the earth, bearing a long gash across his torso, almost cleaving him entirely; blood continuously seeping and staining the surrounding soil.
Hovering mid-air, Raiden Mei began regulating her breath.
"Huff... huff..."
Despite the actual combat lasting only a few minutes, the amount of Honkai Energy she had expended likely surpassed any previous battle she'd ever fought.
Contrary to popular belief, Herrschers do experience fatigue.
"It's over. My approach was correct: rather than focusing on sword techniques, it's better to purely pursue speed and strength. With the support of Herrscher power, I can reach unprecedented heights... Hm?!"
As Raiden Mei muttered to herself, her gaze suddenly sharpened.
Within the canyon splitting across the earth, flames erupted from its depths, swiftly engulfing the entire fissure.
Amidst the roaring inferno, a devilish figure enveloped in red material lunged directly at Raiden Mei with lightning speed.
"BOOM!!"
An incredibly violent collision.
Caught off guard, Raiden Mei hastily braced herself but still found herself thrust backward. The skin between her thumb and index finger split open—wait, not just there; she distinctly felt fractures spreading through her fingers and wrist as well.
"Ugh!" Raiden Mei grunted, surprised yet unsurprised by this outcome.
In fact, such performance aligned perfectly with her expectations of the Thirteen Heroes.
Kalpas possessed an unyielding, relentless fighting spirit and a unique ability that intensified his strength as his health dwindled. Theoretically, relying on this ever-growing prowess, he could wear down even an infinitely powerful Herrscher to their demise—whether through physical destruction or mental breakdown didn't matter. Regardless, Kalpas held the potential to slay a Herrscher, a fact universally acknowledged.
As Raiden Mei pondered, Kalpas charged towards her with an inhuman snarl, resembling a frenzied beast.
"Shh—"
Raiden Mei took a deep breath, enveloped by electric arcs, swiftly maneuvering in erratic patterns to evade Kalpas's onslaught.
With her superior speed still intact, she managed to buy time for her hands to recover and adjust her strategy.
After a prolonged chase filled with evasive maneuvers, Raiden Mei, leveraging her swiftness, created some distance from Kalpas. She glanced at the spiritual blade in her hand, then looked towards Kalpas, who continued his relentless destruction like a monstrous force afar.
'Should I continue? Yes, I must. Leaving now would betray all the arduous research and training.'
Determination flashed in Raiden Mei's eyes as she lifted her head, gazing up at the boundless crimson sky.
"Zike-san, may I have my sword now?"
Silence filled the sky.
Suddenly, a streak of black hurtled down, directly aiming for Raiden Mei hovering midair.
Her eyes sharpened as she reached out and caught the burst of darkness.
In that instant, a longsword with a vivid red hilt and pitch-black blade appeared in her hand.
With a single thought, lightning crackled from the jet-black edge, swiftly turning it the same shade of dark.
It feels so effortless—whether Honkai Energy or electricity, they meld seamlessly with me...
This is the sword Zike-san prepared just for me!
The corners of Raiden Mei's lips curved upward, warmth spreading through her heart.
A swift slash with the black blade reopened fissures across the earth below.
Raiden Mei wielded the spiritual blade in her left hand and the black sword in her right, enveloped by icy chill on one side and black electrical arcs on the other. With a light chuckle, she soared effortlessly through the skies.
At that moment, Kalpas also charged forth.
"Boom!!"
Their collision sent both combatants reeling backward, leaving concentric circles of devastation on the ground beneath them, akin to a meteor strike.
Soon, their figures engaged in an even more intense battle, their movements chaotic like divine beings clashing, causing heaven and earth to lose their color.
Outside, in the break room...
Zeke picked up the tea Fu Hua had prepared for him, gently blowing on its steam. Though his expression remained composed, those who knew him well could sense he was rather pleased.
Fu Hua circled the long table, pouring tea into cups for Kiana, Bronya, Ellie, Senti, the Book of Fuxi, and finally herself before taking her seat. With a smile, she watched the live broadcast of the battle unfolding at the center of the table.
"Unbeknownst to us, Raiden Mei has grown so much. Do you think she can win, Zeke?"
"It doesn't matter. Winning or losing isn't crucial; what's important is that as a strategic unit, she's finally shaping up. This trip hasn't been in vain."
"You're right," Fu Hua agreed with a contented grin. "Whether she defeats Kalpas or not holds little significance. What matters is that she truly has become stronger."
Senti glanced at Fu Hua, muttering discontentedly, "What's with that? I'm way stronger than her, yet I never get such praise from you."
"Completing a hundred-mile journey followed by another thousand miles deserves commendation. Conversely, traveling a thousand miles and then just one more hundred is merely expected. Senti, it's not that I don't want to praise you—it's simply because your foundation has always been strong. You have the potential to achieve even greater heights, and when you do, that praise will be reserved for you."
"╭(╯^╰)╮! Humph! You're just biased, that's all! I'm used to it!"
"Erm... Sorry about that. Alright, you're pretty amazing too, Senti."
"Lame excuse! Big liar!"
Fu Hua remained silent as Senti pointed accusingly at her nose. She simply rubbed her nose, then quietly lowered her head to sip tea, unsure how to respond.
Zeke from the main seat and the Book of Fuxi resting on a small blanket atop the table simultaneously turned their cold, unfeeling gazes towards Senti.
Senti's indignant expression froze momentarily. Lowering her hand from Fu Hua, she also bowed her head to drink her tea without another word.
Zeke placed a small plate of pastries before the Book of Fuxi, waved his hand to dismiss the battle scene projected on the table, and said:
"Praise not grounded in genuine achievement is mere flattery. She genuinely hopes for your progress, hence her reluctance to lavish undeserved praise. Of course, you could force her; she would eventually yield out of sympathy and indulge you. But if you truly understand, you should earn commendation through your own efforts. Give it some thought, immature little brat."
"Who are you calling an immature little brat?! I...I obviously know what the Old Antique thinks; no need for you to lecture me!"
"That's my hope indeed. As her Herrscher Aspect, you understand better than anyone how arduous Fu Hua's journey has been. Therefore, it's even more crucial for you to support her, helping alleviate some of her burdens, rather than constantly causing trouble by your side with all that commotion—oh, and these words apply equally to Kiana."
Zeke spoke matter-of-factly before taking a sip from his teacup.
Kiana, who was hastily stuffing pastries into her mouth, paused abruptly and ended up choking on them.
"Ugh! Cough, cough, cough!"
She quickly grabbed her cup, gulped down the tea, and finally managed to swallow the food. With a resentful look directed at Zeke, she protested, "Wait, why bring me into this? I thought you were talking about her?"
"Haven't you reflected upon yourself?" Zeke furrowed his brow.
Recalling her usual behavior and remembering the countless sighs Zeke had let out because of her, Kiana reluctantly nodded, feeling dejected.
"I have."
"And do you disagree?"
"...No," Kiana conceded, shrinking back sheepishly. Her earlier excitement over Raiden Mei's remarkable performance instantly wilted as if doused with cold water.
The atmosphere grew somewhat awkward.
It wasn't until Elysia cheerfully changed the topic, injecting humor into the conversation, that the afternoon tea regained its relaxed and lively ambiance.