On the third day of entering this 'hellish' land, Ryan set out once more on his journey. This time, however, Sakura had already been dispatched ahead of him, and they communicated solely through their tactical terminals.
The first team of the Sword of Punishment was still advancing, besieged by countless mutated animals, death warriors, and corrupted beasts. As the earliest fusion warrior team of the Moths to the Flame, they were stronger and more synchronized in their coordination.
All the sieges were shattered, and they were slowly making their way toward the coastline. Soon, Kaliss would send reinforcements, looking to pull them out of this hellish place.
'That Judgment-level corrupted beast hasn't made a move yet. Could it be that it realizes its strength is insufficient?'
Ryan gazed at his information terminal, observing the blue dots, which represented friendly forces, slowly moving southeast. The tactics of the Sword of Punishment were simple yet effective.
The twelve members were split into four groups: two groups fought on the periphery, one provided support, and the other tried to rest, ensuring they were ready for a battle, even if the Judgment-level corrupted beast arrived.
Meanwhile, on the outer edges, Sakura silently prowled. Even when seeing others injured, she did not intervene. Her prey was the Judgment-level beast alone.
"Hurry up and come. If you're any later, this force, capable of threatening you, will be long gone."
Ryan muttered to himself as he stared at the map. He didn't believe the Herrscher could hold back much longer. If one Judgment-level beast couldn't satisfy its hunger, then greater forces would have to be deployed.
Had he not received the intelligence from Pino, Ryan would have quietly followed from farther away. But he had traveled thousands of miles from the Mu continent. His appetite was far beyond what the corrupted beast could fulfill.
Zooming in on the map, Ryan marked a red area north of the British Isles. The survivors had struggled to live here for months, and they understood far more than the Moths to the Flame ever could.
Where there were rebel forces, where beasts roamed, even pregnant women gave birth in these harsh conditions. What mutations would the babies have? What changes would occur in the reproductive systems when men and women copulated under such circumstances?
The notebook was a treasure trove of observational data, invaluable for research. And this had come from the hands of an insignificant figure, someone with no name. Who could say that those missing numbers held no worth?
"According to his account, everyone who entered this area has disappeared without exception," Ryan licked his lips, subconsciously shifting his perspective to one that observed the bigger picture.
Before this, corrupted beasts had fixed paths of movement. But in this hell, food was the most difficult resource to acquire. Survivors would scavenge everywhere, and they had long since developed an expert scavenging technique.
Since they themselves were infected with the corrupted disease, scavengers were not as noticeable as outsiders. They could even slip into towns right under the beasts' noses, collecting food and medicine that had not yet expired.
Corruption was a process of selection. After months of hardship, only the smartest had survived. Just like those two children who had managed to deceive Sakura's senses, such feats were simply unthinkable outside.
"Only here, in the largest city of North Britain, are there massive supplies, yet it has become a forbidden zone for the survivors."
Ryan looked up, his eyes tracing the distant, gray cityscape. The highways had long been cracked and filled with car wreckage, and the roadsides were littered with countless bones.
Rusty signposts leaned on the roads, one reading, 'Latindale 20KM.'
A deathly silence spread across the area. From the satellite maps, nothing could be distinguished. Only those who lived here, those who risked their lives to explore, could uncover the faintest trace.
Highly valuable information.
Ryan closed the tactical terminal, slowly moved his head, and carefully observed every detail.
The scene was filled with debris and bones, yet there were few corrupted beasts or death warriors in sight. Forget about him—even a regular survivor could sneak in unnoticed.
Something was wrong.
From his vantage point, Ryan immediately spotted two issues.
First, according to Fire Moth research, after the arrival of corruption, the probability of encountering death warriors was 30 to 1. There had once been a population of a million here, so at least ten to twenty thousand death warriors should be around. So, where had they gone?
Second, there was no sign of any alert. How had the scavengers been discovered?
Unless, the entities within did not need cannon fodder to control the area.
Could it be the Wind Herrscher?
Ever since Ryan allowed her to break through last time, he had thoroughly studied the nature of her authority. Like a bolt of lightning, her influence on the physical world was driven by corrupted energy—akin to an invisible arm extending outward, with each Herrscher's abilities having their distinct characteristics.
The Wind Herrscher's destructive power and explosive force were not as formidable as his own. Her strength lay in her range and long-term persistence, like tornadoes that would continue to whirl as long as she remained.
Ryan pondered for a moment. He had fought against the Herrschers personally, and his insights were far more detailed than the data from Moths to the Flame.
'Wind' was her eyes and ears, capable of remaining like a barrier for extended periods, meaning no one could approach unnoticed. The scavengers were like lambs walking into a tiger's den.
Thinking of this, his brow furrowed.
It had only been a short while, yet the Herrscher had developed her powers to an impressive degree. For her, it was instinctual, a matter of course—only the first three Herrschers had been caught unawares and killed before they could fully comprehend their abilities.
She was here. She had to be.
Ryan had to find a way to get in, at least to confirm her location, and then figure out how to deal with her.
The first difficulty lay in approaching without being detected. The second lay in the imbalance of power—she was strong, and he was weak. She might even have other forces at her side. The third difficulty lay in her inherently rational nature.
She would not hesitate to eliminate him if she gained the upper hand, and would retreat without hesitation if she found herself at a disadvantage.
Ryan pulled a lock of his black hair, feeling his mind starting to overload. Each problem would not be easy to solve, and solving them in tandem was as difficult as scaling a mountain.
'I must consider all three issues together. At least the first and second problems could become my advantages. I can break through in an instant—my authority far surpasses hers.'
'Moreover, she's in the dark, while I hide even deeper. To find her would be a small miracle, unless she can predict the future.'
For him personally, these problems seemed nearly unsolvable. Thankfully, this was a war, and he was not alone on the chessboard.
Ryan immediately set his direction and quickly opened his communication terminal.
"Vinal, I've made a new discovery."
The communication was relayed by satellite, and electromagnetic waves were clearly outside the Fourth Herrscher's authority range. Soon, the crackling sound and the sounds of gunfire and explosions came through.
"Tell me," Vinal replied, panting, clearly having someone take over his position.
"I've found the place where the Herrscher may be hiding. I'll send you the coordinates. Take your team and find a way to get close. Draw her out—I'll handle the surprise attack."
The data was transmitted, and a coordinate appeared on the tactical map. Vinal's face turned pale.
One hundred fifty kilometers to the southwest: Latindale...
He looked around. The cliffs had been shattered by heavy electromagnetic cannons. Collapsing rocks had buried hundreds of death warriors, and a three-man squad armed with heavy swords charged back and forth, their black armor dyed red. Observing the direction from which the enemies were pouring in, he saw that it was indeed the southwest.
"Are you sure?"
"Ninety percent certain."
"Can you make her take action?"
"No. Once Sakura intervenes, the Herrscher will know I'm here. Have you seen the intel from the Battle of San Diego? If the Wind Herrscher wants to flee, no one can stop her."
Ryan's voice was devoid of emotion, merely stating the facts. Even though he knew his request might lead to the annihilation of the first team.
But war could not afford to be sentimental. Vinal fell silent for a moment before asking, "Do you know what we will have to sacrifice?"
"I do," Ryan replied, "but there is value in paying the price. This is the reason fusion warriors exist."
The communicator crackled with gunfire and static, and Ryan didn't rush Vinal. He knew Vinal was making a choice—a choice between life and death.
But as he had said, this was the purpose of fusion warriors.
If the Moths to the Flame could solve things with conventional weapons, they wouldn't need them. Because the Herrscher could not withstand dozens of N1 bombs, but others were not fools. As soon as signs of danger appeared, they would run.
The Fourth Herrscher could move along the atmosphere itself, and once she was airborne, even Ryan and Alicia working together would not be able to stop her.
She could hide in any corner of the world, reshape the state of the British Isles, and then the war would never end, leaving only scorched earth in her wake.
"Alright, we'll be the bait. You'll have to kill her. Don't disappoint me." He didn't wait for Ryan's response, hanging up the communication. He patted the constantly firing girl in front of him.
"Freya, inform everyone. We're heading southwest. Attack, move out."
"Southwest? What are you talking about, Captain?!" The girl's voice was sharp, and it was clear to anyone that it was the most dangerous direction.
Vinal didn't explain or comfort anyone. His face remained stiff, as cold as steel.
"I know it's dangerous, but with a one percent chance, we have to risk our lives. Don't forget our vow—"
He swept his gaze across each subordinate, his words coming through clenched teeth.
"To sacrifice our hearts for the future of humanity!"