There was no negotiation from the start. Ryan had forced his way through the space-time rift, but the path behind him was cut off. It would take an all-out effort from Kevin and the others just to break free.
The battle had only just begun, and Ryan couldn't afford to waste precious power on breaking out of the trap. So, what was the most cost-effective way to achieve the effect?
Use me as the coordinates, Elysia as the relay point, cross the space-time rift, and let Genesis bloom with the most magnificent light!
"Energy injection complete."
"Output power at 135%. Cooling system running at full capacity."
"Coordinates input. Targeting."
Time seemed discontinuous. Ryan's entry into the Cocoon of End had actually taken quite a long time; experiencing that ideal world alone had consumed several hours.
But just as when he was drifting in the Imaginary Space, the confusion of time meant the progress within each leaf was different. For Vil-V, from the moment Ryan disappeared until the coordinates were relayed by Elysia, only one second had passed.
"The steam and the helix roar; this is the stage of salvation."
She held the pistol-like launcher, her voice rising and falling melodiously. This time, while giving her utmost performance, she didn't forget the main task.
"The creation of my hands sounds the rallying call for humanity's counterattack, presenting the most brilliant song of victory!"
Poetry aside, her thumb pressed down without hesitation. A even more massive torrent of light erupted and swept across the multi-colored universe.
"Everyone, retreat!"
Kevin screamed at the top of his lungs, quickly sheathing his greatsword and diving down. The others also stopped their engagement, using every trick they had to evade the beam.
From the Hyperion to the frontline Fusion Warriors, everyone looked up at the beam of light that skimmed past their heads. It annihilated the 'flying swords' and rolled fiercely towards the Cocoon of End.
One of the highest creations of human technology, outputting at full power, it traversed hundreds of thousands of kilometers in a flash, striking the lower-middle part of the Cocoon with the blazing glory of civilization.
Boom—
Energy spray splashed out, comparable to the full-force attack of a Fusion Warrior. This caused the layer of purple light to flicker incessantly. A hole had already been drilled through it, and 'Genesis' was frantically tearing that hole wider.
The light was immense, seemingly about to split the lunar surface in two. The intense glare of this gamma ray even penetrated the space-time barrier, adding a few streaks of color to the pure white space in another dimension.
"You have decided to fight me to the death after all." The white silhouette had no facial features, so no surprise could be heard in Its tone. It looked at Ryan in front of It, the man's background already shifting from pure white to multicolored.
I can't stop it. First, the suppression by Kevin and the others, then Ryan forcing a small hole through, and finally, a full-force strike from a human creation.
"A very good stratagem. Link after link, even preempting my manipulation of fate. You never had any desire to negotiate from the start."
"Of course, your courage is also commendable, making me curious what cards you have prepared to be so confident."
Ryan stared back silently. That's right, he was exploiting the Cocoon's Authority itself. A war of attrition against such a behemoth held no chance of victory.
Only by dragging It down from Its divine throne, putting them on the same plane, could the subsequent plan unfold.
"Then what else do you want?"
"Nothing. Since you did not choose the rational path, in order to allow this program to continue operating—" The white silhouette covered Its head with a hand. The sincerity, politeness, and elegance on Its form vanished, replaced by an emotion it had just acquired but that perfectly fit the current situation.
Rage and malice, along with scorching killing intent. Fate was driven by It, but then used against It by Ryan. Therefore, It would unleash what It had learned in the way most advantageous to Itself.
"I can only eliminate you along with the civilization of Earth!!"
The killing intent was terrifying. I used It, and It used me. When rationality vanished, was this focused rage even more effective?
Ryan was startled. He hadn't expected the Cocoon to be able to turn the tide from such an novel angle. Before he could think further, the dazzling light behind him had dyed half the space and completely swallowed him from the back.
Boom!!
A ring of light rose from the lunar surface, spreading into the boundless cosmos. The bright flash made everyone instinctively close their eyes, then quickly open them again.
It hit!
Whether it was Kevin, Elysia, or the lowest-ranking warrior, an expression of excited elation appeared on their faces.
Hours into the battle, the energy expended was enough to wipe out all life on the surface of the Earth. Now, they had finally hit the 'Cocoon.' They didn't know whether to cheer or feel depressed.
"Fatty, you're quite ruthless, firing the cannon at that guy." Mobius stretched her neck, seeing the halo linger in her pupils. The power of this shot was greater than imagined.
"I absolutely trust Ryan, and the person who fired the cannon was Vil-V," Elysia winked slyly, only breathing a sigh of relief when she felt Ryan return to the 'channel.'
The Sea of Quanta is truly useful. He had long prepared the trump card of being a target.
After all, with only four years, everyone knew Ryan might not be the strongest, but he would definitely be the most prepared, using every ounce of his ability to the limit, even squeezing out the power of a single nanomechanism.
"It looks like the effect isn't bad now," Kevin gasped for air. He had also followed the plan honestly. "The first phase should be fine. Let's go. We'll rendezvous with Ryan."
"Kevin, do you still have the energy to fight?"
"I have no choice. That guy gave me a very high value, and he won't let me leave the stage so easily."
Kevin gave a bitter smile. Hua and Sakura exchanged glances behind him, then charged out first.
The reason they were divided into front and back groups, besides the difference in attack range, was for a war of attrition. At least the group at the back had relatively abundant stamina.
The particle wave from the light halo was still radiating into deep space. The 'Cocoon' above the Moon seemed to have fallen into a kind of pause. It remained motionless, hidden within the light curtain. Looking closely, one could see that It had not suffered much damage.
"It didn't shatter? That shot was enough to change Earth's ecology."
"According to Mei's statement, it could turn Earth into a microwave oven, killing billions of humans instantly. We wouldn't have dared to use it until this moment." Sakura landed as well, her expression cold. To be honest, she didn't know what to do.
The Cocoon was still there, but Ryan was nowhere to be seen. Was he hiding in the Sea of Quanta and hadn't come out yet?
With a twist of her wrist, she stopped worrying about it. Since they had charged up close, if one slash couldn't break it, then ten would. It was better than being unable to use their strength moments ago.
"Everyone, surround and attack in small teams. The Golden Team, please retreat behind me."
Eden's voice came through. Her entire squad was support. Vice-Captain Freya was leading several warriors, racing against time to replenish Kevin and Kalpas's energy.
Scientifically and rationally distributing every ability could also increase their slim chance of victory. It was better than rushing up en masse to seek death.
'The Meteor' began to play. A mental suggestion-like energy wave flowed into everyone's bodies with Eden's singing, dispelling fatigue and relaxing their minds.
"Follow me."
"Annihilation, follow me!"
"Permafrost, battle formation, deploy."
Eleven teams immediately began their attack. No one waited for Ryan, and no one held back in fear.
Countless light spheres quickly rose from the surface of the Cocoon of End. Various attacks furiously slammed onto it. Gradually, they received feedback.
It works!
Even if Kalpas's full-force punch only created a microscopic crack, it did cause damage. This greatly boosted morale. With so many people from the Fire Moth-Chaser, as long as they could be useful, they would slowly wear It down and shatter It.
Keep going. Seize the time. Even if we only create one more scar. Even if we only weaken its power by a fraction!
Sakura stabbed her entire blade in, injecting rolling thunder. She didn't care what was beneath the outer shell; this opportunity was created by Ryan's personal intervention.
Second Rated Output: Raging Thunder Strike!
The lightning arc dyed the girl an azure blue. Power capable of annihilating a town raged, yet it only tore open a two-meter square crack, negligible on the massive 'Cocoon' body.
But the crowd was encouraged. Hua's fist slammed next to it, followed by Himeko, transformed into an Ice Dragon, smashing headfirst into the surface. As she pulled away, the monster-like Kosma charged forward, forcefully driving his drill-like shoulder armor into the surface.
Flames, freezing ice, psychic power, and even the main cannons of the battleship. In just one minute, the Fire Moth-Chaser launched thousands of attacks. Even the weakest warrior swung their chainsword, carving bright sparks on the surface, or pressed their electromagnetic railgun against the surface, allowing the exploding energy to send them flying.
Just as everyone continued their assault, a voice, with Elysia as the core, rang out simultaneously in everyone's mind.
"Fall back!"
Ultra-high-intensity Honkai energy interference could destroy all intra-team communication. But now they had two 'signal base stations': Elysia conveying the thought, and then Ludicyna broadcasting it to the entire team using her ability.
No one hesitated. The teams that were just attacking fiercely immediately retreated, pulling back with all their might.
Buzz—
The next moment, a purple halo burst forth from the 'Cocoon.' Anyone who was too slow and was swept by it—no matter how thick their armor or how much Honkai energy they used for defense—was completely erased, not even a single particle remaining.
Did the Cocoon 'resurrect'?
Aponia exchanged a glance with Kosma nearby. The halo didn't spread far, but it had smoothed out a portion of the lunar craters and caused all the psychic power cannons controlled by Kosma to vanish.
"One minute and thirteen seconds. The damage we created is not enough!"
"That also proves our worth, like a pack of beasts, biting off the 'Cocoon's' flesh." Aponia looked up, watching the halo press closer, seemingly intent on erasing everyone on the lunar surface. But no one, including her, expended energy to fight it. They simply watched the halo approach.
In this decisive battle, their power was minuscule. If they wanted to 'survive,' they would have no surplus energy to inflict damage on the Cocoon.
"But above the pack, we still have a dragon."
Cling.
The halo, large enough to cover the entire Moon, froze. In front of it, Ryan was like an insurmountable barrier, spreading his wings and protecting the people of the Fire Moth-Chaser.
"They are just as important as I am. Or do you think I would be influenced by emotion and bring a bunch of dead weight onto the battlefield?" Ryan stared at the Cocoon. That's right, most Fusion Warriors were ants, and even Kevin and Elysia were only slightly stronger.
But this swarm of ants would not be casually crushed. They would commit all their strength to the attack, biting off Its flesh.
"Leaning on each other, fighting side-by-side, walking to the End."
These words were not simply for sentiment. Even the defenseless researchers and engineers could work with Vil-V to create the 'Genesis' that shattered the space-time barrier.
The strength of humanity is never as simple as paper statistics. It is incredibly complex, filled with emotion, will, and imagination.
"And all I need to do is let them fulfill their respective duties, using the currency of life in the most valuable place!"
Split.
The halo was sliced open by his sword. This was an attack window that lasted only a few tenths of a second. Ryan couldn't launch an attack while maintaining the constraint. However, on the lunar surface, the interconnected Elysia stepped on the ground, drawing her bow and nocking an arrow.
With Ludicyna at the center, an energy link was formed. The Honkai energy of several squads concentrated on her. The girl, with a blissful smile, released the arrow from her string-holding fingers.
"Please accept this sentiment."
Whoosh—
The arrow soared, then expanded at a visible speed, instantly transforming into a hundred-meter-long meteor. The power it contained was not much weaker than Kevin's full-force strike.
Linking the hearts of all, gathering the power of the group. This was the Authority of the Human. Ryan's gaze followed the meteor, his face full of anticipation.
"With this, you will have no choice but to summon your final apostle, separating the Cocoon from It. Of course, you can bet against me, to see whether I will lead the Fire Moth-Chaser to crush you first, or if you will remain unmoving and exhaust us to death!"
Boom!!
The light blooming from the energy illuminated Ryan's eyes. A tsunami-like ripple tore the halo apart and slammed heavily into his body, making his steps involuntarily retreat.
It missed.
Ryan clearly saw the meteor explode in front of the Cocoon. He knew that It didn't dare to be shot like a target because the performance of the Fire Moth-Chaser had exceeded Its expectations up to now.
They should have died by the Herrscher of Constraint's hands, been erased by the cross star, and been shredded by the 'flying swords.' It could be said that every attack had surpassed their limit.
Yet, the dead were few, and most of the people had landed on the Moon almost at full strength, arriving directly in front of the Cocoon.
"Don't celebrate yet. It's getting serious. This is the real Phase Two."
Ryan's voice rang out in everyone's minds, making them feel a little disoriented. Fortunately, having suffered through the 'Dark Souls' torment, they were not unfamiliar with Phase Two.
If It was just going to be bombarded like a target, the mighty End would lose too much face.
"What is that thing?" Mobius narrowed her snake eyes. The pink 'mist' was dissipating, revealing a massive dark shadow vaguely.
It stood directly beneath the Cocoon, perfectly blocking the line of attack.
"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this thing!" Kalpas raised his voice, feeling his muscles tremble. He raised his volume so his voice wouldn't shake.
Such heavy fighting will and killing intent. Wait, does the Cocoon of End possess these two things?
Regardless of their surprise or curiosity, a single thought flashed through everyone's minds:
The real test is coming.
Ryan stood in front of the others, seemingly sensing End baring Its fangs. A heavy oppressive force slammed onto his body in waves. He straightened his back, filled with curiosity now.
This battle had deviated onto a different track from the start. The forced descent of the Cocoon of End meant It was definitely incomplete. But the memories in his mind were of little reference value now. Due to this rage, an incomplete complete body was bound to be born.
'Kiana the Great Sage faced Kevin, but I am facing the Cocoon—a Cocoon that has created a self-consciousness.'
Having passed several stages of the operation, this thing certainly wouldn't reach the power level of Kiana the Great Sage. But when facing It directly, Ryan extinguished the last sliver of hope.
It is definitely stronger than half of End. To what height would this killing intent and rage push It?
With a profound sense of anticipation, Ryan saw the 'dense mist' torn away, revealing a creature with a bizarre appearance.
It was about seven to eight meters tall, shaped like a tooth, pure white, with a tangle of red thorns growing on top, like messy hair. The front of the 'tooth' had crimson eyes and sharp teeth, resembling a head.
The Beast of the World's End manifest in this era?
Apart from its smaller size, Ryan had a sense of déjà vu. Kiana seemed to have fought something similar, but he quickly felt something was wrong.
It's different. Although the head and body seemed to be one, It had four limbs and a long, narrow tail. Moreover, within the messy 'hair,' there was a human body.
Pure white in appearance, completely hairless, Its lower body linked to this head. Two slender arms were stroking the face that had no facial features.
This sense of déjà vu was even stronger, just like the white silhouette he had just met.
"It looks so strange," Elysia licked her lips, realizing she couldn't describe the opponent with accurate words. She then turned her gaze to Mobius nearby.
"Don't look at me. That thing can't be classified as a biological type. If you absolutely must, it's, it's like..."
"A hybrid of Human and Beast. No, a hybrid of Herrscher and Beast." Ryan narrowed his eyes, feeling his soul tremble. This was the most difficult outcome among his many imaginations.
Due to many conditions, the Cocoon of End was indeed incomplete, but It had decisively combined Its residual characteristics.
The brute force of the Beast, the Authority and skill of the Herrscher. When these two things merged—
Boom!!
In the midst of the standoff, the monster opened its massive mouth. With almost no charge time, a terrifying beam of light shot out.
The speed was indescribable. The dark universe was split in two. It instantly traversed hundreds of thousands of kilometers, slamming heavily into the Low Earth Orbit.
A tide of energy surged there. A transparent light shield was pierced through the center, and the giant concave mirror that was replacing its third cannon barrel was sliced in half.
There was no sound, only a fireball rising from the distant blue star. Viewed from the Moon, it appeared infinitesimally small, and many people hadn't even processed what happened.
Ryan frowned, not looking at the faint flicker of fire, because he heard a familiar voice.
"Since you desire a fight to the death, then—" Within the tangled mess of hair, the pure white, hairless figure with no facial features placed Its right hand on Its chest and bowed with a very human gesture.
"As you wish."