The Cocoon was merely an inanimate object. It represented no destructive force on its own and had no conscious will to attack.
Thus, It was the underlying program, not the executor. To actively interfere with reality, It needed to give birth to something more concrete.
People called such things Beasts or Herrschers, but when Ryan saw this entity blast 'Genesis' tens of thousands of kilometers away, he felt neither term was quite appropriate.
"The Apostle of End."
Ryan transmitted this name to everyone, not letting the oppression of End dictate the pace. He slowly raised his right foot and took the first step, his mind undisturbed by the white silhouette's previous words.
Honesty is the highest-level psychological tactic, but overly emphasizing the opponent's power only makes one hesitant and ineffective.
"Disperse in squad units. Focus on self-preservation. Under that premise, find a way to attack the Cocoon."
He slowly rotated his wrist, placing the crimson spear behind his back, and took the second step.
"I'll handle the containment. Elysia, tell Mei to be ready to open the valve at any moment."
His muscles tensed inch by inch. Without waiting for an answer, Ryan took the third step and leaned his body forward.
Earth and the lunar surface were now completely cut off. Not only was communication impossible, but even observation had become unfeasible. Only Elysia could transcend space and directly contact Mei.
"Ryan, can you win?" Elysia's voice was more serious than ever. She knew better than anyone how incredibly strong this Apostle of End was.
It gathered the maximum power the 'Cocoon' could currently unleash, towering like a mountain with no end in sight. Even the word 'powerful' felt utterly inadequate to describe It.
The man recalled their previous conversation. He didn't answer, merely rising onto the ball of his foot, letting out a silent sigh.
"The will to act is the key."
This belief ran through his entire being. Without trying, you'd never know what the future held. Without taking the step, you'd never know if the path ahead was an abyss or a smooth road.
As End truly arrived before him, the complex plans and heavy responsibilities mysteriously vanished. Ryan found himself intensely focused, with only one thought in his mind:
Defeat It, surpass It, slay It, transcend It!
His foot stomped down. Without any light or trajectory, he traversed several thousand kilometers, thrusting the spear directly forward, his left hand gripping the shaft, his right hand thrusting.
Gravity Impact.
Invisible gravity fiercely pushed his back, making the spear lightning-fast. It touched the space in front of End, causing a patch of rhombus-shaped light to flare up.
Constraint.
The Authority gathered at the spear tip. A hundredfold superposition created a seam in the force field. The Apostle of End showed no intention of dodging. It simply opened its mouth wide and sprayed a torrent similar to the one before.
The Primordial Meltstream.
Whoosh—
A flower of energy bloomed on the lunar surface. The scattered beams illuminated deep space, carving deep, bottomless canyons into the Moon. The existing craters were sliced directly in half.
What incredible power.
Ryan felt like he was using a finger to plug a high-pressure water pipe. The sheer impact of the energy made it impossible to advance. He was constantly being pushed back. The Authorities of Constraint and Blood had their limits. He could only focus them on the spear tip, fighting against the impact to avoid being utterly annihilated.
'Should I use it? No. It was highly vigilant at the start; it wouldn't be very effective.'
Ryan suppressed the desire in his heart, raised his right foot, and took the fourth step. Like locking horns with End, he pressed against the torrent.
Energy and Authority were being consumed rapidly. The 'mana pool' of the two was simply incomparable. Each second cost a colossal amount of Honkai energy. The amount gained through the Authority of Blood was a drop in the ocean, but Ryan knew he couldn't retreat. He was the only one who could put pressure on End.
Take the risk, draw the aggro, so the Fire Moth-Chaser can be useful.
"Everyone, charge!"
As Ryan and End locked in a contest of strength, the moment the massive energies collided, hundreds of warriors scattered like celestial maids strewing flowers and rushed forward.
After the first phase of the battle, the 'Cocoon' had completely materialized in the real world. Though It had given birth to the final Apostle, Its body was still within attack range. Even a single shot could create value.
Under Ryan's cover, the Fire Moth-Chaser took on the responsibility of outputting damage. They bypassed the energy flower in the middle and rushed forward from several directions. This alerted End. The previous purple halo expanded again, as if to cut off the charge route.
"Cover!" Andevich charged first. After his Artificial Collapse, he unleashed his full Honkai energy, turning into an ice giant to press down on the halo.
Then, Himeko, transformed into an ice dragon, the monster-like Kosma, and Joshua, who shouted 'Amen,' came one by one to Andevich's side, slowing the halo's spread.
"No one can stop your full-force attack, but we aren't ants to be casually crushed, either!"
The crushing pressure from the energy collision made their bones groan. The released Honkai energy and heavy armor began to shatter. Only then did they realize the immense pressure Ryan was enduring.
It was the pain of being crushed inch by inch into powder, and they had to endure it, because their companions behind them had already taken the opportunity to bypass them and approach the Cocoon.
"Full attack!"
Kevin roared. The Divine Key in his hand had become a blazing torch. After tumbling a few times in the air, he brought his greatsword down fiercely.
Boom—
The sword seemed to ignite the Cocoon, creating a visible crack, but Kevin was very dissatisfied.
I should be able to cleave a mountain range, yet this is all the effect it has? The combined attack of everyone in the Fire Moth-Chaser could shatter the Moon, yet it causes so little damage?
Seizing the moment to charge his power, he spread his vision and found that the scars from the first wave of attacks were already negligible. He saw Coleman's light beam cannon blast a shallow pit into the surface, and then Kalpas's high kick and heavy chop expanded that shallow pit.
In just a few tenths of a second, the flames that had just been ignited were extinguished. Kevin's pupils abruptly constricted.
It's Constraint. The Cocoon's body also has this Authority! It suppressed the vast majority of the energy!
He had initially thought it was just too hard, but now he was certain that this thing had nothing to do with physical strength. No wonder the Apostle of End destroyed 'Genesis' with the first strike.
"Concentrate the attack on one point, trying to exceed the limit of the Constraint."
Through Elysia, Kevin transmitted his observation to everyone, awakening the warriors who were striking in vain.
"When did this Paramecium acquire such observational skills?" Mobius muttered. She was hiding by Eden's side and hadn't rushed up to attack.
On one hand, she needed to use her knowledge to find intelligence. On the other, she needed to quickly inject drugs into anyone who was injured.
Cellular activators had extreme side effects, but at this point, they couldn't worry about it. A bottle of the serum was injected, sending Andevich, whose hands were already showing bare bone, back to the front line.
"Ryan speaks very highly of Kevin, saying his combat instinct and potential are second only to his own." Eden was also rationally hiding in the distance, at most providing cover with 'Stellar Symphony.'
Mobius snorted. The battle had been going on for less than fifty seconds. She hadn't had time to observe carefully, but she knew that even if Kevin figured something out, End wouldn't let him have his way.
Just then, the light beam illuminating the universe suddenly split. The light dispersed by Ryan returned as if it were alive, transforming into countless light whips.
"Watch out!"
Eden watched a brilliant flower bloom at her feet. Countless petals coiled inward. She quickly raised her 'Stellar Symphony.'
Zero Rated Output: Simulated Black Hole.
The light beam twisted under the gravity's mirror image but was not swallowed. Mobius finally came to her senses, seeing a blur sweep past her, snapping a Golden Team girl in half at the waist.
Splash.
Blood droplets floated in the cosmos. The crimson color made her eyes widen slightly. Her snake eyes reflected the scene before her:
In a matter of tenths of a second, an abrupt change occurred. This was even faster than the assembly speed of the Fire Moth-Chaser, or rather, it was precisely because they had assembled that they formed an excellent attack window.
From defense to offense, and then from offense back to defense, this exceeded the limit that the human brain could process. Fortunately, the support group had been arranged in the battle plan before the attack even began.
Fate's Butterfly Shadow.
Mirror Reflection.
Instantaneous Slash.
Aponia, Coleman, and Sakura, who had been waiting nearby, acted in unison. Some replaced their companions with swirling butterfly shadows, some deflected the light whips with mirrors, and others simply cut them.
The three used their full strength, but there were too many light whips to stop them all. The power was also too great, cutting through shields and melting armor like paper, adding dozens of floating corpses to the cosmos.
"That bastard. He can reverse the offense and defense in an instant? Even Ryan can't suppress him?" Mobius saw this scene from afar, feeling her heart stop.
Too fast! Or rather, if It only redirects a little attention back, the entire Fire Moth-Chaser can't withstand it?
"Theoretically, even if you concentrate all your power, you cannot pose a threat to the 'Cocoon.'"
The faceless figure turned its head, watching hundreds of people quickly dodging. It was somewhat surprised. While It was fighting the Outsider, these humans not only didn't run but dared to attack, and even found a way to be effective.
If It followed normal protocol, It wouldn't need to bother with these flies. But humanity's progress to this point had surpassed theory. With a 99% current win rate, there was no need to gamble with them.
The first wave of attacks had forced the opponent back. The brilliant and endless torrent still existed, but a figure had pierced through the afterglow and arrived before It.
The past few dozen seconds had felt longer than decades to Ryan, but he noticed that when End shifted its target, the output power decreased, the pressure rapidly dropped, and he immediately used Quantum Entanglement to approach.
'If I let this thing focus fire on the Fire Moth-Chaser, It could probably scatter them in a few dozen seconds.'
Clang—
The spear stabbed the raised right claw, bursting into a shower of sparks. Ryan maintained his forward-leaning posture and twisted his wrist.
World Burning.
Boom!
The Authority of Fire was fully unleashed, enveloping the Apostle of End's not-so-large body. He didn't bother to check the effect and quickly dove away.
Whoosh—
The other claw swept past him. It had no light or special effects, looking like an ordinary person throwing a punch, but Ryan looked down and saw the lunar surface 'boom' and sink, a new crater already forming.
It was crude, but that one palm strike was enough to smash a large island into the sea. This was the most direct destructive power of the 'Beast,' but Ryan was wary of more than just that.
Just as It forced Ryan away, the faceless person in the tangled 'hair' raised Its head, letting out a silent roar into the cosmos. Ryan didn't care what It was doing. He immediately enveloped himself in the Constraint Field and then saw the warriors, who had been dodging like headless flies, suddenly freeze.
They seemed to be trapped in deep confusion, forgetting that they were in front of the 'Cocoon,' with deadly light whips all around them. Ryan was very familiar with this phenomenon, which transcended mental shock.
The Authority of Sentience!?
Stagnation on the battlefield was fatal. In that instant of daze, a dozen people were torn to shreds.
"Can't let It spare any effort."
Ryan approached again with Quantum Entanglement, his rapid stabs blooming like a hundred blood-red flowers simultaneously.
Clang clang clang...
The Authority of Constraint broke through the defense, but End still didn't retreat a step, meeting the long spear with both claws and knocking it aside. The faceless head suddenly turned backward.
Another Ryan appeared, twisting his waist for a horizontal strike, then the subjective sense of time was frozen, and the chains of Constraint bound the whole body.
Thud!
A white halo appeared in space. End finally retreated several meters. It crossed Its claws, staring at the man in front, Its computer-like mind somewhat disappointed.
Very clever. He was fully prepared before engaging me, but he is still too weak. The Authority of Constraint is used skillfully, concentrating on one point to break through the defense, but to trap me?
It was like trying to bind a wild beast with a thin rope. How could that be effective?
It shook Its four limbs, batting the spear away and tearing the Authority apart. It watched the opponent vanish into the cosmos, Its head shaking randomly. It saw dozens of Ryans appear simultaneously from all directions.
They leaped out from the Sea of Quanta, emanating a blue afterglow, both illusory and real, simultaneously thrusting the Crimson Helix.
"Trying to make me panic? I'm sorry, I can deal with all of your attacks at once."
Eternal Crystal Coffin.
Cling cling cling—
Several sparks burst forth simultaneously. The combination of Quantum Entanglement and the domination of energy bodies exhibited a dazzling quality. Ryan's eyes widened, watching the azure crystals appear in the cosmic space.
This was also a type of Authority, similar to 'Freezing,' yet the person inside was completely unaffected. Even without facial features, Ryan sensed the opponent was smiling and read the intent of that smile:
'I will deal with those flies first, and then come back to you with my full strength.'
Using the crystal coffin to isolate the inside and outside, It controlled the light whips to converge, focusing on Kevin and the others this time.
After a few rounds of probing, It figured out that ordinary Fusion Warriors only served to boost morale. The real threats, capable of cooperating with Ryan, were these primary targets.
Using the Authority of Sentience to drag people into a dream, then reaping them in their happy smiles—this method of slaughter seemed extremely gentle.
"In your dreams!"
Quantum Collapse.
Dozens of energy bodies instantly shattered, excluding his main body. Quantum energy was molded into light spears, melting a hole in the crystal coffin created by the unknown Authority. He then pressed closer, thrusting at the faceless head.
Swish—
Ryan passed through, but only hit a void. His pupils trembled. He clearly knew End had used the Authority of Space to dodge his thrust.
But he didn't hesitate, letting out a low growl in his mind, seizing the two seconds of attack.
"Elysia, wake them up!"
Hearing Ryan's call, the somewhat dazed pink-haired girl woke up as if from a dream. Her Authority was linked to the hearts of too many people, making the difficulty of dragging her into the illusion extremely high, as if she were stuck between reality and the dream.
Before her vision had fully returned, she quickly borrowed Su's ability.
Mental Shock!
The situation was urgent. Elysia couldn't afford to be gentle. Through the link, she violently stabbed steel needles into everyone's minds, using intense pain to snap them awake.
"What the hell was that?!"
Hua opened her eyes to see light whips smashing down at her face, her mind still muddled.
Only a few seconds might have passed in reality, but her subconscious had already lived a peaceful and warm married life with Ryan for several years. Fortunately, her body instinctively retreated, watching the scorching light whip graze past, cutting off a piece of flesh from her shoulder.
She turned her head and saw the light whips, like swaying sea grass, first tear a dozen people to shreds, then coalesce into ten thicker whips, lashing towards the rear ranks.
"Aponia, watch out!"
The nun still maintained her saintly appearance. She had also experienced a long, beautiful dream. When she regained consciousness, she saw a light whip thicker than a battleship rushing towards her, the scorching energy about to touch her nose.
Her mind froze. She only managed to blink, but when her vision returned, she found herself in the dark cosmos, and where she had stood, a brilliant flower of light whips had blossomed.
"Father Joshua!"
This was the 'Substitution' ability, and the owner of that ability had swapped places, landing right in the center of that 'flower.'
Countless petals immediately enveloped him. Each strike was equivalent to a Herrscher's full power, lashing from all directions and all challenging angles.
Clack clack clack clack...
The priest gritted his teeth and swung his arms, weaving a fine net of sword shadows, but the attacks were too numerous and too heavy. In an instant, they broke through his outward-released energy, snapped two short swords, severed his arms, and vaporized his blood.
In virtually the blink of an eye, the dense attacks wiped him from the world, not even a drop of blood remaining.
Aponia pursed her lips. She didn't even have time to offer a prayer, as a dozen light flowers were blooming in the formation. She had to rush to cover her companions.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
Flowers of flame exploded. Kalpas attacked wildly in all directions. He was much stronger than Joshua, throwing dozens of punches and kicking hundreds of times in a second, forcibly prying open the converging petals. Yet, he was still struck a few times, leaving blood-red whip marks on his back.
"Captain, are you alright?" Ludicyna's eyes widened. She was huddled in Kalpas's arms, her expression still filled with terror.
She had also been targeted just now. If Kalpas hadn't rushed to her rescue, she would have vanished from the world in half a second.
Kalpas continued to ascend. He could see several light whips chasing him like eels, clearly marking him as an important target.
This thing was difficult to deal with once it got close. His limit was fighting two of them, and End was thoughtfully sending four.
"Captain, why, why don't you put me down..."
"Shut up!!"
The girl was startled into silence by the furious roar. Seeing the 'small animal,' Kalpas instinctively lowered his tone, just giving a light 'hmph':
"I said I'd keep you alive. You won't die, at least not before me!"
"I am a man who keeps his promises!"
Kalpas spoke resolutely. While dodging, he looked around and decisively moved toward Kevin and Elysia. Ludicyna lowered her head, quietly gripping Kalpas's sleeve, but didn't stay still, fully unleashing her ability.
Energy Absorption.
The shattered Honkai energy around them was gathered, making the flames around Kalpas even hotter. A smile touched the corner of the weary man's mouth.
This guy might be like a small animal, but fundamentally, she's a warrior.
"You can't stop me!!"
A meteor with a long, trailing wake cut across the cosmos, savagely tearing and smashing the light whips. It gathered the people it constantly retrieved around it, growing larger like a rolling snowball.
"Fighting with a girl in your arms, how enviable." Coleman watched longingly. He had just been dreaming of an ultimate paradise. "Compared to this cruel battlefield, the dream was much more comfortable."
"What are you saying? Stay vigilant!" Kosma flew beside him, frowning and glaring.
"Why so fierce? We're all going to die anyway," the blonde man muttered, decisively raising the dual pistols created by the Key of Domination. "But I'll definitely be the last one to die."
A thick beam of light covered the meteor. The team, moving at high speed, converged again. Many were hit, turning into floating corpses, but more coordinated with each other under Elysia's guidance.
"[Please] everyone keep up with me. [Please] don't get distracted by stray thoughts." Aponia released her Precepts. The timing was perfect, stabilizing morale and clearing the after-effects of the Authority of Sentience. Even if they were affected again, their bodies would instinctively keep up.
Eden switched to a more soothing song, making people consciously calm down, while Kevin shouted and fought fiercely.
"Don't think about anything! Until Ryan relays the next plan, execute the current orders without fail, even if everyone dies!"
"You little scaredy-cat, come here and be my good luck charm." Mobius snatched Pardofelis, who was hiding at the very back, and held her in her arms.
"No way, Sister Mobius!" Pardo screamed. Are you kidding me? I'm just a harmless little kitty! I only came to the battlefield to be an observer.
She saw several flowers of light blooming ahead. The deadly petals swept across the cosmos, leaving behind a fine barrage. She felt like 'fear' couldn't even describe her current state.
Last time, they charged at the Herrscher of Constraint. This time was even worse—they were rushing straight toward the Cocoon of End as the vanguard. Didn't they care if the poor little cat was killed by a single glare?
Fortunately, another monstrous figure passed her. It was a solitary, snow-like figure. Though there was no real need, he used Honkai energy to create steps for himself.
"Fear highlights weakness, and I have already conquered fear."
"Holding this three-foot sword, smiling at the End. Within my Authority, I devour all concepts."
The monster, burning with blue fire, met the sweeping light whip head-on. He stretched out his hands and opened his massive, blood-red mouth.
"Domain Expansion: Endless Devourment."
He took a bite, actually swallowing several petals. His body then swelled even more, and he continued forward like a giant.
Kosma could devour all concepts, and was immediately targeted. Several light flowers relentlessly focused their output on him. Thousands of light whips slammed down, turning his relaxed ease into frantic dodging, and then into covering his head and squatting. Fortunately, Kevin caught up, slashed with his sword, and pulled him out.
"This idiot... I want to die now." Destopia covered her face. This is too embarrassing.
"At least it proves Kosma can return to his human state, which is a good thing," Elysia quickly comforted him, deliberately raising her voice.
"Kosma has opened the way for us. Everyone, follow up quickly!"
What are these humans doing?
After a brief pause, the second round of charge began again. They didn't even look at the corpses of their companions floating in space, which in turn made End bewildered.
This was a meaningless charge, practically asking to die. And the Outsider kept covering them, wasting precious energy. This was completely illogical, and as a program, It hated illogical things the most.
With the Authority of Constraint and Quantum Entanglement, the Outsider was difficult to kill. And if he wasn't killed, these humans would be hard to kill too. Theoretically, It should ignore them, focus Its energy on the Outsider, and after eliminating him, these humans could be effortlessly wiped out.
The thought process was clear, but the paradox remained: If these humans were worthless, why was Ryan desperately protecting them?
It raised its hand. Space warped, forming a matrix that made the swiftly thrusting crimson spear disappear. Ryan wouldn't give It a chance to seriously think, already flashing to close the several thousand kilometers gap.
It must be hoping for a 'miracle,' because their arrival here is itself a product of a 'miracle.' As a final safeguard, It is unlike Herrschers who can fall and be reborn. It should prioritize stability.
And, is a miracle currently unfolding?
It saw a giant snake pass through the flower of light, miraculously unscathed. And the tiny ant in her arms caught End's attention.
This... seems to have the scent of fate, even stronger than the human with butterfly wings?
Whether it was luck or coincidence, Pardofelis was indeed special. The possibility was low, but not non-existent.
"Still execute the initial plan: eliminate all related humans, thoroughly sever the possibility of a miracle, and then turn back to eliminate him."
Pardo had no idea she had drawn all the aggro. End cast its gaze upon her for the second time, and the pressure instantly surged. The aura of death became incredibly dense.
Having just broken through the blockade of the flower of light, Hua was now stared down by the gaze of destruction. She felt her teeth chattering, instantly knowing that End had ignored Ryan and chosen to prioritize wiping out the Fire Moth-Chaser. This level of focus was unbearable for everyone.
Before anyone could react, the dark cosmic space began to ripple like water. The first few warriors in the charge were instantly ground into powder.
The stars trembled; this was a Starquake.
An overwhelmingly powerful Gravity Wave formed a moat in front of the Cocoon. No, ocean would be more accurate. The white, fragmented waves seemed to clothe the Cocoon in a cloak, even engulfing half of the lunar surface.
"How is it possible to charge through that!?"
Hua looked ahead. Kevin was accelerating, Elysia hadn't stopped, and that stinking snake was in the lead, seemingly not afraid of death at all, though one could hear someone's agonizing scream.
For a moment, she recalled the most crucial item in the plan and tightly clenched her fists, crushing her fear.
Yes. Focus your attention on us, by all means.
Only then will you become overwhelmed, will you relax your vigilance, and only then—
Will you be drowned by the great sea!