The stern deck had become a tactical briefing room.
Zhong Li's live playback continued, synchronized with He Xuan's time slowdown. The Particle Man shook in the teapot, as if waiting to be deployed.
"We can't hit him," Zhong Li said. "We must hit his rebound." "His magnetic field loosens up for 0.3 seconds after a counterattack." "We must penetrate in that instant."
Lu Ye nodded: "The Particle Man is ready."
He activated the Construct system. The Particle Man flew out of the teapot, its magnetic field vibrated, and its surface was reconstructed into a diamond structure. "This time it's not just hard," Lu Ye said. "It also carries lightning."
The Particle Man merged with the Thunder Domain Slash ability, constructing a "Thunder Crystal Rebound Layer" that could bounce back part of the impact upon contact with Force's attacks. "It's not a complete rebound," Lu Ye said. "But it's enough for us to squeeze in an action."
Force stood at the bow, still motionless, as if waiting for them to figure it out themselves.
The Particle Man charged up, Thunder Domain Slash activated, and an electric arc flashed across the diamond surface. Force raised a hand to catch it. The Thunder Crystal layer vibrated, bouncing back a portion of Force's magnetic field.
"Effective," Zhong Li said. "He retreated half a step."
The Particle Man was smacked away but did not shatter. It flipped in the air and landed as a Thunder Crystal shield, its magnetic field stable.
"Now," Zhong Li said. "He's in the rebound phase."
Chen Mo was the first to charge, the fifth segment of the Time Shatter Punch, striking Force's shoulder. Force raised a hand to block, but his movement was noticeably sluggish.
Zhao Yang's Blood Mist followed up, coiling around Force's ankles. Lin Lan's Weather Membrane suppressed the magnetic field above. Hu Hao's Psychic system disrupted his perception. Lu Ye's Construct Particle Man charged again.
He Xuan slowed down time. Zhong Li activated "Rewind Reality."
The air vibrated, the magnetic field reconstructed. Zhong Li pulled out Force's complete combat trajectory for the past three minutes, superimposing it onto the current scene.
"He has a habit," Zhong Li said. "He tilts his head slightly before counterattacking." "It means he's anticipating." "It means he is not pure Force." "It means he is also afraid."
Chen Mo punched again. The Particle Man blocked the counterattack. The Thunder Crystal layer rebounded. Zhao Yang's Blood Mist sealed. Lin Lan's Weather Membrane suppressed. Hu Hao's Psychic system interfered. He Xuan slowed time. Zhong Li synchronized the playback.
Force began to retreat. He was pushed back by the strategy.
But he was not defeated yet. He was only injured.
The Particle Man landed, a corner of the Thunder Crystal layer shattered, and its magnetic field began to become chaotic. "It won't last much longer," Lu Ye said. "We have to hurry."
Zhong Li's live playback unfolded in the air. The magnetic field reconstructed, and the images surfaced—Force's combat trajectory, from the first step to the first punch, every movement broken down into frames.
"He has no source," Zhong Li said. "His ability is his very being." "Not borrowed strength, not possession, not Helenes." "It is pure—Force."
He Xuan slowed down time. The Particle Man's Thunder Crystal layer activated again, blocking a palm strike from Force and rebounding part of the impact. "He's not invincible," He Xuan said. "He's just too stable."
Chen Mo charged forward, the sixth segment of the Time Shatter Punch, the punch's power vibrating. The Particle Man blocked the counterattack. Zhao Yang's Blood Mist coiled. Lin Lan's Weather Membrane suppressed. Hu Hao's Psychic system interfered. Lu Ye constructed a magnetic field disruptor.
Zhong Li synchronized the playback, locking onto Force's "rebound phase," inserting a "magnetic field interference wave" into that 0.3-second looseness.
Force retreated a step. His magnetic field vibrated, and cracks appeared in the deck beneath his feet.
"Effective," Zhong Li said. "We broke through."
Zhao Yang stood to the side. His Blood Mist began to gather, and the magnetic field vibrated. "I'll take it," he said. "Rewind Reality."
The Blood Mist spread, covering the deck. The air began to reconstruct, and the magnetic field returned to its pre-battle state. Not an image, but—a physical restoration. Force stood within it. A layer of his magnetic field was peeled away, revealing the internal structure.
"I see it," Zhao Yang said. "There is a self-resistance fluctuation in his magnetic core." "Not external force." "He is suppressing himself."
Zhong Li nodded: "He is not painless." Zhao Yang: "He just doesn't say it." Chen Mo: "Then I'll hit him until he says it."
Chen Mo punched again, the seventh segment of the Time Shatter Punch. The Particle Man's Thunder Crystal layer rebounded. Zhao Yang's Blood Mist sealed. Lin Lan's Weather Membrane suppressed. Hu Hao's Psychic system interfered. Lu Ye's Particle Man charged. He Xuan slowed down time. Zhong Li synchronized the playback.
Force began to retreat. Not beaten back, but—pushed back by the rhythm.
He raised his hand. His movement was still slow, but his magnetic field began to become chaotic. The Particle Man's Thunder Crystal layer shattered, and its magnetic field gave an abnormal feedback.
"He's about to break," Lu Ye said. "But we're about to break too."
Chen Mo delivered the final punch. Force caught it but did not counterattack. He stood still, his magnetic field vibrating, as if he had finally—stopped.
Not collapsing. But—stopping.
He looked at them, his voice deep: "You guys... are strong enough." Then he turned and slowly walked towards the bow, like a mountain slowly departing.
They did not pursue. Nor did they call out. They just stood still, watching him walk away.
The Particle Man landed, turning back into a seagull, drifting at the bow. The Weather Membrane retracted. The Blood Mist resumed flow. The magnetic field stabilized again.
Zhong Li closed the playback: "We won." He Xuan: "We didn't win." Chen Mo: "We just didn't lose." Hu Hao: "We just didn't shatter." Zhao Yang: "We just remain."
They did not leave. Nor did they give up. They just continued, proceeding toward Malaysia.