I am a former Flame Chasers

Ryan certainly didn't know nothing. In fact, when he made that request and was ignored by coincidence, and then didn't receive a response for several days, he vaguely guessed what state Elysia was in.

This fairy who fell from the sky is a gift from "God" to mankind, but at this point, only he knows what Elysia's essence really is.

A Herrscher. An enemy of mankind. A cruel joke played by fate. But there's no need for a prophet. None of the original Thirteen Flame-Chasers believed she was a traitor. That fiery enthusiasm was nothing but an act.

"Elysia should be considered a cognitive disorder, and she can't figure out her identity. But as the Herrschers come one by one, those obstacles will slowly be corrected."

I am a Herrscher, an enemy of these dearest friends. Even Ryan's mental resilience could easily shatter, but Elysia can't see it at all. She still loves everything passionately and desperately.

It's because of this that it's so tragic.

The last dance...

Ryan stroked his left chest and felt the sting of the blade. The more he thought about it, the sharper the pain became.

Because Elysia committed suicide in the original world line, if she hadn't died, would she have been gradually replaced by the will of the Honkai, like those pseudo-Herrscher, and become a real executioner?

The thought of facing Elysia with the blade in hand, sending the spear into her chest while shouting, then seeing her consciousness revive, brushing her bloody palm across her cheek...

Fuck!

Ryan swung his fist, and the stone pillar in front of him crumbled to dust. Luckily, there was no one around, or they would have thought Ryan had lost his mind.

He didn't care; he just covered his face, his gray eyes glaring through his fingers, looking terrifying.

I can't think about this. I'll lose my mind if I do. This knife is too sharp, and just thinking about it feels like a fatal blow.

But this problem still lingers. All signs show that Elysia has started to regain her cognition, and we must find a way to solve it.

Ryan was unusually anxious, but he knew that anxiety alone wouldn't solve anything. He only had one belief:

Kill. No matter if it's a constraint or the end, kill them all. This is what I do best.

However, as he walked towards the rectangular entrance of the headquarters, he regained his composure. His excellent psychological resilience concealed everything.

"Mr. General Manager, Dr. Mei sent me to wait for you here."

"Your name is Erwin?" Ryan turned his head and immediately recognized the plain-looking man. He remembered that he was the victim of Mobius' rampage.

A casual comment made Erwin puff out his chest, thinking that he had something to brag about.

"Yes, I'm assigned to the Research Department's garrison now. I'm responsible for preparing the training ground at the Deepest Place..." He seemed talkative and went on while they sat in the elevator. He mentioned how the transformation of the Deepest Place had been completed, and now the collected data would be input into the latest simulator for the soldiers' training.

This simulator was somewhat similar to the virtual reality technology from Sword Art Online, with pain feedback. People wouldn't die, but they wouldn't act recklessly either.

It required the data of strong warriors, especially those with power like Ryan. After all, real Herrschers wouldn't let people easily collect data on them.

To increase the stakes, the research department had also launched a "level-breaking mode," offering everything from monetary rewards to family residence rights and various Soul Steel weapons to make participants push beyond their usual combat limits.

"No wonder Mei supports this so much. Turns out she wants me to be the boss," Ryan nodded slightly, agreeing with the concept.

The simulator god of war is far better than a recruit who knows nothing. The casualties in real combat training were too high, and enemies that require several teams to cooperate are rare. Plus, you could restart after "dying."

"Well, everyone is still struggling with the simulation data of Lieutenant Colonel Andevich. Your data will likely be grouped with other fusion warriors," Erwin grinned. It was truly painful to be smashed into a meat paste by the Frost Fist. Many soldiers went straight to the psychological counseling room to report it.

"That's still better than death. The combat power of the lieutenant colonel is basically the same as that of a pseudo-Herrschers. You're likely to encounter enemies like that in the future."

The elevator door opened, and Ryan stepped into the deep steel corridor. He could see the cables on both sides, leading all the way to the end of the light strip.

The Deepest Place was originally intended to be a prison. First, it was deep—located over a kilometer underground, accessible only by a large freight elevator. Second, it was extremely strong—constructed from three times the standard alloy and equipped with Honkai energy decomposition technology.

Any Honkai energy bombarded on it would be converted into other energy and injected into the core engine, creating a cycle effect, making it stronger and stronger. To escape, one would have to exceed its design limits.

'This is the pre-technology of the Moonlight Throne System, but it's a passive defense measure.'

Ryan listened to Erwin's explanation and understood the general concept. After walking deeper, they saw a group of white-coated researchers fiddling with various instruments. Mei was standing nearby, listening to a report.

"She's really everywhere. She handles all kinds of work. She can manage affairs and do scientific research. She's like a monster."

"So sometimes, I really want to thank your whole family," a resentful voice came from the side. Kevin walked out of a small room, his resentment so thick it was almost palpable.

He was the only one unlucky enough to be stuck with Mei's exceptional working ability, but with her time limited, Kevin had become the sacrifice.

"I didn't force her."

"That's why I hate her so much."

The two old friends exchanged glances, and Ryan spread his hands. Now he understood where Kevin's fighting spirit came from. Clearly, he was holding back a lot of frustration and wanted to find a way to vent it.

It's my fault.

He ignored Kevin and walked straight to the control room. The researchers quickly stepped aside.

"Why are you so eager? Trying to get something for free?" Ryan lowered his voice.

"This is your responsibility as the general manager, and it's something no one else can replace," Mei replied coldly, explaining why she tolerated Ryan's laziness.

Intelligence and emotional intelligence can be replaced by others, but this power is unique.

This subtle flattery pleased Ryan more than he'd admit. While listening to Mei's explanation, he looked outside through the glass.

The room was massive, tens of thousands of square meters, with numerous unnamed instruments mounted on the ceiling. Solid armor plates covered the walls, glowing with dark red lines—the kind of armor that could be decomposed by Collapse energy.

"By the way, if you want to collect data, just call me. Why let Kevin come too?"

"Isn't this your request?" Mei looked over, noticing the embarrassment on Ryan's face. She continued, "Current technology can't self-calculate yet. Each action requires a blueprint, which is then spliced by Prometheus before being put into the simulated battle."

"The data is huge. Let me make it clear: If you break something, you're not deducting it from my salary, and you're not allowed to hate me."

"Alright, as long as you don't damage those sensors and take it seriously, this is a good opportunity to establish your reputation."

Kevin isn't a mediocre soldier. How dare I send him? But why am I so excited? Is this finally my chance to be the boss?

Ryan nodded gently and looked at the operator beside him. Then, the automatic door opened, revealing a passage.

This place was suspended a hundred meters in the air. Ordinary people would be turned into meat patties if they fell. Ryan stepped forward and fell quickly.

Da.

When his feet touched the ground, he looked up to see the control room retracting and wrapping itself in layers of armor.

"It would be great if we could bring a Herrscher in to fight," Ryan muttered, tapping on the hard floor. He slowly raised his head and saw a white-haired young man holding two guns standing in the distance.

His expression was serious, without a smile, and he looked a little strange.

"Kevin, do you really want revenge?"

"Don't underestimate me. It's been a long time since I waited for this day," Kevin replied, pulling out his two guns, which were Soul Steel weapons, similar to Coleman's. "Last time, there was no reference, but this time, I want to see how big the gap is."

A powerful fighting spirit radiated from him, rivaling Kalpas' strength. Ryan suddenly realized that his friend had become a powerful warrior, one who had fought in hundreds of battles and torn countless Honkai beasts apart.

Despite the pressure, Kevin hadn't gone mad. His fighting talent was still sharp.

"Ryan!"

With a roar, the figure in his retina began to disintegrate, and then, with a loud boom, an explosive ice mist surged toward the ceiling, engulfing Ryan completely.

It was indeed the double guns, but the energy output was several times stronger than Coleman's. The freezing ray covered a wide area.

What speed! The Honkai energy is strong enough. This is a path where one force defeats ten skills.

Ryan dashed out of the ice mist, retreating quickly, reaching the corner of the training ground in mere seconds.

He raised his head and saw Kevin charging at him, guns held horizontally. His body spun, and the ray formed by the muzzle became a tornado, sweeping horizontally.

Freezing everything, tearing everything apart—he usually looked dumb, but when he moved, he was extremely violent.

Ryan raised his hands, and the ice tornado collided with the air wall, slowing down as though it was sinking into a quagmire.

Kevin gritted his teeth, feeling invisible forces wrapping around him. He roared, his voice booming from deep within him.

"You can't stop me!"

Boom—

The air wall shattered, and the icy roar surged forward. Ryan's eyes widened slightly.

It actually exceeded the limit of his Honkai energy. What is this? A mind boost?

"You're cheating, right? Well, don't blame me."

The second burst came without warning. The output power surpassed Ryan's defense. He was pushed against the wall, staring at the icy tornado rushing toward him.

He raised his right hand, lightning flashing, ready to strike.

This treatment would definitely be unforgettable.