I am a hero of the former civilization.

Is he trying to learn some moves from anime? I was wondering why he's been so quiet after dinner lately.

The TV is showing 'Mizukage', and a certain domineering character has recently become a favorite of Qianjie. He looks so eager to try his hand at it, as if he couldn't wait to jump into the screen and have a good fight with him.

Being extraterrestrials, and having landed in a wilderness, it's understandable that they hadn't been exposed to Earth's culture.

As an observer, Ryan was very rational. After so many days, he also felt that Aponia and Thousand Calamities were not as difficult to deal with as he had imagined. Thinking about it, he found it both funny and absurd.

'Is it like I've opened up another small hill?'

Mebius, Sakura, Kevin, and Velvi are one group, and then the three from Twilight Street are another group. How did they end up like Alicia, who is socially awkward and can talk to anyone?

He was momentarily bewildered, so he quickly took a sip of coffee to calm himself down and used the brief moment of quiet to think about his own affairs.

"Qian Jie should be fine. The reason he can hold back is because he knows he can't beat me. And if you can't win a battle, then it's meaningless. No wonder he exercises every day."

“Aponia had been trying to change her fate, but she failed at everything before meeting me, which sparked her interest. Otherwise, she would have become a pessimist.”

Ignoring Padofelis, Ryan knew perfectly well what these two were thinking, and the essence of their thoughts was—

"It's just power."

With 3000HW of Honkai energy, the three Herrscher powers of Lightning, Wind, and Ice, plus the abilities of several Honkai Beasts and pseudo-Herrschers, Ryan felt that he was gradually turning into a monster.

This power is terrifying even among Herrschers, and unparalleled among Fusion Warriors, because not only does the Honkai energy surpass the Herrscher level, but the fact that it possesses three kinds of authority is itself a horrifying thing.

This is authority; each item corresponds to a rule, a concept—it's 'magic' that transcends human technology.

"Thank you for the gift. I look forward to your next move."

Ryan smiled and gave a distant salute to the sky, as if mocking the Honkai, but his eyes were full of fear.

He's still far from his limit. The stronger he becomes, the more terrifying the resistance he'll face. It's the same old saying:

Honkai can fail ten thousand times, but Ryan can't fail even once.

"Pressure can also be a driving force, so as not to become too complacent and turn into a couch potato."

The coffee condensed into a layer of frost, instantly turning into iced coffee. Ryan hadn't wasted any time these days, constantly training his authority. It was because of his stimulation that Qianjie also began to train like crazy.

The power of ice, in a fantastical way, is the power to freeze; in a more scientific way, it is the power to halt the interaction between molecules.

Ice is just the most basic form of expression; the concept of 'freezing' is the core of this authority. If he remembers correctly, Velvet almost created a world-destroying device using the core of the Fifth Herrscher, which was later changed into a hibernation pod.

Fifty thousand years—not to mention fusion warriors, even ordinary people like Cangxuan and Danzhu could survive fifty thousand years, surpassing all technology.

The Second Research Institute invested heavily in this long-term freezing, but maintaining the vital signs of organisms in a frozen state is simply impossible. Such an obscure thing is as easy as eating and drinking for those in power.

"As expected of magic, a miracle beyond human reach."

Ryan once again paid homage to the sky. This kind of advancement was even more exhilarating than the surge in Honkai energy, because his path was gradually touching upon the essential laws of all things.

Further research is needed. This rather 'metaphysical' concept is difficult to understand. To this day, I can only grasp its external manifestations and cannot even achieve the Herrscher's ability to freeze the physical time level.

He recalled the battle in Twilight Street, then frowned, because the strength displayed by the Herrscher of Ice also greatly displeased Ryan.

"There is a fatal flaw: this authority does not distinguish between friend and foe. It cannot freeze others while I remain normal. If I can take another step forward, I will be invincible."

He freezes the enemy's spacetime, using the destructive power of the Thunder Authority and the speed of the Wind Authority. Even opponents of the same level, without any means of defense, will be instantly killed.

Ryan couldn't help but look at the TV, thinking that it would be great if he could level up like in the comics.

"But that would be too boring."

"What's boring?"

A slightly delicate voice reached her ears as Aponia brought her a water jug ​​while tucking her hands in a handkerchief.

“I said if the Honkai is too easy to solve, it’s too boring,” Ryan chuckled.

“I sense you’re uneasy, but I can’t think of anything that could make you so worried.” Aponia bent down to place the kettle on the table, her voluptuous figure forming an exaggerated curve.

She had already learned about the Herrschers. According to Ryan, there was only one Herrscher left. No matter how you look at it, the Herrscher should be afraid.

"Are you perhaps worried about the Moths that chase fire? Although I haven't asked about it, I feel you must be confident."

"Them? They're just a minor obstacle." Ryan waved his hand casually, pointed to the chair opposite him, and gestured for the nun to sit down.

The atmosphere wasn't serious; it was more like a casual chat between friends. Aponia quite liked the feeling. She sat down properly, her drooping skirt revealing white stockings. The nun's habit had a very high slit, and you could vaguely see the intricate lace at the top of the over-the-knee stockings.

Aponia's attire blended perfectly into Rome; her exquisite and beautiful face shone with a holy radiance, while her azure eyes held a hint of compassion.

Ryan sat opposite him with his legs crossed, and after a long while, he nodded: "You really are like a perfect nun."

"A strange metaphor. I am a nun."

"That's why I added the word 'perfect,' do you know why I'm worried?"

“Because you see further than I do, and understand better what Honkai is.” Aponia’s expression remained unchanged, but her words caused Ryan’s pupils to shrink slightly.

That's amazing, you actually saw through me.

He knew that Aponia was a powerful observer, and probably considered himself one of them, but interestingly, he really was a 'prophet'.

However, what Aponia saw could not be changed, while what Ryan saw had become unrecognizable.

"I am the exact opposite of you."

"Ok?"

"You're trying to turn the known into the unknown, while I'm turning the unknown into the known."

This was a bit convoluted, and it took Aponia a full half minute to come to her senses. She then carefully examined Ryan.

"It's a real shame you didn't become a priest."

"Haha, I can hardly be called compassionate and loving. In fact, I'm more like Qian Jie."

"Where does it look like?"

Ryan pressed his hands on the table, his gray eyes sharp: "Not for others, but for ourselves, that's the most fundamental difference between us."

Not for others, but only for himself, he does whatever he wants, like a madman?

Aponia silently thought to herself, this is precisely the strength of people like them, they are not affected by the world at all. Perhaps it is because of their personalities, Ryan is at least easier to get along with than Qianjie.

But the core will not change; the motivation for everything is "I want to do it," and such a person is absolutely impossible to control.

“I understand now, regardless of good or evil. No wonder you didn’t hesitate at all when you took action, and didn’t care what others thought.”

"Actually, I still care, but there are very few people I can care about." Ryan smiled as he thought of another group of people thousands of miles away.

"I'd be very interested to get to know you. By the way, am I really deserving of such an honor?"

Aponia looked on expectantly, her clear blue eyes seemingly able to penetrate the soul. Her hands were clasped together in prayer in front of her chest, forming a shallow indentation, while her magnificent breasts were simply placed on the table.

It's beautiful, yet eerie, perfectly illustrating what it means to have an angelic face, a devilish figure, and thoughts that seem utterly unappealing, yet are full of allure.

If it were Coleman, he probably would have collapsed to his knees on the spot. Fortunately, Ryan was a seasoned veteran who had seen it all, and his gaze only grew more profound.

Why do you want this honor?

Aponia tilted her head slightly, revealing a touch of girlish playfulness and innocence in this mature nun.

"because--"

"I want to defy fate."

Chapter 252 The Seventh Herrscher Has Arrived! (4K)

Fate is cruel, but it was especially cruel to Aponia.

Ignorance is often considered the greatest happiness, but Aponia is quite the opposite.

She could vaguely see the future, but she couldn't change it. She had tried countless times before, but all she had done was fail. Fate was stubborn, as if mocking her powerlessness.

This is the saddest thing, making her increasingly pessimistic about the world. Even though she knew in advance that something bad was going to happen on Twilight Street, she had no intention of avoiding the disaster.

But then Ryan arrived. Not only could she not see this person's future, but even his known fate had changed slightly. The result was not perfect, but it had indeed changed.

'So he was able to defy fate, and my innate abilities finally came in handy.'

Aponia's eyes were clear; this was the value of Ryan in her eyes, turning that premonition from a curse into a truly usable ability.

Ryan stared directly at the other person and felt that the look was somewhat familiar. After thinking about it, he realized that it was the same look that Mebius had given him at the beginning.

Mebius wants to use me to achieve 'evolution', and Aponia wants to rely on me to rebel against 'fate'. Both are targeting my personal value, and they show closeness because of my personal value.

That's more like it. There are no peaches to eat in this world. In utilitarian terms, interpersonal relationships are all about mutual exploitation; it's just a matter of who takes the lead.

Ryan resisted the temptation and remained unusually rational. Besides, Aponia was different from Mebius; she wasn't as persistent and had no intention of doing anything to me.

Good, let's cooperate happily to avoid any unforeseen trouble. This nun is very dangerous.

“I am also rebelling against fate, so our interests are aligned.” Ryan immediately defined their relationship.

Aponia remained in a praying posture, her head raised, her eyes showing a mixture of excitement and fervor.

"The devil wreaks havoc on the world, but God will send His angels to guide the lost. To me, you are that angel. Please use me wisely."

Angel? Use?

Ryan quickly spotted the ambiguity, and then his scalp tingled. As a scientist, he never liked to get involved with people who were superstitious. After taking a closer look at the nun in front of him, the eerie feeling became even stronger.

The allure intensified significantly, and Aponia looked ready to sacrifice herself at any moment, her clear blue eyes turning fervent—a look he had seen before back in Snow Prison Town.

The fanaticism of faith, yes, Aponia was a nun after all, and her talents were beyond the explanation of science.

'That's fine too, it's better than dealing with some dead duck.' Ryan adjusted his posture; he was actually a little unaccustomed to Aponia being so proactive.

Essentially, they all crave his power. Look at Aponia, he surrendered on the spot. And look at you, sometimes it's like I'm begging you.

“Since you’re being so honest, I won’t beat around the bush either. Aponia, you mean a lot to me too.”

“I will fulfill all your requests, please just tell me.” Aponia’s expression held a hint of expectation.

What do you mean by "will satisfy all needs"? They're so obedient!

"I want you to become a fusion warrior and enhance those two abilities."

Ryan bluntly stated that, in the original plan, this required a certain opportunity.

Aponia's 'talent' is terrifying; both her 'discipline' and 'foresight' far exceed the scope of mere ability, reaching the level of authority.

Among the thirteen heroes, apart from Kevin and Alicia, her cheat ability is the most terrifying, even surpassing that of Qianjie and others.

After this period of observation, these two abilities have begun to emerge, but they are far less powerful than I had imagined; at most, they can only be called 'induction' and 'premonition'.