Chapter 55: A Mission Against All Odds

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Abyss precisely pierced Benares's body, impaling it as withered authority infused into this Arbiter Rank Honkai Beast and rapidly spread throughout.

Benares's form visibly decayed at a swift rate; within moments, half of her body had disintegrated. However, that was all Ana allowed.

Observing the Dragon Benares reduced to mere remnants, Ana shook her head and retracted Abyss.

Indeed, she meticulously controlled her power. Although she could have easily killed Benares, there was no need for it. Otherwise, Herrscher of Thunder's Kujikara would be lost later on.

If the Dragon Benares truly vanished, who knew what butterfly effect it might trigger?

And what would the world's corrective force do? Ana had already witnessed its capabilities before. She wasn't overly concerned about other possibilities, but if the world chose to bestow the Gem of Desire upon her, transforming her into the Herrscher of Thunder, how should she respond?

The answer: There would be no way to counteract it. Thus, adhering to the principle of avoiding unnecessary complications, Ana decided to spare Bella's life.

"..."

As Fu Hua observed the Abyss, which had withered half of Dragon Benares's body, her expression showed both caution and seriousness. If this was Ana's true capability, she needed to reassess Ana's strength.

In the previous civilization, she had encountered the Abyss Flower before, although she never used it herself (due to its incompatible nature). Despite having some prior experience with it, she genuinely didn't anticipate how terrifying the Abyss Flower could be in Ana's hands.

Of course, its fear-inducing power was inevitable.

Currently, Ana has already reached the Heavenly Yuan level, typically attainable only by Future Bianka. She wields the strengths of Stigmata and holy blood, but unlike Bianka who follows the path of balance, Ana chooses suppression.

Similar to Kevin, she shoulders everything, suppressing it through her own power and will, and then liberating it when necessary.

Thus, no one realizes that Ana's Kaslana bloodline and Stigmata have awakened, enabling her to achieve the same heights as Siegfried once did. Moreover, due to the System, even Kevin remains unaware of her capabilities.

After all, these abilities were System rewards, but not one-time bonuses. The awakening of Stigmata and acquiring MANTIS physiology happened gradually, allowing Ana to suppress them step by step.

Unlike Kevin, who had to bear everything at once, Ana could handle portions incrementally, with the remaining aspects being naturally suppressed by the parts she controlled.

Explaining this might be tricky, but it's somewhat akin to the concept in Starglow: Synchronicity encompasses Order, yet Order remains latent within Synchronicity. By suppressing Synchronicity, you effectively control Order as well.

When Ana needs the "Order" aspect, upon releasing suppression, "Order" will become equal to "Synchronicity." At that point, she would only need to withstand double the backlash.

Why does it sound so casual? Because Ana has never fully unleashed her power yet. Although she activated Gaia Ex Machina, she hasn't completely removed its limitations like Fu Hua did with the Ultimate Knight armor.

Even without full liberation, Ana surpasses others significantly. Of course, given her current state, fully unleashing her power would mean risking everything, likely resulting in self-destruction - even the Abyss Flower couldn't save her then.

In a sense, Ana was like someone guarding a treasure trove yet unable to utilize it fully. The blame could only be placed on her cautiousness and desire to conceal her true strength, leading to this buildup akin to a ticking time bomb-a consequence of excessive prudence.

"Roar—"

Benares let out a mournful howl as its concentrated power dissipated. With a defiant cry, it soared away into the distance.

Ana watched Dragon Benares depart, knowing well that it would not give up easily.

Moreover, with Sirin nearby, Benares's body, damaged by Abyss Flower, could swiftly recover. Consequently, it would inevitably return, and when it does, it will face Himeko clad in the Red Knight Armor...

At the thought of Himeko, Ana felt a sharp pang in her heart.

For all Captains, Himeko represented an unresolved ache.

The official narrative had spent numerous updates and events developing this character, only for her to ultimately exit the stage so abruptly. Ana herself had shared many moments with Himeko over time.

She was an exceptional teacher, a fantastic friend, and a fearless warrior; she deserved better than dying at the hands of her own student.

Even if Kiana could emerge from her darkness, Teacher Himeko's sacrifice would forever remain as an indelible burden on her heart. Undeniably, she did protect her student.

However, Ana believed there might have been another way.

Although it seemed Otto orchestrated everything, with the Red Knight seemingly tailored for Himeko, Ana was convinced that he must have had alternative plans.

That cunning bastard—there has to be another method! If not, don't blame me for being ruthless!

With this thought, a momentary chill flashed across Ana's gaze, further solidifying her resolve.

Fu Hua observed Ana beside her, sensing immense emotional fluctuations within her friend. Though puzzled, Fu Hua didn't inquire further, knowing only that Ana effortlessly repelled the Dragon Benares.

While the Dragon Benares managed to escape, its severe injuries rendered it inconsequential to the overall situation. As for killing it? It held little significance since the Gem of Serenity resided with the Herrscher; even if slain, the Herrscher could revive the Honkai Beast. Her primary objective remained protecting as many people as possible...

Meanwhile, with Anti-Entropy's capture of the Third Port, Theresa and her team swiftly sprang into action. They quickly discovered that not long ago, a spaceship had entered Heimdall Laboratory.

This meant Kiana was taken there.

Schicksal has always conducted forbidden experiments within this laboratory, so everyone understood the implications of sending Kiana to such a place.

Although the distance between the Third Port and Heimdall Laboratory isn't far, entering the lab requires shutting down the local Reactor, which powers its defensive barrier.

Attempting to shut it off would be akin to embarking on a mission with near-certain death, leaving no chance for retreat.