Chapter 52: Restored

Ein gave chase and tried to gun her down with all his might. "Tch, I can't even use the 0th power. If she's just running around."

She just laughed at his futile attempts. "Human, just wait your turn! I'll get back to you later... You'll play with me after I kill everyone!" The black fog's radius increased as she flew to the next city. Hellbent on killing everything there.

He took out the metal poles he used against the 5th and launched them at her to try and pin her down. She tried to dodge but the amount of it eventually clipped her as she dropped to the ground with an explosion from the kinetic energy.

"You and me! You won't escape me herrscher." He then took the metal beams on the buildings and built a cage to contain her.

He then started to use the 0th power of the thunders of retribution. As the surroundings melted from the intense plasma. The air started to smell like ozone.

He focused the intense energy as a thick bolt of lightning. Please die when you get disintegrated.

He threw it with all his might as a thunderclap echoed. Even the evacuating civilians heard it like it's just a few meters away. They saw a bright light as lightning rained down from the heavens like divine judgement.

When the light died down, he saw a deep blue gem as he created a portal and tried to grasp it. But unfortunately, it dodged. As a body started to get recreated almost instantenuously.

"Ohh! That was close! You're such a bad guy. Trying to take my most important thing." She fidgeted and then grinned maliciously.

A scythe appeared on her hand that has an eye on it. The blade was long and thin, and it glowed red, while emanating a black aura like miasma.

She swiped on his direction as a red beam of honkai energy clipped his leg. Exhausted from releasing and containing the 0th power of the key.

He frowned with a grave expression. This is not going well. "Ahhh~ I like that expression on your face. Does it hurt? Or does it not feel good? Fufufu~"

She flew high up in the air and left him behind. Starting another wild goose chase. He created a pure metal substitute of soulium to his leg and arm as he chased her down.

With her scythe though, he couldn't pin her down anymore. With his weapon also exhausted, there were no options.

He tried coating himself in soulium, basically airtight as he appeared on top of her and sent an axe kick that made her flying. She looked surprised as she laughed.

"You really are a fun one human! You just can't be put down huh? But what about this?" She focused her energy as a beam of honkai energy pierced the skies.

He was confused on why she did that, but he went close and gave a flurry of blows. Tearing her limb from limb and tried to pierce her chest to get the gem.

But as he was starting to outpace her regeneration, focused on ending the fight. A beam of honkai energy hit him on the side, blindsiding him. As the humanoid crystalline honkai beast loomed from the horizon.

The herrscher then capitalized on this as she grasped his left arm and big claws appeared. Clipping the armor on his unharmed arm. Making the mist able to enter and erode the remaining arm, leaving only the soulium behind.

With an unknown honkai beast with her. He started to prepare for the worst. Making another arm with soulium. He started to burn up his crystallized honkai reserves, like a furnace. He started to glow, and honkai corruption started to appear again all over his body due to the insane amounts.

He overcharged his weapon, ready for another scuffle. "I admit, I was in a pickle. I held back too much of my cards."

He sighed as superheated invisible steam escaped from his mouth. Herrscher powers are incredibly resistant to other honkai energy based attacks so I can't use wind. I can only coat myself and attack like a mad man.

The herrscher smiled viciously. "Hahaha! How about it human? Do you like my companion? She'll be your play mate for now." She flew away with amazing speed. Before he could try to follow, thousands of crystals orbited their position.

"Damn." The crystals glowed as they fired a barrage of beams. Focused on turning him into swiss cheese, the surroundings crystallized as well and started to make a dome.

He immediately willed his weapon to its hammer form as he smacked it on the head with great force. (pic here)

Its head caved in and shattered to millions of pieces. Before he could strike it on the torso, the small pieces of its head turned to him and fired miniature lasers. Literally making him into swiss cheese.

Fortunately, he protected his head and heart in time. But the injuries proved to be too much as he panted. His liver has multiple lacerations, lungs punctured. Etc. As he panted and tried to heal up.

At least this fucker doesn't disintegrate me. He slowly healed up, focusing on dodging and firing short bursts from his gun.

He then had an idea. He used his greatsword and brandished it, slashing first on its arm as it was cut off with a bit of effort. Damn, this thing is hard!

After it was cut off, he bathed it in lightning as it smoldered. He then put it inside his inventory. Yes, now you're fucked!

But the honkai beast immediately changed strategies. It regrew its lost limb and the whole beast scattered into pieces. With every individual piece like a living being, independent of each other.

"Fuck! This guy has a 2nd phase!?" He was dodging barrages of crystals and honkai energy beams.

He couldn't even get out as the dome encased them in a one on one. As the independent crystals started to pelt him with shards and lasers. And the shards that were made started to glow as well, increasing the amount of attacks indefinitely if this goes on.

What do I do? This guy can regenerate too. And I need to catch up with the herrscher! He used his greatsword to cut it up as much as he could and store all of the crystals, but it kept on regrowing more and more crystals.

Damn! "Mei, you see my location!? Prepare the particle cannon here! I'm getting stalled by this crystal honkai beast." He instructed Mei while dodging lasers.

"We see your location! We'll position it as fast as we can! This will take a few minutes, hold on!" Mei on command started to position the satellites for firing on his location.

He hacked and slashed at the beast with no end at sight. As he blocked and parried energy beams at almost an omnidirectional level.

Ugh, how much longer! This will be a battle of attrition at this rate! Mahesvara started to spawn more and more crystals that attacked him. Trying to blast or bludgeon him to death.

"Ein! We're ready, but there's a dome in your position. The laser would be diminished and get reflected when it hits it." He heard Mei talk.

"That's enough. Fire at my signal." He threw his spear at the top of the dome as lightning destroyed a good chunk of the top.

Mahesvara started to repair it but before it could Ein made his move. I sure hope this works!

He clapped as he focused intense amounts of energy. "Chibaku Tensei!" The crystal parts started to turn into a ball. It struggled violently as he started to sweat.

He turned his weapon to pure energy once again as he unleashed tons of lightning and plasma at it. The honkai beast roared, resisting with all its might. As it tried to escape the attack that was slowly turning it into molten lava.

His eyes turned bloodshot as he bled from his orifices. The strain was overwhelming. "Argh! Die you fucker! Mei! A particle beam on my 12 right now! If you want us to win!" It was starting to break free. As his attack slowly weakened and the crystals repaired itself.

Seconds later, a beam helped and its struggle slowly weakened. "Come on now! It's fine to give up!" His body was covered in honkai energy as he intensified the compression for the last stretch. It quickly stopped moving as he stored all the crystals on his inventory.

Dropping down on one knee as his substitute soulium limbs started to lose its shape. Completely drained of honkai energy. He took out crystalized honkai and started to eat it like an energy bar.

He looked at his body and it was full of holes that were starting to close up. His organs were being repaired by the soulium inside as well. "What the hell is that fucker? Isn't it too strong?" He stood up slowly as he prepared to give chase.

He looked at the nearest city that was at least a hundred miles north. "Tch, I'm depleted. I fought this guy for too long." He started to fly, but his mobility is extremely limited.

And I can't even run properly, my leg is awkward and my muscles are still recovering from intense honkai energy poisoning. He frowned, the beams did a number on him.

Please make it! His speed was at least 100 km/h right now, but as he recovered. It slowly ramped up.

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In the nearby city. It was total chaos as the Moth soldiers tried to quickly evacuate everybody. "Please! Everyone fall in line and stay calm!" They tried to calm down the unruly crowds.

Unfortunately. The 6th has arrived. "Kekeke~ So many toys to dispose of! Let us start, shall we?" She then released a thick black mist and it slowly crept inside the city.

Everybody was in a panic. And it turned into total anarchy as everyone slowly disintegrated to dust.

"HAHAHAHAHA! This is music in my ears!" She maniacally laughed as she started to spawn honkai beasts in droves. They quickly hunted down civilians and the military alike. Annihilating them by the thousands in a few minutes.

After 15 minutes, the city was completely swallowed up by the mist. As everything went quiet. "Oh? Finished already? Humans sure break easily."

She then quickly went to another city as she left with her massive army of honkai beasts. The city wasn't damaged much, but it was dead quiet.

Ein arrived at the city that was attacked as he tried to feel for any survivors. And there was none. "Damn, she completely cleaned up this city. Mei! Try to slow her down as much as you can! I'm only half of her speed at least right now! That honkai beast took a lot out of me!"

"Got it! We'll bombard her with orbital strikes as much as we can." She immediately ordered the satellites to unleash hell on the target.

The bombardment slowed down the honkai beasts, but the herrscher didn't even flinch and proceeded to destroy city after city. Even the Moth bases and battalions on her way weren't spared.

"Fuck, I'll try to keep up! Just keep on doing anything to try and pin her down!" He said to command back in HQ.

The mech group sortied and stood in front of the 6th herrscher. Now fully repaired by the nano tech inside the mechs.

"We gotta slow her down! Ein's on the way. He fought the honkai beast we encountered earlier!" Kevin shouted at his team.

Elysia was already prepared and started blasting the herrscher with as much accuracy as she can.

While Himeko and Vill gave cover fire to Kevin as he went close quarters and tried slash the herrscher with his beam sword.

She blocked it easily with her scythe and constructed claws as she looked at the mech in interest. "You humans sure like to make absurd things. Too bad it doesn't work."

She ripped its arms and started to encase it in gigantic roots and wood. Trying to crush it, Kevin immediately ejected and Himeko caught him as they retreated. Elysia and Vill giving cover fire.

They went on a wild goose chase for a few minutes as the herrscher laughed. "Hahaha! That's right! Run away until I get bored and dispose of you!" She had a wide smile on her face as her eyes glimmered with insanity.

As they were starting to run out of places to hide. Giant spears of metal hit the herrscher square on the body as she disappeared. Skewered by the metal from hundreds of meters away.

"Ein! Thank god you're here!" Himeko looked at his ragged form. 3 of his limbs were completely golden as they were now pure soulium, shaped and controlled by his honkai energy. Dozens of holes were on his uniform, signifying a fierce fight.

"Run! You guys are lucky she hasn't killed you yet! Go!" He coated himself and went to the fray.

He used his spear to try and stab the gem to destroy it. Stabbing at inhuman speeds, but the core was nowhere in sight.

"Did you think you could take me down like that? Silly human." She brandished her scythe. Slashing with immense amounts of honkai energy at him.

He nimbly dodged as they raised hell on the center of the city. He chopped her up like vegetables, stabbed, clobbered, dismembered. But nothing seemed to work.

Concentrating the immense amounts of honkai energy on the surroundings, he channeled it onto himself and recharged his weapon again.

It snaked around his body as he swiped at her torso. Noticing that she healed slower, he pushed to the limit. As the honkai eroded his body. His eyes started to glow brighter, and circuit like lines engraved on his skin.

They exchanged a flurry of blows as he started to gain an advantage. She was slowing down, and her healing wasn't as ridiculous as before.

The herrscher slowly got angrier as tons of trees sprouted all over the surroundings. "Enough! You're supposed to play at the end human. Now you've done it!" Black miasma washed over him as he thickened his coating. But it was slowly being eaten through like acid.

He immediately flew high above the sky. As he took out a huge chunk of metal. Weighing at least 10000 tons. "Tengai Shinsei!" He plummeted to the ground like a meteor accelerating the metal further like huge ammunition for a rail gun. As his soulium limbs destabilized from the massive strain and energy consumption.

Himeko and the others quickly ran as they saw the gigantic cube of metal. "That's bad news! Run the hell out of here!" Elysia quickly ran as she's the one most further back.

The huge metal impacted the ground as an earthquake ravaged the city. Buildings toppled, windows shattered, and the ground erupted molten metal and earth like a volcano.

He ate multiple crystalized honkai crystals as he made limbs of ice. Not having enough time for soulium ones. With his last strength, he ripped the gem from her chest as she slowly reformed.

"Huh? Where am I?" She looked confused, and started to look around. The memories hit her like boulders as she remembered the slaughter she caused.

"No! No! I didn't do that!" She started to have a mental breakdown. Her voice started distorting as she battled the will. "Please! Kill me now! It's going to take over me again! I don't want to do that anymore!" She begged as her eyes started to turn red. Her tattoo glowing menacingly.

Ein immediately turned her into atoms with the last drops of honkai energy inside the 3rd key. As his body slowly shut down. His limbs of ice disappeared, losing their honkai energy. He dropped down to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

The mecha squad peeked from their hiding place as the surroundings quieted down. With the optics of their mechs, they saw him down on the ground. Absolutely spent.

"Ein!" Elysia and Himeko immediately exited the cockpit as they went near him. Himeko tapped him on the face as she saw his limp body. She sighed in relief as he was still breathing.

But looking at him, he was covered in honkai corruption. He looked absolutely thrashed, missing 3 limbs. His hair disheveled, unlike his usual victories where he looked flawless.

Himeko burst into tears as she looked at him. "Elysia! Contact Mei and Mobius Now!" As she hugged his body and started to examine him closely. With her limited medical skills, she was able to know that he isn't dying. But that conclusion was not for sure.

They waited anxiously as a VTOL appeared. And Mobius immediately went off of it as she pushed everyone around. "Give way!" She started diagnostic tests as she stared intensely at the equipment.

She frowned deeply as she saw tons of damage to his organs. They were full of scar tissue. His lungs were like shredded cheese. Not to mention his missing limbs that weren't regenerating like it should be.

"Help me board him into the aircraft! He weighs still at least a thousand kilograms! Move!" Vill that was on guard picked him up with the mech and loaded him inside the VTOL. As they returned to the base.

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Thanks for reading guys! The 6th is now taken care of. Ciao