I am, Flame-Chaser of Previous Era

Like a lightning strike, the nearly two-meter Honkai Beast was pierced.

All distractions vanished with that single thrust. Amidst the dense Honkai energy, a pure desire for the unknown filled his chest. Ryan felt himself enter a state of singular focus; he thought only of—

Drawing, turning, thrusting!

A 'Knight' that had just pierced the floor launched into the air, its head embedding itself in the ceiling, its body flailing. Ryan didn't even look, raising the spear above his head, spinning it with such speed it created a shield.

Bang bang bang bang…

Several 'mosquitoes' that had emerged from the pipes slammed into the shield. The small Honkai Beasts were flung away, crashing into various equipment, sparking blue arcs of electricity.

Ryan crouched, advancing. His hand gripped the spear, but he was drawn to a heavy, rumbling sound. A massive shadow emerged from the end of the hallway; even lying down, it was two or three meters tall, filling the corridor.

Like a chariot, slowly pressing forward.

"Chariot-Class Honkai Beast. Judging by its size, a smaller variant."

Frowning slightly, Ryan extended his spear, picking up scattered equipment, sending hundreds of kilograms of metal flying through the air. Then, he launched himself forward.

Whizz!

Millions of euros worth of equipment became his improvised projectiles. With tremendous force and speed, the 'chariot' stopped, raising its massive arms to protect its head.

Thud, thud!

The force could crush a car, yet it only forced the Honkai Beast backward, leaving shallow dents on its arms.

The Chariot-Class Honkai Beast's shell was tough enough to withstand sniper fire, but as its hind legs touched the ground, the swirling crimson vortex pierced the surrounding electronic equipment and debris.

Ryan moved in swiftly, thrusting the spear without hesitation, piercing the vortex-shredded arms and directly into the Honkai Beast's head. The residual Honkai energy surged through its body, pulverizing another Knight-Class Honkai Beast behind it.

Physical strength was limited in this world; controlling Honkai energy was key. Fire Moth's Honkai attacks were far more destructive than conventional weapons.

'In scientific terms, it's about compressing and accelerating Honkai energy, creating a drill-like point of impact.' Ryan chuckled, pleased. There were no mystical secret techniques; it was simply an application of physics.

His trip to Shenzhou had taught him physical skills, but his PhDs were the true source of power.

Ryan withdrew the spear, turning to see the control room window shattered, a Knight-Class Honkai Beast emerging. His smile faltered.

The introduction needed revision; some things defied scientific explanation.

Huff huff huff.

Kevin, wielding a baseball bat, gasped for breath. Having heard the commotion, he'd immediately rushed down.

Then he saw a white-skinned monster about to attack Mei. He grabbed a nearby pipe, unleashing his strength to send it flying. He recovered, his mind blank.

What was that? Had I watched too many movies? Am I dreaming?

Kevin was completely bewildered, looking up in confusion, even more stunned by the lab's interior.

Amidst the chaos, several grotesque corpses lay scattered. At the end of the hallway, a familiar figure turned, a larger monster looming behind him.

"Ryan? He… is he Superman?"

Mei, now in protective gear, looked at the downed Honkai Beast. You're not bad either, she thought, though she knew the priorities.

"Kevin, now's not the time for that. We need to get out of here."

"Right, let's go." Despite his questions, Kevin obeyed. But as he stood, he threw himself forward, pushing Mei to the ground.

"Watch out!"

Crash—

The wall bulged and shattered; another gigantic Honkai Beast emerged, raising a massive fist. Kevin instantly shielded Mei, taking the blow on his back. A sharp crack echoed, the entire control room shaking.

Kevin opened his eyes, looking behind him. The monster was pinned to the wall, a black spear vibrating in its chest.

The familiar figure stood before him, withdrawing the spear.

So fast…

Kevin couldn't comprehend it. The hallway was over a hundred meters long; how had he appeared in front of them in an instant?

Thwack.

The spear was withdrawn; the corpse fell. Ryan turned, his usual calm, indifferent smile on his face. "I know you have questions, but this isn't the time. Let's go; I'll get you out."

"Wait."

Ryan stopped, frowning and looking back. "Mei, this hesitation isn't like you."

"I just have one question. Why did you save us? Wouldn't escaping alone be faster?" Mei knew Ryan wasn't selfless; he wasn't a saint. Like in his research, his rationality led to the most efficient choices.

"That shows you still don't understand me. I don't have many friends, and rationality is just a tool. If I become a purely rational machine, I'll lose the courage to explore." Ryan didn't elaborate, raising his spear and heading off. As they entered the escape tunnel, he added silently,

Moreover, even purely rationally, you two can't die.

He vaguely remembered Kevin and Mei being affected only after the third Honkai incident. In other words, the butterfly effect had already begun. Trailblazers don't believe in fate; Ryan wouldn't ignore it.

That answer held no falsehood. Mei hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed.

The power had been completely cut off; only emergency lights dimly illuminated the basement. The three climbed the escape stairs, Ryan leading the way, answering questions as they went.

For example, those monsters appeared randomly within the Honkai's range; nowhere was safe. To escape danger, they had to leave the cataclysm's area.

Mei showed no fear, more like she'd opened the door to a new world, her eyes filled with endless curiosity. Kevin, however, was silent, his usual carefree demeanor gone.

He saw Ryan's spear piercing Zombies, saw that familiar face with closed eyes, silently pinching his thigh.

It hurt; this wasn't a dream…

A chill ran down his spine. He felt their tranquil daily life slipping away, the world sliding towards a terrifying and alien direction.

Bang!

The heavy blast door buckled and flew off, knocking down several 'mosquitoes.' Before they could rise, the falling man crushed them.

"Quite a spectacle. Luckily, it's the holiday; the campus isn't crowded."

Ryan surveyed the area. Thick smoke filled the night campus; Shamash's light illuminated the night sky; the sounds of collapsing buildings echoed from all sides. Yet, there were no screams, an unnerving silence.

An invisible energy enveloped the campus. Within its radius, people either died or transformed into monsters. Ordinary people had no chance; even the few survivors would be hunted down.

"I thought this was the end of the world." Mei stepped forward, her eyes filled with the same sense of strangeness. Hours ago, she'd been planning a stroll with Kevin.

"Aren't you afraid?"

"Would fear help? Like an experiment, unexpected results reveal problems, and we try to solve them. You should understand this logic perfectly."

Pure rationality. No wonder he could become such a savior-like figure.

Ryan expressed a degree of admiration. No wonder Mei hadn't asked about the basic nature of Honkai; she clearly understood that their lives would be disrupted after tonight, and she had time to figure out the cause.

Since Mei was so perceptive, he didn't need to waste time; he stood still, like a statue.

"Ryan, what are you worried about?" Kevin looked anxiously around, seeing vague shadows in the darkness—the monsters were approaching.

Some were as large as buildings, others shambling like zombies in a horror movie. The young man involuntarily cracked his knuckles.

"Wait."

"Wait??"

Rumble rumble rumble…

Before he could finish, a series of explosions ripped through the night's silence. The three instinctively turned, seeing successive fireballs rising in the south, illuminating several large, mangled monsters. Armed helicopters buzzed overhead.

Fire Moth had finally arrived; their response was swift.

Ryan seemed relieved, pointing towards the flames. "Kevin, take Mei and retreat that way. Be smart, don't get killed by humans."

They weren't stupid; they knew the military was here to clean up. Mei, however, thought deeper; judging by the speed of their response, this had been planned.

"Okay, let's go." Kevin pulled his girlfriend and ran a few steps, then turned back in surprise. "Ryan, what about you?"

"Naturally, I'll draw their fire. If you're caught in the Honkai, Fire Moth won't hesitate to use overwhelming force." Ryan jumped over a twisted iron gate, spear pointed north, his silhouette like a charging knight.

The spear tip sparked against the ground. Kevin glanced at the departing back, feeling both strange and familiar. Memories of his time with Ryan flashed through his mind like a flipbook.

Always disappearing, rarely interacting with others except a few close friends, often breaking down their defenses with a few words, sometimes very sly, but ultimately—

That man never retreated.