With his original seven abilities, plus the ten absorbed from Kiana, and bolstered by his inherent physical prowess, Zeke now possessed nearly twenty times the standard energy level of an ordinary Herrscher.
The fusion of continental-scale mechanical dragon with his body's spatial phase overlay granted him close to a hundred billion tons of mass, coupled with immense defensive strength due to his colossal size.
Then, amplified ninefold by Time ability stacking.
Simply hovering in midair, Zeke caused countless rocks to defy gravity, attracted by his immense density. Surrounding light distorted and dimmed under the influence of multiple abilities, creating an eerie shroud.
From his physique, constitution to energy levels, every aspect reached unparalleled perfection. At this moment, Zeke exuded an unmatched presence—rivalling even the recently arrived Final Herrscher.
Bathed in dawn's rays, Zeke stood amidst the black veil, gazing down at the dazzling golden-haired girl below. It was akin to an invincible, world-ending demon confronting a radiant, salvation-bringing goddess—a reversal of roles between strong and weak, antagonist and protagonist seemed to occur in that instant.
They locked gazes—Zeke and the Final Herrscher, both pairs of golden eyes reflecting identical cold indifference.
In the next instant, they vanished from their positions, hands clashing mid-air as they engaged in a fierce contest of strength.
"Boom!!"
The extreme energy clash transformed half the planet into two polarized realms, with white and gold light dominating. The unstoppable shockwaves flattened vast stretches of the continent.
At their level, relying on Herrscher abilities for output became redundant. In essence, these powers had inherent limits, unable to fully harness their immense energies.
Thus, the confrontation boiled down to a straightforward collision of Honkai Energy and physical might, intensifying its peril even further.
Amidst the blinding radiance, Zeke remained composed, while "Kiana's" expression abruptly shifted. A crack rapidly spread from her right hand across her face, resembling a fissure on exquisite, pristine porcelain.
After a brief standoff, Zeke stepped forward through the void.
"Bang!!!"
For the first time since her appearance, the Final Herrscher, who had effortlessly overwhelmed all adversaries with sheer energy superiority, was forcefully propelled backward by an overwhelming surge. Her trajectory carved a deep trench stretching to the horizon, leaving an indelible mark upon the boundless continent.
Zeke displayed an astonishing dominance and, without hesitation, pursued with speed and force that shattered the air around him.
As "Kiana" continued to retreat, absorbing the residual impact while repairing her damaged body, Zeke already pressed his hand against her face.
"After enduring continuous attrition, how much of your power remains compared to when you first descended? Is it 40%? Or perhaps 30%? Maybe even lower?" Zeke asked nonchalantly, his golden eyes coldly gazing at the girl's stunned expression. His unwavering tone carried deeper mockery and disdain.
With a swift motion, he lifted his hand, effortlessly propelling "Kiana" through the ozone layer within mere breaths, reaching the dark, frigid depths of outer space.
'Boom!!!'
In the vacuum, unimpeded by resistance, Zeke casually unleashed energy on the Final Herrscher's face, sending her hurtling far into the void.
Using a rough estimation method, if one were to quantify the combined energy, technology, armaments, fighters, etc., of an entire civilization as 100 points, then a fully powered Final Herrscher would likely equate to about 90 points. Currently, she had diminished to approximately 30-40 points.
As for Zeke, with his accumulated powers—especially after the unreasonable 9-fold amplification granted by Time Authority and bolstered by superior intellect and informational interference—he approached 90 points himself. The only limitation was that this state couldn't be sustained indefinitely, but it was sufficient for a prolonged battle.
On a side note, even wielding Tianhuo Jiemie at his peak, Kevin wouldn't reach 10 points under this calculation.
Of course, true combat effectiveness and maximum output cannot be measured so simply; there would inevitably be irregular fluctuations. For instance, Fu Hua's Void Sword Divinity and Otto's fake god strike defied quantification through data alone. However, using this method as a rough gauge for strength sufficed.
Ultimately, Zeke remained the most extraordinary existence within this civilization, unparalleled by any other.
'Boom!!!'
With a casual wave, Zeke unleashed a torrential white stream slicing straight through the depths of space. It engulfed "Kiana," thwarting her counterattack, and propelled her towards the moon.
The two clashed repeatedly between Earth and Moon.
Meanwhile, "Kiana" could only retreat step by step.
"Boom!!"
After a brief exchange, the relentless surge of energy blasted "Kiana" into the lunar surface, embedding her deep within the solid rock layers. As she attempted to lift her head and escape, a massive shadow obscured her vision.
Zeke stood amidst the void, his hand raised high, drawing countless meteorites towards him, forming an incredibly colossal celestial body.
"!!!" In an instant, "Kiana" raised both hands, creating an energy shield for defense.
"...," Zeke observed silently, then gradually lowered his hand, picking up speed.
The gargantuan meteorite slammed onto the moon with unparalleled force, catapulting numerous lunar rocks into space. The entire celestial body trembled momentarily, as fissures from the impact spread across nearly half its surface before slowly halting.
Following this natural disaster, shattered remnants covered the moon's surface amid swirling dust clouds.
"Kiana" knelt on the ground, arms weakly hanging down, her wounded body stained with golden blood—a clear indication that her attempt to withstand the impact had fallen short.
Then, golden energy surged from her body, healing her wounds and repairing her tattered, dust-covered attire.
She stood up, hovering amidst the shattered moon. Before her eyes, a tall, imposing figure emerged from the dust, exuding a presence millions of times stronger than any towering mountain.
"Trial... Trial..." Kiana's golden eyes dimmed slightly as she mechanically repeated her mission. Clenching her fist, she charged towards Zeke with golden energy blazing around her.
Boom!
Her porcelain-like fist struck Zeke's chest, causing the golden energy to dissipate upon impact.
This force was still potent enough to tear through the earth; on present-day Earth, likely only Kevin could withstand it without succumbing. However, Zeke remained unshaken, his expression unchanged.
With his purely physical strength now equivalent to that of a continent in mass and defense, "Kiana's" power posed no threat.
Zeke effortlessly grabbed her wrist.
She tried to break free, but given the vast disparity in their strengths, Zeke's grip felt like an immovable steel statue.
"It's over..." Zeke murmured, raising his own fist.
Muttering to himself, Zeke threw a punch.
BOOM!!!
The already fractured lunar surface erupted with countless debris under the immense force's aftershock, creating a spectacular sight akin to a fountain in space.
As "Kiana" took the blow to her abdomen, her struggling abruptly ceased. The golden radiance in her eyes gradually dimmed.
With a barely audible crack, "Kiana's" body developed numerous spider-web-like fractures.
Zeke released her wrist.
Her lifeless figure toppled backward, crashing amidst the chaotic lunar rocks.
Zeke lowered his head, staring blankly at her shattered and now motionless body. To his surprise, he noticed a hint of contentment on her face.
"What... am I doing..."
He looked down at his hands, expression numb yet uncontrollably twitching, as tears dripped onto his palms.
To protect the present, he had killed the future.
For Kiana, he had slain "Kiana."
In the end, he failed to safeguard the one person he should have protected.
Suddenly, Zeke raised his gaze towards the blue planet above, his pupils contracting sharply.
"Kiana! Don't do this! There's still hope! Zeke will find a way!"
BOOM!!
A dazzling pillar of golden light shot straight up into the heavens, piercing through the atmosphere and extending infinitely into outer space.
Just moments ago, the majestic imperial palace boasted the world's most formidable defense system. Now, it lay reduced to ashes.
Tears streamed down Kiana's face as she stood amidst the golden energy, her hands trembling while clutching a golden dagger pointed at her own chest.
Bronya lay prostrate on the ground, barely clinging to life thanks to the exceptional capabilities of her black armor. However, under the relentless onslaught of unimaginably potent Honkai Energy, even the armor disintegrated visibly before their eyes.
With Bronya's life seemingly counting down, she mustered all her strength from where she lay to plead: "Kiana, please stay calm! Zeke will be back soon! Have you forgotten your promise to him? You agreed to always be together, to have many children with Zeke!"
Kiana's expression shifted slightly, and her gold-tinged gaze turned towards Bronya. Amidst tears streaming down her face, she managed a smile:
"It's too late, Bronya. I've realized everything now; there's no other way. For Zeke, for everyone... Promise me, along with my part, make Zeke happy as if I were still here..."
Her tear-streaked radiant smile, like an unparalleled masterpiece, etched deeply into Bronya's trembling heart.
Then, the golden dagger plunged deep into Kiana's chest.