The power of Trailblaze blossomed in Asat Pramad's hands, opening a path toward the distant world of The Blue star system.
At the same time, Yao Guang, who had already used Decalight Unveils All to completely seal off Phantylia's escape routes, sensed something. She swiftly turned to Herta and said:
"Act quickly. Someone is helping Phantylia. My Decalight Unveils All spatial seal is being breached."
Hearing this, Herta glanced at Decalight Unveils All and immediately activated Attribute Appraisal. She soon identified a piece of information:
Far in the distance, another Lord Ravager, Asat Pramad—an existence who walked the three Paths of Destruction, Trailblaze, and Elation, and had traveled an extraordinarily great distance along all three—had intervened to rescue Phantylia.
What he was using was precisely the power of Trailblaze, a force that, in Akivili's hands, could shatter the cosmos-spanning iron wall created by the Aeon of Preservation, Qlipoth.
And in Asat Pramad's hands, this Trailblaze power was by no means weak. On the contrary, it was remarkably powerful... its energy level had reached that of an Emanator.
In that case, they had to end this battle quickly.
With that thought, The Herta immediately accelerated her assault. In the blink of an eye...
A precision solar flare bombardment erupted, and the blaze of the explosion engulfed Phantylia's position.
A shock wave resembling the detonation of billions of nuclear weapons swept outward in every direction as a mushroom cloud rose into the sky.
The void shattered!
Of course, this was merely a flashbang... or rather, an appetizer Herta had served Phantylia.
Herta was certain this attack could not kill Phantylia. Thus, in the next moment, Herta's Magic Cannon, Honkai magic, and psychic lightning intertwined, unleashing a supreme strike powerful enough to shatter an entire star system.
However, all that energy was constrained by the computational power of the Super Herta Astral Computer. Even if it truly detonated, it would not cause too much damage to The Blue.
After recovering from Herta's surprise attack and solar flare flashbang, Phantylia no longer intended to withstand the assault head-on and began to evade.
However, Herta's attacks were enhanced throughout by the Super Herta Astral Computer's immense computational power. No matter how Phantylia dodged, she could not escape their pursuit. Even activating the heliobus race's art of transformation made no difference.
More terrifyingly, the Emanator beside Herta also took action. It was Ruan Mei. She plucked the strings of the pipa in her hands, and in an instant, the ruined land and derelict towers of the Eastern Federation came alive. Countless steel bars and masses of concrete intertwined, eventually transforming into earthen dragons that swept toward Phantylia, attempting to bind and restrain her.
As Ruan Mei continued playing, not only did the earth awaken, but the elements of nature also came alive. Yellowstone erupted, sending flames surging into the heavens and carrying endless volcanic ash toward Phantylia.
Dark clouds also gathered densely across the sky. Countless positive and negative charges rubbed against each other, producing innumerable bolts of lightning that struck toward Phantylia.
The sea began to churn without end. Tornadoes and typhoons formed above the ocean, rapidly reached land, and surged toward Phantylia's position.
At this moment, all of heaven and earth across The Blue was reviving and awakening. Moreover, they had all received a single command: join forces with Herta and kill Phantylia!
At this moment, Phantylia could be said to have been targeted by the will of heaven, like a character being hunted in Final Destination.
More importantly, Ruan Mei's methods were not limited to awakening the Eastern Federation's heaven and earth. The Starcrusher Swarm King under her complete control had also begun condensing a star-shattering bomb within its mouthparts.
With both geniuses attacking at full strength, Phantylia's attempts to evade instantly became increasingly difficult and desperate.
As a result, her cries for help in the Lord Ravagers' group chat became increasingly urgent as she repeatedly asked whether Asat Pramad had arrived yet.
Asat Pramad: "Wait a little longer. Give me ten more seconds. Hold on, Phantylia."
"..."
Phantylia fell silent and could only grit her teeth and endure.
Just then, Acheron, standing in the distance, slowly spoke. "Herta, do you need me to act?"
"No. Drawing that blade will allow Nihility to erode your body even further. Besides, this is merely Phantylia. I can handle her."
"After all, if I couldn't even deal with a mere Phantylia, I wouldn't have said earlier that I could cure the affliction of Nihility within you."
Herta's lips did not move, but the cold sun within the Warp was the first to answer Acheron.
Hearing this, Acheron released the hilt of Naught. Her hair changed from pale white back to dark violet, while the red spider lily patterns symbolizing death and Nihility began to fade from her body.
Her gaze toward the battlefield was no longer dull and vacant, but filled with an indescribable emotion.
Just then, a resounding crack rang out. Part of Decalight Unveils All began to shatter, allowing the power of Trailblaze to enter the void of the Eastern Federation. Asat Pramad's voice echoed at the same time:
"Phantylia, I've come to help you... and it seems I'm not too late!"
"Asat Pramad, you really came!" Phantylia exclaimed in delight. "Save me quickly! I can't hold on much longer. The combined firepower of the two geniuses Herta and Ruan Mei is too fierce."
"All right."
After agreeing, Asat Pramad mocked Yao Guang:
"General of the Elixir Crucible, is this all you're capable of? Such feeble sealing power could never stop me. Heh!"
As his laughter spread, the power of the Path of Elation surged forth, and Decalight Unveils All shattered completely.
In the next moment, Asat Pramad's voice continued to echo from the far side of the star system. "Two geniuses joining forces against a Lord Ravager, not using wisdom to erase your opponent, but resorting to brute force... isn't that a little too contrary to the Path of Erudition? Why don't you join my Destruction faction instead? Hahahaha..."
His mocking laughter continued to spread.
More importantly, the laughter contained power at the level of an Emanator of Elation. That force began influencing the attacks of Herta and even Ruan Mei, causing their assaults to distort and weaken...
At the same time, Asat Pramad activated the power of Trailblaze, forming an illusory train.
Choo-choo...
A whistle resounded. Before long, the train arrived at extraordinary speed in front of the fleeing Phantylia, causing her eyes to light up.
As long as I can board that train, I'll have won!
Just one blink. Give me just one more blink, and I'll be able to reach the train and escape!
Asat Pramad, I underestimated you before. I never expected you to be a Pathstrider who walks the three Paths of Elation, Trailblaze, and Destruction, or an Emanator who has accomplished great feats along all three!
Phantylia was ecstatic, convinced that she would certainly escape this time.
At that moment, Herta's gaze became incomparably serious and solemn as she thought to herself.
Asat Pramad, you certainly have nerve... Since you dared to provoke me, there's no chance I'll allow this rescue to succeed. Phantylia must remain in The Blue star system today! Otherwise, I'd become a laughingstock—anyone could provoke me and walk away unscathed. I won't let that happen.
At that moment, Herta prepared to go all out. Her mind connected to the Super Herta Astral Computer and began running supercomputations... Soon, she had devised a concrete plan.
Sever Asat Pramad's support and kill Phantylia immediately!
Having reached this conclusion, Herta did not hesitate. She directly waved the magic wand in her hand and opened a dimensional Warp gate.
In an instant, the Warp gate opened wide and swallowed the entire illusory Astral Express formed from Trailblaze power.
My train!
Phantylia roared unwillingly in her heart. However, Herta's Magic Cannon and Honkai bombs pursued her like shadows, forcing her to continue fleeing.
More importantly, Herta took out the Soul Gem. In Herta's hands, this gem was not a Pathstrider Energy Amplifier, but a Magical Girl Transformation Device.
As Herta clenched the gem, her clothes underwent an enormous transformation. They remained black and violet, but became even more magnificent, gaining earrings, flowing skirts, and even a cape.
Only the tall pointed hat atop her head remained unchanged.
As The Herta completed her transformation, and because she was the creator of the Soul Gem, this transformation did not merely turn her into a magical girl. It also transformed her into a witch!
A dual transformation!
As a result, she gained an ability: causal distortion.
Herta silently recited in her heart.
My magic carries the causality of an inevitable hit. It cannot be changed. It cannot be stopped!
Moreover, as my magic travels toward its target, it will fuse and evolve, taking on an even more terrifying form!
This ability perfectly countered the laughter produced through Asat Pramad's Path of Elation, nullifying its reality-distorting power while granting Herta's magic the ultimate enhancement!
Consequently, Herta's magical offensive, which had previously been diverted and slowed by Elation's distortion, returned to normal—and even became more terrifying than before!
Herta's Magic Cannon roared. The Chimera's Honkai magic howled. Psychic lightning blazed with glorious radiance!
Under the causal distortion ability of the magical girl and witch, these attacks from different systems began to fuse. The Chimera's Honkai magic merged into Herta's Magic Cannon, turning the projectile a chaotic hue.
The psychic lightning merged into Herta's Magic Cannon as well, causing the projectile to become increasingly chaotic, distorted, and powerful.
In the end, the ultimate Herta Magic Cannon, endowed with an inescapable sure-hit property, surpassed the speed of light, struck Phantylia's body, and pierced her heart.
A vast hole appeared in Phantylia's body. Feeling the agony coursing through her, she lowered her head in disbelief.
Am I... really going to die? I still haven't completed the task assigned by the Supreme Destroyer.
At the final moment, she turned her head and stared at Herta, who had completed her magical girl transformation, her eyes filled with intense disbelief.
She was absolutely certain that the energy of the Herta Magic Cannon that struck her in the final moment had reached a terrifying level capable of annihilating one star system—or even multiple star systems.
In the next moment, Phantylia's flames began to extinguish. This body of hers began moving toward destruction... before completely collapsing into ashes and dispersing throughout the cosmos.
This scene left the Cloud Knights and IPC employees shaken.
The Lord Ravager Phantylia, who had subverted more than a hundred civilizations, plunging them into internal conflict and destroying them from within, had truly died just like that?!
Miss Herta merely joined forces with Miss Ruan Mei and General Yao Guang... Moreover, from beginning to end, Miss Ruan Mei only supported Herta, while General Yao Guang merely established a seal to prevent Phantylia from successfully escaping.
Yet even so, they had truly killed a Lord Ravager by force!
At this moment, countless people realized just how powerful Herta was. They were certain that after today, a storm would sweep across the interastral network. The name Herta would become an unprecedented sensation, provoking endless discussion.
Ruan Mei stared blankly at Herta.
She had never expected Herta to truly kill Phantylia. She had originally believed that once Asat Pramad intervened, Phantylia would certainly escape. After all, Asat Pramad's strength could not be underestimated. An Emanator of the three Paths of Elation, Destruction, and Trailblaze was undoubtedly a supreme powerhouse!
More importantly, how long had it been since Herta crowned herself an Emanator? Not even a month. Yet in such a brief span of time, she had killed a veteran Emanator of Destruction—a Lord Ravager!
Yao Guang, standing nearby, had not expected that even after her Decalight Unveils All was broken and the enemy's powerful reinforcement Asat Pramad could fully support Phantylia, Herta would still manage to kill Phantylia by force. Such methods were utterly inconceivable.
The many factions present within The Blue star system reacted in shock. Acheron murmured:
"As expected, Miss Herta's methods are extraordinary."
At that moment, the Masked Fool Sampo also drew a sharp breath. "What did I just witness? Even with the guarantee of an existence who has reached the level of an Emanator along three Paths, Herta still killed the Lord Ravager Phantylia! Unbelievable!"
Giovanni said, "More importantly, the Lord Ravager Asat Pramad used the power of an Emanator of Elation, yet I've never seen him at the World's End Travern."
"In other words, he must be an extraordinarily ancient figure who has traveled a great distance along the road of Elation. Yet even so, his laughter was still blocked by the miraculous power of the Soul Gem in Herta's hands."
Sampo said, "What a terrifying genius."
Giovanni said, "That Lord Ravager Asat Pramad is terrifying as well, especially since he can also wield Emanator-level Trailblaze power. That means he isn't merely a Fool of the Tavern. He was once a great Nameless. I'm quite curious about why he became what he is today."
Sampo said, "But that makes one thing even harder for me to understand. Asat Pramad is a Lord Ravager with such terrifying methods and abilities. So why was Phantylia, another Lord Ravager, beaten into such a miserable state by Herta, forced to flee with her head in her hands, and ultimately killed?"
Beneath Giovanni's mask, his expression was also filled with confusion. "Exactly. They're both Lord Ravagers... Phantylia shouldn't have been that weak."
Elsewhere, Black Swan of Remembrance gazed toward the distant battlefield, where the outcome had already been decided. A faint smile curved her lips as she said:
"Another memory worthy of preservation—the fall of a Lord Ravager."
At that moment, Constance approached from beside her and slowly said, "I think it would be better not to give it that name. I don't believe the Lord Ravager Phantylia would fall so easily. After all, she barely displayed any of her strength on the battlefield before Herta killed her. The impression she gives me... is that the Phantylia in The Blue star system was merely an avatar."
Black Swan raised an eyebrow. "An avatar?"
Then, recalling Phantylia's despairing expression before her death, she shook her head at Constance. "I don't think so."
Far in the distance, the Bewitching Swarm King, which had already fled to the edge of the star rail, looked back and saw Phantylia being killed by Herta's ultimate sure-hit Herta Magic Cannon. It could not help revealing a look of lingering fear.
Good thing I sold out my teammate!
Otherwise, I would have been doomed too!
As expected, whenever danger appears, one must retreat behind everyone else. The experience I accumulated during the Swarm Disaster was correct after all.