"Swoosh!"
Luo Lin held the Mimicry Divine Key aloft, and the golden spear inflicted a wound of moderate size on the monstrous creature.
However, in the next moment, the wound was enveloped in black mist.
The vital energy that sustained the creature rapidly dissipated through the expanding rift.
Soon, the creature collapsed to the ground, rendered immobile, its body disintegrating into grey-white fragments, disappearing from sight.
This was the antithesis of the power of the White Flower, symbolizing decomposition, destruction, and death - Black Abyss.
Using the just deceased creature as an example, this power resembled more of "degeneration and disintigration".
Slowly, silently, life turned to dust...
Of course, if Luo Lin were to increase the intensity, the speed at which the Black Abyss killed enemies would correspondingly accelerate.
However, the girl felt that the current situation was already quite satisfactory. This technique was not too burdensome for her, and the rate of enemy elimination was quite remarkable. It was a rather economical and cost-effective method of output.
She now directed more of her attention to Kiana beside her. It was the first time the little white-haired girl had fought alongside her "mother," and she was now excitedly racing around with all her might.
Watching Kiana's somewhat unconventional Kaslana Gun Fu, Luo Lin couldn't help but reminisce about the days when she herself was being pummeled by all manner of Aesir Mechs and AE mechs in the Infinity Abyss.
Of course, she still harbored a headache for these mechanical shadows. After all, upon advancing in the Abyss, the shadows' HP and attack power had also increased significantly. Overall, it still felt like getting a good rubdown.
Luo Lin sighed, hanging the Black Abyss White Flower behind her back and summoning two pistols with the Key of Revelation. She said, "Kiana, it seems like your Kaslana Gun kata lacks cohesion, it's not quite integrated. I've learned some myself. Come, watch my movements..."
Kiana was delighted. "Thank you, Mom!"
"...Do we really still need to say thank you?"
The surrounding quantum shadows and creatures were immediately doomed. Drawing upon her experience of high-intensity confrontations with various "shadows and demons" in the endless Infinity Abyss, Luo Lin effortlessly handled them using Kaslana Gun Fu.
Further augmented by the influence of Murata Himeko, a gold-tier lecturer of St. Freya Academy, Luo Lin even provided commentary during the battle, explaining the rationale behind each move and tactic. Her explanations were so thorough that Kiana, who had not received systematic combat training, was greatly impressed.
"Alright, actions speak louder than words. Kiana, I'll cover you from behind. You quickly practice!"
"Okay, got it!"
The little white-haired bundle nodded and rushed forward smoothly, engaging with two creatures.
Luo Lin held the Mimicry Black Abyss White Flower in one hand and a pistol in the other, providing support from the side and giving Kiana advice on movements and tactics.
A few minutes later, Kiana kicked the last creature to the ground and shattered its core with her pistol. She looked at her hands in disbelief, recalling the fierce moves she had just executed. The exhilarating feeling made Kiana unable to help but smile.
"You're really amazing, Kiana. It seems like you're very adept at learning combat skills."
"Hehe."
Luo Lin was also quite surprised. The little white-haired bundle seemed like a sponge, absorbing combat-related knowledge like crazy and applying it in a very short amount of time. She was much stronger than Luo Lin herself, truly deserving the title of genius.
However, Kiana might have focused all her intelligence on combat IQ, which made her less bright in other areas...
Boom!
A loud explosion came from the distance. Luo Lin turned her head and saw a red light shooting up into the sky, accompanied by energy fluctuations that were all too familiar.
"Judgement of Shamash..."
Luo Lin wasn't surprised by its appearance. After all, the city's nights were filled with shadows, and Siegfried, as a Kaslana knight fighting against the Honkai, couldn't possibly ignore these things.
Luo Lin held the gradually brightening Mimicry Black Abyss White Flower and said to the somewhat confused Kiana beside her, "Kiana, come with me. It seems like your dad is in trouble."
"Dad!?"
---
Upon seeing those shadows appear, Siegfried found himself feeling more relieved than anything else.
He no longer needed to ponder the truth of this world, no longer needed to reminisce about every moment with Cecilia, no longer needed to agonize over whether he needed to return to that barbecue stall to find out the truth behind that white figure.
Even if he found out, so what? After confirming its authenticity, was he going to point the Judgement of Shamash at her, pull the trigger, and see if he could wake up from this illusion as those novels said?
Siegfried's expression fluctuated as he stood there.
"Boom, boom..."
The shadows didn't care about what Siegfried was thinking. They simply followed their instincts and charged towards him.
"Damn it... perfect timing!"
For once, Siegfried cursed, his movements activating his prosthetic arm. However, the feedback from the bionic arm wasn't as sensitive as he imagined, falling short of its former glory.
Several years ago, in the battle where Kiana awakened as the Herrscher of the Void, Siegfried used the Judgement of Shamash to fight against the enemy. Although he didn't end up losing an arm like in the original storyline, Siegfried's arm was still greatly affected.
After multiple high-power uses of the Judgement of Shamash in a short period of time, Siegfried's ability to control his arm sharply declined, severely impacting his daily life.
Even worse, the efficiency of transmitting Honkai energy through the man's arm became exceptionally low. If it used to be like opening the floodgates of a reservoir, now it was just a small pipe, struggling to transmit energy.
During that period, Siegfried could barely even hold chopsticks steadily, let alone return to the battlefield and fight against the Honkai.
The man simply asked Tesla to directly replace his arm, getting a mechanical prosthetic arm... After a long period of training, he finally managed to restore much of his combat effectiveness.
He didn't regret this choice - at least now, facing these "new and old friends," Siegfried could raise his weapon and engage in combat without reservation.
The Judgement of Shamash followed his thoughts, its barrel emitting golden beams that pierced through the creatures that had appeared.
The white-haired man watched as the creatures were ignited by the energy of the Divine Key, emitting silent screams before finally burning into purple lights, disappearing along with the flames.
"These buildings haven't been affected?"
Siegfried quickly ran to the spot where the creatures disappeared, carefully examining the ground. The monstrous creatures wouldn't protect the city environment; destruction was the only thing they were capable of - yet there wasn't a trace left on these ordinary tiles and asphalt roads used by vehicles, which was truly baffling.
The white-haired man fell silent for a moment before directly firing the Judgement of Shamash at the ground. Accompanied by the distortion of the surroundings caused by the high temperature, the asphalt road remained intact.
"..."
The white-haired man stopped the output. He crouched down, scrutinizing the fissure he had created.
It was like a shattered mirror, with all the buildings, roads, and tiles imprinted on one side. Cracks spread vigorously from the shattered rift caused by the Destruction Key, pulsating with intense fluctuations.
Siegfried scooped up the shimmering, semi-transparent fragments. They quickly vaporized in his hand, melding into the eerie, chilling night.
Through the fissure, he caught sight of a blurry red figure, as if still slumbering.
"Is it you causing all this?"
"Roar!"
Surveying the surroundings, Siegfried watched the abrupt appearance of the monstrous creatures, a disdainful smile crossing his lips.
The white-haired man clasped his pistols together, the crimson blades manifesting amidst the flames, illuminating not only his cheeks but also the dim sky.
"Finally, I've caught you in the act..."