Took Down the Big One, and Now a Small One Shows Up?

 When the pinkish-purple cube core appeared in front of Shu, he felt a sense of bewilderment.

So simple? This "Chariot"-class Honkai beast, which had chased me almost all the way here, although not the same one, but... so simple?

If it was this simple from the beginning...

Shu placed his hand on the core, his fingers gripping it, gradually increasing pressure.

With its core seized, the Honkai beast began to struggle frantically, like a human whose heart was being squeezed. In its chaotic mind, the Honkai beast felt the instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm for the first time.

But this was Shenzhou. Even though the truck was in ruins, it still used its broken body to teach the Honkai beast a good lesson.

This is what we call human manufacturing power!

The rampaging Honkai beast wanted to throw Shu off its head, swaying its body and trying to crash into anything nearby.

But none of this could shake Shu now. A Honkai beast with most of its mobility restricted, unable to run or jump, what ability did it have to get rid of Shu?

[From Kiana, Mei, Bronya: Remove the Honkai beast's core]

This was the [Prayer] Shu was currently fulfilling, and their original goal. But now, Shu was going to complete this [Prayer] in another way.

The core wasn't as hard as Shu had imagined. Compared to the Honkai beast's shell, the core's strength was no different from ordinary glass.

This led to—the core simply couldn't withstand the grip strength Shu applied with [Expectation].

"Crack—!"

A crisp cracking sound was insignificant in the noisy scene, but it was so clear in Shu's ears. Not exactly pleasant, but Shu just felt something leave his body with this crisp sound.

Shu was stunned for a moment, then realized.

That was my cowardice.

The core shattered, and fragments of crystal scattered in all directions.

And in the instant the core shattered, the frantically struggling Honkai beast seemed to be pressed with a stop button, freezing in place with no inertial movement.

It remained still for a full two seconds, then the Honkai beast's limbs stiffened and it fell, crashing heavily to the ground.

In a small car in the distance, three people were almost pressed against the window on one side, staring intently in the direction of the Honkai beast.

When they saw the Honkai beast freeze, all three involuntarily held their breath, afraid of missing any detail.

Until the Honkai beast fell powerlessly, and Shu stood straight on the Honkai beast's remains, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the small car, led by Kiana.

"Yay!!" Kiana jumped up directly, hitting her head on the car roof, then clutching her head and sitting back down.

"Phew..." Mei breathed a long sigh of relief, moved away from the window, closed her eyes and gently patted her chest, a relieved smile on her lips.

Bronya looked at Shu standing on the wreckage, also revealing a knowing smile, "As expected, Bronya didn't believe in the wrong person."

"Huh? Why is he still standing there like a fool?" A few seconds later, Shu was still standing there, motionless. Kiana, pressed against the car window, asked curiously.

"Maybe..." Bronya thought for a moment, then said with a smile, "Shu knows we're watching him, and he's posing."

Kiana's eyes widened, then she decisively opened the car door and ran out, cupping her hands to her mouth and shouting at Shu, "Stop showing off there!"

Shu, who had been posing for several seconds, listened to Kiana's shout with satisfaction, put away his pose, and jumped down from the Honkai beast's head with a satisfied and smug look.

Heavens have eyes! I finally showed off handsomely for once!

"What showing off? There are no other spectators here," Kiana grumbled sourly, watching Shu approach her, clapping his hands.

She also wanted to stand on the Honkai beast's corpse and pose!

"Sigh, you wouldn't understand~" The smile on Shu's face was more persistent than an AK-47. "Being handsome is a lifelong endeavor, and besides, where are there no spectators? Aren't you guys the best audience?"

"Tch," Kiana averted her eyes with a disdainful look.

Of course, she knew being handsome was a lifelong endeavor! She also wanted Mei to see her handsome back!

Then... hehehe...

"Hmph, you're just being a sour grape," Shu indicated that he had long seen through Kiana's character.

"Alright," Mei stepped forward to mediate. "Shu, are you injured?"

"No, I'm perfectly healthy," Shu said, smiling and stretching his body. "I feel like the [Expectation] in my body is enough for me to do it ten more times."

"But there aren't ten parking garages to assist you," Kiana said, getting back into the car, still sour. Even Bronya next to her could sense the sourness.

"Let's hurry back to the shelter and tell everyone the good news," Mei put her hand on the steering wheel. "Get in the car, Shu."

Shu nodded and opened the passenger door.

"Next step is to find Class Monitor and the others, right?" Kiana leaned her head between the front seats, asking curiously.

"If nothing unexpected happens, that's the plan," Shu nodded.

"Then can I have a good look around Class Monitor's house?" Kiana turned her head, looking at Shu with shining eyes. "I've long wanted to see what kind of place could produce a martial arts expert like Class Monitor!"

Martial arts? Are you serious?

Shu didn't agree with Kiana's wording.

"If we have enough time, of course, we can," Shu responded. "But the primary goal is still to find Otto and the others."

Kiana nodded repeatedly and sat back.

Feeling the car start, Shu breathed a long sigh of relief and leaned back in his seat.

Lying down lazily for a while after strenuous exercise is truly the greatest bliss in the world... Feeling sleepy, not sleeping last night is really taking its toll...

"Shu! What's that?!" Just as Shu was drifting off to sleep, Kiana's exclamation suddenly woke him up.

"What's wrong?" Shu straightened up listlessly, but still turned back to ask Kiana.

Kiana moved aside, pointing at a Honkai beast behind them, not as large as the "Chariot"-class, but even faster, and asked, "Shu, what kind of Honkai beast is that? I have a feeling that thing is not easy to deal with?"

Hearing "Honkai beast," Shu felt three points of sleepiness dissipate, frowning as he looked confidently at the Honkai beast chasing behind the car.

One glance, Pony. 

Two glances, Honkai Emperor.

"It's a Honkai Emperor..."

Shu blurted out subconsciously, still feeling sleepy.

The next moment, Shu suddenly jumped up, grabbing the seat and stuffing half his body into the back seat.

"Huh?! Honkai Emperor?!"