Chapter 123 — Immortal One, Do You Know How Many Ways You Can Use "Judas"?

With a sharp, commanding shout, the long-hidden shadow hunter finally sprang into action.

In a blur of motion and a shrieking sonic boom, the distance of several dozen meters was instantly closed.

Fu Hua, clad in her Shadow Knight armor, appeared before Nagami, her fist already raised and driving straight for his chest.

The armor blazed with molten, lava-like light, and her slender fist now glowed with an ominous orange-red radiance, like a total lunar eclipse.

The strike carried the force to shatter the very earth beneath them, tearing through the crackling air with crushing might.

"Calm down! Hua, calm down!" Nagami called out, trying to halt her assault.

But the ancient Immortal did not stop—not even when he called her by the name from her previous era.

Rather than placating her, hearing that forbidden name only fanned her irritation.

He definitely needed some proper discipline!

Besides, Nagami's true identity was still unclear—Fu Hua's guess could be wrong. He might very well be an enemy. In that case, this little test was all the more necessary.

Her violet, six-pointed star-shaped pupils widened slightly as she focused.

In response, Nagami, relying on the enhanced body of a Herrscher, copied her stance by mimicking the exact energy flow and control she used, raising his own fist, shimmering with power, to clash against her incoming blow.

His technique was a strange, crude imitation of her own Heaven-Sundering Fist—something between a proper martial art and an awkward copy.

Fu Hua frowned slightly at the sloppy form—but when their fists collided, she was surprised to sense a hint of genuine mastery hidden in the chaos.

What the hell is this?

A shockwave, as real as steel, blasted outward from the point of contact, rippling violently in all directions.

Nagami used the rebound of the clash to push himself backwards, making sure their fight didn't accidentally destroy the dorms of St. Freya Academy.

Fu Hua noticed his intention, and her assault slackened ever so slightly.

Without speaking, both of them wordlessly shifted their battle away from the dormitory zone to a more open space.

Nagami clearly understood her real motive—this was not anger over his teasing comment, but a deliberate attempt to probe him.

The joke had merely served as an excuse to strike—or maybe, just maybe, it had genuinely ticked her off a little.

But either way, this wasn't a fight he could avoid with words.

And considering the God-Slaying Armor Fu Hua wore, it was obvious Otto's hand was involved in this as well.

So be it.

Nagami didn't hesitate. Even though he saw himself as a mage, it was still wise to hone his close-quarters combat skills—just in case he ran into a magic-resistant enemy. Highly unlikely, yes—but not impossible.

And besides... Fu Hua's Taixuan fist technique was worth learning.

With that decision made, Nagami moved to an open, deserted clearing.

A glowing purple magic circle spread beneath his feet, analyzing every detail of Fu Hua's energy control during her strikes.

His own fists shimmered with an ethereal, ice-blue light that looked like it came from a dream.

Fist after fist clashed with hers, the deafening sound of exploding air echoing across the clearing.

The marble pavement beneath Nagami's feet cracked and crumbled every so often from his clumsy attempts to disperse the force of her blows.

'Those eyes... What exactly are they...?'

Fu Hua's green gaze grew grave.

Staring into those strange, unique eyes of his and the intricate symbol he had conjured, unease flooded her heart.

Then surprise.

This newly-born Herrscher of Reason... was learning her martial art!

And the speed of his progress... was terrifying.

One was the Red Kite Immortal, guardian of Shenzhou for thousands of years.

The other, the freshly awakened Herrscher of Reason.

In the brief exchange of mere moments, they had already traded thousands of punches.

That was enough for Nagami to grasp some of the flow patterns of her energy.

Even if he couldn't fully comprehend them now, he could at least copy and store them to study later.

"Taixuan: Cloud Mist!"

Nagami's momentum surged sharply.

A gale like a mountain storm swirled around his fist as he struck, carrying the force of crumbling peaks. The impact forced Fu Hua back a small step.

Like an eager student asking for feedback, Nagami called out, "Did I do it right?"

"The energy flow is nearly perfect—even close to mine... but your technique is far off. Your force control is sloppy."

Fu Hua's voice was calm as ever, without the slightest ripple of emotion.

She had been holding back this whole time—but even she couldn't fully hide the faint surprise in her tone now.

'His ability to learn is terrifying...!'

"My control is that bad, huh..." Nagami muttered.

Not that it was entirely his fault.

His Alpha Stigma Eyes could parse nearly anything—including concepts themselves—but right now, he simply wasn't skilled enough to see everything clearly yet.

Energy flow, though? That was child's play.

He could copy it instantly, even if he didn't understand it yet.

Like reading off the answer sheet of the smartest kid in class—you'd have to try to get it wrong.

He hadn't even begun to unleash the full potential of those eyes.

"How much more you can learn... depends on you now," Fu Hua said softly—a quiet warning.

Because from this point on... she would stop holding back.

Suddenly, her gathered power exploded outward.

The dark armor she wore flared violently, radiating a fierce orange-red light like an eclipsed moon.

Eclipse Mode—the so-called Lunar Eclipse Form—fully activated.

The high-density compressed particles from the reactor were unleashed at maximum output.

The twin blade-like thrusters on her waist flared wide open, granting her unparalleled agility. This was pure, close-combat specialized armor.

"Did her SP bar just hit max or something...?"

Nagami's violet six-pointed star pupils spun slowly as he stood, a slightly odd expression crossing his face.

This God-Slaying Armor sacrificed long-range firepower entirely in favor of extreme mobility, built in the lightest possible form.

The result? It used incredibly expensive materials and offered minimal coverage—leaving most of the wearer's skin shielded only by a thin film of special coating.

Even though it was nighttime, with the glittering stars overhead, Nagami could clearly see everything—not just thanks to the moonlight, but with his Herrscher vision and Alpha Stigma Eyes enhancing every detail.

The black film was gradually absorbed into the armor, fully exposing the pale, flawless skin beneath.

The contrast between her icy, snow-like complexion and the dark armor was so striking it caught the eye irresistibly.

"Well... guess I'll save learning the rest for next time. This much is enough for me to digest for a while."

With a faint smile, Nagami nodded in agreement with Fu Hua's unspoken meaning.

Ignoring her puzzled glance, he slowly raised his right hand toward the sky.

Suddenly, a massive gilded cross, covered in intricate, ornate patterns, materialized out of the void and slammed heavily into the ground before him, kicking up dust and debris.

Fu Hua, who had just finished activating her ultimate form, looked up in surprise.

Her clear green eyes widened as the massive cross was reflected in her pupils.

"Is that... Judah's Oath?"

Staring at the familiar holy weapon, Fu Hua couldn't hide the shock in her voice as she gazed at Nagami, standing so casually behind the great cross.

"That's Theresa's exclusive weapon... Why is it in your hands?!"

"Well, obviously Judah decided its last wielder was too weak and picked a new master~"

Nagami's playful nonsense didn't fool her one bit.

As she carefully recalled the exact moment Judah appeared, a shocking thought flashed across her mind.

'No way...'

'He's only been a Herrscher for how long...?'

But what happened next confirmed her worst suspicion.

"Judah... unfold."

Gently brushing his hand across the surface of the cross, the boy spoke in a lazy, joking tone.

As if answering his call, the massive cross shuddered, letting out a deep metallic groan like grinding steel.

Slowly, it opened, releasing low, ominous creaks as countless chains burst from its core—twisting and weaving into massive, symmetrical wings.

Golden chains surged like a flood, streaming through the cracks and shooting skyward.

In an instant, a sea of golden chains blanketed the entire sky, filling the heavens as they danced and slithered like living serpents, entwining and merging to form a sealed domain with no escape.

The moment this field took shape, Fu Hua's Shadow Knight armor began losing thrust—the particle jets weakening.

Worse, the flow of Honkai energy within her body started to become sluggish and disrupted.

Several spears, each glowing with radiant golden light, emerged alongside the chains and hovered quietly behind Nagami, like silent guardians.

"Tell me, Immortal One..."

Nagami turned his head slightly, smiling playfully.

"Do you know how many ways you can really use Judah?"

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