NOVEL NEXT Chapter 304: Reconnaissance
"The blizzard seems to have weakened quite a bit." With his equipment case in his left hand, Chen Tianwu pulled his hood down with his right, covering his eyes.
The howling wind, mixed with ice crystals, scraped against his cheeks. Even with 74% of his body structure modified into machinery, it was difficult to resist the erosion of the low temperature.
"Don't lower your guard. This is a Herrscher," Raven said, clutching her Seven Thunders of Retribution sniper rifle as she followed Chen Tianwu off the transport ship. The skill of the crew was commendable to be able to transport them safely in such extreme weather.
In addition to her weapon, Raven had three cylindrical containers, about a dozen centimeters long, at her side. The black containers were covered in golden patterns, with faint traces of energy ripples flowing within.
These were the so-called Staves of the Underworld, a precious legacy from the Previous Era. World Serpent could only barely produce eight of them with their current materials. Raven had used one during the battle against Mei in Nagazora City, and this time she had brought three.
"To ensure everything goes smoothly, take one of these." Raven unhooked a grappling hook from her waist and handed one of the Staves to Chen Tianwu.
In theory, given Chen Tianwu's current qualifications, he had no right to use such a strategic item. However, this mission only had the two of them, and if something happened to Raven, they should be able to provide cover for each other and avoid a total loss.
Chen Tianwu wasn't unfamiliar with the item. Raven had shown him the data on the Staves of the Underworld before the mission began, but he had thought they would be more magical like actual scepters.
Instead, they were a purely technological product, and he couldn't see any connection to the underworld.
"Imaginary Space Interference Device."
"That's right, that's essentially what it is. I don't know why Jackal had to give it a name like 'Staff of the Underworld.' But since it was her creation, Gray Serpent and the Sovereign just went along with her strange hobby."
Raven explained casually, tightening her cloak to ensure the storm wouldn't obstruct her vision.
"We'll move together. I'll provide cover for you from about 200 meters away, setting up a sniper point. Remember, if you spot the Herrscher, don't hesitate. Immediately use the Staff of the Underworld to interfere with her connection to the Imaginary Space. Otherwise, we'll be in deep trouble facing a Herrscher in her complete form."
"So, my job is to act as bait, creating an opportunity for you?" Chen Tianwu clearly understood his role. His combat abilities weren't impressive, and his physical fitness was far inferior to that of a Valkyrie. His only advantage was that his adaptability to Honkai energy was higher than others.
But this high adaptability was only relative to ordinary humans. It was more because his heavily mechanized body allowed him to withstand high concentrations of Honkai energy, preventing him from being infected by the Honkai and turning into a zombie before even getting close to the Herrscher.
Faced with Chen Tianwu's self-deprecating question, Raven did not deny it, appearing somewhat cold and heartless.
But in reality, as long as Chen Tianwu completed his task, he could leave the battlefield as soon as possible, while Raven had to engage in direct combat with the Herrscher, as the main damage dealer in this mission.
She was not only responsible for suppression, but also for ensuring that the Herrscher didn't lose control and could be recovered safely.
In terms of danger, it was far beyond what Chen Tianwu could match.
Of course, they both knew that calling himself bait was just Chen Tianwu making a meaningless joke to relieve the tension before the battle.
Just like when he had told Anna that if they could both escape the disaster, they would go on a date together.
That statement was essentially just a joke Chen Tianwu said to relieve Anna's fear, but Raven knew it was a joke, while Anna had taken it seriously.
"Anna."
Unconsciously thinking of that girl again, Chen Tianwu subconsciously pressed the necklace at his heart. He shook his head slightly to clear the chaotic thoughts in his mind and focused his attention on the mission.
He knew very well that Anna wasn't here right now, and that she was safe. But the time left was limited. If they couldn't recover the Herrscher in time, Anna's Snow Lotus Squad would arrive on Coral Island and would definitely be in danger.
Therefore, whether for the sake of World Serpent's mission or to prevent Anna from falling into danger, Chen Tianwu had to eliminate the Herrscher ahead of time.
"Maybe by the end of this mission, there will be a chance to see Anna again."
Chen Tianwu had too many doubts and too many things to say to Anna. He had made up his mind that once this mission was complete, he would choose to temporarily leave World Serpent to pursue the girl's path.
And he had to find out about the mysterious organization, The Obsidian Concord.
Having prepared themselves, Chen Tianwu and Raven quickly began their exploration of Coral Island.
Despite being on the equator, the place was as cold as Antarctica. The metallic ground creaked underfoot, and large cracks had appeared between the joints due to the cold contraction.
Blue ice crystals were everywhere. The frozen glaciers reflected his image like mirrors. Fortunately, once they entered the glacier area, the impact of the blizzard was reduced, allowing Chen Tianwu to move safely.
In this extreme low temperature, even Honkai beasts had been frozen in the glaciers. As he walked, Chen Tianwu felt like he was visiting an exhibit hall. Fortunately, he didn't see the bodies of any Valkyries, which proved that the Snow Lotus Squad wasn't here.
"How is it on your side?"
Raven's voice came through the radio. Chen Tianwu stopped and opened the case in his hand. Inside was his computer, and a holographic map was displayed on the screen. There was no red marker indicating the presence of a Herrscher.
"No Herrscher signal detected. Probably the signal interference from the blizzard."
"Don't let your guard down. The Herrscher signal will be very weak when not using their power. If they're injured, it will be even fainter."
"Does that mean the Herrscher could be intentionally hiding for a sneak attack?" In World Serpent's database, the descriptions of Herrschers were of extremely dangerous and powerful beings. With Chen Tianwu's insignificant combat ability, they could be easily crushed with one hand. There was no need for a sneak attack.
Thinking of the Herrschers she had encountered, Raven sighed inwardly. "It's hard to say... wait."
Just as Raven was crouching down and moving forward with her sniper rifle, she suddenly noticed a dark shadow flash in the blizzard.
The figure was moving too fast for Raven to see clearly, but she didn't lower her guard. She clearly felt that the Honkai energy density around her was increasing, and this strange reaction was likely indicating that the Herrscher was nearby.
"Night Owl, be ready for combat. You'll only have about ten seconds to react when facing a Herrscher. You must hold out until I can provide support."
"Okay..." Hearing Raven's words, Chen Tianwu also became nervous. He slowly moved forward. He was surrounded by frozen buildings.
After passing a ridiculously large block of ice, an open space came into view.
There was nothing here, not even the Honkai beast specimens that could be seen everywhere else, but in this dead, silent plaza, a black and white female figure stood quietly before the glacier.
A pale dress, a black veil, and a coldness that seemed to freeze a person solid with just one look.
The moment he saw the figure, Chen Tianwu felt like his breath was being choked off. He was almost suffocating.
The next second, a glaring red warning marker appeared on the holographic map that had been empty before.
A Herrscher!
"Chen Tianwu, be careful." At that moment, Raven's voice also came through his earpiece.
On the other side, Raven watched the white-haired girl in the distance, seemingly searching for something. The fingers on her Seven Thunders of Retribution trembled slightly.