The Vixen's Gambit: Tonight We Hunt

Wow, this is a lively scene. A real clash of titans… Lihua watched the chaotic battle unfold from beside the wrecked rocket, a sense of wonder in her heart.

Even she, a veteran of countless battles, had never witnessed such a gathering of powerful individuals brawling.

She was used to one-sided beatdowns or duels between top fighters, but this was something else.

From the participants, this battle could be seen as a direct confrontation between the Previous Era and the Current Era—though one side looked considerably more…scrappy.

"Everyone, stop fighting! Let's sit down and talk… This pointless fighting is getting us nowhere!" Lihua shouted anxiously, but her words were barely audible amidst the chaotic din. Even she didn't believe what she was saying.

The reason was simple: at this rate, no one was going to die…

The current situation favored Kiana and the others. The Previous Era MANTIS warriors, at their peak, might have won, but now they were just clunky metal shells, barely able to utilize half their strength. They were steadily losing ground.

Kiana's side had the upper hand and were in no mortal danger. As for Elysia and the other Previous Era warriors, even if their metal bodies were destroyed, their consciousness would be unharmed.

So, in a way, while their combat was martial, it was also surprisingly…safe.

Though Elysia and the others are surprisingly tenacious in those metal shells. They weren't this enthusiastic when fighting Herrschers back then.

Oh, right, Unit-3 didn't really give them a chance to be enthusiastic…

Well, whatever. They're not much use now anyway. This is just a warm-up before the main event.

Watching the struggling metal box squad, Lihua received the map information from the protagonist. The moment of truth has finally arrived…

"Elysia, you're defeated!"

Red-violet lightning crackled with thunderous force, shattering a crystal-like barrier and slamming the enemy into the lunar mountains, sending dust flying. Seeing Elysia fall beneath her lightning-wreathed blade, Raiden Mei felt a surge of exhilaration!

Six months! Do you know what those six months in the Elysian Realm were like?! Getting beaten up by these Previous Era folks every single day!!

But Mei had never complained, silently absorbing every technique and piece of knowledge from those who attacked her—not to prove how studious she was, but so that one day, she could show those cryptic Elysian Realm inhabitants that she would pay them back for every hit!

And today, she had finally proven herself, defeating the strongest among them, Elysia!

Come to think of it, Elysia was one of the few who hadn't killed me in the simulations… Whatever. One of the biggest lessons I learned in the Elysian Realm was to just hack and slash at everyone equally!

Compared to the triumphant Mei, Elysia, now embedded in the ground, looked much more disheveled. Several parts of her body were damaged, sparking with electricity.

Ugh, I actually lost to Mei… If I had my real body or core, this wouldn't have happened! Elysia looked up at Mei, who, after defeating her, didn't linger but turned to help Kiana against Kalpas.

Once a crack appeared in the stalemate, the balance quickly shifted… But Elysia wasn't thinking about that now.

Look at them, their close relationship, their strong bond connecting them even in battle… What about me?

Elysia gazed at the dark expanse of space above, trying to conjure the image in her heart, as she had done so many times before—but in the end, she couldn't summon anything.

To summon Lee's phantom to aid her in battle, she needed to visualize her perfectly… but Elysia couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't clearly picture Lee's image in her mind.

She had thought the sun-like Lee she had constructed was the real one, but the video and the events of that day had shown her that the real Lee was different. She didn't understand Lee at all.

If she didn't understand, if she didn't even know what Lee looked like, how could she summon her?

"Haha, I really can't do anything, can I, Elysia…?" she muttered in a daze.

Like dominoes, after Elysia fell, the remaining battles quickly concluded. A pile of colorful metal boxes lay scattered on the ground.

"Elysia, Aponia, Kalpas, Kosma, Eden, Sakura, Su, Pardo…"

Standing before her defeated comrades, Fu Hua awkwardly counted her former companions, feeling uncomfortable under their gazes, even if they were just projected from screens.

Still, she had to ask: "It's normal for Griseo and Dr. MEI not to be here, but where are Vill-V and Mobius?"

"Researching how to re-implement the Stigma Project on Blue Earth…" Eden replied, her voice tired but still answering Fu Hua's question. "That person… assigned the three of them to research it."

"…Why are you helping her?"

"Hua, you're not privy to that information…" Eden sighed. Not until you turn off that automatic memory wipe function in your head, anyway.

Fu Hua fell silent, acutely aware of how annoying cryptic pronouncements were. But things had progressed to this point, and she wouldn't lose her composure now. They were just one step away from resolving everything.

"Let's defeat that imposter pretending to be Lee first," Fu Hua sighed, looking at her current companions. Once we defeat the mastermind, everything will be alright!

"You can't."

A cold male voice came from behind Fu Hua, making her hair stand on end. Without hesitation, she dodged and attacked, putting all her strength into the blow. Even a Judgment-class Honkai beast wouldn't dare take that hit head-on.

Yet, that mountain-shattering punch was caught effortlessly.

"Don't try to stop the Stigma Project. Resistance is futile."

With those calm words, he gripped Fu Hua's fist and flung her away, sending her flying into the unknown.

One of their strongest fighters was easily defeated. Everyone fell silent. Even the usually composed Otto felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple.

This man… is truly terrifying!

Kevin ignored the renowned figures, his gaze fixed on Lihua near the wreckage.

Elysia had spoken to him about this person.

Similar… Indeed, similar.

Unlike that imposter, this is a resemblance that goes down to the soul.

Five thousand years ago, Kevin might not have been able to control himself.

But he had spent five millennia alone at the bottom of the Sea of Quanta. His heart was now colder than its deepest waters!

A fake is a fake. No matter how similar, it will never be the real thing.

He would not indulge in false warmth and abandon his quest for revenge for the real her!

"Leave, or die. Choose." Kevin said calmly.

If this imposter backed down, so be it. But if she stubbornly blocked his path…

Even if she shared Lee's face, Kevin would show no mercy!