Months later.
North Africa, Sahara Desert.
New World Serpent Headquarters, Underground Base.
Somewhere within the training grounds.
"唪\~"
Kevin Kaslana casually swung his sword and struck a wave of heat that sent a hot-blooded young man with white hair, who was shouting at him, flying face-first into the ground.
The latter rolled several times after hitting the ground.
"Unfair!"
A passionate young man with white hair... Wearing a new combat suit and having improved his physical condition to a certain extent, Kevin stood up like an ordinary person.
Before he could fully steady himself, he couldn't help but complain to "himself": "This is just training, why are you using the Heavenly Fire Holy Judgement?"
"."
Kevin Kaslana was briefly speechless as he looked at his younger self making such a fuss.
So—
"Whoosh\~"
"Yo... Let's go!"
Seeing the incoming fire in the blink of an eye, Kevin hurriedly dodged to the side.
He had just gotten up, and because he moved too quickly, he ended up falling back onto the ground again.
At the same time, he looked forward.
"Boom!"
The spot where he had just been standing was now pierced by a giant, man-sized sword.
"You... What's the meaning of this?"
Kevin's heart pounded as he looked at his other "self," beginning to feel suspicious.
Compared to him, Kevin Kaslana was far calmer.
But—
"Since you feel it's unfair, you can try using the 'Heavenly Fire Holy Judgement' yourself."
Kevin Kaslana said coldly, "Although there's no room for complaints about fairness on the battlefield—"
"But as you said, this is training now."
"So I'm granting your request."
Hearing that—
"Tsk\~"
The dazed Kevin stood up and reached out to grab the hilt of the "Heavenly Fire Holy Judgement."
Then—
"Chi\~"
"Whoa!"
As expected, he was burned. His right hand was instantly withdrawn unconditionally, as if he had touched a powerful spring.
He then staggered several steps back.
Accidentally, he once again fell in a flat-out sprawl onto the sand like a wild goose crashing down.
Third time's the charm.
At this point, Kevin sat on the ground, looking like a total mess, simply refusing to get up.
Holding his scalded right hand, he trembled in pain.
He was clearly wearing a layer of armor.
If he had grabbed it barehanded, he might have smelled burning flesh by now.
Obviously, the "Heavenly Fire Holy Judgement" was the key to the Seventh Herrscher, the key of destruction. Not just anyone could wield the sword form like a flat-A.
And Kevin Kaslana… his flat-A is Jie Mie… even the emberless form of Jie Mie above that.
He had the ability to freeze the Heavenly Fire itself.
Therefore—
"No matter how good a weapon is, if you can't master it, it'll only hurt you."
Kevin Kaslana opened his mouth to remind him.
"You had the super-transformation surgery."
Clearly, Kevin wasn't convinced. "But I heard from Mei that undergoing super-transformation surgery and becoming a fusion warrior would give you power to rival a Herrscher."
"."
Kevin Kaslana remained silent.
He finally realized—this young version of himself clearly hadn't listened to all the information Mei had told him.
First, the success rate of hyper-evolution surgery was extremely low. Even most of those who were found to have adapted Honkai Beast genes died on the operating table or in the nutrition chamber.
Second.
Not all fusion warriors gain "Flame-Chaser-level" combat strength.
The vast majority are just a bit stronger than elite special forces among ordinary humans, with no great difference beyond that.
Of course, the special forces referred to here are not the regular soldiers armed with modern firearms, but elite soldiers equipped with mobile armor, and even advanced weapons such as mechs, to combat the Honkai.
Naturally, their combat effectiveness is much greater than that of standard armies.
But in any case, such a group, in a frontal confrontation, would never be a match for a Herrscher.
In Kevin Kaslana's memory, before the Fusion Warrior project was officially launched, it was even rejected by major parliamentary leaders. During total lockdowns, Fire Moth relied on various high-tech special operations, plus a single person. The "Superpowered Girl" with extraordinary combat effectiveness was sent to destroy the Herrscher.
That latter one, being a Herrscher colleague herself, didn't reveal the full extent of Alicia's power too obviously.
In short—
"If you yearn for that kind of power, then wait until Mei and the others further improve the data on hyper-evolution surgery before applying yourself."
Kevin Kaslana walked over to the side of the "Heavenly Fire Holy Judgement" and raised his hand to pull it from the ground.
"But remember, becoming a fusion warrior comes with a price."
Just like King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone.
If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight.
At that moment, as his words fell, the surrounding temperature gradually dropped, and after Kevin gripped the sword, hot flames began to flow from it.
Young Kevin only felt the temperature suddenly rise around him, and beads of sweat formed on his face.
Unusually, he didn't argue back.
But after those words, Kevin Kaslana had already left with his sword.
The training was over.
Just then—
"Wait a moment."
Young Kevin snapped out of it belatedly.
At that moment, he looked at the crack in the ground that had just been pierced by the flying "Heavenly Fire Holy Judgement" at his feet...
Especially around that crack, there were still traces of red, like high-temperature molten iron.
Still steaming.
Faced with such an attack, even with a new combat suit—
If he hadn't dodged on his own just now—
"Damn it, are you trying to kill me?!"
Kevin shouted angrily at the back of his other "self."
To that—
"If you can't even dodge this kind of attack, that's your own problem."
"At the same time, it just proves that you're not qualified to participate in the next operation."
Kevin Kaslana responded without looking back.
He then walked alone out of the training room.
In fact, there was still one more thing he hadn't said.
"If this is all you're capable of… how can I possibly trust you to protect Mei?"
He, as the strongest combat force, must go to the front lines to fight.
And in this current era, having been lucky enough to get a "second chance"... a chance at familiar times—
Kevin Kaslana had very few people he could trust 100%.
Even fewer he could confidently leave Mei with, assured that she wouldn't be harmed.
"Myself" is undoubtedly one of them.
"Do your best to grow stronger, 'Kevin'."
Kevin Kaslana thought to himself: "If you truly want to fight to the death to protect this... everything that was once lost."
"If you don't want to lose it again…"
His eyes grew dark. "You... I, have no choice."