With a single stomp, Shu shattered the ground beneath him. But the ground didn't just crumble; it heaved upwards in large chunks, instantly forming a makeshift barrier.
The monsters thrown by the impact slammed into the black crows in the air, while those still charging crashed headfirst into the upturned earth. The relentless, frenzied assault pulverized the barrier into dust before it even settled, but when the dust cleared, the spot they had surrounded was empty!
Shu had one arm wrapped tightly around Sirin's waist, holding her close as his eyes scanned for an escape route.
Only when he reached a higher vantage point did Shu realize the black tide was truly endless. From his perch, he couldn't see its end, only a sea of blood-red eyes.
Several dark shadows flitted past him. The sky was no safe haven either.
Twisting in mid-air, he stomped on a black crow, the force of his kick obliterating the creature as he and Sirin shot straight toward the ground.
He landed, crushing two giant beasts beneath his feet, and immediately launched himself back up. He kicked out at the monsters on either side, sending them flying before they could react, then plunged headfirst into the horde.
The monsters were packed so tightly there was no ground to stand on. With every step, Shu crushed a monster's head or shoulders.
Besides their frenzy, the beasts seemed to share some strange hive mind. The surging tide immediately found its new direction and rushed toward Shu.
Monster after monster leaped from the black tide, pouncing on Shu, only to be kicked away or torn apart by his feet.
The two flying swords found their master again, carving two arcs through the air as they flew to his side.
With the two longswords covering him, Shu could finally focus on running. His plan was to reach the edge of this world, then tear it open and escape.
Only one figure in the entire black tide stood still. The next moment, the massive black wolf threw its head back and howled. Shu instantly looked up to see several huge shadows streaking across the sky above him.
Three figures landed before Shu like a giant wall, blocking his path. Shu's eyes darkened, and the two swords, which had been on a mad killing spree, began to gather power.
Just then, the ground beneath Shu's feet suddenly gave way, as if he'd stepped in wet cement, trapping his foot firmly.
Stunned, Shu looked down. A disgusting glob of sludge, mixed with all sorts of filth, had enveloped his foot and was now rapidly crawling up his leg.
When he looked up again, the massive figures in front of him had raised their thick forelimbs. The fangs and claws of the surrounding monsters were closing in.
Shu gritted his teeth, preparing to launch his two swords before they were fully charged. But at that precise moment, a wave of exhaustion washed over him from his very core.
His recently recovered body had hit its limit again…
That momentary lapse cost Shu any chance to counterattack. All he could do was watch the fists descend, instinctively covering Sirin's head with his hand.
Sirin had kept her eyes squeezed shut from the beginning, making herself as unobtrusive as a doll that could be tossed around at will, not uttering a single sound.
Even if Shu threw her away, she wouldn't have screamed…
But even now, Shu showed no intention of letting her go…
The attack was inches away. Shu's pupils focused on the monster, as if to burn its form into his memory.
That shape… why does it look so much like a Chariot-class Honkai Beast?!
[ARAHATO - BRACE FOR IMPACT.]
A mechanical voice suddenly sounded in Shu's ear. He froze. The next moment, five metal pillars, each the size of a person, shot up from the ground around him.
A giant metal hand lifted Shu and the black sludge clean off the ground. A black samurai-style mech emerged halfway from the ground, swinging a long katana and slicing the giant beast before it in two.
An expression of utter shock finally appeared on Shu's face. He turned to look at Arahato.
"Joyce!" He didn't even need to guess who was piloting the mech. Even Shu couldn't help but cry out in surprise and joy.
"It's me!" Joyce's voice immediately replied from the cockpit. "And I'm not alone!"
"Wooooo—!!"
"Shu—!"
A powerful beam of light suddenly illuminated the dark world, leaving the creatures of darkness with nowhere to hide.
Kiana's yell was even louder than the train horn… wait, a train?
Shu and Sirin turned in astonishment to see a derailed train, stumbling but unstoppable, crashing through everything as it plowed into the monster horde, heading straight for the giant wolf.
Kiana was standing on the front of the train, waving enthusiastically at Shu from a distance. Beside her, Mei and Bronya stood fully armed.
Nobel and the others were also in various mechs, lined up on either side of Kiana, though Schrodinger and Darwin were missing.
The train suddenly let out a piercing shriek as its emergency derailment system finally gave out. But with another long blast of its horn, the train surged forward, not stopping until it sent the giant wolf flying.
"Leave these monsters to me!!" Kiana declared confidently, slapping her chest as the Key of Sentience on her body glowed red.
"Kiana!" Shu's heart clenched. He yelled, "Keep the output under 10%!!"
"I know, I know!" Kiana replied smoothly, then, dual pistols in hand, she was the first to leap into the monster horde.
Following her were two Titan mechs. Darwin's excited voice boomed from one of the Titan's speakers.
"You guys actually brought these?! It's been so long since I piloted a mech!!"
"Dr. Darwin… if you don't want to be pried open like an oyster and become monster food, I suggest you get moving," Schrodinger's voice came from the other mech.
The train's cargo doors opened, and a giant toy dinosaur leaped out, letting out a roar before charging the largest monster it could find.
Countless Homu guards and other toys poured out of the cars, wielding comical weapons but managing to carve out a safe zone within the black tide.
"Shu! What's the plan?!"
"To the dream's border!" Shu shouted back, ripping the black sludge from his foot and setting Sirin aside. "Sirin will show us the way out, and I'll open the passage!!"
Sirin's eyes snapped open, and she stared blankly at Shu.
She had never agreed to this… Why would Shu say that?
Because Shu was certain she would help him…
"Got it!" Joyce immediately recalled Shu's ability to tear open space. If Sirin could really guide them, it made perfect sense for Shu to open the exit!
"Wait… I…" Sirin began, her trembling hands grabbing Shu's arm. But when Shu turned to look at her, the words on the tip of her tongue changed.
"Without that book… without the Key of Remembrance… I can't do it…" Sirin said softly, pulling her hand back.
Shu and Joyce both froze. Without even thinking about what a "Key of Remembrance" was, Joyce immediately asked, "So where is this Key of Memory?"
"On that high platform from before!" Shu said instinctively. Realizing Joyce hadn't been there, he stood up and, bracing himself on Arahato's fingers, pointed.
"Over there!"
Amidst the black tide, a white light flickered. Around it, countless monsters circled aimlessly, utterly lost.