I am, Flame-Chaser of Previous Era-Chapter 103: anomalies

The night wind blew; Shiga remained vibrant. Except for the occasional roar of a fighter jet, it was unchanged.

Ryan used a newspaper to shield his face, occasionally glancing at Sakura across from him. In the dim moonlight, he could see droplets of water on her hair and the pale skin of her neck; her impassive expression was somewhat intimidating.

Sakura didn't react; her eyes held a subtle wariness. Further explanation would be futile.

This jerk ruined my glorious image. Fine, I can't blame him; he's a lustful brute who can't resist a beautiful woman; it's instinct.

"Ahem, I've already lectured that inferior correspondent. You know, artists are often misunderstood, so their expressions are... sparse."

Sakura rolled her eyes, clearly disbelieving him. She was annoyed; she'd almost been tricked again.

This wouldn't do. She needed a change of subject.

Ryan shifted, his mind racing, quickly forming a plan.

"Is Rin asleep?"

"Yes, she just fell asleep. She finally finished her homework. I'm worried she won't catch up after the weekend classes start." Sakura's attention shifted to her sister, showing a worried expression. "I need to find a babysitter tomorrow. I'm so sorry for the trouble."

A little sister makes things so easy; she's completely forgotten everything else.

Ryan smirked, his killing blow prepared.

"Don't worry. I already arranged it when I bought the bunny plushie. A middle-aged woman looking for work will be available tomorrow. She's trustworthy."

Sakura rubbed her hair, questioning, "Didn't you say you lacked authority?"

"It's unrelated to Fire Moth; it's simply a form of mental suggestion, highly effective on ordinary people with minimal side effects."

Sakura remembered Ryan's subtle power of influence; in the town, a single statement had caused people to leave. She didn't question the source; she already trusted his methods.

Her previous irritation vanished, replaced by gratitude and regret.

"Sometimes I don't know how to thank you. Even as a collaborative partner, I owe you a great deal."

"You feel uneasy?"

"Yes. Our contributions are disproportionate. From my training, there's no such thing as one-sided sacrifice. Yet your attitude troubles me." Sakura became serious, voicing her thoughts.

"In terms of strength, I'm far inferior. Even as a Fusion Warrior, I'm unlikely to be your match. In terms of authority, I'm merely an assassin; even Vill-V's value surpasses mine."

Her words were heartfelt; assassins wouldn't express such thoughts, only observing silently.

"So, what do I owe you?" Ryan propped his head up, glancing at the girl sitting cross-legged, her relaxed collar revealing her delicate clavicle. Her makeup-free face was elegant and ethereal.

Am I investing in the future, trying to cozy up to [Setsuna] Flame-Chaser?

That idea, once practical, now seemed absurd. Ignoring the power disparity, Ryan's actions had already placed him on the same level. He didn't need Elysia; the 13 Flame-Chasers were slowly falling under his influence.

He didn't even need Mei; Fire Moth was reshaping itself according to his plans, many things fundamentally altered.

"So, Sakura, how do you plan to repay me?"

"At least provide some peace of mind. You can make any request." Sakura took a deep breath. Even if Ryan asked her to undress, besides contempt, she could at least return to normalcy.

And that was quite likely; she'd observed him closely. His greatest weakness was lust.

Ryan looked her up and down, taking in her pink hair, her full lips, her delicate clavicle, and the slightly raised T-shirt revealing her slim, alluring legs.

After a long silence, he spoke softly. "Then, make me a cup of tea."

"What did you say?" Sakura seemed to misunderstand. He'd done so much; this was all he wanted?

"Tea. Carefully prepared. We'll call it even." Ryan repeated himself.

"That's all?"

"What else do you want? What else can I ask for?"

"I thought you wanted..."

"Stop. I'm an artist and a scientist; I fulfill people's dark, profound fantasies. Do you still look down on me?"

Sakura wouldn't dare look down on Ryan; she was just confused. Hesitantly, she reached for the teapot, pouring the emerald green tea into a cup.

Her movements were gentle and delicate, as if honed by rigorous training. Every motion exuded elegance.

The tea was almost full; the cup was like a jade pool, adorned with scattered rose petals; it possessed a unique charm.

Ryan lifted the teacup, taking a sip. Besides the rich, slightly bitter taste of the tea, there was a faint, clear floral aroma; the two flavors blended, making him close his eyes in contentment.

"Excellent tea. You made this blend, right?"

"I used blossoms from my hometown cherry trees. It gives it a unique flavor; Rin will like it. Wait, you haven't answered my question."

"I have." Ryan gestured to the teacup, smiling faintly. "I treated you sincerely; you treated me sincerely. Our gains and sacrifices are equivalent; neither of us loses."

"I suppose..."

Sakura was going to say it was merely a cup of tea, but Ryan's arrangements for Rin were impeccable; she couldn't find fault. But as a perceptive individual, she understood his point.

Ignoring inherent value, they'd genuinely connected, disregarding hierarchy.

"Ryan, you're truly an unusual person. But to say more would show my arrogance. Even if our interests conflict one day, I'll try my best to side with you." Sakura took a deep breath, seemingly making a decision.

"Rest assured, our interests will always align. Of course, I don't object to a bit of personal affection. I feel I've outmaneuvered Elysia." Ryan smiled, raising his teacup and taking another sip with satisfaction.

I'm essentially an enhanced version of Elysia—less emotional and passionate, but with greater cold rationality.

Sakura didn't question him, making him another cup of tea before going inside and returning with a notebook and laptop.

"I thought you didn't like discussing work at home."

"I don't like it, but this is my way of thanking you. A cup of tea can't atone for everything; don't underestimate me." Sakura smiled, sitting beside Ryan, starting her laptop and plugging in a data drive.

"I used the decryption tool Vill-V gave me to hack into the Flexible Branch terminal, cross-referencing it with Dr. Mei's intelligence. We confirmed that the Judgment-Class Honkai Beast that escaped from Shanghai is nearby. Here's its data."

"Śeṣa?" Ryan recalled Chalice's words; during the previous Third Herrscher battle, she'd cooperated with the beast surprisingly well.

"Yes. Besides occasional attacks on coastal villages in Australia, it's been hiding on a deserted island. Fire Moth's several attempts to capture it failed."

It sounds cunning.

Ryan knew Herrschers and High-Rank Honkai Beasts lacked humanity; there was no possibility of 'repenting.' This didn't mean they lacked intelligence.

Sakura scrolled through the data; observation and analysis reports flashed by, along with some blurry images. Ryan adjusted his glasses, leaning closer to the screen.

It was a jet-black serpent, like a creature from mythology, with lightning crackling around its body, and swirling black mud.

'Judgment-Class, serpent... Isn't this for Mobius?'

Ryan rubbed his face. He could predict many things but didn't remember every Flame-Chaser's Honkai Beast—they were too many to keep track of. He collected the data; Mobius handled gene pairing and finding suitable candidates. But this serpent was... familiar.

"Let's start with it. As a cooperating beast of the Third Herrscher, its abilities likely involve electromagnetism, something I'm familiar with."

More than familiar; you're practically the same as the Third Herrscher.

Sakura glared at Ryan, but she wasn't as curious as Mobius. She tapped the screen. "During the fifth observation of [Śeṣa], the Honkai energy detectors registered a maximum value."

Ryan's attention sharpened; his eyes widened at the arc.

"2200HW?"

Could a Judgment-Class Honkai Beast reach this level? Are you sure it's not a Herrscher's energy? Ryan raised an eyebrow. Even Judgment-Class Honkai Beasts should be weaker than Herrschers. According to Fire Moth's classification, 2000HW was the Herrscher threshold.

"The energy dissipated quickly, and aside from a small fleet being affected, there wasn't significant damage. If it were a Herrscher, the surrounding coastal cities would have been destroyed." Sakura, unsure, read from the document:

"Fire Moth estimates the energy originated from two sources, speculating that two High-Rank Honkai Beasts converged, causing a detection error."

Converged?

Ryan was silent; this contradicted Fire Moth's previous research. High-Rank Honkai Beasts usually acted alone; human social structures couldn't be applied to these creatures.

Even cooperating beasts of a Herrscher wouldn't show any connection, much less a hierarchical relationship.

Otherwise, without a Herrscher, if someone could coordinate all the world's Honkai Beasts, Fire Moth would be in real trouble.

"Fire Moth intelligence is investigating, but there's a precedent. Look at this report." Sakura typed rapidly; images and classified data appeared.

The third Nordic extermination operation confirmed two Emperor-Class Honkai Beasts acting together—one to lure, one to ambush. Casualties...

Ryan slowly read, his brow furrowing. He blurted out, "Check all reports for similar anomalies; note the timing."

"I already checked."

"When?"

Sakura slowly turned, her voice odd.

"After the Third Herrscher was defeated."