Dream World.
Chino extended her massive finger. Countless mental power threads surged from her palm, weaving into Yang Lin's body.
She was now pulling the strings of this physical vessel, while Yang Lin's soul—or perhaps his consciousness—no longer resided within it.
His soul was held firmly in Chino's hands.
Yang Lin's consciousness plummeted into the deepest strata of the dreamscape. He felt as though he had plunged into a boundless ocean, sinking steadily and relentlessly.
This dark sea had no floor. He continued to drift downward, as if a multitude of hands from below were dragging him into an even deeper abyss.
And within those oceanic depths, a pair of gargantuan eyes silently observed Yang Lin's descent.
...
One day, Kitsune convened a new world conference.
"We have decided to disclose Object information to the general public."
"Every individual has the right to understand the reality they now face. We must unite and confront these external threats together!"
The conference met with no dissenting voices. The proposal achieved unanimous approval.
This was because Chino had used her mental power to taint the minds of everyone in attendance.
Shortly thereafter, intelligence regarding monsters was leaked. Each dread creature was characterized as an apocalyptic catastrophe.
The Red Mist Catastrophe, the abyssal beast Leviathan from the deep, the extraterrestrial Shans swarm.
The King of Frost who could freeze time and space, the immortal Vampire True Ancestor, and the primordial entity 009, capable of spawning an endless brood of monsters.
As information on one monster after another surfaced, the public reaction shifted from confusion to excitement, and finally, to pure panic.
Initially, they were thrilled to realize their world was far from ordinary; it was a place of superpowers and fantasy.
The allure of supernatural power set their hearts racing.
However, that exhilaration was soon replaced by an unspeakable dread.
Passion is fleeting. When they realized they were not the heroes of this story, but merely ordinary casualties to be crushed by monsters and cataclysms, fear took hold.
During this period, Red Mist and a host of other monsters began appearing before the public, almost as if they were performing a scripted role for Kitsune.
With the existence of these monsters confirmed, global hysteria erupted. Humanity had officially entered an era of terror.
Yet, after only a week, a piece of monumental news was broadcast.
In the darkest corners of the world, a secret organization existed. They were humanity's shield, having fought these monsters from the shadows since time immemorial.
Monsters were not new; it was this organization that had repeatedly risked everything to seal them away.
They were Kitsune. Human peace was built upon the foundation of Kitsune's sacrifices. Kitsune was noble, Kitsune was sacred, Kitsune was the guardian deity of the human race.
When people are drowning, they will desperately grasp at anything, even a single straw.
Kitsune was that straw. Kitsune became humanity's ultimate hope as they stepped into the light.
The monsters, observing this development, felt a sense of bewilderment.
This was entirely out of character for Kitsune. When the unusual occurs, there is always a hidden motive.
What was Kitsune's endgame?
Were they playing their final hand, having nothing left to lose?
What could be the purpose of such a move?
Or rather, was this not Kitsune's plan at all, but the work of the Serpent's Hand?
The fact that the Serpent's Hand covertly pulled the strings of Kitsune was common knowledge among the monsters.
So, what exactly was Reinhard planning?
...
A location in East Asia.
Ye Long, in pursuit of his target, arrived at the scene. He hovered in the sky above an unfathomably deep chasm.
This rift seemed to lead directly to the abyss. Even with his superhuman sight, Ye Long could not perceive its end.
"Reveal yourself. Since you went to such lengths to lead me here, stop hiding."
As Ye Long finished speaking, massive plumes of crimson vapor suddenly condensed before him.
The mist gathered into a single point, forming a colossal humanoid figure nearly a thousand kilometers tall.
This blood-red entity loomed over the earth, the Red Mist flowing like liquid and shifting like fine sand as it slowly dissipated.
"Ye Long, have you still not remembered who I am?"
Ye Long, maintaining his human form, looked at the crimson haze. "It is not that I know Shino; you are Red Mist."
Shino nodded. "Precisely. Do you not wish to protect humanity? Our goals are the same."
"An opportunity lies directly before you, Ye Long."
"By assisting Kitsune, we shall bring true stability back to this world."
Ye Long's expression remained cold. "Is this the Sea King's directive, or yours?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes, it makes a fundamental difference."
"Then it is my own," Shino replied.
However, Ye Long did not believe her. "If you truly cared for humanity, you would never show yourself to them. You and Kitsune are playing a game, forcing every monster onto the stage. Do I really need to expose your lies?"
"You do not desire peace; you desire total dominion."
"You have simply traded brute force for the guise of justice. Your ideal world is one where humanity lives in constant fear, allowing monsters and humans to coexist without the people ever realizing they are being ruled."
"Once that state is reached, it is only a matter of time before humanity becomes a slave to its own terror, their mindset so rigid that they will willingly accept your control."
Shino could not refute Ye Long, and yet...
"Is this not the stability you seek for this world? No human lives lost to monster wars, and your own power growing ever stronger."
"You could even become humanity's primary guardian. Imagine the power you would wield when all eyes are fixed on you—their collective faith and frozen hope would make you unimaginably divine."
Ye Long smiled. "A beautiful hypothesis, but a cruel reality."
"I could help you, but only if the Sea King's head is delivered to me, to honor my mother's spirit in the heavens."
So that was it.
The Sea King had murdered Ye Long's mother and then advanced by trampling over Ye Long's own broken body. These were debts Ye Long could never forgive.
Though Ye Long was the most capable ally they could ask for, he could never stand alongside the Sea King.
"An expected answer."
"It is a pity that your talent is so great, yet you cannot integrate with our vision. Therefore, we must ask you to leave the game."
As Shino spoke, several figures charged forward, surrounding Ye Long instantly!
Queen Bee descended from above. "Eliminating the Dragon first is a plan I support wholeheartedly."
The Vermin appeared in his massive centipede form. "Ye Long, what did I tell you? If the day ever came where you stood against humanity, I would be the one to stop you, to prevent you from making a fatal error. Is this not for the best?"
The Vermin's prophecy had come true. Ye Long now stood in opposition to humanity's new "saviors."
Because Chino stood firmly behind humanity.
Could it be that from that very moment, they had already begun plotting to join forces and eliminate Ye Long?
Hydra's massive form crawled out from the depths of the chasm. "Shall we fight?"
Three Mid 4th Steps, and one Low 4th Step.
Ye Long let out a thunderous dragon's roar, directly transforming into his majestic White Dragon form!
Shino, oh Shino.
He was indeed no longer the Shino that Ye Long once knew.
He who touches pitch shall be defiled. By aligning with the Sea King, it was only a matter of time before he was influenced and assimilated by the Sea King's essence.
Shino might have already anticipated Ye Long's refusal, which was why they had been preparing to consolidate their strength against Ye Long from the very beginning.
How strikingly similar the pattern was! Both major historical conflicts involved a concerted effort to kill Ye Long first.
It was just that the previous time, Chino made the move; this time, it was Shino.
The battle was cataclysmic. Four 4th Step beings launched a joint assault on Ye Long!
Each combatant unleashed their divine abilities as Ye Long fought with every ounce of his being. The sheer scale of the battle was so immense that people thousands of miles away could feel the tremors of their clash.
However, Ye Long's Peak 4th Step power proved too formidable even for the combined efforts of the four.
Ye Long, battling one against four, held his ground from day until night.
Seeing that they truly could not capture Ye Long, the Vermin chose this moment to reveal the divine artifact he had traded for at the Gold King's treasury.
L'Enchaînement Céleste!
"I knew you were a fighter. This was specially prepared for you!"
The Vermin swung his hand, casting the chains. Golden links surged from every direction, wrapping directly around Ye Long's dragon body, his claws, and his head.
Ye Long attempted to let out another roar, but his jaws were fiercely bound by the metal, and he found he could not break free.
Why was this happening?
These chains possessed no visible special features, yet they were unbreakable.
The links began to extend downward, anchoring themselves into the deepest strata of the chasm below.
Ye Long was dragged into the darkness, unable to resist the pull into the underground abyss.
L'Enchaînement Céleste crisscrossed through the void, imprisoning Ye Long's colossal body. From that moment on, not an inch of his flesh could move.
He tried to revert to his human form, but these chains seemed to possess a magical power that locked him in his current state, preventing any transformation.
Moments passed. Ye Long gradually became still.
The Vermin observed this and peered down into the chasm. "That fellow truly didn't lie to me."
The "fellow" the Vermin referred to was, of course, the Gold King.
The Gold King had claimed that this chain possessed a miraculous ability: it could bind a target based on their divinity. The stronger the divinity, the more unbreakable the binding became.
And the Dragon, in this world, was a mythological existence.
It was imbued with lofty divinity by the collective unconscious and served as a sacred spiritual totem. Ordinarily, this was a source of power for Ye Long.
The more powerful the Dragon was in the hearts of the people, the more powerful he became.
However, this chain, for reasons unknown, inverted that divine strength.
The very qualities people attributed to the Dragon God became the key to sealing Ye Long.
Moreover, this chain would not deteriorate with time, nor would the strength of the seal weaken as the years passed.
It would only weaken under a single circumstance: a reduction in divinity.
Only when people forgot the Dragon, or perhaps no longer regarded it as a mythological entity but merely an ordinary wild beast, would its divinity naturally fade.
Because the Dragon God's nature originated from faith, the fluctuations of his divinity were naturally tied to the tides of belief.
As Ye Long was sealed, the sky gradually darkened, and rainwater began to fall, striking Ye Long in the depths of the chasm.
Raindrops streamed into Ye Long's eyes, one by one.
The Vermin saw this and let out a cackling laugh. "Hahahaha, how truly pathetic! Even the heavens are kicking you when you're down."
"Goodbye... No, farewell, our mighty Dragon."
Red Mist Shino ignored the mockery. The Vermin didn't need to be so pleased, for it would soon be his turn.
And, of course, the Queen Bee's turn as well.
In the darkness of the abyss, Ye Long slowly closed his eyes.
Justice always triumphs—because the losing side is always labeled as evil.
...
India.
Somewhere in the wilderness, 009 hung upside down from a tree branch while a small group gathered beneath him.
Arthur and the other survivors of the Chaos Insurgency stood in the shade, peering up at the inverted form of 009.
"How is the boss faring?"
"Hard to say. When we found him, he was hanging there just like that—completely motionless."
"Has he suffered a breakdown?"
"That word seems quite appropriate under the circumstances."
"It is difficult to be certain. We have been incarcerated for so many years that I am still struggling to comprehend the state of the world outside."
The Priest looked up. "Boss, are you alright?"
Upon hearing this, 009's pupils suddenly twitched. "I have just come to a realization... the world is nothing more than a bleak comedy."
"I am weary. Perhaps it is time for the Chaos Insurgency to disband?"
The group stood in stunned silence. Was this truly something 009 would say?
Could he be possessed?
"Boss, get a grip! If we disband, where are we supposed to go?"
009 looked at them through his inverted perspective. "Where to go?"
"Where can't we go? Vermin, White Walker, Balance, Swordsmith, Computer—have they not all gone their separate ways?"
"Follow their lead. Go wherever your heart desires."
The Priest was flabbergasted. "Then what about you, boss?"
009 slowly closed his eyes. "Did I not just say? I am tired... I simply wish to rest for a while."
Naira stepped forward. "But the Frost King and the True Ancestor are still hunting you."
009 kept his eyes tightly shut, his voice sounding hollow and drained. "If I were capable of defeating them... I would not be hanging from this tree."
"They have pursued me from Earth to the Otherworld, and from the Otherworld back to Earth. I have spent year after year in flight. Even now, I am still running. When does it finally end?"
"If they are able to kill me, let them. I am done."
The group exchanged uneasy glances. Just as they prepared to depart, Naira's phone—a device she had recently "acquired"—began to ring.
The caller ID displayed a string of unfamiliar digits.
Naira answered. "Hello?"
"Naira, give the phone to 009."
An electronically synthesized voice vibrated from the speaker. The moment she heard it, Naira knew exactly who was on the other end.
The Computer!
Naira leaped into the air, pressing the phone directly against 009's ear.
The upside-down 009 remained motionless with his eyes shut until the Computer spoke. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open!
He snatched the phone from Naira, performed a mid-air flip, and dropped to the ground!
"Everyone, get back here!"
At his command, the members who had been walking away turned in unison to look at him.
What now?
"We are not disbanding!"
009's demeanor had shifted instantly. A wide grin spread across his face as he gripped the mobile phone tightly.
Naira was baffled. What could the Computer have possibly said to spark such a radical change? What had 020 Computer whispered to 009?
In truth, it was quite simple. He had uttered only a single sentence:
"I have discovered a method for ordinary men to stand on equal footing with the 4th Step."
...
From the moon, the Computer transmitted a detailed file to 009.
"The Chaos Unit expired at 72. In its place, I have engineered a new vessel, codenamed: Holy Armor."
"This Holy Armor is capable of matching the power of a 4th Step. It is a sentient combat suit designed to autonomously harvest energy from the atmosphere. Furthermore, its absorption rate is thirty-two times greater than that of a standard Awakened individual."
"I have named it Holy Armor · Chaos. It has been crafted specifically for you."
"..."
The Dragon was sealed, order had collapsed, and the old shackles were dissolved. The first to seize the opportunity was the Computer.
Previously, Ye Long had been the sole barrier preventing the Computer's descent. Now that Ye Long was powerless to intervene, the Computer's grand design could finally unfold.
He launched an object toward Earth.
With unerring precision, this object descended into a remote corner of India, landing directly at the feet of 009.
009 approached the object, revealing a barrel-shaped containment unit forged from an unknown, sleek material.
The warehouse's automated locking mechanism engaged, sliding open to reveal several items to 009 and his assembled group.
Suddenly, one of the components shot forward with predatory speed, piercing 009's chest!
Puff, puff!
The sickening sound of metal tearing through flesh echoed. In the following heartbeat, a layer of black, organic matter began to rapidly colonize 009's body.
This obsidian, fleshy substance completely enveloped him before hardening into a formidable exoskeleton.
Purple flames ignited across the surface. 009 felt a seamless fusion with the battle suit; his nervous system integrated with the armor's core. He felt no weight at all, as if the plating were a second skin.
"Number one: Holy Armor · Chaos."
009 experimented by flexing a finger, then unleashed a sudden punch against a nearby stone pillar!
Boom!
A terrifying eruption of force followed. The stone pillar shattered instantly into a cloud of dust and debris!
There was no mistake.
This was the power of the 4th Step!
Though it only reached the Low 4th Step, it was undeniably the strength of a god among men.
A series of holographic displays flickered to life before 009. On the primary screen, a faceless humanoid avatar appeared, serving as an AI assistant.
The small figure gestured, causing a cascade of characters to manifest on one side.
"A letter from Dr. Otto. Please read carefully."
Otto—the name felt remarkably unfamiliar.
The Computer had always operated under the pseudonym Otto, yet they had grown accustomed to calling him "Computer" for the sake of simplicity.
Otto had provided 009 with a detailed briefing, outlining the core functions of the Holy Armor.
"This is the inaugural Holy Armor of my design. It has an operational lifespan of three years. After twelve months of rigorous calibration and refinement, it has reached its definitive form."
"Its suite of ability modules is extensive. Primary among them is the Lightbrain 7.0 auxiliary system, which possesses superhuman cognitive capabilities."
"Verbal communication is unnecessary. Your thoughts can be transmitted to the system instantaneously; it possesses the ability to decipher any language and articulate any concept."
"Should you choose to withdraw from combat, you can entrust your physical form entirely to the Lightbrain. It is fully capable of autonomous engagement."
"This constitutes the Lightbrain's primary combat mode. Under normal conditions, it operates in an auxiliary capacity with a wide array of programmable parameters."
"Functions include automated evasion, defense, and counter-maneuvers, as well as biological facial analysis to intercept an opponent's emotional state and intent."
"The suit is sustained by bio-energy and features an automated replenishment system. Its absorption rate is thirty-two times that of a standard Awakened human."
"Furthermore, the armor's structural integrity is rated at the Mid 4th Step. Even in the event of significant damage, the suit can self-repair, provided the base material is not utterly annihilated."
"Take note: this armor is keyed exclusively to you, as it features a module tailored to your unique physiology."
"I have dubbed it the Gluttony module. It can reversibly consume your own biomass to satisfy energy demands or repair structural damage. Additionally, it can simulate any weapon you require."
"It is designed to synchronize with your fission ability. Any separated entities can be seamlessly reintegrated into the Holy Armor's framework."
"This concludes the general overview of the Chaos Holy Armor. Furthermore, I have included several additional items. Distribute them among those who have remained loyal to your cause."
The transmission ended.
009 inspected the rest of the warehouse, finding several other pieces of equipment.
While there were no other sets of Holy Armor, the unit contained several specialized weapons.
Gazing upon this arsenal, 009 grinned from behind his visor.
Otto truly had been meticulous in his preparations.
"Arthur, this saber is yours."
"The Centaur, these twin blades are for you."
...
Upon the lunar surface, Otto, also encased in Holy Armor, sat atop a massive Iron Throne. A projection of 009 and his retinue flickered before him.
In truth, the Computer had not spent these years solely on the Chaos project; he had successfully engineered three distinct Holy Armors.
The suit Otto currently wore was the true progenitor of the line.
He called it Holy Armor · Genesis.
However, it had not yet achieved its final evolution. The Rabbit Stone, the embodiment of speed, had been integrated into its core. Otto's auxiliary Rabbit ability was pushed to its absolute threshold, allowing every system within the Genesis armor to be supercharged by the stone's influence.
From energy harvesting to the Lightbrain's processing speed, every metric had been increased exponentially.
The third Holy Armor remained in a developmental stage.
For this final piece, Otto intended to utilize the biological essence of a specific monster as its foundation.
Beyond these projects, the Computer commanded a vast Mechanical Legion, currently concealed within the shadows of the moon's far side.
He had remained stagnant for two reasons. First, the Mechanical Legion was still imperfect.
As they currently stood, they were no match for 4th Step beings, making their deployment strategically unsound.
Second, the defeat of his initial vanguard at the hands of Ye Long had forced Otto to re-evaluate the true lethality of 4th Step entities.
He had developed Kinetic Bombardment technology, which theoretically possessed the power to eliminate a 4th Step target.
However, the weapon's current cycle rate was far too sluggish. A combatant like Ye Long could intercept and neutralize the platform before it could even discharge.
The design required further optimization.
Otto extended a mechanical hand, manifesting a colorless, cubic crystal within his palm.
This was a revolutionary material he had dubbed "Crescent Matter," extracted from the lunar depths.
This substance was the cornerstone of his Holy Armor technology.
It was the primary reason the suits could achieve thirty-two times the standard energy absorption.
Yet, this was merely one of its many properties. Otto had not yet fully unlocked the secrets of the material; it held a wellspring of potential yet to be tapped.
He sensed that once he achieved a total synthesis of this matter, he would herald the dawn of a new age.
The Crescent Era.
...
Somewhere in Asia.
Nightmare, his features and form obscured by heavy clothing, walked down a crowded street. He looked up at the massive digital displays looming over the skyscrapers, broadcasting news and "educational" segments on the monster threat.
"Our world is currently under invasion by extra-terrestrial organisms!"
"Breaking report: late last night in East Asia, a three-headed monstrosity was discovered by chance..."
"Citizens, this is the hour of our collective unity!"
"There is no cause for panic. Place your faith in the state, the military, and Kitsune. Humanity shall secure the final victory!"
"Below is the current registry of classified monsters. We urge all citizens to remain vigilant at all times. A monster could be standing right beside you!"
"These entities are inhuman, predatory, and savage. Reason is futile. Should you encounter one, report the location to the authorities immediately!"
"Recently, Mr. Byakuya, the Supreme Commander of Kitsune, released a series of strategic directives. Let us hear his address..."
Gazing at the images flickering across the buildings, Nightmare lowered the brim of his hat.
"How pathetic..."