Armor: After finding the Demon-Sealing Box, I won't eat beef.

The earth-shattering battle in the sky was a massive, overwhelming spectacle.

Li Ziyang looked up at the interlacing red and blue lights in the sky and felt a little scared.

This level of combat far surpasses the scope of ordinary armored battles.

……

At the same time, in the obstetrics and gynecology corridor of a top private hospital in D City.

west Zhao stood tall and straight, but unusually, he was restless, pacing back and forth in the corridor.

The lights in the delivery room were on; his wife was about to give birth.

Just a few minutes ago, Meizhen's urgent call came as expected.

Over the phone, she informed us that the ultimate dark monster, far surpassing the Black Beast, had appeared in the world.

west Zhao glanced at the celestial phenomena outside the window through the glass.

Dark clouds loomed over the city, thunder roared, and a violent energy surged through the entire city.

With just one glance, he understood the situation.

Even if he went, he wouldn't be able to help; he has no right to interfere.

In a battle of this caliber, ordinary armor wouldn't even qualify for a assist.

Forget about making a contribution; they'll most likely not even be considered cannon fodder, and will be crushed by the aftershocks of the energy in an instant.

The Black Beast was once powerful enough to crush the five of them.

But now, this so-called biological sister brings a sense of oppression to humanity that far exceeds that of the Black Beast.

Rushing forward will only lead to one outcome—certain death.

So he declined Meizhen's request for help without hesitation, citing his wife's impending childbirth and his inability to attend to her.

If it were a year ago, he wouldn't have hesitated.

This is a moment.

A year ago, even if it meant risking my life, I would have rushed to the battlefield without hesitation.

But things are different now.

He was no longer alone; he had a family to support and a heavy burden of responsibility on his shoulders.

If you stubbornly participate in this level of combat...

Then it crashed.

The wife in the delivery room, the unborn child, how will they live from now on?

His wife became a widow, and his child was born without a father.

That's good.

This is not good.

His original aspiration to protect the world remains, but now his life revolves around his family.

Compared to the vague and ethereal righteousness for the common people, he wanted to protect his own family more.

……

The other end of D city.

The rooftop office of a smart component subsidiary of the Nippon Group.

Bei Miao stood alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the entire city that had been plunged into torrential rain.

Lightning flashed wildly outside the window, and dark clouds surged.

Two beams of light clashed and fought endlessly high in the sky.

The torrential rain poured down, washing over the buildings and streets of the entire city.

He was holding an old flip phone in his hand, the screen of which had just gone dark.

Not long ago, Meizhen also called him for help.

The ultimate monster has appeared, and all members of the Five Elements Armor are urgently needed to return to their positions and fight side by side.

It was only at this moment that Bei Miao suddenly realized.

This year of comfort and abundance had quietly changed his heart.

What I once held dear and desperately tried to protect has now become insignificant.

His past.

Obsessed with the glory of armor.

He is competitive in everything he does and is determined to become the most reliable armor summoner to defeat the alien beasts.

But now, the ERP research lab no longer needs him.

Li Ziyang's appearance provided the final trump card.

The Emperor Armor's combat power far surpasses that of the Five Elements Armor.

A year of experience in the business world and the struggles of running a business have worn down his youthful vigor.

He no longer clung to his identity as the summoner of the Black Rhino Armor, nor was he obsessed with the empty title of saving the world.

My only wish now is to manage my company well and protect my family business.

To allow my adoptive parents, who have worked hard for half their lives, to enjoy their later years in peace.

A person's aspirations ultimately change with the changing circumstances.

……

Li Xinnan's state of mind was much the same as Bei Miao's.

His protagonist aura seems to be gradually fading away.

He was once full of courage and daring.

My heart and soul are set on protecting the world.

I have personally experienced the glory of saving the world, and I have also witnessed the despair of darkness raging.

Once the hero's filter is removed, it becomes clear that the so-called great cause of saving the world is nothing more than an endless cycle of conflict.

He is now.

With worries and a family to worry about, Minci was also pregnant.

The burden on his shoulders had long since shifted from protecting the common people to protecting his wife and children.

No longer that fearless, headstrong young man charging headlong into the fray.

Rather than risking his life to fight for a justice that might not even be fulfilled, he cherishes the peaceful and ordinary life he enjoys.

Li Xinnan firmly believes in one thing.

Even if I don't step forward, other heroes will.

Or rather, how has the world changed?

It seems that its presence will not change anything.

When the sky falls, there are always tall people to hold it up.

……

Of the five.

The one in the worst situation was Kunzhong.

His current home is a small, dilapidated, cheap rental room.

When Meizhen called him, she had already given up all hope.

Out of old friendship, we exchanged a few simple pleasantries, casually inquired about his recent situation, and then hung up hastily.

At this moment, Kunzhong is no longer the pure and sunny boy he once was.

In just one year, he squandered the entire sum of 50 million yuan.

Not only did he squander his family fortune, but he also borrowed money and overspent everywhere under the guise of being the summoner of the Earth Tiger Armor.

They are now heavily in debt.

Penniless, he became a deadbeat whom everyone avoided.

Looking out the window at the dark clouds filling the sky, Kun's heart was filled with endless regret.

He was the only one of the five who still wanted to fight to the death.

Even knowing that they would die in this battle.

He also wanted to don armor and die a glorious death in battle.

Rather than living a wretched life and paying off debts in a cowardly manner.

It's better to die a glorious death, at least to retain the last shred of dignity.

But fate is most ironic.

He was extravagant and wasteful in the past, and when he was desperate, he made a mistake.

They pawned the Earth Tiger Armor Summoning Device to pay off their debts.

As an armor summoner, the moment you pawn your summoning device, you have already lost the dignity and bond of the Earth Tiger.

He has forever lost the right to combine with the armor.

If he wants to fight, even the Earth Shadow Stone probably won't recognize him.

I want to die, but I'm afraid of the pain.

Filled with regret and resentment, he could only stay in the dilapidated rented room.

……

High in the sky, the battle had been raging for three days and three nights.

The torrential rain never stopped, washing over every inch of D City day and night.

Low-lying areas throughout the city were flooded because the water could not be drained in time.

The streets became rivers, and vehicles floated on the water.

The entire city was plunged into a sudden natural disaster.

The intense battle that lasted three days and three nights exhausted the candle's original power.

Several times, when she was on the verge of exhaustion, she had evil thoughts.

They wanted to instantly drain the life energy of all the people in the city to replenish their own losses and continue fighting Lin Zhen.

But every time she was about to unleash her devouring power, Lin Zhen would precisely interrupt her.

After three days of back-and-forth, one side gained while the other lost ground.

The candle's energy was depleted, and it could no longer continue.

Lin Zhen, relying on the Earth's continuous energy supply, has always maintained the peak combat power of Thunder Yatalis.

He maintained a steady lead throughout, remaining calm and composed.

"I warned you a long time ago not to be reckless, or you might break your own teeth."

Lin Zhen smiled faintly as he gathered his strength in both hands, refining the five fundamental powers to their ultimate form.

A thunderous, ultimate sword aura took shape and was unleashed.

The intense lightning pierced the darkness and struck the exhausted candle hard.

It pierced through her armor, severely damaging her internal organs.

The candle's body plummeted from thousands of meters in the sky like a kite with a broken string.

Boom—!

The violent impact shook the earth, and a huge crater was smashed into the ground.

Gravel and dirt flew everywhere, and dust filled the sky.

Lin Zhen landed slowly, stepping steadily into the center of the deep pit.

He lightly stepped on the chest of the crimson armor, locking the opponent in place.

The Heaven and Earth Thunder Sword in his hand gleamed coldly, its tip firmly aimed at the armored head, exuding a chilling killing intent.

In dire straits, the style of the story suddenly changes.

His crimson armor instantly disintegrated and vanished, turning into streams of light.

He was fierce and domineering just a moment ago.

The candle, which had vowed to devour everything, instantly transformed back into a stunningly beautiful and innocent human face.

Her eyebrows and eyes were delicate and exquisite, and she looked pitiful, a sight that would make anyone want to pity her.

Her tone was panicked, filled with pleading and a soft, whining voice.

"Don't kill me! I'm your daughter!"

"oh."

Lin Zhen's tone was flat, revealing no emotional fluctuation.

He had long since transcended worldly concerns and had no attachment to having descendants.

"So, since you can't beat me, you're resorting to emotional appeals?"

He raised his hand and gently patted her delicate cheek with the blade of his sword, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery.

"You looked much better with that arrogant demeanor from before. Please try to revert to that."

"Ugh! I was just joking with you!"

Zhu instantly changed her demeanor, becoming coquettish and soft-spoken, completely devoid of her previous ferocity.

An ordinary man would probably have softened and given in long ago when faced with such a stunningly beautiful woman begging and pleading.

But Lin Zhen remained unmoved.

Stop with your hypocritical act.

He slowly lifted his foot, releasing his hold on her.

Zhu immediately climbed out of the muddy pit, dusted herself off, and instantly transformed into a well-behaved and obedient girl next door.

"You win, whatever you say goes."

This is the nature of a candle.

Even in the dark universe where powerful beings abound, she is a top-tier offspring who gives the Shadow Emperor a headache.

He is cunning, extremely patient, and has a masterful ability to assess situations.

She would be extremely submissive to any powerful opponent she couldn't defeat, pretending to be completely harmless.

But once she gets an opportunity, the other party will become her food and be devoured.

She has no sincerity, no feelings.

All the obedience was deliberate imitation.

At its core, it has always been a cold black hole that only knows how to devour.

The physical body she now inhabits is merely a vessel for her arrival in the bright universe.

"candle."

Lin Zhen retrieved the Heaven and Earth Thunder Sword and simultaneously disassembled his armor, returning to normal.

"You don't need to call me by my real name."

Zhu looked up at him, her eyes pure and without a trace of deception.

"I'm also considered your daughter, so you can give me a new name."

"Don't play the emotional card."

Lin Zhen glanced at her indifferently, his words icy, drawing a clear line between them.

"You were only born using my bloodline; the skin was given to you by me, but the core remains that of the Dark Candle Beast."

All your pretense is meaningless to me.

He was too lazy to argue any further and went straight to the point, setting the agenda for everything that followed.

"Whatever you want to devour or do next, I don't care."

Whether you can defeat Li Ziyang and truly grow up depends entirely on how tough your own life is.

Upon hearing this, Zhu froze, his face filled with astonishment.

She stared blankly at Lin Zhen, her face full of confusion.

"You...aren't you afraid that after I devour him, I'll grow stronger and even you won't be able to control me?"

She just couldn't understand it.

The person in front of me clearly has the ability to suppress me, yet he allows me to grow unchecked.

There must be a conspiracy involved, a scheme she couldn't possibly see through.

"I have nothing to be afraid of or not afraid of; I have my own considerations."

Lin Zhen did not offer any further explanation.

Zhu stepped forward, circling him and scrutinizing him closely, trying to discern a flaw from his expression.

After a long while, she frowned, full of doubt.

"I can see that you have a deep-seated obsession."

"With your current strength, what in this world could possibly hold you back and become your obsession?"

"Too much nonsense."

Lin Zhen, impatient with further words, vanished from the spot in a flash.

Zhu was left standing alone in the deep pit, filled with doubt.

She stood there for a long time, unable to figure out the key point.

According to the rules of the universe, Lin Zhen, as the guardian of the cosmic order, should have suppressed this bug in himself immediately.

Even if she isn't suppressed, she should at least be banished to the depths of the universe to prevent future troubles.

But instead of taking action, he deliberately allowed himself to grow freely.

This is not what a rule-follower should do at all; it's more like knowingly breaking the law and deliberately condoning it.

"Forget it, if I can't figure it out, I won't think about it anymore."

Zhu quickly cast aside his distracting thoughts, the docility in his eyes fading away, leaving only naked greed.

Rather than trying to figure out people's intentions and plot conspiracies, filling one's stomach is the most important thing right now.

During the three-day battle, every time she tried to devour living beings to replenish her energy, Lin Zhen forcibly interrupted her.

Now that the obstacles have disappeared, the entire city is her prey.

boom--!

A vast and boundless dark energy erupted from her body, sweeping across the heavens and earth.

Endless dark energy filled the entire sky, condensing into a gigantic phantom of a candle dragon within the dark clouds.

The ferocious dragon's body roamed and tumbled freely in the dark clouds.

A massive amount of alien energy is constantly overflowing.

Eventually, it liquefied, turning into drops of scarlet rain that slowly fell to earth.

"Now, nobody can escape."

Zhu lightly licked the corner of his lips, his face filled with the excitement of the hunt.

The entire city's inhabitants will soon become food for her, filling her extreme hunger.

……

Throughout City D, countless citizens stood by their windows or hid under the eaves.

Everyone stared in horror at the bizarre sight in the sky.

Within the thick, dark clouds, a gigantic, dragon-shaped phantom loomed in and out of sight, churning wildly.

The originally transparent downpour had somehow turned into a glaring blood red.

"Hey? Look! Why has the rain turned red?"

"It really is red! Exactly like blood!"

"The puddles on the ground are all stained red; isn't this what the ancients meant by 'rivers of blood'?"

At first, everyone found it novel and strange, and they all peeked out to look.

Out of curiosity, many young people reached out to catch the falling red rain.

But just seconds later, a bizarre tragedy suddenly occurred.

"Something's wrong... I feel so dizzy..."

A middle-aged man caught a few drops of red rain, and his body went limp instantly.

Before he finished speaking, his body began to gradually disintegrate and fade away.

From head to limbs, the entire person transformed into wisps of red smoke, drifting upwards into the sky with the wind.

In the blink of an eye, a living, breathing person vanished without a trace.

The passersby who witnessed this scene were instantly terrified.

"It's poisonous! This red rain is poisonous!!"

"Never let it get wet! It will disappear if it does!"

Panic screams echoed through the streets, and everyone frantically retreated to avoid them.

But it was all too late.

In a short time, tens of thousands of curious citizens who touched the red rain were all turned into red smoke and disappeared.

The crimson rain continued relentlessly, pouring down in a dense downpour.

It rained for a whole day and night.

The city, which was originally flooded by torrential rain, turned into a blood-red ocean.

Rats, cockroaches, and mosquitoes linger in the streets and alleys, and even the slightest contact with the red water can cause them to perish.

It instantly vaporized and dissipated, leaving not a trace behind.

Red smoke billowed into the sky, only to be swallowed whole by the illusory dragon in the dark clouds.

Every living thing in the city is being devoured little by little.

……

The atmosphere inside the ERP research room was deathly silent.

Meizhen locked the main gate and dared not step out of the office building.

The red rain outside the window was terrifying. I had personally witnessed a group of people turn into smoke and disappear after being drenched in the red rain.

She knew in her heart that this bizarre natural disaster was definitely related to that ultimate dark monster.

To find out the truth, she risked her life and took full precautions.

A small amount of red rain samples were secretly collected and sent to a precision instrument for analysis.

But the final test results horrified her.

The sample was filled with an extremely dense concentration of dark, alien energy.

It is the primal energy unique to all mutant beasts!

Even more terrifying is that the energy concentration contained in each drop of red rain is more than a hundred times that of ordinary alien energy.

It has already reached an extremely rare liquefaction state.

This terrifying energy level far exceeds the scope that human technology can contend with.