So What if I Transmigrated into a Honkai Beast?

2%.

That was Lu Xing's remaining Honkai energy reserve.

Stepping out of the spatial rift, Lu Xing's first reaction wasn't the weakness brought on by Honkai energy depletion, but rather the extremely unsettling... radiation, following the impact and searing heat.

"How could they..."

In that instant.

Lu Xing's thoughts descended into a brief state of chaos.

His purpose in coming to this city had never changed from the very beginning—sacrifice the few to save the many.

Even after experiencing the spread of Honkai energy, battling armored troops within the city, and even the Cruiser-class's beam bombardment.

This objective had remained firm.

Those who had perished were, in the end, a minority. The majority, more than three-quarters of the population, still had a chance to escape before the Great Honkai Eruption.

But.

Now, this purpose had been destroyed... by human hands.

Launching a nuclear strike near an inhabited city—Lu Xing had never imagined that humans could commit such a depraved act.

Even if it was to eliminate a threat, even if the detonation point was several kilometers from the city, even if most of the light and heat rushing towards the city had been absorbed by the Cruiser-class.

But what about the radiation?

At such a distance, even without direct exposure.

The radioactive dust kicked up by the nuclear explosion would only need a wind of less than force 3 to sweep through the entire city in a short time.

Did the person who pressed the nuclear button think that radiation sickness was more acceptable than Honkai Sickness?

Neither Lu Xing's mind nor his body would allow him to accept this fact.

Even if... the nuclear explosion had brought him an unexpected benefit.

———

"Detected that the holder has encountered a 'Civilization Strike'."

"Achievement 'Wasteland Walker' completed."

"Based on the type of 'Civilization Strike' encountered, you have unlocked a new skill: [Atomic Breath]."

"Detected that the holder does not meet the release conditions for [Atomic Breath]. The skill has been temporarily frozen. Please reactivate the skill after meeting the usage conditions."

Name: Atomic Breath

Type: Skill

Grade: Honkai (Purple, Epic)

Effect: After a long period of energy conversion, releases a beam of immense power. This skill will place enormous pressure on the user's body.

Requirements: Lv.50, Constitution 200 points.

Information about the new achievement was poured into Lu Xing's consciousness all at once.

But Lu Xing's attention was not on the new achievement.

His gaze.

With a simple turn of his head, shifted to the city behind him... the ruins.

He had to admit.

The three ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads had struck with extreme precision—the Cruiser-class had absorbed the vast majority of the nuclear explosion's damage, while the city Lu Xing was in had "only" half of it affected by the weakened shockwave.

In other words.

The number of direct fatalities was reduced by 50% compared to what he had imagined.

But such "precision" could in no way conceal the fact that this was a massacre—within Lu Xing's perception, there was not a single living creature within a two-kilometer radius centered on him.

And Lu Xing's current position.

Was exactly two kilometers... from the city center.

"JIA!!"

A dying lament.

The Cruiser-class's roar, filled with unwillingness, reawakened Lu Xing from his shock.

This big fellow was about to die—as humanity's ultimate deterrent, nuclear weapons were indeed worthy of the "Civilization Strike" designation given by the system.

It wasn't just the Cruiser-class.

The F-35s that had been engaged in close-quarters combat with the massive whale moments ago, apart from the two farthest ones that were shakily about to disappear over the horizon, all the rest no longer even had the chance to become wreckage—American fifth-generation fighters were different from their Soviet counterparts, which excelled in aerial dogfights. Forcing these "luxury items," which usually relied on stealth technology and beyond-visual-range strike capabilities, to intercept the Cruiser-class at close range in their least proficient manner was solely to buy time for the missiles to arrive...

Lu Xing didn't know how to evaluate them.

Fearless heroes?

Accomplices to a butcher?

Or perhaps... a contradictory mixture of both.

"So that's how it is."

Lu Xing's somewhat muddled mind suddenly cleared for a moment.

Sacrifice the few to save the many... So, they were just like him.

———

"Thud."

Lu Xing stood before the grievously wounded, dying giant whale.

To suffer a direct nuclear strike, and then to fall from such a high altitude with such terrifying tonnage, yet not to have died instantly... It seemed that as long as the Cruiser-class didn't open its mouth, its defensive capabilities were absolutely impeccable.

"Hoo."

Lu Xing sighed softly.

This operation, from its very inception, had been a complete failure.

The roughly 100,000 people remaining in the city would either live on in agony or "gallantly" embrace death.

Lu Xing hadn't saved anyone.

The secondary objective, however, had been勉强achieved—Lu Xing now had a clear understanding of the threat posed to him by most of humanity's conventional, and even unconventional, weapons.

When the Great Honkai Eruption arrived.

As a member of the Honkai Beast legion, the resistance he would face would only be more ferocious.

Although Lu Xing at that time would certainly no longer be a lone Honkai Beast.

But understanding what kind of attacks to dodge when facing threats, and how to dodge them, would undoubtedly be a massive boost to his survival rate.

After all...

Lu Xing subconsciously touched the crystal on his wrist.

...There wouldn't be such a convenient escape item then.

"Thank you."

Energy gathered in his palm.

Honkai Beasts possessed considerable resistance to radiation, provided their Honkai energy reserves were sufficient.

And provided their core had not been damaged.

The Cruiser-class's injuries were already beyond saving.

Severe burns and a melting carapace weren't the main issues; but on its back, at the point of direct impact from the nuclear weapon... a massive hole led straight to its Honkai Core. The concentration of Honkai energy flowing out of its body even exceeded the level of the core itself.

This was a precursor to the Honkai Core's impending destruction.

The freely dissipating Honkai energy even helped Lu Xing recover a considerable amount of his energy reserves.

"I'll..."

Reaching deep into the massive hole in its back, Lu Xing's gaze did not meet the Cruiser-class's.

"Send you off."

"BOOM!!"

The enormous core shattered with a resounding crack!

The Cruiser-class had no Honkai Crystal within its body. As its heart-like core was pierced by Lu Xing, its colossal form dissolved into motes of light, dancing in the air.

Swept away by the cold wind, now laced with radiation...

And scattered.

"Your level has increased to Lv.40."

"Detected that the holder's level has reached Lv.40. You have unlocked a new one-time skill: 'Random Skill Enhancement'."

"'Random Skill Enhancement' has been used."

"One of your skills will be upgraded to the highest grade."

"Your skill [Appraisal] has been upgraded to the highest grade. [Appraisal] has advanced to [Spiritual Perception]."

"Detected that the holder has killed a 'Kinsman' for the first time."

"Achievement 'Clearing the Sovereign's Side' completed."

"Based on the type of 'Kinsman' target killed, you have unlocked a new skill: [Fission]."