Arknights, I'm going to beat Kal'tsit, really?

Page 16

The engine roared hysterically, instantly drawing everyone's attention. His intention was clear—he intended to use this high-speed motorcycle to slam the soon-to-detonate Originium explosives into the heart of Sarkaz's position!

Chapter 44 Good News and Bad News

Remian, who was on high ground and in control of the situation, naturally wouldn't stand by and watch her teammates be blown to pieces by the Originium bomb. She quickly turned her gun and pulled the trigger—a precise bullet killed the scout on the motorcycle. The exhausted body was immediately thrown off by the high-speed inertia, and the motorcycle, now driverless, quickly tipped over to the ground, sparking blinding sparks. Then, the Originium bomb hanging on it exploded violently!

boom--!

The high-yield Originium explosives nearly overturned all the surrounding debris, and flying rubble and metal fragments scattered like a rainstorm. Everyone on the battlefield quickly assumed a defensive stance to avoid being harmed by the subsequent shockwave.

Kane, who witnessed everything from a distant outer stone pillar, was dumbfounded until a twisted and deformed motorcycle handlebar fell from the sky. Watching the handlebar fall in front of him and then crash to the ground with a "bang," Kane seemed to still remember the vibration he felt when he twisted the throttle.

Good news, the car has been found; bad news—it just exploded.

"Very well, Sarkaz, you bunch of bastards will all be buried with it!"

Kane's already burning rage erupted completely. He leaped high into the air, propelled by the wind, and plummeted towards the battlefield. His soaring figure cast a shadow on the ground, making Kane's attack anything but concealed, and the Sarkaz mercenaries quickly spotted him.

"That guy in the sky! Is he one of yours?!" Kane's disguised appearance came into view. The Sarkaz mercenaries knew very well that this person was not one of their own. They remembered what the people around them looked like. So the mercenaries asked the thugs on the side in a stern voice, asking them to distinguish friend from foe.

“Uh… I don’t remember…” The Sarkaz thug on the side made a surprising statement—as exiled thugs, they had no discipline whatsoever, and the thug group was highly mobile, so who would remember everyone’s face? Therefore, he could only give such a nonsensical answer.

"*Sarkaz swearing! Who cares who he is, take him down!" the mercenary captain decided decisively. In this chaotic situation, any unidentified target is a threat! Friendly fire? That's just bad luck!

The crossbowman raised his crossbow and fired, a sharp arrow whistling through the air, his skillful shooting predicting Kane's trajectory! However, an invisible wind pressure instantly dispersed the arrow.

Immediately afterwards, Kane's counterattack came—several blazing fireballs tore through the air and crashed down with an aura of destruction!

"Get out of the way!" the mercenary captain shouted hoarsely. He regretted taking the job. He thought it would be an easy technical job, but he didn't expect to encounter a team of Lateran elites.

He could have ordered his team to retreat at that point, since the initial agreement between the two sides was only for technical support.

But… looking at the magnificent ruins before them, and then at the horde of decimated thugs, greed instantly overwhelmed reason. Kill these Lateran, then conveniently silence these worthless wretches… the entire unopened royal ruins would be theirs! In Kazdel, a land repeatedly ravaged by war, an untouched royal ruin? This was practically a windfall!

After a round of suppressive bombardment, Kane quickly landed. As he got closer, he could sense the condition of the Sarkaz people—most of them were infected with Oripathy, and only two of them were lucky enough to be non-infected.

As Kane's malice spread, several mercenaries hiding behind cover suddenly let out painful howls, their bodies convulsing and writhing. The two uninfected individuals were horrified—Oripathy flaring up at this time?! The timing was terrible!

Looking around—everyone's Oripathy has flared up at the same time! This is very strange!

These mercenaries, of course, couldn't possibly have had a sample of the Babel Tower inhibitor. They were quickly overcome by the spreading Originium within their bodies, going into shock from the pain. Those with lesions in their limbs fared better—they could still breathe before the infection spread completely—but those with lesions in their chest, abdomen, and throat were in dire straits. The piercing Originium damaged their internal organs and severed their nerves. Before long, only two uninfected members remained of the Sarkaz mercenaries.

"Demon! Monster! You are the real demon! You are the one who brings nightmares!"

Even the fierce mercenaries collapsed under such circumstances. The Sarkaz were despised by other races as demons who brought Oripathy, but how could they have any effect on Oripathy? On the contrary, they were tormented by Oripathy.

This "fellow clansman" before me... he can actually control this disaster!

Extreme fear fueled a final madness; the two Sarkaz mercenaries roared and lunged at Kane, attempting to take him down with them. However, how could they, devoid of composure, be a match for Kane? One was sent flying by the rampaging Originium Arts, crashing into the rubble like a rag doll; the other was struck hard in the chest by Kane's iron fist! The iron breastplate visibly dented, and blood gushed from the gaps in his helmet.

After dealing with the Sarkaz side, Kane did not let his guard down, because there was still another force on the field – the Sarkaz.

"Aren't you coming out yet? Sakorta, your fluorescent lights can't be hidden."

This is the truth—the Sarkaz's aura and influence make them much harder to hide, almost eliminating the possibility of night battles and camouflage warfare.

Upon hearing Kane's words, Mostima and Fiame both looked at Andorn. Andorn's expression turned serious, and he nodded slightly—this Sarkaz before him was incredibly powerful, having annihilated the remaining enemies with just a few spells, and still had some strength left. Provoking him now would be unwise.

Of course—they still have a trump card on their side, namely Remian, who is hiding outside the battlefield. The shot that killed the racer was concealed in the chaos and should not have been noticed.

Upon receiving the order, the three assault soldiers slowly emerged from behind their cover, but their guns and grenade launchers remained in a defensive posture, with the muzzles subtly pointing at Kane.

“Three people? That can’t be right—you also have a sniper, aren’t you going to introduce him?” Kane revealed a confident smile, which made the three men’s faces darken.

In the chaos of the battlefield, it was impossible to notice that sniper shot, but Kane was different—he had been keeping an eye on his motorcycle the whole time! He was actually quite grateful to the sniper; at least the sniper had helped him vent his anger.

Moreover, he recognized the three faces in front of him.

Andorn, Mostima, Fat Duck—and the one hiding in the shadows is Remi'an, right?

Why did Kane know them? Because the last thing recorded in his transmigrator memory bank was "Remian and Eugremian," and he quite liked this sister duo, so he was deeply impressed by them.

[Heaven's Point signal detected - Connect now?]

"?"

A prompt suddenly appeared in Kane's field of vision, something that had never happened before. Based on this prompt, Kane recalled one of the many secrets hidden within his body—the interface to the "Heavenly Pivot."

Chapter 45 Sarkaz Form

[Access.]

Kane was curious about how the Heavenly Pivot could enhance his abilities. Its primary function was a weapon—its purpose, naturally, was to destroy intended targets—while the one left behind in Terra seemed to be merely an auxiliary unit. The Sarkaz's unique "empathy" was said to be a manifestation of its function.

The moment the confirmation command was granted, a sudden change occurred!

Mostima and Andorn, the two elite and experienced Sarkaz, immediately sensed something was wrong—just as if they were experiencing empathy for the first time, a massive amount of data rushed through them, all ultimately pointing to the "Sarkaz" in front of them. The whole process took only a few seconds, but it left an indelible mark on their mental state.

"Wait, why are so many lights suddenly on?"

Kane slightly raised his head. Could it be that the perpetually dark clouds over Kazdel had parted, allowing the long-awaited sunlight to pour down? However, when he looked up, the sky over Kazdel was still shrouded in dark clouds, the scars of the Sarkaz's past—a certain Demon Lord, in order to resist the alliance of foreign races, had launched a massive ritual that summoned a horrific natural disaster unprecedented in Terra's history, permanently distorting the environment of this land and leaving the traces of Originium deeply imprinted here.

If it's not sunny... then where does this beam of light, which seems to come from and is like a built-in flashlight, come from? Kane looked around, his movements suddenly stiffening, as if he had seen something that defied his understanding.

A circular halo radiating a soft yet bright light hovered steadily above his head, maintaining a subtle distance from his hair. Its brightness was sufficient to serve as a light source in the darkness. Then, as he subconsciously turned to the side, several pairs of floating wings composed of pure light appeared conspicuously in the air behind him!

This...this is clearly a racial trait unique to the Sarkaz!

"This is impossible?! He's clearly a Sarkaz! He wasn't like this just now!" Fiameta exclaimed in shock, her straightforward nature rarely allowing her to hide her emotions. Such a violent reaction was enough to illustrate the absurdity of the scene before her.

“The situation… has exceeded our authority to handle.” Mostima’s voice was grave; she instantly realized the enormous waves this could unleash.

“Should we…invite him to Laterano?…Andorn?” she sought the captain’s decision. If necessary, they had to try to invite Kane to accompany them, or immediately encrypt and report this top-secret intelligence, which could shake the very foundations of Laterano.

Andorn, usually known for his calm and wisdom, stood frozen in place like a statue—Mostima's call went completely unheard; his entire attention, his very soul, was fixed on Kane. His eyes no longer held their usual composure, but burned with a terrifying, almost martyr-like thirst for knowledge! He seemed to see in Kane the answer he had been searching for all along.

[No way?! I just... became a Sarkazhan on the spot?!]

[Isn't the Sarkaz origin story the biggest taboo in Laterano? Will Laterano go crazy and come after me?]

Wait, what's with this emotion? Why is my mind racing like fireworks?!

A series of highly personal, muttered thoughts seemed to whisper in the ears of the Sarkaz. As mature and flawless Sarkaz, they naturally knew what this meant—excessive empathy, a condition that appears in newborn Sarkaz. They don't know how to control their empathy, indiscriminately transmitting their emotions and thoughts to the others they are empathizing with.

"Stop! Stop! Control your empathy!" Seeing Andorn completely crash, Mostima had no choice but to step in and take charge. She had to immediately calm Kane down and stop that deadly "forbidden" knowledge from flooding her brain! She just wanted to be a peaceful field clerk; she didn't want to be called in by the notary office for a "heart-to-heart talk" one day!

Am I empathizing with you?!

【That's right.】 While Mostima's empathetic message wasn't as "emotionally charged" as Kane's, its meaning was clear and unambiguous. This situation is absolutely terrible!

Kane immediately tried to clear his mind and concentrate on "shutting down" the uncontrollable connection. With his active control, the surging flow of empathic information finally began to weaken and subside. Mostima breathed a sigh of relief, and Andorn, who had been malfunctioning, finally came to his senses.

“Why?! This is completely against the law… but it’s happening right before our eyes!” Andorn’s voice lost its usual composure, carrying an almost trembling urgency. He took a step forward, his gaze fixed intently on Kane.

"Sir...no, my fellow countryman! May I ask how you did it?!"

This was a problem that troubled Andorn's life. He was born in Iberia, a coastal country that had embraced the Gospel of Lateran and thus built many churches. Andorn's hometown was an ordinary little town, like countless other towns in Iberia, where people lived in constant fear of the threat of the Sea Species. The only difference was that Andorn could go to church in his spare time to listen to the bishop's teachings.

In order to rid his homeland of endless terror, Andorn embarked on a pilgrimage—he traveled alone to Laterano, seeking the help of the holy city to redeem his homeland.

Along the way, he met many like-minded people. They were of different races, but they all devoutly believed in the laws of Lateran and carried the same hope as they headed to the holy city.

However, Laterano's cold judgment shattered all illusions. The Holy City accepted Andorn, who was a Sarkaz, but ruthlessly rejected his fellow travelers from other races, even rejecting the pleas from his homeland. The sacred words proclaimed in the scriptures to "redeem all believers" seemed so pale and powerless before the high walls of the law in reality.

The laws of the Holy City were once revered as the beacon of hope for the world of Terra. But when you truly approach them, you'll discover—like the inextinguishable halo above the heads of the Sarkaz, it's nothing more than a magnificent yet deceptive fluorescent light. It may offer a little comfort when you're in darkness; but it cannot help you conquer it.

Ultimately, Andorn's homeland was destroyed by the waves of the Sea's Legion. Andorn's soul was forever imprisoned in the puzzle he himself had created: how could the blessings of Laterano truly reach life beyond Sarkaz?

A cardinal once attempted to explain: The stability and tranquility of Laterano were rooted in the unique empathy of the Sarkaz. It eliminated suspicion and division, allowing the Sarkaz to minimize conflict. Other races, lacking this connection, could neither be trusted by Laterano nor trust Laterano. The Holy City concealed too many heavy secrets, far beyond the reach of Andorn at that time.

But now! Right before our eyes! A miracle closer to the answer has appeared—a Sarkaz transformed from the body of a Sarkaz!

If the mystery of this transformation could be unlocked... then, could there one day bring all races together in a shared understanding? Could the Sarkaz's "sunlight" no longer be a false light, but a true light of salvation connecting all races, bringing understanding and peace? In Andorn's eyes, that fervor almost materialized.

Chapter 46 Locks and Keys

"How did you do it?"

Kane took in the three men's distinctly different expressions—the burning thirst for knowledge in Andorn's eyes, the solemnity between Mostima's brows, and the obvious confusion on Fiameta's face.

He understood Andorn's obsession with this "martyr." At this moment, Cairne's performance of the "Sarkaz" class transitioning to "Sarkaz" was like a beacon suddenly lit on an endless road for Andorn, full of temptation.

Kane gave a seemingly simple answer:

"It's very simple—just gain legal recognition."

Upon hearing this, Andorn was clearly shocked—after arriving in Laterano and realizing that the so-called "Law" was nothing more than a simple belief, he began to doubt its existence; but now, Kane was actually pointing out that the "Law" actually existed?

It's a pity he was a clergyman, not a scientist, otherwise he probably would have wanted to start studying Kane right away.

Mostima keenly sensed Andorn's descent into madness. The once calm and reliable captain was now seething with inner turmoil, which alarmed her. She forced herself to remain calm; her immediate priority was to stabilize the situation and not provoke this unusual "Sarkaz." As for the truth he spoke of? That was far beyond the scope of their field team's capabilities! Let the cardinals, even the Pope himself, worry about that!

Remian, high above, witnessed the entire process and was deeply shocked. She watched as the "Sarkaz" instantly condensed a halo and wings symbolizing the Sarkaz's identity, just like the phenomenon when a newborn Sarkaz speaks for the first time.

They were just ordinary Sarkaz agents, protected in the brilliance of Laterano, never having touched the secrets hidden in the shadows of the Holy City. Faced with Kane, they were powerless to judge; if the Pope himself were here, he would probably know the truth.

Forcible arrest... is too risky. Peaceful negotiation is the only option. Remian recalled the overwhelming power the enemy had displayed upon their arrival. Even with all four of them combined, their chances of victory were slim.

She leaped lightly from the sniper position, joining the tense standoff on the ground.

No sooner had Kane finished speaking than Andorn was bombarded with a barrage of questions, and the surrounding Sarkaz could sense his out-of-control emotions.

"Andorn! Stop! You need to calm down!" Mosel couldn't believe it. She had never seen Andorn like this before. He was always frowning, as if he always had something on his mind.

Could this be Andorn's secret? Mostima guessed the truth.

"Alright, Sakorta, your empathy is bothering me. Phew—I guess I'm still more used to this." Kane forced himself to ignore the empathy; he preferred verbal communication—only verbal exchanges could conceal secrets, while empathy would truly expose one's secrets to others.

A society where everyone has no secrets would indeed be more stable. But that's on the premise that everyone's secrets are rather "appealing," and Kane's secrets are clearly not ones that can be revealed to the world.

“You’re just a lowly field clerk, yet you’re pondering matters that even the Pope finds difficult to understand—instead of watching me so intently, why don’t you run for the next Pope? Once you become the Lateran Pope, everything will naturally be answered.”

Andorn was clearly extremely dissatisfied with this perfunctory answer, his Adam's apple bobbing as he tried to press for more information. But his three teammates reacted even faster! Remian and Mostima acted almost simultaneously, firmly pressing down on his shoulders, while Fiameta quickly covered his mouth.

The composed Mostima quickly assumed command, turning to Kane with unprecedented seriousness: "This... fellow countryman. Would you be willing to return to Laterano with us?" She carefully chose her words, attempting to convey an invitation.

"And then get riddled with bullets by the ambushing cavalry?" Kane scoffed, stating the most likely scenario without any mercy.

“Uh…” Mostima was speechless. She couldn’t refute it. Faced with such a mind-blowing existence, what measures would the Lateran leadership take? They had no idea.

"Farewell. You may report my case. As for using force to stop me... I'm sure you know what you're doing." Kane waved his hand and turned to leave.

Just as Kane was about to sever ties with the Lateran squad, one of the ruins' gates, which had been struggling to hold on, finally gave way. With a loud crash, the previously sealed gate collapsed completely, revealing a dark underground passage to them.

"You did this?" Kane looked back in confusion.

“How could that be? This is a ruin belonging to Kazdel, it has nothing to do with us,” Mostima immediately denied. Their mission objective was only to eliminate the thugs, and had nothing to do with this ruin.

The ruins that those desperate criminals guarded so fiercely... what were the contents worth? The motorcycle was destroyed, and Kane desperately needed compensation. Having come this far, he didn't hesitate any longer and headed towards the deep, dark tunnel.

"Andorn! You bastard! Stop!"

Kane's figure had just disappeared at the entrance of the passage, and the team, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, was about to pack up and leave—the mission was complete, and the most urgent task was to quickly send this earth-shattering news back to Laterano.

However! In that brief moment of relaxation, Andorn suddenly unleashed astonishing power, instantly breaking free from Remian and Mostima's grasp! His usual slightly weak demeanor vanished; at this moment, he was driven by his own obsession!

He was unwilling to accept it! He couldn't just watch Kane leave like this! The familiarity that "Sarkaz" showed with "Sarkaz" meant he definitely knew something!

No, he must know the truth! Andorn, this martyr, is now beginning to pursue his own "way".

Stepping into the ruins, what lay before them was not the gold and silver mountains the mercenaries had dreamed of, but only ancient murals covered in dust and with peeling paint. At the center of the murals, a pair of oddly shaped staffs, one black and one white, always occupied the central position in countless scenes.

Kane's gaze swept over the faded history, but his steps did not falter. As he reached the end of the mural gallery, the core of the ruins finally came into view—a skeleton seated on a stone throne. In the skeleton's bosom, a pair of staffs lay quietly intertwined: one as black as the eternal night, the other as white as the rising sun.

As Kane gazed upon them, they responded—a gentle and intellectual female researcher was adjusting complex instruments in front of a transparent life pod. That familiar face…it was none other than Priscilla! And the person sleeping inside…was Kane himself?

"Dear compatriot, no, prophet, please tell me, what should I do—"

Ignoring the murals along the way, Andorn raced after Kane, his voice echoing through the empty ruins, filled with desperate pleas and fervent anticipation. Remian and Mostima pursued him relentlessly—they had to bring this out-of-control fellow back! Fiameta was ordered to stay behind: if they failed to return within the allotted time, Fiameta must immediately abandon them and return to Laterano at full speed to report everything!

Fiameta vehemently opposed the order, believing in sharing life and death. But Mostima and Remian were exceptionally resolute—the threat Kane posed to Laterano was unknown, and his intelligence had to be delivered! This wasn't about passion, but about responsibility.

Mostima and Remian also didn't want to be drawn into this catastrophic situation, but everything they cherished—family, friends, memories—was in Laterano. They couldn't stand by and watch the city be engulfed in disaster.

As for Fiameta… as the only Liberi in the squad, she had vaguely sensed that subtle distance. But now, that distance had never been so clear—faced with choices involving the core secrets of the Sarkaz and the survival of their race, Liberi ultimately could not truly integrate into the world built upon halos and empathy.

This might be a way to protect her, but Fiameta would rather not have it. She prefers that her comrades trust each other enough to live and die together.

When Kane, Andorn, Remian, and Mostima—the three Sarkaz—gathered before the pair of black and white staffs with a special "fellow countryman."

Om-! ! !

The dormant staff erupted with a blinding light! A power concerning time was awakened, and a fragment from the distant past was retrieved from the depths of the ceaseless river of time by this mysterious staff, and presented before the four uninvited guests:

That was the scene when the first Sarkaz first witnessed the "Law".

Chapter 47 Giant Beast