The gale roared, and thunder rolled.

A torrential downpour cascaded from the sky.

Apart from the nearby sea areas of Yashima, the same weather was unfolding in another distant place, an overseas location where the storm at sea struck fiercely and swiftly, as imposing as if doomsday had arrived, with thick thunderclouds, storms, and heavy rain—

It seemed to isolate this desolate island from the world, as if it had fallen into the Demon Realm.

A flash of lightning tore across the sky, booming like an apocalypse that split the world apart, while illuminating the dark sea.

Amidst the roaring waves caused by the violent storm, a tall figure was approaching as if walking leisurely, stepping on the waves through the dim tide.

With an incredibly steady pace, he finally stepped onto the island's land; it was Minamoto no Yoshiie, who had briefly conversed with Gu Mo not long ago.

This valiant young general appeared somewhat absent-minded, unable to completely hide the trace of unease that inadvertently showed.

Reflecting on the recent audience, he let out a long sigh, feeling somewhat relieved, thinking his response was steady enough, not too rash as to lose etiquette in front of the sovereign... probably not, right? He thought, then became a little unsure again.

In the end, he smiled wryly, shaking his head repeatedly, exhaling a long breath.

However...

This is human nature, I suppose...

Whether he thought of something or was inexplicably touched, he unknowingly paused, his head raising higher, his gaze distant and profound.

In this stormy, rain-soaked black night, his sight seemed to pierce the night sky, rising endlessly, finally soaring beyond the thunderclouds and storms, penetrating the clear sky behind thick clouds, fixated on that eternal Moon in countless ancient people's hearts.

For a long time, deeply.

Facing the heavenly visage, how long had it been?

When they first met, unfamiliar, merely feeling a sense of mutual appreciation. Parting hurriedly, upon meeting again, two months later, he had defeated the Taira clan in the war, yet because his achievements overshadowed the sovereign, his brother grew suspicious, leading to a rift between them, leaving him disheartened, unwilling to overly oppose...

However, even upon fleeing to Pingquan, his brother remained aggressive, unwilling to let him go.

That was his most desolate and wretched time, nearly at a dead end, with nowhere to turn in the vast world, ultimately having to accept the invitation—a reluctant act at the time... only later, upon realizing, did he see it was perhaps the wisest choice of his life.

Also the most unforgettable moment.

Especially for someone like him, a traditional warrior, after all supporting the right lord, giving one's all, was a natural mission of honor.

Taking a deep breath, Minamoto no Yoshiie reviewed his previous response one last time, feeling there wasn't anything significantly wrong. He shouldn't be further affected by this gain-and-loss mindset to avoid delaying important matters... a determined look flashed in his eyes, and he strode forward.

......

The surface of the island seemed ordinary.

But within the island's central mountain, the inside was nearly hollowed out, when it was constructed unknown, into a well-equipped secret base.

Inside the cave-like base in the mountain, were numerous precision instruments and industrial equipment, completely out of style for the era, and in many places rose massive glass tanks, filled with relatively transparent liquid, shimmering with a golden glow similar to Spirit Stone Essence.

Many tanks were empty, but some contained different shadows.

Those were human bodies cultivated in the Spirit Stone Essence liquid, some developing, with incomplete organs and facial features; others indistinguishable from common people, merely with tightly closed eyes, seemingly unaware of external movements, deathly pale like lifeless.

A group of individuals, swathed in black robes and wearing pointed hats, were busy in this base. If this base was out of style for this era, then their attire was out of style for this base, making everything seem bizarre and grotesque.

——Boom!!

Without warning, amidst the ongoing busyness, a massive crash thundered!!

The massive door, seemingly integrated with the entire mountain, indistinguishable from the sturdy rock wall on the outside, was blasted open by a terrifying force, burning a giant hole, molten metal flowing, filling the air with smoke and dust, obscuring vision.

Yet one could vaguely see, standing outside the door, a figure.

Precisely when a bolt of lightning ripped through the sky, illuminating the land as well as the figure outside, while the storm outside flooded in.

Thus, whether due to the spread of cold air from the rainy weather or the frigid killing intent of the newcomer, the group in the base, uncertain whether to call them researchers or wizards, froze in place at this moment.

Extremely cold, extremely severe, extremely terrifying...

Almost as if directly locking onto the soul with a heavy feeling...

The killing intent firmly targeted each of them, making them feel as if they were being watched by a prehistoric beast.

"Wh-Why is it so fast..."

"Minamoto no Yoshiie... Why is he here? Shouldn't he be deploying troops against the Taira clan during this period..."

"It's not the Minamoto no Yoshiie of this time; it's a rare figure from the future! They've come to hunt us down!"

After a moment of astonishment, the strange personnel in the base finally came to their senses one by one.

Some sat on the ground limp, others shouted incredulously with all their might, and still more knelt trembling, each reacting differently, whether from fear or anger, or because they couldn't withstand the killing intent and shivered, probably mostly the latter.

"Hah! You bunch of rats are still so adept at digging holes; it seems your skills haven't diminished..." Minamoto no Yoshiie, standing at the door, scanned the space within the mountain belly, smiling slightly, as if greeting them, though the killing intent emanating from him did not lessen in the slightest.

"Sure enough, it's human refinement within Spirit Stone alchemy again. No wonder you rats get killed repeatedly yet continually emerge..."

Gazing over the rows upon rows of large glass containers, Minamoto no Yoshiie wore a sullen expression. These detestable rebels hide in different historical shadows and are always so cautious, just like mice and cockroaches in sewers, always hard to eradicate.

With this kind of alchemy technology, listed as forbidden in later generations and strictly controlled, these rats driven to desperation went insane with its misuse, applying it to themselves, endlessly cloning and duplicating without regard for the potential consequences.

They always believed they could keep living and fighting by simply switching to the next clone body after the current one died, thus never dying.

——But never considered that they were already dead.

——Now, only countless clones remain, holding onto their obsessive memories without letting go.

"Kill... Kill him!"

"Everyone, attack together!"

Someone shouted tremblingly, their eyes seeming bloodshot. In an instant, they moved viciously, and others were finally spurred, mustering courage under the oppression of this terrifying Demon Qi, forcing themselves against instinct into resistance.

Peculiar Spirit Stone weapons...

Powerful astrology and alchemy...

Some showed clear signs of mutation induced by Spirit Stone Power, becoming Demon Ghosts, roaring as they directly charged, their bodies rapidly swelling like balloons midway...

Yet what awaited them was a sudden flash of brilliance! The Famous Blade Ao Green unsheathed furiously, transforming into a jade-green streak, angrily slashing through. The blade light, long and miles across, encountered almost no obstacle, sweeping through, tearing apart even the mountain!!

After all, the mountain had been hollowed out, leaving only a thin layer of rock...

The rumbling echoed, rubble cascaded down, even those lucky enough not to be instantly slain still screamed as they were buried under tons of heavy mountain rocks, bursting forth a large swathe of crimson, likely crushed into bloody pulp.

The storm outside whirled in.

Only a few lucky or unlucky ones did not die on the spot.

Someone had half their body crushed by a boulder, blood pouring from their eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, in extreme pain, yet not dead, lying among the rubble, panting desperately, casting a venomous glance towards the direction where footsteps approached amidst the dust.

"Our plan will surely succeed... You blasphemous devils can never stop everything from getting back on track..."

He hoarsely howled fiercely, his breath weakening further.

Standing before this person, Minamoto no Yoshiie gazed down at this deranged Alchemist, speaking calmly: "You had no chance even at the correct time, and now it's no different, merely glow from rotting grass, how could it vie with the sun and moon…"

As if pricked by Minamoto no Yoshiie's disdain and indifference, the dying man's eyes became bloodshot, his face suddenly flushed.

He seemed to revive briefly, letting out an angry low roar in the rain: "Do you think that's enough to defeat us? Our numbers are endless, absolutely, absolutely..."

"So what?" Minamoto no Yoshiie interrupted uninterestedly, with a trace of pity in his eyes for the man, who paused, then erupted in anger, attempting to frantically speak something, but suddenly froze.

He watched Minamoto no Yoshiie's back with wide eyes, where amidst the stormy night sky, a gigantic ship hundreds of meters long slowly glided through the thick cloud layer, revealing its silhouette bit by bit from the sky, descending like an immense suspended silver metal fortress.

"His Majesty traverses the past, existing across all time and space..."

Minamoto no Yoshiie spoke very calmly.

"Can you withstand a Space Battleship? Can you withstand the Railgun?"

The man's expression turned to despair, showing disbelief as he fearfully gazed higher into the night sky, as if his view penetrated to the hidden moon...

Orbiting Earth, is only the Moon's thin outer layer left, with its underside all complex, intricate mechanical composite structures? If the Emperor himself also exists in this era, then what significance do time-travel attacks hold?