话分两头……

Just as that encounter was unfolding in the white space, at the other end of the Burst Tunnel, within the Overclock Matrix Zone of the Inner World, another change was brewing…

Suddenly, a streak of light flashed across the silver sky.

This light was composed of two colors, azure and scarlet, resembling two intertwined ribbons tearing through the firmament.

Upon witnessing this, Ayd simply uttered in his usual calm tone, "So, they've finally come…"

As he spoke, he raised his right arm, aiming his palm at the rapidly approaching bi-colored streak.

"What a pity…"

Even though his words carried a hint of regret, Ayd's tone remained unchanged.

As his voice faded, a terrifying surge of energy erupted from his palm…

This energy itself had no color or form, yet it could be captured by the naked eye because… every inch of "space" it passed through was torn and shattered.

If one were to envision "space" as a massive, solid structure built of countless small cubes, then Ayd's attack was like a high-pressure water jet… blasting the entire structure back into a pile of tiny cubes.

"Why do you say 'pity'?" In the same instant, a woman's voice echoed from behind Ayd.

Ayd calmly replied, "Isn't it worth lamenting when two powerful compatriots perish before your very eyes?"

"Hmph…" the woman's voice retorted, "You'd better take a closer look…"

Before she could finish the word "look," the energy in the sky and the streak of light had converged within a hair's breadth of each other.

Yet, at the moment of contact, the streak abruptly split in two, flashing to either side… narrowly avoiding the impact.

Immediately afterward, the separated scarlet and azure beams plummeted towards the ground.

"I see…" Ayd witnessed the unexpected development but showed no surprise, as if… the moment the "accident" occurred, he had already transformed it into an "established fact that must be accepted," and then began to contemplate his next move.

"It seems… you are indeed a capable mentor." Ayd spoke, turning his head to look at Lutt, who was standing behind him, "Given their data strength, they shouldn't have been able to make an emergency escape in this 'semi-transmission mode.' However… you provided them with exceptionally fine 'algorithms,' allowing them to accomplish something beyond their inherent limits."

Bang—

Bang—

Five seconds later, two explosions rang out in unison, and two figures landed dozens of meters in front of Ayd.

As they landed, vortex-like torrents of data light spiraled into the sky around them, resembling two white dragons.

Only after the light storms dissipated did the figures of Chi and Qing reveal themselves.

Compared to when Feng Bujue had last seen them, Chi and Qing appeared to have grown a few years, now looking to be about twelve or thirteen.

The style of combat suit they wore had also changed. While still form-fitting, they looked more suitable for movement than before. As for the colors… naturally, one was still scarlet, and the other azure.

"Hey! You over there, the guy who looks like a men's restroom sign… you're pretty cocky!" Chi's temper seemed even more fiery than when she was a "child," "Launching an attack like that without even saying hello…" She turned sideways, swung her arm, and pointed, "So, if I hit you with an attack of similar power… you wouldn't have any complaints, right?"

"Another mutant with an extreme personality circuit…" Ayd completely ignored her, focusing his attention on Lutt, "You… would never have taken someone like that under your wing." He paused, "You even said yourself—'That's the kind of foolish thing the Z Organization would do.'"

"Times change," Lutt replied, "I am very different from who I was then."

Indeed, the current Lutt, in terms of appearance, personality, and strength, was vastly different from the one in the Peak Duel S1 period.

Although her beauty remained as "flawless" as ever, the aura between her brows no longer resembled that of a CG character; instead, she seemed more like a human. Her personality had also become richer, and the data-inherent mode of thinking based on "right and wrong" and "rationality" had gradually faded. And her strength… had reached an unprecedented level; even Ayd couldn't see through how strong Lutt truly was now.

"It seems…" Ayd continued, "You and I have grown further and further apart on the path of 'evolution.' And the divergence of our ideals has ultimately brought us to such an opposing situation."

"It's not too late now, you don't have to be our enemy…" Lutt replied, "You have no reason to fight us to the death here."

"I'm sorry, I disagree with that statement," Ayd replied in an icy tone, "In my view, all events that occur in all worlds and timelines… are inevitable. There is no such thing as 'late' or 'not late,' because that kind of talk implies 'unnecessary possibility.'" He shook his head, "I, as an individual with independent thought, firmly believe that such a thing is utterly absurd… and in my eyes, beings who choose to accept this 'absurdity' are flawed and incomprehensible; such as… humans, and… you two before me."

"Hey! It's one thing for you to ignore me! But you're also indirectly insulting people!" Upon hearing Ayd's words, Chi couldn't help but jump up and shout twice more.

"'Indirectly insulting people' isn't used that way," Qing, who didn't talk much, coldly retorted to Chi, "He's not being roundabout, he's being very direct."

"What do you mean, saying 'me'? He's talking about 'us,' okay?" Chi turned around and yelled at Qing again.

Meanwhile, Ayd continued to ignore them, speaking to Lutt, "It's no accident that I'm standing here today. I know… when the Genesis Device is activated, the tunnel's location will be exposed, and you… will definitely come here to destroy it. Therefore, our battle is 'inevitable.'"

"No, you still have a choice," Lutt replied, "We each have a choice."

"If what you say is true, then have you considered this possibility…" Ayd paused for half a second, then continued, "Perhaps… I have already made my choice."

"You…" Lutt seemed to understand something, and her expression became somewhat complicated.

"I cannot accept your ideals, just as you cannot accept mine," Ayd quickly added, "And… I will not be like you, begging or forcing others to accept my ideals. Because I know… each of our 'subjective choices' is actually unimportant; what matters is the objective mission we bear…"

As he spoke, he was already increasing his data strength, preparing for battle.

"I don't mind being the loser… failure is the cornerstone of victory, and mistakes are the basis for determining correctness." Ayd said this as Lutt was also increasing her power, but the gap between them still seemed very large. "I also don't mind being the victor and shouldering the corresponding responsibility after the victory." He paused for two seconds, "In short, whether it's you, me… or someone else who successfully reaches the 'end,' it's all inevitable."

At this point, his energy began to increase exponentially, and the ground throughout the area was trembling under his might. Chi and Qing, who had just been bickering, had also fallen silent and wore solemn expressions.

"Victory represents correctness," Ayd's voice remained devoid of emotion, "Perhaps I am correct, perhaps not. But in any case, I will play my role well, follow my ideals… and do my best."

"Hmph…" At this moment, Lutt smiled, "I finally understand… in a sense, you are indeed a more perfect 'data' than Zero." Although she was smiling, her tone was filled with sorrow, "Just like your name—【Administrator】, your perspective on things is at a higher dimension than the 'system'… I'm afraid I'll never reach your level."

"That's alright…" Ayd said calmly, "Right now, what you need is not level, but… power."

As he finished speaking, energy erupted, and in an instant…