Burning Glass

Three aerial fortresses leaped onto the battlefield in succession, the Paradox Element that provided power emanating a signature purple glow. The spindle-shaped silver shape of the war behemoth was entwined with purple tassels, and its massive scythe and hammer paint scheme shone brightly in the sky. In an instant, the world changed color, and the battlefield's splendor was overshadowed.

The first carrier released an astonishing number of drones, withstanding the concentrated fire of the Council's air defense forces, and, in coordination with the dragon battle group, suppressed the Wyvern formation.

The second giant gun arsenal boat, with its super-powered jet engines, surged forward at a high vantage point, using its dense array of ground-attack artillery and advanced air-to-ground bomb bay to breach the seemingly impregnable enemy defenses.

And the third one...

Without artillery arrays or drone pods, it simply appeared on the battlefield with its massive, aircraft carrier-like size, hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of inflatable volume, and hundreds of tons of payload, carrying a seemingly ordinary but enormous, two-hundred-meter-long cannon barrel.

It is so silent, so peaceful, without a raging charge or an unyielding stance, neither attacking nor defending, far from the battlefield, in a higher position, silently overlooking the folly of the earth.

It didn't seem like an airship.

It was actually a cannon with a floating balloon attached to it.

Based on the exaggerated performance of the first two airships, anyone with a modicum of common sense could sense the immense threat posed by the third airship's eerie silence and extremely abnormal shape. However, with the limited imagination of Mortal World beings, it would be extremely difficult to conceive of the killing methods and mechanisms of this strategic weapon.

This world remains stagnant, with strict hierarchical divisions that constrain and stifle the souls of the vast majority. Without the awe-inspiring light of human liberation, without the blossoming of the soul's pursuit of freedom, and without the vigorous awakening of technological progress that benefits Civilization, it is absolutely impossible for magnificent imaginations that transcend gravity to emerge.

This is precisely the origin and foundation of this strategic weapon.

With Kang De's power, the shuttle carrying the space beacon traversed the dark and silent distance of the universe, finally arriving near the blazing and brilliant star, projecting a sacred outpost like a four-winged angel.

It is a solar sail, a lens, and an energy storage panel, carrying the most insatiable thirst of an enlightened Civilization for the environment, climate, and life-giving star that nurtured its parent planet.

More use, more possession, more plunder.

Until, by utilizing the full energy of the star, they can enter a new level of Civilization.

Given Earth's industrial level and technological sophistication, achieving such results would require another technological explosion, and for Mortal World, such a feat is even more distant.

But Earth's science and industrial technology, otherworldly materials and enchanting techniques, the energy control secrets of the lost Civilization of Yilan-Tai'er, Kang De's ability to project beyond space, and even the blessing of the Sula, the Sun God, completed the first step of this stellar spectacle in a simple, crude, but effective way.

Further than Civilization, even further than the mother star itself, at a closer and more intense distance, it touched the power of the sun and grasped the stellar blade forged by the radiant rays of sunlight.

Then, it was first applied to warfare.

To capture and contain this power of destruction and rebirth, and to build this stellar outpost, Kang De mobilized a vast amount of human and material resources, drawing upon the wisdom of countless sages spanning thousands of years. However, this enormous expenditure was considered insignificant... because the consideration and exploration of how to safely use this power cost far more, even overshadowing the former.

As a testing ground, this White Mist World has been ravaged countless times by the terrifying power of the stars. The uncontrolled, violent energy launches indiscriminate attacks, cruel and wasteful. The Earth's ecological landscape has been completely destroyed, and the sandy land has been burned into glass. This kind of destruction is not what Kang De wanted.

It's certainly not what he urgently needs.

What he desperately needs is controllable, precise, powerful, and versatile standard weapons technology, not suicide weapons for scorched earth strategies—the latter of which nuclear weapons can do, and do better. What he wants is something that nuclear weapons cannot do.

Thus, the most brilliant minds of Mortal World, gathered together by Earthlings, began a new task.

The crux of the matter is clear—it's one thing for the sun's radiation to be captured and confined by the secrets of Yilan-Tai'er, but quite another to release and utilize it. The energy confinement technology of the Pioneer race was only used to harness the immense elemental energy generated by the spectacle of the "Magnetofluid Core — Thunder God's Cage," a path to the stars that even the most eccentric scholars of Yilan-Tai'er's Golden Age dared not conceive.

But Kang De has already pointed out a new path.

His requirements were "an automated firing process from application to authorization that does not require the individual to perform phase manipulation, relying solely on Shalana's Level 2 space authorization," and "a universally applicable weapon configuration that can be flexibly applied to various energy levels and power levels."

Based on human experience, in the early history of firearms development, building cannons was always easier than building guns.

But gradually, things will get better, whether it's cannons or small cannons, big guns or small guns.

Thus, the 200-meter-long directional restraint device was manufactured and cast.

From experimentation to the consumption of failed products, not only were 30% of the Broken Isles' accumulated wealth depleted, but most of the Primal Gel Radiant Crystal mined in recent days were also used up. This weapon project, personally led by Kang De, devoured and digested magical materials from the elves and the Southern Council. In the later stages of the forging phase, Horus and even Kang De personally participated in the processing, and finally, the project was completely completed.

In any country or by any power, such a risky and uncertain research and development plan would almost never have been successfully implemented, but Kang De's decisive leadership ensured its progress.

As he predicted, not only was this unique weapon project successfully developed, but the numerous byproducts generated during the development process also began to benefit many fields, from the military to civilian life. The Truth Office's absorption and utilization of the wealth of the Yilan-Tai'er Civilization entered a new stage.

A weapons project that bridges the past and the future, no matter the cost, is worthwhile.

And now, he will prove it to the whole world.

He who is crowned the sun shall have no fear of the Stellaris.

"Horus," he ordered the highest-ranking field commander of the battle, "Activate the Corona."

"Yes, leader."

The mechanical lifeform's eternally calm, resonant metallic voice was transmitted through radio waves to the heavens.

The third airship, a war fortress named "Extraordinary Destiny," has had its captain activate the Doomsday Blade Protocol, unlocking the terrifying doomsday weapons equipped on board.

"By order officially signed by the Supreme Ruler Kang De, you have been authorized to use the Corona."

Marshal Horus's voice was firm and powerful. "Data coordinates confirmed. Corona is entering pre-launch preparation. From today onwards, our army's best field commanders will be authorized by the Doomsday Blade and summoned for Corona strikes when necessary. This is also your sole mission: to appear on the battlefield via hyperspace jump, answer the call, and wield the destructive blade of light against the enemy, letting the world see the sun's glory."

"Extraordinary Destiny is more than just a name; it is a covenant, a declaration. It is not merely the name of an airship, but a force, a response. In the not-too-distant future, Extraordinary Destiny will shed its flimsy skin and tedious helium, reshaping itself with steel and engines to become a true fortress warship ruling the skies, while the eternal Corona will remain steadfast, holding high its scepter... Now, fire!"

"Yes!"

The captain quickly straightened his dress uniform, glanced at the other officers in the luxurious cockpit, and answered Corona's call into the microphone, "In accordance with the oath to Leader Kang De, the Extraordinary Destiny has answered the call!"

His fingers nimbly slid across the screen, and the digital command panel in front of him displayed the Doomsday Blade Protocol project. On the command panels of the first two airships, there were a series of items such as releasing solar drones and launching array artillery fire. But before the captain, there was only one command, and only one option:...

"Light trails unfold!"

With five fingers pressed, authentication was completed, information was exchanged, and a second verification was performed. Then, the pre-activated doomsday weapon released the restraints of the Radiant Crystal Circuit, and the circular cannon body bloomed layer by layer like flower petals.

Rings of elemental energy circuits activated, runes shimmered, and began to dispel the elemental power around the airship, creating a tidal vacuum to prevent a terrifying Magic Power explosion later. One hundred and twenty-eight strategic magic-grade constraint arrays were activated one after another. They were originally used to guide the targeted attacks of the energy-constructing magic devices or to weaken the enemy's strategic combined spell attacks, but now they were concentrated on a single weapon.

The array of light trails, resembling rotating petals and shimmering with dazzling elemental light, has been fully deployed.

At the end of the light rail array, within the weapon core, the space beacon core, acting as the projectile, activated upon the captain's command, sending a phase connection request to the White Mist World.

In the White Mist World, at the Spacetime Nexus, the angel Sharna floats in the air, radiating a pure and holy light. Her bright eyes are gently closed, her wings gleaming, and she is holy and flawless. With the secondary space authority bestowed upon her by her "father" Kang De, she processes dozens or even hundreds of portal requests per second.

--Retreat wounded soldiers, transport replenished weapons and equipment, open up spatial channels for long-range offensives on artillery positions, deploy combat units to carry out attack orders, and so on.

She sensed the phase request sent by the Extraordinary Destiny and naturally agreed.

It was as easy and effortless as resupplying a box of 7.62mm ammunition to a combat squad.

Thus, on Earth, near the Sun, in a place that even the most advanced probes humanity has ever been unable to reach, the outpost suspended in this location released its bowstring.

Even if this solar sail array, which could have symbolized a milestone in Civilization, were detected by Earth, it would appear as nothing more than a strange black dot next to the sun in the images produced by the most advanced detection devices.

Scientists will discuss what it is with great interest, and the matter will appear in front of the public as news. However, in an era of prioritizing traffic and entertainment to the death, a random black mark will not become any topic of conversation. The public no longer cares about aerospace and the world beyond Earth. The golden age of space exploration is long gone, and apart from enthusiasts, this kind of news will hardly receive any attention.

And naturally, out of more than seven billion people on Earth, only one person knows what is happening right now.

This marks the first time that Earthlings have harnessed the power of a star in a way that is often imagined in science fiction.

--Used for destruction, killing, and devastation.

As the bowstring was released, the stellar energy captured by the solar sail array and the elemental energy conversion constraint system was suddenly released. The unfolding spatial gate completely swallowed this power, casting it into the White Mist World. Meanwhile, the massive ring device built with Kang De's help constrained and downgraded this unparalleled power amidst the torrent of light. After layers of weakening, orientation, and processing, it was finally released again!

The space beacon at the core of the Corona Extraordinary Destiny quietly shattered, and a tiny, restrained Phase Gate cautiously unfolded. Immediately afterward, an explosive burst of light shone brightly across the heavens and earth!

Replacing the sun behind the Rust- colored red clouds, a purer solar radiation dominated the heavens and earth. Even though it had been restrained and concealed by hundreds of processing techniques on the Corona, so that it would not damage the eyesight of those who witnessed it, the burst of brilliance still overwhelmed the real sun.

The initial elemental waves softened the atmosphere and reduced the elemental reactivity between the cannon muzzle and the target. In an instant, the surging stream of light was ejected under the guidance and orientation of the constraint array. The surging stellar power transformed into a sharp blade in the hands of mortals, slashing towards the earth with unprecedented ferocity!

The world lost its color, and everything turned into a ghastly white with black lines.

The roar of cannons and the vibrations of the elements suppressed the high-intensity long-range attacks and defenses between the two sides, leaving the soldiers fighting on the ground speechless in astonishment.

Their mouths gaped open as they stared at the divine spear of light that seemed like divine punishment. Under this earth-shattering light, even the massive airship became like a mosquito under the intense light. The dark clouds that had gathered and churned due to the clash of elements were swept away. The silent yet overwhelming light swept across the battlefield, heading straight for its target. It took everything—life, despair, screams, and even thoughts!

"O gods!"

The panicked shouts were distorted and muffled, and the tense but prepared soldiers on the front lines began to break down and flee. They had heard of the Forbidden Spell spellcaster, but had never seen Kang De use Forbidden Spell. But now, they finally understood what Forbidden Spell was!

If this is Forbidden Spell, how should we resist death?

If this isn't Forbidden Spell, then how terrifying must a truly Forbidden Spell be!

It's unclear how much time passed—perhaps a moment, perhaps a long time—but the rushing light finally ceased, the world's colors returned, and the clamor resumed. The artillery fire from the Distant Harbor continued unabated. Officers shouted at the soldiers to come to their senses and prepare for the attack, but as their vision returned and they looked at the battlefield, all the witnesses were momentarily stunned.

The rugged, ugly, and scarred land has been given a new scar.

The trail of light stretched all the way to a spot in the Council's position, where everything was annihilated. The spellcasting positions and fortresses guarding the place vanished without a trace, the elite combat guards were all vaporized, the runes that reinforced the soil had collapsed, the elemental power had dissipated without a trace, and there wasn't even a wisp of smoke or any muddy, damp soil.

Only large swathes of soft, transparent, gel-like substance were slowly solidifying.

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PS1: Damn, my head has been throbbing all night. I think I'm catching a cold, and of all times... I was planning to take a day off, but I felt that if I really did catch a cold, I'd probably feel even worse after sleeping, and I wouldn't even be able to guarantee an update the next day. So, while frantically drinking hot water and rubbing my head, I finally managed to write one chapter. That's all for now. I'm going to drink some more water, sweat it out, and then go to sleep.