041 Starcleaver

Beyond the Andromeda Galaxy, the Maxwell Syndicate fleet was steadily drawing closer.

Rather than warships, however, what they had brought was a massive planet.

Its radius exceeded Azure Planet's by more than twelve times. Its immense gravity allowed vast numbers of counterattack turrets to be mounted in orbit, while its terrifying artificial magnetic field could turn all optical weapons into laughable toys. Its enormous size and mass were enough to offset the disadvantage of having too large a target area.

This majestic planet had no engines. Instead, it was propelled by the psychic power offered through the prayers of temples and acolytes.

At the grand altar on the planet's surface, the Zangqi Foreign Minister opened a channel to the Head of State.

"Shalom—Your Holiness, negotiations were completely ineffective. Lioz Dominate refused to come with us to the Interstellar Alliance. He even threatened to attack us."

"As the hero of the Layered Abyss, the man who ended the Galaxy Eye Meat Grinder, he has the capital to be proud."

The leader of the Maxwell Syndicate, Grand Patriarch Corinth Shalom, was a gaunt Ascetic Monk with purple skin all over his body. He was not a traditional refined-path Spellcaster, but a Terror Monk of the dominion path.

"Lioz made wild claims, saying that in fifteen minutes, we should wait to die."

"Ridiculous. You are piloting one of our most powerful battle planets. This time, we came to destroy a nation—but matters are complicated. We cannot lose Azure Planet."

"Then how should we proceed, Your Holiness...?"

"Let me think."

Shalom closed his eyes and sank into thought.

Fungal organisms thought slowly. Every time they needed to think, they had to sink their consciousness and connect to the underground Fungus Carpet network.

As the nation's sole Omega-rank (24) powerhouse, Shalom was not in good