Planet Ferry.
Streaks of light streaked across the universe, stopping not far from the planet, revealing the silhouette of the Black Star Army's exploration fleet.
"Vice Commander, we've arrived."
On the bridge, Hila gazed through the porthole at Planet Ferry, where Gorutan's fleet hovered in outer space, facing her from afar.
"Open wide area communication and contact them." Hila decided to try diplomacy first, then force.
The communicator sent a message, and after a while, a communication request popped up on the screen.
After the connection was established, a ferocious humanoid creature appeared on the screen; it was a Calamity Grade cadre.
"I am Goragon, son of the Beast Ancestor, greetings to Hila."
"What do you mean?" Hila frowned.
"My father wishes to invite you to a meeting on Planet Ferry; he is waiting for you on the surface."
What should we talk about?
"I don't know what Father is thinking, but the question is, do you dare to come?" Goragon's tone was impolite and aggressive.
"Alright, move aside and let my fleet land, then we can talk."
"I'm sorry, Father said you're only allowed to go alone; the fleet can't follow."
"Then get him out of here."
Hila turned around immediately and decisively ordered, "All ships, listen to my command! Advance and annihilate any warships that dare to obstruct us!"
Just then, the communication screen switched, and Gorutan's figure appeared.
Running naked in front of someone of his own caliber would be extremely impolite. Today, he wore a simple sleeveless battle suit, stood with his arms crossed, and remained expressionless.
"Indeed, it seems the Black Star Army has a tough vice-legion commander."
Seeing this, Hila raised her fist, indicating a freeze order and standing by for the time being. She squinted and said, "Gorutan, I'm curious, the Black Star Army has no conflict with you, so why are you provoking us?"
Gorutan said in a deep voice, "Want to know why? I'll tell you when we meet. Let's see if you have the guts. I'll be waiting for you on the planet's surface. We'll both keep our fleets away from Planet Ferry."
Having said that, Gorutan's fleet took the lead in moving away from Planet Ferry and facing the Black Star fleet from a distance, placing the planet precisely at the center point between the two forces, leaving only Gorutan on Planet Ferry.
Hila pondered for a moment, then turned to her adjutant and said, "Conduct a comprehensive survey of Planet Ferry and the surrounding environment to see if there are any hidden life signals or energy sources, in case the enemy has laid a trap."
The adjutant nodded, issued the order, and after a while received a report from below, "The surrounding area is very clear; there is indeed only one life signal, Gorutan... So, should we open fire?"
Before his superior could speak, the adjutant was already thinking of taking the opportunity to attack Gorutan.
"Since he's being sincere, I'll hear what he has to say. You all stay here and remain on standby, keep your weapon systems active, and be on alert. If the enemy fleet makes any unusual moves, open fire immediately."
Even if the fleet took the opportunity to attack, it wouldn't pose much of a threat to Gorutan. They dared to do so because they were fearless. Hila wasn't sure what Gorutan's intentions were, so she simply agreed to meet him.
Perhaps Gorutan intended to create a one-on-one situation to attack her, but she wasn't worried. This was exactly what she wanted. Even if she couldn't defeat Peak Beyond Grade A, she could still hold out for a while.
Hila boarded a small vessel and quickly entered the atmosphere of Planet Ferry, hovering high in the sky.
With a whoosh, the hatch opened, Hila stepped out, looking down at the ground.
In the desolate plains strewn with jagged rocks, Gorutan sat atop a giant boulder, elbows propped on his knees, palms clasped in front of him, looking up at Hila, and slowly began to speak:
"As a superhuman, you dared to get close to a Peak Beyond Grade A martial artist. You've got guts."
The sound waves emanating from his mouth seemed to cause the air between heaven and earth to vibrate, spreading far and wide like thunder.
Hila didn't descend, but hovered in the air, saying, "Speak plainly, what do you want with me?"
Gorutan stared at Hila and said calmly, "I don't know what others think, but in my eyes, you are the most promising among this year's freshmen Beyond Grade A students."
"... So?" Hila raised an eyebrow.
"Someone as talented as you will eventually climb to a higher level. There's no need for you to be someone's subordinate. Going it alone is more suitable for you," Gorutan said calmly.
Hila's eyes flashed, and she said coldly, "What force are you representing to sow discord between me and Black Star? The Three Universal Civilizations?"
"I only speak for myself and the Interstellar Black Market Management Committee. You can take my words as sincere advice."
"Don't you think you're meddling too much?" Hila scoffed.
"I can see that you are a very strong-willed person who doesn't like to take orders. Sooner or later, you will definitely become independent." Gorutan's eyes were full of interest. "When that day comes, I will be willing to offer you an invitation to become one of the protectors of the Interstellar Black Market."
He not only sowed discord, but also undermined others.
Hila remained indifferent. "I had my communicator on; Black Star could hear you the whole time."
"So what if he hears?" Gorutan said dismissively. "You have a choice; you're not his slave."
"I have no interest in your invitation," Hila said indifferently. "Are you done? Withdraw your troops, and we'll pretend the provocation never happened."
"I don't think this is a provocation. Planet Ferry doesn't belong to the Black Star Army. This is Free Competition Zone, not your territory. No one says that others can't occupy the planets you've set your sights on." Gorutan shook his head.
"You had the opportunity to take over this planet long ago, but you only came to claim it for yourself after we made our choice. What is this if not provocation?" Hila said.
"Don't be so domineering, little brat." Gorutan grinned. "First come, first served. You're the ones who should get lost. Go find another planet. This is my base now."
As soon as the words were spoken, the atmosphere became tense, and the two confronted each other sharply.
He was entrusted with a task, and no matter how Hila reacted, he would not back down. His goal was to force Hila to fight him and test her resolve.
In his view, the task was simple: just fight Hila, make the Black Star Army suffer some losses, and then decide whether to withdraw or not. That would solve the problem.
This level of conflict and provocation, while likely to provoke Black Star's displeasure, wouldn't escalate to a fight to the death. He was quite certain that he didn't want to become enemies with Black Star, and Black Star didn't want to become enemies with him either; neither side was someone to be trifled with.
Hila's expression turned completely cold. Gorutan was right; the Black Star Army was in the wrong... However, backing down in this situation wouldn't earn you praise for being reasonable; it would only make you seem weak.
If all problems could be solved by reasoning, there would be no conflict in the world.
If you won't back down, I won't back down. Since you're deliberately causing trouble, the only solution is force.
Seeing Gorutan's malicious expression, Hila remained silent for a few seconds before suddenly making her move!
Rumble!
A monstrous surge of death energy erupted, transforming into Rainstorm that swept down from the sky!
"It looks pretty scary." Gorutan twisted his neck and stomped his feet.
Bang!
The earth suddenly cracked open, creating a huge circular rift valley under his feet, and the shockwave swept dust in all directions.
He transformed into a shooting star, crashing straight into the Rainstorm of death energy. His entire body was enveloped in a deep brown martial arts aura, exuding a wild and arrogant temperament.
Bang!
The meteor streaked across the sky, and before Hila could react, a fist enveloped in flames struck her hard in the abdomen.
The suit's shield shattered, and tiny cracks appeared in the outer armor. The entire person shot out with a bang, breaking through the sound barrier with a thunderous roar.
"Such immense power, such incredible speed..." Hai Tushu. com's expression changed slightly.
Even the suit's shock-absorbing system couldn't withstand such a powerful shock. Hila felt as if her internal organs had been flattened by a single blow, experiencing excruciating pain. She barely managed to stabilize herself in mid-air, secretly shocked.
Both were at the Peak Beyond Grade A, and the feeling of fighting against Gorutan was completely different from that of fighting against Han Xiao.
Han Xiao's attack was all-encompassing, strong in every aspect, and extremely controlled, as if he could mold and manipulate Han Xiao at will. On the other hand, Gorutan's fighting style was incredibly Berserk, like a rampaging beast, invincible and unstoppable.
Hila's impression of Beyond Grade A martial artists mainly came from Heber, but this is completely different from Peak Beyond Grade A martial artist; they are not in the same league.
Speed, strength, stamina, and other qualities have all undergone a qualitative change. To be specific, Gorutan alone could kill three or four Heber!
Only those at the SS rank can be considered Peak Beyond Grade A; the combat power at this level is no joke.
Having succeeded in his attack, Gorutan did not pursue, but instead hovered in place, looking down at the death energy clinging to his body.
His protective aura was extremely strong, blocking the vast majority of attacks. Only a small portion of the attacks actually damaged his body, resulting in only a few layers of [Death Erosion].
"Corrosive energy, seemingly related to life force... It seems the rumors were true; you severely injured Tolain in this way. The more you accumulate, the stronger the explosive power."
Gorutan glanced at Hila, then unleashed a burst of energy, shattering the death power within him and dispelling all [Death Erosion] status effects. Martial artists who rely on their physical abilities usually possess numerous skills to dispel negative status effects from their bodies.
"This is a bit tricky..." Hila gritted her teeth, but her eyes lit up.
She was somewhat surprised by Gorutan's fighting prowess, but this did not deter her; instead, it fueled her fighting spirit.
The next moment, Hila launched another offensive, with death energy surging like a tide, attacking while simultaneously engulfing her and propelling her forward at high speed.
A crimson wave, as powerful as a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down, Gorutan lowered his shoulders and lunged forward, slamming into the air in front of him. In an instant, an invisible spherical shockwave exploded in mid-air, quickly enveloping the incoming death energy within it.
Rumble!
The sound of vibration echoed between heaven and earth. Gorutan's impact was clearly a skill. The particles in the entire space in front of him seemed to vibrate at a high frequency. The approaching death energy disintegrated and dissipated rapidly, unable to get close to his body.
Your abilities don't seem to match your attitude.
Gorutan remained calm, his figure vanishing in an instant as he accelerated to full speed.
Wow!
The speed difference was too great; Hila still hadn't reacted when Gorutan arrived beside her and lashed her back with a powerful whip kick.
Thump!
Her body arched backward, shooting into the sky like a cannonball, and flew directly out of outer space.
"Cough cough... I can't fight him in close combat." Hila felt like she had been kicked and broken dozens of bones, and immediately made the judgment.
When facing Tolain, she could still rely on her Life Drain ability to fight head-on because the difference in strength wasn't significant. However, compared to Peak Beyond Grade A martial artist, her strength, speed, and close-combat skills were far inferior. The difference in raw strength was too great; despite both being Beyond Grade A, she couldn't even see her opponent's figure clearly!
In close combat, Peak Beyond Grade A martial artists are nearly invincible; engaging in a direct confrontation is suicidal.
"In a one-on-one situation, I'm completely helpless. I need to complicate the battlefield."
Hila was rapidly considering tactics when the communicator built into her suit rang, revealing Han Xiao's ambiguous voice; he was online the entire time.
"How about it? You can feel the difference in strength now, right? Need any help?"
"No need." Hila shook her head. If she always relied on Black Star's help, how could she grow?
"But you're no match for me. If you can't handle it, let me do it."
Han Xiao raised an eyebrow, knowing all along that Hila couldn't win.
During the Meeting of the Gods, he collected data on Gorutan's attributes, and found a lot of questions. Even he himself might not be able to defeat Gorutan head-on, let alone Hila now. If Peak Beyond Grade A was so easy to deal with, it wouldn't have such a huge deterrent effect.
But he knew that even if he couldn't win, Hila wouldn't be the one to suffer, so he didn't interfere with Hila's training.
"Hmph, wait until I'm about to be beaten to death before you help me."
Hila steadied herself, turned around, and while trying to create distance, attacked with death energy to restrain Gorutan.
It wasn't exactly a prolonged battle; the fight was almost entirely one-sided and brutal. If Gorutan hadn't deliberately slowed his attacks to force out Hila's various abilities, she would have been completely on the defensive. The overwhelming speed and power were enough to overcome any obstacle.
But Gorutan didn't find it easy either. After enduring wave after wave of death energy attacks, a sense of apprehension flashed through his mind.
"Her bizarre ability... if I hadn't overwhelmingly surpassed her in strength, her power might have posed a considerable threat to me..."
Another punch landed on Hila's shoulder, and Hila shot out with the Book of Light. Just as Gorutan was about to give chase, he suddenly noticed that Hila gritted her teeth and adjusted her flying direction, her target being none other than his fleet.
"She actually flew towards my troops on her own initiative? Isn't she afraid of being surrounded?"
Gorutan was slightly taken aback. At that moment, Hila suddenly changed her gesture, and a surge of mental energy burst forth.
He froze, and the world before him changed drastically, as if he had been suddenly pulled into a pitch-black space.
Looking down, one sees countless faces of vengeful spirits.
[The Abyss of the Dead]!
Although martial artists hone their minds, their mental resistance is not very high. When Gorutan was hit by this mental control skill, he was stunned on the spot.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Hila unleashed her death energy, smashing straight through the protective shield erected by the Gorutan fleet and charging into the fleet.
"What is she trying to do?" Goragon, who had spoken with Hila earlier, stood in the command center of one of the ships, completely bewildered.
Before he could take any action, Hila raised her hands, and death energy erupted, attacking all the surrounding warships.
"What!"
Goragon was alarmed and hurriedly ordered his fleet to take cover.
However, before he could give the order, a dark red energy swept in, enveloping the porthole and rapidly approaching, quickly occupying all his vision.
Goragon's eyes widened suddenly.
Rumble rumble rumble!!
In an instant, spaceships were chewed up and devoured by death energy like cookies, and countless descendants of Gorutan were harvested.
Hila's health rapidly recovered thanks to the life force fed back through [Life Drain].
After the exchange, Hila knew very well that she was no match for Gorutan in a one-on-one fight. With her limited health, she wouldn't last long. The only way to increase her survivability was to turn the battle into a group fight and absorb more life force.
Her combat effectiveness in large-scale battles far surpasses that in one-on-one combat; group battles are her forte!
Hila rampaged through the fleet, slaughtering everyone in her path, her condition rapidly improving, while countless screams were drowned out by the explosions.
At this moment, Gorutan finally broke free from the mind control of [Abyss of the Dead]. As soon as he came to his senses, he saw Hila shaking him off and slaughtering his descendants. His expression changed drastically, and he was furious.
In his view, Hila was venting her anger by slaughtering his descendants!
Many of them were elites he had carefully cultivated!
"You dare?!"