Boom!
The spaceship, subjected to concentrated fire, was instantly reduced to ashes. Under the barrage of countless naval guns, not a single piece of armor could escape annihilation, leaving not even a trace of wreckage behind.
An unstable portal opened not far away, Tolain stumbled out, still shaken.
Fortunately, I had a teleportation spell ready, and I managed to avoid being targeted by the enemy at the last second. Otherwise, it would have been too embarrassing to be seriously injured before the fight even started.
"They actually ordered their fleet to bomb me without saying a word! Shameless!" Tolain was both shocked and furious.
Beyond Grade A players visiting and challenging each other—how can they be so blatantly disrespectful!
Even if my intention was to challenge you, it's incredibly rude of you to attack me with a barrage of fire without saying a word!
In his view, even among Beyond Grade A who harbor resentment towards each other, if one side goes to challenge the other, they would at least exchange pleasantries on the surface. We're all people of status; you just threw me, a person of importance, out with a broom! Where did the courtesy between Beyond Grade A go? This isn't just embarrassing for me; it's embarrassing for you too!
Just then, Hila's voice rang out on the wide-area channel.
"You are my defeated opponent. Those I have overtaken have no chance of catching up with me. I have no interest in fighting you again."
Upon hearing this, Tolain was furious. He thought he was arrogant enough, but Hila was even more arrogant than him.
His expression changed several times, but he decided to endure it.
"Hmph, I have a mission to complete, I won't argue with you anyway, you're basically a dead man."
Tolain snorted inwardly and activated a solidified magical communication rune to contact his teammates who were lying in ambush elsewhere.
"Everyone, our judgment was wrong. Hila didn't engage. She wasn't fooled and shamelessly started bombarding us with cannons. The plan to lure her out won't work. Let's switch to a direct assault. At least we've confirmed she's in the stronghold."
Soon, Sagman's reply came through the magical communication system.
"Alright, plan changed, let's launch a full-scale attack! Tolain, share vision and locate us. Taylor, open the portal and launch a surprise attack on the stargate. Also, preheat the space stabilization device so that after we enter, it can block warp and teleportation capabilities, leaving Hila with nowhere to escape. We must proceed according to the original plan."
Hila arrived at the highest command room of the stronghold and watched the images transmitted back on the monitor screen. She saw that in outer space, Tolain was constantly dodging the fleet's attacks.
"He's still not leaving? He definitely has something up his sleeve."
Hila frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, then took out her communicator and sent a message to Han Xiao Han Xiao, intending to discuss it with him.
However, in the next moment, a strong sense of Danger Intuition arose, like a chill rising from the tailbone and penetrating deep into the bone marrow.
Hila's expression changed slightly, and she suddenly looked up. In her perception, several star-like energy sources suddenly appeared nearby.
"Warning! Warning! High-energy source detected!"
"Warning! Warning! Stargate compromised, requesting backup!"
The screen suddenly changed, and a magical portal appeared next to the Stargate Station in the distance. Two figures stepped out, namely Taylor and Sagman.
Before the stargate defense forces could open fire, the two launched a preemptive attack, summoning a massive number of monsters that surged forth, overwhelming the defense fleet. Arcane shockwaves carrying pure destructive power without any elemental attribute, along with endless beams of light, shattered stargate after stargate with overwhelming force... The surprise attack was successful.
Beside Tolain, a second enormous portal appeared, from which a massive, dark mechanical army poured out like a flood, rapidly spreading out. The three figures at the head were none other than the clone of Kasuyi, the Desolate Beast Motes, and the Dominion clone of "Mechanical Catastrophe" Francisco, who controlled this mechanical army.
Kasuyi and Motes are old acquaintances. It is worth mentioning Francisco, who is a direct descendant of the Arcane Cult and a rather special existence. What makes him special is that his true self has been serving his sentence in prison within the Arcane Church and is generally not allowed to move around outside. Only when the Arcane Church needs his power will he be allowed to use his Dominion clone to engage in battle. If he performs meritorious service, his sentence can be reduced.
His crime is related to his nickname, "Mechanical Catastrophe," which signifies the mechanical disasters he once caused, and is also an acknowledgment of his combat prowess. He is an energy-branch mechanic with special expertise; his Mechanical Force enhancement loss is far lower than that of other mechanics of the same level, and his splash range is also far greater than that of other mechanics of the same level, meaning that the maximum size of the mechanical units he can enhance at the same time is very high.
The purpose of bringing along the Mechanical Catastrophe Francisco in this operation was to counter the fleet at the Legion's stronghold and to contain the mechanical forces that Black Star had placed there, thus taking charge of large-scale Legion operations. Otherwise, if there were only a few Beyond Grade A, the fleet would have diverted a lot of their energy.
Upon entering the arena, the Mechanical Catastrophe immediately began controlling its mechanical forces to engage in battle with the fleet at the stronghold.
The sudden arrival of a powerful enemy caught the stronghold fleet off guard. They quickly adjusted and the battle instantly intensified.
At the same time, the Mechanical Catastrophe forces also brought numerous space stabilization devices, wormhole countermeasures, and other equipment, all of which were activated, creating "bubbles" that immediately stabilized the spacetime in this area, rendering even teleportation impossible.
Upon seeing this, Hila's face immediately darkened, becoming grave.
The enemy came prepared, with six Beyond Grade A enemies, including an exceptionally powerful force like Kasuyi...
Do you really want to kill me?
Even though Hila was quite strong-willed, she couldn't help but feel a tremor in her heart at this sight.
Is this the predicament Black Star faced back then?
No, it might be worse; it's practically a certain death trap.
However, Hila's mindset only wavered for a moment before she adjusted herself, suppressing her negative emotions and turning them into fighting spirit. She immediately felt as if her blood was boiling, and her bloodlust was flowing through her veins.
Boom!
The next moment, Hila tore through the roof and flew straight into the sky, gritting her teeth as she charged into outer space, using her aura to remotely lock onto several of her Beyond Grade A.
During the charge, death energy was continuously released, transforming into a crimson cloud of blood.
Seeing this, the Red Devil, the Desolate Beast, and the Dominion of the Mechanical Catastrophe all swooped down, taking advantage of the defensive fleet being entangled, quickly bypassing the blockade, and colliding fiercely with Hila.
Bang!
The momentum was astounding.
On the planet's cut surface, a ring of red shockwaves exploded outwards!
The blood cloud formed by the death energy dissipated completely, and the red meteor plummeted to the earth at an even faster speed, unable to stop.
Rumble!
Hila finally stopped her rampage after smashing through vast clusters of bases, leaving a trail like a rift valley. Dust filled the air around her.
"Cough cough..."
Amidst the smoke and dust, Hila scrambled to her feet, her eyes fierce. She casually wiped the dripping blood from her nose and stared intently at the three figures above.
In a head-on clash, she was clearly no match for the three of them at this stage and was blasted away.
Just then, in the distance from the planetary outpost, a cluster of Enderman, like a black tide, rose into the sky and rapidly approached from the distant horizon, like a flock of crows that blotted out the sun. These were the mechanical troops that Han Xiao had placed in the outpost, led by the Dominion's avatar that had already descended.
The next moment, a wave of mental energy swept across the entire planet, and an ethereal voice resounded in everyone's heart.
"Black Star, I am your opponent."
In a flash, the group saw that Kasuyi's clone had already blocked the mechanical army's path, raising a hand and pressing it down.
Boom!!
All the mechanical troops were instantly pressed to the ground, only the Dominion's clone, its Mechanical Force shining brightly, was able to barely hold on.
"Although the opponent is mechanical and cannot unleash the mental attacks that telekinesis excels at, I am also proficient in telekinesis."
The clone of Kasuyi spoke calmly, raised his palm, and pushed forward.
A telekinetic wall spanning thousands of miles suddenly appeared, rumbling forward and pushing aside all the buildings and machinery in its path, squeezing them against the wall.
A portion of the mechanical troops counterattacked the invisible psychic wall, but Kasuyi's psychic power seemed inexhaustible. Even as the psychic wall cracked under concentrated fire, he didn't care and squandered his psychic power to repair the damaged parts.
The advance of the telekinetic wall was almost unstoppable, like a blackboard eraser that directly flattened a large area of the planet's surface, shoveled away a huge chunk of land, and countless building fragments, soil, and machinery were all pushed into outer space from the planet's cross-section along the direction of the telekinetic wall's advance.
Apart from the Dominion's clone and a small number of highly mobile mechanical soldiers who voluntarily retreated, the other mechanical units were pushed off the planet by the telekinetic wall, far away from the battlefield where Hila was located, and had to regroup in outer space.
At the same time, Kasuyi's clone also followed and blocked Han Xiao's path.
"What terrifying telekinetic power." A glint flashed in Han Xiao's Dominion clone's eyes.
"I draw power from the Void Dimension; my mental energy is Infinite. In terms of energy reserves, perhaps only Oulu of the Federation of Light can compare to me," Kasuyi said calmly. "I've heard you also possess void bloodline. Once your Divine Transformation a certain level, you might awaken such power as well."
Han Xiao's Dominion glanced around, taking in the entire battle situation.
At this moment, the planetary stronghold can be divided into three battlefields. Hila fighting against the Red Devil, the Desolate Beast, and the Mechanical Catastrophe Calamity, and is in Danger at Every Turn, completely at a disadvantage. Fighting three against one is too much for Hila in her current state, and it looks like she could be seriously injured and defeated at any time. However, Han Xiao knows her strengths and weaknesses. Although Hila cannot defeat all three of them, she can still hold on in the short term. After all, her Life Drain ability is still quite strong, and the power of reducing lifespan is something to be wary of, affecting the enemy's performance and preventing them from trading blows.
The second instance is a large-scale legion battle. The mechanical forces controlled by the Mechanical Catastrophe are currently engaged in a battle with the defense fleet of the stronghold. The battle is at a stalemate. The defense fleet mainly wants to turn back to support Hila, while the Mechanical Catastrophe's forces are holding them back.
The third battlefield is between Sagman and Taylor, who are attacking the stargate stations, cutting off Hila's retreat and the passage of reinforcements, and have gained a great advantage. Once they destroy all the stargates, they will turn around and join the siege of Hila, at which point Hila will not be able to hold out.
Han Xiao's Dominion clone did want to stop Sagman and his companion, but the stargate and the stronghold planet were still some distance apart, so they couldn't make it in time.
Moreover, with this mechanized force, they probably can't break through Kasuyi's blockade. The largest mechanized legion and Apostle Weapon are with the main body and are on their way here. They will arrive in a while.
This isn't good... Han Xiao narrowed his eyes and looked at Kasuyi.
"Are you determined to stop me?"
Kasuyi remained expressionless, suppressing his mental fluctuations and communicating only with Han Xiao, slowly saying, "Your Dominion avatar will stay here with me."
He emphasized the words "Dominion avatar".
Han Xiao observed Kasuyi's meaningful expression, and suddenly had an idea. He controlled his Dominion clone to lead the mechanical army to attack.
Kasuyi, a psychic, not only didn't engage in skirmishes, but instead rushed up to fight the Dominion in close combat. They fought fiercely, creating a very "intense" scene. An outsider might have thought the two had some deep-seated grudge.
The surrounding mechanized units unleashed a barrage of artillery fire, seemingly with great precision, but in reality, they were using a human-like aiming technique, ensuring that the artillery fire always grazed past them.
Kasuyi did not stop them, letting the artillery fire fall on the battlefield between Hila and the three of them in the rear, interrupting the three of Tolain's offensive from time to time, forcing them to take cover and creating opportunities for Hila.
Meanwhile, the mechanical troops dispersed, attempting to bypass Kasuyi. Kasuyi symbolically released a telekinetic wall, but in several places the strength was noticeably weakened and easily torn apart, allowing squads of mechanical soldiers to slip through...
--It looks like Kasuyi was entangled in close combat by the Overmind's Dominion, encountered a powerful enemy, and was unable to concentrate on maintaining the telekinetic wall, allowing a portion of Black Star's mechanical forces to break through the blockade and support Hila.
Han Xiao finally realized that the guy in front of him was indeed holding back...
No, it can't be called releasing water; it's at least flood discharge!
Why would he help me like this?
Han Xiao's mind raced, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him. In the one-way telepathic connection, he whispered the secret code:
"Meeting of the Gods? A performance?"
"Focus on your acting."
Han Xiao felt a sense of relief immediately.
Good grief, the boss on the other side is an actor!
Safe!
He temporarily suppressed his restless heart, and the current situation could be maintained.
He has already requested aid from the Empire. The stronghold stargate may be destroyed, but Imperial reinforcements can go to the nearest stargate. Although they cannot reach his own stronghold directly and the support will take longer, it will not be too slow.
"The Arcane has stirred; there might be others eyeing it covetously. I must remain calm and adapt to the situation, waiting for reinforcements and my true self to arrive," Han Xiao thought to himself.
Thanks to Kasuyi's leniency, a portion of the mechanical troops successfully reached Hila's battlefield to provide support. Now, with Han Xiao's Mechanical Force boost, the mechanical troops are incredibly powerful, and even though their numbers are small, Tolain and his companions cannot ignore them.
With help, Hila breathed a sigh of relief. She no longer had to fight alone, and her situation improved significantly. The mechanical troops cooperated with her in battle, allowing them to advance and retreat with a clear strategy.
The death energy, which has the ability to shorten lifespan, shot out in all directions, making Tolain and Motes extremely wary. Originally, they were both tank-type players, but now the tank was the Dominion of the Mechanical Catastrophe.
The fragile mechanical body bore pressure Francisco this profession should not have to bear. Looking at the two muscular giants Tolain Mechanical Catastrophe Motes, looking timid and hesitant, he was speechless.
--Can you guys step up your game? I'm not Black Star, Dominion's clone isn't that tanky!!
"Damn it, Kasuyi missed someone. Is Black Star's clone really that troublesome?" Motes exclaimed in surprise as he dodged a barrage of fire from the mechanical troops.
"After all, what came was just an avatar of Kasuyi. It's normal for its condition to drop after unleashing a powerful attack to divide the battlefield," Francisco the Mechanical Catastrophe, his tone completely unwavering. "I didn't expect Black Star to be so strong, not only holding off Kasuyi but also having the capacity to launch a virtual invasion of my forces."
On the other side, just as the Red Devil Tolain was about to speak, his personal shield was suddenly shattered by artillery fire, and he was caught off guard by Hila's death shockwave.
He immediately felt a jolt, as if the message "-1-1" had popped up above his head.
Tolain couldn't help but glance up at Kasuyi, who was "fighting" in the distance, his eyes filled with resentment, and a helpless groan escaped his lips.
"My lifespan has slipped away again..."
"What... what's going on?!"
In the outer space of the stronghold, amidst the raging fleet battle, legion players aboard warships were stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Although many players have established or joined guilds, operating under the name of the Black Star Army as affiliated organizations in the Free Competition Zone, some players choose to follow the main force.
Especially recently, with the Legion issuing a command for faction war, many players have gathered at the front-line strongholds, treating them as a temporary main city, constantly recruiting people to form teams, and preparing to hunt down Pursuit players from the opposing faction in the Free Competition Zone.
Unexpectedly, while they were peacefully staying at the Black Star base, they were suddenly attacked by multiple Beyond Grade A enemies, turning the area into a battlefield for eight Beyond Grade A!
What's going on? Beyond Grade A items are so rare, you could make enough for two mahjong tables.
Could it be... we've run into some big news again?!
Many players, recalling the Battle of Lighthouse Star from the previous version, were not surprised but rather delighted, and quickly turned on the recording function, frantically filming the Beyond Grade A's face.
"This is probably a major event in this version! And we've stumbled upon it!"
"Quick, take a picture! I have a feeling something really big is about to happen!"
Many players fully experienced the joy of being mere spectators and were extremely excited.
The hurried footsteps grew closer.
Bang!
The door to the reception room was flung open, Ames, Silver Shadow, and Fording, who were chatting inside, turned to look at the doorway. Aurora stumbled in, looking anxious.
"Teacher, something terrible has happened!"
"What's wrong?" Ames asked, puzzled.
"Sister... Sister is being besieged by the Arcane Church. Several Beyond Grade A cultivators went there, all wanting to kill her. I saw it through telepathy!"
"What!"
Ames suddenly stood up, and her force field exploded, instantly sending the surrounding furniture flying.
After more than ten years of training together, she and Hila had developed a deep bond. When she heard the news that her student was in danger, Ames was immediately furious.
Just then, a virtual screen appeared in the room; it was a call from an administrative officer.
"Lady Ames, Fording, a situation has arisen. A Beyond Grade A individual claiming to be Traveler has visited Black Star Palace and has challenged the Legion Commander by name. What should we do?"
"Just tell him that Lord Black Star isn't here," Fording replied.
"... Uh, he said if Black Star isn't here, he'll fight the Dominion's avatar."
Tell him that Black Star is busy right now and doesn't have time to fight him.
"... Fording said he can't leave empty-handed. If he can't find Black Star, he'll challenge Dragon Emperor Throne. But... he's a mage, and he's refusing to leave. It'll be difficult to get rid of him without some special methods."
Fording frowned, about to speak.
At this moment, Ames patted his shoulder, interrupting him, and frowned, saying, "This person's intentions are not good; he probably has some ulterior motive. It might be related to Hila's situation. I'll go and test him, and tell him I'll accept the challenge."
Upon hearing this, Silver Shadow Ying, who had been silent all along, suddenly noticed something. She felt this was a good opportunity to build connections, and that helping Black Star's family would likely bring her great benefits.
With this in mind, he stepped forward and volunteered, "Lady Ames, shall I go?"
"There's no reason to let a guest stand up for you, Fording. Take Silver Shadow to the lookout tower to watch the battle."
Ames waved her hand in refusal, turned and strode out of the room, her long dress swirling like a black flower.
The tall the Sight of Father's Back disappeared from their sight, leaving only a single sentence drifting back from afar.
"Don't worry, I'm not so easy to deal with."