Amidst a storm of thunderclouds, a silver, prismatic spaceship topped with a shield cleaved through the waves at high speed, like a small boat tossed about in a giant wave.
Han Xiao and Kasuyi were both in the cockpit, observing the Secondary Dimension World map model.
"We're getting deeper and deeper..." Han Xiao clicked his tongue, looking at the constantly changing coordinates. "Are you sure we haven't gone the wrong way?"
"My senses have been pointing this way, and based on my experience, we're almost there." Kasuyi nodded.
The two set off from the Void Dimension aboard an exploration ship specifically designed for Secondary Dimension World, and began their journey towards their destination.
Because Kasuyi failed to enter the target Secondary Dimension, it did not have anchor coordinates and could only transit through the known Secondary Dimension to shorten the distance as much as possible before using the space turbulence to fly there.
Luffy and his companion Luffy for quite some time, far beyond the control of the Three Universal Civilizations, and are increasingly venturing into the Secondary Dimension World, passing through one bizarre and wondrous sub-plane after another.
Secondary Dimension World, like the main universe, are constantly expanding. Every second, countless Secondary Dimension World are born or perish. The Three Universal Civilizations have only explored a portion of the relatively stable areas. They call the explored areas "shallow" and the unknown areas "deep." But this is just a difference in terminology. In reality, there is no essential difference between deep and shallow Secondary Dimension.
Without coordinates, it's impossible to move an inch here. The only thing the two can rely on now is Kasuyi's senses, which is their only navigation device. Fortunately, he has been there twice, confirming that this method works.
Just then, a barely perceptible crack suddenly appeared in the spatial turbulence ahead.
Kasuyi's eyes lit up. "That's it!"
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao immediately steered the spaceship around, tracing an arc before plunging into the rift.
Thump!
Logically, encountering a spatial wall rift during a spatial storm should allow direct entry into a Secondary Dimension. However, this time was different. The two felt a slight tremor in the ship. The world outside the porthole was still a spatial storm, but it seemed to have changed location. Before them appeared an endless honeycomb-shaped spatial wall, displaying a mysterious blue-purple color—this was the exterior of a Secondary Dimension World.
Outside the spatial barrier, a large group of strange creatures roamed—the very monsters Kasuyi had mentioned.
"Is this the place?"
"Yes, be careful. These creatures are very aggressive and incredibly resilient. They have amazing resistance to mental and energy attacks, and their regenerative abilities are powerful. They can also release an energy similar to dimensional lightning, and the energy of each individual can resonate, forming a huge protective shield covering the space wall, isolating it from the outside world. This shield cannot be broken without defeating these creatures, which is why I can't break through," Kasuyi warned.
Han Xiao carefully examined the creature. It was quite large. Although there was no reference point, he estimated that it was about Three Hundred Thousand long. Structurally, it had the characteristics of a beetle. Its entire body was covered with a milky white exoskeleton, which was long and slender, with distinct segments. At first glance, it looked a bit like a centipede without legs. However, along the seam between the carapace and the abdomen, there was a ring of light blue membrane wings, which made it look a bit like a planktonic organism.
The membranous wings have a segment resembling a limb at intervals, with a hollow bony tube at the end, like a respiratory organ, constantly inhaling and exhaling spatial turbulence. On their abdomen are two rows of symmetrical chelipeds that extend all the way to the tail. The head has no visual organs or mouthparts, only a huge pointed cone covered with rows of holes, so densely packed that it is almost impossible to distinguish the head from the tail without careful observation.
"They grow so capriciously, is it because nobody can see them that they just grow however they want?" Han Xiao thought to himself.
As the two were chatting, the roaming creatures discovered their spaceship and immediately launched an attack. One after another, the monsters inhaled large amounts of spatial turbulence, and streaks of dark purple lightning suddenly appeared, coursing across their bodies before shooting out and striking the spaceship.
Buzz!
Kasuyi's eyes lit up, and a huge psychic shield popped out to protect the spaceship. All the black and purple lightning bolts struck it, exploding into streaks of electricity. However, he continued to inject energy, making the psychic shield unmoved—with a huge amount of mana to support it, Kasuyi was not afraid of consumption at all.
"They're tough and have incredible mental resistance, so I'm not very efficient at fighting them... Black Star, I'm leaving them to you." Kasuyi turned and said.
"You just focus on defense, I'll handle the damage."
Han Xiao nodded, opened the Secondary Dimension Army Box, and mechanical soldiers surged out, unleashing a powerful barrage of firepower. This area had become a battlefield for the mechanical troops.
Legion-style Mechanics excel in large-scale team battles. While Kasuyi is also good at AOE, his psychic abilities are better suited for dealing mental damage. However, his output efficiency will decrease when facing targets with high mental resistance.
The Psionic Energy bombarded the monsters, blasting charred gashes into their exoskeletons. These monsters were indeed incredibly resistant, but Han Xiao was no longer the same as before. After advancing, his attributes had increased dramatically, his attack power had risen in tandem, and his Mechanical Force bonus was even stronger. Under the concentrated fire of the large-scale mechanical army, one monster after another was easily blasted to pieces, exploding into fragmented biological tissues.
At this moment, more and more creatures rushed over, their numbers seemingly endless, showing no fear, and fought the mechanical army wave after wave.
Their energies resonated and connected, forming an extremely thick, dark purple shield that covered each individual, thus slowing the rate of casualties. As more and more creatures arrived, the intensity of the attacks and the shields continued to rise; the greater the number, the higher the increase.
The battle outside was fierce, but the two remained inside the spaceship without moving.
Looking out the porthole at the battlefield, Kasuyi's expression showed some surprise.
"Black Star, how come your mechanical units are so lethal?"
He had fought these creatures before and knew their defensive capabilities. In his opinion, while Black Star could deal with enemies, it shouldn't be as easy as it was now.
Kasuyi and Manison had known each other for many years, and Kesuye was knowledgeable in the field. The combat power displayed by Black Star's mechanical legion at this moment was beyond his expectations. The Hila Rescue Battle was the only time Kasuyi personally experienced Han Xiao's combat power, but compared with that time, Black Star's improvement now was too great.
"Oh, not at all, my skill level is just average."
Han Xiao smiled and waved his hand; he didn't want to reveal his secret.
Seeing that Han Xiao was unwilling to talk about it, Kasuyi didn't press him further. He suppressed his shock, changed the subject, and shook his head, sighing, "Mechanics are so convenient. They can solve the problems that have been bothering me without even lifting a finger while sitting in the spaceship."
"Everyone has their own expertise, you know. Although we mechanics have a lot of underlings, weapons, and money, and can adapt to almost any situation, especially since I'm an anomaly who can even fight martial artists hand-to-hand... I don't have telekinesis." Han Xiao chuckled.
"... I don't feel comforted at all by saying that."
The two chatted casually, and Han Xiao casually opened the panel to look at the battle information— Old Ke didn't know the origin of these creatures, but we have the panel, so we can take a look at what these creatures are.
A quick glance revealed that the panel named this creature "Void Louse," with an average level between 240 and 260. It was a special creature with powerful talents. Judging from its attributes and skills, a single Void Louse was slightly stronger than Calamity Grade, but far from reaching the Beyond Grade A. Its main strength lay in its astonishing resistance. Living in spatial turbulence, it was constantly being torn apart by spatial storms. Compared to it, the Star Roaming Beast of the past were nothing.
The Void Louse possesses a crucial talent for sharing energy; the more of its kind within a certain range, the greater the amplification. It can perform actions such as sharing damage and transferring attributes, but there is a limit to the amplification. If it reaches its peak, its resistance is so strong that it can even withstand attacks from Peak Beyond Grade A enemies.
"This kind of creature is quite formidable. If there are enough of them, they can rival Peak Beyond Grade A. I could collect a bunch and raise them, but I don't know what their habits are like, or whether they can survive in the main universe..."
Han Xiao stroked his chin and muttered to himself.
"I don't care about that right now." Kasuyi waved his hand; all he wanted to do at that moment was enter this Secondary Dimension to find an opportunity for Divine Transformation.
"That's true, let's get down to business first."
Han Xiao nodded, preparing to have the mechanical troops focus their fire on blasting open the shield of the Void Louse swarm, creating a passage into the Secondary Dimension World.
But just then...
Boom!!
A powerful energy surge suddenly erupted from afar, rapidly approaching.
Sensing this fluctuation, both Han Xiao and Kasuyi's expressions changed.
"This energy..." Kasuyi's expression turned solemn.
"There's no mistake, this is the energy of a true Peak Beyond Grade A burst, and its level is no less than yours or mine!" Han Xiao frowned.
Within their perception range, the source of this energy was rapidly approaching, posing a strong sense of threat.
The two moved and finally left the spaceship, also releasing their auras as they gazed at the source of the energy fluctuations.
Not long after, a meteor streaked across the sky and stopped in front of the two, revealing its form. It was about three meters tall and wore a strange suit of armor that covered its entire body, without exposing any skin. Only the eyes on its helmet had two blue dots shining through them.
Han Xiao and Kasuyi sized up the newcomers, exchanged a quick glance, and communicated on a spiritual level.
"You didn't see this person the first two times you came?"
"No, his aura is unfamiliar; he doesn't seem to be someone I know."
"Could he be someone who's been hiding in Secondary Dimension World, cultivating to the Peak Beyond Grade A?"
"Possibly."
"Talk to him and see what's going on."
The two quickly reached a consensus. Kasuyi immediately released gentle mental energy to show that he had no hostility and sent a mental message in an attempt to communicate with the other party.
Han Xiao didn't intervene in their conversation. After waiting for about ten seconds, he noticed that Kasuyi's expression suddenly turned grim, and immediately asked:
What did he say?
"No matter what I said to him, his response was always the same: he demanded that we leave, or he would kill the intruders."
"He calls us intruders?" Han Xiao asked in surprise. "Could this Secondary Dimension be his territory?"
Considering the difficulty of the mission, he knew from the beginning that it wouldn't be easy. He had initially thought this Secondary Dimension was a nest of Void Louse, but now it seemed he was wrong. Moreover, the Void Louse around him weren't attacking this Mysterious Person, as if they were being raised. The truth seemed to be more complex than it appeared.
"How should I know? It seems there's no room for negotiation. Prepare to make your move." Kasuyi narrowed his eyes. He was determined to obtain the opportunity for Divine Transformation and would never compromise.
"That works, but there's no need to fight him. We just need to force him back temporarily, and then we can go directly into the Secondary Dimension and see what's going on inside," Han Xiao suggested.
Kasuyi nodded without objection, then suddenly launched an attack, his psychic power instantly becoming Berserk and surging out, shattering the surrounding spatial turbulence.
The Mysterious Person retaliated instantly, unleashing a surge of blue energy that collided violently with Kasuyi's psychic power.
BOOM!!
A violent energy burst suddenly exploded outwards, overwhelming Pei Mo, and sweeping away all the surrounding swarms of Void Louse and mechanical troops.
Kasuyi's mana is almost Infinite, and his fighting style is always characterized by wide-ranging and aggressive attacks. However, his opponent is also generous with his energy. The psychic power and physical energy were locked in a stalemate in mid-air, unleashing shockwaves.
This Mysterious Person's strength is surprisingly comparable to that of Kasuyi!
Seeing this, Han Xiao didn't hesitate and launched a righteous two-on-one attack, unleashing a burst of Mechanical Force that pulled countless mechanical soldiers toward him.
The next moment, a slightly smaller Mechanical Deity suddenly descended and swung out a sword.
The opponent's combat power has undoubtedly reached the SS rank, and the effect of [Fearless Heart] is activated immediately!
Brush!!
The Star Slaying Blade sliced through the Mysterious Person's energy shield with the speed of a hot knife through butter, sending him flying and disappearing from sight like a shooting star.
Kasuyi's telekinetic attack missed its target, and she was almost caught off guard, her tone one of astonishment:
"You... you just sent him flying? That was too fast!!"
While there was the reason for our stalemate, this Mysterious Person's strength was roughly equal to mine. You sent him flying with a single strike—wasn't that a bit excessive?!
Kasuyi's feelings were complicated. He felt that Black Star was stronger than he had expected, and there was a huge discrepancy between his impression of Han Xiao's strength and his own.
"Alright, enough talk. I just knocked him away. We'll have to deal with him when he gets back. Let's go inside and check on him."
Han Xiao took action personally, unstoppable, controlling the Mechanical Deity to move with the blade, crushing all the Void Louse blocking his way, and shattering the protective shield formed by the energy resonance of the Void Louse swarm with a single strike, exposing this Secondary Dimension's spatial wall before him.
Seeing this, Kasuyi had no time to dwell on Han Xiao's strength and quickly followed, the two of them and a large wave of mechanical troops rushing into this Secondary Dimension.
Just then, the Mysterious Person finally flew back, staring at the gradually closing space wall. The blue light spots in his eyes flickered rapidly and suddenly turned red.
"The intruders have successfully breached the second line of defense. The third contingency plan is being activated, and the operational mode is being changed... Change complete. Current mode: Exterminate!"
As soon as Han Xiao entered the spatial barrier, his vision was filled with blue-purple spatial turbulence. A viscous and suffocating sensation immediately overwhelmed him, startling him.
"This feeling is different from when I entered other Secondary Dimension..."
Before he could even get a good feel for it, his gaze suddenly changed.
Upon seeing the scene before him, he suddenly froze, looking completely surprised.
He found himself high in the sky, with an extremely prosperous interstellar city below him. Skyscrapers stood tall and brightly lit, countless flying vehicles came and went, and the streets were bustling with pedestrians, all of whom were races he did not recognize.
What's going on here?
Kasuyi, standing nearby, was also astonished. He hadn't expected the place to be like this, with so many people living there.
Han Xiao's heart skipped a beat. He recalled that in the battle information from earlier, the Mysterious Person's name was "Supreme Guardian," and the object of his protection was this civilization?
Looking back, the two were stunned again, only to find that what they had been tricked by was not Secondary Dimension space barrier, but a vast starry sky like the main universe.
Just as the two were wondering what was going on, something unexpected happened!
"Waaaaah--"
Suddenly, piercing alarms blared throughout the city, the ground shook violently, and the steel surface slid open to reveal the entrances to numerous Sanctuary. Countless pedestrians and aircraft, as if they had practiced a thousand times, hurriedly flew into the nearest Sanctuary.
At the same time, a series of strangely shaped artillery turrets emerged from the ground, all aimed at the two of them.
"Hey, we're being treated like intruders... What the hell?!" Before Han Xiao could finish speaking, he suddenly sensed six Beyond Grade A energy fluctuations erupting, and his eyes widened in surprise.
In the distance, six figures soared into the sky from all directions of the city, rushing towards the two.
Seeing this, Han Xiao and Kasuyi exchanged a glance, their eyes showing the same astonishment.
Including that Peak Beyond Grade A outside, there must be at least seven Beyond Grade A huddled in this Secondary Dimension!
What kind of place is this?!
"Fortunately, these six are only at the ordinary Beyond Grade A, so we can handle them... huh?"
Kasuyi stopped mid-sentence, his expression turning extremely strange.
"What's wrong?" Han Xiao asked, noticing his strange expression.
"My connection to the Void Dimension... seems to have been severed?" Kasuyi's eyes widened slightly, filled with surprise and uncertainty.
Han Xiao frowned, secretly sensing the Void Dimension, and found that he was in the same boat, unable to perceive it either.
He opened the panel to see if he was experiencing any abnormal status, but the status bar was normal and he was not affected by the spatial interference device.
But when he scrolled down to the skills bar, he noticed something strange.
Not only have many talents related to the Void Dimension turned into a frozen gray, but even the Secondary Dimension Army Box and Dimensional Factory have also been frozen and cannot be used.
What's going on here?
Han Xiao was completely bewildered, feeling that this Secondary Dimension exuded an indescribable eeriness.