"Beep beep..."
Just then, Velina's encrypted communicator rang, Glory President Louis, in his large washbasin, appeared on the screen with an expression of displeasure.
The leaders of the Three Universal Civilizations were also watching the live battlefield surveillance, and they were quite dissatisfied with the results of the battle.
"What are you doing? I sent you over to provide support, not to get beaten up!"
"I'm sorry, I was just trying to test them, but the gap between Black Star's strength and the intelligence was too big, and something unexpected happened..." Velina had no choice but to walk to the side and explain in a low voice.
"... Don't be careless again. Oulu's easy defeat is detrimental to Glory's reputation. I don't want a similar situation to happen again." Louis was silent for a few seconds, suppressing his shock and anger, and then gave a stern warning.
"Good."
Velina hung up the call, her expression somewhat helpless.
They'd only lost one round, and the higher-ups were already questioning them. Normally, the higher-ups wouldn't be so impatient. They must have been startled by the battle just now and couldn't sit still, so they quickly signaled to their loyal followers to intensify their efforts.
She understood perfectly well the higher-ups' intention in summoning all their trusted subordinates. She believed that with so many of her loyal followers joining forces, even if they couldn't completely destroy Black Star, they could at least use their numerical advantage to send Black Star, the troublemaker, back down and dampen his spirits. Initially, Velina was also full of confidence, but now she was a little hesitant.
The higher-ups had this idea based on intelligence records about Black Star's strength. However, Black Star's most recent public battle record was still decades ago when he fought against Manison. At that time, the two fought fiercely and evenly, and Black Star spent a lot of effort to defeat the Dominion's clone of the Mechanic Emperor.
Therefore, in the eyes of the Three Universal Civilizations, Black Star was on the same level as peak-level Manison, with a slight advantage in strength, but no fundamental difference. So the Three Universal Civilizations believed that as long as they brought out all their direct descendants, they would be able to teach Black Star a lesson. After all, they had three Peak Beyond Grade A on their side, among whom the God's Chosen was recognized as the strongest. Even the Mechanic Emperor would be overwhelmed by him, so there was no reason for them to fail.
However, Black Star's display of strength just now refreshed the understanding of the Three Universal Civilizations. Oulu, which was also in the first tier, was defeated so humiliatingly. Black Star clearly did not use his full strength, and he was not even forced to use his signature ability.
Although I knew Black Star had been developing quietly for decades and the information was outdated, the gap was still too big!
"... What's the next step?"
Suppressing their emotions, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.
Shock as it may be, the task assigned from above still needs to be carried out...
Velina pondered for a moment, then said, "The target's strength is beyond our expectations. A one-on-one fight would be a free kill. It seems we have no choice but to outnumber him. Let's discuss how to deal with him."
The group started discussing amongst themselves, looking as if they were facing a formidable enemy.
They were all stunned by Han Xiao's fighting prowess. Even if they wanted to gang up on him, they dared not act rashly before coming up with a reliable plan.
Urnos stood at the edge of the crowd, not participating in the discussion. He looked up at the porthole, staring at Han Xiao suspended in the distant starry sky. His eyes flickered with emotion as he murmured to himself:
"His energy level is estimated to be above 110,000, and he has at least completed one path of Divine Transformation... He is very worthy of guidance."
On the other side, aboard the Machine Race's flagship, many crew members Inspiration, inspired by the overwhelming victory.
Standing by the porthole, Manison silently watched Han Xiao's retreating the Sight of Father's Back. Although his clone remained expressionless, his heart was in turmoil.
"This guy's already this good?!"
Manison was equally surprised. His impression of Han Xiao was still based on the past; he hadn't seen Black Star make a move in a long time.
Although he knew he was probably no match for Black Star, he hadn't expected the gap to be so large. Even if Black Star were to fight Oulu, he wouldn't be able to do it so easily. It would take a fierce and chaotic battle to determine a winner.
"Black Star is becoming increasingly unfathomable. How exactly did he train...?"
Upon discovering that Black Star had left him far behind and that he could no longer fathom Han Xiao's limits, Manison felt a complex mix of emotions, including a touch of bitterness.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Manison felt relieved and let out a soft sigh.
Perhaps only someone like this has the ability to lead the Super A Tier to even greater heights... Having such a leader is a boon for the Beyond Grade A of this era.
Perhaps the only thing Black Star lacks is its foundation...
Manison's eyes flickered; he had made up his mind.
He wasn't a stingy person; if Black Star needed anything, he wouldn't mind lending Black Star his own mechanical creations.
"With Black Star's abilities combined with my own resources, we'd probably be hard-pressed to find a match for him in the universe."
Manison's mind raced.
"I knew it! The Three Universal Civilizations were overconfident. How could they possibly just casually produce someone comparable to Black Star?"
Joy and the other three older men watched the broadcast and all showed expressions of relief.
They had fought Black Star just over a year ago and were the group of people in the entire universe who knew Black Star's combat strength best. They were so badly defeated that their confidence collapsed, and they haven't fully recovered yet. They still feel intimidated whenever they see Black Star.
When Joy and the others saw that the Three Universal Civilizations had only sent one Oulu to fight, they were extremely surprised. They had thought that the Three Universal Civilizations had hidden talents and had experts comparable to Black Star, which made them feel uneasy.
However, upon seeing the overwhelming victory, Joy and the others realized they had been overthinking things and it was just a false alarm.
--I thought it was a big brother making a move, but it turns out to be a brat.
"The intelligence of the Three Universal Civilizations is far behind. They only have one Peak Beyond Grade A, which probably wouldn't even be Black Star's teeth." Joy shook his head.
"The only way for them to gain the upper hand is to outnumber us, just like we did back then..."
Joy was a little embarrassed. "Black Star seemed to handle the four of us with ease. I wonder where his limits are."
"He's really keeping a low profile... Do you think he might have foreseen this day and kept a low profile for decades?"
Who knows?
The group whispered amongst themselves.
The Machine Race's territory, in the center of the battlefield.
Having driven off Oulu, the Three Universal Civilizations seemed taken aback and did not immediately send newcomers to fight back. Han Xiao sat on the mechanical Throne, and for a time, all was calm again.
"It seems the Three Universal Civilizations didn't have high expectations of my strength."
Seeing the Three Universal Civilizations' fleets remain motionless, Han Xiao secretly curled his lip.
He has been developing his strength in a low-key manner for decades, during which time he has quietly accumulated power. Only the Sanctum, the Recluses, and Kasuyi have witnessed his combat prowess, and the outside world knows almost nothing about it.
The main reason is that there are really few opportunities to fight openly; the circle of Beyond Grade A fighters is still very narrow, and there are only a handful of people who can actually fight.
When Han Xiao beat up Joy and the others more than a year ago, he had already made a rough assessment of his own strength. Without eleven or twelve High-level Beyond Grade A, it would be difficult for them to pose a threat to him.
Now, not only are the effects of various growth-type feats steadily improving, but the [Ancient Ones] and the first exclusive feat have also been added. At the same time, some peculiar technologies have been deduced from SWY-001, making previous assessments of strength inaccurate again, and the number of Beyond Grade A that can be dealt with has increased.
Fighting Oulu was just an appetizer for him. He came with the mindset of "wiping out the enemy" and showing the outside world what kind of strength was worthy of the status of Beyond Grade A leader. He also wanted to try to leverage his expertise—in such a big arena, he didn't believe he wouldn't have a chance to fight if he stepped forward in his own name.
Seeing that the Three Universal Civilizations had temporarily ceased their activity, Han Xiao didn't remain idle. He opened the panel, and the challenge mission triggered by Oulu was now shown as completed.
Unable to leave at the moment and with no chance to try his luck, Han Xiao directly chose to settle the account, carrying out the strategy of using war to sustain war to the end.
[[Beyond Grade A Challenge Mission - "Golden Ring" Oulu] Completed!]
[You have completed all task requirements and have gained 860e experience!]
[You have obtained the [Character Summon Card - "Golden Ring" Oulu]!]
[Character Summon Card - "Golden Ring" Oulu: [Golden Treasure Ship - Ram] - Condenses the energy of the Golden Treasure Ship Dimension within the body, unleashing a long-distance charge and impact. During the charge, the user is in a super armor state, immune to any control skills, and deals high melee damage. Maximum number of uses: 0/3]
"Wow, a close-range attack skill, that's good."
Han Xiao's eyes lit up, and he accepted it without hesitation.
It's a pity Oulu didn't use that charge move earlier, otherwise he could have stretched his muscles and given the opponent a good Ora Ora.
"If I have the chance in the future, I'll see if I can get a taunt skill. I feel like my combat system is missing this functional weakness..."
Han Xiao seemed to be deep in thought.
If you could just yell "Come here!" and the enemy would willingly throw themselves into your arms, just thinking about it would be exhilarating.
He shook his head, clearing his mind of distractions, and looked at the prompts for extracting abilities.
[You have received a reward: draw one of Oulu's abilities (skills/features)]
[Note: Oulu is a superhuman; some of the abilities available for extraction have been automatically adjusted based on your class.]
[Randomly selecting... Selection complete!]
[Please choose one of the following five abilities as a reward]
[1. [Fine Energy Manipulation] - Feat: Greatly enhances Energy Manipulation ability and increases energy resistance by 10%]
[2. [Secondary Dimension Affinity] - Feat: Increases your chances of establishing connections with certain Secondary Dimension, and enhances the overall effect when borrowing the power of Secondary Dimension.]
[3. [Vitality Surge] - Skill: Stimulates cells, temporarily increases cell activity, increases maximum health, energy, and stamina by 10%~20%, and increases base recovery rate by 50%~100%, lasting 15 minutes]
[4. [Refined Taste] - Specialty: Charm +15%, you are more likely to gain favor with certain types of people.]
[5. [Phase Blink] - Skill: Uses Secondary Dimension to move through phase, briefly dodging most attacks. Cooldown: 6 minutes]
"Didn't get any luck, my hand is still so-so."
Han Xiao smacked his lips.
After all, different professions mean that most of the core abilities of superhumans cannot be obtained through draws, and surprises like those from Gaud don't happen every time.
After a quick glance, Han Xiao made his choice.
[You have gained a new perk: [Secondary Dimension Affinity]!]
He currently has connections to the Void Dimension and the Netherland Dimension, and his racial talent is also related to the Void Dimension. Choosing this feat will indirectly enhance his talent abilities. As for the other options, they are either too ordinary or have alternatives; it's a case of choosing the best among the worst.
In comparison, the character card's ability is actually better this time, after all, it's a super armor state that grants immunity to control effects, which can be surprisingly effective if used properly.
After settling the rewards, Han Xiao noticed that the Three Universal Civilizations were still silent, so he started browsing the forums.
This wait lasted for most of the day, and with only eight and a half days left on the ultimatum, the Three Universal Civilizations finally made their second move.
Thirteen direct descendants of Beyond Grade A individuals stepped forward and arrived at the front of the formation. Only then did Han Xiao close the forum and take a look. He saw that Clottey and Oulu were among them, clearly the leaders.
Such a lineup is already quite impressive. In a head-on battle, apart from the God's Chosen true nature is unknown, no one in the universe could handle it. Moreover, unlike the Battle of Hila where actors were rampant, this team has a unified goal and will not hold back in any way.
"Oh, not going to have a one-on-one match?"
Han Xiao's tone was teasing.
Oulu looked embarrassed. He had been stunned by the beating, but now that he had recovered, he felt incredibly ashamed, as if he had lost all face.
I shouldn't have spoken so definitively; I'm really losing face now...
At this moment, Clottey took over the conversation and said slowly, "Black Star, your strength is indeed outstanding, but since you've stepped forward to challenge us, you shouldn't mind fighting outnumbered, right?"
"Whatever. No matter how many Beyond Grade A you send, as long as you can defeat me, the previous agreement still stands." Han Xiao said dismissively.
Clottey nodded, then suddenly changed the subject, saying, "His Majesty asked me to ask you a question... Gaud, you were the one who killed him, weren't you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the other direct descendants turned their heads, and even many spectators were taken aback.
The Gaud incident caused quite a stir, and many people still vaguely remember it. Now that the old story has been brought up again, many people are thinking about it once more.
"Oh? Let me warn you, we may be enemies, but I won't admit to any dirty tricks." Han Xiao said without changing his expression.
Clottey persisted, saying in a deep voice, "You were originally an ally of the Empire, and we didn't suspect you. But there are too many suspicious points about what happened back then. In recent years, you've gone too far, making you increasingly suspicious. We have ample reason to attack Gaud... Sorokin might not be the murderer, but just a frame-up!"
Han Xiao waved his hand, interrupting him, and casually said, "You need to provide evidence before you speak. I never had any intention of killing Gaud."
Do you think you can clear your name?
"Hey, I have a clear conscience."
Han Xiao didn't take it seriously.
Of course I had no intention of killing Gaud; I merely sealed him away and spared his life. That's not a lie.
Besides, no one else probably knew that Gaud was Sorokin except himself. He never regretted capturing the guy; it was just a pity that no one knew about his contribution.
As he spoke, Han Xiao stood up from his divine throne, and the gates of the Secondary Dimension Army Box opened on either side of him.
Faced with such a formidable force, Han Xiao dared not be careless. These thirteen direct descendants were no ordinary individuals; the Three Universal Civilizations had likely equipped each of them with Universal Treasure, and they might possess some trump cards. Moreover, the combined power they unleashed was not simply additive.
However, while they may respect their opponents, they won't show it outwardly.
"Thirteen Beyond Grade A... That'll do, at least it lets me exert some effort."
As he spoke, the dark, massive mechanical army descended once more, this time gathering around Han Xiao and quickly merging together, immediately unleashing the Mechanical Deity.
Seeing this, Clottey and the others dispersed, forming a semi-encircling formation, and emitted energy fluctuations that collided with Han Xiao's aura from a distance. The energy readings in the field were soaring rapidly, and the spacetime stability rate began to fluctuate significantly.
Just as the two sides were about to clash, a Mechanical Deity suddenly appeared again in the Machine Race fleet. It was none other than Manison, which immediately attracted everyone's attention.
The next moment, Manison suddenly threw the Mechanic Emperor Trident in his hand at Han Xiao, and a bunch of Universal Treasure -level equipment on the body of the Mechanical Deity also disintegrated and flew towards Han Xiao.
Han Xiao reached out and caught the Mechanic Emperor Trident, which was crackling with electric arcs. Meanwhile, the special equipment of the Mechanical Deity of Manison was loaded onto his Mechanical Deity body, and the combination was completed seamlessly. Control was transferred to Han Xiao, and the appearance immediately became much more gorgeous.
He turned around in surprise and saw Manison speaking into the channel.
"Since they outnumber you, you may borrow my weapons."
"... I don't need it, but thanks anyway."
Han Xiao weighed the Mechanic Emperor Trident in his hand, his feelings complicated.
Old Manison has always valued technical secrecy, treating these Universal Treasure like his wife. I usually have to steal them secretly, but now he's actually willing to lend them to me... Damn, I'm so touched.
Han Xiao turned to look at Clottey and the others who were waiting in full battle. He skillfully twisted the halberd shaft, and streams of chilling Psionic Energy flowed along the blade, leaving ripple-like afterimages on the retinas of the onlookers.
"Old Manison, since you're being so generous this time, I'll show you the mechanic's new job."
As soon as he finished speaking, bursts of blood energy exploded outwards, rapidly covering the Mechanical Deity's body and causing subtle changes in its appearance.
This inexhaustible flow of blood energy seemed to be weaving flesh and blood into the Mechanical Deity's body!
A strange energy fluctuation emanated, bringing even stronger pressure to the Beyond Grade A beings present.
Clottey and the others, along with Manison, were all taken aback, staring in astonishment at Han Xiao's rapidly changing appearance.
"This guy's Mechanical Deity... how come it's different from everyone else's?"