War Realm Headquarters, Planet Heber.
Intelligence from the front lines was relayed back to command. Jorde met with Heber, who believed that Black Star's performance needed to be reported.
Heber sat on the enormous Throne in the palace, his giant-like, imposing body resembling a small mountain, his back straight. After listening to Jorde's report, he not only did not become angry, but instead showed interest, and slowly opened his mouth, his voice like muffled thunder.
"I knew I hadn't misjudged him. Black Star was wasting his talent by staying with Ames; he should be my subordinate."
Heber shook his head. He had always admired Han Xiao's abilities, but Han Xiao had already refused him twice, and he wouldn't make an exception and invite him a third time.
"Krent isn't too happy. They think Black Star is an unstable X factor and should be eliminated as soon as possible," Jorde said.
"It's not their place to teach me how to fight," Heber said calmly. "What are the thoughts of my eight Vanguard Officers?"
"Well, Fosters said he has tarnished his reputation in the War Realm and is very ashamed. He will wash away today's shame with a hundred victories."
Jorde carefully chose his words; in reality, Fosters ' emotions were not so stable, he had been beaten into a state of depression.
Upon hearing this, Heber slowly said, "A person's status in the War Realm won't be diminished by a single battle. He is a victor, not a loser. In the entire Shattered Star Ring, there are dozens of Calamity Grade individuals with the potential to reach Beyond Grade A, yet after all these years, there are still only four Beyond Grade A individuals..."
After a pause, Heber's tone hardened, and an overbearing aura swept out, making Jorde feel as if someone had grabbed his neck, and his breath caught in his throat.
"Potential is just potential. With me here, there's no need to fear anyone."
Jorde's spirits lifted; Heber's domineering presence captivated him, for this was the kind of Aura worthy of his lifelong devotion.
Meanwhile, on the home planet of the Amethyst Civilization.
The two setbacks of Section Zero greatly displeased the high command of the Amethyst Civilization, and Black Star's performance was the only piece of good news amidst a host of bad news.
Senior officials from various powerful factions, including the Secret Service, the Strategic Department, and the military, held a private meeting to discuss the Black Star issue.
"Beyond Grade A Seed are very rare. Although Dragon Emperor is neutral, Black Star is pro- Amethyst, making him a highly valuable investment."
"That's right. Black Star's forces are all located in the Colton Star Cluster, so he's naturally closer to us. If he can become Beyond Grade A powerhouse, it means that a Beyond Grade A force will emerge in Colton, which can bridge the gap between us and Krent."
The Amethyst Civilization greatly envied the Krent Empire for having an ally like the War Realm.
If they also had Beyond Grade A forces as allies, they wouldn't have needed to go through the Section Zero, and their Secret War wouldn't have been so passive.
Black Star possesses potential and ambition far surpasses that of Dragon Emperor. Coupled with his political leanings, the Amethyst Civilization believes he is worth nurturing.
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the next steps in dealing with Black Star. They saw a longer-term benefit in Han Xiao than in this war.
Cluster-level civilizations are not afraid of Beyond Grade A powerhouses, but that doesn't mean they don't want them. All the cluster-level civilizations in the Shattered Star Ring attach great importance to the cultivation of superhumans. Various public academies recruit potential students and produce talents every year to supplement various departments with fresh blood.
However, homegrown flowers are not as good as wild ones. At most, they can cultivate a Calamity Grade powerhouse; there is no hope of reaching the Beyond Grade A, and it cannot be forced.
Therefore, a Beyond Grade A Seed that is close to the Amethyst Civilization is enough to make high-ranking officials put down their work, come over, sit in a row, and hold a meeting.
"If Black Star becomes Beyond Grade A, we can help him build Beyond Grade A force, cultivating it into an organization comparable to those in the War Realm. This would offset Krent's advantages and further expand our influence in the star system."
"Developing our own Beyond Grade A ally... that's a good idea, but only if Black Star realizes his potential."
The discussion continued.
After a while, a consensus was finally reached:
Change the way we invest in Black Star and increase resource support for the Black Star Army —after all, the cost of winning over a Calamity Grade being is incomparable to that of winning over a Beyond Grade A being; the earlier we win them over, the lower the cost.
Amethyst has no shortage of resources and is willing to make upfront investments, betting on Black Star's potential.
At the same time, the Black Star Army's status within Section Zero will be elevated, with a focus on Black Star's growth and a degree of strategic protection provided to prevent other forces from secretly targeting Black Star.
Beyond Grade A Seed represent a new level beyond ordinary natural Calamity Grade. Each one of them becomes the focus of attention for major powers, meaning they will endure even more storms.
The fame Han Xiao gained from this battle completely changed the attitude of star cluster-level civilizations towards him, and many unseen undercurrents gradually began to revolve around him.
Thanks to the efforts of certain individuals, the news that Black Star had become a new Beyond Grade A Seed spread rapidly throughout the Shattered Star Ring, making him famous overnight. Malicious forces secretly fueled the hype, ensuring that countless interstellar citizens knew the news; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was a household name.
Even other star cluster-level civilizations that had no conflict of interest with the Amethyst Civilization were unwilling to sit idly by and watch the Amethyst acquire a potential powerhouse who could become Beyond Grade A. Out of a desire to flatter and kill, they not only did not hide their high regard for Han Xiao, but also took the initiative to reveal it.
During the spread of the rumor, some people with ulterior motives distorted it time and time again. The process was enough to write a paper titled "How Rumors Spread." In the end, the rumor became "Black Star will be the fifth Beyond Grade A in the future of the Shattered Star Ring!"
This is far more shocking and astonishing than a simple "Beyond Grade A Seed," tantamount to placing Han Xiao on the Throne ahead of time, causing an uproar among countless people!
The major powers knew this was nonsense, but most of the public was unaware of the inside story. Under the influence of highly inflammatory and high-profile reports, many people actually believed the rumors, calling on their friends and relatives to spread the word and loudly proclaiming that the fifth Beyond Grade A of the Shattered Star Ring was about to be born.
The news also reached Dragon Calm.
laugh--
The alloy door to the meditation room opened, Hila, wiping the sweat from her forehead, strode out.
During her two or three years of training in Dragon Calm, she changed out of her unchanging black combat uniform and put on a custom-made red trench coat. The special fabric was engraved with a high-level shield and an enchantment that amplified her abilities.
If Han Xiao were here, he would definitely find it familiar; the style of this trench coat is quite similar to his attire during the Black Phantom era.
"It's been almost three years, and my abilities have become increasingly refined. According to the universe's evaluation standards, I've solidified my Grade B status. At my current pace, if I don't encounter any bottlenecks, I should reach B+ within three years. Ames said I possess the potential for Calamity Grade..."
Hila felt increasingly comfortable with her superpowers and was in a good mood.
Ames is a master of Esper Class, and her experience has benefited her greatly. In order to catch up with Han Xiao, Hila has never slacked off for a single day.
She was satisfied with her progress, which was the result of hard work.
"Sister, I have good news!"
Just as Hila was about to go back to rest, Aurora rushed over, her face beaming with joy.
"What good news?"
Hila was in a good mood, pinched Aurora's bouncy little face, and asked with a smile.
"It's news about Han Xiao. Everyone says he'll soon become Beyond Grade A powerhouse, and even the news is reporting on it!"
Aurora held up a communicator playing the news and handed it to Hila as if to boast, eager to share the news.
Hila was stunned.
"He's about to become Beyond Grade A?"
Ames is Beyond Grade A powerhouse, doesn't that mean Han Xiao is about to become as powerful as Ames?!
Hila clenched her teeth. She had been quite satisfied with her progress, but now she felt a sense of urgency. She felt like she could never catch up with Han Xiao's pace.
Compared to him, what is this little bit of progress?
I'm still not trying hard enough!
Aurora was excitedly talking, she suddenly saw Hila turn around and walk into the meditation room, slamming the door shut. The next moment, the meditation room lit up with a "in use" indicator light.
"Elder sister?"
Aurora was stunned.
Neither of them saw that Ames was floating in mid-air, looking down at them.
"With such a strong will, Hila will progress faster than I expected."
Ames smiled.
Although she was lazy, she admired Hila, who put in a lot of effort.
Before each Beyond Grade A is fully formed, there is a period of arduous struggle during which they create their own legend. In Hila, she seemed to see her younger self.
As for Black Star, Ames completely couldn't understand this executive of hers anymore.
As Han Xiao performed one astonishing feat after another, Ames's impression of him had been shattered and rebuilt countless times. Now, she was no longer willing to waste her energy speculating about Han Xiao's potential; she only had one simple assessment:
Unfathomable!
Ames never imagined that a mercenary she had casually recruited back then would achieve what she has today.
Her demands on Han Xiao had already been lowered to the bare minimum.
She was content as long as Black Star remained by her side.
His name was being hyped up across most of the star field, with exaggerated claims made Han Xiao feel ashamed.
Are these people really talking about me?
When did I ever fight to a draw with the Tyrant?!
When did I start pursuing Ames?!
When did I ever declare that I would challenge the Crimson Dynasty?!
When did I ever chat so amiably with Austin...? Oh, it's true.
Han Xiao was utterly speechless. Didn't these reporters know they'd be held accountable for their nonsense?
Back at his base in the Garton Star System, he truly grasped the impact of this event.
The attitude of the Goddora Civilization changed significantly. They adopted a more humble and respectful stance, and took the initiative to extend the cooperation period and further open up supply channels to provide more strategic resources.
Han Xiao also heard that Serre V was preparing to make a galaxy-wide tour, with his first stop being Planet Golden Gate, where he would publicly pay him a visit.
The stated reason is "a cordial and friendly visit to the owner of the Gaol Golden Statue Medal and to conduct deeper strategic cooperation on the Black Star Army's mercenary business in the Garton Star System," which is exactly the usual phrasing of a program that says "changing the channel at 7 p. m. won't help."
The compensation resources from the Amethyst Civilization have been delivered to the base. The cash alone amounts to ten million Enas, far exceeding the amount initially promised by the Amethyst Civilization. This is several times the amount of additional resources, a completely unexpected bonus.
Han Xiao was secretly astonished. He knew his performance would cause a sensation, but he didn't expect the impact to exceed his expectations. The Amethyst Civilization's regard for him had clearly increased by several levels.
This greatly accelerated the plans he had made before the war began.
He immediately instructed Phillip, Melos, and Sylvia to replenish the lost warships and personnel, while he himself went to the meditation room, took out his communicator, and opened the [Exotic Energy] knowledge data sent to him by the Amethyst Civilization.
"Once I learn this knowledge, my combat power will increase exponentially. The complete annihilation of the mechanical legion will actually be a great opportunity for comprehensive reform."
Han Xiao was secretly excited and opened the panel.
[Detected advanced Mechanic Class knowledge: [Exotic Energy], would you like to consume 12 potential points to learn it?]
"Sure."
[In progress, please do not stop... 9%... 34%... 58%...]
[Learning successful! You have mastered [Exotic Energy]!]
The profound and complex knowledge flooded his mind. Han Xiao digested it for a while and then exhaled.
He told Laifer that it was nonsense to say he needed a month to study; no one else knew he could learn so quickly, making his excuse for slacking off impeccable.
"Finally, we have our first piece of cutting-edge knowledge."
Han Xiao was overjoyed, as he had met the requirements for changing jobs.
A new notification immediately popped up on the panel:
[Job change requirements have been met!]
[You have obtained a new profession [Truth Mechanic Lv1], Strength +210, Agility +4, Endurance +4, Intelligence +10, and you have gained 7 free attribute points and 1 potential point.]
www. hetushu. com. com is now complete!
Han Xiao didn't have time to look at the new skills and specializations brought by the job change; a look of joy appeared on his face.
[Truth Mechanic] is a high-level profession in the Mechanic Class, one level higher than [Galaxy Mechanic], and its level cap is also 25.
The name of this stage signifies that the mechanic has begun to grasp the true nature of machinery.
But in the eyes of players from the previous life, this name had another meaning:
--Within my range, I am the truth!!