Both Legion and Summoning builds rely on swarm tactics. Summoning spells consume mana but don't cost much money. Even if summons are destroyed, they can be summoned again. You could say that learning Summoning is a lifelong skill. The downside is that you have to slowly build up your board each time.
Legion-based strategies are expensive, requiring you to build your legions in advance, as they are all ready to fight. The only loss is money, but the advantage is that you can expand your territory very quickly. As long as you have money, you're the boss.
The rebuilt mechanical legion uses Psionic Energy as its main energy source. Most of the machines have been modified by Han Xiao into Psionic Energy weapons. The original ion turrets and electromagnetic turrets have been abandoned and replaced with Psionic Energy cannons with several times the attack power. Even the cannon fodder mechanical soldiers are equipped with a series of weapons such as Psionic Energy shields and small-caliber Psionic Energy lasers.
Cutting-edge knowledge is a case of getting what you pay for. Psionic Energy technology is extremely cost-effective; the cost of building machinery hasn't increased much, but its combat power has skyrocketed.
Under Phillip's control, the mechanical legion easily dealt with Desoro's summons. Han Xiao focused on the legion's combat effectiveness. With the bonus of [Mechanical Truth Mastery], he was very satisfied with the individual combat power of the mechanical soldiers... He estimated that one cannon fodder mechanical soldier could deal with four or five soldiers of the same type before their class change.
Thump thump thump--
Explosions erupted in the air, and the battle was a one-sided rout. Desoro's summoned creatures were all wiped out, leaving him alone to be besieged by the mechanical legion. He unleashed a torrent of spells, proving that even without his summoned creatures, he was a formidable Forbidden Sorcerer with astonishing spell power and masterful execution.
The battlefield was a desolate, uninhabited planet. Neither side was bound by any constraints, and they unleashed their destructive power with abandon. Desoro kept flashing, and the mechanical legion pursued and intercepted them. The battlefield shifted constantly, stretching for thousands of miles. Powerful forbidden techniques and the aftershocks of Psionic Energy cannons bombarded the surface, leaving the land in ruins, riddled with deep craters from explosions. On a civilized planet, the surface buildings would have been leveled long ago.
Surrounded, Desoro felt extremely strained, as if he were stuck in a quagmire, struggling to move forward.
Before the class change, even if a Calamity Grade powerhouse was surrounded, they wouldn't feel much of a threat. Stronger Calamity Grade powerhouses, such as the eight Vanguard Officers of the Tyrant, could move in and out of the legion, basically only slowly whittling down the enemy's health and strength, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water.
After the class change, the mechanical legion's offensive and defensive capabilities have skyrocketed. The Psionic Energy cannon and Psionic Energy shield have raised the legion's overall offensive and defensive levels by several levels, making it more like a stir-fried frog.
Even a seasoned Calamity Grade like Desoro felt tense. The Psionic Energy cannons were more powerful, so the firepower didn't need to be so concentrated, and the attacks became more frequent. The Psionic Energy cannons seemed to weave a blue spider web, with danger lurking everywhere, and the margin for error plummeted.
In terms of defense, specialized defense forces connect Psionic Energy shields to form a combined barrier hundreds of meters in size, resembling a giant bubble. Sixth and seventh-tier offensive spells are hard to shake it, and Desoro can only use powerful forbidden spells to barely cause damage, which consumes a lot of mana.
"He's completely on the defensive; he's doomed." The other two Forbidden Sorcerer watching from the edge of the battlefield spoke with a slight change in tone.
Before the battle, the two had intended to observe Black Star's strength, but what they saw before them surprised them greatly. They knew Desoro's combat power and thought that even if Black Star could defeat Desoro, it would be a fierce battle. However, the battle was now one-sided.
"He's gotten even stronger..." Lagi thought with mixed feelings.
He had only known Han Xiao for a short time, and this was the first time he had witnessed Han Xiao's rapid growth. When they first met, although Lagi habitually underestimated his own strength, he still felt that he and Black Star were evenly matched. A month ago, Han Xiao displayed his Undying Body, and he felt that his chances of winning had become 73%.
Now, he feels like a piece of trash.
"Such an incredible growth rate, this is true Beyond Grade A potential." Lagi felt a mix of emotions, his negative energy level instantly skyrocketing. He suddenly wondered why he was even bothering with magic anymore; he might as well just go home and raise pigs...
Regardless of the three's thoughts, on the battlefield, Desoro lingered for a while longer, almost vomiting from the relentless mechanical army. Losing all will to fight, he couldn't help but shout, "I give up! I surrender!"
Han Xiao raised a finger, signaling the mechanical legion to cease combat and retreat to the side.
With the pressure gone, Desoro felt a wave of relief wash over him. He took a deep breath, slowly floated to Han Xiao's side, hesitated for a moment, and said with a tone of resentment and helplessness, "You won this sparring match. I'm no match for you."
If the fight continued, he could actually hold out for a long time, but he felt it was futile. Black Star's mechanical legion was extremely powerful, giving him almost no chance. Black Star was just coasting along, and he was still struggling so much. If the fight continued, he probably wouldn't win.
"You're quite formidable too," Han Xiao smiled. "You should try a sudden attack; you might be able to take me down in one fell swoop."
Desoro's face darkened. He wanted to say, "Have you no shame?" but after thinking about it, he decided to keep his words to himself.
Black Star's reputation for Undying Body resounded throughout the star field. Everyone knew that physical strength was Black Star's forte. He wasn't some unconnected native; only someone with a broken brain would try to stab Black Star in the face.
This is also one of the reasons why Desoro conceded defeat; he saw absolutely no chance of turning the tide.
"Thankfully, we didn't clash with him." Desoro was thankful for his rationality, having abandoned the idea of using force early on. In his view, even Austin's top three disciples would have a hard time defeating Han Xiao, and he himself would only be able to be trampled on by Black Star.
As expected of Beyond Grade A Seed, his reputation is well-deserved... Desoro was convinced; he realized there was still a significant gap between himself and Beyond Grade A Seed.
Han Xiao encouraged Desoro with a few words. As the victor, he had the right to speak in this manner. Desoro didn't see anything wrong with it. Calamity Grade being wouldn't be a sore loser. The defeat only made him feel frustrated for a moment before he put it out of his mind. He simply put away his sense of superiority as Beyond Grade A subordinate and showed even more respect for Han Xiao.
Respect for the strong is an unchanging rule, Beyond Grade A subordinates understand this principle even better. They are fully aware of their own limitations and are so confident they could practically burst out laughing.
[You have gained 6 trial points, current progress 6/50]
After exchanging a few words, a notification popped up on the panel, Han Xiao's spirits lifted, nodding to himself.
"As expected, he's twenty levels higher than me. The standard for victory in a duel is for the opponent to admit defeat? Hmm, one person can only do it once, there are still three people left."
Han Xiao was overjoyed and turned to find Lagi and the other two, challenging them to a duel.
Since they were being asked to spar, the other two Forbidden Sorcerer, even knowing they couldn't win, wouldn't back down from the fight; after all, it was just a friendly spar.
Desoro found it strange. In his view, Han Xiao's decision to go on to deal with two colleagues after defeating him was undoubtedly an attempt to establish his authority.
"It seems that although Black Star doesn't say it, he's actually quite opposed to us taking Lagi away, so he deliberately challenged us to a fight, to show off his strength and beat us up." Desoro felt this was the truth, and he just felt frustrated.
These two Forbidden Sorcerer were not from the summoning school, and their combat strength was similar to that of Desoro. One of them (https://www. hetushu. com. com) specialized in mental magic, and his mental attacks could ignore Han Xiao's Health and Mana Conversion and could not be absorbed into his energy, causing him a little trouble. This was one of his few weaknesses at the moment, but Han Xiao did not show it.
He possesses the [Advanced Mental Fortitude] feat, making him not entirely defenseless against mental attacks. Even if he cannot absorb mental attacks, his physical strength is formidable enough that he remains unfazed.
Moreover, since he only had to go all out against the book, he could fight himself and replenish his strength on his own. There was no need to act like a hooligan at this point. The sparring was to stop when it was over, and this mental-type Forbidden Sorcerer quickly admitted defeat.
Lagi was practically a walking couch potato; he gave up after only a minute.
After sparring with all four of them, Han Xiao had a rough idea of his own combat strength.
"I currently have two trump cards: one is my durability, and the other is my army-style fighting style. As long as it's not a peak A+ level enemy whose energy level is only one step away from Beyond Grade A, I can maintain a win rate of over 50%. When facing multiple enemies attacking at once, I can probably threaten three Calamity Grade enemies simultaneously. If I'm just holding off the enemy and ignoring their initiative, I should be able to hold off six or seven people..."
"The enemies that threaten me are, firstly, those with mental abilities; secondly, virtual mechanics; thirdly, legion-style mechanics who also wield Psionic Energy. The same tactics would turn it into a war of attrition, but my durability is a huge advantage. The fourth type is those superhumans with strange abilities."
After mentally summarizing the situation, Han Xiao didn't stand still and continued chatting with Desoro and the other three.
The sparring match was over, and Desoro and _Book_ expressed their intention to leave, so this time Han Xiao did not stop them.
"Austin is a good man. Although he drove me away, we still have feelings for each other. He won't make things difficult for me, Black Star. I will definitely come back."
Before leaving, Lagi, unusually serious, made a promise.
"Good."
Han Xiao smiled slightly, "When you come back, you'll be my deputy commander."
Lagi had only been in the Black Star Army for a short time and was still under observation. He was just a high-level henchman and had not yet assumed any official position. With his abilities, he was undoubtedly qualified to be the vice-captain. No one would object to an A+ superhuman becoming the vice-captain, and he also had an amazing resume. Although he was a bit of a slacker, he was indeed a talented individual.
The Black Star Army has indeed reached a point where it needs a second expert to keep things under control.
Lagi paused, then hesitated, "Does that mean I have more work now?"
"... Is a nominal position enough for you?"
Lagi then broke into a smile again, like... no, like a grinning salted fish, which infuriated Han Xiao.
"Lord Black Star, we'll be leaving then."
Desoro and the other two nodded and led Lagi towards the spaceship. Han Xiao thought for a moment and then sent Lagi an Observation Mark.
The advancement is imminent, at which time the racial talent will change. Currently, the Observation Mark is used one less time each time. Although Austin can detect the Observation Mark, that's not a problem. He's not really trying to spy on Austin —that kid-like old man, how could he be as good-looking as Ames?
He didn't stop Lagi from going back, but placed an Observation Mark on him to show Austin his attitude and demonstrate his respect for Lagi. Austin was different from the Tyrant; he had no conflict with Austin, and their relationship was quite good. Austin seemed to think highly of him.
The spaceship took off and departed.
After watching Desoro and the others disappear, Han Xiao checked the panel.
At this point, the progress of the advanced task has reached 24/50, almost halfway complete.
"Nice, very efficient. We're still 26 points short. If we're challenging someone 20 levels higher, it'll only take five people. Against someone at the same level, it'll require at least seven..."
Han Xiao was calculating numbers when an unexpected new notification suddenly popped up on the panel.
[You have triggered the third stage of the [Prey] quest!]
"Um?!"
Han Xiao was suddenly startled, and his expression changed drastically.