On the border of the Shattered Star Ring, on a transit planet.
This is a retro tavern with an old-fashioned interstellar vibe. Hadavy sits in a corner, quietly sipping his bright yellow, high-proof orcish-infused cocktail. A half-elf band is performing on stage, their melodious music filling the air. The booths around him are filled with guests of different races, chatting and laughing loudly.
The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable, but Hadavy looked sullen.
A few months ago, Jorde used him to sabotage Black Star, and Hadavy, enraged, ended the partnership and withdrew from the Secret War.
He joined the War Realm initially to facilitate sparring with Black Star and to squeeze out his own potential through combat. Later, after dozens of exchanges, he couldn't help but develop a sense of mutual respect for Han Xiao during these clashes. In his eyes, Black Star was a worthy and respectable opponent.
Hadavy preferred to be driven away by Black Star time and time again rather than resort to despicable means to assassinate him.
After this incident, Hadavy was too ashamed to challenge Han Xiao to a duel. He planned to leave the Shattered Star Ring and explore other star regions. It was for this reason that he came to the border of the Shattered Star Ring.
While he was drinking alone in silence, Hadavy noticed the conversation of a group of guests at a nearby table.
"Have you heard? The fifth Beyond Grade A has been born in the Shattered Star Ring!"
What? A new Beyond Grade A?
He is Beyond Grade A Seed, and his goal has always been to become a true Beyond Grade A, so this is the topic he cares about most.
Hadavy's ears perked up instantly; with his Calamity Grade of perception, the conversation at the next table sounded as if it were happening right next to him.
"So you've heard about it too. I know Black Star. There was a report a few years ago saying he was the most likely person in the Shattered Star Ring to become Beyond Grade A. I thought it was just hype at the time, but I didn't expect it to actually come true."
"He is the leader of the Black Star Army. You know the Black Star Army, right? It's that famous armed organization in the Colton Star Cluster. I have a merchant friend whose ship was once hijacked by wanderers. He asked the Mercenary Alliance for help, and they sent mercenaries from the Black Star Army to resolve the situation. The mercenaries of this organization are particularly enthusiastic, reliable, and have an excellent reputation."
"Hasn't he been out of the spotlight for the past few years? The rumor that he became Beyond Grade A is just a lie," another person asked curiously.
"It's not a rumor. Even Star Pupil Sisko admitted that Black Star fought him to a draw. The evidence is conclusive. To be able to fight Beyond Grade A without being defeated, isn't that only Beyond Grade A?"
Click!
Hadavy suddenly crushed the glass in his hand, spilling wine all over himself, but he seemed oblivious, his face showing undisguised shock.
Black Star, who had repeatedly clashed with him, had actually become Beyond Grade A?!
Upon suddenly hearing the news that his old rival had surpassed him, Hadavy couldn't help but feel envious and jealous. He had spent decades trying to reach the Beyond Grade A without ever making it.
It's heartbreaking to be overtaken despite having given it your all. After the initial shock, Hadavy felt a deep sense of bitterness.
"How is he able to do it? What's his secret...?"
Hadavy's expression shifted several times. Suddenly, he slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly, the sound immediately drawing the attention of everyone in the tavern.
Ignoring the surprised looks from others, Hadavy turned and strode away.
At that moment, he made his decision: he would not leave the Shattered Star Ring; he would go to the Black Star Army headquarters in person.
This time, however, it was not from an adversarial standpoint in the War Realm, but rather in a private capacity.
Perhaps Black Star doesn't acknowledge him as his old rival, or perhaps his life will be in danger...
But the problem of Beyond Grade A has been bothering him for years, and he decided to take the risk. Regardless of whether Black Star would give him face, he wanted to seize the opportunity to try.
The Goron Star Cluster, headquarters of the Mercenary Alliance.
This is a colossal space fortress, jointly funded and built by several large mercenary groups, including Black Star, Sky Ring, and Blades. Each mercenary group that joins the allied forces has an office and base here. Surrounding this space fortress are more than twenty armed satellites, which are branches of different large mercenary groups that have moved here themselves. The Black Star Army's branch is also among them. For all legion members who are involved in the Mercenary Alliance, this is equivalent to a second faction headquarters.
Millions of new players born on Planet Dield participated in different storylines.
Some chose to board Legion transport ships to Colton to join the Secret War, while others chose to stay in the Goron Star Cluster to explore and participate in the Mercenary Alliance storyline, becoming free-roaming interstellar mercenaries.
The Mercenary Alliance's storyline also contains rich rewards. With the Black Star Army's background, players in the second "leek field" (a metaphor for easy money) have an endless supply of high-quality mercenary missions and enjoy unparalleled benefits compared to other allies, fully reaping the advantages of a powerful faction.
Over the course of a few months, the average level of players in the second "chive field" rose rapidly, gradually approaching level 60, and they became completely familiar with the Galaxy environment.
The rumors about Han Xiao also reached the Mercenary Alliance, and the players of the Black Star Army branch learned about it.
After the news spread, it caused a huge uproar on the forums, and the player community was in an uproar.
Han Xiao is a very familiar figure to veteran players. The vast majority of players recognize him as the leader of their faction and have witnessed his transformation from version 1.0 to version 3.0. In their eyes, Han Xiao is a legendary figure in the Shattered Star Ring region.
At this moment, the legend turned a new page.
Players participating in the Secret War were even more shocked and amazed. Black Star had disappeared from the battlefield for several months, and countless people speculated about Black Star whereabouts, but no one guessed that he would return as a Beyond Grade A!
This news went viral on the forums, instantly becoming the hottest topic. Players of the Black Star Army were extremely excited, as they felt honored by their leader's advancement as members of the legion.
"What else is there to say? The Legion Commander is awesome! Black Star is awesome!"
"The Shattered Star Ring originally only had four Beyond Grade A, and Black Star is the fifth. Does that mean our legion should also upgrade to a Beyond Grade A force like the War Realm?"
"Absolutely!"
"This is amazing! Our newbie guide faction on Planet Aquamarine is incredible. One faction is worth more than all the factions in other regions combined. This growth-oriented faction is absolutely dominant."
"Hey Summer Night Blossoms, stop pretending to be lurking, come out and say something!"
"Summer Night Blossoms, how's life in the War Realm? Share your stories, we won't laugh at you, hahaha~"
"@Summer Night Blossoms, Summer is Over, please begin your performance."
"@summer..."
A few months ago, Summer Night Blossoms Fan Hua confidently predicted that his post would be featured on the homepage. Countless players gloated and tagged him in their posts. This delightful moment of being proven wrong fueled the players' enthusiasm and they actively participated.
Seeing the crowd so agitated that even the Summer Night Blossoms dared not peek out, he felt utterly disheartened.
What happened? The script wasn't supposed to be like this!
While some are feeling frustrated, others are overjoyed. Compared to the Summer Night Blossoms, Meat Bun is experiencing ecstatic delight.
Meat Bun had been worried about not having any good material for the past few months, but now it's like a godsend – Black Star has suddenly become a top-tier powerhouse in the Galaxy. There's no better material than this.
He already has an idea: this material can be made into a milestone video series on Black Star!
Veteran players were celebrating on the forums, while many newbies were lurking and watching. The newcomers to version 3.0 didn't have the same deep emotional connection to Black Star as the veteran players, but participating in this discussion helped them learn more about Han Xiao and deepen their impression of Han Xiao.
Soon, the rumors became official intelligence and were placed on the tables of major powers, causing an even more intense upheaval at a higher level.
Unlike the interstellar citizens who were merely watching the spectacle, the major powers of the Shattered Star Ring were shocked and had to consider the impact of the fifth Beyond Grade A on the star system, as well as how they should handle their relationship with Black Star.
Planet Heber.
After quickly reading the intelligence, Jorde stood up abruptly, his face showing disbelief.
"Black Star is Beyond Grade A?! How is this possible! Didn't I already..."
For a moment, his mind was in turmoil. He had originally thought that his methods had forced Black Star to withdraw from the battlefield, but he had suddenly become Beyond Grade A.
The entire plan has been disrupted!
Jorde hurried to the Tyrant's palace, looking up at the mountain-like Tyrant. He was about to report the situation when Heber spoke first.
"I already know about it. Krent just contacted me. They're in a panic and are sending intelligence agents to verify the information. They also told me to be prepared at any time."
Heber sounded rather pleased.
Upon hearing this, Jorde managed to regain his composure. "Then what should I do?"
"You don't need to do anything," Heber said slowly. "Once Black Star or Amethyst personally confirms that he is Beyond Grade A, the rest is up to me."
Jorde couldn't help but swallow hard. "Your Tyrant... is about to make your move!"
Heber shook his head, dismissing Jorde, leaving him alone in the palace.
Beep beep...
Just then, the communicator rang.
Heber glanced at it, his eyes narrowing.
"Sisko? Haven't heard from him in ages, what does he want from me...?"
In a certain area of Shattered Star Ring, the last Light Fox spaceship is fleeing. This group consists of the last surviving members of the Sorokin who stole the Evolution Cube.
"We've lost contact with Orosen and the others, and we don't know where the Evolution Cube is. What should we do?"
"They should be dead. Black Star became Beyond Grade A and fought Sisko. The Evolution Cube might have ended up in his hands."
"Report to His Majesty the Sorokin as soon as possible; we have failed."
Quantum communication makes message transmission far more efficient than the speed of interstellar travel, and the rumor quickly spread to all levels and regions, with more and more people learning about it.
The entire Shattered Star Ring was in an uproar!
Whenever a new Beyond Grade A is born, it will undoubtedly be the headline news in this star field for a period of time, overshadowing everyone else.
Every Beyond Grade A individual has been the focus of the world's attention, becoming one of the iconic figures who can represent a star field in the eyes of others.
Now, it's Han Xiao's turn to enjoy this treatment.
All eyes in the Shattered Star Ring were focused on the Black Star Army. Rumors were just rumors, and everyone was waiting for the newly born Beyond Grade A to announce his status to the entire star field, waiting for him to confirm it in person.
However, regardless of the rumors circulating, Black Star himself never appeared, and the Black Star Army made no positive statement. All the interstellar media that had caught wind of the situation were blocked outside the Black Star Army headquarters, and even their ally, the Amethyst Civilization, fell into a strange silence.
The more this is the case, the more impatient all parties become, eager to confirm Black Star's combat strength.
Countless people are watching to see how things will unfold next.
Meanwhile, Han Xiao and his group had quietly returned to the Black Star Army and privately summoned all the officers.