"I didn't say that, but you knew Black Star was our enemy, yet you didn't tell us. Didn't that violate the alliance? If we had known beforehand that Black Star was one of our own, we would have made the Tyrant cancel the duel, and we wouldn't have made this fool of ourselves today."
"You're exaggerating," Suy said with a smile, unperturbed. "Concealing the information was Black Star's request, and I personally agreed to it. I sent the garrison to the scene to prevent the situation from escalating... Besides, wasn't today's outcome good? The entire star system knows that you and the Black Star Army have become friends, which benefits both sides. Overall, you not only suffered no losses but actually gained something. After all, such a grand event is a rare sight, perhaps only once every few decades."
"... Then it seems we misunderstood you." The high-ranking official Krent, smiled through gritted teeth.
"Yes, well, you can't really say that. I do bear some responsibility for this. How about this, I'll apologize to the higher-ups in the Empire and apply for resource compensation for you. What do you think?" Suy said with a smile.
"You're exaggerating. It was a misunderstanding on our part; you bear no responsibility."
"Alright, but to express my apology, please be sure to accept the resource compensation."
"OK."
After hanging up the call, Suy's smile vanished instantly, and she nodded, quite satisfied.
Krent is sensible, that's good.
Not long after, the War Realm on site received a message from Krent.
"Your Tyrant, there's been a result from Krent's side." Jorde swallowed hard, stammering.
"Explain."
"They said agreeing to Black Star joining was Suy's idea, and Krent ordered us to cease hostilities and immediately withdraw... withdraw."
Krent knew he had been tricked by the Crimson Dynasty, but what could he do? They still wanted to develop in the Shattered World and would never break the alliance, so he could only swallow his anger.
Black Star's offer was too tempting. Krent knew that the Crimson Dynasty would not refuse the Evolution Cube, so he had no choice but to accept his bad luck. Fortunately, the challenge was mainly the idea of Tyrant, and Krent himself did not suffer much loss, so he quickly compromised.
Upon hearing this, Heber closed his eyes.
After a while, he opened his eyes again, his cheeks puffed out, and he forced out a single word.
"Withdraw."
The order rang out on the command channel in the War Realm, and many War Realm cadres immediately wilted and became listless.
Jorde's face twitched, quite indignant, but there was nothing he could do.
The fleets of the Crimson Dynasty, Krent, and the War Realm departed one after another, leaving only the forces of the Amethyst and Black Star Army on the field.
"They've retreated from the War Realm, haha!"
Amidst countless warships, the warriors of the Black Star Army cheered, creating an incredibly enthusiastic atmosphere.
Many players were also drawn in by the legion warriors around them and joined in the fun.
Seeing the book, Ames' eyes crinkled with a smile.
Although Han Xiao's concealment made her slightly unhappy, seeing Heber suffer a setback at her and Han Xiao's hands gave her a great sense of satisfaction.
"Once you're in the martial world, you're not always in control of your own destiny." Han Xiao's expression, hidden beneath his helmet, held a hint of amusement. "Tyrant? Heh heh."
The battle between the two was interrupted for some reason and no winner was determined. However, in their previous encounters, he had not been at a disadvantage and had fought the Tyrant to a draw. No one would think that he had surrendered to the Crimson Dynasty because he was afraid of the Tyrant.
The Tyrant, as the challenger, ultimately failed and left in disgrace. This turned him into a stepping stone for himself, using Tyrant reputation to solidify his position in the Shattered Star Ring. He would no longer be subconsciously looked down upon by some people because of his status as a newly promoted Beyond Grade A.
Just then, a notification appeared on the panel indicating the Legend Points.
[You have gained 3 Legend Points]
[Star Field Legend Points (Shattered Star Ring): Battle of the Tyrant - Your battle with the Tyrant Heber is known to all in the Shattered Star Ring. This battle will become a legendary tale passed down through the starfield, and your fame will be celebrated forever.]
[Star Field Legend Points (Shattered Star Ring): Alliance with the Crimson Dynasty - Cosmic civilizations are the most powerful forces in this Galaxy. You have formed an alliance with one of the Crimson Dynasty, and all the powers in the starfield will be extremely wary of you.]
[Star Field Legend Points (Shattered Star Ring): Star Field Iconic Figure - Your name resounds throughout the entire starfield. Your name is one of the labels of this starfield. From this day forward, when the Shattered Star Ring is mentioned, your name will be the first thing that comes to mind.]
Han Xiao's eyes lit up.
The bonus to experience points from Star Field Legend Points is far greater than that from Star Cluster Legend Points, and it is extremely difficult to obtain. To gain three points at once proves that this challenge to establish one's prestige was very successful.
Once today's news spreads throughout the Galaxy, my reputation in the Shattered Star Ring will surely experience a surge.
Just then, Laifer requested a communication.
Han Xiao's heart skipped a beat. He knew Amethyst's reaction to this matter and had already prepared his words.
"Black Star..."
The communication connection was established, Laifer's face appeared on the tactical screen of the mech helmet, with a hesitant expression.
"I know what you mean." Han Xiao interrupted him, saying first, "Joining the Crimson Dynasty was my idea. As you all know, the Secret War is not in our favor. To dismantle Krent's plan, we must start from the top. I'm using joining the Crimson Dynasty as a bargaining chip to gain their stance on the Secret War. This is the way I mentioned to you before to win the Secret War."
Upon hearing this, Laifer opened his mouth, his expression complex.
He had assumed that Black Star had abandoned Amethyst and switched allegiance to the Crimson Dynasty, but hearing Han Xiao say this made him feel much better.
Fortunately, Black Star still remembered Amethyst's support and made a request to the Empire to repay Amethyst, at least he didn't abandon her after accepting their support for so long.
"The Crimson Dynasty and you, alas..."
"I know you want to maintain the independence of your civilization, but I am different. I am also an ally of Amethyst, which means I have built a bridge between you and the Crimson Dynasty, becoming an intermediary between you. This is beneficial to all three of us."
Laifer nodded in agreement; that was indeed the case.
He understood Han Xiao's meaning: joining the Crimson Dynasty while maintaining the alliance with the Amethyst was like a child making a choice; adults wanted it all.
Amethyst was naturally unwilling. They had been funding the Black Star Army for nearly ten years, hoping to become the biggest partner behind a Beyond Grade A, but their efforts were thwarted by a powerful cosmic civilization. Laifer was unwilling to accept this.
Upon closer reflection, he felt helpless. After today's battle, the Black Star Army would be fully Wings. Even if Amethyst dissolved the alliance, the Black Star Army wouldn't be afraid, because they would have a better alternative. In the end, it would be Amethyst that would suffer the loss.
The best option right now is to maintain the cooperative relationship, become an ally second only to the Crimson Dynasty, and share the benefits brought by the Black Star Army.
Having invested so much time and resources, Amethyst was unwilling to leave empty-handed.
"I understand, I will report this to the higher-ups truthfully..." Laifer composed himself, secretly admiring Black Star's skill.
"Just wait for my good news," Han Xiao said with a smile, offering a polite remark.
If I were just an ordinary Beyond Grade A, I might not have the influence to persuade the Crimson Dynasty to change its stance on the Secret War issue; but with the Evolution Cube, things are different.
Having reached an agreement with Laifer, Han Xiao hung up the communication and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
With the situation looking very promising, Han Xiao was in a relaxed mood. Having entered the Beyond Grade A, he had truly joined the ranks of the pinnacle of the Galaxy. Most of the obstacles he faced at the Calamity Grade had vanished, and his Face Fruit ability had skyrocketed.
At that moment, a portal opened beside Han Xiao and Austin, who had been secretly observing them.
"Hehe, congratulations, Black Star." Austin greeted him with a smile.
Han Xiao responded with a "hehe".
Seeing this, Austin didn't say much, and smiled, "This isn't a good place to talk. Let's chat again at the next Tyrant's Gathering."
After saying that, he teleported back to the Palace of Hidden Spells, activated the magic array, and the palace flew into the teleportation portal and disappeared without a trace.
"Tyrant's Gathering..."
Han Xiao's eyes flashed; he wondered if the Tyrant would invite him to the next gathering.
"Now that things are resolved, I'll be going." Ames waved her hand and flew back to Dragon Calm, Dragon Calm slowly departed.
Han Xiao watched Ames depart. This time, he returned to the Black Star Army's flagship and entered the command room. There, he saw all the legion's officers gathered. As soon as he entered, everyone turned to look at him, their eyes filled with awe.
"Sylvia, Melos, notify the fleet to set sail and return." Han Xiao nodded.
"Understood!" Sylvia said excitedly.
"Also, issue a recruitment order to the entire star field in the name of the Black Star Army. It's time for those who are watching to make a choice." Han Xiao smiled.
Because of the challenge to the Tyrant, the Black Star Army has kept a low profile for some time. Now that everything has settled down, it is time for the Black Star Army to expand rapidly and officially join the ranks of the Beyond Grade A forces!
Many officials were excited; this was the day they had been waiting for!
Han Xiao turned to look at Fording. He hadn't yet settled his mission reward of drawing the Tyrant's ability, and he wanted to try his luck with Fording.
Patting Fording on the shoulder, Han Xiao offered a few words of encouragement to everyone, then used the excuse of rest to send all the cadres away.
Han Xiao returned to his room alone and opened the panel to calculate his rewards.
[You have received a reward: draw one of Heber's abilities (skills/features)]
[Note: Heber is a martial artist; 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. [Phantom Combo] - Skill: Melee attack speed +75%, lasts 7s, consumes 80 stamina, cooldown 18s]
[2. [Star Throwing Force] - Skill: Uses a secret technique to strengthen cells, increasing Strength attribute by 600 for 20 seconds, with a 120-second cooldown.]
[3. [Weakness Insight] - Skill: Melee critical hit rate +30%, lasts 15s, cooldown 180s]
[4. [Close Combat Killer] - Feat: Melee attack power and attack speed +40%, all melee skill levels +2]
[5. [Heber's Stellar Furnace Training Method] - Skill: A special secret method for forging strength in the Tyrant. Current effect: Strength +500, Training attempts: 0/650. Requires training on a star. The effect of each training session depends on the time spent on the star. The maximum effect of a single training session is 25 Strength, and the minimum is 0. Each training session consumes 6 million experience points.]
After scanning the first four abilities, Han Xiao was somewhat disappointed. Beyond Grade A martial artists have countless abilities, and the chance of drawing something good is very small. Four in a row were abilities that were of limited use to him.
However, the last ability caused Han Xiao's expression to change, and he was pleasantly surprised.
"Is this a method used by Tyrant to train their strength?"
This is a good thing.
A martial artist's formidable strength comes partly from their expertise and partly from skills cultivated through physical training.
Once others reach the Beyond Grade A, if they want to continue to grow stronger, they will start collecting various qi cultivation skills. Generally speaking, the longer Beyond Grade A has been established, the more profound their qi will be, and the higher their qi realm will be.
Currently, the Health and Mana Conversion has encountered a bottleneck. In addition to the maximum recovery efficiency of 28%, another limitation is the stamina value. Compared to the more than two million health points, the stamina is only 50,000, which is too low and has become a constraint on the user's survivability.
While [Radiant Energy Absorption] increases strength, it requires a long time to accumulate. Even learning other Beyond Grade A ' Energy Training Method from various races is a long-term project. Heber's Energy Training Method is precisely the shortcut for him to improve his strength at present. It is a high-level secret technique created by Beyond Grade A, and its effect on increasing strength is extremely significant.
As for the enormous experience cost for players... Han Xiao happens to have over ten months of experience penalty points, so he doesn't need to level up.
The other four options weren't very useful, so there was no need to hesitate. Han Xiao directly chose the fifth option.
[You have obtained the [Heber's Stellar Furnace Training Method]!]
Han Xiao looked through it with satisfaction, closed the panel, and began to ponder.
"The biggest problem is temporarily solved. Next is the expansion of the Black Star Army. The layout of the Shattered World should be put on the agenda... Oh right, once the legion is stabilized, I still need to make a trip to the Central Galaxy..."
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Central Galaxy.
The screen showed a news channel broadcasting footage of the Shattered Star Ring duel, which was already ending.
drop.
The screen was turned off, and the black screen reflected the face of the Sorokin.
"Please contact Black Star for me."