"Heber invited me to his party?"
At the Black Star Army headquarters, Han Xiao stared with interest at the reserved-looking Mazaks before him.
"Yes, that's what His Tyrant said." Mazaks's palms were sweating.
The two sides became allies in name only because of the Crimson Dynasty's reputation, but the relationship is delicate. Ten years of antagonism is not so easy to resolve. When Mazaks came to deliver the invitation, there was a sense of tension, as if they were trapped in enemy territory.
Looking at Han Xiao on the mechanical throne, Mazaks filled with mixed emotions.
He once tried to recruit Han Xiao, but more than ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. He himself is still a Vanguard Officers under the Tyrant, while Black Star has jumped to become Beyond Grade A on the same level as the Tyrant.
Han Xiao tapped his fingers on the armrest of his seat, squinting as he pondered.
He had once attended Tyrant's Gathering with Ames, a high-level gathering of the Shattered Star Ring created by Heber, where figures from various major powers would give face and participate.
Recently, due to the defeat in the challenge, the reputation of the Tyrant has been damaged. The War Realm and Krent have been silent for a while. Heber is eager to hold a new round of gatherings, possibly with the intention of stabilizing his position.
Since the Tyrant wants to maintain the influence of the gathering, it's impossible that he wouldn't invite him, the new Beyond Grade A. Perhaps Heber is responding to the Crimson Dynasty's request and reluctantly seeking reconciliation with him, or it could be a trap, but the chances are slim.
The Secret War ended not long ago, and many entanglements of interests are still unclear. Perhaps this gathering is to clarify these matters.
After a moment's thought, Han Xiao nodded.
"Go back and tell the Tyrant that I will be there."
Mazaks breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly took his leave. He felt a lot of pressure in front of Han Xiao.
Looking at the time, the gathering was in a month. The Secret War had just ended, and Krent, suppressing his anger, was negotiating with Amethyst to lift the blockade on the stargate at the star cluster's border, allowing the fast passage between the two star clusters to be reconnected.
According to information he gathered through his connections within the Amethyst Civilization, the intervention of the Crimson Dynasty has led to smooth negotiations between the two star cluster-level civilizations, and the stargate connecting the two star clusters is expected to be officially opened in about ten days.
"A month... Hmm, by then, the Black Star Army's expansion will be nearly complete, and the first batch of elites sent by the Crimson Dynasty to undergo the Evolution Cube transformation should arrive after that. There's plenty of time."
During this period of expanding his legion, Han Xiao didn't have much to do besides practicing the Heber's Stellar Furnace Training Method and building his mechanical legion. He had some free time to attend the Tyrant's Gathering, which helped him to discuss matters with various forces.
At that moment, Harmon suddenly pushed open the door and walked in.
"Black Star, I'm leaving," Harmon shouted.
"Oh?" Han Xiao remembered. "Right, you're going back to compete for the chieftainship, right?"
Harmon is the main character of the Luhan Beastmen. The Luhan Beastmen are an interstellar civilization, but they retain their warlike, martial, and barbaric traditions. Their governance system is a tribal alliance system, with each tribe controlling several colony planets.
This system has a unique origin. The Luhan Beastmen are not natives, but wanderers who fled from other star systems many years ago. They scattered across different planets in the same region, developed independently, and formed different tribes. Although they inherited the same origin traditions, the various tribes developed different cultures during the long evolution. Eventually, they united as one, while retaining their tribal independence, thus forming this system.
The method for electing a tribal chieftain involves randomly throwing all candidates onto different planets in space, allowing them to hone their skills in interstellar travel and form their own "War Alliance."
Once the deadline arrives, each candidate will return with their War Alliance to fight for the chieftainship. The election date for Harmon's Craggy Rock Tribe is fast approaching, his mercenary career is coming to an end, and he is preparing to return to inherit the property of an interstellar tribe.
More than ten years ago, in order to recruit Harmon, Han Xiao also joined his War Alliance, and the quest is still hanging on the panel.
"Black Star, you're my War Alliance, you have to come and help me," Harmon said in a muffled voice.
"The Luhan Beastmen civilization is located in the Seoul Star Cluster..." Han Xiao stroked his chin, "It's on the way to the Tyrant's Gathering, alright, I'll bring some people with me."
This is an ancient tradition of the Luhan Beastmen, and Han Xiao had already promised it; he had no intention of going back on his word.
After Harmon left, Han Xiao took out his communicator and sent a message to Dragon Emperor.
"Ames, the Tyrant is holding a party. Have you received an invitation? Come to my place, let's go together."
Ames replied quickly.
"Um."
A few days later, Ames arrived at the Black Star Army headquarters in a spaceship.
The two are now allies, bound by common interests, and are old acquaintances. There's no need for formalities when they meet; it's as easy as dropping by.
Han Xiao only brought his Guard Officer Unit with him this time, piloting his spaceship away from headquarters. Also traveling with him were Harmon and his War Alliance, as well as some players who had accepted War Alliance missions. Together they headed to the Seoul Star Cluster, where the War Realm was located.
The spaceship had two Beyond Grade A and a large number of high-level Calamity Grade crew members, making it a truly impressive lineup.
Upon reaching the edge of the star cluster, the stargate, which had been closed for ten years due to Secret War, reopened. Countless spaceships lined up in a long queue, entering the stargate one after another to cross the Desolate Universe Belt.
During the war, most people in the two star clusters were unable to travel to each other's territory due to transportation restrictions, which have only now been restored.
Upon entering the Seoul Star Cluster, Han Xiao changed direction and headed straight for the territory of the Luhan Beastmen Civilization.
Meanwhile, at the Luhan's Blood Planet.
This is a gray, desolate planet that holds a special place in the traditions of the Luhan Beastmen. Every tribe uses this planet as a battleground when electing its chieftain.
The Luhan's Blood Planet has many dilapidated stone arenas. A new arena is built for each tribal election, leaving behind many ruins and relics over the years.
In a certain area of the planet, rows of rugged-looking Luhan Beastmen ships were stationed on the surface, surrounding a newly built arena, which would soon become the battlefield for the candidates for chieftain of the Craggy Rock Tribe to compete for the right of succession.
The current chieftain of the Craggy Rock Tribe, Halaita, is a burly and imposing Luhan Beastmen. In the Luhan Beastmen ' aesthetic sense, the amount of body hair is an important standard for judging age, and Halaita has sparse hair and is covered with old scars, making him look quite old.
He was Harmon's father, and Harmon was a legitimate second-generation chief.
"Mogo, Getuo, Tale... of the twenty-five chieftain candidates, only six have returned; the rest must have died in space."
Halaita looked at the candidates who were staying with their respective War Alliance not far away and shook his head.
Most of these candidates are descendants of high-ranking members of the tribe. The Luhan Beastmen are a martial race that believes only the strong are qualified to lead the tribe. When all candidates were expelled from their homeworld, they were not allowed to accept any form of assistance from the tribe except for their initial War Alliance partners. This was to test the candidates' overall survival ability. Only those who survived and returned to Luhan Beastmen territory were qualified to compete for chieftainship. This process itself was a form of selection.
Candidates cannot proactively contact anyone in the tribe, otherwise they will be disqualified. Relatives of candidates are also prohibited from contacting them freely, as they will be ridiculed. Candidates can only passively accept notifications from the tribe. Therefore, Halaita is unsure of Harmon's current situation, only knowing that he joined the Black Star Army and is still alive.
"I wonder if his War Alliance is strong enough..." Halaita worried to himself.
In the struggle for chieftainship, life and death are the only consequences. The Luhan Beastmen have no tradition of showing mercy to their enemies. The six returning candidates have all built powerful War Alliance over more than a decade, with Mogo and Getuo being the most powerful.
Mogo joined the War Realm, returning with tens of thousands of allied warriors, many of whom were Grade B superhumans. Meanwhile, Getuo seemed to have become a key partner in a conglomerate, with a large group of mercenary-looking Space Marines standing behind him, far outnumbering Mogo.
The two stared at each other from a distance, regarding each other as their biggest rivals.
"Don't worry, Mogo, we are all elite warriors in the War Realm. The enemy is just a bunch of ragtag mercenaries we've never heard of, and they outnumber us. They're no match for us." A War Realm officer patted Mogo on the shoulder. They had fought side by side for many years and had a deep friendship.
Mogo grinned, swung his warhammer twice in the air, and said in a deep voice, "Of all the candidates, only Harmon can beat me. It's a pity he hasn't returned yet; he might be dead in space. Apart from him, no one else can beat me. Someone like Getuo, I can kill him in two or three hammer blows."
On the other side, Getuo whispered to a man dressed as a mercenary beside him.
"Boss, we're counting on you later."
"Heh, with me here, I'll definitely make you the chieftain." The man sneered. His Ruier Riel, but his true identity was actually the notorious leader of a rogue organization in the Seoul Star Cluster.
Getuo joined this wanderer organization, and there was a rule in the chief election that candidates would be disqualified if they went astray, since a tribal chief could not be a wanted criminal in space. However, Getuo was unwilling to give up the position of chief and found a way to disguise himself as one of these wanderers.
His reliance was on Ruier, the only Grade A superhuman among all the candidate War Alliance.
Ruier agreed to help Getuo become chief in exchange for Getuo providing them with supplies and logistics.
Although the Craggy Rock Tribe is just one of the tribes of the Luhan Beastmen Civilization, it controls several planets and is quite wealthy, not the richest but not the poorest either.
Time passed as they waited. The chieftains of the other dozen or so Luhan Beastmen tribes, along with their subordinates, took their seats to witness the election of the chieftain of the Craggy Rock Tribe. Halaita, seeing that it was almost time, spoke loudly.
"It's almost time. Mogo, Getuo... all candidates, lead your War Alliance into the battlefield, choose your own position, and prepare for battle."
The group filed into the battlefield, took their positions, and faced each other.
Halaita kept glancing at the time, somewhat anxious. Candidates who returned after the official start of the battle would be considered late and disqualified, and Harmon had not yet arrived.
Just then, at Getuo's signal, Ruier stepped forward from the crowd, unleashing his Grade A energy fluctuations, his aura soaring into the sky.
"Calamity Grade?!"
The other candidates' expressions changed drastically.
Halaita was also shocked. The Luhan Beastmen, as a star system-level civilization, had more than a dozen Calamity Grade, and there were three of them in the stands. Getuo had actually managed to turn a Calamity Grade being into his own War Alliance, which immediately overwhelmed all the candidates.
At this moment, two candidates on the battlefield suddenly dropped their weapons and raised their hands, a gesture that signified surrender. Before the fight even began, these two had given up their chance to become chieftains. Although it was humiliating, at least they wouldn't have to fight Calamity Grade enemy, they could save their lives, and they wouldn't have to send their War Alliance to their deaths.
A commotion immediately broke out in the stands.
"Are we really going to fight Calamity Grade?" Upon seeing this, the War Realm officer immediately backed down, casting aside his bold words.
"Attack!" Mogo's expression changed several times. He gritted his teeth and gripped his warhammer tightly.
"Um... can I abstain now?" A warrior from the War Realm behind him suddenly threw down his weapon and slowly backed away.
They were willing to become Mogo's War Alliance and fight for him out of kindness, but they were unwilling to die for it.
Mogo's face darkened.
On the other side, Getuo, beaming with pride and looking down on everyone, stood next to Ruier with an air of arrogance.
Halaita, looking surprised and conflicted in the stands, was just then interrupted by Getuo's father speaking up.
"Chief, don't deliberately stall for time, let's begin."
Getuo's father was also a high-ranking member of the tribe and usually kept a low profile, but now he was impatient.
It's better that Harmon isn't coming back... Halaita sighed, about to speak, when a spaceship descended from the sky, attracting everyone's attention.
laugh--
The spaceship landed in a corner of the battlefield, the hatch opened, and Harmon emerged with a group of the War Alliance.
"Harmon is back!"
Many members of the Craggy Rock Tribe were invigorated. Harmon was highly respected in the tribe, and his bravery was acknowledged by the tribe members.
A flash of panic flashed in Getuo's eyes. He had been beaten by Harmon since he was a child, which left a deep shadow in his heart. But he then thought of Ruier beside him, and then he regained his confidence, gritted his teeth and stared at Harmon.
"It's no use you coming back. If you dare to argue with me today, you're dead!"
Hearing the cheers from the stands, Ruier knew that Harmon was a strong contender. He snorted coldly, mustered all his strength, raised his Calamity Grade Aura to its maximum, and released the pressure of the Life Level, pressing down hard on Harmon and his group, attempting to use the same method to intimidate them and make them back down.
Just then, a voice rang out.
"Hey, little bro, you're getting a bit cocky."
Several people suddenly emerged from behind Harmon. Han Xiao walked at the front, looking at Ruier in the distance with an amused expression, as if watching a peacock displaying its plumage. The Guard Squad, now expanded to nine people, followed behind him.
Hila raised an eyebrow, took a step forward, and unleashed her power, sweeping across the entire arena and repelling Ruier's oppressive aura.
The other side also has Calamity Grade?!
Ruier felt a tightness in his chest and was startled. He rubbed his eyes, made out the faces of Han Xiao and his group, froze for a second, then suddenly turned pale with fright and took several steps back, bumping into Getuo's arms.
"Black... black... Black Star?!"
His outburst rang out, and everyone's eyes turned to Han Xiao and the others, their expressions changing drastically.
An uproar erupted in the stands; everyone was stunned and looked on in disbelief.
This is... Black Star?
Beyond Grade A?!
Harmon actually invited a Beyond Grade A powerhouse?!
Halaita was dumbfounded.
Ding ding dong--
At that moment, all the candidates threw away their weapons.
Even Getuo obediently withdrew, feeling extremely frustrated.
He thought that with the Calamity Grade as his backing, seizing the position of tribal chief was a sure thing, but who knew that Harmon would suddenly appear and bring the Beyond Grade A with him.
Who could withstand this?!
Mogo whispered, "If only Lord Tyrant could come and help me..."
"Are you dreaming?" The War Realm officer stared at him like he was an idiot. "What kind of status does Tyrant have? Would he even acknowledge you?"
Mogo pointed at Han Xiao, and the officers in the War Realm were immediately speechless.
Seeing this, the audience from various tribes in the stands stirred. This was the only time in the history of the Luhan Beastmen that all chieftain candidates had abstained from voting, and it was also the first time that War Alliance with Beyond Grade A had become a chieftain!
"Huh?" Harmon looked completely bewildered, scratching his head with his Battle Axe, utterly confused, and asked, "Why did they all stop fighting? They're gone just like that?"
Upon hearing this, the others were filled with rage and wanted nothing more than to kick him to death.
Even Beyond Grade A are here! The gap in skill level is so huge, what's the point of fighting?! Are you trying to send us to our deaths?!
"That's it?" The panel popped up with a message that the quest was completed, leaving the player who had followed completely dumbfounded.
So you didn't do anything, just watched a cutscene with a book, and the mission was complete?!
We thought it was going to be a tough battle!!
Seeing everyone staring intently at him, Han Xiao shook his head helplessly. With his current status, he could complete many low-level tasks simply by showing his face.
Coming here to help Harmon get the chieftainship was really just a side trip.