The Fallen Ark ceased fire, and millions of pyramidal spaceships transformed into streaks of warp light, disappearing from the Lighthouse Star battlefield in the blink of an eye. This act of betraying their allies was clearly honed through countless trials and was practiced to an extreme degree.
With the Sorokin fleeing with his army, the battle situation changed dramatically.
Having lost powerful external support, the number of warships of the Arcane Church has been reduced by nearly half. Meanwhile, the Lighthouse Star Guardians have withdrawn all their outer fleets and contracted their defenses. The size of the two fleets is now evenly matched, and the Arcane Church can no longer maintain its dominance.
"Damn it..." Sagman gritted his teeth as he watched this scene, feeling utterly powerless and unwilling to accuse the Sorokin of betraying his alliance.
He knew that although the two sides were cooperating, the higher-ups of the Arcane Church did not have much hope for the Sorokin. It was precisely because the higher-ups had a skeptical faith in the Sorokin God's integrity that they gathered six Beyond Grade A warriors with the Scepter of All Gods to launch a surprise attack, intending to end the battle before the Sorokin entered the arena.
In fact, according to the calculations of the Arcane Church, the success rate of Sagman and his group's operation was really high. With six against three, they had the upper hand. As long as they used the Scepter of All Gods to disable Milli and _Illustrated_Book Zaus, the plan would be 80% successful, and capturing three Imperial Beyond Grade A beings alive was not impossible.
However, unexpectedly, Han Xiao's precautionary measure came into play, with the intervention of the foreign aid Austin, who had been secretly observing, turning the three-on-six situation into a four-on-six one.
Although it was just one more person, it greatly reduced the overwhelming combat power of the six members of the Arcane Church.
More importantly, the Scepter of All Gods, this powerful weapon, was actually countered by Black Star using bizarre methods, and was even sealed away!
Otherwise, we would probably have captured Black Star, seized the Evolution Cube, and retreated with the fleet by now... This thought flashed through the minds of the five members of the Sagman, making them even more frustrated.
Observing the current unfavorable situation, Sagman felt a sharp pain in his head.
If it were simply a matter of the Sorokin retreating, the remaining six people would actually still have a chance to complete their mission.
The participation of the Sorokin in the battle was not entirely useless. After fighting for so long, Milizaus's injuries were more severe, and his combat power dropped significantly. Austin's Palace of Hidden Spells was damaged to some extent, many magic circuits malfunctioned, causing a large number of magic arrays to fail. Beoni was also in poor condition, with only Black Star still holding on... but his mechanical legion also suffered heavy losses.
All six of them were in good condition; at least their combat strength was more intact than Han Xiao's group of four. If they continued fighting, their chances of winning remained high.
However, Dilun was captured by Black Star, an unexpected turn of events that thwarted Sagman's plans.
In this battle, Black Star displayed new abilities that were not previously known from intelligence reports. Sagman had to admit that he was indeed wary of Black Star, wondering what other trump cards this guy was hiding.
"What do we do now?" Ninja frowned and asked in the telepathic communication network.
Sagman's gaze swept across the vast interstellar battlefield, taking in the scene of the fleets clashing. He saw that the Arcane Church's fleet, which had been advancing in layers, had become locked in a stalemate, unable to break through the Imperial fleet's heavy defenses to attack the stargate they were assembling.
His face was ashen, his voice like he was chewing steel, spitting out bloody slag, "... Notify the commander, we're retreating!"
"You're going to abandon Dilun?" Sisko's eyes were hostile.
"Sagman is right." Ninja nodded. "Dilun has been captured, the Sorokin have retreated, it's now five against four, and the other side is holding hostages. The quick victory plan has failed. We only have two options left: continue the entanglement or retreat decisively."
The opponent is not in good condition. If we continue the fight, we can undoubtedly win, but time is a problem. We have lost two combatants, and it will be difficult to end the battle in the short term. Don't forget, the Shattered World is the territory of the Empire. We have no foothold here, and the only way out is the Secret Stargate. The longer the fight goes on, the greater the risk.
Taylor interjected, "Besides, the Sorokin wants to use us to cover their retreat; we can't let him succeed."
"That Dilun..."
"Saving him is too risky; it might provoke Black Star to kill. We have no choice but to leave him behind. At least he can save his life. Afterwards, we'll have to rely on the Arcane Church and the Crimson Dynasty to negotiate." Ninja shook his head. Even if the Empire was willing to exchange hostages, the Arcane Church would definitely suffer huge losses, and the Empire might not even be willing to hand over the hostage.
Sisko was in a terrible mood, knowing his best friend was being held hostage by Black Star and he didn't know how the Empire would treat him. He was powerless to do anything about it.
"While the Empire is still setting up the stargate, we retreat." Sagman paused, his tone complex. "Inform the higher-ups that this operation... has failed."
These words dampened everyone's spirits.
Six against four, and they still managed to catch one of them! What a huge embarrassment!
The operation, which was supposed to be a sure thing, has failed, and the Scepter of All Gods has been severely damaged. How will the higher-ups of the Arcane Church view them?
Almost every step that turned the tide was done by Han Xiao. If looks could kill, Sagman and the others would have already riddled him with holes.
Although they didn't want to admit it, they knew they had been forced to retreat by Black Star!
Sisko exchanged a distant glance with the heavily injured Dilun, his eyes filled with apology.
Seeing the look in his eyes, Dilun knew he had been abandoned. His heart ached; the feeling of being discarded was unbearable. Thinking about his treatment as a prisoner, his heart sank lower and lower.
The effects of the Superpower Silence had worn off, and Dilun's powers had recovered. However, the attacks that had just landed with true damage all struck his body. Without the continuous defensive barrier of his superpowers, his physical body wasn't tough enough, and he was severely injured, causing his combat power to plummet. If Han Xiao hadn't wanted to capture him alive, he felt he might have been killed, leaving him with lingering fear.
At this moment, Han Xiao was right next to him, and the arm around Dilun's neck contained explosive power. Dilun was not a martial artist. Although his physical qualities far exceeded those of the Calamity Grade, he was not good enough at the Beyond Grade A. In addition, with various mechanical traps, Dilun had no way to break free. Moreover, the mechanical troops were aiming at him. To resist rashly would be to play with his life and Black Star.
Sagman five companions retreated towards the Void Arcane Church Arcane Church's fleet, boarding their spaceships and following the fleet in their orderly evacuation. The retreat was methodical and left no trace.
The Arcane Church's fleet, relying on its superior maneuverability, gradually broke free from the close combat and slowly widened the distance between itself and the Imperial fleet.
Milizaus and the other two approached Black Star, while Beoni felt a sense of relief, as if he had escaped a calamity.
"Luckily, you captured one of the enemy's Beyond Grade A enemies, otherwise they wouldn't have retreated so easily... This guy is ' Sea Spirit ' Dilun from the Arcane Church. He's quite powerful, yet you managed to capture him so easily. What methods did you use on him?"
Han Xiao gave Beoni a strange look. "Believe me, you're very familiar with this move."
When they fought against the Sorokin in the Central Galaxy, Beoni was hit by a genuine "Superpower Silence" attack, which he still remembers vividly. However, he never expected that Han Xiao would use the same ability.
Superpower Silence is the nemesis of superhumans. There are probably very few superhumans in the entire universe who can defeat Sorokin in a one-on-one fight. Han Xiao has two chances to use the god of Sorokin character card in his possession.
Han Xiao used it once against Dilun; next time, he planned to save it for the Sorokin himself.
Before the battle, he received two Blank Character Card from a random reward, but he didn't use them on the Sorokin. After all, the Sorokin had collected too many superpowers, and the chance of drawing the Superpower Silence again was too slim. Drawing some random abilities wouldn't be of much use to him, and he wanted to save them to replicate Reynold's Perfect Mechanical Sense.
On the other side, Milizaus watched as Sagman and his men retreated and asked in a deep voice, "Sagman and the others have escaped. Should we pursue them?"
"Don't blame me if we chase after them." Austin adjusted his robes and said calmly, "Black Star, I've already repaid the favor I owed you. Now it's your turn to owe me a huge favor."
"I know." Han Xiao said helplessly. To be honest, if Austin hadn't been principled and kept his promise, people on the Empire's side would definitely have died.
Austin nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at the heavily damaged Forbidden Sorcerer troops, a look of heartache in his eyes. These were his elite troops, and it had been very difficult to train them.
As for the severely damaged Palace of Hidden Spells, Austin didn't care at all. He figured it would just take some time to repair, and he didn't care about the cost of materials... For a noble mage who had transcended vulgar interests, making money was as easy as breathing.
Austin wasn't an ally of the Empire, and it wasn't appropriate for him to make demands of others, so Milizaus turned to Beoni, "And what about you?"
"Don't ask me for any more adventurous ventures," Beoni refused outright.
Just kidding. He'd barely escaped this crisis, and the enemy had all retreated. He didn't want to put himself in danger again; it would be much better to stay here and wait for reinforcements.
"You're a real coward," Milizaus said disdainfully.
"I'm the most vulnerable, I'm afraid of dying, okay?" Beoni snorted, turning to look at Han Xiao, "Are you going to give chase?"
"What do you think?" Han Xiao's lips twitched. Austin and you aren't going, then why should I even bother chasing after you? Do you want to be a playboy?
"None of you are going..." Milizaus suddenly changed the subject, his tone as if he had breathed a sigh of relief, "Then I'm relieved."
All three of them turned to look at him.
"What are you looking at? See the hole in my chest? I'm the most badly injured. Do you want me to chase after him and get beaten up? Can't you have some consideration for an old dragon?"
Han Xiao was speechless.
If you're not going yourself, then what's the point of asking...?
That's true. Apart from him, who was in high spirits, the other three were not in good condition. The risk of pursuing them was too great, so it's no wonder they were unwilling.
At this point, Tarrokov also contacted several people, his tone one of astonishment.
"Black Star, you've captured a Beyond Grade A member of the Arcane Church?"
"As you can see." Han Xiao turned his head to look in the direction of the main ship, casually tossing Dilun's head around; it was wet and slippery, but quite round.
"Very good! You've made the Arcane Church pay a price, now we have leverage!"
Tarrokov's tone flickered with excitement, then paused, before turning serious again. "The Arcane Church is retreating. I will send troops to pursue them. You will remain here with the main force and await orders. Do not attempt to pursue the enemy on your own."
"Don't worry, even if you beg us, we won't go," Han Xiao said helplessly.
"That would be best." Tarrokov nodded.
Black Star successfully thwarted the Arcane Church's surprise attack, not only avoiding losses of its own high-level combatants but also capturing an enemy Beyond Grade A, achieving remarkable results.
Tarrokov didn't want the group to follow in the pursuit. The stargate was being assembled near Lighthouse Star, and it needed to be marked with spatial coordinates; it couldn't be moved and used simultaneously. If the Arcane Church feinted and then launched a sudden counterattack after leaving Lighthouse Star's range, luring them deeper into their territory, it would only increase the risk and potentially squander the advantage that Black Star had painstakingly built.
Tarrokov was in no hurry to pursue the Arcane Church and expand his gains; as a veteran, he preferred a steady and methodical approach.
Therefore, he only planned to send out scouts to track the Arcane Church and pinpoint their escape route. As for Black Star and the others, they should stay on Lighthouse Star and wait for reinforcements to arrive. This was the safest approach and would not give the enemy any chance.
Following the Fallen Ark, the Arcane Church fleet also withdrew from the battlefield, transforming into streaks of light and disappearing from sight.
Tarrokov sent a small force to track them, while the rest of the main force guarded the Engineering Department, assembling the stargate step by step.
With the enemy retreating and the fighting finally extinguished, Han Xiao and the others breathed a sigh of relief and flew to their respective warships to tally the losses of their troops.
At the same time, Tarrokov contacted the God high command to report the results of the battle.
Central Galaxy, the Empire's Mother Planet.
Since the news of the attack on Lighthouse Star by the Arcane Church came back, it has caused a sensation among the high-ranking officers of the Imperial military.
Urranrell summoned all military generals directly to the conference room, with those who were not present participating via remote projection. Everyone gathered together, and the atmosphere was electric.
The first battlefield report from Tarrokov showed that they were facing a pincer attack from seven Beyond Grade A warriors, as well as the Arcane Church and the Fallen Ark forces. The disparity in combat power was too great, and the situation was extremely critical.
The high-ranking military officers in the room had already analyzed the battle situation. Most of them, including Urranrell, believed that Lighthouse Star was doomed and would most likely be annihilated by the Arcane Church. The three Imperial Beyond Grade A would either be killed in action or captured alive by the enemy.
At this moment, everyone was discussing how the empire should react to this matter.
"Your Excellency is right. The Arcane Church and the Federation of Light joined forces to attack our army, killing Marshal Tarrokov and three Beyond Grade A combatants. We must retaliate with an iron fist."
Many high-ranking military officials voiced their agreement. Tarrokov was highly respected in the military and was likely to be killed this time. Many of his old comrades-in-arms were filled with the flames of Revenge and were burning with rage.
Urranrell nodded expressionlessly.
Upon receiving the news, Urranrell immediately decided to launch a retaliatory counterattack against the Arcane Church.
The empire's dignity has been challenged and it has suffered heavy losses. Under such circumstances, it must not be allowed to settle the matter peacefully, otherwise the empire's prestige will be ruined and its allies will become disloyal.
Most Imperial soldiers are hardliners, and the majority support retaliation.
However, even within a powerful civilization like the Empire with its iron-fisted tradition, dissenting voices exist. A small minority present disagreed with an overly aggressive retaliatory strike. They weren't against a counterattack itself, but rather believed that the Empire's military strength was tied down by the Shattered World, and the counterattack shouldn't be too intense. If a cosmic-level war were to break out, it would further worsen the Empire's situation.
Just as everyone was arguing and bickering, a new remote projection suddenly appeared in the conference room, showing Tarrokov.
The high-ranking military officials present immediately fell silent, their eyes all focusing on him.
"Your Excellency, Lighthouse Star has been defended. The Arcane Church and the Fallen Ark forces have been repelled. The battle is over, and casualties are being tallied. Milizaus, Beoni, and Black Star are all safe and sound." Tarrokov nodded to the assembled crowd.
Upon hearing this, all the high-ranking military officials present were slightly taken aback.
"You repelled all the enemies?" Urranrell raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "Tell me the details."
Tarrokov nodded and gave a concise and clear account of the battle, without any embellishment.
As they listened, everyone's expressions changed several times. They all noticed the great contributions Black Star had made in this battle: secretly arranging for external assistance from Austin, resisting the Scepter of All Gods, capturing Dilun... Black Star had almost completely neutralized the Arcane Church's methods.
It's fair to say that if Black Star hadn't done these things, the three Beyond Grade A of the Empire probably wouldn't have survived, and the enemy would have truly succeeded.
Many high-ranking members of the Imperial military exchanged glances, and were deeply impressed by Han Xiao.
He managed to turn the tide even in such a desperate situation; this newly allied empire member... seems rather formidable.
Urranrell narrowed her eyes. This battle was initiated by Black Star, and she was already somewhat dissatisfied. Losing two Imperial Beyond Grade A for Black Star alone was clearly not worth it.
However, Black Star's achievements left her speechless, and she even managed to capture one of her opponent's Beyond Grade A opponents, giving the Empire a bargaining chip.
The result was impeccable, dispelling any lingering doubts she had, and she couldn't help but feel admiration for Han Xiao.
However, Urranrell didn't show it on her face; she nodded slowly without changing her expression.
"Pass on my orders: mobilize all Imperial fleets in the Shattered World to Pursuit the enemy... and also mobilize the forces of the Shattered Star Ring. If necessary, they can directly attack the Arcane Church's stargate stronghold in the Shattered Star Ring, and try to eliminate them before this force returns to the Central Galaxy."
"And..." Urranrell paused, "I'll have Black Star speak directly to me later."
Meanwhile, the high command of the Arcane Church also received the fleet's battle report...