Chapter 1035: Hitting My Teammates (Revised)

Chapter 1035: Smashing My Teammates (Revised)

This was not the first time Han Xiao had tangled with a Mage; every Beyond Grade A sorcerer specialized in a distinct school, each wielding a style entirely their own.

Ravenlaude belonged to the Ones of Old, and though his potential had plateaued—reaching a growth ceiling that barred him from ascending to the pinnacle of Beyond Grade A—the endless centuries had allowed him to master an inexhaustible repertoire of spells. His Arcane Research Institute was the very engine he used to innovate new magical theories, and now, in the heat of battle, he put that immense erudition on full display.

Compared to his fellow ancient, the Dragon King Milizaus, the contrast in their approaches was stark. To borrow a metaphor from the wuxia novels Han Xiao had read in his past life, the old dragon was like a master of boundless inner force, relying primarily on the tyrannical dragon magic inherited through his lineage—a style of grand, sweeping gestures that conquered through sheer, overwhelming might. Ravenlaude, conversely, possessed ordinary internal energy but commanded techniques of exquisite and volatile complexity, a tactician who met every move with a flawless counter.

No Beyond Grade A was to be underestimated. Thrust into a dire plight, Ravenlaude found himself initially flustered and driven back by Apostle Weapons like Psionic Prime, yet he gradually wove together a rich tapestry of complementary spells to carve out a moment of respite, launching a long-prepared combination without a single word.

The gem atop his staff flared, summoning ribbon-like rings of runes into the air as purple arcane energy whipped up like a gale, swiftly ballooning into a raging tornado. The violent force hurled away the Apostle Weapons clinging to him in melee, engineering a brief window for an offensive. Stationed at the eye of the storm, Ravenlaude shifted his hand gestures, and the arcane tempest condensed with frightening speed, reshaping into thousands upon thousands of magical arrows suspended around his form; the high-density arcane energy felt almost physical, hardening into glittering, translucent amethysts.

"Secret Art: Arcane Nova Arrow Tempest!"

The runes shuddered, and the amethyst-like shafts detonated outward in all directions, plunging into the mechanical army and erupting into spheres of brilliant purple arcane blasts.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Ripples of arcane shockwaves rolled across the battlefield, blowing back vast swathes of mechanical soldiers, while the magical particle oscillations riding the energy left many of the automatons in a state of brief paralysis—a move that seamlessly combined wide-area devastation with crowd control.

Without breaking stride, Ravenlaude swept his palm, and a materialized magical tome abruptly burst apart, its luminous pages fluttering wildly until they formed a spinning, blurred ribbon of light. This light coalesced into a stark white sub-dimensional portal that expanded rapidly behind him, its circular threshold swelling toward a diameter of ten thousand meters.

Buzz—

The gigantic, four-sided spire of a tower, seemingly forged from pure crystal, peeked through the portal and extended diagonally outward, gradually unveiling its full majesty—a magnificent structure of profound magical architecture.

High-tier Arcanum: Summoning the Mage Tower!

"He is summoning his Mage Tower, stop him!" Psionic Prime's eyes flashed with light as he arrested his backward flight, leveling his war spear to charge once more.

The Mage Tower was the core asset of a high-tier Mage, changing their capabilities so thoroughly that a sorcerer and their tower united represented the absolute zenith of their combat form.

Austin's Palace of Hidden Mysteries, for instance, was a gold-grade Mage Tower that not only granted him immense combat augmentations but also endowed him with a nimbleness far exceeding that of ordinary men.

A Mage Tower capable of being stored in a sub-dimension and summoned at will was astronomically expensive; when a regular Mage brought one forth, it usually signaled a transition into a war of attrition, given that most towers lacked the peerless teleportation capabilities of the Palace of Hidden Mysteries.

The Mage Tower was a trump card, and by calling it down now, he was holding nothing back, prepared to go all out.

"Black Star, you are indeed greater than I... but defeating me will not be so simple!"

Ravenlaude pressed his lips into a thin line, his Beyond Grade A pride stung to the quick, his fighting spirit ignited.

The mechanical army immediately activated their space stabilization devices, yet within the domain of the Deep Purple Dueling Ground, the dense concentration of magical energy sapped the stabilizers' effectiveness, while Ravenlaude cast spells to resist them, straining to keep the summoning portal stable.

As the Mage Tower emerged section by section, Silver Flash and the mechanical forces shifted their focus, pouring their fire into the encroaching structure. The tower's large-scale arcane defense runes flared to life, appearing as translucent, lavender energy shields that bore the brunt of the onslaught, vibrating violently as they defused the bombardment into rings of light waves and electrical arcs.

Ravenlaude poured forth his mana with everything he had, deep purple radiance billowing from his form. The process of summoning the Mage Tower severely crippled his mobility, forcing him to rely on thick arcane shields to ensure his casting remained uninterrupted.

Suddenly, the space behind him rippled violently, and Mad Sky Hunter, equipped with short-range warp capabilities, blinked right through the shield, its blades and fangs crackling with electricity as they tore through the air with razor-sharp coldness.

At the absolute eleventh hour, Ravenlaude twisted his torso in a desperate dodge; Mad Sky Hunter grazed past, drawing a spray of crimson droplets.

A concussive blast of arcane energy batted Mad Sky Hunter away, and only then did Ravenlaude look down to find deep gashes carved into his ribs and thigh, the wounds already squirming to close under his body's primal resilience.

Before he could make another move, Psionic Prime was upon him, trailing a blur of high-speed afterimages as his spear thrust out ruthlessly, swift as a falling star.

The anti-magic and anti-qi properties of Psionic Prime's spear countered him severely, and with the summoning drawing to its final moments, defending against this strike would mean casting a counter-spell, forcing him to abort the invocation... Ravenlaude grit his teeth, choosing neither to dodge nor parry, willing to take the wound if it meant pulling the Mage Tower through.

Swoosh!

The shield was like wet paper before Psionic Prime, the war spear slipping through the barrier as easily as a knife through curd, piercing straight through Ravenlaude's chest in a single flash.

The coppery taste of blood instantly welled up his throat, but Ravenlaude paid it no heed, completing the final incantation of the ritual as his eyes went wide with fury.

"Descend!"

Boom!

The entire Mage Tower finally completed its transit, its brilliance exploding as a suffocatingly dense wave of magical energy erupted, like a gale tearing across flat land. Every mechanical soldier on the field, including the Apostle Weapons, was blown off their feet, slapped hard against the inner walls of the Deep Purple Dueling Ground to suffer secondary impacts.

It was a towering structure of crystal, its base a massive disc, resembling an international chess piece magnified countless times over. Multi-hued magical radiance pulsed within the crystal, while an intricate shell of runic formations wrapped the tower in a slow, self-contained rotation.

Ravenlaude coughed twice, casually conjuring a ball of pale green healing light and shoving it into the puncture wound left by Psionic Prime to stem the bleeding. Then, his form vanished into the Mage Tower, linking his personal mana into the tower's energy core to achieve perfect union.

The next instant, rows of dark, yawning ports opened at the base of the tower, and a dense tide of magical puppets and alchemical golems poured forth, while more teleportation gateways tore open nearby, summoning a sea of monsters to meet the mechanical army.

With the shaft of his spear spinning in his palm, Psionic Prime twirled the weapon like a staff, sending out waves of crescent light that clipped the blocking golems and beasts neatly in half, clearing out vast blanks in the enemy ranks like a scythe reaping leeks.

Right then, Ravenlaude's telepathic ripples saturated the domain, his voice echoing between heaven and earth like a roll of thunder.

"If it is battle you seek, then let us see it through to the end. Black Star, come!"

"A Beyond Grade A Mage in his complete form... I cannot fail the Lord's trust!"

Electricity crackled in Psionic Prime's eyes as his data neurons processed a staggering torrent of information. Utterly fearless, he led the reorganized mechanical army back into the fray.

The opposing forces collided like two great tidal waves, throwing up a monstrous spray of destruction!

...

Much later, when the Imperial Fleet arrived on the scene, they were greeted by a vista of pure desolation.

Countless shards of gemstones, rare metals, flesh, and mechanical wreckage drifted through the sector, the space still sizzling with the scorching radiation left by high-energy reactions. A battered, heavily scarred Mage Tower hovered in the void, its crystal surface pitted with scorched craters and webbed with fractures, its swirling magical light completely extinguished—a testament to a clash of unimaginable brutality.

Finding no trace of the mechanical army, the Imperial Fleet quickly dispatched personnel into the tower, where they found Ravenlaude leaning against a wall. His robes were tattered, his appearance disheveled, and his aura profoundly withered. Covered in numerous wounds, with pools of congealed golden blood staining the floor, his broken staff lay in two pieces by his feet, its fracture as smooth as a mirror.

"You... *cough*... are finally here."

Ravenlaude's voice was faint as he used the wall to push himself up, quickly supported by several Imperial soldiers.

"How did it turn into this?!" Bekorodi, commanding from afar, was struck with disbelief.

The opponent was merely Black Star's mechanical army; even if the recovery failed, a dignified Beyond Grade A like Ravenlaude shouldn't have been reduced to such a pathetic state!

"Did Black Star's true body arrive?" Bekorodi asked, intrigued by the possibility.

Ravenlaude shook his head, drawing a ragged breath. "No, he didn't come."

"Oh... then you must have annihilated the mechanical force and reclaimed the Chaos Secret Energy?" Bekorodi probed, figuring this was the most logical explanation for the missing mechanical troops.

"No, I was defeated." Ravenlaude shook his head again, his expression a complex knot of emotions.

Bekorodi's face stiffened. "Are you saying that a Beyond Grade A, present in the flesh and deploying his Mage Tower, was ultimately defeated by a mechanical army lacking even Black Star's Lord Avatar?"

Brother, what is wrong with you?

Aren't you a bit too weak?

Seeing Bekorodi's expression, Ravenlaude knew the man was looking down on him. Feeling the sting of humiliation, he said grimly, "You know absolutely nothing of Black Star's power!"

With that, he recounted the battle step by step, detailing the engagement and providing a precise assessment of Han Xiao's current capabilities:

"I have fought the Mechanic Emperor before, and the memory remains vivid. The current Black Star has undoubtedly touched the threshold of divine metamorphosis; that is why his Apostle Weapons and mechanical forces possess the combat power to overwhelm me!"

As he listened to the report, Bekorodi's expression gradually turned dead serious.

He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking:

"Black Star's strength had stagnated for nearly twenty years. I originally thought he would require much longer to break through his bottleneck... I did not expect him to grow again so quickly."

During the version update period, Han Xiao had not leveled up much, presenting an appearance of being trapped in a bottleneck that had allowed the outside world to breathe a sigh of relief, believing he had finally reached a temporary limit.

Bekorodi had shared that belief, but looking at Ravenlaude's wretched state, he knew Black Star had once again found a path forward... Twenty years was not short, but relative to the growth timeline of a Beyond Grade A, it was terrifyingly fast!

Exhaling a long breath, Bekorodi said heavily, "Report the situation of the operation to His Excellency the Chancellor, and place this intelligence into the classified archives. No leak of this information is permitted."

In that moment, he made the correct choice. Hiding the news of Black Star's increased strength was not what he desired in his heart, but he knew that Chancellor Urranrell would undoubtedly issue such an order.

Though Bekorodi had no fondness for Black Star, he understood that concealing an ally's true military might was beneficial to the Empire. Even with his beloved Chaos Secret Energy snatched away, he would have to hold his nose and help clean up Black Star's mess.

"Fall back." Bekorodi, his spirits dampened, called off the operation.

"What of our arrangement...?"

Ravelaud spoke, his gaze sweeping over the desolation strewn across the ground; the implication was clear enough—we had thrown everything we had into this, and if there was no merit to claim, there was at least the credit of our toil.

Bekorodi’s face remained impassive. "The Empire shall cover the restoration of your mage tower and compensate you for the lost automata. As for the cosmic relic... I apologize, but your objective remains unfulfilled. I cannot hand it over. Such is the decree."

With that, he saw no further need to prolong the matter and severed the transmission.

Ravelaud ground his teeth in bitter resentment.

Not only was his mage tower shattered and his automata expended, but he himself had been thoroughly beaten, and the cosmic relic he had coveted so dearly was now gone... a catastrophic loss!

Ravelaud rubbed the bruises mottling his face, his expression a mask of grievous sorrow, caught between laughter and tears.

That brutal thrashing had been for nothing!

You bastard, Black Star. We were allies, for heaven's sake, and you truly didn't hold back your blows!

Mark my words, I shall reclaim what is mine and settle this score!

'Fortuitously, the Overlord too has been wronged by Black Star. I shall seek him out,' Ravelaud fumed, his indignation boiling over.

His fury stemmed chiefly from the savage beating Han Xiao had delivered; regarding the lost cosmic relic, he did not lay the entire blame upon Han Xiao. Had Black Star not intervened, the Secret Master would likely have claimed it anyway. After all, debts have their creditors and grievances their sources, and in this regard, he retained a measure of reason...

Yet the anger still burned fiercely!!

...

Back at the original battlefield, the Sovereign's avatar, commanding its mechanical legions, continued to clash vibrantly with the Secret Master, rolling through three thousand exchanges of fierce combat.

At that very moment, the Sovereign's avatar suddenly halted, abruptly ordering a ceasefire and drawing its forces back.

"Hm?" The Secret Master furrowed his brow, lowering the magical battle-axe he had poised to hurl. "Why have you ceased your assault?"

Han Xiao waved a dismissive hand. "I have secured what I came for; further combat is unnecessary. Should you still crave a fight, I am more than willing to oblige."

Upon hearing this, the Secret Master fell into a brief silence.

He had been detained far too long, long since losing track of where Black Star had carried the chaotic secret energy, and pursuit was futile. He had intended to employ a fortune-manipulation art to teach Han Xiao a lesson, yet this wretched man was the most cursed soul he had ever encountered; his luck was so thoroughly depleted it could not be whittled further. By the standards of divination, he bore the visage of one destined for an early grave, and by all rights should have perished long ago. Who would have imagined he would rise to become the formidable figure he was today?

To tell the truth, the Secret Master harbored a grudging admiration; to endure such a harrowing fate and wretched fortune and still stand today was nothing short of astonishing, compelling respect whether one wished to give it or not.

Since his arts of fortune could not touch Black Star, the Secret Master could only swallow his pride. After all, even if he dismantled the Sovereign's avatar here, it would inflict little real harm upon Black Star... and besides, he could not dismantle it anyway.

"You have won this day." The Secret Master fixed Han Xiao with a penetrating gaze, projecting a private mental ripple. "Out of pity for your wretched luck, I shall offer you a warning: Gorutan may be plotting something to your detriment."

Han Xiao blinked in surprise. "You are so kind as to warn me?"

"Hmph."

The Secret Master offered no reply, turning instead to board his vessel and leading his fleet away.

Watching the retreating silhouette of the Secret Master, a subtle shift stirred within Han Xiao's heart.

Han Xiao recalled that both the Secret Master and the Beast Ancestor Gorutan served as patrons of the interstellar black market; by all logic, they should have stood on the same side. Yet, despite Han Xiao having thwarted his plans, the Secret Master had voluntarily issued a warning, effectively betraying Gorutan...

'It seems infighting exists even among the patrons of the interstellar black market... Could it be that with fewer patrons, the remaining share of profits grows larger?' Han Xiao mused silently.

With the duel concluded, the other factions that had gathered to spectate, finding no further spectacle to enjoy, gradually dispersed.

For most of these powers, though the journey had yielded no tangible spoils, having witnessed a monumental event firsthand rendered the trip worthwhile; they now possessed exclusive intelligence, ample material for future boasting.

The Modo civilization, however, stood to be the greatest loser of this affair.

They had not even managed to brush against the chaotic secret energy, while nearly all of their dozens of calamity-tier elites lay dead.

"What a tragic fate..."

Han Xiao felt a profound sense of sympathy.

The contest for the chaotic secret energy had reached its conclusion, and with the bystanders departed, he could finally turn his attention to appraising the magnificent prize he had secured.