Chapter 1036: Buy One Get One Free?

Chapter 1036: Buy One, Get One Free?

A mechanized legion warped into existence upon a salt-white, desolate world beyond the nearest star sector, its surface an endless expanse of pale desert.

Youzu guided his troops down in a slow descent onto the white wasteland, where a solitary black speck hovered a meter above the ground—a mechanical throne.

Han Xiao sat upon it in his prime form, eyes half-lidded, his focus entirely devoted to commanding his Dominator avatar and distant forces; azure-gold lightning crackled across his frame, the serpentine arcs vanishing a meter from his skin as they slipped into quantum zero-distance conduits to bolster his army from afar.

As the dense ranks of soldiers touched down, Han Xiao’s eyes snapped open in unison.

“Back already?”

“Lord, we have not failed our charge.”

Youzu stepped forward at the vanguard, drove his war spear into the soil, and drew forth the orb vessel containing the sealed chaos secret energy, offering it with both hands.

Han Xiao’s gaze fell upon it; within the translucent crystal sphere, the chaos secret energy, shrunk countless times over, swirled like a bank of crimson mist, constantly shifting its form.

“Well done.”

Han Xiao reached out, took the sealing orb, and rolled it idly between his fingers before lifting his head to survey the troops before him.

Their clash with Ravenlord in his prime had been far from effortless; heavy losses had been sustained among the standard ranks, and nearly every mechanized soldier bore the scars of battle, many with fractured outer plating exposing inner frameworks that still sparked with stray electricity.

Of the dozen apostle armaments, four had been crippled by Ravenlord and carried before Han Xiao by their comrades, lying motionless upon the ground, utterly helpless until their lord bestowed upon them... ahem, until he personally repaired them to restore their function.

The apostle armaments possessed self-repair capabilities, yet they were not without limits; once damage surpassed a certain threshold, or spark energy dipped below the warning line, they would lapse into paralysis or dormancy. These four units were melee specialists, brutes like the Sky-Hunter and the Heaven-Suppressor Banner, and though they had not fallen to Ravenlord, they had absorbed tons of punishment.

“You have worked hard.”

Han Xiao gave a slight nod, raised his palm, and four streams of silver-white nanites flowed forth, seeping into the four apostle armaments; their frames shuddered as the external damage began its slow mending.

“This will suffice for now; a complete restoration will require a thorough overhaul in the sub-dimensional arsenal,” Han Xiao remarked casually, then fixed his gaze on Youzu with a faint smile. “How did it go? Did you gain anything?”

Youzu nodded. “Our neural networks and memory banks have harvested all combat data; the Super-A class tactical database has been enriched with a new case study, further refined. Next time we face Ravenlord or other Super-A mages, we can devise more targeted strategies, reduce casualties, and maximize efficiency.”

The apostle armaments were evolving mechanical lifeforms endowed with formidable learning capacities; through relentless engagements with diverse foes, every recorded battle sequence was distilled into practical combat experience, forging them into stronger entities capable of even grasping unique fighting techniques.

“Excellent. This marks your first outright victory against a fully manifested Super-A class entity without the aid of a Dominator avatar. I am thoroughly pleased with your results.”

After a few words of encouragement, Han Xiao ordered the mechanized forces to deploy spatial stabilization traps, then gripped the sealing orb tightly and crushed it in one motion.

Ravenlord had barely finished sealing the chaos secret energy before the Secret Lord had snatched it away, leaving him no time to weave any magical wards; thus, a straightforward, violent shattering of the vessel would suffice... though to be fair, such crude force could only be replicated by a Super-A class, utterly beyond the reach of a Calamity tier.

Crack!

The crystal sphere shattered and burst apart, dissolving into a shower of glittering light fragments.

Boom!

Freed from its bonds, the chaos secret energy swelled instantly, attempting to flee via sub-dimensional transit, but the mechanized troops had already laid their traps, sealing off all escape routes.

At that precise moment, Han Xiao raised his hand, spread his fingers wide, clenched them toward the chaos secret energy, and then executed a sharp, pulling motion.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

A tremendous suction erupted; the chaos secret energy, stripped of control, surged toward Han Xiao and was dragged directly into his body, the crimson energy cloud vanishing as it was rapidly absorbed.

“Hiss...”

Han Xiao drew in a sharp breath, his eyes glowing with a crimson light so intense it bordered on white.

According to cosmic-tier civilizations’ research on primal ability bodies, only espers and ordinary humans could potentially serve as hosts, but as Old Ma often said, practice yields true knowledge; Han Xiao intended to test the intelligence himself, for naturally, his first choice was to wield it personally and see if he could adapt.

He harbored no fear of failure; the backlash’s power could slay a Calamity tier, but would merely wound a Super-A... speaking modestly, he deemed his own regenerative capabilities passable, so he felt entirely unbothered.

Cells served as the dwelling places for primal ability bodies; the moment the chaos secret energy entered his flesh, it automatically seeped into every single cell, and agonizing pain erupted violently within Han Xiao’s body!

Han Xiao could distinctly feel that, due to differing aura attributes, the chaos secret energy clashed fiercely with his own vitality, triggering a sensation akin to organ rejection; the more his cells absorbed, the more intense the corrosive agony became.

Yet compared to the torment of ascension, this was child’s play; Han Xiao furrowed his brow slightly, opened his interface, and glanced at the status panel.

[Your body has been invaded by a primal ability body; due to aura attribute repulsion, you are suffering 30,000 to 50,000 points of corrosive damage per second.]

[You have entered the [Cellular Suppression (Energy Conflict Type)] state; due to energy erosion, the cells supplying your vitality are restricted, reducing your health, aura, and stamina recovery rates by 30%.]

[You have entered the [Mild Weakness] state; energy erosion has weakened your physique, decreasing all attributes by 15%, and reducing your maximum health and aura by 15%.]

[You must expend additional aura to suppress the primal ability body; your maximum aura is temporarily reduced by 40%.]

“Wow, quite a collection of debuffs,” Han Xiao muttered, his lip twitching.

His original plan had been to attempt bearing the chaos secret energy’s burden through sheer regenerative power, even if full adaptation proved impossible, thereby harnessing it; but upon seeing this array of negative statuses, he knew that path was closed.

“It seems I cannot become the host after all.”

Han Xiao shook his head, surged his internal aura, and forcibly expelled the chaos secret energy from his body; instantly refreshed, all the previous debuffs vanished, leaving him as vigorous and lively as ever.

Before the chaos secret energy could make a move, Han Xiao produced a containment apparatus for energy entities, a mechanical tube sixty or seventy centimeters long with a translucent yellow nanoglass core, and without a second word, used his mechanical construct to re-seal the chaos secret energy inside.

Inside, the miniature chaos secret energy thrashed left and right, unable to pierce the specially crafted energy constraint field; Han Xiao gave the tube a shake, watching the entity tumble and stumble from the motion, and could not help but break into a chuckle.

“Though I cannot serve as the host, harnessing the chaos secret energy is hardly difficult with my expertise. Mages might seal it within specialized golems to forge combat puppets, but I can craft a unique mechanical chassis to act as its vessel, artificially engineering a mechanical host. Of course, comprehensive trials will be necessary to determine the manufacturing method...”

Han Xiao silently pondered how to handle the chaos secret energy, much like a master chef contemplating a precious ingredient, weighing whether to steam it or braise it.

And just then, a faint psychic ripple emanated from the container, laced with resignation, and a genderless voice instantly echoed in Han Xiao’s mind.

“Esteemed stranger of the Super-A tier, might we converse?”

Hmm? The chaos secret energy was speaking? Of course, after all, this entity was an independent lifeform that had not yet surrendered to thoughtlessness.

Han Xiao’s brow arched with interest as he regarded the container in his hand; he lowered his psychic barriers, established a mental link with the chaos secret energy, and asked:

“You are the chaos secret energy?”

“That is merely how you address me. My true name is Mosaniel Kade Piroye, Spirit of the Crimson, Dite...”

After listening to dozens of syllables, with the name still unfinished, Han Xiao lost his patience and cut off its introduction. “Stop. Too cumbersome. I will just call you Ah Hun.”

“Ah... Ah Hun...”

The chaos secret energy’s tone stiffened, likely having never encountered such a... pleasant moniker.

“Do not dwell on such trivialities. What is it you wish to discuss with me?” Han Xiao raised an eyebrow.

“How do you intend to deal with me?”

Han Xiao pondered for a moment, then answered honestly. “I will forge a vessel capable of containing you, compelling you to fight for me. Should that fail, I may seek a new host for you.”

“As I suspected.” Yet the chaos secret energy was surprisingly unoffended. “I have encountered many Super-A tiers, and the moment we merged just now, I recognized you as a rare powerhouse even among your kind. I lack the strength to resist, so do with my form as you please... just be gentle, and do not be too rough.”

Why did those words sound so oddly phrased...

Han Xiao cleared his throat, curiosity piqued. “You are to become my puppet, and you are not angry?”

“My existence stretches far beyond your imagination; I have witnessed everything. You are hardly the first to seek control over me, merely another transient figure in my long journey,” the chaos secret energy replied with serene indifference.

“...I did not expect you to be so magnanimous.”

Han Xiao’s lip twitched, at a loss for words; had he already been thoroughly broken in by previous masters?

“Were you to live as long as I, you would know the taste of loneliness, the most terrifying sensation in the cosmos; thus, I spend most of my time in slumber. Conversely, the experiences of fighting alongside each successive host remain among the few brilliant memories of my life.”

The chaos secret energy spoke with blunt honesty; as an ancient energy lifeform that spent most of its existence dormant, it held no desire to conceal its true thoughts.

Han Xiao suddenly recalled Evans’s recent ordeal, his mind stirring. “So you actually long to find a host?”

“During my slumbers, I dispatch my sub-entities to scour the realms for compatible vessels. Whenever the mood strikes me, I shall claim a host and embark upon a new adventure.”

Han Xiao's cheek twitched.

Truly, the morals of this age have decayed to a pitiful state; even abilities now know how to keep a cloud-based spare tire on the shelf?!

Bah! What a wretched, faithless power!

Yet this neatly explained Evans's predicament; nothing more than a tale of a spare tire finally earning a permanent seat.

The sheer absurdity was overwhelming... Han Xiao tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Given how compliant you are now, why did you feel the need to flee just moments ago?"

"I prefer to take the initiative... though I suppose there is a certain pleasure in yielding," the Chaos Secret Energy hummed.

In plain terms, it was merely the necessity of bowing one's head beneath another's eaves; you cowardly wretch are surprisingly pragmatic... Han Xiao rolled his eyes.

He had anticipated fierce resistance, a steadfast refusal to yield even unto death, yet its true nature proved refreshingly unorthodox.

Upon reflection, it made sense; an energy entity that had endured for so long likely cared little for most things. It surely had fought back when first captured, but once a certain threshold was crossed, one inevitably slides into the abyss of reluctant contentment.

Han Xiao began to grasp why the Chaos Secret possessed such a temperament; ancient though it might be, lacking sufficient power, antiquity alone could not grant it the spine to remain rigid.

As that certain sage once remarked, when resistance is futile, one might as well embrace the experience. Over time, the Chaos Secret Energy had cultivated a placid adaptability, exuding the distinct aura of a thoroughly resigned creature.

At that moment, the Chaos Secret Energy took the initiative, its tone laced with curiosity: "I have slumbered for an age. What manner of cosmos do we inhabit now? What great events have unfolded in these years? And who, pray tell, are you? Do enlighten me."

"Since you are so obliging, I shall oblige in return..." Han Xiao shook his head, and through a mental tether, swiftly transmitted a vast compendium of information to the entity.

The Chaos Secret Energy devoured the data with keen interest. "It appears the cosmos has witnessed considerable upheaval during my slumber. I recall that when I first closed my eyes, the Super A-ranks were not this current cohort, nor were they so numerous."

"How long, precisely, have you been asleep?" Han Xiao could not help but ask.

"A few centuries? A millennium? Alas, I could not tell you; time holds little meaning for me."

The Chaos Secret Energy sighed, adopting the nostalgic cadence of one recounting glory days:

"Long before the advent of the Super A-rank, we Primal Ability Entities already existed. I do not say this to boast, but consider: in an era when individual prowess had yet to ascend to the Super A-rank, we embodied the pinnacle of combat power. Countless souls yearned for our strength... Only with the emergence of the Super A-rank did our epoch draw to a close."

The Primal Ability Entities were profoundly ancient; in the distant antiquity of the cosmos, they undoubtedly wielded a glorious, invincible history, perhaps even serving as the protagonists of a bygone age.

They seemed to be a collective steeped in lore...

A thought struck Han Xiao. "Then do you know where the other Primal Ability Entities reside?"

"So much time has passed; I have long lost track of their whereabouts..." Then, the Chaos Secret Energy paused, its tone shifting abruptly, brimming with sudden vigor. "However, I might know the location of a certain fellow. Should you be inclined, I would gladly assist you in capturing him."

"...Why the sudden excitement?"

Han Xiao regarded it with suspicion.

Did it, too, harbor a fondness for striking down its own allies?

"To be frank, that creature and I are archenemies. I have never tolerated its presence. In ages past, we clashed daily, claiming countless hosts in our strife. If you harbor designs upon it, I shall aid you without hesitation," the Chaos Secret Energy urged, barely containing its eagerness.

At these words, Han Xiao felt a flicker of astonishment.

Not only had he secured the Chaos Secret Energy, but an unexpected bonus awaited as well; a buy-one-get-one-free arrangement?

Remarkable. I distinctly did not bring Fodin along!

Could it be that the Secret Lord, moved by pity, had secretly bolstered my fortune?

Hmm, though it might just as easily be a trap.

Han Xiao stroked his chin and inquired, "And what is its name?"

"Its true name is Na... oh, but by the appellation you mortals use, it should be called the Holy Light Particle."

The Holy Light Particle?

Han Xiao's gaze sharpened.

Another familiar name. It shared a single master with the Chaos Secret Energy, serving as the second ability wielded by Evans.

As a pivotal figure within the narrative of the Alien Deity, Evans had been blessed with numerous protagonist-tier opportunities. The Chaos Secret Energy, wishing to enlist his aid in reclaiming the portion of its body stolen by the Alien Deity, had spared no effort in elevating his prowess, likely revealing the existence of the Holy Light Particle just as it had done today.

Evans's constitution was peculiar, somehow compatible with the Holy Light Particle as well. The two Primal Ability Entities, through some unknown accord, had buried their differences and chosen to share a host. At that time, Evans stood as the cosmos's first instance of a multiple host, achieving the feat of one sovereign ruling over many consorts, his harem-protagonist destiny laid bare without a doubt.

--Speaking of which, that young man is truly a talent; even if he cannot serve as a host, recruiting him into the legion would undoubtedly bolster one's fortune.

"No objections. I never tire of acquiring Primal Ability Entities. Where does the Holy Light Particle reside?" Han Xiao's interest was piqued.

"To the best of my knowledge, it has long entrenched itself within a secondary dimension. It is a realm where radiance has taken physical form; everything is woven from multicolored luminescence. Solidified light resembles dazzling gemstones, while liquid light flows like rich, viscous milk..."

The Chaos Secret Energy elaborated at length, offering meticulous detail that laid bare the profound animosity it harbored toward its archenemy.

Simultaneously, Han Xiao's status panel stirred.

【You have triggered the quest: The Archenemy of the Chaos Secret Energy!】

【Quest Description: You have captured the Chaos Secret Energy, a remarkably laid-back entity. Should you aid it in resolving a minor grievance, it pledges to fight alongside you.】

【Quest Requirement: Defeat another Primal Ability Entity, the "Holy Light Particle."】

【Reward: 24e Experience, Character Card x2, Unlocks Special Milestone Quest: Primal Ability Collector.】