Chapter 1046: Enemy Appears (Revised)

Chapter 1046: The Enemy Reveals Itself (Revised)

The mechanical vessel served the same purpose as a biological host, cradling the chaotic arcane energy while its own psionic core channeled a force akin to cultivated vitality, thereby unleashing supernatural abilities without the need to start from scratch like ordinary hosts, instantly manifesting formidable combat prowess.

Combat efficacy hinged upon the vessel’s inherent specifications, its fusion ratio with the chaotic energy, synchronization rates, and myriad other variables; in essence, it mirrored the phenomenon of the alien deities, where a naturally gifted esper assumed the mantle of host, leveraging an established foundation to immediately wield the chaotic arcane power with devastating effect.

Yet the chaotic arcane energy merely supplied the raw capability, functioning little more than an instrument confined within the chassis, while the actual orchestration of combat fell to the mechanical vessel itself or its embedded battle intelligence, the Spartan.

Given that this chassis was merely a prototype, leaving considerable room for refinement, Han Xiao harbored no intention of hastily transforming it into an apostle weapon.

“Let us designate this frame as the Arcane Envoy Prime; we shall assign a formal codename once it ascends to apostle weapon status.”

Han Xiao felt a quiet satisfaction; he possessed a vast arsenal of abilities capable of elevating mechanical aptitude ceilings, and the roster for apostle weapons still held vacant slots.

“Acknowledged, hum, model designation recorded and successfully integrated into the database.”

Han Xiao gave a slight nod, his gaze sweeping over the Arcane Envoy with meticulous scrutiny before asking, “How does it feel?”

In the next instant, a ripple of telepathic resonance emanated outward, and the chaotic arcane energy within spoke, “It is rather cramped, somewhat uncomfortable; secure me a superior vessel in the future.”

“Rest assured, the blueprint is already established, and refinement will be a straightforward endeavor,” Han Xiao replied with a dismissive wave, his enhancement abilities proving equally formidable.

“Hmph, had you upgraded the chassis to a mechanical lifeform sooner, I would at least have a companion to converse with, rather than languishing in this prison-like confinement,” the chaotic energy grumbled.

A sudden thought struck Han Xiao. “By the way, suppose I were to dismember you and distribute your essence across multiple Arcane Envoys; I could then command an entire squad of chaotic energy operatives.”

“Do not even entertain such a notion!” the chaotic energy bristled with fury. “You shall not fracture my form! Abso-lute-ly not!”

“Such a vehement reaction; does this concept cause you genuine distress?” Han Xiao inquired, his curiosity piqued by memories of the alien deities’ practices in his past life, compelling him to probe further.

“Hmph, it is akin to dismembering a living person, forcing them to watch helplessly as strangers wield their severed limbs as weapons, swinging their arms and thighs in battle, casually manipulating their corpse, squandering their flesh and blood, all while every fragment retains acute pain receptors that relay agony directly to the brain; tell me, how pleasant do you suppose that is?” the chaotic energy retorted with palpable displeasure.

“...Ahem, let us pretend I never brought it up.”

Han Xiao pondered the image, conceding it bordered on the grotesque, and cleared his throat, maintaining a composed demeanor as though nothing had transpired.

He promptly proceeded to evaluate the Prime Arcane Envoy’s combat capabilities and the myriad applications of its supernatural abilities, yielding results that deeply pleased him.

As a composite, ultra-high-threat supernatural ability, the chaotic arcane energy boasted an extensive repertoire: it could augment the host, radiate potent energies bearing dual psionic and spatial attributes, enable hypersonic flight, and at advanced tiers, facilitate subdimensional traversal, stellar core energy extraction, formless telekinesis, gravitational elasticity, and numerous other highly versatile functions.

At present, lacking the transformative bonuses of mechanical life and apostle weapon ascension, the Prime Envoy’s combat rating fell far short of Super A-rank; yet in Han Xiao’s calculations, once it achieved apostle status, the chaotic energy’s adaptable multiplicity would catapult it to the pinnacle of offensive prowess among apostle weapons, a force even the ancient, millennia-evolved Psionic Ancestors might struggle to counter.

“Once refinement is complete, the Arcane Envoy shall stand as my premier enforcer, potentially capable of besting even standard Super A-rank adversaries.”

Securing such a formidable combat asset left Han Xiao thoroughly content.

Just then, Philip gave a sudden tremor and announced, “Master, hum, a transmission arrives from the Black Star Palace; a Super A-rank entity has come seeking you.”

“Who is it?” Han Xiao’s gaze sharpened instantly.

The Black Star Palace itself? Had someone dared to strike at his territory, targeting his very stronghold?

Their audacity knew no bounds; did they truly believe the Black Star Palace, forged at such immense cost, was merely a paper fortress? Coupled with the fleet stationed within the stronghold, fewer than two Super A-rank entities could scarcely pose a credible threat.

“Ah, neither, it is our imperial ally, Silver Shadow.”

Han Xiao paused, a flicker of bewilderment crossing his features.

What did it mean for this individual to quietly journey to his headquarters without prior notice?

“Who is currently receiving him, and has he stated his purpose?”

“Emrys has received him; he claims to bear a gift, seeking to trade it for access to the Evolution Cube.”

“I see,” Han Xiao murmured, understanding dawning upon him.

During their prior clash, his victory had denied Silver Shadow the opportunity to undergo the Evolution Cube’s baptism; the matter had lain dormant since, likely while the ally scoured for suitable bargaining chips to propose an exchange.

“And what manner of gift has he brought?” Han Xiao asked, curiosity piqued.

“Apparently, a collection of rare schematic archives; their origin remains unknown.”

“Schematics, you say... that will suffice.”

Han Xiao had long intended to cultivate amicable relations with the Silver Shadow transit vessel, thus maintaining lenient standards for the ally’s offerings; a respectful demeanor would readily secure him temporary use of the Evolution Cube... In this regard, Han Xiao practiced deliberate favoritism; for a perpetually contentious figure like Herber, even gifting an entire war domain would not earn him access to the cube.

“A fortunate coincidence, then, that my primary form is currently away from headquarters.” Han Xiao gently brushed his fingertip against Philip’s cheek. “To what extent has the Throne been transported?”

“Reporting to master, it approaches the Black Star Palace, approximately several hours of travel remain, hum.” Philip grinned, wrapping his arms affectionately around Han Xiao’s digit.

“Then allow Emrys and Silver Shadow to converse for the interim; I shall depart once the Throne arrives.”

Upon the Sovereign’s completion, Han Xiao had dispatched mechanical forces to secretly escort the locator known as the Throne, alongside Evans, back to the Black Star Palace stronghold; considerable time had elapsed since, and the transport unit, utilizing the legion’s exclusive rapid star-gate corridors, had moved with blistering speed, nearing its destination.

Once the Throne reached its destination, he could instantly teleport back via the Sovereign; provided his absence did not exceed three minutes, reactivating the transmission function would return him to this location, after which the cooldown period would commence; as an artifact of cosmic treasure tier, its transmission cooldown remained mercifully brief.

...

Meanwhile, at the Black Star Palace.

Within the legion commander’s reception chamber, Silver Shadow sat with legs together and hands resting upon his knees, projecting an air of restrained courtesy.

Opposite him, Emrys occupied the principal seat, one hand propping her chin while the other casually manipulated a force field to settle three wine-filled goblets upon the table, offering a faint smile. “Pray, do not be so formal; partake in some refreshment first.”

Beside her, Fodin added with a gentle smile, “Lord Silver Shadow, the legion commander has departed to inspect the territories and shall return within a few hours; kindly await his arrival.”

“Understood.” Silver Shadow nodded, raising his goblet and draining it in a single motion.

Emrys studied Silver Shadow’s peculiar, lustrous silver form with keen interest. “Black Star has spoken highly of your capabilities; he holds your potential in great esteem.”

“Thank you; I harbor profound respect for Lord Black Star as well.”

Silver Shadow offered a brief acknowledgment, his gaze lingering on Emrys as words caught in his throat; after a moment’s hesitation, he finally ventured, “In truth, I have a question I wish to ask...”

“Speak your mind,” Emrys replied with a soft chuckle, lifting her glass to take a delicate sip.

“With Black Star absent, why do you represent the legion in receiving me?” Silver Shadow asked, his tone laced with uncertainty.

To his understanding, though the Black Star Legion and the Longtan Floating Isle stood as allies, it seemed unnecessary for an ally to assume the host’s role in receiving a Super A-rank dignitary; the true authorities here remained the legion’s officers, and the Dragon Throne ought to be merely a guest, yet she now conducted herself as the mistress of the house.

Could it be, as the external rumors whispered, that a certain... intimate bond existed between Black Star and the Dragon Throne?

“Is there anything peculiar about that?” Emrys raised an eyebrow. “Black Star summoned me to his side; with him away, it naturally falls to me to entertain a Super A-rank guest.”

Upon hearing this, Silver Shadow’s expression shifted into something profoundly knowing.

Such a matter-of-fact tone... Ha, the rumors were indeed true!

He had previously wondered why Emrys would journey so far to the Black Star Palace, but the pieces now clicked into place; if their relationship was as rumored, what other purpose could Black Star have for summoning the Dragon Throne, if not to pass the endless, sleepless hours of the night?

Reflecting on this, Silver Shadow instinctively adopted a more deferential demeanor; though naturally disinclined toward idle chatter, he now made a concerted effort to engage Emrys in conversation.

After all, he sought Black Star’s favor, and with the commander’s household personally extending hospitality, he could hardly afford to leave them unattended; such neglect would be profoundly impolite.

...

Concurrently, within the Emerald Star Cluster, at a Black Star Legion forward outpost.

A solitary vessel approached from the distant void, gradually drawing nearer to the planetary installation.

Observing this, the legion’s outer-space defense forces immediately detached two warships to intercept, broadcasting a stern warning across the wide-band frequency.

“Unidentified vessel, halt your advance and immediately declare your identity!”

Following the transmission, the unfamiliar ship slowly cut its engines, drifting into a stationary hover within the outer expanse.

Yet in the very next instant, a torrent of overwhelming energy erupted with thunderous force, causing every energy-detection radar across the entire outpost to shriek simultaneously, flooding the air with ceaseless, humming alarms.

A thunderous crash!

"Alert! Alert! High-energy detonation detected, cross-referencing event parameters... Match confirmed. Classification: Super-A tier energy surge!"

A cacophony of clattering and whirring erupted—

The entire outpost erupted into frantic motion. Fleets from the outer void converged at once, while terrestrial siege cannons lifted their massive barrels to lock onto the intruder. A swarm of warships roared into the sky, their countless gun ports trained upon the vessel, plunging the base into immediate combat readiness.

In the very next instant, Tolein’s visage materialized across the broad-spectrum channel, his form wreathed in billowing infernal flames as he let out a brazen, thunderous laugh.

"Ahahahaha... Hela! I have come to settle the score! You left me broken last time, but now I shall scour away that disgrace. Do you dare face me in battle once more?"

With those words, he drove the crushing weight of his Super-A aura down upon the outpost, his presence surging directly toward Hela.

Within the meditation chamber, Hela’s eyes snapped open, her gaze hardening in an instant.

Han Xiao’s recent admonition surfaced in her mind, his counsel to exercise caution and keep her wits about her, for trouble might well come knocking.

To see a vanquished foe who had once groveled for mercy now striding forward with such brazen arrogance sparked an immediate realization within her:

"A ruse... Does he truly mistake me for a combat-obsessed fool?"

At that precise moment, a transmission pinged from her adjutant.

"Lady Hela, he has issued a challenge. How shall we proceed?"

Hela’s expression remained utterly placid. "What does the Legion Codex dictate regarding hostile incursions near the perimeter? Must I instruct you on basic protocol? Because the adversary holds a Super-A classification, you are paralyzed? Then what purpose do you serve me, precisely?"

The adjutant flinched, drawing in his neck. "U-understood."

Adrift in the outer void, his vessel was encircled by the Black Star Legion’s armada. Having issued his provocation, Tolein waited with calculated patience for Hela to make her move, his mind quietly weaving a scheme:

"Given her temperament, Hela is a combat fanatic. Confronted with my challenge, there is a seventy percent likelihood she will accept. Ksuye and his contingent lie in wait just beyond the horizon. Should I maneuver her toward their position during our clash, the ambush will be perfectly sprung."

As he mentally rehearsed his tactical maneuvers, a blinding brilliance suddenly seared his vision.

Tolein jerked his gaze toward the viewport, only to witness the encircling Black Star armada unleash a barrage without so much as a warning.

A kaleidoscope of searing energy beams utterly consumed his sight!

Tolein’s countenance drained of all color.

By the void, you refuse to play by the rules!