Chapter 1054: Suffering Heavy Losses (Thanks to Zheng Wu Can Rou's alliance leader 100,000 reward!)

Chapter 1054: Losses of Men and Generals (Gratitude to the alliance lord Zhengwu Lunch Meat for a reward of one hundred thousand!)

Just as the Phantom Spirit Sect began to harbor thoughts of retreat, Serion, who was locked in fierce combat with the Mechanical Deity, also received counsel from his comrades.

“Lord Serion, we must withdraw. The tide will only turn further against us; there is no meaning in trading blows here with Black Star while he burns through his reserves.” In the group channel, Haidis’s voice rang out with urgent desperation.

“Precisely. Though it stains our honor to be driven back by a single man, weighing the circumstances, this is our most prudent course. Since he has already paid such a heavy price, we would be fools to entangle ourselves further.” Mornisa echoed in agreement.

Serion clashed head-on with the Mechanical Deity a few more times before pulling back, his expression grim.

Though he loathed to admit it, the combat power Black Star had unleashed was now his equal, leaving them at a stalemate. The Mechanical Deity’s energy drain was terrifying, much like a three-minute titan; an ordinary mechanic could not sustain it for long. Yet Black Star’s recuperation was astonishing, allowing him to maintain this peak indefinitely, meaning even if a victor could be decided, it would consume an exorbitant amount of time.

With the Phantom Spirit faction seemingly poised to retreat, should they remain to trade heavy blows with Black Star, the entire burden of pressure would shift squarely onto the Radiance faction.

Serion himself harbored no fear, but unlike the mechanics, he lacked the capacity for wide-area, multi-front warfare. He could not attend to his comrades, a fatal flaw inherent to his class.

The Radiance faction had never intended a direct confrontation with Black Star in the first place. With the plan to capture Hela already shattered, further combat would yield only futility. Serion made his decision swiftly, his voice dropping to a low command:

“Fall back. Initiate the guidance and preheating sequence for the High-Dimensional Apocalypse Teleporter.”

With that, Serion ceased his entanglement with the Mechanical Deity, pivoted to carve a path through the ranks, and unleashed wave after wave of martial fluctuations, clearing a barren corridor through the sea of steel and flesh.

On the other flank, as Ksuye led his allies to flight, he dropped all pretense. Telekinetic forces roared and surged, sweeping with brutal efficiency, and every mechanical unit that dared to block their path was hurled aside like chaff.

The two factions chose divergent escape routes. Radiance had brought a fleet, making the High-Dimensional Apocalypse Teleporter their lifeline. The Phantom Spirit faction, with fewer troops, only required their Super-A ranks to flee alone; once beyond the range of the spatial stabilizer, they could simply burn transmission scrolls to vanish.

Han Xiao instantly perceived the shift in their targets. Both groups waded through the black tide of the mechanical legion, breaking out toward two distinct directions.

Both Radiance and Phantom Spirit desperately wished the other would pin down Black Star, so neither would offer further aid. Phantom Spirit certainly would not hitch a ride on Radiance’s retreat, lest they escape the tiger’s den only to fall into the wolf’s jaws.

“...The alliance has fractured.”

Han Xiao’s eyes flickered. He commanded the Mechanical Deity into motion and, without a word, pursued the Radiance forces.

Under his orders, the mechanical legion split into two vanguard waves, while the Apostle Armaments and Mystic Casters abandoned the Phantom Spirit Super-A ranks to focus their wrath upon Radiance.

Concentrating force against a single group yielded far better results. The choice to target Radiance stemmed partly from a debt to Ksuye, and partly from the sheer difficulty of hunting down Phantom Spirit.

Once Ksuye dropped his act, his containment capability would be unparalleled. Should Han Xiao pursue Phantom Spirit now, he would likely fail to capture a single soul. Ksuye was merely an avatar, perfectly willing to sacrifice himself to hold the rear; his telekinesis could stall Han Xiao’s entire army for a considerable time... such was the tyranny of abundant mana reserves.

By contrast, Serion was merely a martial artist of formidable individual strength. His large-scale area-of-effect capabilities were limited, he excelled not in protecting allies, and he was operating his true body, meaning he could not afford to miss Radiance’s extraction window. All factors combined, Radiance was naturally the softer target.

Once his target was chosen, Han Xiao hesitated not. He locked onto a Radiance Super-A and unleashed his skill.

[Supreme Virtual]!

“The Lone Walker” Jack Kunitz had been trading blows with the Apostle Armaments using an array of mechanical weapons, when suddenly his body froze. His soul was trapped by Han Xiao within a virtual realm, severed from control of his flesh.

In such a perilous crucible, even the slightest lapse was fatal, let alone a duration of control spanning over ten seconds.

As a mech-martial artist, his physical defense could not compare to the bulking brutes of the pure martial path, nor did he possess the true damage immunity trait. The surrounding mechanical legion and Apostle Armaments descended upon him in a tide, causing Jack Kunitz’s vitality to plummet in a sheer cliff-like drop.

Han Xiao had chosen him precisely for his fragility; the Pantheon Summit had granted him comprehensive dossiers on the capabilities of nearly every Super-A rank.

Swish!

Without hesitation, the Mechanical Deity’s arm spanned the heavens, seized Jack Kunitz in a crushing grip, and drew him into its chassis.

When Jack Kunitz finally broke free from the grip of Supreme Virtual and his consciousness returned to his body, he was immediately overwhelmed by a profound weakness. All that remained was a shattered, grievously wounded frame, now immobilized by the innumerable trap mechanisms lining the Mechanical Deity’s interior.

“How could...”

Jack Kunitz was struck with utter horror, unable to believe he had fallen so swiftly.

Even against the forces of the Mechanic Empire, he could have endured far longer. He had only known Black Star to be impossibly tanky; how could his damage output be this devastating?!

Han Xiao felt no surprise; his mechanical legion’s damage output was never lacking.

[Legendary Combat Technique] lived up to its title as a template trait. Any Super-A powerhouse lacking true damage resistance, once their shields were pierced and their core focused upon by the mechanical legion, would find even their Super-A vitality unable to withstand such a terrifying rate of depletion.

At that moment, Jack Kunitz was conveyed by a torrent of nanite particles within the Mechanical Deity to Han Xiao’s true body. Han Xiao turned his gaze upon him and spoke slowly:

“Once inside my chassis, you cannot flee. If you wish to spare yourself further agony, submit quietly and resist not.”

As his words fell, countless cannon barrels extended from the inner walls of the Mechanical Deity, all trained upon Jack Kunitz.

Beneath his mecha helmet, Jack Kunitz could not suppress a bitter smile.

Well, I never stood a chance against Black Star to begin with, and now he’s fighting for his life. A wise man yields to present danger; I might as well accept my fate.

Simultaneously, the Radiance forces outside were seized by a mixture of shock and fury. They had witnessed the entire sequence, watching as Black Star plucked Jack Kunitz away as easily as one might snatch a chicken.

“Lord Serion, this...” Wurm could not hold his tongue.

“Ignore him. He cannot be saved.” Serion’s expression darkened, simmering with suppressed rage.

Unlike Ksuye, he had come in his true body, possessing no capital for reckless gambles. Should he remain to cover their retreat and attempt a rescue, he would miss the Radiance extraction. Once the Empire’s reinforcements arrived, he would likely have to leave his life there.

No matter how furious he burned within, Serion could only swallow his wrath.

...

At the same moment, the Phantom Spirit faction breaking out in the opposite direction also witnessed Radiance’s casualties, and their spirits instantly lifted.

They had been somewhat disheartened by Tolien’s capture, but upon seeing Radiance suffer equal misfortune, a sense of balance immediately restored itself.

As a certain famous figure surnamed Lu once remarked, when one is plagued by bad luck, the greatest comfort is not the pity of others, but witnessing someone else suffer the same fate. This was precisely the Phantom Spirit faction’s mindset now, and their hearts felt considerably lighter.

At that juncture, Ksuye’s gaze flickered slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he abruptly halted his steps and spoke: “Proceed ahead. I shall remain to attend to certain matters.”

“What do you intend to do?” Sagman asked, curiosity piqued.

Ksuye turned his gaze toward the direction of Radiance, a faint smile touching his lips. “Radiance refuses to relinquish its obsession with the Scepter of All Gods. This is the perfect opportunity to teach them a lesson and reclaim a portion of our losses.”

The group instantly understood. Such a maneuver was only feasible for Ksuye, who had arrived as an avatar.

What Ksuye intended was to move forward and pin down the Radiance forces, aiding Black Star in capturing more of their Super-A ranks.

He hoped Black Star would seize some prisoners to vent his fury, thereby securing compensation from a cosmic-tier civilization. Betraying allies was naturally undesirable, but Radiance served as the perfect substitute.

Moreover, the justification was sound. By playing the part, Phantom Spirit would praise his performance, offsetting the losses from the failed mission and captured comrades. A single stone striking multiple birds; he was clearly a veteran actor.

With this in mind, Ksuye wasted no words. He detached from Sagman and the others, charging straight toward the Radiance forces, while simultaneously establishing a private communication channel with Han Xiao.

“Do you recall the proposition I offered you earlier? Shall we cooperate?”

Han Xiao had been pursuing and harrying the Radiance group. Seeing Ksuye charge toward this battlefield, he had initially prepared to intercept him, but upon hearing those words, even he was left momentarily speechless. A thousand sarcastic retorts welled up in his gut, all condensing into a single thought:

-- I truly thank you on behalf of Radiance!

With his intervention, the battlefield instantly shifted. One by one, Radiance members were swept by Ksuye’s telekinetic waves, suffering severe mental shocks. Their bodies trembled violently, exposing countless openings. The mechanical legion exploited these vulnerabilities, dragging the enemy back into a tighter encirclement and drastically slowing their breakout.

Witnessing this spectacle, Serion erupted in blind fury.

“Ksuye!!”

When I invited you to ally against Black Star, you worthless bastard claimed you had no mana left?!

You damn well played me!

He had never expected the Phantom Spirit Sect to be so utterly devoid of honor, actually turning around to trip them up and aid Black Star in their destruction.

“Do not look at me with such eyes.” Ksuye’s tone remained placid. “During the Lighthouse Star Campaign, you likewise stabbed us in the back. The circumstances then were remarkably similar to now; I am merely returning the favor.”

During that Lighthouse Star Campaign, it was Radiance’s betrayal that had forced Phantom Spirit into a desperate corner, costing them a Super-A rank and allowing Radiance to seize the Scepter of All Gods.

As the old saying goes, do not revel in today’s triumph, for tomorrow’s ledger will be settled. Thus, Ksuye bore no psychological burden; this was simply the natural law of reciprocity.

Serion’s face turned ashen. With a roar, he violently reversed course and charged back into the fray. Highly concentrated martial aura erupted from his entire body, smashing through the ranks to carve a barren corridor. The single-target breakthrough capability of a peak Super-A martial artist fully detonated, advancing like an unstoppable avalanche, sweeping all before him. No mechanical unit could halt his advance.

He carved a path through countless mechanical warriors, sending them flying, before surging straight to the Crystal Soul’s side, scooping her into his arms, and turning on his heel to flee, leaving his remaining comrades behind.

Serion knew full well that once Ksuye intervened, the Radiant faction would inevitably suffer heavy losses this time; he could only strive to minimize the damage.

The Crystal Soul was petite in stature, a crystalline lifeform in possession of a cosmic treasure, making her the highest priority; Serion simply clung to the nearest one as he fled, utterly powerless to aid the others.

Witnessing this, Mornisa abandoned any thought of flight, instead commanding her mechanical forces to hold the rear; though they were slaughtered in a steady retreat, their sacrifice successfully slowed the advance of Han Xiao’s mechanical legion.

Thus, the heaviest burden fell upon Haidis and Wormer, who lagged furthest behind.

“Damn it…”

Blood spurted from every orifice of Haidis’s face; as a telekinetic himself, he stood utterly defenseless against Ksuye, his mind reeling and his spirit shattered by the concussive force, his composure crumbling into a mask of bitter resentment.

Just then, the colossal hand of the Mechanical Deity slammed downward, and Haidis stared upward in stunned silence, his vision entirely swallowed by that iron firmament.

Having ascended to the Super-A tier only recently, Haidis was still unfamiliar with its intricate gradations, but witnessing this spectacle left but a single thought echoing in his mind:

—This was true, unfathomable might!

In the very next instant, the mechanical palm descended upon him, plunging his world into darkness as consciousness was instantly snatched away.

“The third.”

Han Xiao drew the gravely wounded, unconscious Haidis into the core of the Mechanical Deity, then turned his gaze toward “Temperament” Wormer.

At that moment, every Apostle Weapon was arrayed in a siege against Wormer alone.

This martial artist’s style differed markedly from Serion’s or Gorutan’s; every gesture radiated the effortless grace of a grandmaster, lacking brute ferocity in favor of a fluid, natural rhythm that seemed to embody the very laws of nature, and rather than close-quarters combat, he appeared far more adept at mid-range martial wave assaults, his martial aura burning perpetually, as if drawn from an inexhaustible well.

A pale blue aura spun like a revolving shield, deflecting the Apostle Weapons’ strikes with relentless precision; his fists moved at a measured pace, each blow unleashing a wave of qi, and though pressed into a defensive posture, Wormer showed no sign of desperation, yet lacking any means to turn the tide, he merely clung to survival, his defeat an inevitable certainty.

Seeing Serion and the Crystal Soul vanish into the distance while his own retreat was completely cut off, Wormer abandoned flight altogether, choosing instead to stand his ground alongside Mornisa and hold the line.

The Mechanical Deity swept its arms in wide arcs, shredding vast swathes of hostile mechanized troops and the Radiant faction’s unmanned fleet, swiftly obliterating Mornisa’s fragile Dominator avatar.

Left to fight alone, Wormer did not last long; soon he was overwhelmed and captured alive by the combined assault of the Apostle Weapons, the Mystic Caster, and Hela.

Their sacrifice had not been in vain; by now, Serion and the Crystal Soul had fled into the heart of the Radiant Federation’s fleet, where the High-Dimensional Apocalypse Transmitter had long since completed its warm-up cycle.

A low, resonant hum echoed as two massive mechanical rings, positioned at right angles, spun at blurring speeds, accelerating until they dissolved into afterimages, their intersecting arcs weaving a spherical barrier that enveloped the fleet’s coordinates.

Serion cast one final glance backward, glaring fiercely at Ksuye before fixing his burning eyes on Han Xiao, his teeth grinding with suppressed fury.

“Black Star, you will pay for this; the Radiant faction will never let you take our people without consequence!”

A sharp thrum shattered the air!

The rings ground to an abrupt halt, and within the spherical zone, the fleet had vanished without a trace, having breached the constraints of the spatial stabilizer to be teleported away, leaving only the unmanned vessels and mechanical forces behind.

In the next instant, the High-Dimensional Apocalypse Transmitter initiated its self-destruct sequence, detonating in a chain of violent ruptures.

With the Radiant forces gone, the battlefield instantly fell quiet.

“Only two from the Radiant faction escaped.”

Han Xiao halted, his eyes glinting as he looked toward another direction, where several Super-A tier operatives of the Ethereal faction had already fled a considerable distance.

Just then, Ksuye’s voice resonated within his mind:

“What, are you not yet satisfied with capturing three Super-A tier from the Radiant faction and one from the Ethereal?”

At these words, Han Xiao turned to face Ksuye, who wore an expression of utter calm.

“Thank you.” Han Xiao steadied his breathing, dissolved the Mechanical Deity, and offered Ksuye a slight, respectful nod.

Without Ksuye’s intervention, capturing three would have been his absolute limit; now, with four Super-A tier operatives in custody and two Mechanist avatars obliterated, he had effectively neutralized half of the invading force.

His own surge in power, fueled by the character card, was the primary factor, yet beyond that, Hela’s assistance and the function of the Spacetime Amber proved equally vital; particularly the amber, which formed a shield wall to absorb a barrage of ranged assaults, sparing him the need to divert focus toward defense or endure blows, thereby freeing considerable energy for offense while simultaneously deterring enemies from targeting his true form, and even serving as the means to seal the Super-A tier captives, its tactical value was immense, claiming at least a third of the credit.

—One had to admit, the treasures from Ravendel’s past life were genuinely invaluable.

Though two of the four captured Super-A tier operatives were mere novices, and the other two hardly formidable veterans, they remained Super-A tier nonetheless, each bearing template specialties; it would now depend on whether Fodin’s methods proved effective this time.

A flurry of thoughts passed through his mind, and noticing Ksuye’s unwavering gaze, Han Xiao simply recalled the mechanical legion that had been pursuing the Ethereal forces.

With the spatial stabilizer now gone, he directly activated the secondary dimensional barracks, funneling the intact mechanical units inside, then employed the Dimensional Factory to gather scattered components across the battlefield for repairs.

As he worked, Han Xiao casually asked, “What are your plans next? Will you continue escorting the Ethereal faction’s survivors away?”

“Indeed. Once they use their teleportation scrolls to reach a secure zone, I will dissolve my avatar. You will not pursue them further, correct?”

Ksuye offered a faint smile, murmuring a quiet sigh within his heart.

How long had it been since the cosmos witnessed such a staggering feat of arms?

When news of this battle spread, the resulting upheaval would be unimaginable.

“Since I gave you my word, I will not break it… By the way, I wish to show you something.”

Han Xiao gestured, summoning Hela to his side right before Ksuye’s eyes.

“Are you well?” Hela fixed her gaze unblinkingly on Han Xiao’s face, utterly ignoring Ksuye.

Though Ksuye had just come to her aid, in her eyes, the Ethereal faction remained fundamentally hostile, and she naturally failed to recognize the master actor standing before her.

“I am fine.” Han Xiao shook his head, his tone turning serious. “Emers has been attacked at the Black Star Palace. Return to assist her, and bring Yin Ying back in her place.”

Hela froze in surprise. “What do you mean? How am I to return and help her?”

“I have developed a new technique that can teleport you back.”

A flash of light enveloped Han Xiao as the Sovereign Kalara detached from him, automatically suiting up Hela while remaining tethered to Han Xiao’s mechanical energy.

Through numerous private trials, Han Xiao had mastered the Sovereign’s operational mechanics; though originally designed as exclusive gear for Mechanists, with its throne teleportation function intended for the pilot within, maintaining a continuous mechanical energy link via a quantum zero-latency transmission channel allowed him to activate the feature even when another occupied the cockpit, enabling fixed-point teleportation for whoever wore the armor.

The throne was on the verge of arriving at the Black Star Palace, meaning a single teleportation would instantly return her to the main base.

Turning his head, Han Xiao noticed Ksuye watching the scene with keen interest, so he deliberately activated a spatial stabilizer once more, shrouding the area anew.

Immediately after, Han Xiao snapped his fingers, and right before Ksuye’s eyes, the Sovereign vanished without a trace.

Ksuye’s expression shifted abruptly, his face etched with astonishment. “This is… High-Dimensional Apocalypse teleportation? When did you master the Radiant faction’s technology?”

“It is not the Apocalypse system. It is a different technology, though the effect is similar; both can breach the blockade of spatial stabilizer anchors and disruptors,” Han Xiao replied coolly.

“…Why didn’t you use it sooner?” Ksuye sighed in resignation. Had he known you possessed such a technique, none of us would have ever come to raid Hela.

“I only recently completed the research.”

Han Xiao nodded, reading Ksuye’s expression, and knew his objective had been achieved.

He had deliberately demonstrated the Sovereign’s teleportation capability to make it known that he possessed a means of bypassing spatial stabilizers; otherwise, if the Radiant and Ethereal factions harbored lingering ambitions, they might attempt another raid on Hela in the future, and he could not keep her hidden indefinitely.

Revealing this trump card now was meant to signal to the outside world that Hela could extricate herself at any moment, even under siege, thereby quelling any further designs from the Radiant and Ethereal factions and preventing a repeat of today’s events.

In this way, Hela’s position would be far more secure, and no one would dare to scheme against her again.

A sharp rustle cut through the air!

Just then, the Sovereign reappeared, its cockpit opening to reveal Yin Ying, her face clouded with bewilderment.

“Huh? Black Star? Where am I?”

Yin Ying wore a look of utter confusion, still failing to grasp her surroundings.

“Save the questions. My time is limited, and I must borrow your body for a moment. Once finished, the Evolution Cube will be yours to use.”

Han Xiao patted Yin Ying’s shoulder, took her bewildered hand, and turned to depart.

Ksuye observed the turn of events, a sudden flicker of astonishment crossing his features.

"The affair is concluded. Where do you intend to journey next?"

"Not for me. While this surge of power still courses through my veins, there remains a single quarry to settle."

"Who?" Ksuye asked, his curiosity quietly kindled.

Han Xiao glanced back, offering Ksuye only the sharp line of his jaw, his voice heavy and measured:

"The Beast Ancestor, Golutan."