Chapter 998: Storms Gradually Rising

Chapter 998: Gathering Winds and Clouds

"My current combat style is thoroughly refined: resilient yet devastating, with explosive power and a vast array of control mechanisms. My mechanical legions are immense, capable of executing hundreds upon thousands of tactical combinations, supplemented by high-tier constructs like my Sovereign avatars and Apostle Armaments that exert formidable pressure. My mental resistance stands firm, bolstered by abilities like Supreme Virtualization, while my Void bloodline grants me unparalleled mobility and specialized crowd control..."

Han Xiao silently dissected his current combat methodology, and the more he pondered, the more formidable he felt, as though he had achieved flawless mastery across every conceivable discipline.

Among the five major superpower systems, Espers mature earliest and dominate the early stages, while Mechanics and Mages truly shine in the later epochs. Compared to the other three paths, Mechanics and Mages, who draw strength from knowledge, possess remarkably well-rounded attributes with few glaring flaws; for Mechanics, however, physical fragility and lower mental resistance have traditionally been their most pronounced vulnerabilities.

Yet in Han Xiao's lexicon, the word "fragile" simply did not exist, and his mental resistance had been largely fortified, leaving him without any conspicuous weaknesses—a warrior of such comprehensive might that he resembled a perfect hexagon of combat prowess.

Now, having acquired Charge: Infinite Accumulation, a single-target skill of catastrophic burst damage, his combat repertoire had reached new heights of perfection; during legion warfare, his main body or Sovereign avatar typically maneuvered on the periphery rather than diving immediately into close-quarters brawls, but with this charging technique, the distance covered in evasion could now be transmuted into raw destructive power, adding an entirely new tactical dimension to his movements.

After savoring the sight of that gleaming, golden skill for a moment with quiet delight, Han Xiao finally dismissed the interface.

Returning to his quarters, he subdued his elation, retrieved his communicator, pondered for a moment, and then dialed the private frequency of the Imperial Sovereign to test the waters.

After a few rings, Ulanriel's exquisite yet imperious visage materialized on the screen, as though she had long anticipated his call.

"Black Star, you have come."

"Your Excellency." Han Xiao inclined his head in greeting, cutting straight to the chase. "Are you aware of the situation regarding Becrodi?"

"I am." Ulanriel nodded.

A single glance at her tranquil expression confirmed it for Han Xiao: the Imperial high command indeed desired his surrender of the artifact, and the Sovereign stood firmly with them.

Han Xiao paused briefly before asking, "Do you have any counsel for me?"

"I hope you will hand over the Evolution Cube; it pertains to a vital Imperial strategy."

"Does this vital strategy mean you finally intend to sell the Totems publicly? If I surrender the Cube to you, I would be forfeiting a colossal fortune," Han Xiao probed cautiously.

Ulanriel shook her head, speaking slowly:

"The Empire has no immediate plans to publicly vend the Totems; this decision stems from risk assessment, and it ultimately benefits you more than it harms you. The suppression from Radiance and Void Spirit intensifies daily, and though the Empire has shouldered the brunt of their pressure, should you continue to hoard the Evolution Cube, there is no guarantee they will not grow desperate and launch another covert strike...

Surely you understand that as long as the Cube remains in your hands, the danger persists; targeting you is far simpler than forcing the Empire to yield, but if it is placed under Imperial custody, our enemies will be left with no opening whatsoever."

"You seem to lack faith in me?" Han Xiao arched a brow. "I was under the impression you held me in high regard."

"I do hold you in high regard, but you are, after all, only one man," Ulanriel explained. "Learning from their past failure, should Radiance and Void Spirit make their move, they will undoubtedly deploy peak Beyond Grade A entities on the level of Manison and Kesuye. You cannot yet rival the Mechanic Nation, and with other peak Beyond Grade A figures added to the fray, the peril is simply too great."

"Your reasoning holds weight, yet they have made no move all these years, and the future remains uncertain," Han Xiao replied noncommittally.

"The circumstances have shifted. Beyond Grade A experts are typically scattered across different star sectors, and any mobilization usually reaches our ears in advance, allowing us to prepare. But the opening of the Shimmering World presents a perfect opportunity for Radiance and Void Spirit; the vast majority of the universe's Beyond Grade A figures are already en route to the Broken Star Ring. With such a convergence, they can easily assemble elite strike forces to assault your stronghold under the guise of legitimate gathering, making it nearly impossible for us to guard against a sudden ambush as we did last time."

Han Xiao stroked his chin; indeed, with news of the Shimmering World's imminent opening, major factions were flocking to the Broken Star Ring, naturally including numerous Beyond Grade A experts from distant sectors, all rushing toward the convergence.

Previously, those Beyond Grade A figures were scattered across distant sectors, too far to pose a direct threat to him. Now, seizing the opening as a pretext, rival Beyond Grade A experts were swarming in droves, drawing dangerously close and undeniably worsening his predicament.

It was easy to foresee that in the period before the Shimmering World officially opened, the already turbulent Broken Star Ring would descend into further chaos, teeming with formidable outsiders; whether he, as the local overlord, could keep them in check remained an open question.

Seeing Han Xiao remain silent, Ulanriel urged, "Black Star, though the Evolution Cube promises immense future profits and parting with it now may seem a loss, it is far preferable to losing it entirely."

"I will consider it." Han Xiao shook his head, refusing to commit just yet.

"There is no need to rush your answer." Ulanriel did not press him, instead shifting the topic. "Incidentally, there is a matter that requires your attention."

"What matter?"

"The Empire is currently constructing cross-sector star gates linking the Broken Star Ring to the Shimmering World on a massive scale. Before the official opening, countless factions from across the cosmos will station themselves in the Broken Star Ring, straining the sector. Therefore, I need you to maintain order and suppress all foreign forces and Beyond Grade A experts, ensuring they do not run rampant in the Broken Star Ring."

Han Xiao listened with mild amusement. "If I recall correctly, the Broken Star Ring nominally belongs to Radiance's territory."

"Indeed, but the Empire's influence there runs deeper, and maintaining stability serves our interests as well. Moreover, I will not allow any unforeseen incidents to jeopardize the opening of the Shimmering World."

"You could assign this task to Heber."

"The Tyrant lacks your deterrent presence; only you possess the authority to cow every foreign Beyond Grade A expert."

Hearing this, Han Xiao could not help but smile.

He rather enjoyed hearing that; he never expected the lofty Imperial Sovereign to resort to flattery.

Simultaneously, his interface stirred, displaying an additional faction quest tied to the Shimmering World main storyline, demanding he maintain stability in the Broken Star Ring prior to its opening; the rewards were standard, offering experience, contribution points, along with a promised sum of credits and resources from the Empire.

"Very well, I will take command in the Broken Star Ring. Let us hope the other Beyond Grade A experts will grant me some courtesy."

Han Xiao accepted the commission.

Even without this quest, he would have done the same; the Broken Star Ring served as his legion's headquarters, and securing his rear was equally vital—he would not permit outsiders to trample recklessly through his own gardens.

This was especially true for the newly ascended Beyond Grade A figures; at this stage, they craved deeds to forge their reputations and were notoriously prone to stirring trouble.

Terminating the transmission, Han Xiao exhaled slowly, activated Sovereign Descent, and projected his consciousness toward the mechanical civilization's homeworld.

Since he was returning to assert dominance, the troops currently stationed at the Broken Star Ring headquarters would prove insufficient; he needed to mobilize a fresh wave of forces.

Conveniently, the mechanical civilization had developed steadily for two decades and was now on a solid trajectory; he intended to draft a contingent of Apostle Armaments to accompany him back.

The scenery shifted, and he found himself within the interior of a mechanical palace, his Sovereign avatar seated upon its throne.

Han Xiao maintained a permanent avatar within the mechanical civilization, descending occasionally to inspect their progress, so Youzu and the others had erected a towering palace spire reaching thousands of meters into the sky, enshrining his Sovereign vessel within.

Han Xiao willed the Sovereign avatar to rise, stepping out of the celestial palace to gaze down upon the land, his eyes met by a sprawling, meticulously ordered mechanical metropolis where countless mechanical lifeforms streaked across the heavens.

This was the mechanical civilization's capital world—Apostle Prime, far more refined than it had been over a decade ago.

After more than twenty years of relentless development, the mechanical civilization had completely terraformed the planet, erecting countless facilities across the surface and deep underground, achieving formidable productive capacity and beginning to colonize neighboring planets.

Simultaneously, they had branched out, their population surging exponentially—all of it reserved as future conscripts for the mechanical legion.

On a civilizational scale, the mechanical civilization's growth resembled a vessel riding a warp jump, astonishingly swift, yet by comparison, the Black Spirit tribe's advancement was hardly sluggish.

After years of study, the Black Spirits had produced waves of scholars, beginning to synthesize and master the diverse knowledge imparted by the legion; owing to their racial traits, once a single individual grasped a concept, it could be rapidly disseminated throughout the entire populace.

Furthermore, with resources and equipment generously supplied by the legion, the Black Spirits needed not slowly accumulate productive forces; the moment they acquired knowledge, they immediately possessed the tools to apply it. Thus, within a mere two decades, they had leapt directly from a tribal era into an electrical age, achieving a three-stage evolution with terrifying efficiency as their racial genius began to unveil itself.

In his view, had the Black Spirits started on the same starting line as Radiance and Void Spirit, the cosmos might now be ruled by four universal-grade civilizations.

The Black Spirits' racial talents were almost entirely invested in learning and education; to put it dramatically, they were a people destined for an era where every mortal could ascend to dragonhood, a truly formidable lineage.

As for the Kunde race, they remained under cultural restructuring, though Han Xiao had also instructed his agents to slip a few beneficial influences into their society.

Presently, a wave of reverence for the Machine God faith had already taken root within the Kunde populace; though the fresh memory of their defeat barely a decade prior had yet to yield formal converts, the trajectory was unmistakable.

Han Xiao observed the planetary panorama for a time before a dozen dark specks appeared on the horizon, rapidly expanding in his vision to reveal the silhouettes of Apostle Armaments.

Trailing behind these smaller dots, a mountainous shadow drew near with deliberate slowness—the colossal Titan, renowned for its sheer mass, its head aligning perfectly with the grand gates of the spire where Han Xiao stood.

"We greet the Sovereign."

Youzu led over a dozen Apostle Armaments through the gates, halting in unison before Han Xiao to pay their respects.

Over these years, Han Xiao had exhausted every Apostle Armament quota, expanding their ranks significantly; thanks to specializations and skills like Perfect Mechanical Sense that raised the level caps of his mechanical abilities, his Apostle Armaments now far exceeded the original twelve.

Han Xiao swept his gaze over them; the weaponry and armor of these Apostle Armaments were far more diverse than two decades prior, and to his senses, the spark energy cores within them had grown substantially more potent.

All mechanical life possessed growth potential, knowing how to actively reinforce themselves, especially the first-generation constructs, which harbored the purest mechanical spark energy and boasted exceptional developmental ceilings.

Given his current mechanical affinity, each of these Apostle Armaments stood as a formidable force in its own right, capable of clashing evenly with standard Beyond Grade A experts like Cole and Beoni.

"Youzu, Silver Flash, Wild Sky Hunter, Crimson Blaze, Golden Sovereign, Formless Phantom, Heaven-Suppressing Banner, Violet Sky Spirit... mobilize a contingent of troops and return to the Broken Star Ring headquarters. I may require you for battle," Han Xiao commanded.

"Understood." Youzu acknowledged instantly; to him, Han Xiao's words were divine edicts, demanding absolute obedience.

...

At the border star gate of the Broken Star Ring, a fleet bearing the insignia of the Void Spirit sect slowly emerged from the spatial threshold.

In these days, Super A Grades from every corner of the cosmos are converging upon the Shattered Star Ring, and this very fleet was commissioned to escort a newly ascended Super A Grade—one who pledged himself to the Ethereal Sect years ago—into these starlit reaches.

“Red Demon” Tolain, a Super A Grade who rose to power in the Bright Silver Spiral Arm years past, had long walked the path of a hunted outlaw until the Ethereal Sect offered him amnesty and scrubbed his ledger clean; now, buoyed by their patronage, he has carved out a domain of his own within that silvered expanse.

Within the flagship’s council chamber gathered a contingent of the Sect’s Super A Grades, yet only Tolain sat there in flesh and blood; the others were but phantoms cast across the void by remote projection.

“Hah, seems I’ve beaten you all to the mark. When exactly do you lot intend to show your faces?” Tolain cast a sweeping glance around the table, his voice brash and unbothered.

“Soon enough. Sit tight at Sisco’s holdings and wait for us like a good boy.” The Sun Hunter was a man of diminutive stature, yet his voice boomed with the force of a siege cannon.

“Heh, where’s the sport in merely twiddling our thumbs?” A sharp glint flickered in Tolain’s eyes. “Since idleness is all we have, I might as well seek out a worthy blade to cross.”

Scarcely had he ascended to the Super A Grade when the Sect folded him into its ranks, and as a fledgling among titans, he still lacked a legacy of conquests to his name; now that his boots touched the soil of the Shattered Star Ring, the temptation to carve one out grew impossible to ignore.

“Do not stir up chaos within the Shattered Star Ring.” Ksuje’s voice drifted in, faint and ethereal as morning mist. “Those stars belong to Black Star. Extend him the courtesy he is due.”

In days gone by, the Shattered Star Ring harbored only four Super A Grades—Heber, Emes, Austin, and Sisco—a backwater so frail and forgotten that a peak existence such as himself would never have deigned to glance its way.

Yet the tides have turned; Black Star has risen with terrifying momentum, ascending as the undisputed sovereign of the Ring, holding the sector fast in the Empire’s name.

The dread name of a peak Super A Grade still carries weight, and lesser titans are willing to temper their tempers within the Ring, offering Black Star deference and keeping the peace; even those who stand at the same apex harbor no desire to casually provoke Han Xiao.

At the mere mention of Black Star, the countenances of several seated Super A Grades stiffened; every one of them had marched upon the Beacon Star campaign, only to taste bitter defeat at Han Xiao’s hands, arriving with thunderous fury and retreating in ash-stained humiliation.

The suffocating embrace of the Spacetime Amber was a torment none could easily forget, least of all Dylan; even now, the mere echo of Han Xiao’s name dragged that phantom sensation back to the surface, drawing an involuntary shiver down his spine.

“Hah, bested a single time and you tremble like startled hares? Lord Ksuje, surely you do not harbor fear of Black Star as well.”

Tolain was well acquainted with that tale and could not stifle a derisive chuckle; a former outlaw by trade, restraint was a virtue entirely foreign to his nature.

The barb struck home, leaving several of the assembled Super A Grades visibly chagrined, their only reply a chorus of cold, dismissive snorts.

“I do not fear him,” Ksuje replied, his tone unshaken and serene. “The hour for our crossing of paths has simply not yet arrived. I counsel you to leave him be as well.”

“Tch, I am no fool.” Tolain waved a careless hand, utterly unbothered. “Set your minds at ease; my arrogance has not yet blinded me enough to paint Black Star as my quarry.”

“Then whose steel do you intend to test?”

“Heh, Black Star is beyond my reach, Heber flies the Empire’s banner and is best left alone, and Sisco, though frail, wears our colors; that leaves only those two unaligned souls for my amusement.”

A predatory spark of anticipation ignited in Tolain’s gaze.

“Austin cowers within his Sanctum of Arcana, and I doubt I could best him there, but Emes… ha, she is ripe for the taking. She shall serve perfectly as my stepping stone, the first true conquest to etch my name among the Super A Grades!”