When that terrifying voice fell, the pain struck even faster than his evolved brain could register.
It was entirely on the survival instincts of an evolved high-level Aberrant Beast Commander that Flashfire jerked away; not just retreating, but practically flipping upward to dodge a strike that could have cleaved his body in two.
Under that psionic force, many more gruesome wounds appeared on him.
Flashfire’s psionics clashed violently with those of Amos, but he only felt more daunted.
How strange—
This person’s psionic power was bottomless and terrifying.
The burst of force from that previous fellow was strong enough, but the one before him now was clearly even stronger.
Where on earth did these people come from?
How could they suddenly appear here?
It was as if there was no gradient of transition—they could just match them directly.
Psionics—especially such strange, terrifying psionics—
They were supposed to be the Aberrant Beasts’ greatest weapon, but now, it seemed they were made to go against the likes of the race before him.
Flashfire stared at those scarlet eyes. As wounds multiplied across his body, he began to tremble uncontrollably.
Damn—weren’t there any other Aberrant Beasts?
When the broadcast devices were destroyed, those damned people should have realized they needed to be eliminated, and quickly.
But things didn’t play out as Flashfire thought.
The devices failed to record Amos’s arrival, or even his failed assault; and the force of psionics kept all cameras at bay, making it impossible for observers on other planets to assess what was happening.
And with Flashfire’s psionics clashing against Amos’s, the awareness from the hive mind clearly transmitted his fear.
Aberrant Beasts, in essence, were not a cooperative species—accustomed to killing one another, lacking any real sense of the collective. When threatened, their instinct was only to eliminate the source.
Rather than throw everything into getting to the bottom of this, or teaching the provocateurs from Holy Sanctuary a lesson by making a show of force, they preferred to look out for their own hides, waiting to discover some weakness before striking—
For example, these representatives’ team—Holy Sanctuary couldn’t escape, and the surrounding contamination was in their favor. Only a fool would charge into a battlefield advantageous for humans as Flashfire did.
And they felt they weren’t going to win; a deep fear radiated from their very bones.
Cunning, sinister high-level Aberrant Beast Commanders quickly dispersed, retreating into the contamination.
Although these Aberrant Beasts once scoffed at the notion of fearing psionics, now that it was upon them, none dared meet it head-on. Instead, they hoped the others would whittle down the enemy’s strength so that they could swoop in and reap the benefits.
Some high-level Beast Commanders no longer cared about the so-called survival games; they began moving toward the former site of Holy Sanctuary.
And, deep in the contamination, was an Aberrant Beast forbidden zone established earlier than this entire star region.
Earlier than the psionic barriers that First Legion’s higher Aberrant Beasts established; in fact, one of the original sites from which the contamination first erupted.
The other initial contamination points had become Aberrant Beast lairs. Only this place became forbidden to them.
Stormdrain, who had been intimidated by all those towering white bones and crushed by the pressure of psionics, also felt the fear that flared from Flashfire.
That brief terror overwhelmed the lingering dread of those skeletal remains. Stormdrain’s beastlike eyes abruptly narrowed, icy cold, and finally he lunged onto one of the planets—
A massive dragon-like but not dragon skeleton sprawled atop a great mountain, shattered wing bones scattered behind. Until the end, it looked to the sky, exuding a dreadful majesty, but its posture did not indicate it had been slain—more like it chose its resting place and fell into slumber—
Until flesh rotted, and all became bone.
This was the largest skeleton, the one with the strongest lingering psionic aura; around it, other bones lay, resting quietly deep in the contamination, undisturbed even by Aberrant Beasts.
Its power so compelling for Aberrant Beasts, yet none dared approach.
Stormdrain’s body was crushed and shattered by the pressure of psionics, then healed rapidly.
Until he reached the skull’s crown.
Here, the searing fear had overwhelmed all else, so that the already-crazed Aberrant Beast could only mutter the same two words—Power…power…
At the same time, the Hymn Organization, who had received the muddled words from ‘God’ through the Divine Blessing Stone, began to move.
After days of searching, although Holy Cas’s defensive line remained tight, the long perimeter finally began to show cracks. And that overwhelming behemoth hadn’t been seen in some time.
Some small ships from the Hymn Organization darted into the contamination—
They longed to become another ‘Angel Clan’ at God’s side; as if only this would satisfy the hearts twisted and polluted within them.
Meanwhile, Shenghua finally made contact with the top echelon, as she wished.
The young woman leaned against her starship, cloak draped around her. On this string of small connected planets, her loyal followers clustered.
Just as Shenghua had always said, manipulating people and reading hearts was a skill nobles like them had to master—she had always excelled at this subject.
She thought of the dead Boel Alliance, her slaughtered family, the missing Spirit Eye member, and the still-bright, gouged-out eye of the last alliance chair from the Boel Alliance’s Spirit Eye race.
Shenghua’s body shuddered involuntarily.
Hymn Organization—how disgusting—so disgusting she was about to be sick—
Show yourself soon—then quickly die—
Shenghua tried to steady her mood; the more she understood this group, the harder it became. At last, she anxiously bit her nails.
Calm down.
Calm down, Shenghua.
See, there are still normal, gentle, adorable people in this world, like the little highness.
There is still hope in this world—it’s really wonderful.
*
Flashfire truly was strong, but facing an enraged Amos, within a few breaths he was helplessly crushed.
Feeney, who had been on alert for a sneak attack from the Aberrant Beasts, was surprised to find complete silence.
At last, Feeney flapped up to the high platform beside him.
Looking at little Chu Zao, peering down with wide eyes.
The cub was even more disheveled than before.
His feathers even fluffier, messier.
“No wonder Amos looks so angry…”
Feeney muttered under his breath.
He reached out and fussed with little Chu Zao’s wings, trying to gauge how badly he had been hurt.
Amos’s temper really was out of control.
Feeney, now relaxed, started making snide remarks to himself; then he noticed the blood marks on Chu Zao’s wings.
He couldn’t help but curse softly.
Tear him up.
Hack him to bits—
He’d be sure to take a shot himself later.
Chu Zao had been watching Amos in action, looking supremely wronged.
—Somewhat amusing, really. The kid goes wild outside, slaying everything, but as soon as his family arrives, he’s aggrieved, complaining furiously, then watches his parent lay waste in return.
But it’s true, these Aberrant Beasts had clearly never faced Amos’s wrath—not knowing that if they touched Chu Zao, there’d be a furious Crown Clan parent right behind.
Seeing Feeney fussing with his feathers, Chu Zao bashfully snatched his wing back.
“Uncle, are you all right?”
Feeney didn’t have time to answer, for their cub worriedly tugged at his clothes, trying to check his wounds.
“Just a few nicks, it’s nothing.”
Feeney spoke carelessly, waving it off, but Chu Zao’s pretty little face instantly fell.
The Crown Clan knew this scene all too well—since he was small, if you let him see you hurt, his expression would break your heart.
“Amos is here now, the Holy Cas starships must be close behind. I’ll head to the medbay in a bit, all right? And you’d better not mark it in your little book—”
Feeney eyed little Chu Zao, who still gripped Cupid’s Bow as if ready to help.
But for Amos at this moment—
Feeney glanced at Amos, who was tearing apart Flashfire as if venting all his rage; at that ferocity, even the cub’s arrow might strike Amos if he wasn’t careful.
Speaking of, Amos’s temper really was fearsome.
If he claimed that Chu Zao’s mishap wasn’t his responsibility—would Amos ever accept that?
Feeney looked at Flashfire and couldn’t help but shiver, thinking to himself.
And as the Aberrant Beast Commanders withdrew, Beasts converged here, and the competing teams now confronted even fiercer Aberrant Beasts. Under such circumstances, the various countries ordered their teams to temporarily retreat to safety.
The Eastern Alliance barely escaped with their lives.
The wave of despair had not yet washed over them before gradually receding.
“That is—”
Watching Amos’s fluid movements, the coronet glowing atop his head, and nearby Feeney and Chu Zao, the Holy Sanctuary group hesitated, unable to believe their eyes.
“Ah…”
Chao Huangmu had nearly rushed out earlier—he was outside his mech when the Aberrant Beast charged at Chu Zao, his own psionics almost slipped free; only now had he calmed, palm bloody from nails pressing too hard.
Chao Huangmu resumed smiling as he looked over.
“His Majesty Amos Dwight, King of Holy Cas.”
The notorious tyrant of the stars.
That unexplored contamination lay ahead, but now His Majesty was here; by some measure, he’d come very quickly.
“As long as His Majesty is here, anything can be resolved.”
Chao Huangmu spoke with certainty.
Now, Amos sneered and plunged his psionic sword into Flashfire’s chest, who was too shattered to dodge.
He himself had barely taken a scratch.
The Eastern Alliance looked on, dazed by their own survival.
“So that’s what you’ve all been searching for…home?”
Yu Ye and the others looked that way.
Home…home…
Nothing brings more joy than to have a home, and to see it ever better.
Just then, a distant roar echoed from the sky—
What sound was that?
All of them looked up.
Chu Zao did, too.
That sound was familiar to Little Chu Zao.
Ebinino still hadn’t managed his anxiety over the cub, nor whatever sense of psychic déjà vu haunted him, and charged through the contamination.
Acting on instinct, his voice penetrated the distance as he approached.
Amos looked up briefly, then back down at Flashfire, now paralyzed in the crater.
Truly different.
His regeneration was strong, his power far above previous Aberrant Beasts encountered, and he possessed unique abilities—but that too was based in psionics, which for an expert like Amos, posed little threat.
If Aberrant Beasts evolved to such forms, they’d be exceedingly hard to kill.
As his mother, Lady Solan, used to say: “Even with relentless final blows, some still survive.”
And what was going on here in this star region?
Why were Aberrant Beasts evolving to such a state?
Amos hadn’t faced these humans directly, but just seeing the Aberrant Beasts’ development, it was clear that in this region they thrived—devouring humans, evolving endlessly, now so tough even the Crown Clan found them difficult.
The creature in the pit was now almost unrecognizable as anything human, unmoving, bereft of breath or psychic presence; Amos struck it a few more times just the same.
But he still had graver matters to settle.
“Feeney.”
“Yeah, coming, coming!”
Never had Feeney been so “obedient,” dutifully flying down to finish the job for Amos, with extra stabs for Flashfire.
Amos went to Chu Zao’s side.
This time, the parent seemed much calmer, at least his aura restored to the former composed steadiness.
He took out a handkerchief, lifted his hand to wipe the cub’s cheek, and quietly asked a few questions.
He’s already that age, but before Baba’s grooming, Chu Zao instinctively tilted his face up to let Amos wipe off any leftover dust.
Time had been short, and Chu Zao couldn’t summarize everything that had happened.
Now, as Amos wiped his face, he at last relaxed, like a hatchling at peace, wings unfurled, earnestly reporting all that had happened.
He’d already told of the First Legion descendants; Amos glanced at the ones from Holy Sanctuary.
“I wasn’t sure if I was being too reckless.”
Chu Zao said.
“I felt that, since the target is Holy Sanctuary, then they’ll definitely act again. Before I left, I told them to relocate, and, and—”
Chu Zao spoke, glancing at Amos.
“Was that right? Dad? You and Teacher Hel weren’t there; Uncle knows even less than I do. How’s Grandpa doing? Wasn’t that Grandpa’s voice I heard just now? Isn’t he supposed to be safely at the defense line? How did he suddenly show up here—”
The little one had many things to tell Amos.
He really hadn’t seen his father in a long time.
Especially with Amos now here, Chu Zao relaxed at last—though he knew it was still dangerous, Dad was amazing; everything got solved when Dad was around.
He had always believed this since infancy, and still did now.
“Dad already told you—Zao Zao did great. You’re already a little Crown Clan member who stands on his own. Dad is proud of you, the whole Crown Clan is too. As for Grandpa—he’s hard to talk to, so he just followed along.”
Amos casually destroyed the filthy handkerchief, recalling how he’d given Ebinino a psionic thumping earlier—but he didn’t mention this to the anxious kid before him, breezily skipping over it.
“Seeing you take care of yourself so well, Dad is relieved.”
Though he said so.
Even though he’d found his cub, Amos’s nerves were still taut; he was clearly tense, though he strove to keep his little one comforted.
Of course, the cub had done very well.
“And—and—I…”
Chu Zao froze, looking at Amos.
“I just…missed Dad a lot—”
Amos’s eyes went soft for a moment.
And the child muttered, “But that’s childish. If I say it, Uncle will make fun of me.”
Feeney, stabbing at Flashfire, heard that and, recalling his standing in Amos’s mind now, looked up in alarm.
“No, no, Uncle wouldn’t—never would, okay?”
Absolutely not, Zao Zao, don’t say that!
Amos pulled his cub closer, at last letting out a quiet, relieved laugh.
“Dad missed Zao Zao too.”
Chu Zao blinked his big eyes, suddenly remembering something.
He rummaged around in his pocket.
“Right, Dad, I wrote down everything that happened during this time.”
He was looking for his little notebook.
After searching, he finally tugged it out—along with a small pile of candy wrappers.
Chu Zao paused, seeing the fallen wrappers, then his notebook; the edges of more wrappers peeking from his pocket.
They were from candy he’d chewed on in his anxiety inside the mech, wrappers stuffed at random and forgotten.
Though he was nearly of age, in front of Dad, he dared not eat candy too wantonly: …
Feeney, eavesdropping eagerly since Chu Zao mentioned his notebook, couldn’t help but laugh—ah, caught with all that candy!
Immediately, he redoubled his efforts at finishing-off, hoping Amos would notice his “sincerity.”
Chu Zao hesitated, looked at Uncle, then back, flipping open the notebook and speaking softly.
“Dad, let’s check the notebook. Everything Uncle did—Zao Zao recorded.”
Zao Zao: distraction! No matter if Uncle scolded me or what—Dad, we have to see it all!
Amos paused, looking at the child’s notebook, eyebrow raised.
Such a little thing, only just retrieved, looking scruffy and pitiful.
To the family head, one to be coddled.
But for another who had crossed over here—
Amos said nothing, only glanced at Feeney’s way.
Feeney, eager to impress, instantly felt a chill down his spine.
He turned to look back.
And met Amos’s thoughtful gaze.
Feeney: …oh no!
What, what? Are we seriously settling scores already???
As Feeney turned to protest, a shadow pressed down overhead.
From a tiny patch, coming closer, a little of Ebinino’s form could be seen; at the same time, amidst many finishing blows, the mangled, nearly pulped Flashfire, those vile eyes so targeted by Feeney, had a part that slowly moved again.
Sensitive to pollution, Chu Zao looked over instinctively—
And on the survival battlefield, the retreating teams anxiously looked up at the sky as broadcast equipment captured it all—massive, battered, unknown starships were entering the area rapidly.
These ships hovered in the air, as though sailing in the deep sea, drawing closer as they detected the nearby presence—and unlike any starship before, exuding sheer intimidation. They were actually clearing out lesser Aberrant Beasts.
That was something only mechs could do before!
Only by standing beneath them could one feel the shock—
What were these things?
Why were they here? What was that insignia?
Why had they never been seen before?
Feiman stared at the devastation, speaking coldly: “Interfere, establish real control zone.”
“Yes!”
The moment Holy Cas fleet detected them, all recording devices were jammed. These behemoths slowly descended near Chu Zao’s coordinates.
In the Gesen Empire, the entire conference room fell silent.
Everyone stared at the screen—now blank—on edge.
“Lost…?”
The destruction of their mecha squadron was a huge blow, and then—seeing those starships—any swollen egos were shattered.
“Don’t panic—they aren’t Aberrant Beasts, we can still conduct diplomatic relations—yes, we can still handle this diplomatically. Maybe they’re just special in some way—if they wish to establish themselves here, they’ll have to connect with our great Gesen Empire…don’t panic…”
Flustered and at a loss, there was only one sensation left in the conference room—the oppressive might that swept across them as the starships slipped past their screen.
Even as just Holy Cas’s vanguard.
It was enough to pronounce—
Under the leadership of the Crown Clan, the most brutal, formidable Holy Cas Empire—had arrived.