Chapter 696 Bug-Level

In the span of just over ten days, Han Xiao’s mechanical army had swelled back to several million strong, all models upgraded and reinforced. Now, this vast army stood before Heber, a wall of metallic might, as a storm of diverse ranged weaponry opened fire.

Streams of you-energy particle cannons and dark energy annihilation beams wove together into a dazzling rain of light, bathing Heber in its incandescent glow.

Heber's martial aura exploded outward, enveloping him in a colossal crimson-gold sphere of energy, thousands of meters in diameter. This protective force propelled his mountain-like form forward, a fiery tail trailing behind him, like a comet hurtling against the tide. To the countless spectators, this scene was inspiring, a display of indomitable spirit.

The torrential barrage of ranged fire slammed against Heber's protective aura, leaving expanding spheres of residual energy in his wake.

Braving this earth-shattering onslaught, Heber plunged headfirst into the ranks of the mechanical legion, breaking through layer after layer of robotic soldiers, making a beeline for Han Xiao.

His decision to close the distance was a calculated one, leveraging his strengths against his enemy’s weaknesses, aiming to swiftly end the battle with close-quarters combat!

"As expected of a Super-A Grade Martial Artist, his durability is truly frightening…"

Han Xiao glanced at the battle information, raising an eyebrow.

Heber’s level, attributes, and health were all question marks. The panel indicated that several template-level abilities were triggered, including low damage immunity, true damage immunity, fixed damage reduction, immense damage reduction from super-toughness, and damage mitigation from the Super-A Grade Martial Artist protective aura!

This meant that Heber was immune to true damage and any normal attack below a certain threshold – a threshold that required an explosive attack from an ordinary Calamity Grade to inflict actual damage. Due to the special fixed damage reduction, only damage exceeding the threshold was calculated: if the damage immunity threshold was 100, and you dealt 110 points of damage, the calculation would be 110 minus 100. This remaining 10 points of damage would then be partially absorbed by the protective aura, and the rest further reduced by template-level resistance skills…

After all these layers of mitigation, the final number was the actual damage Heber received!

Most terrifyingly, Heber’s regeneration wasn’t bad either. While it couldn’t compare to his own, it still provided considerable staying power.

Tough, hard, and long-lasting!

That was a true Super-A Grade tank!

"As expected of an iron-headed brute who can effortlessly smash through planets with his body…" Han Xiao’s eyes sharpened. He knew from the start that this would be a difficult fight.

Hadaway also possessed the two template skills of true damage immunity and low damage immunity, but he was an Esper, with limited abilities and low attack power. Heber was clearly more well-rounded. The offensive and defensive Super-A Grade Martial Artist was not only a tank but also a terrifying berserker.

That was why Han Xiao had no interest in engaging in melee combat with a Super-A Grade Martial Artist. Even if he was durable himself, the difference between the main and sub-attributes of a Super-A Grade was a vast chasm. With such a large disparity in stats, close-quarters combat would be pure self-abuse.

Seeing Heber charge at him, he immediately understood Heber’s plan for a swift victory, and he couldn't help but sneer.

While this was the correct tactic for a Martial Artist fighting a Mechanic, it also indicated the Dominator’s confidence in his own destructive power, clearly underestimating his "Indestructible Body" reputation earned at the Calamity Grade.

"Want a quick victory? Is it that easy?"

Han Xiao snorted and casually tossed a Lucky Curse at Heber – regardless of whether it worked, he’d throw it first.

He adopted different tactics depending on his opponents. He immediately switched to a kiting strategy, using his own speed to stay mobile while controlling the mechanical legion to surround Heber.

The Super-A Grade-enhanced mechanical legion boasted even greater performance. With his current Mechanic Affinity bonus, several hundred to thousands of ordinary mechanical soldiers could take on a Calamity Grade opponent. And with [Advanced Machinery Creation] providing sustain, he had nothing to fear from a war of attrition.

Most importantly, the majority of the mechanical soldiers could break through Heber's defenses. Even if the actual damage was reduced too much, the sheer scale of the legion was a force to be reckoned with. Accumulating small amounts of damage could still harm a tank as bug-like as Heber, which was the advantage of a swarm-style player against any class – because mechanical creations grew stronger with the player, human-wave tactics could always pose a threat to opponents of the same grade.

Han Xiao knew that against an opponent like the Dominator, there were no shortcuts. He could only rely on human-wave tactics to grind him down, turning an iron rod into a needle.

The energy of his armor surged into the thrusters, and Han Xiao transformed into a streak of light, weaving and dodging. The vast battlefield provided ample space for him to create distance.

With every gesture, Heber unleashed a torrent of martial aura, like a star releasing energy, blasting apart clusters of mechanical soldiers. However, the shattered machines rapidly reassembled under Han Xiao's control, fearlessly altering their formations to intercept him.

As Super-A Grades, Han Xiao had various mechanical devices to provide power and greater speed. While Heber’s physical flight wasn’t slow, it was still cumbersome in comparison, making it difficult to close the distance.

"Fighting like this will take too long." Heber frowned slightly as he shattered a giant soldier with a punch.

For many years, the Shattered Star Ring lacked a Super-A Grade Mechanic. Heber didn’t have much experience fighting Mechanics of the same grade, but he knew that a Mechanic’s power came from knowledge and time.

Black Star had advanced less than two months ago, limiting his learning time and opportunities to expand his mechanical army. Now, when his wings had not yet fully formed, was the easiest time to deal with him.

Therefore, Heber wanted a one-sided crushing victory, not a prolonged battle.

"I need to put in some effort…" Heber took a deep breath, inhaling not air but the omnipresent dark energy of the universe. Every cell became like a bottomless pit, eagerly absorbing dark energy and rapidly dividing.

In the next moment, his mountain-like body swelled, instantly bursting out of his armor, transforming into a giant dozens of meters tall, entering his second stage.

He was also a unique Super-A Grade new species, and those who advanced to Super-A from the Martial Artist system generally possessed one characteristic: the removal of genetic limiters in their body!

In other words, the strength of his body theoretically had no limit!

Heber extended his hand, aimed at Han Xiao in the distance, and shook his head.

"You certainly have talent. If given time, perhaps you would have a chance to become like the Mechanic Emperor… Sadly."

In the next instant, everyone's vision turned white.

Blinding light erupted from Heber’s palm. This detached wave traveled at an astonishing speed, and it wasn't just a simple emission. Heber could control it remotely, giving it a tracking effect.

Han Xiao dodged it several times, but was eventually struck by the beam of light, bathing his entire body in crimson-gold martial aura.

However, this detached wave didn't explode as expected. Instead, it solidified into tangible energy, like a long, grasping tentacle, seizing Han Xiao.

[Determining Qi Strength Level… Determination Failed, Your Qi Strength Level is Lower than Opponent’s]

[You have entered the (Qi Lockdown) state, You Cannot Release Qi Strength]

Han Xiao was shocked. The martial aura around him generated a suppressive force, causing the mechanical force within his body to completely subside, retreating into his cells and becoming unable to be released. His connection with the mechanical legion was severed.

He tried to break free from the martial aura enveloping him, but encountered terrifying resistance. His body moved extremely slowly, almost as if he was fixed within the crimson-gold beam of light.

"This is…"

Han Xiao’s pupils constricted.

"Come here!" Heber’s hand suddenly jerked, and the crimson-gold beam rapidly contracted, pulling Han Xiao toward him from afar.

Martial Artists tempered and honed their Qi Strength, which was like an extension of their limbs. It could also be imbued with many properties. In terms of the density and potency of Qi Strength, Martial Artists were unmatched among the five Superpower Systems, true masters of its application.

For Martial Artists, so-called skills were simply different martial arts techniques. There were trillions of martial arts schools in the universe, and an endless number of techniques.

This particular move compressed martial aura, unleashing a detached wave that, upon hitting the target, formed a special Qi Strength field. It used the user’s own Qi Strength to suppress the target's Qi Strength, as if laying down layers of barriers around the target to forcibly block their Qi Strength within their body. This was a form of Martial Artist control technique.

Unless one’s Qi Strength realm was higher or equal to Heber’s, it was impossible to avoid. Heber was an old-timer Super-A Grade who had mastered countless Qi Strength cultivation methods, making his Qi Strength realm unfathomable.

Under the control of AI, the mechanical legion unleashed a barrage of attacks on Heber, but without Han Xiao's Mechanic Force boost, they couldn't even break through his defenses.

The floating sentries behind Han Xiao unleashed tractor beams, attempting to pull him out of the crimson-gold beam of light, but Heber’s arm muscles bulged as he infused more energy, and countless light bullets shot out from the beam, blasting apart any approaching machine.

Han Xiao's mind raced.

"I need to find a simple way to break this move. Heber definitely won’t use it only once. Void flash has too long of a cooldown. I can escape once, but not a second time…"

Suddenly, he had a flash of inspiration and activated an ability he hadn't used in a long time - [Chaotic Body Release]!

His whole body suddenly transformed into a cloud of gray mist, becoming his chaotic body form. Then, he used void flash, teleporting out of the interior of the crimson-gold beam, before resuming his human form.

"The Void Clan’s talent, huh…" Heber had seen Han Xiao’s intelligence data and wasn’t surprised.

The intelligence revealed that Black Star’s void traversal had a cooldown of several minutes. Using it now meant losing a trump card.

However, the external intelligence didn’t know that when Han Xiao used void flash-like abilities in the chaotic body state, the cooldown would be reduced to a dozen seconds!

This was a talent from his time as a Chaos Observer. Back then, he wasn’t as famous as he was now, and he rarely exposed this ability in front of outsiders!

Han Xiao re-established the Mechanic Force link to the mechanical legion, and sighed inwardly.

He had originally intended to rely on his own combat strength to contend with the Dominator for a while, but now it seemed that a gap truly existed between him and Heber. Relying on his own durability, his life wasn't in danger, but the situation would definitely be very passive.

Since this was a duel under the public eye, Han Xiao didn't want to be suppressed by Heber throughout the entire fight.

"I wanted to save a little, but it seems I can’t…"

Han Xiao licked his lips, opened the panel, and activated an item.

Character Summon Card – Reynold!

Perfect Mechanical Sense!

Han Xiao suddenly widened his eyes, his pupils flashing with lightning.

The Mechanic Force coursing through the mechanical soldiers became dazzling, and blue-gold light spilled from the gaps in the machines.

In that instant, Han Xiao's Mechanic Affinity soared, a full 1.4x total increase, causing the mechanical legion’s combat power to explode!

Seeing this, Heber paused, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Seems a little different now."

…

"This is the might of a Super-A Grade, so strong…"

The on-site spectators stared at the two fighters with awe. Many only knew the concept of Super-A Grades but had never seen them fight each other in person, and they were now mesmerized.

"Lord Dominator's heroic figure is truly captivating." Jod was visibly excited.

As the saying went, a well-built body was more attractive to the same gender. Most of the Martial Arts-based executives in the War Realm had a personal admiration for the Dominator. Seeing the Dominator showing his might at this moment, the people of the War Realm were very excited.

In contrast, the Crystal Race Civilization and some of the watching cooperative forces were sweating for Han Xiao.

Aimos didn't interfere in the duel. This was an agreed-upon fight. Unless Han Xiao asked, there was no need for her to deal with the Dominator.

At this moment, Aimos kept a close watch on Sisko. Han Xiao had instructed her that if Sisko made any unusual movements, it was best to stop him immediately.

Sisko glanced at Aimos, then turned his gaze to the battlefield, narrowing his eyes.

"Black Star’s strength has improved since I fought him, but he’s still no match for the Dominator. Falling into a disadvantage is inevitable…"

Sisko nodded secretly. The current situation was not beyond his expectations. He deeply understood the Dominator’s strength. Black Star had fought him to a stalemate, but that didn't mean he could fight the Dominator to a draw.

Super-A Grade abilities were diverse and mutually restraining. Sisko wasn't afraid of the Dominator because mental attacks were his weakness. However, he was wary of the Dominator’s raw strength, so the two sides remained on peaceful terms. But Black Star couldn't target the Dominator’s weaknesses as he did, so he could only fight him head-on, and the Dominator’s raw strength naturally exceeded that of a new Super-A Grade.

If it were a normal new Super-A Grade, the Dominator might have killed them, but Sisko had fought Black Star and was the only one who knew Black Star’s details, which he hadn’t revealed to the Dominator.

"Black Star also has a body that is very durable even among Super-A Grades, not much worse than Heber. He should be able to last a long time. They’re still testing each other. When their conditions decline, that’s when I’ll make my move…"

Thinking so, Sisko glanced at the Arcane Church flagship behind him.

He knew that in the flagship’s command room, the fleet commander was waiting for his signal.

Just then, a meteor-like figure flashed through the corner of his eye, flying into the War Realm’s camp not far away, crashing through seven or eight spaceships.

Sisko turned his head to look, and was immediately shocked.

The one who had been sent flying was actually the Dominator?!

Sisko was a little dazed. He suddenly turned his head, looked at Han Xiao, who had activated Perfect Mechanical Sense, and his expression gradually changed.

"It seems that I still underestimated you…"

————

(The new year has begun, brothers, Happy New Year's Day)

(ps: Combat in the universe can't be written with onomatopoeia, it always feels like something is missing…)