Chapter 122 Calamity Erupts

In the following days, the World Tree army lay dormant, launching no further attacks on the borders of the Shining World or the shallow dimensions. The pressure eased, and a brief respite fell upon the flames of war. However, the strategic command of the three great civilizations did not relax in the slightest, their atmosphere one of extreme alert, knowing that this was merely the calm before the storm.

The group armies originally stationed in various star fields for unforeseen circumstances were now deployed, entering a state of war and patrolling vigilantly within their respective areas of responsibility.

The encoded particles had leaked the star chart of the entire explored universe, containing countless spatial coordinates, giving the enemy too many routes to choose from, making it possible for them to invade from anywhere.

Han Xiao dispatched most of his mechanical deities to the main universe, increasing the scale of high-level combat power. Originally, the three great civilizations already had an advantage in the individual level, but if the World Tree launched a full-scale invasion, then the role of high-level combat power would be completely different from that of a frontal war. Their extreme flexibility brought about powerful destructive force, dividing the battle lines into countless fragments. As the defending side, forced to encircle and intercept the opponent, the Beyond Grade A powerhouses on their side would still be insufficient.

In addition to dealing with the changing situation, Han Xiao also secretly searched for lurking spies from foreign civilizations these past few days. Unfortunately, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack, and he had no gains for the moment. However, his exploration of the Super Star Cluster Alliance had yielded some results.

"So, they want to take advantage of the intense battle situation, when the three great civilizations have no time to care for them, and desert their posts, leave their control, head to the unexplored universe, and find a free place to reproduce and develop…"

Han Xiao looked at the intelligence on the virtual screen, his expression somewhat subtle.

They must have been bullied terribly by the three great civilizations to the point where they didn't even want their old home anymore…

He could roughly understand the thoughts of the Super Star Cluster Alliance. Remaining in the explored universe would only lead to endless suppression, always being restrained by the three great civilizations. No matter how they developed, they would never be able to surpass these three ceilings.

At the time of the reshuffle caused by the invasion of a foreign enemy, the Super Star Cluster Alliance considered their future prospects and made a choice. In order for their civilization to develop freely, they decided to venture into the unknown. This was understandable, after all, they and the three great civilizations had never been of one mind.

"This is bad. A full-scale invasion by the World Tree is their chance to run away. If they really do this, it'll be like having mud in their pants, looking like shit even if it isn't."

Han Xiao rubbed his brow, feeling secretly pained.

He had already told the three great leaders about the consequences of a third party stirring up trouble, and even directly pointed out the existence of the Lores civilization. But as expected, the three of them didn't completely disbelieve it, but they only accepted it as one possibility. Unless he could produce solid evidence, the internal spies and traitors would have to continue to be sought out.

Only when the battle situation became chaotic and the three great civilizations couldn't spare the energy, would the Super Star Cluster Alliance be able to execute their plan. But at this time, someone leaked the intelligence, wasn't that a coincidence… To be honest, if Han Xiao didn't know the truth, standing from the perspective of the three great civilizations, he would also think that the Super Star Cluster Alliance was a true wolf. He would believe that they had brought about the full-scale invasion of the World Tree in order to run away themselves.

In his previous life, the Super Star Cluster Alliance did not do this. Instead, they stood on the side of the interstellar society, fighting against foreign enemies together. This time, they had made a completely different choice. Perhaps it was because the time period was different, the high-level personnel were different, and the decision-making logic was different. Or perhaps their situation was subtly different from his previous life, most of which was due to the butterfly effect he had brought about. It was also possible that the Super Star Cluster Alliance had not yet witnessed the power of a full-scale World Tree invasion like they had in his previous life. They hadn't experienced the true threat of this cosmic disaster, so they still felt that they could stay away from the flames of war and would not be affected…

In other words, they hadn't been beaten up by the World Tree.

"I have to persuade the Super Star Cluster Alliance to cancel their escape plan, otherwise, internal division is just around the corner. However, this involves the grand strategy of the future development of civilization. Even if I have a lot of face, the Super Star Cluster Alliance will not be moved by my few words."

Han Xiao pondered secretly.

On the one hand, he didn't want the Super Star Cluster Alliance to take the blame, allowing the third party to get away with it. On the other hand, the interstellar society needed the power of the Super Star Cluster Alliance to resist the invasion of the World Tree. As long as they were determined to fight, their combined combat power could not be underestimated. They were also an important part of the combat power of the explored universe.

"I have to think of a way…"

While he was thinking, an urgent internal message from the military of the three great civilizations popped up on the virtual screen.

"World Tree fleets have been detected in the Old Star River, the Ancient Star Desert, the Sea of Star Spirits, the Black Hole Boundary, the Endless Nebula, the Shattered Star Ring, and other star fields simultaneously! Requesting support! Requesting support!"

Han Xiao suddenly sat up straight, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

They're here!

…

In the Ancient Star Desert, one blue wormhole after another was generated, linked together to form a super-large oval spatial rift, as if a god had cut open the curtain of the universe, leaving a faint blue scar.

Immediately afterward, a green glow rose from the huge spatial rift, turning from dark to bright, from small to large, and finally turned into an overwhelming green tide, pouring out torrentially!

As if an endless World Tree fleet had crossed the border of the Shining World, they descended directly along the wormhole. Dense streams of transition light condensed into beams of light, shooting in all directions, dividing into smaller groups, like plague viruses injected into the enemy's body, beginning to spread in the blink of an eye.

Countless World Tree warriors wore fanatic expressions, as if they were holding a carnival feast. After so many years of stalemate, they had finally broken in to dismember their prey!

As the World Tree fleet passed through the planets, the outer space fluctuated violently. Thick World Tree roots, like drilling through soil, tore apart the spatial rifts, stretched out from nothingness, and plunged into the planets, extracting visible, dazzling energy like straws.

The planetary crust softened, flowing into the World Tree roots like fluid, and the mantle and core materials were also swallowed in large mouthfuls. The planets slowly withered, rapidly heading toward destruction.

Wherever the green tide passed, the stars slowly extinguished, the planets gradually dissolved, leaving only death and desolation.

This reminded the World Tree warriors of the old days, traversing the boundless universe, recklessly tasting the delicious flavors of the enemy's territory, cutting off pieces of flesh from the struggling prey, eating away everything from the enemy like a living sacrifice. We are, after all, the top hunters in the universe, even the only predators!

The same scene was happening in multiple star fields simultaneously.

In a hurry, the Interstellar United Army and the local galaxy and star cluster-level civilizations launched a counterattack, encircling and intercepting, with a bloody battle raging across the explored universe.

The battle lines were divided into countless fragments, and the World Tree powerhouses finally had a place to use their talents, acting in groups of twos and threes, fully exerting the flexibility of high-level combat power, stirring up trouble. Many Beyond Grade A powerhouses of the three great civilizations could no longer stay together, and had to leave Aurora and rush to support various areas separately. Intense battles of individual power erupted everywhere.

The sudden change shocked countless interstellar citizens. The good situation reversed instantly, and foreign enemies ravaged their territory. The panic suppressed in their hearts broke free from the reins of reason, erupting like a volcano, burning away the remaining rationality. Violent riots broke out on multiple refuge planets!

The Ancestor Tree King looked into the distance, his gaze seeming to penetrate the barriers of infinite space, locking onto the direction of the Central Star Sea from afar, and muttered to himself in a low voice:

"Eat, eat everything. You gave us a feast, and we will repay you with despair."

…

In the Shattered Star Ring, at a certain Legion sub-base, Black Star Legion escort fleets were exchanging fire with the invading World Tree fleet, fighting fiercely, and it was difficult to distinguish between them. In the battlefield, there was also a black tide composed of mechanical warrior escorts traversing and tearing apart World Tree battleships one after another.

On a planet not far away, dozens or hundreds of World Tree roots had already been inserted into the star core, absorbing energy. In the outer space, three Holy Tree Apostles were chasing two figures, and five streams of light collided repeatedly.

Clang!

Rothelle held daggers in both hands, one forward and one reverse, his knife speed as fast as lightning, dancing with shimmering silver light. His physique was agile, and he moved back and forth between the three Holy Tree Apostles, engaging in fierce battles. The cold silver daggers collided with lasers and magic again and again, creating bursts of flame.

He looked invincible, but in reality, he was already covered in wounds. During the fierce battle, he also had to take care of Karrot, who was slightly weaker, so he inevitably revealed flaws.

Rothelle slashed out a dazzling blade of light with his crossed daggers, forcing back the Mechanic Holy Tree Apostle he was entangled with. The corner of his eye suddenly lit up with a ray of light. Without hesitation, he dodged sideways. In an instant, gorgeous high-level arcane light pierced through his waist, leaving a patch of scorching marks.

"He dodged the vital point, his reaction is quite fast."

The Magic-type Holy Tree Apostle who had attacked spoke, his tone carrying regret for the missed shot.

Among these three Holy Tree Apostles, two of them had never appeared on the front lines. They were foreign powerhouses who had been biding their time.

It wasn't until they had broken into the territory of the three great civilizations and divided out countless battle lines that the World Tree began to use foreign powerhouses to increase the scale of high-level combat power.

On the one hand, scattered actions were flexible enough, so even if Black Star had a way to awaken foreign powerhouses, they wouldn't be wiped out in one fell swoop. Second, the World Tree was already reckless. As long as it could speed up the invasion, it didn't care about losing some manpower. It had already prepared itself for some of its powerhouses to be cleared by Black Star with [Information State Annihilation].

Rothelle's face was tense. He pressed down on the wound slightly, using his energy to stimulate cells to recover quickly. The wound quickly scabbed over. He scanned the three opponents, his heart filled with awe.

His martial arts style focused on agility, stealth, and assassination. Frontal combat was not his strong suit, and being besieged was even more disadvantageous. At this time, he was already somewhat overwhelmed.

"Are you alright?" Karrot, who was standing next to him, was also covered in wounds. He stood back-to-back with Rothelle, assuming a fighting stance, staring intently at the enemy.

He had only entered Beyond Grade A for a few years, and the new stage of [Martial Dao Limitless] was still being activated. His combat power was still at the level of a newly advanced Beyond Grade A powerhouse. At this time, he was fighting extremely hard, and he might not even be able to defeat any one of the opponents on the field in a one-on-one duel.

The two of them were originally here for special training, but the sudden attack of the World Tree had dragged them into the flames of war.

"I can hold on for a while."

Rothelle adjusted his breathing, and his martial arts aura climbed up again, condensing on the blade.

The five auras locked onto each other. Their figures paused slightly, then suddenly burst out at the same time, once again engaging in a fierce exchange. Blade lights, auras, and magical powers shot out, and the five streams of light were like five threads, tangled into a mess.

Suddenly, Rothelle's figure paused. He slashed out a cross blade of light with his double daggers, shattering the arcane shockwave of the Magic-type Holy Tree Apostle. However, in the shattered light debris, the Mechanic Holy Tree Apostle suddenly appeared, actually thrown over by the Mage's Hand. Eight spider leg-like mechanical limbs suddenly extended from the back of his mech, and the spear tips broke through the protective aura, piercing into Rothelle's body.

Clang!

The silver blade flashed, and the eight mechanical limbs were cut off cleanly, the cut surfaces as smooth as a mirror.

Rothelle retreated violently, manipulating his muscles to squeeze out the spear tips that had broken off inside his body, leaving eight shallow wounds. This little injury was nothing more than a flesh wound to him.

However, just as he was preparing to continue his attack, his body suddenly stiffened, and a faint green glow rose from the wound. The flesh and blood that was originally recovering suddenly began to fester.

"Biological toxin?!"

Rothelle's face changed. He looked up and saw that the broken spear tips that had been bounced away were seeping a green liquid. When he looked at it with his microscopic vision, these green liquids were actually a swarm of dark green miniature molecular robots, carrying astonishing toxins.

Waves of nerve pain surged up like a tsunami. Rothelle's senses suddenly went haywire, as if he had lost control of his body, and he couldn't help but start trembling. The cells in his body were being eroded on a large scale.

A figure flashed, and the last Martial Arts-type Holy Tree Apostle took advantage of the situation, holding a sharp blade made of anti-regeneration alloy, and stabbed straight into Rothelle's cervical vertebrae from behind, wanting to remove his entire spine.

At this moment, Karrot charged in from the side, blocking the Martial Arts-type Holy Tree Apostle. Unfortunately, he was a step too late, and could only throw a punch with a loud bang, trying to force the enemy to retreat to defend.

"You're just a newly advanced Beyond Grade A, yet you dare to…"

The Martial Arts-type Holy Tree Apostle originally wanted to risk being injured in order to take down Rothelle. However, just as Karrot's fist approached, a strong sense of alarm suddenly exploded in his heart!

He saw Karrot's aura flowing like water, all condensed on his fist. The power was restrained but not released, but the momentum of the fist was rising steadily, as if the Milky Way was hanging upside down and the stars were shattering, erupting with an indomitable, intense sharpness.

At that moment, a violent roar containing mental fluctuations exploded like thunder!

"Martial God Fist - Galaxy Severance!"

The fist slammed fiercely onto the arm of the Martial Arts-type Holy Tree Apostle, who hurriedly parried. A strong light suddenly bloomed, stealing the vision of everyone present!

Time seemed to freeze for a moment before beginning to flow.

The other two Holy Tree Apostles regained their vision and hurriedly looked over, only to see Karrot already holding Rothelle and retreating to the side, while the Martial Arts-type Holy Tree Apostle remained in place, still maintaining his parrying stance, but there was no further action.

However, in the next moment, the body of the Martial Arts-type Holy Tree Apostle shattered like cracking porcelain, piece by piece, and finally turned into dust and scattered in the star river, his life extinguished.

Instant kill!

"What kind of move is this?!"

The two remaining Holy Tree Apostles were shocked, almost not daring to believe their eyes. One of their comrades had been killed in seconds just like that.

It would be understandable if it was a peak Beyond Grade A, but was this the power that a newly advanced Beyond Grade A could unleash?!

Rothelle had a chance to catch his breath and suppressed the toxin with difficulty. Seeing this scene, he couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly. "You've already created that kind of fist technique?"

"Hoo… Hoo… Not yet. I've only created two moves so far. I'm still far from perfecting the Martial God Fist."

Karrot had consumed a great deal of energy. This punch had condensed all of his energy, spirit, and mind. Its power far exceeded his rank. At this time, his body was sore, his physical strength was about to bottom out, and his energy was less than one-tenth of what it had been.

When he entered the Beyond Grade A realm, Karrot had some special insights and had an idea. He wanted to create a martial arts style suitable for himself, named "Martial God Fist". He didn't use this name because he was arrogant, but because it contained his expectations for himself. He hoped to create a Beyond Grade A fist technique that would send a cow flying into the sky.

Karrot had been exploring these years, integrating the strengths of various schools. So far, he had only comprehended two scattered moves. Their power was very exaggerated, but the consumption was equally terrifying. With his foundation as a Beyond Grade A Martial Artist, he could only unleash three or four punches at most.

Rothelle looked at the dust that had been formed from the enemy's corpse and clicked his tongue. "What a terrifying move. You've already surpassed me."

"Do you want to learn it? I can teach you."

Karrot smiled shyly.

The two of them thought that this Martial God Fist was very powerful, but if Han Xiao were here, he would be able to see that although the Martial God Fist was very mysterious, it wouldn't be able to exert such great power when used by others. The truly powerful one was Karrot himself.

Because the process of creating the Martial God Fist was also the stage where Karrot integrated all of his knowledge. In this process, he could comprehend a new talent almost every few days. Among them, there were three extremely powerful Martial Arts-type talents.

[Martial Saint's Strong Strike] - Any martial arts skill, when actually used, has its base power increased by 80%~240%!

[Martial God Fist Ancestor] - When you use the "Martial God Fist" series of skills, the base power is increased by 100%~300%!

[One Punch Martial God] - Each time you use a "Martial God Fist" series of skills to hit an opponent, you can trigger a severe injury judgment/instant death judgment (success rate depends on the skill's power, the difference in level, energy level, attributes, etc. between the two sides). If the judgment fails, you will deal an additional 50%~150% damage!

With a large number of martial arts talents, Karrot was only a newly advanced Beyond Grade A, but his explosive power was incredibly powerful. He could even instantly kill the enemy if he was lucky.

Boom, boom…

Karrot clenched his fists and looked at the two Holy Tree Apostles who were in shock and suspicion. He said to Rothelle beside him, "I still have some combat power left. Let's continue. Don't let them run away."

"Alright." Rothelle gripped his dagger, his eyes sharp.

In the time that many people didn't pay attention to, the trump card of the martial artist was quietly taking shape.