"Admit defeat." With those words from Sebastian, everyone around him seemed to awaken from a dream. No matter how difficult the result was to accept, the situation on the battlefield was already crystal clear.
At this moment, the ones being chased and forced into retreat were the Wine Pandas and the Bear Warriors. It could only be described as an absolute defeat. They had no room to resist at all. The result of this match could already be announced: The Coalition had suffered a crushing defeat.
With such an overwhelming numerical advantage, they had not even possessed the strength to fight against 300 Daemons. It was like watching vegetables being chopped apart. An army of 10,000 had been completely defeated, and that was something no one could easily accept.
"Defeat..." Volkmar also sighed heavily and was finally persuaded.
Although Volkmar was a Level 6 Planetary Lord responsible for overseeing this battlefield, Sebastian was the actual commander of the battlefield. Only Sebastian had the final authority to make the decision. At most, Volkmar could offer his advice.
"Only admit defeat." Among the Level 3 Planetary Lords, Jörn and Kanna also shook their heads helplessly.
The other Planetary Lords had no objections either. The situation was already too obvious as their side had no trump card left. The true trump card should have been the Frost Ice Spirit's innate ability, Ice Crystal Bombing, and it had indeed achieved an impressive result, freezing more than 300 Daemons in one attack.
But even that was not enough, as the opponent had merely dispatched 300 Daemons, yet those 300 Daemons had already thrashed their 10,000-strong army into the ground.
Although the battle appeared easy from the Daemon side, Sergey and Baroque both gritted their teeth tightly, unwillingness flashing in their eyes. Both of them were extremely competitive by nature. Not to mention, this was such a crucial first battle. If they lost like this, Sergey and Baroque feared that they would carry regrets in their hearts for the rest of their lives.
But the situation was greater than the individual. No matter how reluctant they were, both of them knew that struggling any further was meaningless. Continuing the battle would only result in even more dying.
Sergey let out a long sigh and helplessly nodded while Baroque clenched his fists tightly. After hesitating for a moment, he finally nodded as well.
"We concede defeat." Sebastian's voice was cold and decisive.
"Haha." When the other side heard the declaration, Eric immediately responded with a smile. "If I remember correctly, this showdown has only just begun. You still have so many Supernatural creatures, and your numerical advantage is obvious. You can continue fighting. Why admit defeat so quickly?"
"Eric, don't get complacent." Kanna's expression was cold as she spoke. "This is only the first battle. We'll let you win this one first."
"What do you mean, let me win first!?" Eric continued laughing. "It's as if you can win whenever you want. To be honest, eons have passed, yet the races you've produced have made no progress at all. They're this weak?" He clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Damn, that's really boring."
"But fine." Eric waved his hand. "Dismiss."
Following his order, the Daemons that had been relentlessly pursuing the Wine Pandas and Bear Warriors immediately stopped and returned to their formation.
At this moment, more than 3,000 Wine Pandas and Bear Warriors had already fallen, while countless others were seriously injured. The casualties were staggering.
On the Daemon side, however, there was not even a minor injury. Such a completely disproportionate result caused everyone's expression to become extremely heavy.
"How could this be!?" Jeffery could not hide the confusion in his voice. "When did the Daemons become so powerful?"
"Perhaps Eric is the leader of the younger generation of the Warp, so the Daemons he created are naturally stronger." One Planetary Lord offered a guess.
"No." Kanna shook her head. "Don't forget. We are also the top of the younger generation."
She paused for a moment before continuing. "Don't say anything else. Just look at the head-on confrontation between the Golden Dragon and the Daemon. I believe everyone here has already seen something."
"Yes." Sergey, who had a deep understanding of the previous battles, nodded solemnly. "When these Daemons faced the Golden Dragon, the Golden Dragon probably wouldn't even be able to hold on for one round. And these are only Low-Level Daemons."
He took a deep breath. "In that war, although the Golden Dragon was generally at a disadvantage when confronting the Daemons, it had never been so completely humiliated."
Sergey's expression gradually became serious. "So... I'm afraid we have to consider a terrifying possibility."
He glanced at everyone. "After many years, the Daemons in the Warp have evolved."
His voice became heavier. "It was a Group Evolution."
Group Evolution. This was a professional term, and something similar had happened in their area before, although it was relatively rare. As the name suggested, when a certain environment changed, or the supply of resources was altered, a phenomenon known as "Group Evolution" could occur. The survivability of an entire species would be greatly enhanced, while its overall strength would rise to an entirely new level.
"That's the most likely explanation." Volkmar, who knew more about the subject, also spoke solemnly. "It is estimated that the environment within the Warp has deteriorated, forcing the Daemons to fight among themselves more fiercely."
He paused. "But according to the previous theory, the Daemons that survived such brutal competition would naturally evolve and become stronger."
His eyes narrowed. "This is an extremely important discovery."
"What are you discussing now?" At this moment, Eric's voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. "Are you wondering why the strength of our Daemons has improved so much?"
Eric laughed. "I won't hide it from you. That's right. The Warp has indeed changed somewhat, and those changes have made us stronger. However, it wasn't environmental degradation. As for the specifics... you can guess for yourselves."
"Hahaha!" Eric threw his head back and laughed loudly.
"It's not environmental degradation?" Hearing Eric's words, everyone's expressions changed.
Eric looked at them with undisguised arrogance. "You've been living comfortably for far too long. Don't make such a fuss. Even the species you've created are nothing but weaklings. The Golden Dragon is still as weak as a reptile, while the other two are even weaker."
He sneered. "Such creatures wouldn't even rank among the top 10,000 species in the Warp."
Hearing Eric's mocking tone, both Sergey and Baroque clenched their fists, but neither of them spoke. What Eric said was exaggerated, but based on the performance on the battlefield, the Wine Panda and Bear Warrior were indeed inferior.
"Except for that Frost Ice Spirit." Eric continued sneering. "There is nothing else here worthy of a second look. The leader of the younger generation in your area is truly weak."
"Don't get complacent, Eric!" Jeffery immediately became furious and retorted. "Victory and defeat are normal in battle. What exactly do you think it proves just because you won one battle?"
"Oh?" Eric sneered. "Could you be more powerful than the ones who came before you?"
He tilted his head. "Then come up and compete with me."
"I'm average," Jeffery responded with an awkward expression.
"Average strength?" Eric's sneer deepened. "Then why are you talking so much? Hurry over to the side and lie down obediently; you don't have a voice here."
"Is there no one in your place?" He suddenly paused. "Wait, that's right... Isn't there another one? That Competition was hosted by the Council and one of the strongest champions in history..."
Eric's gaze swept across the crowd. "What about Sebastian? How about it? After seeing the Daemons' performance just now, are you scared? Cowardly? Shrank?"
Sebastian slowly stood up. "Are you looking for me?"
"You are... that Sebastian?" Eric's tone changed immediately, and the arrogance in his voice was noticeably reduced.
"I am," Sebastian answered calmly.
"Very good." Eric stared at him for a moment before speaking. "I simply didn't bother paying attention to those weaklings just now. Since you're the champion, then come play with me. I want to see exactly how much stronger you really are."
"You want to fight me?" Sebastian smiled lightly.
"What? Are you afraid?" Eric asked with a grin.
"I'm not afraid." Sebastian's expression remained calm. "But I'm going to take every step carefully. I don't want to have any regrets later."
"Hahaha!" Hearing Sebastian's words, Eric immediately burst into laughter. "If you have that kind of strength, then just show me. I'm afraid you won't be much stronger than the few who came before you."
"I checked your information. Those people just now, Augustus, Sergey, Iris, and the others, were all among the top-ranked contestants." His smile became increasingly mocking. "Their strength was much weaker than I expected. I suppose you're the champion because the others simply weren't strong enough, right?"
"Wait and see." Sebastian smiled slightly, and he did not say anything else.
"Captain." The others shifted their gazes toward Sebastian, and Jeffery was the first to speak. "I want to fight Eric?"
There was an obvious trace of worry in his voice.
It wasn't only Jeffery. Whether it was Kanna, Jörn, or the other veteran Planetary Lords around them, everyone's expression had become somewhat solemn. The strength of the Daemons was something everyone had witnessed clearly.
They were not merely a little stronger than the Golden Dragon, Wine Panda, and Bear Warrior. They were on an entirely different level. When those 300 Daemons had been dispatched, the two sides had not even been fighting on equal terms. The gap was simply too enormous.
Although Sebastian was recognized as one of the strongest champions in history, no one knew whether he could overcome such a terrifying opponent.
"It's war now." Sergey deliberately emphasized the word "war." "This isn't a family fight. If you lose a game, then you lose. In an ordinary competition, it wouldn't affect the overall situation of the war. But you're different, you're the champion."
Sergey didn't continue, but everyone understood what he meant. The championship itself wasn't the most important thing; the key was that Sebastian was now regarded as a representative of the younger generation. Once Sebastian lost the next battle, the consequences would be extremely serious. The blow to the morale of the younger generation would be enormous.
"Better to refuse." Volkmar also spoke. "Don't waste your energy on this kind of emotional struggle. There is nothing substantial to gain by winning, but if you lose, that would mean two consecutive defeats. Then there would be no way out."
Volkmar's meaning was extremely clear. Sebastian was the champion and the leader of the younger generation.
If he refused to fight, the Daemons would not be able to completely crush the younger generation of the Endless Star Territory.
But if he accepted the challenge and lost, the consequences would be devastating. The younger generation could be completely crushed by the Warp.
That would create an atmosphere of despair, and it would not only affect this Origin Planet. It could have an extremely negative impact on every battlefield across the galaxy.
The others around them, including Kanna, Jörn, Iris, and the others, did not speak, but the meaning written across their faces was obvious. They could not afford to lose this battle. This was war, not a game being played at home. There was no need to engage in a battle of wills and take such an enormous risk.
Sebastian understood everyone's concerns. In war, one had to avoid making even the smallest mistake. However, there was one thing that no one else knew. The current strength of Greater Terra and the Astra Militarum was no longer what it had been in the past.
Although the Daemons had undergone Group Evolution and had become far more powerful than they had been in the past, the Astra Militarum had also grown. Compared with their performance in the finals of the competition, the Astra Militarum was now much stronger.
"Of course." Volkmar continued. "This is only our suggestion. Whether you want to do it or not depends on your own will. You are the Captain, so you make the decision."
Sergey, Kanna, Jörn, Iris, Augustus, and the others all looked toward Sebastian. They were waiting for his answer.
Sebastian smiled slightly. There was nothing to consider. Even before the first match had begun, Sebastian had already prepared himself for the second battle. There was no need to use the ability of the system. Based solely on his intuition and judgment, he had already keenly sensed that this invasion would be terrifying. If they became even slightly careless, the entire galaxy could suffer a disastrous end.
"I have confidence in myself." Sebastian glanced at everyone. "Besides, our opponent, Eric, is only the tenth-ranked person among the younger generation. If even we can't deal with someone ranked tenth, then I feel there is no need to continue fighting in the battles that follow."
Sebastian's tone remained flat, but everyone could hear the confidence and composure hidden beneath his words.
"This is the champion of the Star Competition?" Kanna looked at Sebastian again. "The one who defeated Augustus and was recognized as the most outstanding newcomer in the history of the Endless Star Territory?"
A realization suddenly appeared in her heart. Although Sebastian, Augustus, and the others had all been top performers in the competition, first place was still only first place on the ranking. The true difference in strength between them was far greater than a simple ranking could show. Now that Captain Sebastian had made his decision, even if someone disagreed, they did not dare to openly object.
The crowd fell silent and began waiting quietly. Before the next match began, everyone had believed that Sebastian should not have accepted Eric's challenge. But deep down, no one wanted to accept such a humiliating defeat in Game 1. Especially a defeat in which they had been completely powerless to resist. It was simply unacceptable.
As a Planetary Lord, and especially as the leader of the Endless Star Territory, enduring humiliation was not something that came easily.
"How about it?" At this moment, Eric's voice sounded again, and he chuckled. "Sebastian, the leader of the younger generation of the Endless Star Territory. How have you decided? Do you dare to compete with me?"
Sebastian's voice remained calm. "The competition will begin in ten minutes."
Sebastian didn't bother wasting any more time. The Astra Militarum had already completed their preparations, so they were simply waiting for the battle to begin. The high-tech weapons that had been upgraded throughout the past several decades were finally about to enter the battlefield. It just so happened that these Daemons had come directly to their doorstep.
"Start in ten minutes!?" Hearing Sebastian's words, Eric was startled.
Ten minutes of preparation time was incredibly short, and it was almost reckless. But Eric didn't immediately respond; Sebastian had not only accepted his challenge, but had done so without the slightest hesitation. That made the situation feel strangely abnormal.
Although Eric's tone had been arrogant from beginning to end, he was not actually stupid. His expression gradually became more serious.
"What is it, Eric?" Jeffery immediately laughed. "You were the one who wanted to challenge our leader. Now you're afraid?"
"Who said I was afraid!?" Eric immediately became irritated. "For your leader, this time I won't be courteous!"
"See you on the battlefield." Sebastian's voice was calm, and he said nothing more as he immediately began issuing the directives to the Astra Militarum.
And so, decades later, the first major battle of the Astra Militarum was officially about to begin. Their opponent was the Warp Daemon, a species they had never encountered before.
Would this battle become a bloodbath? Of course, the answer was yes... For the poor bastard of Chaos.