Vill-V immediately prepared to intervene.
If she allowed a planet-busting Vanguard of Havoc to attack the fleet, the "mission" she had taken over from the Plague Templar would be a complete failure.
However, the Vanguard of Havoc did not attack.
The blade,凝聚ing with extreme thermal energy, had only just begun to raise when, in the next moment, it hastily shifted back into a defensive stance.
Because...
Just as Vill-V had failed to notice the Vanguard of Havoc's sneak attack, the appearance of this new figure had been completely imperceptible. Mid-length, white hair, and a black-and-white robe.
It was a face that could instill a sense of absolute security just by standing there:
The First Flame-Chaser of the Empire, Kevin Kaslana.
"— -!!"
The Vanguard of Havoc emitted a sound of unknown meaning.
Not only did it not attack, but it maintained a defensive posture and began to slowly retreat. Even in his "initial" human form and bare-handed, Kevin's combat power was genuinely at the planet-busting level.
The First Flame-Chaser was not a title held in vain. Within the entire Empire, Kevin's strength could be ranked solidly in the top three.
"- - —!!"
The language was still incomprehensible.
But from the urgent mental fluctuations, it was clear that the Vanguard of Havoc was in a state of extreme tension. The next moment, the Vanguard that had been confronting Vill-V transformed its entire body into a streak of lightning, instantly disengaging from its current position and charging straight for Kevin's back!
"Watch out!"
The field generated by [Zero Seal] captured the Vanguard's movement.
However, the speed of Vill-V's thoughts couldn't even keep up with the time it took for the Vanguard to launch its surprise attack!
When it had fought her, it hadn't used its full strength at all!
Vill-V had seen Kevin a fair number of times.
Each time a new model of the [Anti-Kevin Armament] was successfully created, she would go find Kevin to test it. After being dismantled by a human-form Kevin every single time, Vill-V changed the frequency to once every three versions, then once every five... until the current rate of once every twenty versions.
Vill-V only knew that Kevin was strong.
But as for how strong... having not seen Kevin go all out for a very long time, she truly had no idea.
The last sparring match initiated by the Monarch dated back more than three hundred years. Other than the participants, no one knew the exact outcome. The only certainty was that the shockwaves emanating from the [Pillar of Heaven], the sparring arena, were clearly felt throughout the [Throne] and even the entire planet.
And now—
"BOOM!!!"
The two Vanguards of Havoc attacked Kevin simultaneously from the front and back.
But...
It was all useless.
"BOOM!!!!!"
The energy shockwave from the explosion sent every starship within a 20,000-kilometer radius flying!
Yet such terrifying power failed to move Kevin in the slightest.
At the end of his outstretched left arm, a sapphire-blue energy sphere the size of a fingertip completely blocked the energy blade thrust forward by the Vanguard. The freezing aura, without a single bit of leakage, demonstrated a control over the [Authority of Ice] that far surpassed Vill-V's. The power's attribute, perfectly opposite and precisely controlled, casually neutralized the Vanguard's [Molecular Disruption].
The explosion came from the Vanguard's [Molecular Disruption].
The [Authority of Ice], compressed into a [Singularity], was so stable that a portion of the Vanguard's high-heat slash, capable of severing a planet's core, had actually "slipped" off upon contact.
That was what had kicked up such a violent storm.
As for the [Atomic Disintegration] from behind...
"Clang."
A greatsword of red, gold, and black, wreathed in turquoise lightning, appeared like a shield directly in front of the attacking Vanguard.
The [Atomic Disintegration], an attack that could dismantle a planet in an instant, couldn't even leave a scratch on the sword's surface!
"— — -!!!"
This was a completely incomprehensible scene.
It caused a huge shift in the Vanguards' mentality. They could sense that the civilizational aura emanating from the person before them was extremely similar to the two they had just fought; they were clearly individuals from the same civilization.
But...
Why was he so strong!?
The Vanguards of Havoc were no mere grunts.
Even for advanced civilizations who were retainers of Astral Gods, facing a Vanguard of Havoc without ample preparation...
Their existence was a true catastrophe for any civilization.
There was no civilization in the sea of stars that the Antimatter Legion was unaware of, especially those whose patron Astral God was active.
In other words, the civilization that had attacked the Sky People and was now standing up to the Antimatter Legion was very likely an existence that had not yet been exposed to the many civilizations of the cosmos. The Antimatter Legion's knowledge was not as "shallow" as the Sky People's. In their short period of observation and contact, they had already discovered this civilization's peculiarity: they used Dominions, but had not embarked on a Path.
To put it simply, this civilization, which had mastered Dominions through some unknown means, did not believe in any Astral God.
"A civilization that became overpowered in its starting zone"—this was the Antimatter Legion's assessment of the Imperial fleet.
It was also the reason they had stood by and watched earlier. The Antimatter Legion did not have many subordinate civilizations. If they could bring this civilization, whose "disposition" was a perfect match, under their banner, it would undoubtedly boost the Legion's combat strength.
The Antimatter Legion was not skilled in persuasion; all the subordinate races they currently controlled had been subjugated by force.
Therefore—
"VWOOM!!!"
Two more Vanguards of Havoc!
As Kevin blocked the attacks of the first two, a third and fourth Vanguard appeared at his sides simultaneously!
"!?"
The most shocked party was not the Empire.
It was Scarab, who had just emerged from the wreckage of the Titan. His [Higher Primordial Species] level strength, combined with the mechanical armor provided by the Antimatter Legion, had allowed him to escape the catastrophe of the Titan's fall.
Of course, Scarab was the only one who had truly survived.
The bridge of the Titan Animus had been the primary target of the Imperial Dreadnought's attack. Furthermore, to be hit by a barrage of photon torpedoes with both shields and structural integrity gone... strength was the foundation, but luck was also a key factor in Scarab's survival.
It was this same Scarab who, upon seeing the scene in the cosmos, felt all his anger instantly vanish.
He felt that he might as well just lie back down in the wreckage.
Those were Vanguards of Havoc! The elite guard of the Lords of Annihilation! The terrifying force that had crushed countless civilizations for the Antimatter Legion!
For a civilization on the level of the Sky People, if they were hostile to the Antimatter Legion and happened to encounter a Vanguard of Havoc—no matter how well-prepared they were, even if they threw in all their assets and prepared for self-destruction... their homeworld and three frontline bases combined wouldn't last an hour.
And such powerful beings were now ganging up on a single "individual unit," and still hadn't won... No, it wasn't that they hadn't won, it was that the Vanguards were the ones being pushed back!
Scarab had to wonder if the massive explosion had damaged his brain, or if he was currently under a psychic attack.
Otherwise, how could he be witnessing such a terrifying scene!
"This..."
"Is this really the civilization we were just fighting?"
"BANG!!!"
The sneak attacks of the two new Vanguards were completely ineffective. Before they could even get close to Kevin, they were nearly blown out of the star system by a terrifying aura!
Translucent, asymmetrical horns of amber gold; a black cross-shaped star on his forehead; a single, tattered demonic wing; and a bare upper body covered in black demonic markings across his ribs.
This was—
[Karma Demon Collapsed State · Progenitor Chimera]
---o---
The half-man, half-beast Karma Demon form.
This was Kevin's true combat state. Maintaining his human form was partly due to certain beliefs he held onto, but also due to issues of control. It wasn't that he couldn't control his own aura, but that in his Karma Demon state, like the Herrscher of Binding of old, he would passively release an ability called [Pressure] that affected friend and foe alike.
The ability's effect was to create fear, with a minimum effective radius the size of a terrestrial planet, affecting all targets of a lower power tier than Kevin.
This explained why Vill-V hadn't seen Kevin's Karma Demon state in so long. Unless the Monarch personally suppressed it, there were fewer than ten individuals on the entire Imperial homeworld who would be unaffected.
At the same time, this ability had another peculiar aspect.
Kevin had integrated too many different genes into his body. While the Monarch's genes could completely suppress them in his human state, once he unleashed his combat power, a second negative side effect would emerge:
[Charm]
Honkai Beasts were a modification and extension of Imaginary energy by the [Astral God of Order]. Although few in number, they did integrate the Dominions of many different Astral Gods. Kevin, who had already fused with the genes of numerous Honkai Beasts and had undergone continuous modification over the years with the addition of Quantum Beast genes, had developed a strange charm (likability) effect that worked on all species (including Quantum Beasts).
Therefore...
Within Imperial territory, Mei had strictly forbidden Kevin from transforming. This was also why Mei's own strength had increased so rapidly: when the Monarch needed a powerful combatant, the Kaslana family had to be able to provide one. As the lady of the house, Mei naturally took on this responsibility.
Returning to the topic at hand.
Although ninety-nine percent of the people present thought Progenitor Kevin looked cool, no one was actually having any strange thoughts. Before a being who could blow away a Vanguard of Havoc with a mere burst of aura, it was already a great feat to endure the fear and remain conscious.
"If these [Vanguards of Havoc] can be called 'planet-busters,' then Kevin's current combat power..." Vill-V, who had suddenly become a spectator, muttered to herself inside the [Anti-Kevin Armament Model 799].
"Should be called 'super planet-buster,' right?"
(A lukewarm piece of trivia: 'planet-buster' usually refers to destroying an Earth-sized planet, while 'super planet-buster' refers to destroying Jupiter. A colder piece of trivia: Jupiter's volume is 1316 times that of Earth, and its mass is 318 times that of Earth.)
"Hiss!"
An immense and unrivaled pressure凝聚d into the greatsword in his hand.
A radiance as brilliant as a solar storm made the Karma Demon's figure impossible to look at directly.
Kevin completely ignored the Vanguards that had been blown away—to be precise, those four Vanguards no longer existed. The fact that the Imperial fleet was unaffected while only the Vanguards were sent flying demonstrated Kevin's extraordinary energy control.
In reality, the instant his aura exploded, the molecular matter constituting the Vanguards' bodies had undergone a process of "acceleration-stagnation" over two thousand times within about five milliseconds. By the time they released energy to stop their backward momentum...
They had already turned to dust.
"VWOOM!!!"
Incandescent heat凝聚d on the sword's edge.
Kevin aimed the greatsword at the distant, motionless [Executor-class Star Destroyer].
And then—
"Celestial Fire · Nirvana."
"ZING!!!!!"
---o---
The brilliance of that moment dimmed the light of a thousand stars.
Every being that stood before the sword's edge, no matter how sturdy their flesh or how detached their soul, was reduced to ash in the furnace-like flames.
Before Kevin, the Star Destroyer, a tool used to topple civilizations, was as fragile as a paper shell—
"?"
The phantom of the Star Destroyer appeared from within the ashes.
The defensive power of this Dreadnought couldn't even withstand a single blow from a Vanguard of Havoc; there was no way it could have survived Kevin's attack.
The only exception...
"Super planet-buster."
A crystal-clear voice resounded in the minds of all living beings in the star system.
"To encounter an 'unaffiliated' being of this level in a forgotten corner of the universe."
It was a giant with the head of a beast, the tail of a scorpion, and six arms sprouting from its shoulders.
"Young life form."
An irrefutable will震慑d the souls of all living things.
Flares like those of a star flickered across its dark brown skin. A being as incandescent as the sun revealed its true form before the [Executor-class Star Destroyer].
It was a colossal existence, its size comparable to the Sky People's homeworld.
"You, and the civilization you lead."
"Join the Antimatter Legion, and bathe together in the glory of Lord Nanook."
"..."
While everyone was stunned by this great being, Kevin, with a slight frown, actually gave it a rare moment of thought before asking the first question since his arrival:
"A Lord of Annihilation?"
"..."
"Hmph."
"So you are not an ignorant native."
A voice filled with disdain, yet tinged with an imperceptible fear, once again sounded from the giant's mouth.
"I am Huititedan, Lord of Stars, Emissary of Destruction."
The [Emissary] favored by an Astral God, and also the true power behind the Sky People.
"The short-sightedness of savages! How can the title of 'Annihilation' encompass me!"
"Submit to my command, and campaign with me."
"Dare to disobey, and you will be scattered like dust."
"..."
In the silent depths of space, Kevin did not answer. Instead, he continued to elevate his own power—the channel for overloading Imaginary energy even shattered the space of the physical world!
His figure also began to shift towards a completely bestial form.
"An Emissary..."
"Good. Those skeletons just now weren't even a warm-up."