"Huo Kong!"
"Huo Kong!"
The vast square, filled with a billion spectators, erupted into deafening chants.More than half of the audience shouted his name with wild enthusiasm. Especially after witnessing the Phoenix transform into a colossal ring of fire, a spectacle that felt nothing short of legendary. It was the mark of a fearsome Supernatural species ascending to the absolute pinnacle of power.
Even among super civilizations, there existed clear hierarchies of strength. The slime worms and sandworms Sebastian once encountered, for instance. They were the weakest of the lot, their subterranean nature allowing them only to scrape into the top two thousand.Melee-focused species like the Black Flame Giant and Golden Behemoth were stronger,but even they stood in the shadow of the Phoenix, a creature born with unimaginable natural gifts.
"The strength of this Huo Kong… it must rank first among all contestants, right?"
"Without question! Just those Phoenix alone, no one can stop them!"
"Even Princess Shia of the empire wouldn't stand a chance!"
Excited voices rippled through the crowd, every spectator feeling a sense of awe and privilege to witness such a peak Supernatural species in battle.
Meanwhile, the audience from Hope's Peak Academy remained completely silent. Even the staunchest supporters of Sebastian could see it clearly now. The Phoenix perfectly countered his Musketeers and aircraft. Especially the planes, against that blazing ring of fire, there was nothing they could do.
Had Sebastian deployed a melee species like the Black Flame Giant, its immense physique might have endured the flames. But against Huo Kong's army, and terrifying Flame Ostriches by his side, even the Black Flame Giant would have been incinerated within seconds.
"The pairing of these two species, air and ground, is flawless," Cyrus sighed from the command area.
"Any new findings on that fire ring?" Lando asked, glancing toward the scientists.
"There are some," one of them replied instantly. Scientists, each a top-tier expert, worked feverishly behind their terminals. Even a heap of rubble could be analyzed by their minds.
"This fire ring contains dense Supernatural energy, with temperatures exceeding anything we've seen. It can ignite missiles on contact," one reported rapidly. "However, we've observed a slight drop in the energy field after several missile detonations."
"That means our missiles can consume part of the fire circle's Supernatural energy," Cyrus mused. "But the effect is minimal."
"To exhaust it completely, we'd need thousands of missiles," the scientist confirmed.
"And if the Flame Birds descend upon us, could our vehicle withstand them?" Cyrus pressed.
"With the new alloy plating, yes, temporarily," came the reply. "But after two or three direct hits, the armor will melt away like wax."
"What about fire-suppression missiles?" Lando interjected.
Developed by the Imperium in recent decades, the fire-suppression missile carried no ammunition, only advanced chemical agents designed to suffocate flames. They had proven invaluable during natural disasters, particularly forest fires, capable of quelling infernos within seconds. But this fire was different. It wasn't mere combustion; it was alive, charged with Supernatural essence.
"I'm afraid they won't work effectively," said the lead scientist, shaking his head. "For ordinary flames, they'd succeed. But against energy fire… the results will be limited.Unless we deploy hundreds of them at once."
"How many do we have left?" Lando asked.
"Three hundred," Cyrus said grimly. "We underestimated them. These Phenoix aren't mere flame birds, they're mutated variants, far stronger."
Even if they launched all three hundred, the effect would barely dent the inferno.
"In that case…" Lando's eyes hardened. "Deploy the Silent Missiles."
"Silent Missiles!?" Gasps spread across the command chamber.
Since the Yeattine Era, the Astra Militarum had guarded this weapon as a top-secret project, an anti-energy weapon designed to neutralize biological energy attacks. Its creation had spanned generations of scientists and breakthroughs in material science.They called it the Silent Missile.
Each one cost more than a small fortress, and the Imperium held fewer than ten in total. Yet all ten had been brought for this Glory Conquest. Each missile was a last-resort trump card, never to be revealed unless absolutely necessary. But now, facing the unstoppable Phenoix, the time had come.
"All warplanes, cover the first ten units. Prepare to launch the Silent Missiles!"Lando's voice was cold and decisive.
Meanwhile, in the control room, Huo Kong's voice echoed in Sebastian's headset, "One minute left. Still not surrendering? I don't want to destroy your units."
"That's not certain," Sebastian replied calmly, "Planning to lure me by attacking the Flame Ostriches so your birds can swoop down for the rescue? Won't work."
"I'll use a thousand Flame Ostriches to crush your Musketeers!" Huo Kong said.
"You're overconfident," Sebastian said, his tone steady. "I've got a few tricks left myself. Keep watching."
The comm line cut off. Sebastian knew of the Astra Militarum's Silent Missiles, and he was fully aware of what was about to unfold.
"In that case…" Huo Kong muttered within his control chamber, eyes glinting. "All Phenoix, attack the enemy on the ground! Strike with full force! Flame Ostriches, stay behind and pursue on command!"
All Phenoix shrieked in unison, their voices like molten thunder. The enormous fire ring, over five hundred meters wide, descended from the heavens, casting its crimson glow over the Astra Militarum forces below. The air itself seemed to burn.
And high above the chaos, beneath a storm fighter's hull, a sleek missile slid into view. From the looks of it, when compared to other missiles, it is not so different. The appearance and size are almost exactly the same. This was also to better confuse the opponent.
Whoosh...
This missile instantly broke through the air. The Silent Missiles, the weapon that could unmake energy itself, locked onto its blazing target and roared toward the firestorm.