Above the Institute of Technological Research's base, Black Shadow, cloaked in darkness, gazed toward the three battlefronts—the south, west, and east.
The first field deployment of the prototype War Machines had already yielded impressive results, delivering devastating damage to Star City's forces in just a short period of time.
However, their lack of mobility was already a glaring weakness.
Moments ago, in the southern sector, a War Machine had barely begun its assault before being dismantled from within, its core energy system detonated, obliterating it from the inside out.
Yet, the loss of a single War Machine barely caused a ripple in Black Shadow's mind.
His attention shifted westward.
His vision blurred momentarily, then zoomed in sharply, revealing the battlefield unfolding in the western sector.
Three War Machines had advanced into the fray.
Under his watchful gaze, metallic stabilizers extended from the machines, piercing deep into the ground, anchoring their massive frames. At the same time, their weapon platforms slowly unfolded.
Spirit energy laser cannons, flamethrowers, rapid-fire guns, annihilation beams…
As gears locked into place, various spirit energy weapons emerged onto the platforms, each one primed for destruction.
The energy cores deep within the War Machines surged to life, channeling power into their weapon systems.
The moment the indicator lights flashed blue, a relentless storm of firepower rained down on the Dawn Army's rear lines, turning the battlefield into a blazing inferno.
The entire western zone was illuminated like daylight, engulfed in flames and devastation.
The short but devastating barrage left the Star City forces in shambles, casualties mounting rapidly.
A smirk formed on Black Shadow's face as he revealed his jagged blue teeth in amusement.
But his smile vanished instantly.
A brilliant jade-colored light suddenly burst forth from the western battlefield.
One of the War Machines—the first to engage—was struck head-on by a massive, ethereal jade fist, materializing out of nowhere.
The colossal war construct shattered instantly upon impact, its components scattering across the battlefield.
Its energy core never even had the chance to explode before it was completely consumed by the jade radiance, reduced to nothing more than glimmering blue particles.
Before Black Shadow could react, a second jade fist materialized—
The second War Machine met the same fate, reduced to a storm of flying debris.
Then came the third…
Three consecutive punches.
Three War Machines annihilated.
Not a single defensive mechanism activated—they never even had the chance.
Black Shadow's eyes widened in shock.
His vision darted around the battlefield, finally locking onto the figure wrapped in the jade glow—the one who had singlehandedly obliterated three War Machines in an instant.
A sense of dread crept over him.
Even though these War Machines were only prototypes, their defensive capabilities had been rigorously tested by the Institute of Technological Research—they had earned an A1 combat rating, one of the highest classifications in the institute's records.
Each War Machine's outer shell was forged from three types of high-grade metals:
The outermost layer—Candlefire Gold, harvested from the Candlefire Domain Field, known for its high durability and kinetic absorption properties, designed to store incoming energy and channel it into the machine's core.
The middle layer—Dawnlight Iron, offering superior magical resistance, capable of dissipating a portion of incoming spell damage while providing exceptional hardness and flexibility.
The innermost layer—Starlight Stone, a rare mineral recorded in the resource database, primarily enhancing energy conduction and internal signal stability, while being extraordinarily tough.
Together, these three layers formed an impenetrable defense—in theory.
Destroying a War Machine from the outside was several times more difficult than taking it down from within.
And yet—
This one figure, enveloped in a jade glow, had annihilated them all with a single punch each.
Black Shadow was stunned.
Even if he personally engaged in combat, he knew he couldn't pulverize a War Machine in one strike.
His expression darkened.
A new powerhouse had arrived in Star City—and they were far beyond his expectations.
After a brief moment of disbelief, Black Shadow's face twisted with frustration.
This war was never supposed to happen.
Even now, he failed to understand why Star City had declared war on Future City.
In search of answers, he had gathered mountains of intelligence—but none of it explained the sudden hostility.
With communication lines severed, there was no way for him to reach Star City's leadership and demand an explanation.
It seemed Star City had made up its mind—
This war would not be avoided.
Even so, Black Shadow had full confidence in victory.
Under his rule, Future City had undergone years of development, its military power reaching new heights.
To secure victory, he had even unlocked the full arsenal, distributing advanced spirit energy weaponry to the City Defense Corps—weapons that were never meant for public deployment.
He had assumed that fully armed defense forces would dominate Star City's coalition forces.
It wasn't arrogance.
It wasn't blind faith in Future City's technological advantage.
Nor did he underestimate the power of cultivation-based warfare.
He had always believed that humanity's decision to prioritize cultivation over technology was the right choice—that abandoning technological advancements in favor of spiritual cultivation would lead humanity to a brighter future.
While technology offered efficiency, it was constantly hindered by the world's limitations.
Spirit energy, on the other hand, was universal, existing in every domain field and world.
But humanity's cultivation system was still in its infancy—even after hundreds of years, it was far from perfected, offering limited power compared to its full potential.
He had believed that against Future City's superior firepower, Star City's warriors wouldn't stand a chance.
But the reality unfolding before him was far from what he had predicted.
The war had already spiraled out of control—
And Star City's mysterious powerhouse had thrown the entire battle into chaos.
Especially in the western sector, where the jade-colored figure stood.
She was a force of absolute destruction, an impenetrable wall that no defense could withstand. Every barrier before her crumbled like fragile paper.
Like a blade cutting through Future City's defenses, she carved open a path for the Star City warriors, leading them in a relentless advance.
Black Shadow's eyes flickered with a vicious gleam.
But after a moment, the ferocity faded, replaced by a deep sigh of resignation.
His thoughts drifted to Old Day City's people.
Some secrets could not be revealed unless absolutely necessary. Once exposed, there would be no turning back.
He was a traitor to the Psionic Race, his true identity buried within the depths of the Institute of Technological Research for years.
If the Psionic Race ever discovered his whereabouts, he had no doubt that they would hunt him down without mercy.
After all, he had stolen a miraculous artifact that had cost his former race an astronomical price to obtain.
As a former member of the Psionic Race, he understood all too well just how terrifying they had become.
With the Sacred Spirit Consciousness Vault, the Psionic Race's growth had skyrocketed, their knowledge accumulation accelerating at an exponential rate.
Their vast technological advancements, combined with the deadly weapons they had developed, ensured that their military power was rising at a terrifying speed.
Once, the Psionic Race had been just another insignificant species within the Domain World, oppressed and enslaved by many others.
But if they were to return now, they would reign supreme over the second layer of the Psionic Domain. Even the Mist Clan, once the strongest force in that layer, would stand no chance against them.
In fact, with their current strength, the Psionic Race could easily expand their territory, conquering countless other Domain Worlds in the process.
This was why he had never dared to reveal his identity.
The Psionic Race loomed over him like a shadow, a constant reminder of the danger he faced.
Gazing once more toward the western battlefield, Black Shadow sighed.
"Don't force me..."
5:00 AM.
The war had raged on for four hours.
The skies remained dark, thick clouds swirling overhead as lightning crackled through the storm. The rain poured down relentlessly, yet it could not wash away the blood staining the battlefield.
Under Feng Qi's lead, the Dawn Army had fought tooth and nail, pushing forward into the southern central district of Future City.
Along the way, they had encountered three War Machines.
Thanks to Feng Qi's coordination with the military warriors, the last two War Machines were destroyed in record time, giving them no opportunity to unleash their full firepower.
As the battle pressed forward, countless buildings were reduced to rubble.
Fortunately, the residents of Future City had already evacuated into air raid shelters and other safe zones, avoiding direct casualties.
The defensive infrastructure of Future City was fundamentally different from that of a shelter.
Air raid shelters were meant for temporary survival, designed to withstand sudden disasters. While they contained emergency supplies, they lacked shelter-grade food circulation systems—meaning that once the energy reserves ran out, survival would become impossible.
Not just Future City, but the other four major cities had also built numerous air raid shelters to serve the same purpose.
The war grew more brutal by the second.
The Dawn Army's casualties had already reached one-third of its total force—countless young warriors had fallen in battle, their lives cut short before they could truly begin.
The battlefield had become a meat grinder, consuming human lives without pause.
But the City Defense Corps was suffering just as much.
Among them were veteran soldiers with years of battle experience, but also young recruits, many of whom had been drafted from Future City's academies.
They weren't positioned at the frontlines, but instead manned armed vehicles, operated heavy artillery, and controlled technological weapons from a distance.
Most of these young recruits were graduates from the Institute of Technological Research or the Future Research Institute, trained extensively in mechanized warfare.
But since these mechanical weapons were responsible for massive Dawn Army casualties, they naturally became the primary targets of the Dawn soldiers.
Which meant that those controlling them were also marked for elimination.
As the battle raged, Feng Qi saw firsthand the unshakable determination of the Dawn Army warriors—
But he also saw the same spirit in the soldiers of the City Defense Corps.
Moments ago, he had torn open the armored plating of an enemy combat vehicle—
And had come face-to-face with a young soldier sitting at the control panel.
The moment their eyes met, the young defender did not hesitate.
With a defiant expression, he raised his middle finger—
And slammed his hand down on the self-destruct button, attempting to take Feng Qi down with him.
Scenes like this were happening everywhere.
Each side had reasons they could not retreat from—making this battle all the more merciless.
At the start of the war, some soldiers had hesitated, feeling uncertain about their role in the conflict.
But as the battle intensified, as their friends, comrades, and loved ones fell before them—
That hesitation was replaced by hatred.
Their rage and grief now fueled their unwavering determination to fight.
By this point, Feng Qi had lost count of how many City Defense Corps soldiers he had killed.
Normally, his Blood Source form could only be maintained for around ten minutes.
If he expended too much blood energy, or forced his body into an overdrive state, the duration would be drastically reduced.
To sustain his Blood Source form, he had no choice but to use the special glove on his right hand—a tool designed to absorb blood from fallen enemies, converting it into vital energy.
This glove had been specially crafted for him by the Crimson Research Institute.
Back when he had first awakened his Blood Source transformation, he had no means to replenish his energy.
Recognizing this flaw, the Crimson Research Institute had spent several days developing a custom solution—a glove that could directly extract and refine fresh blood into energy.
Since then, Feng Qi had never taken it off, even while sleeping.
Under normal circumstances, the glove appeared entirely unremarkable. Its material and texture seamlessly blended with the skin, allowing for complete freedom of movement without any interference in daily activities.
At the same time, the glove possessed remarkable durability and elasticity. Even in Feng Qi's Blood Giant form, it remained intact without tearing apart.
The principle behind its blood absorption lay in the intricate psionic formations engraved within. These formations came from the Institute of Technological Research, a gift from Li Xingchen in the past.
During battle, as long as Feng Qi activated the engravings on the glove, its internal energy core would be triggered, automatically siphoning the surrounding blood energy, funneling it into his body to maintain his Blood Source Form.
Fortunately, he had only borrowed the abilities of the primary timeline and had not inherited its erasure properties. Otherwise, any lifeform he drained of blood energy would be completely wiped from existence—erased from time itself.
The brutal battle raged on. The blood mist around Feng Qi swirled continuously, absorbing the lingering blood energy in the air and transforming it into raw strength.
By now, he had become the primary target of the City Defense Corps.
Under the relentless assault from all sides, even with his overwhelming regeneration, his body was covered in fresh wounds. However, the moment blood mist surged back into him, the injuries healed in real-time, not even leaving behind scars.
As he pressed forward, a new obstacle appeared.
A towering City Defense Corps officer stood in his path. He was a burly warrior, clad in reinforced combat armor, gripping a dark-red battle blade covered in engraved runes.
From his uniform alone, it was clear—he was high-ranking.
But Feng Qi did not slow down. Instead, he charged straight at him.
The burly officer swung his engraved blade, and in an instant, sword energy formed from condensed psionic force slashed toward Feng Qi in a crisscrossing pattern.
Feng Qi recognized this martial principle immediately—it was Momentum.
Unlike Lü Yue's Sword Momentum or the Fist Momentum he cultivated, this officer's Momentum manifested as blade energy.
The incoming slashes radiated an oppressive force, a dominant and overwhelming aura that seemed to declare absolute supremacy.
In response, Feng Qi's own Momentum awakened. The fire within his chest ignited violently.
Without hesitation, he threw his right fist forward while sprinting.
A crimson fist projection erupted from his strike, colliding head-on with the incoming blade energy.
The resulting explosion sent a shockwave rippling outward, sweeping away nearby soldiers like ragdolls.
At the same time, Feng Qi's fist collided directly with the officer's dark-red blade.
Unlike the weapons he had easily shattered before, this psionic-forged battle blade was immensely durable.
The moment his fist struck the blade, cracks spread across his knuckles, his skin splitting apart.
Seeing this, Feng Qi instantly retracted his right hand and allowed the blade to cleave into his shoulder instead.
It wasn't that he feared injury.
Rather, he couldn't risk damaging the glove on his right hand.
The battle blade sank into his shoulder muscles, only to be clamped down by his dense muscle fibers, locking it in place.
Seizing the moment, Feng Qi launched a devastating left punch.
His strategy was simple—exchange wounds for victory.
The officer barely had time to react before Feng Qi's fist slammed into his skull.
However, instead of his head bursting apart, a glowing blue energy shield flared to life—the officer's medal of honor had activated an emergency psionic barrier.
Feng Qi had expected this.
After all, he had spent years inside the Institute of Technological Research and was familiar with their psionic weapons and defensive tools.
Back then, he had studied these technologies specifically to counter them.
Now, dark-green flames spread from his body, quickly corroding the psionic shield, making it flicker and weaken.
Then, he drove his knee upward with immense force.
A sickening crack rang out.
The moment the psionic barrier shattered, his knee slammed into the officer's skull.
Given Feng Qi's towering physique in Blood Giant Form, this knee strike was devastating.
The officer's skull fractured instantly, and his body was launched backward, airborne from the impact.
The blade energy field he had projected dissipated as he lost consciousness.
Feng Qi wasted no time.
He chased after the airborne officer, raising his hand like a blade, and chopped down at his chest.
With a sharp crack, his ribs shattered—his heart stopped beating instantly.
There was no room for mercy.
Perhaps in another timeline, he and this City Defense warrior could have been comrades.
But in this battlefield, nothing mattered except pushing forward.
Hesitation would only mean betraying the comrades who fought alongside him.
With the officer slain, Feng Qi turned toward the distant Institute of Technological Research, his gaze dark with killing intent.
There was still a long way to go.
But he and the Dawn Army had already prepared to fight to the last man.
With a feral roar, Feng Qi slammed his palms together, unleashing a storm of raw blood energy.
The violent shockwave blasted aside the City Defense Corps warriors blocking his path, clearing a dozen-meter-wide opening.
As the ground beneath his feet crumbled, he lunged forward like a predatory beast.
Once again, he became the spearhead of the Dawn Army, carving open the path for his comrades.
Tomorrow, the battle would rage on.
The fight was far from over.