After setting up a specialized 'Vector Matrix,' Tendo's voice resonated clearly in every corner of the plaza.
"This formation is called the 'Azure Star.' Within the matrix, there are three layered effects."
"First is early-warning perception. The airspace within a thousand-mile radius is under monitoring. As long as Abyss energy or ill-intentioned individuals approach, they will be instantly locked on, and the information will be synchronized to the Star Envoy Association central hub."
"Second is defensive sealing. It can withstand the full-force bombardment of a late-stage Natural Disaster Realm expert, and can hold for over an hour even against multiple Natural Disaster experts joining forces."
"Third is active strangulation. The vector blade shadows within specifically counter Abyss creatures. Even a projection of a high-ranking Abyss Lord would find it difficult to resist."
Just as Tendo finished speaking, he flicked his finger. A slender azure line of force shot into the light net with a sharp whoosh.
In the next second, the massive light net ignited instantly. Countless azure runes surged across the surface like playful fireflies. An aura carrying the pressure of universal laws diffused outward, causing the Star Envoys below to hold their breath instinctively.
In the distant sky, a suicidal low-level Abyss winged insect accidentally blundered into the warning range. The moment it touched the edge of the light net, it was sliced into fragments by countless tiny vector blade shadows—shing shing shing—disappearing completely before it could even let out a buzz.
'Hahaha, that Abyss insect is so pitiful. A perfect demonstration of what it means to be obliterated upon contact.'
'The speed of those blade shadows is insane! You can't even see them with the naked eye.'
'The expressions on the Star Envoys' faces are so real. They look like they're worshiping a god.'
While the previous Tendo was certainly powerful enough, compared to his current Natural Disaster-class strength, the interdimensional audience felt that the current Tendo and his former self were simply on two different planes of existence.
Because while the old Tendo was strong, he belonged to a category where one could still see a "shadow" of his limits.
The current Tendo... he had already exceeded the expectations of most viewers. It was impossible to judge where his upper limit actually lay.
Amidst the banter of the bullet comments, the high-level officials of the Martial Arts Capital Star Envoy Association in the frame acted like a pre-arranged "hype squad."
They began to praise Tendo's action one after another.
The white-haired elder was so excited his body trembled slightly. He spoke up: "On behalf of the Martial Arts Capital's Star Envoy Association and its many citizens, I thank your Excellency for your assistance."
After speaking, he bowed deeply. The other Star Envoys followed suit, saluting one after another.
While this gesture carried a heavy sense of performance, as the saying goes, everyone helps carry the bridal sedan. Facing the crowd's "goodwill," Tendo lightly raised his hand, and a gentle force field firmly lifted everyone up.
"There is no need for this. This is what I ought to do."
As his words fell, Tendo's gaze swept across the Star Envoys in the plaza, finally landing on Lei Xiao and Shi Jian.
"Senior Lei, Senior Shi, I'll leave the subsequent cleanup and resource inventory of the Meteor Ruins to you two to lead."
"Although the Abyssal Heavens Organization has been destroyed, there might still be remnants hiding. We must clean them out completely; don't give them a chance to rise from the ashes."
"Rest assured."
Lei Xiao and Shi Jian responded in unison, their eyes filled with gravity.
At that moment, Tendo's azure Star Eclipse Eye suddenly lit up. His gaze pierced through layers of void like paper, looking toward the sub-space direction where the main body of Pisces was located.
He could clearly feel that Pisces' energy fluctuations were becoming increasingly violent, and it was rapidly gathering other Abyss energies.
Obviously, that fellow was not resigned to defeat.
More interestingly, there were several different powerful Abyss auras faintly present beside Pisces. It seemed it had found reinforcements to back it up.
Detecting this, the corner of Tendo's mouth hooked into a cold yet somewhat playful arc. There was no trace of fear in his eyes; instead, they were full of the excitement of battle.
"It seems it still hasn't given up hope..."
With a thought from Tendo, the azure vector force field around him expanded once more. This time, he did not restrain it. Instead, it spread toward the deeper parts of sub-space, forming an invisible energy barrier that completely isolated the Martial Arts Capital from the dangerous outer regions.
Then, Tendo raised his hand and grasped at the void. An azure token, condensed from pure vector laws, appeared in his palm with a snap.
The token was covered in complex runes; it was the control core of the 'Azure Star.' He handed the token to the President of the Martial Arts Capital's Star Envoy Association, his tone becoming a bit more serious.
"This is the control token for the Azure Star. If you encounter an emergency, crush the token and I will sense it instantly and return immediately."
The white-haired elder took the token and solemnly promised: "Rest assured, I will not use it lightly."
Having handled these matters, Tendo's figure shifted, turning into a streak of azure light that flew toward the sub-space outside the Martial Arts Capital with a zoom.
After his breakthrough, not only was his control over the Vector Path smoother, but he had also unlocked the 'Space Jump' skill. Without relying on a Star Energy Ship, he could traverse sub-space at will, moving much faster than even top-tier starships.
Meanwhile, in the distant sub-space, the atmosphere within Pisces' palace was so oppressive it felt like it could drip water.
Pisces clutched the wound on its chest, its expression terrifyingly dark as ghostly blue blood continuously seeped through its fingers. Standing before it were three Abyss powerhouses also radiating Natural Disaster Realm auras—all companions from the Zodiac.
The projection clones of Cancer, Scorpio, and Aquarius.
The figures of these beings were hidden in shadows, making it impossible to see them clearly. However, from their deep and heavy auras, it was clear that even as mere projection clones, their strength was beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
After all, their true bodies were 'Legendary' existences that surpassed the Natural Disaster level.
"Pisces, is that human called Tendo the one you spoke of?"
"To be able to wound you from such a distance, this human's strength is no simple matter."
The projection of Cancer spoke with a raspy voice, its tone carrying obvious wariness.
"Hmph, it was just luck!"
Pisces snorted coldly, its eyes filled with venomous resentment.
"He has just broken through to the Natural Disaster Realm; his foundation isn't stable yet. Now is the best time to capture that brat alive."
Hearing this, a hint of sinister intent flashed in the eyes of Scorpio's projection.
"Capture alive? Too much trouble. Just kill him."
Just as they were discussing how to deal with Tendo, an azure vector force line suddenly pierced through the spatial barrier of the palace with a pfft, nailing itself into the ground before them like a sharp sword.
The vector force line carried Tendo's icy will, instantly causing the auras of the four Natural Disaster powerhouses to stiffen.
"Finding you guys really wasn't easy."
Tendo's voice traveled along the vector force line, piercing through the void to explode within the oppressive palace.
Without giving Pisces and the others a chance to respond, the azure vector line nailed to the ground suddenly erupted. A ripple of pale blue energy surged outward, blasting a pit several kilometers deep into the palace floor, sending rubble and energy fragments flying.
Once this was done, the vector line dissipated into points of light, as if it were merely an 'invitation card' casually sent by Tendo.
Inside the palace, the auras of the four—Pisces and the rest—completely froze. They hadn't expected Tendo to be so arrogant, daring to come alone right after his breakthrough.
Who did he think he was? Ainit?
"Utterly arrogant!"
Pisces was both shocked and enraged. Stabs of pain came from the wound on its chest—the lingering effect of being wounded by Tendo from a distance earlier.
Beside it, Scorpio's projection spoke sinisterly: "Since he has proactively come to his death, we shall grant his wish."
"With our four clones joining forces, even if he were a true peak Natural Disaster-class, he would surely die."
"Go!"
Aquarius's projection spoke indifferently and was the first to turn and fly out of the palace. The other three followed closely. Four clones emitting terrifying Natural Disaster Realm auras turned into four streaks of black light, breaking through the sub-space barrier and hurtling toward the meteor battlefield.
Simultaneously, Tendo hovered in the center of the void, the azure vector force field slowly rotating around him, pulverizing every floating meteorite fragment in the vicinity. He kept his eyes closed, appearing to be resting, but in reality, he had long since spread his perception through the vector laws; nothing could escape his notice.
"They're here."
Tendo slowly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing through his azure Star Eclipse Eye.
Ripples appeared in the distant sub-space barrier, and four black figures suddenly emerged: the clones of Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio, and Aquarius.
The four clones surrounded Tendo in a fan formation. Terrifying Abyss energy spread out like a tide, causing the surrounding space to warp.
"You certainly have courage, but you will ultimately pay the price for your arrogance."
Pisces stared at Tendo with icy eyes, as if looking at a corpse.
The corner of Tendo's mouth hooked into a disdainful arc. His gaze swept over the four clones, and he said calmly: "Just four clones hiding their heads and tails. You haven't reached the point where you can make me pay a price."
Upon hearing this, Cancer's clone was the first to explode in rage. It violently raised its hand, and countless pitch-black Abyss tentacles surged from the void, coiling toward Tendo. These tentacles were covered in barbs and emitted corrosive Abyss energy; even a high-level Star Envoy would be reduced to bone instantly upon contact.
Facing the surging Abyss tentacles, Tendo did not move his body, only tapping his finger lightly.
A slender azure vector line shot out, moving like a sharp scalpel to precisely slice through every Abyss tentacle.
Squelch squelch squelch!
Countless tentacles were instantly cut into pieces. Black fluid splattered, but the moment it touched the vector force field around Tendo, it was completely annihilated.
"?!"
Cancer's clone's pupils shrank, its face filled with disbelief. These Abyss tentacles contained source power; even Natural Disaster-class experts would find it difficult to break them so easily.
At the same time, Scorpio's clone suddenly vanished from its spot, appearing behind Tendo in the next second. A pitch-black scythe condensed in its hand, carrying the power to tear through space as it slashed toward the back of Tendo's head. The speed of this strike was incredibly fast, containing terrifying cutting laws that could easily slice through spatial barriers.
Aquarius's clone waved its hand, and countless ice-blue Abyss crystals appeared out of thin air, pelting down toward Tendo like a rainstorm. These crystals contained extreme cold capable of freezing energy and laws; once hit, even a Natural Disaster-class expert would be instantly encased in ice.
Pisces, meanwhile, gathered Abyss energy from a distance, preparing to launch a fatal blow.
The four clones attacked simultaneously, their offensive covering all of Tendo's escape routes. Every move contained the power of Natural Disaster-level laws. Any other Natural Disaster-class expert would likely have had to retreat before such an onslaught.
Yet, facing this all-encompassing attack, Tendo remained calm.
"Too slow."
Tendo spoke softly. His figure moved like a ghost, weaving through the gaps in the attacks. Every strike whistled past his clothes, unable to touch his body at all.
The azure vector force field around him suddenly erupted. Countless vector blade shadows, refined to the extreme, appeared out of thin air. Like a sky full of stars, they swept toward the four clones.
Boom boom boom!
A series of explosions rang out. Scorpio's black scythe had just about touched Tendo when it was hit by a vector blade shadow and instantly shattered. Aquarius's Abyss crystals were ground into powder by the blade shadows before they could even get close. Cancer, about to launch another attack, was hit by several blade shadows simultaneously, its body instantly riddled with holes as black energy leaked out continuously.
"No, your domain is wrong, you—"
Cancer's clone let out a terrified scream. Its body began to turn transparent, clearly on the verge of collapse.
Tendo ignored its cry. With a flash, he appeared before Cancer's clone. An azure line of force shot from his fingertip, piercing straight through its core.
With a bang, Cancer's clone completely disintegrated, turning into a wisp of black energy that dissipated into the void.
Having dealt with Cancer, Tendo turned to look at the remaining three clones. At this moment, the faces of the three clones had become incredibly grave, their eyes filled with shock. They hadn't expected Tendo's strength to be so great that their combined efforts couldn't even touch his hem, and one of them had already been easily slain.
"Scatter!"
Pisces' clone was the first to react, immediately preparing to put distance between itself and Tendo. It understood completely now—this human before them was simply not someone they could handle. Staying would only mean death.
"Thinking of leaving now? Too late."
Tendo snorted coldly. With a thought, the vector force field around him instantly transformed into a massive azure light net, enveloping the entire battlefield. The net contracted, and countless vector blade shadows erupted once more, chasing after the three fleeing clones.
Scorpio's clone let out a desperate roar before being overtaken by the vector shadows; its body was instantly minced into fragments. Aquarius's clone tried to block, but its laws were powerless before the vector laws. It was dismantled in an instant, and its body disintegrated along with it.
Only Pisces' clone remained. It exerted every ounce of its strength, burning the source energy of this important clone to barely break free from the net's constraints and flee toward sub-space.
But how could Tendo give it the chance?
An azure vector force line shot out like a bolt of lightning, precisely striking the core of the Pisces clone.
"Pfft!"
Pisces' clone coughed up a mouthful of ghostly blue blood. Its body froze instantly, then disintegrated and vanished.
In the final moment of its dissipation, its eyes were still filled with disbelief. Even in death, it couldn't understand why Tendo, who had just broken through to the Natural Disaster Realm, would be so incredibly strong.
In a mere incense-stick's worth of time, four Natural Disaster-level clones from the Zodiac had been easily slain by Tendo. Not a single one escaped.
Before long, the Abyss energy on the battlefield was completely annihilated by Tendo's vector force field, and peace was restored.
From the perspective of the interdimensional audience, the entire battle had sent them into a frenzy, with bullet comments flooding the screen like a tide.
"Holy crap! That was too cool! A four-on-one and they were crushed?"
"I thought these four clones were going to be strong, but they were like ants in front of Tendo?"
"Is this the ceiling of the Stars? He's so fierce right after his breakthrough; where is Tendo's limit?"
"I was worried Tendo would underestimate the enemy and get killed off for the plot, but it looks like I overthought it. This strength is simply a dimensional reduction strike!"
On the battlefield, Tendo slowly retracted his vector force field. He looked toward the sub-space where Pisces' main body was located, a cold light flashing in his eyes.
"This is only the beginning," he said softly, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority.
With that, Tendo's figure shifted, turning into an azure streak of light as he flew toward the Martial Arts Capital.
Back in the meditation room of the Martial Arts Capital, Tendo sat cross-legged and began to organize the insights gained from the battle. Slaying the four Zodiac clones hadn't consumed much of his energy; instead, it had made his mastery of vector laws even more proficient.
He could clearly feel that his strength was still steadily rising, drawing closer and closer to surpassing the Natural Disaster level and touching that legendary realm.
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