205: conquer

At the edge of the event horizon of the Katshilok Black Hole, the terrifying entity known as the [Planar Nightmare] finally squeezed its indescribable, massive body completely into this three-dimensional universe.

It had no fixed physical form, resembling more a nightmare collective pieced together from shattered geometric shapes, high-dimensional light and shadows, and incessantly screaming soul fragments.

One end of it was connected to an unknown, distorted dimension, while the other end frantically brandished tentacles thousands of kilometers long within this universe. These tentacles were not material but the manifestation of spatial rifts; every swing left behind a black scar in the vacuum that refused to heal for a long time, as if the skin of the universe had been slashed open, revealing the underlying void.

It was very hungry.

For a high-dimensional creature that fed on dimensional laws and entropy increase, having just awakened, it was in dire need of energy replenishment.

To its perception, the silver-white fleet before it, emitting intense high-energy reactions, was like a lavish Manchu Han Imperial Feast.

It let out a psionic shriek capable of directly shattering the souls of lower beings. Without any probing, several massive dimensional tentacles ignored the concept of distance and instantaneously appeared within the Faraim Fleet's formation, attempting to sweep those silver warships into its extra-dimensional mouthparts like grabbing candy.

However, its attacks, which had been invincible for countless eons and driven numerous civilizations to despair, had finally hit a steel wall this time.

"Dimensional intrusion detected. Spatial anchoring field activated."

"Activating Reality Stabilizer. Higgs field reinforcement initiated."

On the bridge of the [Galaxy Weaver], Talon gave the command expressionlessly. There was no trace of fear in his eyes, only the coldness of a hunter watching a beast fall into a trap.

Perhaps to an ordinary civilization, this was an invincible high-dimensional mythical creature.

But for the Faleim People, who had long ago conquered the old universe and possessed rich experience in fighting natural disasters, this was merely the Nth time facing such an "old friend."

Their database even contained detailed tutorials on how to efficiently dissect such creatures.

Buzz—

A strange golden halo lit up on the surface of every ship in the Faraim Fleet. This was no ordinary energy shield, but a [Reality Stabilization Field] specifically developed to counter high-dimensional attacks.

The Planar Nightmare's tentacles, capable of tearing through space-time, lashed out violently at the fleet, only to strike against an indestructible transparent wall. Space did not rupture; instead, ripples of golden light surged, neutralizing all the destructive energy on the tentacles.

For the first time, an emotion called "confusion" emerged within the chaotic consciousness of the Planar Nightmare.

It could not understand why these three-dimensional conscious entities could withstand strikes from higher dimensions. Why had its psionic field, capable of rewriting the laws of the universe, completely failed here?

Before it could figure it out, the counterattack began.

"Target locked: Dimensional connection point."

"Switching weapon systems to Aether Phase mode."

"Targeted tactic: Dimensional Stripping."

The Faleim People's counterattack was not only precise but also ruthless. They did not attack the Planar Nightmare's projected body in this universe, as that would be a meaningless waste of energy. Their fire was entirely concentrated on the rift connecting to the extra-dimension behind the monster—its "umbilical cord."

Hundreds of [Sciences End-class] battleships fired simultaneously.

This time, they fired beams of a greyish hue known as [Dimensional Permeability Beams].

These beams accurately struck the connection point between the Planar Nightmare and this universe.

A violent reaction occurred. The originally stable dimensional passage began to tremble violently, and massive collapses resembling data corruption appeared at its edges.

"Roar!!!"

The Planar Nightmare let out a shrill psionic shriek. It was a bone-deep agony, like a mammalian animal on Earth being forcibly ripped from its mother's womb.

It tried to fight back, attempting to make the real world twist and collapse according to its will.

But at that moment, the Anti-psionic Obelisk on the back of the Faleim titan ship, the [Eternal Silence], had already burst into a blinding light.

Powerful psionic interference waves instantly covered the entire battlefield, turning the area into an absolute psionic vacuum, while the Reality Stabilizers ensured the Planar Nightmare's space-time interference abilities had no effect.

The Planar Nightmare discovered in horror that all its means had failed. Within this zone of physical rules forcibly locked down by Faleim technology, it had become nothing more than a massive target for a beating.

"Even high-dimensional beings," Talon commented expressionlessly, "once you lose your dimensional advantage, you're not much stronger than a paramecium."

"Sovereign main cannon, charging complete."

"Fire the [Dimensional Collapse Shells]."

Two Sovereign-class dreadnoughts, each two thousand kilometers long, finally bared their most terrifying fangs.

Two giant warheads flickering with an eerie black light were accelerated to near the speed of light. The thrusters at the rear of the shells guided them precisely into the Planar Nightmare's maw, hidden in another dimension.

Terrifying gravity erupted within the monster, frantically pulling and compressing its massive body inward. Unlike encountering a black hole, the Planar Nightmare's true form began to collapse inward across all dimensions, its probability of existence slowly decreasing until it reached zero.

The Planar Nightmare struggled frantically, its tentacles flailing wildly in the void, shattering a few unlucky asteroids. But it was all in vain; its body began to collapse irreversibly, like a plastic bag with the air sucked out.

Its chaotic mind let out a final, unwilling roar.

Then, accompanied by a blinding flash, the horrific monster completely dissipated into the void.

Leaving behind only a large amount of debris emitting high-energy radiation, along with some precious [Living Metal] and [Dark Matter] residues—a decent haul for any civilization other than the Faleim.

From the start of the battle to its end, less than twenty minutes had passed... Deep within the distant [Eye of the Abyss] star system, Barlena, who had witnessed this scene via remote monitoring, slumped onto her throne, the crystal chess piece in her hand slipping and shattering.

Her final trump card, the means she had viewed as a last resort for mutual destruction, turned out to be as fragile as a joke before the Faleim People.

It hadn't even managed to cause the loss of a single enemy warship.

Despair flooded her sanity like a tide.

Meanwhile, having dealt with the obstacle, the Faraim Fleet did not stop.

"Clear the battlefield, collect samples," Talon ordered. "Main fleet, continue the advance."

"Eliminate the remaining flies, then go and capture that woman."

"the guide said she must be taken alive."

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Tens of thousands of light streaks charged straight into the [Eye of the Abyss].

When tens of thousands of silver warships appeared above the new capital of the Iofer Federation, the remaining garrison fleets didn't even have the courage to open fire.

It was a slaughter with no suspense.

The Faleim drone swarms swept through all orbital defense platforms like a metal storm. Those iofer battleships still putting up a desperate struggle melted like candles under the Phase Disintegration Beams.

In less than a day, the [Eye of the Abyss] defense line, which boasted tens of thousands of interstellar warships and billions of garrisoned troops, completely collapsed... The new capital of iofer, the Demon King's Palace.

The grand palace, built on the planet's highest peak, was now in total chaos.

Guards fled in all directions, and officials scrambled for escape shuttles.

Only Barlena remained seated in her empty palace, facing the massive floor-to-ceiling window, watching the fireballs falling from the sky with a sickly calm on her face.

She knew she couldn't escape, and neither could anyone else.

The Faleim People had blockaded the space of the entire star system; not even a fly could escape.

"Is this the end?"

She straightened her black silk robe and caressed the horns on her forehead. As the Speaker of the Iofer Federation and the leader of the Succubus Clan, even in death, she would die with dignity.

She pulled a delicate blaster pistol from her bosom and aimed it at her temple.

"I will never become a prisoner."

Just as her finger was about to pull the trigger.

Boom!

The palace's meter-thick alloy door suddenly exploded inward, turning into countless flying shards.

Before Barlena could react, a black afterimage had already rushed in front of her.

Snap.

She felt a sharp pain in her wrist as the blaster in her hand was knocked away.

Immediately after, an irresistible force pinned her shoulders, pressing her firmly onto the throne.

"Is this the leader of the Iof People? She looks quite weak."

A playful voice rang out above her head.

Barlena looked up in terror.

Standing before her was a person over two and a half meters tall, clad in full-coverage silver-grey power armor.

He was a member of the [Sword Bearer] squad; every person in this squad was a super-powered individual who had undergone Genetic Ascension.

Their original bodies had undergone the most thorough genetic modification: bones replaced with nano-alloys, muscle fibers strengthened to the molecular level, neural response speeds a million times that of ordinary creatures, and the ability to generate bio-force fields to lift themselves into flight.

They didn't need to breathe or eat, could survive in a vacuum, and could fight in temperatures of thousands of degrees.

If Ilya's android bodies were supermen in the eyes of Earthlings, then these Genetic Ascendants were monsters in the eyes of supermen.

They could fly on the surface of the sun, withstand the bombardment of interstellar warships with their bare bodies, and shatter celestial bodies as large as Ceres with their hands.

Behind the warrior who spoke, five more warriors in the same attire stood.

They had just breached the palace's defense systems without resistance, killing hundreds of fully armed Red Demon Clan Guards without a single scratch on themselves.

"Let me go!" Barlena tried to activate her psionic talent, sending the mental control ripples unique to succubi toward the warrior.

"Psionic interference detected."

A red light flashed on the Genetic Ascendant's helmet visor. "Activating mental barrier."

Barlena felt her mental power slam into a wall of brass and iron. The massive backlash caused her to instantly cough up blood, her head spinning.

"Do not make pointless struggles, lower individual."

The Genetic Ascendant said coldly, "Your psionics are ineffective against us."

He reached out a hand and lifted the petite Barlena from her throne like picking up a chick.

"Target captured. Vital signs stable."

"Mission accomplished. Preparing for extraction."

Barlena struggled in despair, but the iron hand remained motionless.

She looked at this group of seemingly invincible iron reapers, and the last shred of pride in her heart was completely shattered.

The fleet she took pride in, the empire she had painstakingly built, and her powerful psionics were all nothing in the face of this absolute power.

"Take her away."

At the squad leader's command, a blue teleportation beam descended from the sky, enveloping them.

The next second, Barlena's figure vanished within the ruins.

The Iofer Federation, once an overbearing hegemon in Orion, was officially declared extinct with the capture of its final leader.

The recent peace within the Human Federation had given Lei Wen some free time, so he prepared to meet with that Succubus Speaker.