The 21 Moon-Types and 2 World-Types soared through the sky. Because of the damage they received from Liu Shu’s surprise attack, they could not even approach the speed they used when traveling toward the Ceperet Solar System.
Altherion stood in the middle of the central control room and asked, his face cold. “How long until we arrive at Ceperet?”
The substitute captain answered with a solemn face, holding his arm, which had a ghastly scar. “Star Lord, at our current pace, we will arrive in 20 hours.
The one who was piloting the main controls of the World-Type sadly died during the surprise attack, and many of the other specialists fell together with them. After all, most of these specialists were non-combatants, barely reaching Level 90 in the best cases.
A spatial rift from Liu Shu could shred through their bodies as if they were paper, which killed most of them. Honestly, if Liu Shu had wanted to kill all the low-level people, she could’ve used instead of . This attack would not hurt the higher-level people as much, which is why she chose in the end.
Altherion’s cold expression gained a scowl when he heard the ti. “Twenty hours? Are the ships so damaged that we can only go at a few million kiloters per hour through the void?”
The substitute captain nodded solemnly. “Most of the detailed controls are untouchable for once, and I am not confident in controlling it like… captain…” The person gritted his teeth, swallowing their grief. “Still, even if the captain were here, I believe that our limit would be 15 hours. So Moon-Types in the fleet are too damaged to support speeds that go over 2,000 kiloters per second. Not because they can’t reach them, but because their hull’s integrity is a ss.”
The substitute captain shook his head. “If it were not an ergency. I wouldn’t have lifted more than 13 of the Moon-Types out of the 21 we chose to move with.”
Draevin at the side asked, worried. “Are you saying that eight out of the twenty-one Moon-Types are running on hopes and wishes?”
“Basically…”
Soone interrupted, their voice loud. “Energy signals detected! Moon-Type 11 is being targeted by an unknown source!”
The substitute captain’s face turned white. “That’s one of the weakest ones!”
Everyone turned to look at the virtual window in the direction of Moon-Type 11. They saw the ship make a maneuver, clearly wanting to dodge sothing. However, as if whatever was aid at them was expecting it, spatial rifts appeared where it dodged.
Gargantuan tree roots manifested from the rifts, not attacking it but appearing in front of it. Each of those giant roots glowed with ethereal blue lines, making them more than visible in the void of space.
The Moon-Type 11 made a quick maneuver, but the compromised hull screeched, one of the stabilizers ripping off. As if the roots were waiting for that, the gargantuan roots coiled everything around that ship. Then, the void beca bright.
A giant ball of pure light manifested from nothing, engulfing the roots and the Moon-Type 11.
Altherion’s face was ugly as their ships streaked past the giant ball of light. Even if they wanted to slow down and help, they knew that it was impossible.
The person checking the radars spoke with a solemn expression. “We’ve lost contact with Moon-Type 11. The scanner shows no signs of life besides the giant roots.”
An image popped up in front of everyone, showing a scorched ship split in half and crushed by coiling roots.
Draevin slamd his seat. “How is this even possible!? Wasn’t that World Tree supposed to be at a planetary level!? How quick was its ascension and spread that it is already interplanetary!? For the love of the skies, World Trees usually need centuries to take this step, not a decade!”
Altherion and company knew that the attacker was Tianlian Liu Shu when the roots manifested in Nualis. Not because they expected her to expand that far, but because there was absolutely no other option besides that conclusion.
The only other option was that the primitive world of Nualis developed a True World Tree while the rest of the world was just entering the . It was an impossible conclusion, and Liu Shu developing much faster than they thought made a lot more sense.
Many shared Draevin’s feelings. It was inconceivable that the World Tree’s developnt speed was much closer to that of a human than a long-lived species like a World Tree.
Altherion, having lived for a few thousand years, spoke out of experience. “Most World Trees that advance this quickly usually sacrifice future potential for temporary gain. She must’ve chosen a space-related species as her Ascension path as well, which explains her mastery.”
Marisella snorted. “Short-sighted.”
“Is it?” Draevin shook his head. “While I abhor her, credit where credit is due. Tianlian Liu Shu doesn’t have the Covenant's full support. She knows well that she doesn’t have the ti to just peacefully ascend. Choosing an ascension that takes a short ti to be awakened and quickly expand is what allowed her to take us by surprise. Not to ntion, if Lord Altherion had not decided to bother her, can you imagine what would’ve happened by the ti others knew about her?”
Marisella frowned, but imagining a future without anyone discovering her for centuries, she couldn’t help but shudder. ‘Just a few decades, and she has already arrived at the nearby planet. In a few centuries, Tianlian Liu Shu might take over the entire Solar System and beco a fortress.’
“Order the most vulnerable Moon-Types to move between the World-Types. The others will circle around us. Keep enough distance to dodge so that she doesn’t make us collide.”
Liu Shu observed their trajectory and noticed the change. ‘You think I will let you do as you please?’
Liu Shu’s lips arched coldly, her real body glancing at the sky with a mocking look. Then, she mouthed a single word.
“.”
As if her voice could pierce through the sky and the void, Eternal Energy entangled with the temporal energies around one of the Moon-Types. Simultaneously, another voice drumd into space.
“ and landed one after another. With each strike, the shields accumulated damage over ti effects, stacking them to hell and beyond.
The percentage decreased quickly, and after a few minutes, it reached zero.
“[Shields Are Powering Down].”
The ssage from the ship was like Death’s warning, and Liu Shu’s voice was Death’s sentence.
“.”
The Moon-Type’s hull crumbled together with the space around it, its shape losing the perfect aerodynamic form. The Solar Winds hitting them beca unbearable, and soon, the entire ship exploded.
BOOM!
Altherion and the others gritted their teeth.
“How much ti since we left Nualis?”
“...Forty minutes, Sir.”
Altherion and everyone else felt their hearts sinking. ‘Forty minutes and we lost three Moon-Types already? Will there be any left by the ti we arrive at Ceperet?’
Marisella spoke, her voice a frustrated and fearful whisper. “Does this monster not run out of Ternary Essence? Why can she bombard us so freely?”
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