novelraw Chapter 309 309: The Destruction of an Entire Ecosystem
Chapter 309 309: The Destruction of an Entire Ecosystem
Shadow did not respond. Instead, she activated her combat armor. A layer of liquid metal spread across her body, sealing into a sleek, battle-ready form. At the same time, she drew two energy blades from her waist, their edges gleaming with cold light as she stepped forward.
"Rowan, retrieve the Celestial King's core and prepare to evacuate at any moment. Thor, Victor, the three of us will hold Astor back."
They moved instantly.
Thor raised his hands, summoning lightning from the sky to form a massive electrical net that spread across the air above Astor, restricting his movement. Victor activated several defensive devices salvaged from the ancient ruins, erecting a layered energy barrier across the ground. Shadow charged straight at Astor, her twin blades carving arcs of silver through the air.
Rowan sprinted toward the spacecraft, heading for the vault where the Celestial King's core was stored.
He was just about to reach the hatch when the ground trembled violently. A powerful shockwave surged from behind him. When he turned, his heart nearly stopped.
Astor had already broken through the combined defense.
He was moving toward Rowan at terrifying speed, so fast his form blurred into a streak.
At that critical moment, a familiar ancient voice echoed in Rowan's mind.
"Call me… release me…"
The planetary consciousness.
Rowan understood immediately. Without hesitation, he extended his mental power outward, deepening his connection with the planet.
"Help us!" Rowan shouted inwardly. "Stop him!"
The response came instantly.
The ground roared as a massive fissure tore open beneath Rowan's feet and raced toward Astor. At the same time, the sky erupted with lightning. Dozens of massive bolts struck down in unison, converging on Astor.
The sudden assault slowed him, but only slightly.
With a wave of his hand, most of the lightning dispersed. With a single step, he leapt over the expanding fissure.
"The planetary consciousness?" Astor sneered. "A mere primitive awareness from a third-tier civilization dares to oppose me?"
He slammed his palm into the ground.
A terrifying energy wave spread outward, and the earth rippled like water. Rowan felt the ground beneath him soften, as if it were trying to swallow him whole.
The planetary consciousness responded with even greater force.
Dozens of towering pillars of magma burst from the earth, each several meters thick, shooting into the sky like writhing serpents. They twisted and lunged toward Astor. Above, a massive storm vortex formed, filled with countless lightning bolts, creating a gravitational field of electricity that sought to drag him in.
The scale of the attack was apocalyptic.
For the first time, Astor was forced to stop and defend himself fully. Lava and lightning intertwined, forming a storm of destruction. Though he could still resist, he was no longer able to pursue Rowan.
Seizing the opportunity, Rowan dashed into the spacecraft and rushed to the vault. After passing a series of complex security verifications, he retrieved the container holding the Celestial King's core.
The core still emitted a faint blue glow, but it was noticeably dimmer than before. It had clearly expended a great deal of energy resisting Astor.
"Hold on," Rowan murmured to it, unsure if it could hear. "Help is coming."
When he returned outside, the battle had intensified.
Although the planetary consciousness unleashed overwhelming attacks, it struggled to inflict real damage. Astor had already adapted. He began retaliating, firing beams of destructive energy that pierced the ground, triggering eruptions of molten rock.
Shadow, Thor, and Victor were still fighting, but all were injured.
Shadow's armor was heavily damaged. Thor's right arm hung limp, likely disabled. Victor's defensive devices were completely destroyed, leaving him to rely on evasive maneuvers alone.
"Did you get it?" Shadow called out while narrowly dodging an attack.
Rowan raised the container in response.
"Good," Shadow said. "We proceed as planned. We split up. Astor wants the core. I'll take it and draw his attention. The three of you take the backup shuttle and leave. The coordinates are already set."
"No!" Rowan said firmly. "That's suicide. We leave together."
Shadow shook her head. "No time to argue. That's an order."
Before the tension could escalate further, the sky suddenly distorted.
A massive spatial rift opened above them, like a door being forced apart. A presence of overwhelming power poured through it, freezing everyone in place.
Even Astor stopped, looking up. The blue vortices in his eyes spun violently.
"A king-level immortal?" he muttered.
The distortion widened.
A colossal warship emerged.
It was the flagship of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, several kilometers long, bristling with weapons that radiated terrifying power. Around it, dozens of smaller warships formed a tight blockade across the sky.
A commanding voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Black Dragon Mountain Empire, Third Fleet, Longfang Special Operations Unit. By order of the Marshal, we have arrived to extract Agent Shadow and her team. All personnel, prepare for immediate evacuation."
Astor's expression darkened. "Longfang… so that madman came as well?"
As if answering him, space twisted again.
A tall figure in silver-white armor appeared, teleporting directly from the flagship into the air above the battlefield. His presence was like a mountain, immovable and overwhelming.
"Astor," the man said calmly, his voice carrying a metallic resonance. "It has been a long time. I did not expect you to take such a reckless path and attempt a necrotic transformation."
Astor took a step back, fear flashing briefly in his eyes. "Mo Chenhou… why are you here?"
Mo Chenhou descended slowly, each step distorting space itself. "The Marshal is very interested in the remains of the Celestial King. Especially when they end up in the hands of a marquis-level immortal."
Shadow immediately saluted. "Sir, the situation is urgent. Request permission to evacuate."
Mo Chenhou nodded. "Go. Longfang has prepared an extraction route. I will handle the situation here."
"Move!" Shadow shouted.
The four of them ran toward the designated evacuation point.
Astor attempted to intercept, but Mo Chenhou raised a hand. An invisible force froze Astor in place.
"Your opponent is me," Mo Chenhou said calmly. "Or should I call you the Celestial King's puppet?"
Astor broke free with a roar. "I am no one's puppet! I am the new ruler of the universe!"
He unleashed a massive beam of blue energy. Space itself tore apart along its path, forming countless micro black holes.
Mo Chenhou did not move.
He simply raised his hand, a sphere of silver light forming in his palm. The energy beam was swallowed completely, as if falling into a bottomless abyss.
"You are far from it," Mo Chenhou said. "You absorbed part of the Celestial King's power, but you do not understand how to use it. A flawed transformation like this is destined to fail."
Fury consumed Astor.
His energy surged outward, forming a massive cocoon that engulfed everything within hundreds of meters. Then it collapsed inward, condensing into a gigantic energy blade nearly a hundred meters long.
"Die!"
He swung the blade.
Mo Chenhou inhaled slowly. His armor lit up with countless runic patterns. His right hand transformed into a slender silver sword.
When the two weapons collided, the entire planet trembled.
The massive energy blade shattered instantly into fragments of blue light. Astor was blasted backward, crashing through several hills before finally stopping.
Mo Chenhou did not pursue.
Instead, he glanced toward Rowan and the others. "Hurry. We cannot fight at full scale on this planet. It would destroy the entire ecosystem."
They ran faster.
Within moments, they reached the extraction point. A golden beam of light descended, enveloping all four of them and lifting them into the sky, transporting them directly into the flagship.
Just before the teleportation completed, Rowan looked back.
In the distance, Mo Chenhou and Astor clashed in a storm of devastating energy. Each exchange reshaped the landscape. Even more astonishing, the planetary consciousness had joined the battle. Lightning and magma moved in harmony with Mo Chenhou's attacks, forming a coordinated assault.
"The planetary consciousness is helping him," Rowan said in amazement.
Shadow nodded. "Mo Chenhou is one of the few in the Empire capable of communicating with planetary consciousnesses. He may have already established a connection long before we arrived."
The golden light carried them into the flagship.
Inside, armed soldiers and medical personnel were already waiting. They rushed forward, providing immediate treatment and escort.
Rowan was taken into a spacious medical chamber. Advanced healing energy flowed into his body, repairing the damage he had sustained.
Through the observation window, he could see the planet below. The aftershocks of the battle had reshaped vast regions, forming new mountains and canyons.
"Can Astor really be defeated?" Rowan asked, glancing at Shadow, who was receiving treatment for more severe injuries.
Shadow nodded. "Mo Chenhou is one of the strongest marquis-level immortals in the Empire, close to king-level. And Astor's transformation is incomplete. Without the core, his power is unstable."
"When did Mo Chenhou arrive?" Rowan asked. "It hasn't even been an hour since we sent the distress signal."
Shadow gave a faint, knowing smile. "The Empire has been monitoring this region for some time. When Astor initiated that catastrophic ritual on Brant Planet, long-range observation stations detected abnormal energy fluctuations. The Marshal immediately deployed Longfang to investigate. They have been searching for us ever since."
"So our distress signal only helped them pinpoint our exact location?" Rowan said, realization dawning.
"Exactly," Shadow replied. "The Empire does not abandon its agents. Especially not when the mission involves something this significant."
The medical chamber door opened.
A middle-aged man in an ornate military uniform entered. His bearing was calm yet commanding, his gaze sharp enough to make anyone lower their eyes.
Shadow tried to rise and salute, but he stopped her.
"At ease. You have all completed an exceptional mission."
Black Dragon Mountain Empire, Capital Planet, Dragon Domain
A dazzling galaxy stretched across the sky above the magnificent city, its light reflecting off towering structures that pierced the heavens. The capital was the heart of the Empire, a place where technology and artistry blended seamlessly, showcasing the true might of an interstellar power.
At the center of the city stood the Imperial Royal Medical Center, a vast complex spanning dozens of square kilometers. It was the highest-level medical facility in the Empire, typically reserved for royalty and top officials.
Yet today, inside one of its highest-grade recovery chambers, lay three young individuals who would normally never have access to such privilege.
Rowan rested quietly within the chamber, feeling the gentle flow of life energy repairing his injuries. Around him, machines hummed softly, while streams of data moved across holographic displays.
Three days had passed since their evacuation from the lightning planet.
Escorted by the Longfang unit, they had safely returned to the Empire's core region. Along the way, Rowan barely saw Mo Chenhou again. After the battle with Astor, the powerful immortal had already moved on to another mission.
Shadow had parted ways with them upon arrival, submitting her report to Imperial Intelligence. The Celestial King's core had been transferred to a classified facility, handled directly by the highest authorities.
As for Rowan, Thor, and Victor, they had been admitted to the Royal Medical Center for full recovery. Treatment at this level far exceeded anything a normal escort team would ever receive.
"What are you thinking about?" Victor's voice broke his thoughts.
He sat nearby, holding a data pad, reviewing information.
Rowan turned his head. "Just thinking about everything that's happened. From accepting the Third Prince's commission, to meeting Shadow, to Brant Planet, Astor, the Celestial King's core, the lightning world… it all happened so fast."
He paused, exhaling softly.
"It almost feels like a dream."