Chapter 853. Obsidianis’s Front.

Liu Shu would naturally not let Petal Dew die or face this enemy without any plan. In truth, the Golden Sap Army in charge of this area had arrived a while ago and was waiting slightly outside Petal Dew’s sensing range.

When Liu Shu gave the go-ahead, the Golden Sap Army that arrived here moved. Their numbers were much less than the enemy’s. It was an army of 1.5 million soldiers and 1 million ants. They were outnumbered six to one.

However, this area was under Liu Shu’s domain effect, and they were fighting a defensive battle. This meant that her strongest title, <Divine Arborarchy Leader>, could be activated. This <Title> completely outperformed all others with an absurd +75% <Stat> increase in defensive battles. With such a buff on top of all the other multipliers, Golden Sap Empire soldiers were monsters when they defended Liu Shu’s domain.

Moreover, as the 300 or so starships from the Golden Sap Empire arrived, there was a change in the would-be battlefield.

The commander of the Nexus army frowned when the Golden Sap Empire army faced them. With a distance of only a few million kilometers between them, something quite short when it came to spatial battles, the void allowed them to sense ternary essence signals much more easily.

Kallax asked. “What are the sensors picking up? Did the Heavenly Willow step forward?”

Someone used analysis and data searching and answered, confused. “There is a match, but the individual is Covenant-affiliated. Moreover, the ternary essences radiating from her are far too abnormal compared to those in the database.”

Checking individuals through their energy signal was like using fingerprints. It was possible as long as the other side didn’t go through an <Ascension>, which changed the very essence of the individual and needed re-registering.

Kallax frowned. “Name.”

“Obsidianis Gloomdark. Top-tier genius who surpassed Level 200 in less than 200 years.”

Kallax had not heard of this name, so he asked. “Is her involvement a signal of the Covenant taking part in this expedition as we expected?”

“No, General. Obsidianis should’ve been in a sect training. Her appearance here is somewhat dubious and does not tell us much. Still, we should report it.”

Kallax nodded. “Do so. It won’t matter if we kill her either way. Let’s start the attack…” Looking at the tenrary essence signals, Kallax hummed. “Who knew that there was a young True World Tree here besides the Heavenly Willow? An unexpected profit. Make sure to corrupt this one, it’s far too young and we can use it in our advantage.”

“Understood, Lord Kallax.”

“Lord Kallax! We’ve noticed the Golden Sap Empire’s army leaving their ships!”

Hearing that made Kallax snort a laugh. “They want a direct collision with their numbers? Well, we overwhelm them in starships as well. Even then, let’s not lower our guard. The Heavenly Willow will be helping them. Let’s try to conquer this Solar System with the least amount of fatalities.”

With a World Tree involved, a powerful one at that, deaths were inevitable. So, they all prepared with seriousness. No one wanted to be part of the victory statistic if they could help it.

Meanwhile, Obsidianis left one of the few motherships, her dress fluttering in the void together with her long black hair. Her pale, white, healthy skin was the only contrast that illuminated Obsidianis among the vast darkness of the void.

Obsidianis, while she was outside, didn’t neglect her duty. She had left someone with incredible tactical genius in charge of guiding the army in her stead. A right-hand man she found and nurtured. ‘Finding talents in Liu Shu’s domain is truly easy.’

Since talents were nurtured and pushed up, with no stubborn superiors trying to push them down and suppress them without reason, noticing rising stars was rather easy.

This didn’t mean that the top of society was full of young talents. Since everyone competed, those with longer lives had natural advantages. The only difference was that they would not cling until they were half-dead. As they aged and their abilities slowly wilted, new talents would surpass and substitute them.

There were plenty of packages for those types of people, and the banks had very friendly rates for older people. Therefore, cases of older people running out of money were incredibly rare, occurring only when they splurged without any reason and ignored all warnings.

After all, a society needed to be grateful to the elders who helped build the bricks of the past.

I digress.

Obsidianis, flying at the very front of the army, heard the voice of her right-hand man. “Lady Obsidianis, the enemy is preparing to attack. They have not sent the entire army. I can see a vanguard meant to hold us back while some starships with strong corruption mana signatures are making their way toward Lady Petal Dew.”

Obsidianis nodded and chuckled. ‘That Petal Dew is a funny one.’

She had met her in the past without releasing her own aura. The World Tree was a very typical World Tree, stubborn, filled with desire to do things by herself, yet also having that trace of gentleness deep within each and every action. Moreover, while she constantly negated Liu Shu’s attempts to make friends, she didn’t ignore her or look down on her.

‘It was just that innate pride every World Tree has preventing her from taking the last step.’

They were understanding. World Trees would not bend their heads unless they found something akin to a natural disaster. Liu Shu could act like one, but wouldn’t that create a connection born from fear? So, she tried not to push World Trees too harshly.

She did show her strength, and she did ask them to come under her with firm words. But she never forced them. Instead, Liu Shu made sure to slowly chip away at their stubbornness and use a trigger to flip their opinions.

This time, the Nexus’s overwhelming army that felt like a harmful Natural Disaster was the trigger point.

“I’ll deal a harsh blow to the vanguard. This will make them see us as a threat. If we focus on trying to attack the central army and take the enemy general’s head, they will be forced to recall their forces. Also…”

“<World Tree Calling>.”

Liu Shu’s voice pierced the very void, and a green portal opened, summoning 100 normal-class Arboreal Winged Serpents. These serpents had balanced skill sets, creating a powerful elite group.

“…Thank you, love.”

A trace of energy lovingly caressed Obsidianis’s cheek, making her face slacken into a silly grin for a moment. “Ahem.”

Closing her eyes to suppress her fluffy feelings for her adorable wife, Obsidianis took a deep breath. Her mind focused, her energy surging, and Darkness Aether Mana turning her surroundings even darker than they already were.

Around Obsidianis, you couldn’t even see the glittering of the stars. It was as if the abyss itself had opened its maw, ready to swallow the world. “Come forth.”

With crunching sounds that shouldn’t be audible in the midst of the void, thousands of beastly Dark Plant creatures appeared. All of them were covered in traces of armor, dark tendrils moving around their bodies as they growled with salivating mouths.

“Go and feast.”

With a single gesture, all the Level 250 summons shot forward at terrifying speed. The Arboreal Winged Serpents flapped their giant, leafy wings, following the dark creatures. Behind them, Obsidianis and the rest of the foot army shot forward as well, ready to meet the enemy vanguard.

Extending her hand, Obsidianis summoned a giant scythe. This weapon was one she received from Liu Shu. While she had used swords for most of her life, Liu Shu had noticed that her ability with scythes was astounding.

So, during the last few years, Obsidianis practiced and gained mastery with the weapon. Moreover, this scythe could be used as both a melee weapon and a magical staff. Obsidianis glanced at it fondly. “…Truly, a masterpiece only my love can craft.”

With that last smile, her face turned expressionless as she chanted.

“<Darkveil Sylvan Destroyer Transformation>.”

WHOOSH!

Her body grew in size, the dress stretching and mixing with the bark growing from her skin. Her figure was maintained, and her beauty was mixed with nature itself, a dark nature.

Together with her transformation, all her stats greatly skyrocketed, reaching heights that set all of the Nexus’s alarms blaring.

Kallax was sitting with a serious but somewhat relaxed expression when several events cracked that composure. The first one was the appearance of the Arboreal Winged Serpents. He had received reports of these serpents causing terrible damage in another wing. He quickly scanned them and sighed. ‘There is no white one.’

All generals had received warning signals about the “White Arboreal Winged Serpent.” That monstrosity could annihilate dozens of starships with terrifying ease, so if it appeared, the recommended action was to retreat and hold the line.

“Vanguard, prepare for… collision…Huh?”

“Giant Ternary Essence Signature detected! Source: Obsidianis Gloomdark!”

“It’s dangerous, General! Her Energy signal is growing at a terrifying rate!”

“Her speed is increasing. She will make contact with the Vanguard in twelve minutes and thirty-three seconds!”

Kallax ordered. “Activate counterattack protocols. Make sure that all main cannons are aimed in their direction and fire once before they arrive.”

“World Class Cannon on standby.”

Kallax nodded. “Aim and fire with enough leisure to recharge before the first contact.”

“Aiming… firing in five…four…three…”

Obsidianis’s dark, charming eyes noticed the several essence accumulations and spoke through the communication device. “Dodge. Enemy main cannons are attacking.”

To dodge these cannons was somewhat difficult because they were essentially light beams. Somewhat slower than the speed of light, but not by much. So, reacting to them was like trying to react to something that registered only when it was already in front of your face.

To detect and dodge energy cannons, the best way was not sight but essence. Essence, the only thing that could travel even faster than light, was the best way to perceive and dodge such attacks.

Obsidianis focused, and her lips arched faintly. “Aiming at me so blatantly. Heh.”

Activating a displacement skill, Obsidianis transformed into a shadow and reappeared far above. The second she did, countless powerful beams scorched the location where she previously stood. Ignoring it, her speed only accelerated as she caught up with the Arboreal Winged Serpents.

Once close enough, another volley came toward her, but she dodged just as easily. Her <Physique> was just overwhelmingly high for her to be able to react.

“Let’s start the slaughter.”

The scythe in her hands moved, a terrifying black line sweeping forward toward the vanguard army in front of her.

BOOM!!

[Congratulations! You’ve defeated…]

“Silence notifications except for Level 200+ individuals. I don’t want to get distracted.”

Then, together with her army, Obsidianis plunged into the millions of enemies like a dark meteor, causing a terrifying explosion that completely shattered the vanguard of the army.

Kallax froze, his eyes widening as the dark meteor struck with the force to shatter worlds.

Meanwhile, Petal Dew, who was observing everything from afar, could only “Wow~!” in awe.