ABRIWMTHM Chapter 102

【Mental power level confirmed, 3S and above】

【Close combat mutation degree confirmed, D rank】

【Analysis of mutation direction in progress…】

【Analysis of mutation direction in progress…】

Forcing the D-rank mutated star beast back beyond the defense barrier of the stationed planet, the unmanned warships surged forward like bees, surrounding the star beast and gradually pushing it away from the barrier, creating distance to prevent further damage to it.

Chi Yao was on a small high-speed warship, observing the star beast and controlling the situation.

In a moment, the anxious voice of a general came through the communicator, “Your Highness, it’s not working. This star beast is too strong, still too close to the defensive barrier.”

“We can’t deploy the unmanned warships fast enough to outpace its destruction.”

“This distance isn’t enough to activate the combat isolation barrier with the protector ship; the defensive barrier is too close to use the particle cannon.”

Fearing that using the high-energy particle cannon to delay the star beast would accidentally harm the defensive barrier, creating a breach through which the star beast could pass.

The critical thing was that the mutation direction of this mutated star beast was still unknown. If the defensive barrier failed while Shi Xing was still on the stationed planet, and if this mutated star beast happened to possess space abilities and could directly breach their defenses to head toward Shi Xing… the consequences were unimaginable.

Chi Yao asked, “Can we hold it off for a while longer?”

After a moment of judgment, they gave a number, “At most ten minutes.”

Chi Yao replied, “That’s enough.”

He opened the communication channel for Shi Xing’s team and asked, “Has the SS-ranked mutated star beast entered the designated area?”

Fei Chu answered, “Just arrived, in mid-air. We’ll start the formation test immediately.”

Chi Yao instructed, “Report the coordinates of the remaining two star beasts in other warship teams.”

Another S-rank and one SS-ranked non-mutated star beast had also entered the defense barrier and breached the planetary atmosphere.

The two coordinate points were reported rapidly.

Chi Yao reviewed the information, confirmed they were not within the range of the area barrier, and ordered, “Activate the internal barrier in the area where Shi Xing is, isolating the star beasts.”

【Received!】

【Internal area defense barrier activation in progress】

【Countdown, 10, 9…】

Feeling the fluctuations in energy, Shi Xing looked up to see the second layer of the barrier being activated.

Unlike before, this layer of barrier was located beneath the outermost defense barrier, only encompassing a section of the planet.

This internal defense barrier could be divided into up to 16 sections, evenly splitting all surface space of the planet.

Currently activated was one of those sections, preventing the SS-ranked mutated star beast from breaking out while also stopping the two star beasts outside the barrier from aiding it, providing them with an exceptional closed training ground.

Shi Xing said, “Okay.”

His voice coincided with the electronic report of the completion of the [Area Defense Barrier].

Chi Yao’s voice sounded beside him, “I can only guarantee you one hour; be careful.”

On their private channel, with just the two of them, Shi Xing replied, “Your Highness, you be careful too.”

Just as Shi Xing finished speaking, an anxious report came from inside Chi Yao’s warship, “Your Highness, the D-rank star beast is approaching the defensive barrier again; nearly a quarter of the drones have been destroyed.”

It was not impossible to deploy more drones, but the damage was too great, and the general was concerned it would impact the subsequent combat deployment.

Chi Yao was clearly aware of this as well.

The communication channel fell silent with no response. After reporting once, the unmanned warship teams steadily continued to deploy available energy cannons and energy beams; another energy explosion occurred, with several warships destroyed in an instant, and the reconnaissance aircraft suffered energy interference again, resulting in failure to analyze the direction of the mutation.

Just as the general was preparing to report again, Chi Yao’s voice finally came through, “Mark the positions of the protector ships on the holographic map.”

The general complied.

The shared map instantly turned red throughout.

After Chi Yao navigated the map to pinpoint coordinates, he commanded, “Charge the protector ships and begin establishing the isolation barrier.”

【Isolation barrier establishment, starting】

【In progress】

The general barely had time to be surprised before the orders were immediately executed.

Before he could speak, a powerful mental pressure spread out like water; even on the command ship, he could feel its strong fluctuations.

In the next moment, the mutated star beast along with several warships were forcibly pushed away by the mental power.

Chi Yao had made his move.

【Isolation barrier establishment complete】

Chi Yao deftly commanded, “Charge the high-energy particle stream and simultaneously adjust the angle for repositioning.”

Just as the star beast stabilized its form in space, the energy particle cannon finished charging, and the powerful particle stream transformed into a dazzling white light in the beast’s eyes, too late to dodge, completely wrapping it up.

Unbeknownst to when, Chi Yao’s warship had already moved to the front end of all the warships.

Retracting his mental power, Chi Yao asked, “Is this distance enough to delay and control the star beast now?”

The commanding warship’s general realized Chi Yao was addressing him and responded affirmatively.

After a moment, Chi Yao’s warship retreated to the rear command position.

When the D-rank mutated star beast escaped the high-energy particle stream, it faced two solid barriers and several particle cannon “muzzles” specifically set for it.

The star beast howled, its energy fluctuations severe in silence.

At the same time, another high-energy particle stream charged up, ready to fire.

On the ground, the team led by Shi Xing was structured into three groups once more.

The team commanded by the general Qin Jue, responsible for protection and retreat cover.

The team commanded by the general Ying Geng, responsible for attacks.

And the team commanded by the general Fei Chu, who had spent the most time and had the best cooperation with Shi Xing.

The C-rank mutated SS-ranked star beast was pushed back by Shi Xing, the inner layer of the planetary defensive barrier opened like a dome, enclosing the star beast and Shi Xing’s team within it, while preventing any other star beasts from entering; the one they were trapping likely would not escape today.

The S-ranked star beast, heavily wounded and now on the ground, was swiftly controlled by the team.

Xiang Fei asked, “Do we need to kill it?”

Er Ya replied, “No need; star beasts have auras among clusters; either we don’t kill, or we kill them all.”

Shi Xing stated, “Then let’s control it first; it’s heavily injured and won’t recover shortly.”

Xiang Fei agreed.

Shi Xing asked, “Has the deployment of the protector ship been completed?”

Qin Jue reported, “The adjustment according to the star beast’s position has been completed; a total of three layers of barriers can be established. Currently, the warship you’re on is located beneath the second layer of barrier.”

Er Ya remained silent and returned command to Shi Xing.

During regular training, she only provided suggestions for battle formations and plans. The command of the three teams had always been with Shi Xing; if Shi Xing was in a situation, Fei Chu and Ying Geng would support him later, while she merely recorded data and proposed directions for improvement.

With some teams still on the ground, Shi Xing ordered to open the lowest barrier, temporarily trapping the star beast at the highest level.

The second layer barrier was shifted to be beneath them.

Suddenly, Shi Xing said, “Set up defensive formations later; while the star beast hasn’t been exhausted, let’s test the strength of my barrier first.”

Er Ya thought for a moment, nodded, and gestured for him to proceed.

This indicated that she was fully handing over the decision to Shi Xing, merely observing from the side.

“Open the dome.”

The high-speed warship expanded from above, and Shi Xing’s figure emerged in mid-air; the moment his eyes met the SS-ranked star beast, the beast charged at him fiercely.

Unfortunately, it was obstructed by the barrier created by the protector ship; after a wave of energetic impacts, the star beast was once again blocked.

“Er Ya, you should switch to another warship; you might get dizzy chasing after it later.”

Er Ya made an “OK” gesture; the warship beside Fu Qing approached, and she boarded it.

The warship Fei Chu was on also opened its dome, linking its control with the high-speed warship which could only accommodate 23 people. Similarly to Shi Xing, the linkage device was clipped behind their ears. This type of warship was purely designed for aerial combat using mental power, without offensive capabilities. It could passively protect its occupants from energy blasts thrice in cases of energy explosions.

Watching the star beast segregated by their barriers, Shi Xing took a deep breath.

In a moment, a barrier spread above his head, instantly expanding to cover all the standby teams in the air.

It stretched infinitely.

Once fully deployed, Shi Xing took another deep breath and pushed with his hands.

The barrier moved up towards the star beast following his actions.

Shi Xing commanded, “Withdraw the barrier obstructing the star beast.”

The united barrier established by the protector ship was retracted in an instant as Shi Xing’s barrier took form above it.

The energy waves alerted the star beast to Shi Xing’s presence, causing it to rush toward the barrier again.

In high-speed movement, a dozen collisions occurred in the blink of an eye. Shi Xing did not sever his connection with the barrier; he felt the devastating energy battering it more violently than during training, compelling him to continuously draw on his mental power for replenishment to maintain the barrier.

In the communicator, Fu Qing remarked, “It has sensed your diffusing mental power.”

Shi Xing replied, “That’s normal.”

Er Ya had warned him of this more than once.

This was also one of the reasons Er Ya constantly urged Shi Xing to absorb beast cores, wanting him to pass through the maturity period quickly.

The closer the maturity period was to its end, the stronger the uncontrollable diffusing mental power of the Blue Star humans attracted the star beasts.

With Shi Xing’s level being this high, both Er Ya and Chi Yao did not want to delay, aiming to help him cross the maturity period as quickly as possible.

After dozens of impacts, Shi Xing’s barrier remained stable; the energy collisions formed a mixed-colored energy mist in his gifted vision.

Er Ya checked the time; under this kind of attack, Shi Xing had already persisted for more than ten minutes, which was a long time.

That duration was sufficient for the army to reorganize and launch two assaults.

Looking again at Shi Xing’s expression, Er Ya did not see signs of fatigue. Having trained with Shi Xing for half a year, she felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Of course, Shi Xing was not this formidable in an instant.

The first time he faced an officer’s attack, the barrier had only withstood a few minutes.

Now, he was no longer comparable to that time.

“That’s enough; at your level, the barrier can easily fend off an SS-ranked mutated star beast.”

Shi Xing stated, “I haven’t even used half of my mental power yet; let’s measure for half the duration.”

Er Ya pondered for a moment and agreed, “Alright.”

Shi Xing withdrew the barrier after fifteen minutes, shorter than the twenty minutes average during training, but still quite good; the star beast’s attacks were not held back, exhibiting fully desperate assaulting strategies.

After the barrier was lifted, even Shi Xing, who had always been calm, took a sigh of relief.

Fei Chu exclaimed, “Awesome, Star!”

This frequency of attacks, these energy clashes—Shi Xing had not yet passed the maturity period and could already achieve this level. Fei Chu could imagine that after Shi Xing crossed the maturity period in the near future, their team would attack star beasts as easily as slicing through melons.

Though the other two teams did not voice their thoughts, they had not diminished their shock.

At the forefront was Ying Geng’s team; the more they interacted with Shi Xing, the more they understood his abilities, and the more they were amazed and impressed by him.

Though not apparent, Shi Xing was sweating lightly on his back.

In the second year of the maturity period, his mental power was significantly boosted, yet in comparison to his level, it still fell far short.

Thinking that this would only be resolved after the maturity period, Shi Xing felt a sigh approaching.

Fu Qing’s warship also opened at Er Ya’s request.

Er Ya’s mental power flowed over to Shi Xing, rapidly replenishing his mental sea.

Actually, it would have been fine not to replenish, but Er Ya feared the unexpected would occur.

Especially as a D-rank mutated star beast was lurking outside the planet.

【Northward, S-ranked star beast captured, need to kill?】

【Southeast, SS-ranked star beast heavily injured and controlled, need to kill?】

In a brief moment of rest, the remaining two star beasts were also captured, and the action team sought guidance within the channel.

Chi Yao’s voice was steady and powerful, “No, after being heavily injured, just hold them in place and render them unable to act.”

【Received】

【Received】

Shi Xing asked, “Is the D-rank mutated star beast still under control?”

Chi Yao replied, “Still within the control range; the original hour plan remains, and you have thirty-seven minutes left.”

Shi Xing nodded, “Received!”

Just as Shi Xing spoke, he took another breath, signaled Er Ya to stop replenishing his mental power, and commanded, “Three defensive formations in total, two offensive formations, starting with defense.”

Outside the planetary atmosphere, the D-rank mutated star beast was once again swept away by Chi Yao’s mental power from a distance, howling angrily.

……

Twenty minutes passed, and all defensive formations had been tested.

Fei Chu shouted with pride, “I don’t even feel like dealing with a star beast; it feels like flying a kite!”

Watching the star beast follow them but unable to penetrate Shi Xing’s barrier left him exhilarated.

Er Ya ignored Fei Chu and provided mental power replenishment for Shi Xing again, quickly handing him a packet of tissue, “Only seventeen minutes left; seven minutes for the heavily injured star beast, ten minutes to attempt; is that enough?”

Shi Xing nodded, “Enough.”

“Then take a breath; you only have two minutes of rest.”

Shi Xing breathed to exchange air, feeling too tired to speak, merely nodding.

Fei Chu wanted to shout something to Fu Qing but paused when he met Er Ya’s warning gaze, stunned for a moment; following Er Ya’s line of vision to Shi Xing, he realized he had been too loud and voluntarily silenced himself.

When Shi Xing opened his eyes again, he called out, “General Ying Geng?”

“I’m here,” came the response from the communicator.

“Deploy the single pilot mech for the attack; can you handle it?”

Ying Geng replied, “No problem.”

Shi Xing nodded; this time he did not stop Er Ya’s replenishing of mental power. As he raised his head, he saw Ying Geng’s mech move out.

Shi Xing’s hands felt a bit weak, but his condition was not bad.

After lengthy high-intensity training, he could clearly feel how long he could persist in each state.

In addition to Er Ya helping him replenish mental power, he would recover quickly.

The star beast they had been resisting and maneuvering around had become extremely agitated; it clearly sensed the Blue Star human below and, after a long time of seeing but unable to feed, its patience had worn thin, causing wild surges of violent mental power within it.

Er Ya said, “Looks like only the mental power can breach the mental sea; there are no other types of mutations.”

Shi Xing agreed, “I think so too.”

If there had been, it would have been used long ago.

Shi Xing commanded, “Let’s begin.”

As he finished speaking, Qin Jue once again opened the barrier established by the protector ship. The star beast felt something, rocketing into the crack like a shooting star, and Ying Geng’s mech shot upward like a beam of light.

Ying Geng crashed face-to-face with the star beast, unleashing mental power to entangle the beast.

After several exchanges, the star beast sensed something was off. Typically, such a mech couldn’t withstand this many attacks from its rampant mental power; even if the mech could endure it, the human inside could not, having long been pierced through their mental sea. There was no way they could face off directly in this manner after so many attacks.

Licking its claws with deep bone-deep wounds, the star beast was no longer in a hurry to attack; its vertical pupils suddenly detected something different.

This mech was different; it felt like there was something covering its exterior.

With another collision confirming its suspicions, the star beast roared in fury.

It was the type of energy that had persisted in obstructing it.

After repeatedly facing setbacks, the star beast also grew furious and began attacking recklessly, determined to breach this layer of energy—Shi Xing’s morphing barrier.

During training, Er Ya discovered that Shi Xing’s control over mental power could be highly detailed.

His mental power could not merely be used as a simple shield; it adhered to the contours of the warship and mechs, also functioning as a morphing soft shield.

Of course, this required exceptionally high standards of control over mental power.

In training, Shi Xing continuously surprised Er Ya, and this was no exception because—

“The star beast is enraged, requesting mech support,” Ying Geng commented during their confrontation.

“Received,” Shi Xing agreed.

“Deploy ten SSS-ranked mechs.”

The star beast’s eyes watched as several mechs dashed in like streaks of light, each covered with a similar energy shield similar to the one it was battling against.

“Roar—”

The star beast went wild.

Yes, when Shi Xing’s barrier was used as energy armor, it could cover more than just a high-speed moving object.

In training, at peak levels, Shi Xing’s soft barrier had covered up to twenty mechs.

But operationally, that would clearly not be feasible. As the number increased, when it reached thirteen, Shi Xing felt strained.

“Don’t overstrain yourself; there’s still a D-ranked star beast outside, and time is short.”

Er Ya reminded Shi Xing not to overspend his resources.

Shi Xing nodded; upon reaching a critical point, decisively stated, “Testing concluded; let’s encircle the star beast and drag it down to the ground.”

Ying Geng and his team echoed, “Received.”

Thirteen mechs spread into encircling formations, gradually consuming the star beast through continuous attacks, injuring and heavily wounding it.

In less than three minutes, the mech team attacked while cutting off the star beast’s escape route.

A piercing cry of pain echoed, and as he watched the black mech plummet like a meteor after the star beast, Shi Xing exhaled lightly, “Alright.”

No more attacks were felt against the barrier; with a thunderous sound, the star beast collapsed to the ground.

Er Ya said, “Go down and try to absorb its mental power.”

Shi Xing nodded.

Moments later, the three SSS-ranked soldiers’ barriers trapped the gasping star beast. The instant Shi Xing approached, he sensed the ferocious mental power within the beast, pulling at him from across the gap.

Er Ya chose a distance neither too far nor too close, raised her chin, “Let’s start.”

Shi Xing released his mental power, coming into contact with the star beast to feel its wild mental power, trying to absorb… but could not.

Shi Xing: “…”

Shi Xing’s mental power rubbed around the star beast, even penetrating into the beast core. The high-tier energy was right within reach; he could clearly sense it, but to absorb it…

Er Ya sighed, “You reached out again.”

When mental power couldn’t be used as a medium to absorb the star beast’s energy, Shi Xing would subconsciously want to touch the star beast.

Using the old method, he sought to absorb energy through skin contact.

Clearly, it was happening again.

Shi Xing: “…………”

Watching his hand reach out again without him realizing it, Shi Xing felt a sense of painful defeat.

Er Ya asked, “Still not working?”

Shi Xing nodded.

Er Ya said, “Get a bit closer.”

“Closer.”

“Again…” Er Ya paused and gave up. “Forget it; why don’t you try to touch and absorb the energy?”

While speaking, Shi Xing’s hand was only a finger’s breadth away from the star beast.

Logic dictated that this should have been an enticing distance, but… Er Ya rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

Shi Xing also wanted to facepalm, but with only two or three minutes left, he said, “Let me try again.”

“You can do it,” Er Ya’s emphasis was lacking in expectation.

Er Ya felt she was correct; drawn to the energy on the star beast, Shi Xing clearly sensed it was what he needed, and even his mental sea began boiling to become active… yet he still couldn’t do it.

Shi Xing was on the verge of collapse, “I can’t understand.”

Er Ya was also collapsing, “+1.”

Fei Chu: “+1.”

Fu Qing: “+2.”

Xiang Fei, taking a different approach, suggested, “If not, then just touch and absorb; I see this star beast is quite afraid of you.”

Indeed, ever since Shi Xing approached the star beast, it instinctively sensed the threat, and its cries shifted from brutal to plaintive.

General Qin Jue noted, “The cries are indeed a bit tragic.”

General Ying Geng remarked, having faced it before, unemotionally noted, “It’s the first time hearing it, but it’s quite gratifying; I could listen to it a bit longer.”

Uncertain if he understood the implication, not only the others but the howling star beast fell silent for a moment.

Er Ya glanced at the time, “Two minutes left; just eat it.”

Shi Xing protested, “I still want…”

Not waiting for him to finish, Er Ya pressed his hand directly against the star beast.

With the moment of contact, combined with his wildly active mental sea, melded with Shi Xing’s desperate desire to push himself to the limits…

At the moment of contact, the star beast erupted in a surge of survival mental power, but it was futile, firmly suppressed by Shi Xing subconsciously.

Not only suppressed but after being contained, the mental power within and outside its sea became so active that Shi Xing swiftly absorbed this burst of mental power.

In a brief span of ten seconds, perhaps even twenty, as everyone failed to react, the SS-ranked star beast’s core shattered, followed by the energy being drawn violently into Shi Xing’s mental sea.

The collision of the mental powers was so advanced that everyone instinctively took half a step back.

By the time Er Ya realized that things were going awry, it was already too late. With the absorption of the frenzied mental power, the star beast’s flesh began to disintegrate.

Er Ya exclaimed, “Wait…”

The single word barely escaped her lips when the star beast had already been reduced to a puddle of flesh and a skeletal frame under Shi Xing’s hands.

It was dead.

Oh no.

Fei Chu’s eyes were about to pop out as he exclaimed in shock, “Did you force yourself too much?”

How much desire must one have to drain a star beast in just a few seconds!

Er Ya was worried, but it was not this. Almost simultaneously, she quickly warned over the communication channel, “The star beast on the ground has unexpectedly died; all warships outside the atmosphere, be cautious…”

No sooner had she spoken than several roars filled with energy shockwaves resounded across the land.

Other star beasts sensed the death of this one.

Shi Xing looked up; the massive energy shockwave outside the atmosphere for a moment blinded him, leaving the world whitened under his gifted abilities.

【Warning, warning, the outer defensive barrier is ruptured】

【Warning, warning, the outer defensive barrier is ruptured】

【Unidentified lifeforms are crossing the barrier】

【Unidentified lifeforms are crossing the barrier】

Chi Yao’s voice quickly followed, “All teams regroup at the designated points as per the original plan.”

“Encircle the D-rank mutated 3S-ranked star beasts.”

【Received】

【Received】

【Received…】

All the legions responded in unison, complying with Chi Yao’s orders.

Knowing the situation was deteriorating, Shi Xing pressed down the feeling of guilt in his heart, swiftly adjusting his emotions to respond, “Received.”