Sanctuary Paradise

Chapter 824 The War Begins
Om-! !

Inside the command center, as the cold announcement of arrival at the destination faded from the broadcast, rows of indicator lights lit up on the control panel below the screen. At the same time, the power lights around the command center also shone brightly, illuminating the command center, which had previously relied solely on the light from the projector and screen, as bright as day.

Most importantly, the screen displayed on the main screen located on the central wall of the command room... behind the major:

Pitch black, deep, and silent.

Like the edge of the starry sky, darkness slowly surged at the end of the screen's display. Abyssal energy waves, like tides, surged out from it from time to time, and the remains of planets and worlds rose and fell within it. The intense sense of foreboding made one feel as if they were about to fall into it, even when looking at it through a screen.

"No matter how many times, this thing always makes me feel physically uncomfortable..."

Below the screen, Yamu gazed at the scene before him, his eyes slightly lowered, and murmured. Beside him, Xin Lailai and the others silently stared at the dark ocean on the screen, their eyes filled with solemnity.

This is... the current state of the Astral Frontier.

"Speaking of which, are we going to have to establish a base there?"

After a long silence filled the command room, Randy, who was sitting to the side, muttered uncertainly, pointing to the desolate planet on the screen that was bobbing up and down in the waves of abyssal energy that occasionally seeped in from the sea, and asked a question.

"Haha, Lord Randy, you're quite the joker. While that is indeed the initial base we plan to build in the future, for now, with the World Fortress right here, I think Lord Randy only needs to think about how to deal with those powerful abyssal creatures that have the firepower to break through the outer perimeter of the fortress and enter its interior."

In response to Randy's question, the major chuckled and explained with a smile. Randy, relieved, shrugged and joked:

"That's good. Otherwise, if we were to fight on a planet without any protective measures, with our small bodies, we wouldn't even be able to protect the Abyss Purification Device. We'd be lucky if we didn't become food for those Abyss creatures!"

"Lord Randy is quite fond of modesty. However, speaking of the battle, judging by the time, it should be starting soon."

Start?
As the major uttered those words, Randy and Xin Lailai, among others, couldn't help but glance at him curiously. The major, however, smiled and looked at the distant views of the fortress, divided into different areas, displayed on the screens on either side of the command room. Then—

[Attention all personnel! We have arrived near our designated destination and are about to deploy defensive barriers and outer armor. Please prepare for combat in all areas!]

[To reiterate, the defensive barrier and outer armor will soon be deployed. All areas are requested to prepare for combat!]

Om-! !

In an instant, a piercing siren blared from the loudspeaker, accompanied by a cold announcement. On the screens on either side of the command center, the World Fortress, which had been static in the starry sky, seemed to come alive. The floating metal platforms on its surface unfolded outwards in a regular hexagonal pattern before their very eyes.

In the scene, tens of thousands of armored platforms are pieced together like building blocks. From a distance, they look like silver-white petals that suddenly bloom from the surface of the World Fortress, covering the entire surface of the World Fortress.

Moreover, in the scene corresponding to the outermost area, it can be seen that as the silver-white metal armor unfolds, two exceptionally dazzling azure light curtains suddenly spread out from both sides of the giant star ring, rapidly spreading along the surface of the world fortress, and in just a few seconds, they enveloped the entire fortress.

"Lord A3756, the charging of Abyss Purification Device No. 1 has been completed and it is ready for use at any time."

As the world fortress on the screen changed, Sister Chris's gentle and melodious voice suddenly came from the broadcast. The major, seated in the main command room, grinned and said:

"Really? That's great! In that case, let's get started!"

The command, delivered in a soft, airy tone, fell silent for a moment, leaving only the major's voice echoing softly in the air. A few seconds later—

"Yes, Lord Jia 3756."

Om-! !

The next instant, a terrifying elemental fluctuation, so immense that it could be clearly felt even inside the Blackthorn warship, erupted from the depths of the World Fortress. On the screen, a huge white beam of light, tens of thousands of meters wide, shot into the sky from inside the World Fortress, traversing tens of thousands of kilometers in a short moment, transforming into a vast pure white vortex in the sky above the World Fortress that was comparable to the size of an entire star system.

[Attention all members! The Abyss Purification Device has been activated. All personnel are now on Level 1 alert!]

[To reiterate, the Abyss Purification Device is activated. All personnel are now on Level 1 combat readiness!]

A much louder horn blared, and with the appearance of the white vortex, the abyssal energy ocean on the main screen, which resembled the edge of the starry sky, began to surge wildly as if stimulated by something.

A massive amount of abyssal energy poured forth from it, crashing against the invisible barrier separating it from the astral plane, forming spectacular waves stretching for millions of miles. These waves transformed into smaller abyssal energy vortices in the starry sky, attempting to counter the colossal elemental vortex launched from the world fortress, and then…

Buzz, rumble—! !

A tremor, like the low growl of a celestial beast, resounded throughout the entire Spirit Realm. On the screen, as the Abyss Ocean raged, the pale white elemental barriers that had previously been passively attacked suddenly seemed to receive some kind of assistance, beginning to frantically devour the Abyss energy that touched them, as if taking the initiative. Under the watchful eyes of Xin Lailai and the others, the massive elemental beam emitted by the World Fortress spread continuously towards the Abyss Ocean, causing the planets and world remnants that had been swallowed by the Abyss energy to gradually emerge like a coastline at low tide.

"Tsk tsk, that's quite a commotion, isn't it?"

"That's normal. Just like how abyssal energy spontaneously erodes elemental energy, abyssal energy is a kind of 'delicious food' for elemental energy. The elemental barrier in this area has been suppressed by abyssal energy for so long, and now that it finally has a chance to fight back, it's naturally going all out to counterattack."

In the command center, Randy looked at the spectacular scene on the screen, a scene so grand it could be shown as a top-tier movie on a virtual entertainment platform, and clicked his tongue in amazement. Meanwhile, Yamu calmly explained, as if he had seen similar scenes many times before.

"Wow, you're a professional after all, you know so much!"

Upon hearing Yamu's explanation, Randy immediately gave him a thumbs-up, praising him without reservation. At the same time, he glanced curiously at the fortress's interior, where few sounds could be heard and only fleeting glimpses of warships speeding by. He casually asked:

"Speaking of which, are we just going to stand here and watch? Shouldn't we go somewhere to wait for orders or something?"

"No need. Commander Jia 3756 just said that our mission is to annihilate those powerful abyssal individuals that the legion cannot effectively deal with, not to use ourselves to fill the endless army of abyssal creatures."

As Randy asked the question, Xin Lailai, standing to the side, calmly replied, glancing casually at the surrounding screens out of the corner of her eye, appearing quite composed and calm.

Regarding the details of the expedition, he had already inquired with Sister Chris before Randy and the others arrived. For a war like the expedition, with a battlefield so vast that it needs to cover at least an entire world region, the true main force can only be the legions that control a large amount of war power, not these extra-class echelons who, at best, can only mimic a small, highly mobile planet-destroying cannon. This is why the major said that their real use would be in the third phase of the expedition. Before that, even an extra-class echelon as strong as Yan Yi could only hold down a single outpost in the first and second phases at most. For an expeditionary defense line consisting of hundreds of outposts, it was still a drop in the ocean.

"That's right~ Just like Black Sword Sir said, everyone's duty is to become a sharp blade and pierce through the key enemy at the crucial moment. So until then, you just need to patiently enjoy the show here."

"Of course, out of personal preference, I wonder if you could all step back a few steps to give me a little privacy, after all..."

A soft, cotton-like chuckle faded away. From the seats resembling those in a gladiator arena, the major, who had been sitting quietly, descended the steps, adjusted his glasses, glanced at Xin Lailai and the others behind him, then walked to the control panel below the main screen, revealing his signature half-smile as he looked at the screen before him.

"I might not have much energy to chat with you all later~!"

Om-! !

As soon as he finished speaking, an exceptionally powerful surge of mental energy emanated from the major, and the indicator lights on the control panel in front of him lit up in unison, like a city experiencing a sudden power outage at night. Finally—

[Authentication complete. Full-band communication initiated. Guardian A3756 is logged in. Please issue instructions.]

"Report! The Seventh Division of the Blackthorn Legion is fully prepared!"

"Report! The Blackthorn Legion's Third Division is fully prepared!"

"Report……"

"... "

"... "

"Report complete. All Blackthorn Legion units are ready. Please issue your instructions, Commander!"

In an instant, a massive amount of information transformed from mental fluctuations surged out of the command room. The sheer scale of the event even caused Xin Lailai, who was positioned at the back, to let out a soft groan. She then consciously withdrew her Star Luo Domain and her own mental power, switching to using her normal vision and hearing to observe the scene before her.

[WARNING! Large-scale abyssal energy fluctuations detected, expected to indicate the formation of an abyssal rift. Locating the current rift formation area...]

A piercing warning blared from the loudspeaker. On the screen, numerous tiny cracks suddenly appeared in an image resembling a thermal imaging print. The major at the control console, however, seemed completely oblivious to the warnings, merely smiling as he gazed at the main screen bearing the Watchtower emblem. Meeting the gazes directed at him on the screen, he smiled and spoke:

"Excellent! Gentlemen, I greatly admire your spirits right now! Now, let's begin the announcement—"

[Warning! 376 abyssal rift generation reactions detected. Detecting abyssal biological reactions...!]

Tell me, what do you desire?

"May the iron cavalry of war pave the way for us!!"

[WARNING! A massive abyssal biological reaction has been detected, and it is expected to...!]

Tell me, what are you thinking about?!

"May our sworn enemy be stained crimson by these jet-black iron thorns!!"

[WARNING! Large-scale abyssal creatures detected approaching! Automatic counterattack process to be initiated soon...!]

Tell me, what do you seek?

"War! War! War!!"

"We do not seek rebirth! We do not seek salvation! We do not seek a life of ignominy! We only wish to be forever condemned to the purgatory of war, to be slaughtered in three thousand worlds!"

Om-! !

Inside the command room, tens of thousands of brutal spiritual forces surged in from all directions, transforming into a towering wave of sound. Enveloped in terrifying malevolent energy, they surrounded the short, stout man with glasses. Their astonishing power even caused the White Demon and the Death Bearer beside him to reveal a strange look, and like Xin Lailai, they silently took a half step back.

The major, situated at the very center of this overwhelming malevolent energy, seemed completely oblivious. He laughed even more heartily, ignoring the piercing warnings ringing in his ears and the countless red dots suddenly encircling the entire world fortress on the screen. Instead, as if he had encountered something exceptionally worthy of celebration, he tossed aside his round-framed glasses, revealing his dark gold eyes gleaming with fanaticism, and laughed heartily:
"Haha, hahaha!"

"Very good, very good! That's it!"

"So, gentlemen—"

"Let's go to purgatory together and fully enjoy this war!!!"

As soon as the words fell, the entire command room, along with the violent, malevolent thoughts surrounding the other party's identity, seemed to freeze in place, as if someone had pressed a pause button. Then...

"We all pray together!!"

In the next instant, like a ferocious beast suddenly awakening from its slumber, a massive number of spatial portals, so dense they sent shivers down one's spine, burst forth from the surface of the fortress. Pitch-black beams of light, filled with destructive energy, shot out from them, colliding with the army of abyssal creatures that had approached within 10,000 kilometers of the fortress, and erupting into a dazzling circle of explosive light from beneath the starry sky.

Amidst the endless explosions, one could see a massive number of ferocious creatures covered in jet-black scales bursting forth from the spatial portal. With an aura no less imposing than that of the abyssal army, they transformed into a jet-black torrent, colliding with the abyssal creatures that charged forward despite the bombardment. This created a striking, jet-black line that tore through the starry sky filled with elemental light.

The war has begun!

……

(End of this chapter)