Chapter 2402

2402 - The Second

Middle Sector 102—

*Clang*

The scene here was nowhere near as calm as what happened in Sector 98.

More than 300 fleets belonging to the Cursed's galaxy were present at this moment near the heart of the galaxy, all operating at full capacity, from the smallest vessel to the largest, firing nonstop.

Among them were hundreds of World Calamities and Nexus States, and at least 40 Royal Soul Masters with six stars or fewer... this terrifying formation could threaten entire empires!

But their opponents were not of the same size and number.

*BAAAAAM*

There were about 20 fast support vehicles moving with astonishing vigor, the fronts of the vehicles made of rare metal alloy resistant to Energy and Soul Power, shaped like a hammer, so when a fast support vehicle encountered a large vehicle or a space beast in front of it... it did not stop.

The twenty vehicles continued ramming only the large vehicles, then using the instant Gate to escape and appear at the next target, causing a massive amount of damage they would never have come close to achieving had they relied on cannons.

Their cannons were left to target incoming shots heading toward the vehicle, destroying them before they arrived, and they left the attack mission to ramming.

The Phantom Shadow's vehicles also did not hesitate. Although they were not designed for ramming, their constant disappearing and terrifying speed caused significant problems.

Amidst all this, there were over a thousand Nexus State experts and World Calamities, with more than 100 Soul Master Kings forming the main force.

Of course, the number of vehicles was noticeably smaller—far smaller, in fact. Although the number of experts tipped the scale toward the True Beginning Empire, the sheer number of enemy fleets forced them to retreat time and again.

But there was something noteworthy regardless of who advanced and who retreated… all the fleets were occupied, and not a single one was free to do anything else.

And that… was the point.

*Clang—*

Hedrick waved his sword calmly and began to advance, his other hand behind his back.

His head was still, but his eyes moved left and right… he was surrounded.

Around him stood exactly 13 people, positioned at equal distances from one another, forming a perfect circle. Whenever he advanced, they advanced with him. Each of them held two Wretched World Arrays in their hands—26 Wretched World Arrays in total—all aimed at him, ready to unleash their terrifying power at any moment.

But Hedrick did not attack them. His focus was fixed on something specific… on someone specific.

After Hedrick reached the distance he wanted, he completely ignored the thirteen sons and showed a confident smile as he looked straight ahead, "You have no idea how happy I am... that you didn't follow in your master's footsteps and run."

"Don't call him my master just because our interests aligned."

The one who replied was a powerfully built man with long black hair and skin covered in Black Veins, his aura darker than the void of space around them... It was the Cursed Darvion himself.

"...A Behemoth who abandons the source of his power, his galaxy, and flees because of a child, doesn't deserve that standing nor that title."

"After everything you've seen from me, you call my colleague a child?" Hedrick said with his confident smile, "Is it detachment from reality that drove you to dare and stay?"

"Children are children no matter how much their power grows." Darvion's veins began to throb, "Here you are, launching a suicide assault, instead of biding your time and advancing cautiously as you used to. You gathered all your followers and advanced in a straight line to attack the Heart of the galaxy when you heard that your *colleague* attacked that fool's galaxy and tightened her grip on it this morning."

"...Your plan to reduce the numbers of my fleets and sons collapsed, and not at my hands, but at your own, and you left your army's rear exposed to an attack that will wipe them out completely shortly... just a big child."

"Alright now, don't speak as if you don't understand the situation," Hedrick opened his arms casually, "Does it please you that we started the attack on the same day, yet she arrives before me? How will I hold my head up after that? True, I don't have the support of fleets behind me, and true, your followers are more seasoned in battle, but in front of the people, she beat me to it. I can't stay for an extra week or two—I must finish you today to save some face, so at least it can be said that we both ended on the same day we started."

"Child." Darvion sneered, "An arrogant child, just like your Lord."

"..." Hedrick pointed his sword forward, "On any other day, I would have been angered by you. I would have said no one is more arrogant than me, but honestly..." Hedrick nodded, "When it comes to arrogance, he's got me beat."

"I'm not interested in hearing the story of your life!" Darvion looked at his sons in a certain order, then turned back to face Hedrick while cracking his fingers, "This is your last chance... retreat outside the galaxy, or else."

"Heh."

Hedrick let out a small laugh, then let the sword float in the space beside the Heart of the galaxy, raised his hands to gather his thick hair, and tied it haphazardly at the back of his head, revealing a serious face with eyes gleaming in a captivating ruby hue above a smile of blind confidence.

Then he returned to grip the sword firmly, "Today, I will slaughter a Behemoth."

"Damn you!!" Darvion waved his hand.

*Whoosh* *Whoosh* *Whoosh* *Whoosh*

Twenty-six arrows and a net, a fist and a sword, a stone and a cleaver flew toward Hedrick at the same time.

*BOOOOOOM*

The Energy explosion sent the clothes of the sons and even Darvion flying wildly, but not one of them moved a single inch.

They all had their dark eyes wide open, their spiritual senses twitching wildly to determine Hedrick's fate.

*SWOOSH*

Hedrick didn't leave them in suspense for long—he shot out from amidst the terrifying Soul Power explosion, dragging the sword behind him.

He charged forward with a fearsome smile on his face, straight toward Darvion, "Die, die and be the first Behemoth to fall slain within his own galaxy since the Era of the Beast Invasion!!"

*CLANG*

The sword pierced Darvion's heart.

".....?" Hedrick felt something was off—it had been far too easy.

"Pathetic."

Darvion completely ignored the wound, then raised his hand. A Wretched World Array appeared on each knuckle of his five fingers until they numbered fifteen matrices, then he formed them into a fist and *BANG*

He sent Hedrick flying backward.