Chapter 356

The Andromeda Consortium civilization is a newborn civilization that arose from the ruins of an advanced ancient civilization; due to its unique origins and history, it is a consortium of multiple races and ethnic groups, all under a single supreme ruler.

The civilization's interstellar fleet is composed of four most powerful races: the Andromeda Insectoids, masters of materials science; the Totem Spirits, experts in energy and magical energy; the High Elves, specialists in structure and ecology; and the Seka civilization, the strongest within the entire consortium.

Although these four races are collectively called the strongest within the consortium, the gaps between them are immense: the chairman, vice-chairman, and one-third of the councilors of the consortium's highest council all come from the Seka faction.

Yet in reality, the Seka population is extremely small; they live atop the air island in the center of the consortium, the "Dual Star One Island" system, while the other two planets are inhabited by the High Elves and the Totem Spirits.

Originally, this was a thriving star region, with spacecraft from multiple races arriving and departing daily; the air island at the highest point of the Dual Star One Island system was even called the Pearl of the Great Nebula, meticulously built by the Sekas to be breathtakingly beautiful.

Though its unique celestial structure meant it had no atmosphere and neither orbited nor rotated, it was encased in a stunning iridescent energy shield, with the energy core buried beneath the island faintly visible, emitting a gemlike glow.

All members of the consortium dreamed of visiting the chairman's air island, which was considered the most habitable place in the entire Andromeda Consortium civilization.

But now, those once bustling fleets had vanished entirely; the united fleet that once lined up near the chairman's island, swearing to defend their homeland, had disappeared without a trace.

But soon, a group of unwelcome guests arrived.

The energy core of the air island's iridescent shield was the chairman's residence; beneath the cascading fountain-like iridescent energy, the consortium's chairman stood before the mansion's gate, watching a group of black-clad figures descend slowly before him.

Boots touched the ground, stirring fine dust; capes drifted gently down from the air; when Magneto landed, he did not look at the chairman or vice-chairman standing at the gate, but looked past them, fixing his gaze on the opulent mansion.

It was a building of peculiar design: most of its walls were made of brilliant transparent crystals, while the supporting pillars were towering ancient trees, making the place resemble the realm of elves from human fantasy tales; lush alien flora rivaled Earth's trees, and beautiful magical light particles drifted among them.

Only after examining every detail of the building did Magneto lower his gaze to the figures on the steps—a group of blue-skinned aliens, slightly taller than humans, with longer limbs, yet their bodies and features closely resembled humans; their expressions were grim, for anyone ignored like this would feel anger.

At that moment, Blue Spirit, possessing the shadow, stepped forward from the mutant ranks; seeing that familiar blue figure, the chairman's face darkened further.

"Blue Spirit... I knew it, this was all your conspiracy."

"Conspiracy? You dare speak of conspiracy?!"

Blue Spirit's voice was low with fury; another orange symbiote stepped beside him; the orange symbiote spoke in a rough Ma Lei voice: "Pean! Had our planet not suffered this catastrophe, I would never have discovered you placed a super-powered sonic weapon in our low-orbit—what the hell are you trying to do?!"

Chairman Pean, standing atop the steps, wore an ornate robe; his blue skin shimmered under the iridescent light. At this point, he no longer wished to pretend. He said: "You mud-dwellers are unworthy to share the same star system with us. You should have been eradicated long ago."

Blue Spirit took a deep breath and said: "Leave this place with your people. For the sake of our past cooperation…"

"You want these weak ants to replace me?" Pean narrowed his eyes at the mutants below. "Blue Spirit, has living too long clouded your vision?"

"Stop resisting uselessly," Green Spike stepped forward. "All armed forces of the consortium have been annihilated in the super-black-hole explosion. You are utterly isolated."

Blue Spirit continued: "We never intended to do this. But when we returned to our homeworld, the chaotic forces surrounding it revealed your hidden planetary sonic weapon near the Klinta star's low orbit…"

"Don't bother lying. Only you possess EMP weapons like this, Pean. I've repeatedly warned you: our planet is the most critical in the entire star system—it holds a terrifying creature…"

"Enough, Blue Spirit! How long will you keep threatening us with this excuse?"

"You annoying cosmic agents, obsessed with justice and peace—because of you, the consortium has never been unified!"

"Pean, you accuse us of being obsessed with justice—but isn't your constant talk of consortium unification merely to serve your own selfish desires?"

"Under the guise of unification, you first forcibly seized the iridescent generators from the Totem Spirits' homeworld, then moved the High Elves' ancient greenhouse to the air island, and finally forced the Insectoids to use their cave crystal clusters to build this dazzling chairman's mansion…"

"End your evil rule," Blue Spirit said to Pean. "It is time for a new master."

Pean clasped his hands before him and said: "You want to drive me out of here?"

He shook his head, sneering. "On what grounds? On the strength of a few cosmic agents? Or those feeble humans?"

As he spoke, the vice-chairman waved his hand; instantly, magical radiance surged from the mansion's roof into the sky. A deafening "hum" echoed as a violent sonic wave swept through—the symbiotes screamed and were flung backward, their colorful fluids retreating swiftly into their hosts.

"I knew you mud-dwellers had ill intentions—how could I have left myself unprepared?"

Magneto tilted his head upward. He still did not look at Chairman Pean, but gazed at the rising magical radiance, as if observing an interesting toy—yet he did not move, only extended one hand and twitched his fingers.

From behind him stepped North Star; as her power activated, her green hair stirred without wind. She reached out a hand, grasping the air—and the magical pillar emitted a piercing "screech," then "popped" and vanished.

Pean's expression stiffened, but then he pulled out a control panel. "You think all fleets were sent to fight the sulfur dwarves? In truth, I long anticipated opportunists striking while the iron was hot—two heavy warships never left the air island's defense perimeter…"

As he pressed the button, a shadow materialized in the sky above the air island. Blue Spirit reemerged from the mutants' bodies, looked up, and said: "Cunning blue-skin, damn locusts… That's a Heaven-Furnace-class vessel—meant to be our most vital warship!"

"I knew the consortium's defenses collapsed too fast," Lei Ting fixed his gaze on Pean. "You diverted defense forces for your own selfish ends, Pean—you're more despicable than I imagined."

"The Heaven-Furnace-class vessels carry electromagnetic storms capable of covering entire planets. Look—those black-hole-like muzzles… the dim-witted Insectoids never noticed I infiltrated the ship's control system…"

"They also forgot that the mining accident over a century ago was staged to justify the construction of these two heavy warships. Now, they are my private armed forces. Anyone who objects will be reduced to ash in the electromagnetic storm!"

As he finished speaking, the two massive cannons on the sides of the warship began glowing blindingly. Blue Spirit shouted: "Get out of the way! That's an electromagnetic storm weapon!"

Magneto finally moved slightly—he tilted his head, glancing at North Star. She met his gaze, understanding instantly, and said: "I'm not certain, but I can try."

Magneto turned his head back, continuing to admire the chairman's mansion, as if viewing a painting in a museum.

North Star floated slowly upward, lowered her eyelids, and stared at her hands. Facing the increasingly brilliant muzzle, she suddenly smiled slyly. "Let's watch the fireworks."

She crossed her forearms into an X-shape. As the blinding plasma surged toward her, an invisible field blocked her arms.

But stopping it wasn't enough. North Star rotated her hands; the electromagnetic storm twisted like dough, reshaped into an oval, then she shoved it forward—the hyper-compressed energy shot back along the cannon's path.

"Boom!" The massive warship exploded into fireworks, breaking apart midair, debris falling like a meteor shower of fire. North Star raised her hand again—a magnetic shield enveloped the group above.

The magnetic shield protected only allies. As debris rained down from the exploding ship, Pean finally lost his elegant composure—he and the vice-chairman scrambled backward.

At that moment, the nearest fragment of the ship—charged with electricity and flame—hung motionless in midair, barely three meters above their heads.

Magneto gave North Star a displeased glance. She looked away and said: "Fine, I know—can't damage the floor, can't ruin the building…"

She waved her hand impatiently; the magnetic shield expanded across the entire square. The falling debris, lacking great force, changed direction upon contact and were flung into space.

As the magnetic shield unfolded, Pean's eyes widened in shock. "This… this is the same mysterious shield that blocked our star region during the black hole explosion?"

The vice-chairman looked at the chairman. "So… this isn't the shield 'they' left behind…"

Pean realized it too—he stared fixedly at Magneto before him. "You caused the super-black-hole explosion?!"

"You're insane!" Pean shouted. "Just to overthrow me and seize control of the consortium, you blew up a black hole and destroyed all civilization?!!"

"You're mad! You nearly destroyed the universe!"

"Pean, your end has come. Letting you leave was my decision after negotiating with the humans—I pleaded for you. The best outcome now is that you leave this star system and never return."

"You said they're mad. Humans don't fear building bombs to blow up their own planet. If you still refuse to repent, I can't say what they might do next…"