Chapter 161: Massive Rebel Forces Are Bursting Out of Subspace

The fleet's engine firelight, like a river of fireflies, flows slowly into the boundless void.

The foremost Aolake is massive and striking in real space, and equally brilliant in the navigator's Subspace view.

In the Subspace waves stirred by the Insect Tide's shadows, the fleet's next moves must rely on the Mobile Star Torch aboard Aolake.

So when the Coordinates are set, the ships begin, one after another, to follow Aolake tightly into Subspace.

From the Bridge, watching the massive Leap of Marajin outside, the plan to leave the Bridge and report to Sanctum Star was completely abandoned.

After all, who else is traveling the same path as Xisi~

Marajin wants to go to Sanctum Star?

What a coincidence, Xisi is too!

Marajin can only watch Aolake tear open a huge Subspace fissure, then ride the waves within, leading the massive fleet slowly into it.

At this moment, Sanctum Star.

It does not have the grand scene of Terran forces pressing the borders as imagined.

The Terran Insect Tide, which should have concentrated all strength to fully smash the last gateway fortress of the Sun Star Realm,

is instead being led by a large Sun Blade Fleet composed of two or three warships, circling around the entire star sector containing Sanctum Star.

So that by the time the Terran bio-ships reach Sanctum Star, there are only a little over one million.

Indeed, even with just a modest force, the number of bio-ships Sanctum Star must face reaches the million scale.

At this moment, in the void of Sanctum Star's system, Imperial fleets that dance on the knife's edge, using two or three ships to attack and disrupt the Terran bio-ship sea, are everywhere.

It is hard to say how much damage these tiny fleets inflict on the Terrans, but at least under this guerrilla tactic, the two sides, whose forces are wildly mismatched, strangely fall into a stalemate.

Their onslaught, which should have surged violently into the Sun Star Realm and seized Terra's Terran tendrils, was blocked at Sanctum Star.

They can only keep hurling bio-spores, vowing to completely devour the Sanctum Star that stands before them.

Now on Sanctum Star's surface, under the massive resistance of the Star Realm Army, Astats, and even Battle Nun, the Terran Insect Tide washes over like successive waves.

As a fortress world, its towering Nest Cities have all been replaced by soaring fortresses, countless varied artillery spewing flame toward the endless sea of insects on the surface.

Yet even the strongest artillery cannot match the truly endless swarm; when the underground stockpiles are exhausted, the towering fortresses are layered over by the overwhelming Insect Tide and are utterly crushed!

As another fortress begins to collapse layer by layer, taking the dense insects attached to it with it, on a distant towering mountain, before a gate leading into the mountain interior, a 'middle-aged' man clad in Roman-style armor of gold and white, with decorative plating, silently casts a deathly gaze.

Surrounding him are swarms of elite Star Realm Army, and even many remaining elite Kashen from Kadia!

And beyond these mortals are the Astats and two full squads of the Imperial Guard!

'This is the last fortress before the Iron Guard Fortress; next, the swarm should attack us directly...'

A dull voice sounded above and behind the middle-aged man; he did not turn, remaining silent, and the source above was not his head but a giant over three meters tall clad in golden Power Armor: Trajan!

The middle-aged mortal ahead, who appears to have no combat ability, is currently the Sun Lord who commands all Star Realm Army in the Sun Star Realm: Leon Titus!

Leon Titus's age, of course, is not as youthful as his appearance; he maintains a middle-aged visage thanks to the Empire's costless Rejuvenation surgery, which forcibly extends his lifespan and keeps him perpetually at the peak of mortal life.

In return, Leon Titus, who devised the Sun Blade Fleet and employed guerrilla tactics, also succeeded in delaying the Terran tendrils outside Sanctum Star with an impossibly small force.

This single battle proves that the Empire's investment in him was not wasted at all, but yielded abundant returns.

Thus, the Imperial Guard Marshal Trajan behind him now subtly shows his recognition and cooperation in military command.

Leon Titus kept his gaze on the front for a while, until the fortress was completely flattened by dozens of massive Titan beasts, then silently withdrew his eyes.

Then, with a sigh of uncertain fatigue or loss, Leon Titus turned to head back to the Iron Guard Fortress embedded deep in the mountain behind him.

And seeing Leon Titus's passivity, Trajan, facing the Sun Lord walking past him, couldn't help speaking:

'Lord Kiriman's promised reinforcements are arriving soon.'

Trajan deliberately raised his voice, even intending for the surrounding mortals and commanders to hear.

As expected, the garrison hearing Trajan's words, whose faces were already weary from near collapse, finally felt a spark of hope.

And after staring numbly at the surging tide, they could look up at the sky, hoping for the reinforcements whose arrival time was unknown.

Only the mortals beside him wore expectant expressions, while Leon Titus, already deep in the long corridor, wore a bored, indifferent look.

Even after Trajan finished, he couldn't help a wry smile.

Leon Titus tried his best to conceal his expression, not letting those around him see his reaction.

Trajan, after speaking, also showed helplessness at Leon Titus's reaction, even sighing.

Unlike the outside's intelligence on Xisi's legion, the Sun Star Realm, shrouded by the Insect Tide's shadows, gathers information extremely slowly; they only know that Kiriman is urgently preparing reinforcements outside the Sun Star Realm, but who the reinforcements are, where they come from, how many—everything is a blind guess.

Moreover, the identity of the reinforcements Xisi has summoned is truly complicated; the Terra High Lords' council is also vague, merely reiterating that the reinforcements are on the way and massive, without further comment.

And these words, finally conveyed to Leon Titus through fragmented 'dream messages', became just the Empire's usual comforting excuses.

So when Leon Titus is far from the outer garrison, alone with Trajan in the long corridor, he can only sigh helplessly:

'Reinforcements? I fear they may have already entered the Terran insect belly and become part of the swarm, right?'

Leon Titus joked with a grimace, and Trajan could not refute him.

They know the outside situation better than anyone, so they truly cannot imagine where the Empire could still have enough powerful reinforcements to turn the tide.

It couldn't possibly be that they go to the Eye of Fear and pull out that group of worshippers from back then, could it?

In countless daydreams, Leon Titus and Trajan of course also speculated wildly, but in the end only laughed at themselves and shook their heads.

The exaggeration of this matter is comparable to the Divine Emperor finally standing up.

Then, as the two prepared to slip back into the depths of the Iron Guard Fortress to continue commanding, a barrage of alarms echoed through the corridor.

'The swarm has broken in?'

Trajan was startled, and with speed that cast a phantom, shielded Leon Titus behind him.

No swarm appeared; only an aide rushed in panic, and upon seeing Leon Titus and Trajan, hurried over.

The aide's words instantly lit up both of their eyes.

'Rebel Forces! A massive number of Rebel Forces!'

'They are bursting out of Subspace!'