Gray Port was a city deeply unfortunate, having witnessed two devastating clashes between peak masters in the span of a single month.

Yet, Gray Port was also a lucky city, as neither of the massive battles had inflicted widespread ruin upon it.

The last time Harlass struck, the greatest damage was sustained by the Administration Building. Harlass’s Fire Ring technique had easily shattered Garcia’s psychic barrier, leaving scorch marks everywhere in the ground floor lobby—from the floorboards to the walls and ceiling!

No furnishings or objects remained in the hall. Glass had melted into a glowing, viscous slurry, and the walls were burned through, revealing massive holes where the internal rebar had turned to molten steel.

The corners and ceiling were blackened, still faintly steaming, as several emergency sprinklers blasted torrents of water to rapidly bring down the ambient temperature throughout the entire lobby.

As for the breach in the city barrier, repair drones had already been dispatched.

Near the main entrance of the Administration Building, facing the main street, a number of passing Gray Port citizens paused. They eyed the imposing structure—a symbol of Gray Port’s authority—with looks of astonishment, murmuring amongst themselves to those nearby.

They were careful to keep their voices low so the Marines standing guard at the door wouldn't overhear. In that moment, every man and woman fully engaged their imaginations and gossiping instincts, conjuring explanation after explanation that seemed, on the surface, perfectly rational.

For a primary outpost of a super mercenary corps to suffer a terrorist attack—this was a rare spectacle indeed.

Meanwhile, on the top floor of the building, in Blade's office, Yang Ying ushered Master Merlin and his entourage inside, instructing staff to prepare tea service.

Master Garcia provided the introductions for both parties. In his description, Blade was a young man possessing exceptionally keen intuition and extraordinary natural talent for combat. Thus, Yang Ying’s Blade clone was introduced to Master Merlin and Saint Ladis.

The method of psychic resonance was far too subtle, nearly indistinguishable from non-existence. None of the three apex figures present—a Master, a Paladin, and even a Peak Master—could discern that Blade and Yang Ying were, in fact, the same person.

After an exchange of initial pleasantries, Yang Ying cautiously posed his burning question to the three: "Gentlemen, I must ask, will Harlass be returning?"

Master Garcia and Saint Ladis both turned to Master Merlin, clearly deferring to his ultimate authority on the matter.

Master Merlin stroked his beard thoughtfully for a moment before replying, "From what I know of Harlass, this ape-man is fanatically devoted to the Ancient Legion’s grand scheme. Otherwise, he wouldn't have spent decades lying low in the Sol System, using the Ape Worship Cult to serve the Legion's aims. Though his overt actions have been few over the years, each one has struck a vital nerve, causing immense disruption. This time, that nerve was you."

Master Merlin warned gravely, "As long as your Trant Mercenary Corps remains a threat to the Pirate Coalition Fleet, he will not cease targeting you."

Yang Ying managed a wry smile; being actively pursued by a powerhouse at the Peak Master level was hardly a comfortable prospect.

"However," Master Merlin continued, "now that we have driven him off this time, he is acutely aware of our disposition toward him. When he acts again, he will likely harbor a sliver of caution regarding Gray Port and won't strike so rashly."

"Actually, the most dangerous period is right now, and for the next half month or so," Master Garcia interjected. "Once the front line fleets withdraw to the Ceres Defense Perimeter, the military concentration here will be unprecedentedly massive. If Harlass dares to come then, we’ll ensure he never leaves."

"By then, the number of Master-level experts gathered here alone will reach double digits. Would Harlass really charge in alone, seeking death? If he wants to come, he’ll need to bring several other ape-master allies!"

The thought sent a chill down Yang Ying’s spine. If more than ten Master-level experts were to clash in Gray Port, no matter how lucky the city was, it would surely meet its end.

Master Merlin seemed to read his mind: "By then, the entire war front will be pressed to this region, and there will be many targets far more strategically significant than Gray Port."

Yang Ying considered this and realized it was undeniably true.

Not only that, but the withdrawal of the front lines offered another benefit. Harlass’s troubles with them were aimed at cutting the rope tied around the Pirate Coalition Fleet’s neck, allowing them to harass Earth military logistics. But once the main fleets reached Ceres, they could draw supplies directly from the inner system. The inner system was wide open and offered no cover for pirates. The Pirate Coalition Fleet's relevance would diminish significantly.

At that point, one side of the scale held a greatly diminished Pirate Coalition, while the other involved risking entry into the Master-dense Ceres Defense Perimeter. Yang Ying suspected Harlass would give it serious thought to determine if it was worth the gamble.

Yang Ying offered his thanks again, then asked a question that had long troubled him: "Master Merlin, I must ask, what exactly is the standing of a Peak Master on the battlefield? I saw Harlass, alone, slaughtering his way through the entire Asteroid Belt. Against such power, what meaningful role can an army play? Even the strongest conventional army seems utterly helpless before a Peak Master."

"That is an excellent question," Master Merlin smiled. "Awakened ones have never openly appeared on the battlefield throughout history, much less existences like Peak Masters. Many have such doubts. To explain this clearly would take a long time, so I’ll be brief: your fundamental focus has been misplaced from the start."

"Please instruct me, Master," Yang Ying said respectfully.

Master Merlin’s expression turned serious. "Never view a war in isolation. Modern warfare has become incredibly complex. The simple model of two armies facing off, common in ancient times, no longer exists. Take, for example, Special Forces soldiers; their combat skills far surpass those of regular troops. In roles like deep infiltration, assault, or decapitation strikes, Special Forces excel over regular armies. Yet, in the main theater of operations, the stage is still dominated by conventional forces."

"If you were to place Special Forces into a conventional engagement, fighting a standard war, they would certainly win, but it would be like using a pearl to pave a road—the input versus the output would be completely disproportionate."

"Psionicists are the Special Forces of the Special Forces, fewer in number than SF units, yet capable of things even they cannot achieve. As for Master-level experts, they are even more specialized; they simply do not operate on the same battlefield as regular troops."

Yang Ying grasped the concept slightly better. "Do you mean it's a waste to send a Master to fight grunts?"

The phrasing was direct, and as the words left his mouth, the three super experts in the room chuckled.

"You can put it that way," Master Merlin said, seeming years younger as he stroked his white beard. "Consider Master Hengfeng again. If you quantify the destructive power of a single Peak Master, it equates roughly to an entire artillery division. In an ambush or targeted assassination, they are unmatched, but to replace the function of an army—that is too great a waste. Armies have countless artillery divisions, but they only have so many Peak Masters."

Master Merlin held up his left hand, spreading five fingers as a measure, then continued, "Take Harlass as an example. He needed only himself to strike Gray Port. But to assault hundreds of orbital cities, he requires the support of the Pirate Coalition Fleet."

Master Merlin lowered his hand and addressed Yang Ying again. "You were actually correct earlier. A force like a Peak Master is truly destabilizing. Ordinary armies are helpless against them, like walking miniature nuclear warheads. They should be held in reserve as deterrence, not deployed as frontline combat assets. However, the Ancient Legion is aggressive, and it is not easy to keep their five Peak Masters from entering the fray. That's why this old bone of mine must also step onto the field to contend with them."

Master Garcia smiled faintly and added, "Ultimately, it comes down to one statement: Masters cannot stop an army, and an army cannot stop a Master. Masters and armies each have their designated roles. For centuries, armies have been the main actors on the battlefield, and this will remain true in the future."

Yang Ying nodded. "I have one last, perhaps rather presumptuous, question."

"Ask it," Master Merlin replied.

Yang Ying paused, choosing his words with deference and caution. "I would like to ask you, Master, can a nuclear missile kill a Peak Master?"

Since Master Merlin himself was a Peak Master, Yang Ying phrased this with extreme care.

Master Merlin looked up at him once and answered directly, "Peak Masters are not gods. If caught in the direct radius of a nuclear strike, they would indeed die. However, once one achieves the realm of a Peak Master, they can sense danger long before it arrives. Evading the blast radius of a nuclear weapon is not a difficult task for them."

"Thank you, Master, for clarifying my doubts," Yang Ying said with genuine gratitude.

Master Merlin smiled faintly and nodded. "Very well, it’s getting late. We’ve sat and drunk tea; it’s time for us to depart."

The three super experts stood up. Saint Ladis adjusted his attire and asked in a casual tone, "Colonel Blade, will your mercenary corps be participating in the Jupiter War mission?"

Yang Ying rose to escort them out, replying as they walked, "Of course we will participate, but our deployment will be similar to the last time with the Mercenary Coalition Fleet—primarily reconnaissance forces."

Saint Ladis frowned momentarily, then smoothed his expression, nodding in assent. "That is for the best. The orbital cities are fragile and cannot withstand fleet bombardment. If reconnaissance can allow us to bypass potentially intercepting fleets, that offers far greater protection to the ordinary people in those cities than winning a straight fight."

With that, he, along with the two Psionic Masters, exited Blade's office. All three offered a parting phrase: "We shall meet again."

Then, with a coordinated step, they vanished without a trace.