The figure of Ape King Hardke, commander of the Second Ancient Legion, flickered across the mountain passes, leaping from one peak to the next. Following closely behind him were three Ape Master, who had managed to escape the Nightless Palace before it was vaporized.

However, hundreds of ordinary apes and high-level apes whose power had not yet reached the Master realm perished instantly under the onslaught of the Yamato Cannon fire.

To Hardke, the sheer destructive power displayed by the Yamato Cannon was utterly shocking.

While Pluto did possess several Level Seven Fortress Cannons of comparable might, those heavy weapons were incredibly cumbersome, demanding immense energy systems that simply could not be fitted onto existing warships; even super-dreadnoughts could only mount Level Six weaponry.

Yet, the enemy had somehow mastered ship-mounted Level Seven cannon technology. Furthermore, they had managed to infiltrate the vicinity of the Twin King Star orbital monitoring equipment without detection, even eluding his acute senses, to appear suddenly in a firing position extremely close to Pluto!

In his view, this situation admitted only one explanation: the enemy warships had arrived via spatial jump technology!

The three Ape Masters followed Hardke with anxious expressions, clearly unsettled by the recent events. Yongye Star, which hadn't faced an attack in over a decade, was struck again, resulting in the instantaneous destruction of the Nightless Palace and the collapse of their defense network. Everything had happened too fast, unnaturally so.

Yet, deep within their hearts, they still believed that as long as the Legion Commander was present, there was nothing to fear. The Commander would surely lead them to liberation for their entire race, freeing them from the status of mere bio-weapons and allowing them to join the ranks of the galaxy’s free species.

Just then, a telepathic message reached Hardke’s mind. He recognized Baromon’s voice, though it sounded weak: “Commander, what exactly has happened?”

Hardke continued his expert leaps across the peaks while replying, “Powerful enemies have attacked! A group of foes suddenly appeared in Pluto’s outer orbit, likely utilizing spatial jump technology! They are bombarding us with Level Seven cannons! You are stationed at Charon Town; what is the situation there?”

Baromon responded, “It’s catastrophic. All three of my energy exchange centers were destroyed in that last wave of attack. I was in one of them when the explosion occurred and sustained some injuries, but I managed to escape. However, Gangdi and the other Level Three masters were a step too slow; they didn't make it out. I can no longer sense their presence in my spiritual world; I fear the worst for them.”

Baromon’s strength had always ranked lowest among the ten peak masters in the Solar System. When Yang Ying was newly promoted, Baromon had risen to second to last. Now, he was back at the bottom again.

“Gather as many personnel as you can, whoever you can manage, and wait for my command!” Hardke’s voice remained calm, his tone brooking no argument.

“Understood, Commander,” Baromon replied, pausing before adding, “Sir, only advanced civilizations have mastered spatial jump technology. The Terrans are still far too primitive. Could it be the Star Singer race attacking us?”

“Speculating about that now is useless!” Hardke’s voice in the telepathic link suddenly pitched an octave higher. “The enemy will continue their assault. The priority is to secure the remaining clansmen in the main base. Gather your forces first, then find a way to notify Onshali on Uranus. I have encountered some complications here. Wait for my message!”

With that, he severed the telepathic link. He looked up at the sky and saw a massive meteor shower streaking overhead, resembling a vast, moving curtain that nearly obscured the entire starscape!

Thousands upon thousands of meteors, trailing beautiful fiery red tails, mingled with the myriad stars, slowly gliding downwards. They resembled the spectacular fireworks of a grand festival, a dazzling, abundant display of beauty.

“Orbital Bombardment!”

Hardke recognized the tactic instantly. His inherent might surged forth, his boundless rage seemingly capable of altering the landscape itself!

In a flash, a torrent of psychic power, vast as the boundless cosmos, erupted from him, carrying his will outward in every direction, enveloping the entirety of Pluto within seconds.

“The enemy has initiated an orbital bombardment on a massive scale! Everyone, strive to save yourselves!”

This was a monumental telepathic broadcast covering all of Pluto. Millions of apes across the planet, both high-level and ordinary, heard that authoritative voice, like a divine decree issued by the celestial gods.

“It’s the Commander! I can hear the Commander’s voice! Hearing the Commander speak now, I have no regrets, even if I were told to die this instant.”

“It’s an orbital bombardment. No, we can’t stay here any longer; get to the bunkers! Don't dawdle—this is the Commander’s order!”

“Orbital bombardment, happening on Yongye Star? Could it be the Terrans? Aren't the Terrans currently locked in battle with Lord Onshali in Uranus’s orbit? Haven’t they avoided Pluto for over a decade?”

Conversations erupted everywhere on Pluto—astonishment, confusion, chaos—but the majority of the apes obeyed Hardke’s command, seeking shelter and cover.

The meteor shower unleashed its payload. The falling objects dispersed, heading toward the surface. One nuclear missile slammed into the ground. A blinding light erupted instantly, fierce enough to turn eyes to ash. The intense heat instantly vaporized everything at the center of the explosion and expanded violently, radiating lethal energy. The visible shockwave demolished everything in its path: structures crumbled, the earth cracked open, and the ground churned as if pushed by a colossal bulldozer, kicking up countless fragments of rock. These fragments rose high like a tsunami, surging outwards, this unstoppable wave crushing every obstacle in its path and absorbing it as it advanced.

Following that, more nuclear bombs struck the ground sequentially. Blazing light bloomed everywhere, mushroom clouds rising across the planet’s surface, spreading boundless destruction. The ground appeared carpeted in woven flame, the searing heat distorting the air and violently twisting the light. Powerful shockwaves collided, instantly spawning superheated hurricanes that tore apart and incinerated everything on the planet.

The mountains where Hardke stood were engulfed in fire. Vast swathes of rock collapsed, filling the valleys, and dense smoke obscured the sky, blocking even the faintest starlight. The entire landscape was devoid of life—a truly apocalyptic vista!

Through the inferno, Hardke walked step by deliberate step. From his vantage point high up, he looked out to see a vista scarred with countless wounds. The Pluto main base, which the Ancient Legion had maintained and expanded for nearly half a century, was gone!

The three Ape Masters behind him, witnessing Pluto’s devastation, were overwhelmed by sorrow, simultaneously igniting boundless hatred for the mysterious enemy. They felt that even if they captured the enemy and subjected them to every torture the universe offered, grinding their bones to dust afterward, this hatred would never subside.

Suddenly, Hardke stopped walking, his eyes narrowing. Six figures materialized before him.

Skeletal bio-armor protected vital areas, grotesque bone spikes at the joints signaled formidable combat prowess, and the extended bone wings on their backs revealed their identity: Blade Emperors!

Hardke recognized the leader. Though his skin tone leaned toward darkness and his eyes glowed with a sanguinary light, his features were undeniably those of the leader of the Taran Mercenary Group—the sixth peak master in the human world, the legion's great enemy who had slain Harlas.

Yang Ying, in turn, assessed the commander of the Ancient Legion—the greatest enemy humanity in the Solar System had faced in half a century.

Hardke Largonier’s physique conformed to the basic characteristics of the Ape species: massive and imposing, nearly three meters tall. Every movement was imbued with an unstoppable, undeniable momentum, as if nothing in the world could halt him.

“Yang Ying, leader of the Taran Mercenary Group. I never expected you to be this kind of hybrid abomination. Looking at you, you don't seem human. Why are you serving humans?!”

Seeing Yang Ying’s Blade Emperor form, Hardke immediately assumed he was not Terran, a belief solidified by the technology Yang Ying wielded, which far surpassed anything Earth possessed.

“You are mistaken; I am human. Since we are engaged in a war between our two races where only one side can survive, there is no room for sentiment.”

Yang Ying did not pursue the topic of the Blade Emperors. After saying this, he extended a hand. The two golden light sabers at his belt automatically flew into his grasp, igniting with a sharp zzzzzt.

Behind him, similar sounds erupted in sequence as all his clones activated their own pairs of golden light sabers and assumed combat stances.

Hardke swept his gaze over the other five clones, his expression growing increasingly grim. He realized that these six Blade Emperors were all at least his equal in strength!

He internally cursed his bad luck. He had intended to enter seclusion to break through to Level Four, but the attack on Pluto forced him to end his breakthrough attempt only a few days in, preventing him from achieving any true comprehension.

If he could reach Level Four, he could at least stand against these six Blade Emperors without being defeated. Moreover, once he reached Level Four, he wouldn't even need to worry about the Kustar race’s displeasure.

The number of Level Four experts was minuscule, and their power was so immense it neared the evolutionary apex for carbon-based life in the galaxy. The reverence they commanded was something the peoples of the Solar System, situated on the galactic rim, could scarcely imagine. Even the thriving Kustar and Star Singer races each possessed only a single guardian deity.

Alas, there was no more time!

These six Blade Emperors presented a lethal threat from which escape was impossible. Hardke felt the immense pressure radiating from Yang Ying and his five duplicates—a potent aura of crackling lightning.

Yet, instead of retreating under this pressure, Hardke stepped forward. He drew two golden light blades from his back with a flourish of light-tech, roaring aloud, “A war between two races where only one survives—you speak the truth. Since you resorted to a desperate measure like orbital bombardment, you clearly never intended to stop the fighting. After two waves of attacks have killed so many of my kin, how could I let you go? Today, we settle this with life or death! I will teach you that killing me is no easy task!”