Chapter 1390: The Azure Flame’s Might

Everfire Hellscape was a standard forbidden spell.

Sein had created it after leaving Faeloria, blending his own knowledge with his understanding of that world’s laws. He had first unleashed it during the Bouldrak World War, sparked by the half-beastmen.

The version Sein was preparing, of course, fell short of the true might of a forbidden spell.

Yet its quick casting speed, combined with the unique properties of the Azure Flame, still filled him with anticipation.

***

Pale-blue flames slowly appeared in the starlit void.

A peculiar pyro elemental halo spread outward, tinting vast swathes of the surrounding star domain in a special hue.

The federal fleets might have noticed the anomaly in the elemental flow, but they had little attention to spare for such details while locked in an intense battle against the Nexon robots.

Besides, the elemental energy in this star domain had never been stable since the battle began.

Some of the federation’s strongest attacks also caused strange phenomena in the starry sky.

Whenever the two colossal interstellar fortresses flanking Sein fired their main cannons, the concentrated particle beams left behind patches of pale-yellow glow that lingered for some time before fading.

Under different circumstances, many Rank Four and higher mages from Magus World would have found the law anomalies created by such colossal fortresses fascinating to study.

But here, in the chaos of war, those glowing illusions were just another scenery of the battlefield.

Before Sein’s Everfire Hellscape could fully take shape, Titanfang had already turned the tide on the front lines.

It appeared that Gilded Beast had successfully delivered the Magic Cube into Titanfang’s hands, as instructed by Sein.

Though unfinished, that cube was still a world-class secret treasure. As one of the sources of wisdom for Nexon’s robots, it naturally resonated with their attributes.

The fact that it had remained in Sein’s possession until now was a sign of the deep respect Titanfang and the others held for him and for the Magus Civilization he represented.

One of the functions Sein had discovered for the cube was its ability to help intelligent robots repair their damaged bodies.

Though Dr. Bell had said the Magic Cube was responsible for awakening robots like Titanfang, Sein still had not fully grasped how it actually granted them intelligence.

Now, empowered by the incomplete world-class secret treasure, Titanfang’s injuries were stabilized, and its strength had surged back significantly!

In an instant, it unleashed a devastating strike on the federal fleet, catching them completely off guard.

It charged straight through the overlapping firing zones of two fleets, tearing open a new breach by force!

While it did not completely break the blockade, the progress made in that moment far surpassed anything achieved earlier.

𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

To Sein, Titanfang’s bold assault was a signal.

The instant Titanfang broke through the outer defense lines of the two fleets, Sein’s Everfire Hellscape spell reached completion.

He pointed his magic rod at the federal fleets directly ahead.

A vast sea of pale-blue flames erupted across the starry battlefield.

The blaze spread so wide it engulfed nearly two-thirds of the combined fleet formations.

Ironically, the federation’s dense firepower, meant to crush Sein and his allies, only amplified the spell’s devastating impact.

At first, the federal fleets did not take the flames seriously.

Reconnaissance systems reported that the power level of the azure colored flames that had suddenly appeared was not particularly high.

But when the fire effortlessly ate through the alloy decks of several ships, panic swept through the fleet. Commanders across the sector instantly recognized the danger.

By then, it was far too late to retreat!

***

A roaring FB-Stealthy Hawk fighter aircraft streaked through the sky. It was the star performer of the federation’s forces in this battle.

It earned that title because it was not a drone. This was a special operations craft piloted by a living soldier.

Since arriving on this starry battlefield, Captain Kurch had already racked up an astonishing seventy-one kills in a short span of time.

Thrumming with adrenaline, he reveled in the roar of fighters and the thunder of explosions all around him.

Given his military record, Captain Kurch could have gotten himself a cushy, safer desk job in the federal fleet a century ago, along with at least a minor promotion.

Yet, he did not.

Instead, he filed a request with his commanding officer to remain in the fighter ranks.

Fierce combat gave him a sense of purpose that nothing else could.

Life in the Gallant Federation was too tranquil, especially for those at the bottom.

If he had wanted peace, he could have retired long ago and spent his days on a scenic life planet, living comfortably off his savings.

But Kurch believed he was born for war.

After blasting apart yet another Nexon robot, Captain Kurch let out a triumphant cry as his fighter aircraft tore through the fiery wreckage of the machine.

Perhaps to him, it felt like stepping over the corpse of an enemy—a sensation that filled him with a peculiar satisfaction.

He was just picking his next target when a vast sea of azure flames suddenly spread across the battlefield. Even this seasoned pilot instantly sensed something was wrong.

The fleet command had yet to issue orders, but Kurch had already decided to leave the area.

From his cockpit, however, his view of the battlefield was far too limited.

No matter how he tried to maneuver, the azure flames closed in from every direction. There was no escape!

By the Astral Realm’s standards, Captain Kurch, for all his experience, was somewhere between a Rank Two and Rank Three lifeform.

This was a common weakness of federal combat units—their life levels rarely matched their strengths.

Faced with the inescapable flames, Captain Kurch only raised an eyebrow.

He believed his FB-Stealthy Hawk could withstand most fire, but a pilot’s bond with his craft was similar to a Magus World knight’s bond with their mount.

No pilot wished to risk their aircraft.

His right hand swept across the control panels, and seven drones instantly materialized at his flanks.

These combat drones were nowhere near the FB-Stealthy Hawk’s league in terms of armor, cost, or effectiveness, but they would have to do.

Throughout the federation’s wars, drones like these had always been used as cannon fodder.

Under Captain Kurch’s command, they spread into a swallowtail formation, surrounding his fighter aircraft.

He clearly meant to use them as shields to absorb the incoming fire.

The two forces clashed.

To Captain Kurch’s disbelief, the seven drones melted away like snow the instant they touched the seemingly weak azure flames.

That silvery-white liquid seen drifting in the void seemed to be molten alloy from the federal drones.

The seven machines were destroyed in mere moments, and immediately after, the azure flames rushed straight for Captain Kurch’s craft.

The FB-Stealthy Hawk was no ordinary fighter aircraft. Built by the Gallant Federation for special operations, its composite plating was far stronger than common metals.

Even a full-power strike from a Rank Three lifeform could only leave a dent in its wing.

But against the Azure Flame, it only lasted a few seconds longer than the drones.

The slow smoldering at the edges spread quickly until the entire wing was ablaze with blue fire!

The inferno stretched endlessly before him. Kurch never saw its edge before death claimed him.

In his final moments, already pulling into a desperate retreat maneuver, he caught sight of the fate of the nearest federal ship behind him.

As he pulled into a desperate retreat in his final moments, he saw the fate of the nearest federal ship behind him.

The vessel that was nearly a kilometer long could not withstand the Azure Flame that clung to its bow and refused to be extinguished!

BOOM!

A deafening explosion was heard.

And Captain Kurch’s consciousness dissolved into nothingness.