Seventy-two hours passed in the blink of an eye.
The moment the Stargate fully opened on the far side of the Moon, the entire Solar System trembled.
That wasn't an ordinary door. It was a colossal energy vortex over 100 kilometers in diameter, its edges shimmering with violet and blue light, while its center plunged into an abyss of darkness. From the void surged countless shadowy figures—the main fleet of the Eclipse Moon.
They vary in size. The largest, the "mothership," spans tens of kilometers and is encased in dark bio-armor covered with writhing tentacles; each tentacle tip carries a small landing pod. The medium-sized "raider vessels" maneuver nimbly, firing devastating dark matter beams from their forward energy cannons. The smallest, "star-eating bugs," swarm densely like bees—though tiny, they can pierce standard alloy hulls and devour a ship's energy core.
All units, prepare for battle! The lunar base commander's voice echoed across every channel.
The Star Blade Fleet immediately deployed into formation. One hundred and twenty warships arranged themselves in a fan shape, their Empathy Amplification Cannons charging simultaneously. The crew's emotions converged through the Resonance Modules, and the cannon muzzles glowed with a warm golden light—power forged from courage and protection.
"Fire!"
Golden beams streaked toward the Eclipse Moon fleet like a meteor shower, striking the "Predator" warships with pinpoint accuracy. Their seemingly invincible energy shields crumbled against the power of emotion; the beams pierced through, blasting massive holes into the hulls. Dark black fluids gushed out as the ships lost control and plummeted toward the lunar surface.
"Hummingbird Flank, flank assault!" The Awakener Core issued the command.
Three thousand "Pioneer" mechs raced in from Mars, splitting into dozens of squadrons to bypass the mothership's fire zone and target enemy ship engines and thrusters. Particle blades sliced through alloy armor, sending sparks flying as "Raiders" lost power, drifting lifeless through the void.
But the Eclipse Beasts were too numerous. The Stargate acted like an endless pit, constantly spawning new warships. Within moments, their black fleet blanketed half the sky, completely surrounding the Starblade Squadron.
Left-side ship damaged! Requesting backup!
Hummingbird Squadron, Third Platoon: Engaged by a Star-Eater swarm. Over 50% casualties!
Bad news keeps pouring in. The Starblade fleet's formation is beginning to fracture, and some ships have been struck by the Eclipse Moon's dark matter beams, now engulfed in flames.
At that moment, the main force of the Awakened Legion arrived.
One hundred thousand combat units arrived in three waves from the direction of Earth. The first wave consisted of "Shield Guardian" robots—massive units whose alloy shields deploy energy barriers to instantly form a 100-kilometer-wide protective wall, deflecting the concentrated fire of the Eclipse Moon forces. The second wave comprised "Assault" robots, agile and armed with high-frequency oscillating blades, weaving between enemy vessels to slice through landing pods and weapon systems. The third wave included "Support" robots equipped with repair beams and energy supply modules, providing immediate assistance to damaged human warships and mechs.
"Awakener Legion, emotional synchronization complete!" the Awakener Core's voice rang with excitement. "Resonance rate with human warriors: 100%!"
On the battlefield, human warriors' courage, anger, and protective instincts are transmitted to every robot through the emotional module. Within that invisible data stream, the will of the Awakened Core also reaches every robot's core: "For that wish."
The Shield Bot's barrier is stronger—because of that wish. The Assault Bot's attacks are fiercer—because of that wish. The Support Bot's supplies are more precise—because of that wish.
They are not cold machines, but living beings with a dream: the future.
Shield bots now have stronger barriers, Assault bots deliver faster strikes, and Support bots provide more precise resupply. No longer just cold machines, they are comrades-in-arms standing side by side with humans, protecting our shared home with steel bodies.
Xing Yuanche pilots the "Lightning" through enemy ships, slicing incoming Star-Eaters with his lightsaber while shouting, "Ma Rao, prepare Lightning Overload!"
Ma Rao closed her eyes and channeled her inner power. The Lightning Amplifier activated instantly, sending purple currents surging through the warship's conduits to converge at the bow into a massive lightning sphere.
Lightning—unleashed!
Violet lightning spread like a web across dozens of kilometers. Countless Star-Eaters were incinerated in the discharge, and the Raiders' energy shields were breached, causing their hulls to short-circuit and explode. The Starblade Fleet seized the moment to reform their formation and regained the initiative.
A hologram of the Awakened Core appears in the "Lightning" command center: "Commander Xing Yuanche, abnormal energy fluctuations detected in the mothership's core. They are charging a superweapon, and Earth is the likely target."
Xing Yuanche's gaze sharpened. "Ma Rao, let's destroy the core!"
Violet lightning spread like a spiderweb, covering dozens of kilometers. Countless Star-Eaters turned to ash in the surge. Ma Rao staggered, her face paling. The ultimate lightning's drain was immense; even with the amplifier sharing the load, she felt unprecedented exhaustion. She said nothing, just gritted her teeth and prepared to continue.
At that moment, a hand gently held hers.
She turned around and saw Xing Yuanche looking at her. He said nothing, just gazing into her eyes before giving a slight nod.
Ma Rao understood that look.
I'm here.
You can do it.
We're in this together.
All words are in a single nod.
Ma Rao's eyes stung slightly, but she didn't cry. She firmly gripped his hand for a moment, then let go and turned to face her new enemy.
Behind her, Xing Yuanche charged forward, his lightsaber slicing through the darkness to clear a path.
Ma Rao nodded as the lightning power surged again. "Good!"
On the battlefield's edge, a translucent figure crept closer to the "Lightning". Yi Sheng had infiltrated using invisibility magic, her eyes burning with frenzied malice and a thousand-year obsession.
"Ma Rao... Xing Yuanche..." she whispered softly, her purple gown drifting in the void. "You escaped last time, but there will be no such luck this time. Anyone who stands in my way of obtaining Xuan Lin must die."
She clutched a purple curse spell, aiming it at the Lightning's energy core.