Scouts reported that the Numerological Compact had started consolidating their forces into larger units. That was unsurprising, as Devon alone could take out several of their standard ships without risk. Even if they displayed Ascension-class power, that was insufficient to go against an Enrichment cultivator without greater numbers.

Their scouts weren’t able to linger in the enemy system long, since there were formations that could detect them- for the moment, at least. Even so, they determined the enemy had pulled back towards their occupied planets, with only a small number leaving their systems- presumably to try to track down the forward base they had set up. The Alliance had done what they could to avoid making it too obvious, but they weren’t that worried about being revealed.

Especially not with people like Anton joining the fight. He wasn’t necessarily the best for capturing the ships, but if they needed to simply destroy them he could do so. Though personally, Anton hoped that it wouldn’t be necessary. He was taking his time to bind the local star as a replacement, but there were other defenders as well. And if it was necessary, destroying the enemy ships was much easier. So far, they had been fighting with their hands tied.

When they were ready to begin further assaults, Devon took a larger group to Turilia, the first system he had encountered. That seemed to be where the highest concentration of enemy forces was, and while it might seem to make sense to attack weaker locations first, that might just cause them to concentrate even more. If they could strike at their core and cause damage, they could keep the Numerological Compact uneasy.

With the formations on their ships so advanced, it had to be assumed that their planetary formations were exceptional as well. This assault would be a test of that on one of their occupied planets. Hopefully they could gather more useful information about how everything functioned.

The target was chosen for its position, with it not being too close to reinforcements but still a big enough target they could cause serious damage. Nobody wanted to draw out the war and let the situation continue as it was, leaving vast numbers of people simply used as power sources. They just needed a moment to stabilize themselves, and now they were ready to act again.

Respecting the strength of their enemies, the fleet had a number of Ascension-class battleships and numerous powerful individuals. While the battleships weren’t all matched with an Assimilation captain, they were still able to stand up to the local ships. If they were able to make full use of their crew’s energy they would easily outmatch them, but developing a version of their enemy’s energy consolidation methods that was acceptable would take time. There was a certain efficiency in their callous disregard for lives, but that didn’t mean that same efficiency couldn’t be achieved through other means.

Though it was likely pointless, Devon made certain to give them an opportunity to negotiate. There was likely no common ground to be found, but it was worth pursuing something. Though for a group that attacked immediately upon seeing a single ship enter their territory, it was unlikely even without the other things they had seen.

“Are the Valor’s systems ready?” Devon asked Maryamu.

“Affirmative,” she said.

Devon turned to Aerona. She wasn’t present for the sake of combat, even though she was in Life Transformation. Instead, she was ready in case they had an opportunity to speak to people. Those they weren’t planning to fight, specifically. “How should I word it?”

“Be firm but reasonable,” Aerona said. “But be ready to respond to aggression.”

He already knew that, but hearing her speak helped him focus.

They couldn’t exactly hide their fleet, and the planet sent around fifteen ships towards them as they approached. Devon extended his energy over the ships, hoping that at least his voice could be transmitted. Now how to be honest without giving too much away? “Stand down. We’re not here to fight unless you make it necessary.” That was at least technically honest. Devon believed it, just not that there was a chance they wouldn’t.

He felt an aura extend from one of the larger ships- there were several of them- and it responded in kind. Devon let the sound transmit to the rest of their fleet.

“Very well,” came the voice of an aged woman. “Speak your mind.”

Even as the enemy fleet shifted into a stable vector that kept their relative distance, Devon furrowed his brow. He glanced over at Maryamu, who held up a finger, then nodded. “I’m only catching a few words,” she said. “... enemy vessels… negotiations… delay until ‘you’ arrive.” At least it seemed their dissection of enemy transmission formations had been partially successful. Too bad the interception hadn’t been more clear.

“It is possible everything that has happened between us is a big misunderstanding,” Devon said. That couldn’t be fully true, but he doubted the enemy would call him out on it even if they picked that up. “We were simply exploring and your ships attacked us as we entered this system for the first time.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

He had then returned, destroyed one of their ships, captured another, and confirmed they were horrific slavers. But hearing their response could be interesting.

“I wouldn’t call bringing such large fleets to attack us a misunderstanding,” the old woman countered. “But it does appear that we attacked first. I apologize on behalf of our people.”

“You think these are large fleets?” Devon replied. It was half bluster, but they were being conservative by bringing only their best ships because of the enemy’s quality.

“They certainly are, given the level of your cultivators. It is quite impressive,” she said. “Especially yourself, how did you reach such a great level of power?”

Devon didn’t transmit what he said next. “What’s your read?” he turned to Aerona.

“I’m not buying it,” Aerona said. “There’s no sincerity there.”

“I thought so. Just wanted confirmation. Maryamu?”

“They’re coordinating assault patterns,” she said. “I can give you a full readout, if you’d like.”

Devon could maintain several simultaneous thought processes, especially where it just involved simple tasks like reading or speaking- simple compared to controlling natural energy chains that stretched around a planet, that was. He nodded, and Maryamu displayed a readout that he took some key information from.

“You want to know how I reached this level of power?” Devon replied. “I overthrew the bonds of slavery and never let anything shackle me again. Not even something like your approaching Magnitude IV Dreadnought.”

Devon didn’t actually know the details on what one of those was, but based on their information from the captured captains, the first ships were Magnitude II, and the others were Magnitude III. He wasn’t certain why they hadn’t encountered anything like a Magnitude I- they should still be strong enough to overpower most fighters if the pattern held at all. Which was also why he did not want to go up against a Magnitude IV Dreadnought without specific preparations.

“If you would like to continue negotiations you can follow us to the edge of your system. Otherwise, you can surrender and you will be treated well.”

They obviously understood that their ploy was over as soon as he had mentioned the Dreadnought, and Devon didn’t have to give any additional orders for his fleet to act, with the enemy reacting moments later.

Fire was exchanged between sides, but Devon had been prepared to deflect opening attacks. Either these captains were more experienced or there had been some transmission of his prior battle activities, but he was only able to partially redirect the main ship's beam into one of the other larger vessels- enough to strain their energy but not much else.

Moments later he had launched himself out of the ship towards the vessel carrying the old woman. He could do many things at a great distance, but precisely restraining a cultivator’s energy required a clear line of effect, which was easiest if he was inside the ship. He circled above so that any attack aimed at him would have no chance of hitting their own fleet, then tried to find a good path to the command deck of the ship. No two vessels seemed to have exactly the same layout, and Devon wanted a way to have to break through fewer sections of the ship.

He was quite startled when he broke inside the first layer and it immediately exploded. He kept a strong shell around himself, but it still wasn’t a negligible impact. Devon regretted the lives of those in that section, but he continued inward. When the captain immediately detonated the section around him again, Devon was prepared to deflect the energy outward.

He rushed forward, moving along the outside of another section rather than breaking through it. The third explosion did very little but make Devon angry. He saw something he hadn’t previously, which was the ship adjusting its layout actively. So she was trying to hide further within, was she? Unfortunately for her, the sections weren’t thick enough to truly slow him down, and Devon’s chains lashed out, grabbing onto the ship and holding the mobile sections in place.

The captain shot attacks from the various weapons aboard, heedless of how much of her own ship she was destroying… and the lives that were lost. Devon forced himself into the middle of the ship a few moments later, but instead of wrapping his chains around the woman, he shot one directly forward towards her midsection, stabbing into her dantian and immediately disrupting her energy. He wasn’t quite fast enough to completely stop her, a dozen more sections of the ship detonating in sequence, but the ships clearly weren’t meant to stand up to an individual who was more durable than the vessels themselves.

Devon came away holding the woman and a large number of severed sections of the ship. Tearing away the command center was a viable alternative, but it only really worked because the flow of energy was disrupted by the detonations she caused herself.

Devon pulled the woman closer. “I see you understand what I care about. Which just makes what you did extra stupid.” Maybe she wanted him to tear her apart? So he did… but just her dantian, destroying her core of energy without killing her. Devon tossed the segments of the ship onto a trajectory that would bring them out of the line of fire for the battle, sealed the physical wounds on the woman’s stomach- if a bit sloppily- then shoved her into the CSS Valor with a single chain while he focused the majority of his energy on the next closest ship.

Even though it had been less than a minute of battle, it was a slaughter. And while that included deaths on the side of the Lower Realms Alliance, it was mainly from the Numerological Compact’s willingness to detonate their own vessels with them inside. Were they simply fanatics, or were they promised some sort of reincarnation? If it was the latter, Devon was going to make sure they didn’t get the chance.

The battle was short and brutal, with those ships that did not immediately retreat towards the planet rapidly self-detonating. Unfortunately, the fact another fleet with a powerful ship was en route meant they didn’t have a chance to approach the planet. Instead, they grabbed what they could. Disconnected segments were difficult to bring along, and many had to be left behind… but those inside would either return to the exact same position or perish, and they might be better off dead than captured.

It still left a sour taste in Devon’s mouth, but their enemy had adapted in an unexpected way. It was still strange they hadn’t encountered smaller ships, but perhaps they were only deployed directly around a planet. They weren’t far, but there could be some restrictions.

They’d accomplished about half of their goal, but even though they could call it a victory by the numbers, Devon didn’t like it at all.