Marvel: A Portal to the World of Swallowed Star

Chapter 337 337: The Enemy’s True Objective?

Emperor Yan and the other two showed no intention of backing down. They launched their counterattack at once. Spatial laws surged from Emperor Yan, while another warrior wielded the power of time, and the third commanded the force of life itself. These profound and incomprehensible laws clashed violently across the void, turning the battlefield into a storm of raw cosmic power.

Inside the observation chamber, Rowan was utterly shaken.

This was no ordinary battle. It transcended reason itself. Every strike from an Immortal-level expert could tear open space, and every collision birtged violent energy storms that rippled through the vacuum.

"This is terrifying," Rowan whispered, his voice barely steady. "Is this what a true battle between supreme beings looks like?"

At the beginning, Emperor Yan and his allies managed to hold their ground. But as time passed, the imbalance in numbers became impossible to ignore. Three against ten was never a fair fight.

"Emperor Yan, watch out!"

A massive beam of energy shot toward him. Though he dodged in time, it still grazed him. Even a minor injury in a battle at this level could prove fatal.

"Damn it!" Emperor Yan cursed. "If not for the overwhelming numbers…"

The other two Immortal warriors from the Great Axe Arena were faring no better. Surrounded and outnumbered, they continued to resist with everything they had, but the disadvantage was clear.

"We can't hold out much longer," one of them transmitted through mental communication. "We need to break through!"

"Break through?" Emperor Yan gave a bitter laugh. "Do you think they will let us leave?"

The enemy had already formed a complete encirclement. Escape was not an option. This was a carefully orchestrated ambush, designed to wipe out their entire force.

"Then we fight to the end!" the third Immortal roared. "Even if we die, we'll drag some of them down with us!"

The three began burning their life force, pushing their strength to its absolute limit in preparation for a final, desperate stand. It was a dangerous move, one that could cost them their lives.

Watching this, Rowan felt a surge of anger and grief. These warriors were fighting to protect Blue Crystal Star, yet they were about to fall here.

"This can't be the end," Rowan thought desperately. "There has to be another way."

His mind raced.

The enemy's numerical advantage was overwhelming. But was that the whole story?

Then a thought struck him.

"Wait… why would they send ten Immortal-level experts?"

The question stopped him cold.

Logically, five or six would have been more than enough to conquer Blue Crystal Star. Ten was excessive. It was overkill even for attacking a major stronghold of the Great Axe Arena.

"Unless…" Rowan's eyes widened as realization dawned. "Unless their target isn't just Blue Crystal Star."

A chill ran down his spine.

"They're here for Emperor Yan."

The truth fell into place with terrifying clarity.

"Blue Crystal Star is just bait. Their real objective is to eliminate the high-ranking figures of the Great Axe Arena!"

Everything made sense now. The early arrival, the intercepted reinforcements, the overwhelming force. This was not a simple invasion. It was a carefully constructed trap.

And if that was the case, then the identity of the traitor became even more troubling.

The battle raged on, but the outcome was becoming inevitable. Emperor Yan and his companions fought desperately, yet under the assault of ten Immortals, defeat was only a matter of time.

At that critical moment, space itself裂 open.

A crack appeared in the void, and from it stepped a figure whose presence eclipsed everyone on the battlefield.

"King-tier Immortal!"

The cry echoed in shock.

This newcomer was on an entirely different level.

"Who dares cause chaos within the territory of the Great Axe Arena?"

His voice thundered across the cosmos like a divine decree.

The ten enemy Immortals immediately changed expression. A King-tier Immortal was far beyond their ability to confront.

"Retreat! Retreat immediately!" their commander shouted.

But it was already too late.

"You think you can leave now?"

A devastating attack swept across space. Several of the slower Immortals were instantly gravely wounded. The rest managed to escape, but not without paying a heavy price.

The battle was over.

Yet the questions it left behind were far more troubling.

"Your Excellency, why are you here?" Emperor Yan asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"I received an emergency distress signal," the King-tier Immortal replied. "It seems I arrived just in time."

"A distress signal?" Emperor Yan frowned. "We didn't send one."

"It wasn't from you," the man said. "It came from headquarters. They suspected trouble here and ordered me to provide support."

That answer only deepened the mystery.

How had headquarters known?

"It seems our internal problem is more complicated than we thought," Emperor Yan said thoughtfully. "This traitor may not only be leaking information, but also influencing events in ways we don't yet understand."

"That's impossible," the adjutant said, baffled.

"Some things are not as simple as they appear," the King-tier Immortal said meaningfully. "This incident may only be the beginning of something much larger."

The battlefield fell into an eerie silence.

The enemy fleet had withdrawn, leaving behind drifting wreckage and fading energy fluctuations. It was as if the fierce battle had been nothing more than a fleeting illusion.

The Voidbreaker slowly approached the mysterious savior. From the observation window, Rowan studied the man who had turned the tide.

He was tall, with bronze skin and long silver hair. He wore a black battle robe embroidered with intricate golden patterns. His presence was deep and overwhelming, like an unfathomable abyss.

But it was his eyes that stood out the most. They seemed capable of seeing through the very fabric of the universe.

"So this is a King-tier Immortal," Rowan thought. "Completely different from the others."

After returning to the ship, Emperor Yan headed straight to the command room, his expression still grave.

"Rowan, come with me," he said. "There's someone important I want you to meet."

They entered a reception chamber, where the silver-haired man was already waiting. The moment Rowan stepped inside, he felt an invisible pressure, as if he were standing before a towering mountain.

"Lord Arois, this is Rowan, the one I mentioned," Emperor Yan said respectfully. "A strategist from Earth. The tactical analysis for this operation was his work."

"Rowan, this is Lord Arois," he continued. "A King-tier Immortal, and my mentor in all but name."

"It's an honor, Lord Arois," Rowan said, bowing.

Arois studied him closely, his gaze penetrating.

After a moment, he nodded. "Interesting. There's an unusual clarity in your mind."

"You're too kind," Rowan replied modestly.

"It's not kindness. It's fact," Arois said. "To deduce the enemy's true objective from such complex information is no small feat."

Emperor Yan added, "Lord Arois guided me when I first joined the Great Axe Arena. Though not formally my teacher, he has played that role in many ways."

"You're still as polite as ever," Arois said with a faint smile, before turning serious. "But this is not the time for reminiscing. We have a serious problem."

"The traitor," Emperor Yan said.

"And more," Arois continued. "Based on the enemy's deployment, their goal goes far beyond Blue Crystal Star. Ten Immortals is enough to take down a regional capital."

Rowan stepped forward. "I was thinking the same. From a tactical perspective, their force is excessive."

"Go on," Arois said.

"I believe this is a layered plan," Rowan said, organizing his thoughts. "First, lure Emperor Yan here. Second, use overwhelming force to eliminate him. Third, exploit his death to achieve a larger objective."

Arois nodded. "A complex scheme like this is not the work of ordinary enemies."

"So what do we do now?" Emperor Yan asked.

"First, we find the traitor," Arois said. "This individual knows both your plans and your exact combat strength. That level of access is rare."

"You mean an internal investigation?"

"It's necessary," Arois confirmed. "And it must be thorough."

Over the next few hours, an investigation was launched.

Inside a sealed chamber aboard the Voidbreaker, advanced lie detection and mental scanning devices were prepared. While such tools were limited against Immortals, they were effective for ordinary personnel.

"We start with those who had the highest level of access," Arois instructed.

One by one, suspects were examined.

The adjutant. Cleared.

The intelligence analyst. Cleared.

The communications officer. Cleared.

"It seems we need to broaden the scope," Arois said.

"Wait," Emperor Yan suddenly said. "Rowan also knows about this operation. Shouldn't we…"

"I understand," Rowan said, standing up calmly. "If this is an investigation, then everyone should be treated equally. I'm willing to be tested."

"Rowan, you don't have to…"

"It's fine," Rowan said. "I want to prove my innocence."

Arois gave him an approving look. "Good. A responsible young man. But before that, I have a few questions."

"Go ahead."

"When did you first learn about this mission?"

"Three days ago, when Emperor Yan invited me," Rowan answered honestly.

"Do you know how many forces we brought?"

"No," Rowan shook his head. "I only knew Emperor Yan would participate, not the exact numbers."

"Did you know I would come as reinforcement?"

"Not at all," Rowan said firmly. "I only learned of your existence when you appeared."

Arois nodded and activated the mental scanner.

A soft light enveloped Rowan, probing his mind.

Several minutes later, the scan ended.

"Well?" Emperor Yan asked.

"He's clean," Arois said. "And there's something interesting."

"What is it?"

"His mental strength is unusual. He has a natural resistance to interference. That makes him extremely difficult to control or manipulate."

"What does that imply?"

"It means he is very unlikely to be a controlled agent," Arois said. "And logically, he neither had the motive nor the means to leak critical information."

That conclusion aligned with the facts. Rowan did not know the full strength of their forces. Yet the enemy had deployed precisely ten Immortals, suggesting detailed knowledge that Rowan could not have provided.

"And more importantly," Arois added, "if he were a spy, he would not have encouraged you to participate in this mission. From his perspective, it only increased his own risk."

"That makes sense," Emperor Yan agreed.

"And above all," Arois said, "his analytical ability is valuable to us. If he were working for the enemy, why would he help us uncover their true objective?"

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