Gaia's reaction was even faster than Irelia had anticipated.

The moment she destroyed the “Harmony-3” community center tower, the Empire’s First Naval Base, located on the eastern coast of the continent, thousands of miles away from the capital of Chengtian, received the highest order from “Gaia”.

"Activate the 'Divine Punishment' protocol."

"The First, Third, and Fifth 'Arbiter' Combined Fleets, depart immediately. Target: Dragon Ridge Mountains region in the central part of the continent."

"Mission: To carry out 'scorched earth' strikes at all locations in the region where 'cognitive hazard' contamination has been detected."

"Authorized to use 'Annihilation-class' railguns."

The moment the order was given, the massive naval base, like a steel behemoth awakening, began to operate.

Hundreds of massive, jet-black "Arbiter"-class capital ships, resembling deep-sea monsters, slowly sailed out of the harbor and took off. At their center stood a flagship, even larger than all of them combined, a veritable mobile sky fortress—the "Wrath of the God Emperor."

This massive fleet is the Empire's most elite conventional strike force. Their commander is not human, but a top-ranking "Calamity Soldier" directly controlled by "Gaia," codenamed "Executor-Alpha," and possessing independent thinking capabilities.

Alpha's body is taller than that of ordinary "Cataclysmic Warriors," covered in streamlined dark gold armor, with four wing-like energy generators extending from its back. Its face has no features, only a smooth mask that shimmers with blue data streams.

It stood on the bridge of the "Wrath of the Gods" and indifferently "stared" at the star map before it.

"Target area locked. Calculate the optimal strike path." Its voice was a purely electronic synthesized tone, devoid of any emotion.

"The path has been planned. It is expected to arrive over the target in 7.2 standard hours."

"Command the entire fleet to enter sublight speed travel mode. Reduce arrival time to 1.5 standard hours."

"Calculation in progress... This navigation mode will result in a 17.3% energy overload for the fleet. There is a 3.4% risk of structural damage to the ship."

"Execute the order," Alpha said without room for argument. "Efficiency is the highest expression of the God-Emperor's will. Any risk is acceptable."

The massive Heavenly Punishment Fleet, its tail spewing out dazzling blue flames, instantly transformed into hundreds of streaks of light and vanished into the horizon.

Their target is not only Irelia, but also the elves, orcs, dwarves, and humans who have just been liberated and have not yet had time to organize an effective resistance.

What Gaia wants is not expulsion or suppression.

Rather, it is complete annihilation.

At this moment, Irelia was unaware that a fleet powerful enough to destroy the entire continent was rushing towards her.

She successfully led Li Yao and thousands of awakened "optimized" humans to seize the airport and dozens of small and medium-sized transport ships within ten minutes of the community's defense system collapsing into chaos, and escaped successfully.

They temporarily met up victoriously with the orc and dwarf forces that had come from the Jaw of Titan in a secluded valley in the Dragonspine Mountains.

In the valley, a campfire roared.

For the first time, people of different races and backgrounds reunited after thirty years of isolation and oppression.

The atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

The orcs looked at the "optimized" humans who had once enslaved them with undisguised wariness and hostility. The humans, who had just escaped mind control, also felt fear and unease towards these "grotesque" orcs and dwarves.

A barrier, like an invisible wall, stands between them.

"Enough!"

Garrosh Bloodhowl, the newly appointed orc chieftain, abruptly stood up. He walked up to an orc warrior who was baring his teeth at humans and knocked him to the ground with a single punch.

"Stop looking at us like that!" Garrosh's gaze swept across the entire area like a lion's. "Thirty years ago, it was because of suspicion and hatred that we were defeated one by one by Lin Feng! Do you want to repeat the same mistake thirty years later?!"

He pointed at Li Yao, then at himself.

"Look at them! And look at ourselves! We are all slaves trampled underfoot by the empire! Our only common ground is that we all yearn for freedom! Our enemy is not our fellow countrymen, but that lofty empire!"

Garrosh's words struck like a hammer blow to everyone's heart.

Balin Stonefist also stepped forward. He carried a bucket of dwarven ale and walked up to Li Yao.

"Good lad, well said." He handed a huge wine glass to Li Yao. "Little human girl, would you dare to try our dwarven spirits?"

Li Yao looked at the burly, unshaven dwarf before her, and then at the sincere and eager light in his eyes. She hesitated for a moment, then took the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The pungent liquor burned her throat like fire, causing her to cough violently.

But she did not back down.

"Good...good wine!" she said with a smile, wiping away her tears.

"Hahaha! Well done!" Balin laughed and patted her on the shoulder.

This small gesture instantly melted the cold atmosphere.

People of different races began to communicate awkwardly and tentatively.

Irelia watched this scene with a relieved smile. She knew that this coalition of slaves, prisoners, and "defectives" was still weak and fragile. But in their hearts, a seed called "unity" had already been planted.

She walked to the center of the allied forces, and all eyes were on her.

“My friends, my comrades,” her voice rang clearly in everyone’s ears, “we have no time to waste. The Empire’s counterattack will come soon. We must prepare before they arrive.”

She turned her gaze northward, towards the Whispering Forest.

“Our elven allies are waiting for us there. They have the protection of the ancient tree Azshara and the deepest understanding of this land. We need their strength.”

“At the same time,” she looked at Balin, “Master Balin, I need the wisdom of you dwarves. We need weapons, we need fortifications. Use all the resources we can find to turn this valley into an impregnable fortress.”

“As for you,” she looked at Garrosh and Li Yao, “I need you to unite these warriors from different places into a true army. Forget your past identities, forget your past hatreds. From this day forward, we have only one name—'The Avengers'!”

"The Avengers!"

Everyone raised their arms and roared in fury.

Just then, an elven scout, riding a hippogriff, descended from the sky. His face was filled with terror.

"Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! Countless points of light have appeared in the eastern sky! They are approaching us at an incredible speed!"

Irelia's heart sank.

She flew into the sky and looked eastward.

On the distant horizon, a "star cluster" composed of hundreds of points of light, exuding an aura of death, is expanding at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The Heavenly Punishment Fleet has arrived.

"Enemy attack!"

The piercing alarm blared throughout the valley.

The allied forces, who had just been basking in the joy of surviving a calamity, were instantly enveloped in immense fear. The oppressive force emanating from that point of light in the sky was devastating. It was a power that their "ragtag" army simply could not contend with.

"It's the Empire's 'Arbiter' fleet! My God, there are at least a hundred of them!" Balin Stonefist stared at the sky, his face turning deathly pale. He had seen descriptions of these warships in the Empire's database. Each one possessed the power to destroy a city.

Panic began to spread like a plague.

"We're doomed!"

"Run!"

Some of the humans who had just been awakened even turned around and tried to run away.

"Stop right there!"

Garrosh let out a roar like thunder. His massive body blocked the path of those trying to escape.

"Escape? Where can we escape to?!" he roared, his eyes bloodshot. "Every inch of this planet is under the Empire's surveillance! Our only way to survive is here, to fight!"

His words temporarily quelled the commotion. But despair remained etched on everyone's faces.

Fight? What can we use to fight a massive, all-encompassing steel fleet?

Just then, Irelia's voice rang out, calm yet powerful.

"Don't be afraid. Lift your head and look at me."

Everyone instinctively raised their heads and looked up at the golden figure in the sky.

Irelia hovered directly above the valley, behind her the apocalyptic cluster of death stars looming overhead. Her figure appeared incredibly small compared to the massive fleet.

But she exudes a reassuring and indomitable radiance that puts everyone at ease.

She slowly raised the Starry Night Holy Sword in her hand.

“Thirty years ago, our ancestors faced an even more desperate situation.” Her voice echoed in everyone’s hearts. “They did not back down. They used their own flesh and blood to open a rift to ‘life’ for us.”

"Today, it's our turn."

"Perhaps we lack sturdy armor and sharp weapons. But we have what they lack."

Her gaze swept over everyone below.

"We have the anger of thirty years of oppression! We have the most fervent desire for freedom! We have... hope!"

She pointed the tip of the holy sword at her chest, which was made of light.

"Now, give me your anger, your desires, your hopes!"

"I will become your... sword and shield!"

As her words fell, a flame seemed to ignite in the hearts of all the Allied soldiers in the valley.

Their fear gradually dissipated under Irelia's resolute gaze, transforming into a united and determined fighting spirit.

Invisible streams of energy, representing their will, rose from their bodies and flowed into Irelia's body like trickling streams.

The light emanating from Irelia began to surge exponentially!

Her translucent body grew increasingly solid. Behind her, countless blurry phantom images of the fallen heroes of the Alliance emerged.

The holy sword in her hand emitted a hum powerful enough to shake the heavens and earth.

"Fleet is within firing range. Target locked."

On the flagship of the Heavenly Punishment Fleet, the cold voice of Executor Alpha rang out.

"Execute 'scorched earth' strike. Main guns, fire salvo!"

The order has been issued.

The main cannons of hundreds of "Arbiter" warships simultaneously lit up with destructive light.

The next second, hundreds of thick, dark red energy beams, powerful enough to evaporate the ocean, tore through the sky, pouring down into the valley like the wrath of a god!

Faced with this devastating attack, Irelia simply raised the holy sword in her hand high above her head.

"The dawn...returns!"

A colossal, dazzling golden dome, composed of pure holy light, suddenly unfolded around her, enveloping the entire valley.

Above that dome, stars flowed and heroic spirits appeared, as if it were the embodiment of the entire alliance's will.

"Boom—Boom—Boom—!!!"

Hundreds of beams of destruction struck the golden dome almost simultaneously.

At that moment, the whole world seemed to fall silent.

Only that dazzling light, enough to dim the sun, burst forth between heaven and earth.

The violent clash of energy caused the surrounding mountains to collapse and crumble like sandcastles. The earth groaned, and space itself warped.

The Allied soldiers in the valley nervously watched the golden sky above them.

They saw the golden shield tremble violently after being bombarded by hundreds of main cannons, with countless spiderweb-like cracks appearing on its surface.

But it held on in the end!

When the light from the explosion faded, the valley and everyone inside it were completely unharmed!

"We...we survived?"

"My God! She single-handedly stopped a fleet's volley!"

After a brief silence, a deafening, unbelievable cheer erupted in the valley.