Michael's crew didn't even need to exchange glances before answering the call for aid. They had come here to help the efforts against the aliens after all.

"I bring reinforcements!" The tired soldier bellowed, causing a few gazes to orientate on the unit.

"Grandmasters?"

"The heavens have answered our call!"

"Glory to Mankind!"

"Prepare to engage!"

Instantly the spirits of the troops ignited, realizing that there were Grandmasters coming to their aid.

Among the chaos, an older man approached Michael's crew as he saluted. "Thank you for coming to our aid. I am Greg, the current acting commander of the base. Sadly longer introductions will have to wait due to the approaching alien threat."

With a nod, the unit acknowledged the existence of the commander before going outside the military settlements.

Cough!

Enzo instantly began to cough violently, his body drenched in sweat. "Holy fuck, it's hotter than a sauna out here!"

Despite being a Middle Master, even he found the heat unbearable. Considering that the soldiers positioned outside wore heavy protective attire to maximize their chances of survival, it was a testament to how much they were struggling in Venus' climate.

"I'll take it all back! Bring me back to Neptune. There at least Cybefang can keep us warm. Here it's like we are in a microwave!" Leo mumbled, agreeing with Enzo.

For a second the squad wondered how normal civilians could survive outside the cities for more than a minute in the terrorizing heat, though that was a question for later with the alien threat becoming visible across the horizon.

"Prepare!" Greg's voice echoed across the valley.

Instantly the aliens showed themselves. Quadruped creatures, muscular bodies with no visible fat and thick bones. A colossal maw stretched across their whole heads. To make matters worse, numerous tentacles protruded from their backs and sides.

Michael frowned as he instantly recognized the alien's race. This was one of the species whose leaders held the potential to conquer the entire universe. Known as Hreh'tar, what set them apart from other alien races was the sheer variety within each tier. Despite the vast differences among individuals, one thing united them all: the tentacles that would sprout from their bodies.

Unlike many other alien races, the Hreh'tar were infamous for one dreadful reason: it was rumored that death was considered a more merciful fate than being captured alive by them. The countless reports of soldiers taking their own lives the moment they were captured only seemed to confirm the terrifying rumor.

"M—Make sure that the tentacles don't make prolonged contact with your skin… Otherwise you know what happens!" Greg reminded the troops before giving the order to shoot.

"Amusing." Enzo exclaimed with a grin, excited that he would finally make use of his Master's status.

"...By the way, what happens if we are caught?" Nevertheless, he asked out of curiosity.

"This is how they procreate." Michael answered emotionlessly. "Using your body as a source of nourishment, they lay their offspring in you… I don't think that there is a need to explain what happens when these creatures hatch."

"..."

Enzo's face visibly paled. The more he thought about it, the worse it seemed.

"Why does it have to be tentacles?" Richard joked, unfazed by the alien's description. "Whatever, let's make quick work of them!"

Instantly the unit pounced forward, meeting the creatures head-on. Considering that all of them were of the Elite tier, they couldn't be handled solely by the normal troops.

Swosh!

Thanks to their efforts, it seemed that victory was in their grasp. However, just when the end was in sight, other differentiations of the aliens appeared.

These creatures had wings, granting them the ability to fly. Their bodies were round, like balls, with a single eye constantly scanning their surroundings. The tentacles that sprouted downwards swayed, ready to snatch prey like a hawk catching a mouse.

Clearly they too were members of the Hreh'tar race.

"T—They can fly now?!"

"I don't give a fuck! Shoot them all!"

With a sigh, Michael used Heaven's Judgment, pointing it to the sky. Activating the shotgun's hook, he was propelled upwards like an arrow.

Slash!

Without hesitation he sliced the creature in half before using Psychokinesis to make Devil's Tongue levitate in the air, giving him the ability to fly.

'I can't keep this up for long. I have to finish them quickly.' He thought, focusing on slaying as many creatures as he could.

The battle proved tougher than expected due to the flying aliens and the hot climate that his crew had yet to adjust to. Regardless, they eventually came out on top, as evidenced by the vicinity with countless aliens scarred through the ground.

"This was dreadful…" Enzo muttered, making sure that there wasn't a breach in his attire. Before, he cursed the heavy clothing that slowly cooked him. Now after learning of the abilities of these creatures, he felt like he wanted one more layer of clothing.

"I extend my appreciation." Once the battle was over, Greg approached Michael and his crew before bowing at a 90-degree angle.

"Had it not been for you, I shudder to think what our losses would have looked like."

Michael simply nodded. Though he was far from happy, the military base was connected to a rather large city. If even they struggled against the aliens, it was a testament to how bad the situation in Venus really was.

"Now I am sure you have questions for me. Let's go back to the base and discuss them." Greg suggested leading the way.

Grab!

Yet as Michael walked, lost in his own thoughts, a trembling hand took firm hold of him.

"Please… End me." The ragged voice of a man whose eyes had begun to tear up sounded.

Shifting his gaze, Michael instantly noticed the breach in the soldier's armor, a few crimson dots visible on his skin.

"I… can feel them… My body has been infected." The man uttered with a pale face.

Perhaps the most terrifying danger of the Hreh'tar was that once infected, there was no real cure. The more powerful cultivators could use their mastery over spiritual energy to purge the invaders, but for weaker soldiers, infection always led to one inevitable end.

"I plead with you…" The man said barely above a whisper. "Kill me and burn my body to ashes. It's a more worthy end to my life than to become a nest from which more aliens spawn!"

"..."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.