Beside him, another Ascender who had just returned from the frontline, like him, also wore a puzzled expression as he looked at the other Ascenders.
However, as his voice fell, the two suddenly noticed that the other sixteen Ascenders were all gazing at them.
There was no emotional fluctuation in these gazes, as if they were... puppets being controlled!
Just when the two felt something was amiss, a deep voice simultaneously sounded in their minds.
"All great things require choices and sacrifices; now is the critical period of the Ascension Plan, and nothing can go wrong."
The deep voice made the two’s hearts tremble violently.
A horrifying thought emerged in their minds.
"Could it be... that the Lord of the End... has awakened?"
As this thought appeared in their minds, it was abruptly cut off.
Immediately, their expressions gradually became as calm and indifferent as the other sixteen Ascenders.
Finally, the two spoke slowly.
As their voices fell, the Ascender who had suggested the vote earlier said blandly, "Since everyone agrees, then this matter is settled!"
"Notify the frontline!"
After speaking, waves of energy burst from his body, and the surrounding cosmic void returned to calm.
The eighteen Ascenders slowly returned to the surroundings of a mechanical star, hanging in their positions, making no further movement.
Frontline Battlefield.
More than a dozen Mechanical Ascenders stood firm in the cosmic void, exuding powerful auras. They looked calmly at the Tier Nine Life Forms within the Void Insect Race not far away, without the slightest fear.
Even with the Devouring Realm Empress nearby, their expressions remained utterly calm.
There was no other reason...
It was because these more than a dozen Mechanical Ascenders stationed at the frontline wielded the Ascension Factions’ ultimate weapon!
The pinnacle of the Ascension Factions’ technology!
If more than a dozen Mechanical Ascenders jointly unleashed its power... the force from Deadly Star could severely damage a Galactic Life Form!
It was precisely the existence of Deadly Star that made these more than a dozen Mechanical Ascenders unafraid, even in the presence of the Devouring Realm Empress.
However, when a wave of energy entered their bodies, confusion appeared in their eyes.
"Strange, the rear actually agreed to the Devouring Realm Empress’ duel!"
A Mechanical Ascender spoke in confusion.
Though puzzled, since the eighteen Mechanical Ascenders at the rear all agreed, they had no objections and, after exchanging glances, prepared to follow orders.
Only one Mechanical Ascender felt something was off; he first contacted an old friend among the rear Mechanical Ascenders.
"What’s going on? Why did you all agree?"
Soon after his message, his old friend replied.
"The Void Insect Race is dead set on invading our territory. During our war simulations, you knew that ending the war with a duel would minimize losses, which is the best method."
Seeing his old friend’s reply, the Mechanical Ascender thought briefly but found no issues with the response.
Everything... seemed normal, and the reasoning was very sound.
"Perhaps... I’m overthinking."
The Mechanical Ascender, seeing no oddities, let out a sigh of relief.
He knew that if his old friend had changed, it must be due to the Lord of Ascension’s influence, possibly indicating the Lord of Ascension’s consciousness had begun to awaken.
As an Ascender of the Ascension Factions, he knew if the Lord of Ascension truly awakened or the consciousness of the Doomsday Star prevailed, it would spell disaster for the entire Forging Star System.
But luckily, his old friend showed no signs of change.
He then signaled the other Ascenders with his eyes.
The other Ascenders, seeing this, also breathed a sigh of relief. One of them looked towards the Void Insect Race army and spoke calmly.
"Then, according to the Empress’ words... start the duel!"
At this moment, both sides tacitly agreed on the form of the duel.
Meanwhile, Lu Sheng learned of the duel’s initiation from his wristwatch.
"A duel? They actually agreed?"
Lu Sheng was baffled.
Why settle territorial concessions through a duel?
Not only Lu Sheng, but even Mo Chou was puzzled at this moment.
"What are the higher-ups thinking, deciding territory concessions through a few duels? There are many ordinary people in those Mechanical Star Bodies!"
Mo Chou said solemnly, clearly not understanding the decision after learning the news.
But, despite their confusion, this matter was not up to them.
"The Ascension Factions... are they treating those ordinary people’s lives as a joke?"
Looking at the duel information on his wristwatch, Lu Sheng’s face darkened.
To Lu Sheng, dueling was not a good method; although it could end the battlefield and prevent the deaths of some Transcendents during the war.
Don’t those ordinary humans count as lives of the Human Federation?