"Alright, since you're all safe, I'll patrol from above. If you need a ride back, just send a signal," Stuc announced before taking off in the alien spacecraft, soaring high above the Martian surface.
Once the dust settled, Leon pulled out a map from his dimensional ring, spreading it out in front of the group.
"Listen up. Our objective is to destroy the havoc spider nests from this point to this point," Leon explained, pointing at two marked spots on the map. "Other teams are landing at different points to attack from multiple angles. We'll focus on this route."
Dylan nodded, crossing his arms. "Alright, you're the leader here."
Jin Hou raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't it be faster if we split up?"
Leon shook his head firmly. "Not an option. Some of the havoc spiders here are HC soldiers with numbered insignias. They're much stronger than the ones we've encountered on Earth. Even powerful Khodam users struggled against them. It's safer to stick together."
Valkery looked at them, a bit lost. Miranda nudged her side playfully.
"Hey, Rai, did you get all that?" Miranda teased.
Valkery blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... yeah, just follow you guys, right?"
Miranda snickered. "Seriously? You can't read a Martian map, can you?"
Dylan couldn't help but join in. "But your Khodam's connected to Mars, right? Shouldn't you have some idea?"
Valkery's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I... never learned how to read maps, okay?"
Leon smiled softly, folding the map back up. "Don't worry about it. I'll teach you as we move. It's simple once you know how to navigate the terrain."
Valkery gave him a grateful nod, still slightly red.
"Thanks, Leon..."
Miranda grinned. "Looks like we've got more to teach you than just fighting."
Dylan laughed. "Hey, it's fine. We've all got our strengths. Just stick close, Valkery. We'll handle it together."
Jin Hou adjusted his staff, smirking. "Learning from experience is always the best way. Just keep your eyes sharp and follow Leon's lead."
Valkery took a deep breath, feeling a bit more confident.
"Got it. I'll do my best."
Leon glanced at the horizon. "Alright, let's move out. Stay alert, and remember—stick together."
*****
Meanwhile, in the Havoc Queen's Throne Room
The Havoc Queen sat gracefully on her obsidian throne, her piercing eyes fixed on the soldier kneeling before her. The room was dimly lit, the flickering glow of alien fire casting ominous shadows.
"Your Majesty," the soldier began, bowing his head, "eight of our stealth spacecraft that landed on Earth have returned."
The Queen's eyes narrowed. "Hah, did they manage to kill Angel?"
The soldier hesitated, shifting uncomfortably. "No, Your Majesty. It appears that Mora's soldiers are piloting our stealth ships. They also brought strong Khodam users with them."
"What?! That bastard Mora is still alive?!" the Queen snarled, her claws digging into the armrest of her throne.
"Yes, Your Majesty. It seems they have formed an alliance with humans."
A malicious grin spread across the Queen's face. "Hahaha... So, Mora turned out to be just as cunning as I am. Listen carefully: from now on, do not land any more of our spacecraft on Earth. As for the ones already there—destroy them."
The soldier nodded. "Understood. We will eliminate the grounded ships immediately."
The Queen leaned forward, her expression colder. "How many of their ships have landed on Mars?"
"Approximately eight ships, Your Majesty. Each carrying five Khodam users, totaling forty attackers."
The Queen's smile faded into a scowl. "Deploy the HC forces. Kill them all. Force the survivors to retreat to Earth. I will not tolerate their insolence."
She leaned back, her long nails tapping rhythmically against the armrest. "Mora... I never expected you to still be alive. If I had known, I wouldn't have let my troops land their ships on Earth in the first place."
Her crimson eyes glowed with malice, already plotting how to crush both Mora and the humans who dared challenge her domain.
****
Inside the dark, web-filled lair on the red, rocky terrain of Mars, HC 13 stood, his patience waning but his anger burning. His massive, black, furry body shifted restlessly, and his eight sturdy legs stomped the ground, causing small tremors. His crimson eyes glared at the scurrying workers as if seeking something to vent his rage on.
HC 13 had been waiting for a long time in this worker nest, expecting the arrival of the intruders from Earth—especially the rumored strong Khodam users. However, time passed, and there was no sign of them.
A small worker approached cautiously, its eyes filled with fear. "Warrior HC, their spacecraft has returned... They destroyed two worker nests and left."
HC 13 let out a furious growl, his fangs gleaming dangerously. "What?! Cowardly bastards! I've been waiting so long, and they just left like that!"
The worker bowed lower, terrified of being struck by HC 13's giant legs. "It seems they learned of your strength and decided to avoid you."
HC 13 paused, recalling what HC 10 had told Angel earlier. "All HC have strength based on their numbers. HC 1 is the strongest, and HC 10 is the toughest among the lower ranks."
"Hey, worker! Explain to me about the HC order. Is it true that our strength is based on numbers?" HC 13 asked coldly.
The worker seemed confused before replying, "The HC number doesn't indicate strength; it shows the birth order from the HC nest. That nest takes a long time to produce warriors, unlike ordinary worker nests."
*****
Ding! Level 20 reached (able to summon the next Khodam).
Ding! Valkery level 78.
Ding! Angel level 65.
After destroying two nests, Rai's main body reached level 20, allowing her to summon a new Khodam.
Following Leon's advice, they decided to return instead of wasting experience on the main body, as it is much harder to level up.
Although they hadn't completed their hunting plan on Mars, they chose to head back since Rai had reached level 20.
Being one or two years older than Rai, they understood how difficult it was to level up the main body, especially after reaching level 20, as progressing to level 30 would be significantly more challenging.