Chapter 40: The So-called Unlimited Rules, Section 10

In a minor annihilation battle, Black Hair destroyed nearly a dozen contestants. This was undoubtedly a major event in the final round. In fact, the spectators outside were already in an uproar.
The news of contestant No. 336 reappearing at the last moment had already spread throughout the empire via video. The atrocities he committed upon his return were even more astonishing.
After all, ten contestants meant nearly a hundred warships—especially at the final stage of the competition. The power of a hundred warships could almost determine the outcome. Black Hair’s actions were truly remarkable, though his methods drew criticism from many. The spectators split into two camps: one harshly criticized his cruel tactic of sacrificing his subordinates for self-destruction, while the other admired his decisive actions. The debate was intense and lively.
Of course, regardless of the spectators’ reactions, the high-ranking officials of the competition shared the same view of Black Hair, or contestant No. 336: he was excellent—exceptionally so.
From his initial stealth to his current dominance, from abandoning his base at the beginning to recklessly using his massive warships now, contestant No. 336 demonstrated a kind of artistry in every aspect—the art of sacrificing subordinates. Although his survival had relied on sacrificing others, it couldn’t be denied that each sacrifice brought significant value.
Calm, unshaken by the battlefield dynamics, with keen senses and decisive attacks—contestant No. 336’s performance undoubtedly earned recognition from the empire’s elite. In their eyes, Black Hair possessed all the qualities of an excellent commander. Though his methods were ruthless, wasn’t that exactly what war required?
With such attitudes, both the spectators and the empire’s high-ranking officials paid increasing attention to Black Hair. Every day, countless people sat intently in front of the communication screens, waiting for more news about him.
And Black Hair clearly didn’t disappoint them.
After a long period of stealth, the final round was nearing its end. No longer forced to worry about being besieged, he could now act freely, launching a frenzied hunt across this desolate star region.
Yes, it was a hunt.

Black Hair’s fleet configuration determined from the start that he lacked the capability for positional warfare. Engaging in direct conflict was tantamount to seeking death. However, the combination of four stealth warships granted him extraordinary concealment abilities. In the early stages, he used this ability to remain hidden for a long time, evading everyone’s sight, leading the audience to think that was all his role would be. But it wasn’t until now that people understood Black Hair’s true intentions.

Stealth warships were actually weapons for attack, not shields for defense. Through stealth, Black Hair could easily wait for his prey to lower its guard. He could also easily move to the enemy’s weak points. Perhaps each of the remaining competitors’ fleets was stronger than him, but none could do anything to him. The reason, as Black Hair said, was that in this world, there was only one most terrifying enemy: the invisible enemy.

Take the ambush in the middle of the night the day before yesterday, for example. Black Hair hid with his four stealth warships beside one of the competitors for seven hours straight. Only when the opponent thought it was safe to rest did he launch a sudden attack. The four stealth warships appeared simultaneously in space, less than thirty kilometers away from the enemy fleet. Their first volley hit the enemy’s giant ship at the supply site.

Under normal circumstances, the firepower of those four stealth warships might only have scratched the surface of that Moor giant ship. But now it was completely different. The ship, which was in the process of being refueled, couldn’t move at all, its firepower systems were shut down, and its supply pipes had no armor protection. Black Hair’s volley caused the enemy’s supply pipes to explode violently. Along with the enemy’s supply ship, all its energy was detonated by this blast, creating an energy chaos that covered the entire fleet. That giant ship didn’t even have a chance to react before being swallowed up by the energy chaos.

In that battle, Black Hair destroyed five enemy ships, including two Moor giant ships and three supply ships, without suffering any losses himself. It all took just fifteen minutes. By the time the explosions from the enemy ships attracted the other competitors, he had already disappeared into the vast starry sky using his stealth ability.

Seeing this, some might ask: Were those other competitors really helpless against stealth warships? Where were their reconnaissance ships at the beginning, and why didn’t they play any role during surveillance?

The answer is actually quite simple. It’s not that the reconnaissance ships didn’t work—they simply weren’t many.

One must know that the final round of competitive tournaments is extremely brutal, and by this point in the battle, all participants are utterly exhausted after countless fights to survive. As a result, their damages are astonishing—especially those of the reconnaissance ships.

There’s little that can be done about this. After all, in each contestant’s initial allocation, only reconnaissance is not a necessary ship type for fleet survival. Everything else, whether combat or supply ships, is absolutely essential. Thus, it’s understandable that reconnaissance ships often receive insufficient protection in battles.

Of course, looking at past final rounds, such a choice doesn’t result in much of a loss. All contestants have nearly identical ship configurations, so even without reconnaissance ships, the Moth Giant ships, as the empire’s most powerful forces, possess certain reconnaissance capabilities and won’t significantly affect the battle situation.

But this time, with Black Hair involved, things are completely different.

Without high-grade reconnaissance ships, the remaining contestants lose the chance to track Black Hair. Unless he chooses to reveal himself, no one can spot him. On the contrary, he can hide in the shadows, waiting quietly for his prey to lower their guard.

As a result, the subsequent battles hold little suspense. Without natural predators, Black Hair is like a mad python in the wilderness, constantly devouring the few remaining contestants. With his fully intact reconnaissance system, the other contestants have almost no secrets left—they’re under his close surveillance at all times. The slightest flaw will surely lead to total destruction.

Seven days—In past final rounds, this time would have been merely a transition period, with some exciting battles but certainly not many.

Yet in this tournament, Black Hair managed to create a surprise. Within these short seven days, he launched continuous attacks, covering half of the star system without resting even for a second. His four stealth ships were used masterfully, allowing him to appear around enemy fleets at any moment. In just seven days, he engaged in over a hundred battles, destroying or capturing dozens of enemy fleets!

Dozens of units—what an astonishing number. You have to realize that by now, the remaining contestants are so few that they can be counted on one hand. The ships left are all elite warriors who have fought countless battles. Yet, even under such circumstances, Kurokami still manages to achieve such remarkable results—something that would shock people if told. And who could have imagined this situation before the war started?? There were still over fifty contestants left, but the most prominent ones weren’t these elite warriors; it was contestant No. 336, who had been lurking from the very beginning!!
An absolute dark horse, an absolute underdog!!
By now, Kurokami has almost become a star in the eyes of all the spectators. Compared to his achievements, the hard-fought battles of the other contestants earlier on seem meaningless. Despite putting in all their effort to survive in this brutal chaos, it’s obvious that the Goddess of Victory no longer favors these brave warriors!!
From this moment on, a strange sight suddenly appeared at the tournament.
Every day, every moment, every second, the spectator stands were filled with countless people. Their clothing was disheveled, and they didn’t know each other at all. Yet, without exception, they were all intensely focused on Kurokami’s battles. There were leftover fast-food wrappers at their feet, but none of them left their seats to enjoy a proper meal. Not to mention eating, they even rushed to the bathroom.
Because they were afraid—afraid that even leaving for a short while might mean missing another hunt by that mysterious contestant No. 336. Perhaps in their minds, this contestant’s battles weren’t intense or exciting at all. But undoubtedly, his battles possessed the most captivating element of the entire tournament.
Eerie.

To this day, less than twenty contestants remain in the final round. Yet Kurokami shows no signs of fatigue, continuing to search and hunt. The vast wilderness of stars has become his personal hunting ground, with the other contestants as his prey. In just seven days, his strength has only grown. Aside from the four stealth warships that remained at the beginning and the supply ship captured from the chubby guy, he also gained access to an imperial battleship under extreme crew limitations. Unlike the one captured from the chubby guy before, this battleship was almost brand new—except for minor damage to its propulsion system, which slowed it down slightly; otherwise, it was flawless. On this battleship, Kurokami deployed every remaining crew member to ensure its firepower reached its maximum potential!

Everyone knows that this battleship is likely contestant No. 336’s last trump card. When it is used will determine who becomes the ultimate winner of this empire’s centennial conference.

All are eagerly awaiting that moment, for they know that from that moment on, the empire will gain a brilliant general! Over the next century, this general will surely lead the empire’s vast fleet to expand its territories and create new glory!

The Predator—that’s the nickname the audience gave to this general…