Ultimate Fighting

TL: GoldenLung

As Lan Xuanyu walked in, everyone smiled and began to applaud him.

He paused, steadied himself, then stood at attention and saluted.

Admiral Bai Ling smiled and said, "Our hero has arrived."

Lan Xuanyu quickly stepped forward to stand before the admiral. In such an atmosphere, even he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

He saluted once again.

Admiral Bai Ling returned the salute with a smile. "When you first came to the Seventh Fleet, I already had a feeling you wouldn't remain unknown. But I didn't expect you to achieve such a great feat in such a short time. While we didn't directly do much for you, we still received accolades from the Federation thanks to your efforts. Coupled with the destruction of a large number of enemy ships this time, this has become the most glorious battle in the history of our fleet. On behalf of all personnel of the Seventh Fleet, I thank you for your contribution to the Federation."

With that, he saluted Lan Xuanyu again, and Lan Xuanyu hurried to return the gesture.

Beside them, General Yan Xinghe stepped forward with a tray holding two boxes.

"This is the Federation Hero Medal, specially awarded for your outstanding contribution. It represents the highest honor a soldier can receive. I'll pin it on you myself." As he spoke, the admiral affixed the gleaming medal to Lan Xuanyu's left chest.

"In addition to you, all your teammates will also receive rewards issued by the Federation." He then opened the second box, revealing a strange object.

It resembled a button, made of dark silver and looked somewhat like unrefined heavy silver. Intricate patterns adorned its surface, with a deep blue crystal embedded in the center, resembling a gemstone.

"This is the badge of an Eighth-Rank Sky Fighter. It represents your rank and identity. You can wear it anywhere on your person. It contains all your personal data. Wherever you are in the Federation, it will authorize you to exercise the powers of an Eighth-Rank Sky Fighter."

He then pinned the badge onto Lan Xuanyu's chest as well.

Lan Xuanyu could faintly sense spatial fluctuations from the badge. Probing it with his spiritual power, he discovered a vast internal space. It clearly used the Federation's spatial folding technology and was a newly developed soul tool for storage—an incredibly rare and valuable item with multiple additional functions.

Admiral Bai Ling smiled. "With your contributions, you actually qualify for a promotion in rank. However, since you were just promoted to major general, the Federation has decided to hold off for now. Besides, the Sky Fighter badge is more suitable for you. We hope you'll continue to strive and contribute even more to the Federation."

"Yes, thank you, Commander." Lan Xuanyu saluted.

Receiving a medal in the presence of all the top officers of the Seventh Fleet was undoubtedly the highest honor, symbolizing how much importance both the Federation and the fleet placed on him.

As for the mission he would carry out, Admiral Bai Ling didn't mention a word—naturally for confidentiality reasons.

"Xinghe, make sure to support Xuanyu fully," Admiral Bai Ling said to Yan Xinghe beside him.

"Yes, sir!" Yan Xinghe stood at attention and saluted.

Lan Xuanyu clearly noticed a hint of envy in the eyes of the other generals, all wearing their own epaulets of general rank, when they looked at Yan Xinghe.

After all, Lan Xuanyu belonged to the Dragon Three warship, so the merits he earned would be shared with that ship. Who wouldn't envy that?

"I've already passed along your request to the military. They fully support it, and the arrangements will follow. As for how you carry out your specific mission, the fleet grants you full autonomy. If you need anything, just let Xinghe know. I'll support you with everything I've got."

"Thank you, Commander."

The awards ceremony didn't last long. All the attendees were commanders from different warships and couldn't be away from their posts for too long.

Lan Xuanyu returned to the Dragon Three warship with Yan Xinghe.

"How does it feel?" Yan Xinghe asked with a smile on the way back.

"Humbled," Lan Xuanyu replied with a smile. "How did you get there ahead of me?"

Yan Xinghe said, "To show how much the commander values you—it was his request. The credit you earned this time really made him look good. Right now, among all seven fleets of the Federation, our Seventh Fleet is shining the brightest—outshining even the First Fleet."

Lan Xuanyu nodded. The war sparked by the Proto Dragon Crystal incident had resulted in far greater gains than expected. It had given the Federation a clear edge against the Dragon Horse Galaxy. Their strategic objective had been fully achieved.

"When do you plan to depart?" Yan Xinghe asked.

Lan Xuanyu said, "Once all members of the Thirty-Three Sky Wings gather, I'll organize them and set out. This time, only seven of us are going back to Dragon Horse Planet. I'll leave the rest of them to you. If there are missions they can assist with, please assign them as needed. And if I need their support for an infiltration, I'll let you know in advance."

Yan Xinghe nodded. "Don't worry. I reviewed their files—they all performed admirably in this war. As expected of Shrek Academy's top students. Honestly, the Sky Fighter Division is a much better fit for you all. Just being regular soldiers would be a waste of your talent. After this incident, I've come to believe the military just isn't the best environment for people like you. It can't fully utilize your potential."

"Mhm. Once our year is up, the seven of us may not return, but the others will probably go back to continue their training at the academy." Infiltrating Dragon Horse Planet wouldn't be a short-term mission. Lan Xuanyu didn't know how long he would be there, but the rest of his classmates could return to the Inner Court. Anyone who had visited Eternal Sky City would understand just how ideal it was for cultivation.

If they could realize their plan to provide life energy for the Eternal Tree, then Eternal Sky City would undoubtedly be the best place to train.

The Seventh Fleet didn't make Lan Xuanyu wait long. When they returned to the Dragon Three warship, the rest of his companions had already arrived.

Yan Xinghe worked quickly and efficiently. He had a section of the living quarters specially set aside for them, centered around Lan Xuanyu's residence. Each person had a private room.

The reunion of the Thirty-Three Sky Wings was naturally a lively one. They gathered together, discussing what tasks they had completed and what they had accomplished during the war.

Only Lan Xuanyu and his six teammates didn't mention the mission they had carried out. It was now a Federation secret, and there was no benefit in sharing it with the others.

*Clap, clap, clap!* Lan Xuanyu clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.

The room fell silent, all eyes on him.

Lan Xuanyu said, "This time, we completed a mission alongside the Seventh Fleet. I believe everyone gained something from it. But ultimately, our personal strength is the foundation for how far we can go. The seven of us also completed some special tasks, which is why we were granted the authority to bring everyone back together. In the days to come, you'll remain on the Dragon Three warship. Carry out any missions assigned to you, and if not, focus on training. I'll distribute cultivation resources to everyone shortly."

He paused, then continued, "To be honest, when we all got into the Inner Court, I felt like I could finally lay down the burden I'd been carrying—that I had done right by all of you. I never made any promises before, but I truly hoped more of us would make it into the Inner Court."

"These past few months, I've been through a lot—you all know that. When Teacher Nana fell into the star, it hit me hard. That was when I truly understood: only by becoming strong can you protect the people you care about. That's why I said earlier—our own strength is the key to how far we can go in the future."