Chapter 462: Ch
"Good! Have your fleets prepared for the operation. Since this is a long-term mission, take ten Tier 6 Extreme Supply Ships with your fleets, completely stocked with ammunition, food supplies, onboard repair centers, and manufacturing plants! This will ensure that even in the face of unexpected trouble, you maintain full operational capacity," Kallus said, without even batting an eye.
The three looked at each other, simultaneously nodded, and accepted with deep reverence. "Yes, Imperial Commander!"
With their directives locked in, they turned and walked out of the council chamber to begin their preparations.
"Kallus then focused on Grand Admirals Ezra, Elira Seal, Varyn, and Benjamin. ’You four will be leading your respective fleets: the Eclipse Wrath Battle Fleet,’ he said, gesturing toward Ezra, ’the Ashen Crown Battle Fleet,’ looking at Elira, ’the Final Echo,’ indicating Varyn, ’and the Doom Bringer Fleet,’ addressing Benjamin.
"Grand Admiral Ezra, you will head this operation as the mission commander. Meanwhile, Benjamin, you will act as a strategic backup.
Your fleet will not actively participate in the initial deployment; instead, you will remain completely hidden, revealing your strength to support them only when absolutely necessary.
Because the internal matters related to the Elves are far from clear to us, being overly cautious is always the best approach," Kallus added while passing down their directives.
’As you command, Imperial Commander!’ the four spoke in unison.
"Great," Kallus nodded, his expression darkening slightly. "You four need to prepare your fleets extensively for this. The situation in the Elven territories could prove to be far more unfavorable than what Ryan and the others will face in their campaign.
At the very least, we have solid, established allies on that side. The situation surrounding Empress Valoria is not like that. We won’t truly know who is friend or foe; much of that place remains in the dark even to me.
Other than a few higher-ups whom I know for certain are our enemies, I have no concrete data on their hidden minions. You all need to exercise extreme caution. As much as possible, avoid taking supplies from any outposts or planets in their territory."
He leaned forward, providing the logistics solution before they could even ask. "Instead, I will deploy a total of fourteen Tier 4 Supply Ships exclusively for this task. That will grant your fleets long-term operational autonomy. As for the exact configuration of munitions and resources you require, you may decide that among yourselves. In no more than a week, your fleets shall depart for the Elphenime Empire,"Kallus uttered firmly.
"Thank you for the extensive support, Imperial Commander! We shall not disappoint you on this mission," they vowed. With that, the four of them stood up, saluted sharply, and walked out of the chamber in a similar disciplined fashion."
As they left, Kallus shifted his focus and looked at the seven Defense Command commanders present.
"I want you all to pay extra attention during this time specifically, as what we are going to do will definitely attract attention. In fact, that is the entire purpose of this move," Kallus sighed. "But this attention will still draw trouble toward us."
Just as he was about to continue, he looked up toward the sky—beyond the walls of the compound, past the atmosphere, and into the deep space of his empire. His gaze pierced toward the extreme mana storm that had held the region ’captive,’ allowing none to enter and, without specific means, none to exit.
"With the mana storm soon to dissipate, we will no longer have a natural shield preventing others from coming to attack us. With that protection gone, and with us making these aggressive moves, trouble will definitely come our way."
"And it will be of a much, much higher level than the recent incident. In that instance, we knew about the attack before it even happened, meaning we were prepared and even had a counter-offensive ready."
"But remember, that was a scenario where we had ample time to prepare. Once the mana storm is gone, the rules change. At that point, the enemy will not need to use a space-gate-like device to enter; they can directly rush toward us from any direction and any location."
He leaned forward, his voice absolute. "So, it is imperative that you all be extra vigilant and prepared. Stock up on all the supplies you need, and build every single defense outpost you deem necessary.
Do so unrestrictedly; the Empire will fully back you. All you need to ensure is that you do your duties perfectly. The rest will be easy to handle. We need to show the galactic powers and the surrounding peoples that not only is our offense fierce, but our defense is even more terrifying."
"Yes, Commander!" the seven commanders spoke at the same time with intense fervor.
They realized that this was their chance to shine. It was their ultimate opportunity to prove to the Imperial Council—which was separate from the Military Council—that the vast resources and funds invested in building the Defense Commands throughout the empire were absolutely necessary. This campaign was crucial for them to secure even more funding to expand their commands, strength, and forces in the future.
Beyond that, they desperately wanted to prove a point to the Empire and to the younger generation. The youth were hell-bent on joining the main battle fleets, mostly dismissing the Defense Command as a second-rate force devoid of glory and offering fewer opportunities. This was a narrative that all the commanders had felt completely helpless against.
Despite their best efforts, they hadn’t been able to wipe this mindset from the minds of the masses. Consequently, they had to watch many talented individuals emerging from the time dilation zones of the universal domain pass them by to join the battle fleets—which had recently grown from seven to ten—much to the commanders’ pain and despair.
Much of the issue stemmed from the fact that they simply hadn’t had a chance to showcase their strength and claim their own glory. But now, things would be different. During this upcoming time of chaos, they would definitely have their chance to shine like the brightest stars.
They would prove they were not a single bit weaker than any battle fleet, and perhaps, in terms of raw resilience, they were even stronger. Above all, they would validate their true mandate: to protect the boundaries of the Empire and ensure the absolute safety of its borders, its territories, and its people.
And this was the reason they behaved so intensely all at once. After all, this was the exact chance they had all been waiting for. Fairly speaking, that piece of work Alex wouldn’t be able to wear his smug expression anymore; now, they all stood on an equal footing, and in the future, they too would have something to brag about until everyone’s ears bled.
Just thinking about how Alex would then actively avoid them—just like they used to avoid him as if he were the plague—brought a sense of anticipation. But that was for the future; for now, they still had to avoid Alex before they could actively seek him out to gloat.
Then, Kallus focused on the Prime Minister of his empire, who had specifically joined the military council today. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here, as the military was completely outside his jurisdiction.
He appeared middle-aged despite being a supreme existence whose power was not too far below the likes of Ezra and the others. Ideologically, he should have maintained a much younger image than this middle-aged appearance; after all, before he began his cultivation journey, he was already an eighty-year-old man.
He seemed to be a nostalgic person who purposely maintained a reflection of his past appearance, complete with white hair and a white beard.
This man was an incredibly experienced individual and was one of the initial members of the Void Fleet, having appeared together with Ezra and the others inside the Obliterator. He possessed vast experience in leading a nation much bigger than the current Celestial Void Empire.
Kallus could easily tell he was a master of his craft; the interior matters of the empire were mostly handled by him, and everything he did was executed to absolute perfection.
"Prime Minister Narendar Twilight, you, along with the Minister of Defense, will come up with a plan to extensively support and meet the demands of the commanders here," Kallus ordered.
"As you command, Emperor!" Prime Minister Narendar replied smoothly, giving a solemn nod.
Kallus nodded his head in appreciation and continued with his directives. "Command the Interior Minister to also strengthen our domestic territorial defense throughout our domain. Pay close attention to any and all anomalies that might appear within our borders. Have him act against them swiftly, and inform me or the Red Empress about it immediately.
Furthermore, start making preparations for a Federation Academy. Immediately after the territory of one of the Tier 2 empires near the inner region falls, we will allocate that sector as a neutral zone for now.
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