Emma, a seasoned warrior herself, could feel the change in Kallus down to her very bones—the sheer weight of his presence. And it wasn’t just strength; it was his overwhelming will, the kind that could only be forged through countless battles. Her fist clenched silently at her side, a subtle reaction betraying her otherwise composed demeanor.
She had known Kallus for less than half a month, brought together by the will of the Supreme Being. In that short time, she had already acknowledged him as a leader—her ultimate master. Yet, she couldn’t ignore the obvious signs of his limited thinking and astonishingly mild aura, traits that led many, including herself, to see him as immature despite his talents. They knew the truth and chose to overlook it. But now…
Now, the aura he radiated was something else entirely. There was a newfound maturity in his presence, an imperial pressure that demanded attention and reverence, much like a ruler standing before his subjects. Emma felt as though she was no longer facing a talented but inexperienced warrior—she was standing before a legend in the making.
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Tessa, on the other hand, experienced it differently.
Among the fleet’s ten thousand personnel, she had spent the most time with Kallus. As a scholar and researcher, she was deeply attuned to subtle shifts in energy and aura, a skill honed through her unique expertise. She had always known Kallus was powerful compared to others, but now… Now, he felt like a force of nature.
Everything about him had changed, down to the very fabric of his being. Her eyes gleamed with unspoken questions, burning with curiosity. She longed to ask him—to uncover the truth behind this transformation. But she took a slow breath, calming herself. Control yourself, Tessa. There will be time for questions. But not now.
As she remained in thought, the others, too, grappled with their own perceptions of Kallus’s change. Yet, none dared to speak. This was neither the time nor did they have the authority to question such a thing.
So they remained silent, watching as Kallus strode toward his seat, fully aware of the unspoken questions and astonishment in their gazes. As he sat at the head of the table, his voice rang with quiet command.
As he took his seat, his gaze swept across the room. "I see you are all present," he said, his voice steady and commanding.
Let us begin this meeting. Everyone, please take your seats."
Kallus looked at everyone, his gaze settling on Red while beckoning to the Empress. "The Red Empress should have already informed you all of the reason we are gathered here, so I won’t repeat it," he said, his tone firm. "I can see the questions in your eyes—questions about me. But that is a matter for later."
His expression grew solemn as he scanned the room, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "For now, we have more pressing matters to discuss."
He paused, letting the gravity of his words settle over them, his sharp gaze locking onto each individual in turn.
Fleet Admiral Ezra listened to Kallus before speaking in a straightforward manner. "So, Commander, you’re saying we’ve lost nearly a month of buffer time, huh?"
Minister Evans added to the discussion, his expression thoughtful. "That changes things for us. Our initial deadline for mobilizing the fleet was about five days beyond the time we have left now.
He added, "If this ancient artifact is destabilizing faster than expected, it won’t have any unforeseen side effects, will it, Commander? Or is this more than just a simple collapse of the isolation field?"
John, the fleet strategist, spoke in a practical tone. "That’s the real question, isn’t it? If the field simply vanishes, then it’s fine—we reintegrate into the Superuniverse sooner than expected. But if there are unintended consequences, we might have a serious problem on our hands." He glanced at Kallus, waiting for his response, as did Minister Evans.
Kallus, his gaze steady, looked at his senior officers. Their thoughts were simple yet strategic—straight to the point. After a brief pause, his eyes settled on Minister Evans.
"It will merely collapse faster with no additional dangers, then this wouldn’t be a major issue," Kallus said. "Other than adjusting our timeline, it wouldn’t be a reason for me to call this meeting." His voice remained firm. "While we may need to make some minor adjustments to our plans, they are nothing significant."
The room remained silent for a moment before the officers nodded in agreement. No one knew their own capabilities better than they did.
"That is not the reason I called you all here," he stated firmly, his voice carrying an authority that left no room for distraction. Leaning forward slightly, he placed both hands on the table, his presence pressing down like an unseen force, demanding full attention.
"There are more pressing matters at hand. The fleet is progressing well, our infrastructure is stabilizing, and Earth is integrating into our plans—but we are far from ready for what’s coming." He let his words settle before continuing.
"It’s not a matter of warfare or power—we are more than prepared in those aspects. Our real shortfall lies in manpower."
"Our immediate concerns are the Ausra Empire, the Minotaur Clans, and the Genome Empire. These three regional powers pose the most immediate challenges to our expansion."
"While the Ausra Empire remains an unknown factor, the Minotaur Clans and the Genome Empire will not remain idle as we continue to rise." Kallus stated.
"The Minotaur Clans, in particular, are a proud and warrior-driven race. They will not back down—nor will they bow to us, even in the face of destruction. And with their advanced alien technology, which we all know the origins of, they have already become aware of the imminent collapse of the ancient artifact. They are moving in the shadows as we speak."
"So, the Minotaur already know about the artifact’s collapse, huh?" Ezra muttered, arms crossed, a deep frown on his face.
Leaning in slightly, Tyler added, "Well, it’s not surprising that they found out, given the artifacts they’ve acquired."
Ezra nodded thoughtfully, his expression serious. "As a warrior race—and an expansionist one at that—they definitely won’t let this opportunity slip by. Now that they know, they’re sure to make their move. Just as the Commander said, they’re already operating in the shadows… Hah."
Hearing Admiral Ezra’s thoughts, Minister Evans nodded. "Well, that makes sense. After all, they’re already aware of this system’s uniqueness, and they would definitely want to bring it under their control. There’s no doubt they have plans in motion, thinking it would be an easy prize."
He paused for a moment before smirking slightly. "But with our presence here… the most they can do is dream."
Hearing this, everyone smiled slightly—even Kallus. He nodded before speaking.
"Just as you all said."
He paused before shifting his attention to another concern. "As for the Genome Empire, they are by far the easiest to deal with among the three."
Tyler tapped his fingers on the table before turning to Kallus. "Commander, about the Genome Empire—you implied they would be easier to deal with. How?" he asked, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.
Kallus’s voice took on a mysterious edge, his tone laced with something unreadable. "Why, you ask? You will all understand when the time comes."
A ripple of curiosity spread through the meeting room, but no one dared to question him further again.
But Admiral Ezra, studying Kallus’s mysterious smile, spoke in a low voice that everyone could hear. "You know something we don’t, don’t you, Commander?"
John, looking at Kallus, shook his head with a chuckle. "Well, that’s just obvious," he said jokingly.
Minister Evans, deep in thought, tapped his fingers lightly on the table before speaking with a careful yet pressing tone. "Commander, are you suggesting that the Genome Empire will easily fall under your control as soon as we make our move?"
Kallus remained unfazed, a slight hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "Control? No." He paused, his voice carrying a cryptic edge. "But let’s just say… their fate was decided the moment something landed in my hands."
He stopped there, still maintaining his air of mystery.
Minister Evans’s mouth twitched slightly, and the others shared similar reactions. In the end, they sighed and reluctantly suppressed their curiosity, choosing to let it go—for now
Another silence. No one pressed further, but unease lingered.
"It’s not a matter of warfare or power—we are more than prepared in those aspects. Our real shortfall lies in manpower," Kallus stated again.
John nodded in agreement. "We need to start thinking of a solution for that.
Everyone nodded in agreement, but Chief Researcher Tyler had another thought on his mind—one he didn’t intend to keep to himself. Raising his hand slightly, as if asking for permission to speak, he caught Kallus’s attention.
Seeing Tyler’s gesture, Kallus acknowledged him with a nod. "Do you have something to add, Chief Researcher Tyler?