At that precise mont, everyone in the throne hall suddenly beca aware of an additional figure — soone who didn’t seem to be there a mont ago. He stood silently at the edge of the chamber, his hands calmly crossed over his chest, observing everything with two pitch-black eyes so steady and unblinking that their re stillness was unnerving. A strange chill crept through the hall, as if his very presence swallowed sound itself.
"...Umm, who is this young man? why is there soone I don’t recognize in the hall?" Marshal Livia finally broke the silence, her finger pointing toward the mysterious young man.
Imdiately, everyone — except for the trio of Hedric, Heigra, and Draice — furrowed their brows.
None of them had noticed his arrival. Not a sound, not even a breath had betrayed his existence. It was as if he had been there all along, hidden in plain sight.
"Theo, there’s no need to boast here. We’re all on the sa side," Hedric shot a sharp look to his right, his tone carrying restrained annoyance.
It was no wonder Draice had showered such heavy praise upon the interstellar communication network, nor that the generals and marshals appeared so astonished. Every word of admiration had weight — Hedric had paid a fortune beyond comprehension for those rings and the dinsional gates that connected their fleets.
From his quiet position, Theo responded only with a calm, almost humble smile. Then, with a faint motion of his fingers, the veil of Darkness and the spatial barrier surrounding him shimred and dissolved into nothingness — the invisible shells that had cut him off from the outside world vanishing like smoke. "I rely wished to avoid disrupting the eting," he said evenly, his tone polite yet distant. "That’s all there is to it."
"This is Theo," Heigra, the personal aide, explained while gesturing toward him. "He’s the head of the Shadow Swords organization — I’m sure most of you have heard of them by now." Her voice carried an edge of pride. "He is also the adopted son of Lord Robin Burton, partner to His Majesty himself."
"Partner?!" The word rippled through the hall like a thunderclap.
Many of them had indeed heard of the Shadow Swords, of their rapid growth and their mysterious operations spreading across countless star sectors. But the term partner froze them mid-thought — His Majesty Hedric had a partner?
"Who exactly is Lord Robin Burton?" Marshal Tharn finally spoke up, choosing his words carefully, his tone balanced between respect and curiosity. "Forgive , but I have not heard of this na before."
"Your Majesty?" Heigra turned toward Hedric as well, her own expression uncertain.
"...You are all my comrades," Hedric began in a quiet but firm voice. "We have bled together, fought together, and nearly died side by side. There is no reason to conceal such a truth." He paused for a mont before continuing, "Robin Burton is also known as LordHuman."
"Lord Human? ...You an the one who won the Fourth-Grade Planetary Displacent Gear?!"
"The inventor of Breath of Ages — the technique that sold for twelve billion Pearls?!"
"The man people call the Great Truth Chosen of this era?"
And then, soone’s eyes widened in sudden realization. "Wait — is he the one who created the interstellar communication network?!"
The Royal Soul Master Draice nodded solemnly. "Yes," he confird, his voice steady. "And he is also the mind behind every other piece of technology we’ve recently acquired."
"Lord Human, then..." Marshal Tharn murmured in awe, nodding several tis as he examined the ring on his finger with renewed reverence. Perhaps this truly was the only living individual in this age whose genius could birth innovations of such magnitude. "If this network truly works as described, Lord Draice... then the universe may soon step into an entirely new era."
"We’ll have to reach that era first," Hedric said, his voice firm as he raised it slightly to reclaim the room’s attention. "Now listen carefully. With our fleets relocated to the western front, the supply shipnts distributed in secrecy with the aid of the Shadow Swords, and the interstellar communication network fully established — the Crumbled Dreams Empire’s preparations for war are nearly complete."
He let his gaze sweep over the hall, his tone deepening with authority. "If none of you have caught word of our movents," he added with a faint smirk, "then our enemies most certainly haven’t either."
"...Now that more than half of our army has already moved toward the borders in secret, the next and final step is to transfer you through the spatial portals," Hedric’s voice echoed through the vast throne hall, resonating with calm authority. "Once that is done, the frontlines will be fully prepared, ready to ignite into battle at a mont’s notice. On the other side, hundreds of powers are waiting — all eager to see us dead." His expression hardened as his gaze swept across the room, his eyes sharp and commanding. "So tell ... are you ready to erase them from existence?"
"I can leave imdiately, Your Majesty," one general declared with firm resolve, his voice carrying not an ounce of hesitation.
"You said earlier they number around three hundred and eighty forces — empires, clans, and noble families, correct?" another added with a grim grin. "Then they’ll make excellent appetizers before we crush the Behemoths armies themselves, hahaha!"
"We stand with you until the very end," a third voice followed, strong and unwavering.
...From his quiet corner, Theo watched it all unfold — his sharp eyes absorbing every detail, as though he were recording the scene into his very soul. Every gesture, every flicker of expression, every word spoken... burned into mory like a perfect image and echo combined.
As an emperor, Hedric could not have wished for a better reaction from his generals. It was evident from their laughter and postures that tension simred beneath the surface — but that did not matter. Despite the fear clawing at their chests, not a single one hesitated. They all voiced unwavering loyalty. Each commander was prepared to lead his troops straight into a battle that promised almost certain death — simply because Hedric willed it. The depth of such obedience was both awe-inspiring and chilling at once.
Or perhaps it was not re obedience at all.
Perhaps it was faith — or arrogance — rooted deep within their hearts, whispering that they were mighty enough to defy fate itself. And in truth, why shouldn’t they think so? This was the Crumbled Dreams Empire — rulers of more than five thousand planets directly, and with influence stretching over countless others indirectly. In terms of infrastructure, resources, and coordination, there were few if any that could rival them.
As for their personal strength... Theo’s senses could not penetrate the layers of divine armor and energy shielding them, but their bodies betrayed small signs of their nature. On their ears and necks were strange marks — like ritual brands — and on their palms, hollow punctures, as though sothing had once been drilled through them.
Even Helga, who carried herself with elegant confidence, her bare shoulders and graceful arms exposed, bore faint holes along her skull and behind her ears. They looked human — or perhaps they wished to look human — but Theo knew better. They were not.
Among all those seated at the table, only Hedric and Draice were humans.
The rest... were sothing else.
That truth extended far beyond the royal hall. Among their soldiers, there were those whose heads were scarred with gaping holes large enough to see through — a grotesque mark of their transformation. Such deformities ca from the beastly blood Hedric had chosen for his warriors, a lineage that granted them affinity with the Minor Law of Crumbling , a branch of the Path of Destruction itself.
That minor law — brutal and relentless — made them nightmares on the battlefield, soldiers who embodied chaos and ruin wherever they stood.
With such imnse infrastructure and overwhelming personal power, many across the universe whispered that the Crumbled Dreams Empire was the strongest millennial empire in this quarter of the cosmos. So dared to say it even surpassed the Radiant Galaxy itself — that vast domain built upon comrce and networks of influence. Legends claid that only Kaylis herself prevented Hedric from claiming complete dominance over the entire 101st sector.
True, their infrastructure had been battered, their wealth drained, and their arsenals diminished by the endless Verilion War that had raged for centuries. Yet despite that — the pride within their chests still burned bright. The pride of commanding an army strong enough to rival a Behemoth Galaxy. The pride that allowed them to face three Behemoths and hundreds of hostile forces without flinching. The only thing visible in their expressions was not fear, but a trace of tense anticipation — the kind a warrior feels right before drawing his blade.
"Heh~" Theo finally exhaled, a quiet sigh slipping past his lips. His gaze softened, almost thoughtful. Perhaps his father’s decision — choosing Hedric and his n as allies — had not been such a foolish gamble after all, even in these desperate tis. For all their brutality, their madness, and their pride... they were still alive, still standing, still willing to burn the stars if their Emperor commanded it.
And Theo’s mission now was clear. He would help them stay alive — no matter what it took.
"Good." Hedric nodded with satisfaction when he saw the fiery determination in his generals’ eyes.
After confirming their readiness to fight under the current conditions, he turned toward Heigra, raising a hand in silent instruction. "Heigra," he said with calm authority, "explain the situation with our allies to them."
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