The streets of the capital blurred past as we moved swiftly, weaving between the people and the thick weight of attention that followed us.
There was no ti to stop. The walk to the military headquarters felt both long and short, rushed in our movent, but heavy with the shifting air of what had just taken place.
Before long, the tall tal gates of the Imperial Military HQ ca into view, standing proudly in the heart of the city. Behind it lood the grand structure built like a fortress. The heart of the Empire’s war machine.
As soon as we stepped through the gates, a silence swept across the courtyard. Uniford soldiers, officers, even Masters passing by, all paused. Then, one after another, they stood straight and saluted.
"Commander."
"Commander Ironhart."
"Sir!"
I nodded at each one, keeping my pace steady. The air felt different here—structured, disciplined but the respect, the weight behind their voices, it was new. This was no longer about recognition. It was acknowledgnt.
We walked through the massive sliding doors and headed straight for the central tower. No one stopped us.
The elevator took us up in seconds, and when the doors opened, we stepped into the top floor, where the high command resided.
Edgar’s office was the last door in the hallway. As I walked toward it, I could already sense him inside. The door slid open at our approach.
Inside, Edgar was seated at his desk, typing on a transparent tab that projected several data streams in front of him. His hair was still a ss, eyes slightly red, but there was a small smile on his face as he looked up.
"Well, look at the heroes," he said. "Co in."
We entered, and the door closed behind us with a soft hiss.
"You three really pulled through," Edgar continued. "Congratulations. That could’ve gone a lot worse."
I gave a nod. "What’s the status?"
His smile faded a little. He exhaled and leaned back in his chair.
"Ninety percent of the Holt family’s fighting force is gone. Most of their Masters are dead or captured. Their entire private army has been disbanded. The few that are left are on the run, and we’ve already issued Empire-wide warrants. They won’t get far."
"Any risk of retaliation?" I asked.
"Not anymore," he said. "The core’s shattered. They won’t be a threat to the Empire again."
There was a pause, and then Edgar sat up, swiping away the data streams.
"Tomorrow, the plan remains unchanged," he said, eting my gaze. "After the award ceremony, you’ll be leaving with General Cassian on the quest."
I nodded again. I already knew it was coming. There was no ti to rest after everything, we were always moving forward.
Edgar turned toward Steve. "You’ll stay behind tomorrow. After the ceremony, the Emperor wants to et you in person."
Steve raised an eyebrow. "? Why?"
Edgar smiled faintly.
"You have sothing that the Emperor is fond of and it could help you increase your strength as well. I’m sure you’ll like it."
Steve scratched the back of his head and acted deep in thought before responding. "Well, if it’s the Emperor calling, guess I have no choice."
Edgar looked at North next. "Dante will co pick you up tomorrow as well. You’ll return to your previous location for now."
North nodded calmly. "Understood."
After a few more words exchanged, mostly details and schedule updates, we stood and left Edgar’s office. The tension in the room lifted slightly as the door shut behind us.
Then we went straight to the teleportation hub. From there, we keyed in the location of Elite Unit 02’s compound and stepped into the glowing portal.
In a flash of blue light, we arrived.
We appeared inside the Unit 02 compound, where the evening sun cast long shadows over the open courtyard. It was quiet at first. A few soldiers were walking across the hub, sparring or talking. But the mont they noticed us, the silence beca electric.
They stared.
It was like the world paused.
Every soldier here had seen the war footage. Everyone had seen the battlefield. And most of them had seen standing at its center.
I could feel their eyes all over , so wide with awe, others tense with nervousness. I kept walking forward, eyes calmly scanning the compound.
Steve stepped beside , muttering under his breath.
"Feels like we’re misplaced here."
He wasn’t wrong.
I swept my perception through the soldiers nearby. Most of them... hadn’t even reached Level 100 yet. A few were in the 90s, so even lower. They were the best of the probation batch, but compared to what we had just faced, it was clear, this unit was still in the preparation phase.
Right then, I felt soone approaching with solid, confident steps. A strong presence entered the place.
I turned.
A tall woman walked toward us with short black hair tied back, her uniform crisp and her eyes sharp. She was maybe in her mid-thirties. Her expression was calm, but the flicker of surprise in her eyes was unmistakable when she saw all three of us.
June Turner. Vice Commander of Unit 02.
I scanned her instinctively.
Level 178.
Her steps paused for half a second. I could tell, she had just done the sa to .
She stopped a few feet away, looking at , then at Steve and North.
"You really ca," she said softly.
Then her eyes rested on again.
"I’m Vice Commander Turner. Welco back to Unit 02, Commander Ironhart."
Steve coughed lightly at that, clearly trying to hold back a grin. I didn’t need to look to know he was enjoying the mont a little too much.
Even a few soldiers standing nearby shifted in surprise—so raising eyebrows, others exchanging glances when they heard June call Commander. It wasn’t sothing you could easily ignore, especially not coming from soone like her.
I turned my focus to her again. Her aura was sharp and controlled, not lacking in strength. For soone at level 178, she was impressive, clean Essence flow, well-honed instincts, balanced spirit. Definitely soone who had earned her place over the years. But still, I could tell: Steve could take her if he got serious. North too, especially now.
I let a small breath out and stepped forward, just a bit. My presence shifted. The air grew heavier, Essence around us rippling faintly, not in aggression but in quiet dominance. Just enough to remind everyone why she’d called Commander.
Not just because of a rank.
Because I was worthy of it.
Because even if no one said it yet, I was no longer just part of Unit 02. I was sothing far more.
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