The grand hall—where the highest authorities of the Astros Empire once gathered—was now filled with screams.
Horrific cries echoed as the stench of blood permeated the air.
Moments later, silence fell.
The hall was littered with corpses. Only a handful had been spared.
Souta opened his palm, and the blood scattered throughout the hall moved eerily, gathering into his hand.
"It's all cleaned up," he muttered.
With his ability, interrogating people was easy—he could instantly tell truth from lies.
Souta shook his head and swept his gaze across the room. "It's been a while since I've been here."
He patted the dust off his clothes and sat down. Amanda and Franklin cleaned up the bodies before taking their seats as well.
The hall now held far fewer people than before. Yet no one questioned Souta's actions. In fact, those who had been spared felt a sense of relief—the ones causing trouble were finally gone.
Souta glanced at Jamine and gestured toward a seat.
Jamine bowed politely before sitting. Her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted her clothes—she was clearly nervous.
She had never been close to Souta. The one who held that position was Lydia, who was currently away on a mission.
"Now that I'm here, tell me the details," Souta said.
"It started a month ago," Jamine began, her voice steadying as she recalled the events. "One of the planets under our rule was attacked by an unknown military force. They possessed advanced technology and powerful warriors. It only took two days for them to pletely take over the entire planet."
The reinforcements arrived too late—and the enemy found them. A battle broke out, but the reinforcements didn't last long against the enemy's overwhelming strength.
The Astros Empire attempted to open a line of munication. The attackers identified themselves as envoys of the Council of High Worlds, claiming that the Astros Empire should feel honored to be invited into their ranks.
Naturally, Jamine and the others took this as a provocation. The council had demonstrated its power before introducing itself, a clear display of arrogance. If they had simply e to talk, perhaps the Empire would have considered listening.
But the Astros Empire firmly rejected the council's invitation.
In response, the Council of High Worlds began systematically taking over planets under the Empire's control—one by one. In every battle, they claimed overwhelming victory.
The council wouldn't leave the empire alone—not until they had taken plete control.
"That probably wasn't an envoy… If it truly was, then I need to meet that person myself," Souta said after listening to Jamine's report.
At this moment, a battle was still ongoing elsewhere.
Souta turned his head and saw Franklin looking at him. He let out a sigh and said, "Get ready. You're going there to support the military against the council."
The council's forces were spread thin. This was likely just a single faction operating within the greater Council of High Worlds.
"Finally, after such a long wait…" Franklin stood and stretched, eager for action.
Souta rose to his feet and clapped his hands. "Since I'm here, I might as well clean up the empire's trash."
It was time to eliminate the garbage that had been hiding within the planet—people who had no place in the empire's official ranks.
"Jamine, you know what to do. Sort everything out. We'll deal with them swiftly and thoroughly."
It was better to handle this before confronting the Council's forces.
"I understand," Jamine said with a firm nod.
...
A day later, Planet Astley was placed on full lockdown. No one could leave without explicit permission.
Meanwhile, rumors began to spread—rumors about the massacre of the empire's high-ranking officials just the day before.
The topic buzzed in every corner of the city.
Under Jamine's mand, the military began to mobilize. They raided the homes of various nobles, arresting them and placing them in prison. The boldness of the move sent shockwaves through the population.
Yet no one could stop it. Jamine was resolute in her mission to purge the corrupt officials—those who had been involved in countless questionable dealings.
Inside the palace, Alice stood by the window, silently gazing down at the city below.
"It's only been a short while, yet some people have already forgotten who placed them in their positions," Alice muttered coldly.
The Guardian Fortress had secretly landed on the planet the day before. Now, its members were scattered throughout the city, staying out of the public eye. Only a select few within the entire Astros Empire knew that the founding members had returned.
Alice turned her head and saw Souta standing beside her.
"How are you adjusting outside of Imperium?" Souta asked.
"It's fine… It's just hard to control my strength. It feels like I could rip this planet apart if I'm not careful," Alice said with a forced smile.
Souta chuckled at her words. "Then you'd better control it well. Consider it a form of training."
It felt as if they had emerged from the depths of the ocean—able to move faster, stronger, more freely than ever before. Everything around them seemed fragile, as if it could shatter at the slightest touch.
Souta waved his hand and said, "Well, I'm heading out. I just came to see what you were up to."
With those words, he vanished into the shadows.
Ohm!!
Alice stared at the spot where he had just stood, then shook her head slightly.
...
Meanwhile, on a planet ruled by the Astros Empire, a ship slowly descended into the atmosphere.
An old demi-human stood on the deck, gazing down at the vast land below.
"So this is where the enemy's attacking?" Franklin muttered, a wide grin spreading across his face.
He looked ahead and sensed powerful energy fluctuations—it was clear this planet had bee a battlefield.
He bent his knees and said, "I'm going on ahead."
With that, Franklin launched himself like a rocket. He tore through the sky at high speed, shockwaves rippling in his wake.
Boom!!
The planet below was a warzone. Thousands of troops from the Council had descended upon it, launching a relentless assault and destroying several strategic bases.
The Empire's forces were fighting back—but they were being overwhelmed.
The Council's military power was on an entirely different level. Every day, the Empire suffered more casualties.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the planet fell into the Council's hands.
Whoosh!!
As Franklin streaked through the sky, he spotted a battle unfolding below.
Numerous ships hovered in the sky, unleashing powerful shells that exploded on impact, tearing the ground apart.
All across the battlefield, elite warriors clashed—Council experts cutting down Empire soldiers with ruthless efficiency.
Franklin quickly scanned the chaotic scene, then surged forward, accelerating even faster.
...
A bell suddenly rang out among the Council's forces.
Inside the ships, a sharp alarm echoed through the halls.
Warning! High energy level approaching!
Warning! High energy level approaching!
Panic spread. Crew members scrambled to their consoles, pressing buttons and shouting mands.
Then, in the next moment, their eyes widened in disbelief as they stared at the readings on their monitors.
"What is this…? The energy level is at Fourth Rank!"
"What?! Fourth Rank?!"
"That's impossible! The Empire doesn't have anyone at that level!"
"Fourth Shackle!!"
Panic spread like wildfire among the Council's forces. The approaching presence wasn't just Fourth Shackle—it was far stronger than the standard.
They weren't prepared for something like this. Not at all.
"It's here!!" someone shouted.
Everyone inside the ships snapped their heads upward—just as a suffocating wave of energy descended upon the battlefield.
The mander of the Council forces rose from his seat, his expression grim with disbelief.
"This pressure… It really is someone at the Fourth Shackle!"
Swoosh!!
High above the sky, above the swarm of ships, an old man stood calmly in midair—his gaze cast downward, surveying the battlefield like a god about to pass judgment.
"Weak."
Franklin raised his hand, and in an instant, his energy erupted like a storm.
With a simple downward motion, an overwhelming surge of mana twisted through the air—dense, crushing, and absolute.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of ships were obliterated, torn apart under the sheer force. Massive explosions rocked the sky as fire and debris rained down. Screams echoed before being silenced in an instant.
The Empire's soldiers froze mid-battle, staring in disbelief as fragments of the Council's ships fell from the heavens.
They hadn't seen who did it—but the destruction was undeniable.
"It can't be…?!" one of the soldiers gasped, eyes wide with shock.
"What is it?"
"This energy… it feels familiar…"
"What?! You know who destroyed those ships?!"
"Probably. If I'm not wrong, that power came from a terrifying man—the criminal who once fought alongside our Great Guardian against the Great Astley Empire."
"Criminal...? You mean—"
"Yeah. It's Sir Franklin!"
Many of the Empire's soldiers had participated in the war against the Great Astley Empire. Among them, a few could still recognize the energy signatures of the legendary founding members.
And there was no mistaking it—this overwhelming pressure belonged to one of them.
"Sir Franklin has appeared!"
After so long out of the public eye, Franklin's sudden return sent a surge of hope through the Empire's forces. His presence alone was like a beacon of light piercing the darkness—a symbol of strength reborn.
In the sky, Franklin turned his head, his sharp gaze locking onto the enemy with the highest energy level.
He frowned slightly, disappointed.
He had hoped for a challenge.
"If this is the best you've got… I'll end this quickly."
He raised his hand, and his energy began to stir. A strange fluctuation rippled outward as white smoke slowly seeped from his body.
[Dream Power II]
"Fall… into a never-ending nightmare."
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