“Oh, that…” said the being with a casual nod, as though Kallus’s request had been a minor detail in a far greater scheme. “You don’t have to worry about it, Kallus. Even if you hadn’t asked, I would’ve given you the time.”

Kallus blinked, the tension in his chest easing. The being’s words—while delivered with that usual cryptic calm—were a clear acceptance.

Fifteen days.Enough time to prepare.To stabilize.To adjust himself and his command before the restrictions fell into place.

But then…

“Because,” the being continued, its voice low and strangely final, “the move you’re going to make—if I restricted you now, you wouldn’t even have a place to cry for.”

Kallus stiffened. Relief turned to confusion. Then to unease.

“What move?” he thought, his mind racing.

As far as he knew, his next step was a straightforward one:Push into Minotaur territory.Crush their resistance.Subjugate the survivors. Turn them into a labor force to fuel his rising empire.

A clean operation. Brutal, yes—but not mysterious. Not unpredictable.

And certainly not something that required unrestricted access to the Universal Domain’s power.

So then… what was the being talking about?

What Kallus didn’t yet know…Was that the being wasn’t speaking of a distant move in some far-flung future.

No.

It was something immediate.

A chain of events already in motion—starting with the escape of Jarkon, Grand Admiral of the Minotaur 7th Fleet.

To most, it would look like a fortunate break—a powerful enemy routed, tortured by General Marcus Cross, then fleeing the battlefield in disgrace.

But the truth was far more calculated.

They had let him escape.

Jarkon’s so-called “flight” was part of a larger plan. A manipulated event meant to set the stage for what came next.

Back aboard the Eclipse Wrath, the flagship of Kallus’s First Grand Fleet, the pieces began to fall into place.

There, in the depths of the command hall, Kallus would make a decision that would have a far-reaching effect for earth.

The decision came after a long and intense discussion between Kallus and his seven fleet admirals. They debated three major proposals he had put forward. In the end, they chose the third: leveraging their growing popularity to recruit select members of the human population from Earth.

Although Earthlings were generally considered weak, the recent breakthroughs brought on by the Gene Advancement Serum had begun to awaken their dormant potential. Kallus saw this as an opportunity. If nurtured correctly, Earth’s people could become a powerful asset to his fleet and his greater ambitions.

To harness this potential, Kallus planned to train the selected recruits within the Universal Domain, a unique space with temporal acceleration properties. While only ten days would pass in the real world, inside the domain, his forces would experience the equivalent of over a hundred and fifteen years of rigorous training. By the end of that short span, he would emerge with a highly trained and loyal force, ready to support his cause across the stars.

Not just any force, but one mirroring the architecture and discipline of his Void Fleet—complete with more than a thousand war vessels modeled after his current designs.

To Kallus, this was a bold, strategic maneuver.

To the being, it was the spark—a deliberate trigger.

A challenge crafted not merely to test Kallus, but to truly confront him. No longer would his rise feel like a casual stroll through destiny, as if the universe simply bent around his will. This would be different. This would be struggle, consequence, evolution.

The being designed it not only as a personal crucible for Kallus—but as a tool, a keystone event that would ripple outward, reshaping the very balance of power across the galaxy.

What came next would not just define Kallus.

It would redefine the fate of countless civilizations.

And Kallus still had no idea…Just how big the move he was about to make truly was.

The impact of this decision would stretch far beyond just training a few recruits.

It would lay the foundation for a force loyal to Kallus, empowered with potential that could rival or even surpass that of most galactic civilizations. This advantage gave Kallus a few rare days of leisure — a calm before the storm. For once, he had the chance to prepare, to plan, and not be caught off guard.

Though Kallus himself was unlikely to fall, even he knew that without preparation, his forces would be heavily battered. The challenges ahead were unlike anything he had faced before — enemies with deep power, unknown techniques, and numbers that could overwhelm even a superior fleet.

The danger was real, and it was closing in fast.

The being knew this.Which is why it granted Kallus a brief window of leisure—a few precious days of calm before the tide turned.Time to prepare.To gather.To fortify.

Kallus would need every ounce of the Universal Plane’s unrestricted potential—the time dilation, the superior resources, the boundless energy wells—just to stay standing.

For…..

The danger had already begun to spread.

Before the Minotaur leadership even learned of their Pride Fleet’s destruction—a force they had sent to capture the Sol Region, only to be annihilated by an unknown power from the very territory they sought to claim—they had desired that domain. Now, they knew they could never hold it. Instead, they began reaching out to other galactic powers, the true titans of the realm: Tier-1 states with the numbers and strength to give Kallus and his fleet a taste of overwhelming force—even against a seemingly superior, yet not invincible, enemy.

And the ripple effect would only grow, not slow. When the wreckage and the broken body of Grand Admiral Jarkon reached Minotaur Prime, panic and fury would ignite. To make matters worse, the Supreme Being was preparing to introduce a new challenge—one that would test them all.

Yet none of this was known to Kallus… and time was running out.

The being shook his head slowly, a faint glimmer of amusement in his eyes as he watched the confusion flicker across Kallus’s face.

Of course he didn’t understand.Not yet.But the being had expected that. He counted on it.

These weren’t words meant to be fully grasped now. They were seeds—planted to bloom in a future Kallus didn’t yet see.

With a lazy stretch and a sigh that somehow carried both boredom and solemnity, the being called out once more:

“Clarus.”

The tone was the same as before—unhurried, dismissive—but now laced with something heavier. A strange weight lingered in the air, like the moment before a storm breaks.

Kallus was snapped from his spiraling thoughts. He looked up, alert again, only to hear the being speak with soft finality.

“No need to think too hard about what I just said. You’ll understand soon enough. When it happens.”The being waved his hand idly, as though brushing away smoke.”So don’t dwell on it. Don’t waste your time chasing meaning in riddles.”

“Instead…”His gaze sharpened, almost piercing.

“Use your time wisely. Think about how you’ll move forward—because your future won’t remain as peaceful as it’s been. No more easy victories. No more minor threats.”He leaned in slightly, smile gone.

“The challenges you face now will make the Minotaurs look like playthings. Your real journey is about to begin—not the one you thought you were on.”

There was silence for a moment, heavy and expectant. Then he added:

“There are more changes I want to make… but I’ll hold off. For now.”

The being straightened again, stretching his arms as though the matter was settled.

“And yes… the changes I’ve made may seem harsh. Because they are. But remember something, Kallus—”

He raised a finger, voice dropping in tone like the toll of a warning bell.

“The Universal Plane was given to you as a crucible. A place to temper your strength—not to let you grow lazy and dependent.”

Kallus bit his lip, hard.

The being’s words echoed once more—again and again—like ripples in a still lake. He had already realized the truth. He had accepted it. And yet, the being repeated it, as if Kallus were some forgetful child who needed reminding.

Was it mockery? A lesson? Or something else entirely?

Kallus didn’t know. But he knew better than to snap back at a being capable of warping reality with a whim. No—he still remembered the divine blow he had once suffered at those very fingers, a punishment that had left him broken for days. That memory alone kept his temper in check.

He lowered his gaze and took a breath.

“I understand,” he said at last, voice steady and void of resistance. “Truly.”

There was no need to argue. He had already taken the words to heart. The illusion of ease was gone, shattered like glass. The peace he had known—if it could ever be called that—was over. And the path ahead?

It wasn’t the one he had once proudly tread. No, that path had ended. His true journey was about to begin. A harsher road. One not paved with effortless triumphs and infinite resources, but trials meant to shape him, break him, and forge him anew.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep