The second supreme elder rose once more, this time with measured authority. “Seventh, speak with bounds,” he said firmly. “Now is not the time for a purge. That can wait. Right now, our priority is to counterbalance the Genome Empire’s deployment.”

He turned, facing the full circle of elders. His voice was calm but resolute. “The fact that they already know about the Forbidden Zone—and have sent their Arch Fleet—means one thing: the secrecy is gone. So let’s not waste time assembling our Seventh Light Fleet in shadows. That would be a waste of resources and time. Instead, we move openly.”

He paused, his eyes scanning the elders.

“What’s most important now,” He said, “is that we secure whatever opportunity lies within the Forbidden Zone—as soon as the boundary dissipates.”

The First Supreme Elder gave a slow, deliberate nod. “Indeed, you’re right, Second Elder. What matters is the opportunity itself. And we must secure it, no matter the cost.”

He continued, “The Azura Empress hasn’t made a move yet—at least, not one we can confirm. Aside from openly strengthening their star sectors near the edge of the Forbidden Zone and even sending their 2nd Azure Fleet, they’ve remained surprisingly silent.”

The first elder paused and continued “For whatever reason, they’re holding back. Good. It saves us the trouble—and the headache—of dealing with them. For now.”

“As for the Genome Empire…” The First Elder let out a dark chuckle. “They think they can steal this from right under our nose? Hah!”

The Third Elder joined in, his voice full of grim amusement. “They’re taking us far too lightly. It seems they’ve forgotten what it means to provoke the Minotaur Empire.”

The First Elder nodded. “Then let’s fast-track the assembly of the Seventh Light Fleet. Accelerate all operations. We no longer need to act covertly—everyone who needed to know… already knows.”

And just like that, the Minotaur Empire began to move—no longer from the shadows, but out in the open.

Across their territory, Divisions 4, 5, and 7 under the command of Admiral Grook, and Divisions 11, 12, and 13 led by Admiral Zogran of the 7th Light Fleet of the Minotaur Clan, were advancing openly toward the Rgid star system. Planetary militias were also being mobilized as backup forces, prepared for final ground deployment if the Minotaur offensive succeeded—and they seemed confident it would.

Logistics hubs pulsed with traffic. The clan was awakening—its war machine grinding forward with a singular purpose: seize the opportunity before anyone else could.

No longer hiding in the shadows, the Minotaur’s were now making waves with their preparations, showing no signs of hesitation.

They knew the Genomes would be their obstacle—but they didn’t care.

Their boldness was a message to the Genomes: We know what covert games you’re playing—but understand this: facing us head-on won’t be easy. And if you push, destruction is not just possible—it’s likely… for you.

And you might ask the obvious: how did the Genomes receive this message from the Minotaur’s?

Well, not well at all.

They were furious, to say the least. They understood the motive behind the Minotaur clan’s move. Even though they had tried to eliminate traitors among their own ranks—preparing in the shadows to buy themselves time—the Minotaur’s had flipped the table. Marching openly was a direct challenge to the Genome Empire. And the Genomes knew it.

Despite understanding why the Minotaur were acting so boldly, it didn’t cool the fire. It only made it burn hotter.

“Damn those brutes,” spat Emperor Xyphon the Fifth, his face flushed so red with fury that the green hue of his skin was nearly gone.

“They dare parade their fleets in front of us? I want them burned for this.”

Archduke Darxon slammed a clenched fist on the table. “What else can we expect from the war-mongers of the Minotaur’s?”

Archduke Cykus nodded grimly, his voice low but venomous. “This is the fault of those who built the Azura Empire—and their cursed Emperors. Damn it… if not for them, the Minotaur’s might have stayed blind to our movements a while longer.

They wouldn’t have acted this boldly.”

Archduke Vakeryks leaned forward; eyes narrowed. “But now look at them… they’re not just marching. They’re aiming directly for us.”

“That is all but certain, Archduke Vakeryks,” Grand Elder Zykon said coolly. “They are aiming for us. But not before they get their hands on the Forbidden Zone—or whatever it is they believe lies within it that could benefit them.”

A brief silence followed before he added, almost with a dark smirk, “In a twisted way… that’s good news.”

The others turned toward him, puzzled.

“You know how those warmongers are—prideful and stubborn,” he continued. “Once their fury is aimed somewhere, they don’t let go easily. No, they may not start a full-scale war just yet… but they will give us trouble. That’s certain. Just not now. And for now, their fury has a direction. It’s focused, not scattered. That gives us time.”

Grand Elder Xyphor leaned forward, his tone calm and deliberate. “Time to prepare for the assault they will bring. Time to analyze and reinforce the places they’re most likely to harass us. We must fortify where it matters most.”

He paused, then added, “But that does not mean we abandon the opportunity in the Forbidden Zone. We’ll push for it too—just not as recklessly as they are.”

Only then did the Emperor and the three Archdukes begin to calm, the flush of rage in their faces slowly fading. The green of their skin returned from its burning red, though their eyes still held the quiet gleam of calculated fury.

The war hadn’t begun yet—but the board was set. And both sides were in motion.

…

Meanwhile, in the current timeline…

The Void Fleet was nearly fully prepared for what was to come. At Obliator Station, orbiting within the Regal Star System, one of the grandest conference halls buzzed with quiet urgency.

Kallus stood at the head of the room, flanked by the Red Empress herself. Imperial Guard Commander Emma was present, as was Fleet Admiral Ezzar of the 1st Central Fleet. Alongside them, six additional fleet commanders were seated—[insert names of the six commanders here].

Imperial Engineer Tyler had also joined the gathering, accompanied by his apprentice, Tessa. Mister Evans was in attendance, observing quietly as always.

And at the far side of the room, standing in stark military contrast, were Damien, commander of the Mech Division, and Marcus Cross, commander of the Space Marine Legions.

This was no ordinary war council. This was the assembly of minds and might, preparing for a storm unlike any they had faced before.

All of them had grown—each shaped by the tides of war(simulation), experience, and purpose—but none more so than Tyler Smith, Tessa Ross, and Commander Emma.

Tyler, once known for his quiet, scholarly demeanor, now radiated a vibrant energy. The reserved engineer had transformed, walking the path of personal evolution through the awakening of a rare and powerful class: the Arcanotech Engineer—a legendary specialization sought by many but attained by only a select few across the known galaxy and the universe itself can be counted on single hand all together.

This unique job class allowed its wielder to merge the arcane flow of mana—sometimes referred to as the ambient energy of the universe—with advanced technological systems. Drawing on intricate knowledge from both the magical and scientific realms, an Arcanotech Engineer had the power to create inventions that defied conventional logic. These weren’t just tools—they were living mechanisms, pulsing with coded mana and impossible precision.

At its core, the Arcanotech philosophy was simple yet profound:

“Mana is not just life. It is data. It is energy. It is fuel.”

And Tyler understood that now. He was no longer just building machines—he was forging miracles.

Tessa had grown too—but in a way completely different from her mentor.

While Tyler spent most of his time locked away in his lab, chasing breakthroughs and crafting marvels, Tessa thrived outside the walls. She was a force of energy and curiosity, choosing to spend her time alongside Luna, the two developing a bond that had only deepened with time. Together, they had made a hobby out of verbally ambushing Kallus himself—teasing, testing, and sparring with words on a daily basis. And yet, beneath the playful chaos, there was clear respect… and power.

Tessa, like Tyler, had awakened a rare and extraordinary class of her own: Starbloom—a radiant and joyful explorer, and a powerful stellar mage with abilities unlike any other.

The core philosophy of her path was simple and full of wonder:”The stars are alive… and I want to meet every single one of them.”

Starbloom granted her the ability to explore and research the living essence of the universe itself. She could sense the unique soul of stars, planets, celestial phenomena—and even living beings. She was able to perceive and interpret the very flow of mana as it coursed through the cosmos and all organisms within it. For to her, mana was not just energy—it was the lifeblood of all creation.

Where Tyler merged mana with machines, Tessa danced with it—followed its trails like constellations across the void, ever curious, ever blooming.

As for Emma—she had already been a formidable force long before the Universal Plane.

A seasoned warrior and peak Grandmaster, she stood just one step away from attaining the revered Paragon Rank. But it wasn’t enough for her. On her own request, I took her into the Universal Plane, where she chose to walk her path in solitude—disappearing from the known world for nearly 27 years.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep