Chapter 271: Looming Storm

As Michael’s crew walked side by side, the nearby troops naturally stepped aside, creating a clear path. It wasn’t because the crew was projecting their presence; the soldiers simply respected the Indomitable Alliance that much.

Swiftly, they entered the control room where the meeting was set to take place.

Common military practice dictates that after any enemy encounter, no matter how small, the stronger forces gather to discuss future actions.

As the doors creaked open, Michael was the first to enter, followed closely by the rest of the crew. The only ones missing were Bryce, who had no interest in dealing with politics of any kind, and Cyberfang. The metallic beast was simply too large and would have caused chaos inside.

Instantly, all eyes turned to the newcomers. It seemed that Michael and his crew were the last to arrive, and the meeting had not begun without them.

Almost as if they had all been waiting for their arrival…

Settling into a seat without a word, Michael glanced toward the man surveying the gathered soldiers with a serious expression.

The presence he exuded was formidable, putting everyone on edge. His long gray hair betrayed his age, yet his face remained handsome, as was typical of those from the higher realms. His brown eyes burned with an unsettling edge forged by years of war.

“Greetings, fellow warriors. You may refer to me as Cayson.”

The man’s voice was rough.

“Since we were attacked so suddenly, there was no time for introductions. Regardless, you should know that I have been entrusted with command of this warship. This authority comes directly from my superior, King Arthur, the leader of the Golden Vanguard himself. Additionally, I have four decades of experience in warfare, and I hold the rank of Transcendent Lord.”

Instantly, the room grew colder by several degrees. A Transcendent Lord stood one stage above the Radiant Lords, the stage where the Lord realm began. Since advancing through each stage of the Lord realm and beyond was an immense struggle, this man was not to be underestimated.

“Of course, if someone is deemed more suitable to lead than I am, they may step forward. Human lives are at stake, after all, and the leadership should go to the most worthy.”

Michael scoffed inwardly. By now, he had lost count of how many times he had heard such words. To inexperienced eyes, Lord Cayson might appear generous, but in reality, he was merely stroking his own ego.

Surely, Cayson had familiarized himself with the personnel beforehand. Realizing he was the only Transcendent Lord on the warship, he had deduced that no one would challenge him for leadership.

The man was indirectly telling them he was superior to them.

As usual, Michael’s judgment proved correct.

Cayson suppressed a smirk as his eyes swept across the soldiers, searching for someone bold enough to challenge him. But no one stepped forward. Even the Radiant Lords instinctively lowered their gaze, unable to withstand the intensity of his stare.

“…”

Though one person seemed to be the exception. When Cayson’s eyes met Michael’s, neither was willing to break their gaze.

’So this is the man who played a pivotal role in the last battle… Well, I should expect at least this much. If he were intimidated that easily, there would be no way he could lead a faction.’ Cayson analyzed.

A few moments later, his brow twisted in irritation, not because of Michael’s refusal to submit, but because of the woman beside him.

Victoria, still technically a member of the Golden Vanguard like Cayson, should have supported him under normal circumstances. And yet…

At the mention of a leadership role, her gem-like eyes rested on Michael, silently judging him as the more worthy.

’Love-struck girl, nothing else.’

The Lord took a deep breath to calm himself.

’No need to get worked up over such things. I have worked hard to earn the leadership role, and I don’t intend to lose it to anyone.’

Clearing his throat, the Lord continued.

“First, I have to extend my utmost gratitude to the Indomitable Alliance and their help in stalling the aliens. Without your support, our losses would have been far greater.”

Not faltering under everybody’s gazes, Michael nodded in acknowledgment.

Cayson was visibly pleased with Michael’s calm demeanor.

Typing a few commands on the terminal, the Lord made a hologram of the solar system appear. Zooming in several times, it focused on their current location.

“Now, as you all know, the asteroid belt has been breached. Simply put, the aliens now have the ability to open portals dangerously close to our mother planet. Humanity’s goal is to raise an impenetrable barrier to keep the greater threats at bay.”

He paused briefly.

“Since we have no way of raising the barrier ourselves, our only mission is to stop any threat from advancing past our position. Fortunately, while we don’t know exactly when we will be attacked or how many forces the aliens will bring, we can still make an assessment. The attack we just endured was expected to hit the day after tomorrow. Though it was off by two days, it still provided a valuable general idea.”

The Lord’s gaze darkened.

“Now, why am I telling you this? To prepare you for what’s coming. By reading the energy fluctuations in the outer cosmos, we believe we have spotted two more waves that are set to hit us eventually.”

Small red dots, one larger than the rest, swarmed the holographic projection of their warship, revealing the battle that the future might hold.

“The first wave is believed to consist of more than fifty battleships, most likely all commanded by Overlords, with a Monarch said to lead and coordinate the entire fleet.”

Grim expressions spread across the gathered soldiers. Fifty Overlords was bad… But a Monarch on top was a death sentence unless outside forces intervened.

A menacing smile spread across Cayson’s face as he watched their reaction.

“It’s good that you understand our situation. Now for the second wave…”

In a heartbeat, the red dots vanished, and an entity, countless times larger than their warship, materialized in their place.

“We are fairly certain that a Titan is going to strike us sooner or later…”

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