Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1831 Facing a Millennium Empire

”You canʼt build a Millennial Empire through force alone.” Aro tapped lightly on his lips, his brows folding into a deeper knot, as though the weight of the entire starfield sat on his mind.

He had already crafted a comprehensive defensive plan -layer upon layer- prepared specifically for the possibility that Sylas might unleash his fury upon them in Apocalypse...

Some time ago, after months of searching and negotiating through secret channels, he succeeded in acquiring a colossal and tremendously ancient array believed to date back to the legendary Abyss of Doom War, an era where entire civilizations vanished overnight. The Shadow Swords had managed to secure the relic for an astronomical 4 billion Pearls, and Aro snatched the opportunity the moment it appeared. This array wasnʼt just powerful-it was monstrous. It could stop a Guardian without question, restrain him, and prevent him from even stepping onto the surface of the planet.

Beyond that, Aro had summoned, pressured, and gathered every Nexus State available across the Double Centennial Empire, pulling strings from every Wing until all forces converged in Apocalypse.

With surprising ease, he amassed more than fifty Nexus States-each one an elite powerhouse capable of shifting the tide of war- all ready to confront Sylas head-on. And if they were fortified by the ancient array, then not only could they repel the Guardian, they might even wound him... perhaps heavily. Such an outcome, while bold, was not unthinkable.

The fact that Sylas did not launch an immediate retaliation revealed only two possible interpretations...

Either he was deliberately minimizing losses, trying to halt the hemorrhage of resources, soldiers, and planets-because every single world that slipped from his grasp was a blow to his prestige and authority.

Or, more concerning, he had sensed that a meticulous trap awaited him. The Grave Empire would never strike in such a decisive and coordinated manner without crafting a layered contingency plan to neutralize him. And so, Sylas might have forced himself to take a step back, suppress his wrath, and observe the battlefield more carefully before committing.

Whichever scenario was true, both painted a picture of a man far too composed and far too calculating for anyoneʼs comfort.

”Sylas wonʼt stay silent...” Ranther crossed his arms tightly, his tone sinking into a grave whisper. ”I can practically sense the volcano inside him... burning, boiling, preparing to erupt.”

”Youʼre right-and because of that exactly.” Aro turned fully toward Ranther, moving with a sudden decisive snap. He then raised his hands and gripped Rantherʼs shoulders firmly, speaking with a seriousness that left no room for doubt. ”Iʼve decided to give you complete authority over our defense systems. Every firewall, every formation, every strategic fallback-yours. I wonʼt interfere. From this moment on, the future of the Grave Empire rests entirely in your hands.”

”Over my dead body!!” Ranther slapped Aroʼs hands away in outrage. ”You want me to hold the line against a raging Guardian while you run around indulging in your reckless offensives, provoking him further with every passing moment?!” ”The strike was inevitable. One way or another, it had to happen. Heʼs the one who was asking for it.” Aro lifted his shoulders in a helpless half-shrug. Then, without missing a beat, he issued several commands to the hovering platform. It immediately retracted, pulling back at high speed until it revealed a sprawling and intricate stellar map that occupied the entire chamber.

”...In addition to the forty fleets that arrived earlier, Iʼve withdrawn another thirty Note fleets from other military sectors, as well as one hundred combined wing fleets. Altogether, our offensive strength now totals 170 fleets-fully deployed.”

”... Those fleets have already begun their assault on the southern belt of the Millennial Holva Empire, specifically targeting thirty strategically important planets. Weʼve already obliterated four of them entirely, and the remaining worlds are currently under heavy siege.” He paused for a breath, then added, ”The Millennial Holva Empire commands roughly four hundred fleets, but theyʼre spread thin across their vast domain. And since theyʼre currently waging expansion campaigns against five Centennial Empires in the same starfield, pulling back a significant reinforcement force will be extremely difficult for them.”

”You speak as though youʼve already conquered the entire southern belt, Marshal Aro.” one of the Wing Masters remarked sharply. ”We shouldnʼt forget -this is still a Millennial Empire, and pushing it too far invites disaster.”

”Their southern belt is ours-utterly and irrevocably. The matter is settled.” Aro spoke with a surge of unwavering confidence, his tone carrying the weight of someone who had already seen the outcome before it happened. He extended his hand toward a glowing arc on the star map, its borders pulsing with strategic importance. ”All we need to do is endure Sylasʼs inevitable rampage for the next months. Let him exhaust his fury, let his soldiers burn through their strength, and let his fleets waste their energy striking at that same region over and over. Once his rage cools and he finally retreats to reorganize, that is when we move. Weʼll deploy a full planetary descent of troops, seize every world along that belt one by one, and from there launch a sweeping, all-encompassing military campaign deep into the starfieldʼs very heart!” ”This is the opening weʼve been waiting for. The Millennial Holva Empire is stumbling, thrown completely off balance-they never imagined theyʼd face a sudden attack of this magnitude.” Aroʼs voice deepened as he continued. ”On top of that, Iʼve established an alliance with the five Centennial Empires that Holva has been bullying and stripping of territory for years simply because they share the same starfield. Every one of those five is preparing to mobilize their armies to reclaim their lost planets. This will force the Holva Empire to deal with several simultaneous fronts exploding around them!”

”..” The Wing Master with deer-like horns tightened his expression, thinking rapidly. ”If thatʼs the case, weʼll need more Note fleets, especially the fourth-generation ones. Their firepower and durability will be crucial.

”That wonʼt be an issue.” Aro waved dismissively, as though the matter was already handled. ”All of you-your responsibilities are simple and direct: defend Apocalypse at all costs, and secure the southern belt of the Millennial Holva Empire. Nothing more. Everything else-every additional advantage, every reinforcement-will make its way to us eventually.” A wide, confident smile stretched across his face.

He continued, ”It turns out the lordʼs disciple, Jabba, assisted in constructing additional Greed Crucibles. We now have five operational units. Each of them is capable of manufacturing a fully functional fleet within a single year. That means weʼre looking at the potential production of five entire fleets annually just from the greed crucibles alone-completely separate from what our normal shipyards can produce!”

”Five Note fleets a year?!” Everyone around the platform jolted violently, reactions torn between awe, excitement, and sheer disbelief. ”That sounds impossible! Is such a thing truly achievable?!”

And yet, it wasnʼt an exaggeration at all.

A hundred fourth-generation Note fleets, used with precision and strategy, could fight against -and possibly even overpower- all four hundred fleets of the Millennial Holva Empire. And now Marshal Aro was claiming they could reach that number in barely twenty years?!

”Gentlemen!” Aro raised both hands high, his voice cutting through the rising commotion. ”Every person here swore an oath upon the stone tablets crafted personally by His Majesty. You understand perfectly the circumstances of the True Beginning Empire and its branches. Have you forgotten how many fronts we are currently embroiled in?” ”Besides us, our armies in the two Young Sectors 99 and 100 need fleets for expansion and to secure our growing territories. The Cradle Empire in neighboring Mid Sector 100 also requires massive support after nearly all their fleets were pulled. That alone makes four different directions demanding fleets and supply lines.”

His brows sank even deeper. ”And then thereʼs the raging battlefield in the Mid Sector 101, where Lord Hedrickʼs war has escalated uncontrollably, engulfing the entire sector. Even the Young Sector 101 has our crimson soldiers supporting the Meteor Shattering Millennium Empire in its expansion.” He raised three fingers from each hand. ”Six. Six fully active fronts that need fleets, weapons, ships, materials, and every form of support imaginable. Iʼll still try to secure the largest share for us since we are the hosts-but temper your expectations. Realistically... we might need another fifteen years before we see even ten new fleets.”

”......” The room once again fell into heavy silence, brows tightening as the weight of reality pressed down on every commander present.

Lord Human hadnʼt been named the War Chosen by chance.

How was it even possible that he had managed to ignite six sectors simultaneously, each boiling with conflict-

And not only that... but to expand in all of them at once?

”Hey, we are the hosts? What exactly are we hosting?” Ranther narrowed his eyes sharply. That particular choice of wording was not something he intended to let slip.

Poof Aro flashed a strange, mischievous smile. ”That, my friend, is something youʼll learn when the time is right. In the proper moment.”

”...”