Legacy of the Void Fleet

Chapter 365: Ch Lord Corvus

"Hearing these words, the elderly person was furiously speechless! Seeing that his idiotic grandson was rooted to the spot and wouldn’t budge, he knew that anything more was already useless—for this person had become delusional!

"Whatever! I can’t deal with you now, nor do I have time to waste on you! You, boy, listen well, and I dare you: if you do anything you should not, you will face my wrath! A wrath you haven’t yet seen!"

Narrowing his eyes, he gave his grandson a final warning. Kendal suddenly felt immense pressure; as if suffocating, he even pulled at his collar buttons, thinking they were choking him. But he quickly realized they were already open—it wasn’t the clothes causing him problems. This pressure and discomfort was something his grandfather had released upon him!

He was terrified. He knew his grandfather was a being of the Genesis Law Realm, capable of projecting power even from far away.

But he never thought that someday he would be the one this power was projected upon.

Stifled and trembling, he finally realised he had truly angered his otherwise loveable grandfather. He gulped and nodded quickly in obedience.

The elder didn’t concern himself with it; nor did he care what his grandson thought. He had grown truly tired of the boy’s arrogance, and it was time Kendal gained some self-awareness.

"Anyway, the 12th Fleet has already left for your current star system and will reach you in the fastest time possible! They are led by none other than your greatest rival from the Communist Faction, acting as a representative of the Regional Headquarters: Lord Corvus!"

Hearing this, Kendal was terrified as memories of the past flashed through his mind. He remembered when he was defeated by this "rival" quite badly, barely surviving that ordeal in the Starry Sky Realm.

Since that victory, Corvus’s rise had been meteoric. He had followed up with the Regional Association Vice President, qualified as a Tier 4 Alchemist, and even led the Association forces to crush the Dark Fang Pirates—one of the greatest pirate factions to ever plague the Association.

These feats had earned him his title of "Lord" and the command of the very 12th Fleet now heading their way.

The elder noticed Kendal’s terror and simply shook his head, thinking the boy still hadn’t recovered from that loss. From the looks of it, he never would.

"Oh well, whatever. I knew from the beginning it would be like this," the elder continued. "Lord Corvus will take over command of the 18th Fleet, and you will be relieved of your duties! Once you have passed down all relevant practical information, you will leave for the regional garrison station to guard our assets alongside the commander there in the Starry Sky Realm."

He spat out the last line with a bitter expression.

The new position Kendal was to hold was technically grander than his previous one, but the location was brutal and demanded everything from its leaders. If anything went wrong, the leadership was purged at the first sign of incompetence.

Above all, the region was incredibly dangerous. Starry sky creatures constantly invaded, attacking resource points alongside various competing forces. Troubles arose incessantly, and the chance of death there was a staggering sixty percent.

The Elder didn’t want his grandson dispatched to such a graveyard, but he was helpless. Despite being a leading figure of the Association from the Sectoral Headquarters of these Galactic Rim Sectors, his hands were tied. He couldn’t intervene this time; after all, what his grandson had done was inexcusable, and those actions carried heavy consequences.

"Kendal was terrified when he heard of his appointment to that specific Starry System. The news hit him so hard that he collapsed onto the floor.

’G-grandpa... this... this can’t be!’ he stammered. ’I can’t go there, Grandpa! That place is dangerous! I’ll die there! I’ll truly die there, Grandpa!’

He began pleading desperately, crawling toward the elder. ’You... you don’t want your favorite grandson to be sent there, right? Grandpa, do something! I don’t want to go, please!’

Looking down at him, Elder Morbius Candle felt a wave of disappointment at how weak-willed his grandson had become. The boy hadn’t always been this way; he had changed after that last incident in the Starry Sky Realm at the hands of that little bitch Corvus and his father’s traps. Despite his anger, the elder felt a flicker of compassion. Yet, he was truly helpless; he could do nothing to change the orders. They were already set in stone.

’Unfortunately, Kendal, this time I too am bound by the rules of the Association. I cannot help you. Your appointment has been confirmed and your name is already listed. You must go, no matter what.’

The elder sighed, his gaze softening slightly. ’But do not worry. I will have the 14th Fleet moved nearby. If you find yourself in a dire predicament, they may be able to assist you. Other than that, my hands are tied.’

’I have already wasted more than enough time here, Kendal. I must leave, for I have also been affected by the fallout of your actions. Goodbye, and take care. Do not make any further mistakes, or you might find yourself deployed to one of the four Major Forbidden Zones.’

With that final warning, morbius Candle disappeared, leaving the terrified Kendal alone in the silence of the room."

"Meanwhile, in another star system not far from where the Star Empire and Alchemy Association fleets were stationed, lay an undeveloped sector.

Two fleets were stationed at opposite corners of the system. One was the 11th Fleet of the Grand Elven Empire, Elfheim. On the other side was the 16th Fleet of the Forger Guild.

Only a couple of hours prior, both fleets had coincidentally entered this system at slightly different times after hastily departing the Fang Star System.

Though surprised by each other’s presence, the leaders agreed to stay far apart. Each remained within their own fleet, making moves based on their respective intel while simultaneously paying close attention to the events unfolding within the Minotaur Star System.

Within the Elven flagship—a massive mothership—the hull was painted in shades of brown and green, featuring the symbol of a great, mysterious tree.

Despite being an enormous and powerful vessel, it did not project deadly intent. Instead of the usual intimidation of a warship, anyone seeing the Elven fleet would feel an odd sense of calm.

In the deepest sanctum of the mothership, Arya knelt before a holographic figure. The image sat high upon a throne with a great tree behind it.

The figure possessed pointed ears and a face so beautiful it put beauty itself to shame. Her white hair was shot through with golden strands, and a faint halo hovered above her head, flickering like an illusion that existed and yet did not.

The hologram glowed with a soft green light, covered in faint, mysterious, and incomplete runes that released a palpable aura of vitality.

The figure was none other than the Empress of Elfheim, one of the greatest Tier 1 powers in the galaxy.

At one time, it was even more powerful than the Star Empire—and perhaps it still was—but it was currently divided from within.

The actual power of Elfheim had decreased significantly, though the reasons for that were a mystery for another time. For now, these two individuals were deep in conversation. As Arya spoke, some of her reports caused the Empress to frown.

The Empress contemplated Arya’s words before asking for confirmation once more. "Did it really happen? Is she truly in the hands of the Void Fleet now?"

"It is true, Empress," Arya replied. "I have confirmed it multiple times through our agents. Vivian was indeed discovered by the Void Fleet in the Minotaur Star System. She was then transferred to what they call their ’First Battle Fleet.’I suspect they have some inkling of Vivian’s unique nature, given the intense interest they’ve shown."

The Empress nodded slowly. "That is a distinct possibility, Arya. Even we do not fully understand the mysteries that girl contains within herself. But she is vital to our Empire—to our very stability and existence. If she is lost, the civil war that has raged for thousands of years might take a turn for the worse. I am barely maintaining control as it is."

Furious, she clutched the arms of her throne. ’Vivian’s father, the Duke of the Western Region, is already incensed over the assassination attempt made by those fools in my own family! If the Duke weren’t aware of my situation—and that I had no involvement—the Empire would be in total chaos by now, with two Noble factions practically at open war.’

"But Empress," Arya interjected, "does this not put us in a precarious position? Even if things are under your control for now... Vivian is in the hands of Void Humans. Who knows what they will do to her? Given the power the Void Humans have displayed, I am certain we cannot retrieve her by force. Is diplomacy our only option? And considering how demanding that faction is, who knows if they will even be interested in what we have to offer?"