“Since there is a limit on how quickly we can transfer information through our current means of communication, we are two hours away from completing the transmission. It should take about another twelve hours for it to arrive, but since they can review it as they start receiving it, we expect answers within twenty-four hours,” Niwildan replied calmly, deliberately infusing his tone with a sense of defeat and hopelessness.“Good. Tell them that we expect an answer by then, or we will choose one for you, and you won’t like what we decide,” Xalthar said, cutting the call abruptly. He ensured his smug expression was the last thing the other side saw.He appeared untroubled, confident that the other side wouldn’t have enough time to mount any significant response. With no immediate threats to worry about, Xalthar was at ease, certain of the outcome.“Arrogance. The cause of many peoples, armies, and empires’ downfall,” Niwildan remarked, continuing to rest in his chair. They had effectivel

[A/N: All of Xalthar's thoughts and communications go through humanity's language filter to avoid further complicating the situation.]If looks could kill, thousands might have perished under Xalthar's gaze alone. But for him, he didn’t need his eyes to end lives—his hands were more than capable. The proof of this lay before him: three bodies sprawled on the ground, broken and lifeless, resembling smashed dolls. Their mangled forms were a testament to Xalthar's brutal strength and his readiness to expel and express his feelings through sheer violence.More than twenty minutes had passed since the surprise attack, and the new vice-captain's plan to flush out the infiltrators was proving ineffective. Over eighty kilometers of the ship's surrounding outer area had been completely overtaken, and the alarming part was that they hadn’t even seen how it happened. Every soldier, slave, or armed crew member sent to confront the enemy went completely dark, as if the opposing forces were walking

As the AI began sorting through the flood of requests for the star system's coordinates, ensuring only those who promised aid within the set timeframe were considered, Xalthar’s communicator buzzed. The heads of his organization were contacting him with remarkable speed, a clear sign they were far from pleased with his recent actions.Despite this, Xalthar remained unfazed. His circuit-like veins, once pulsing with anger, shifted color to a calmer hue as he accepted the call without hesitation. He showed no signs of concern, confident that he wasn’t going to be on hot waters by the end of the conversation with him."WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE?!" The voice on the other end wasted no time, launching straight into the core of the matter. There was no greeting, no room for Xalthar to show the customary respect as the caller was not just his superior in rank as the leader of the organization but also in strength, two levels beyond Sage. If it came down to it, he could easily crush Xalthar

Xalthar stared at the figure on the screen, more surprised than angered by the unexpected turn of events."What makes you think we're ready—or even willing—to surrender?" he asked calmly, showing no sign of worry as he was on the cusp of completing the deal that would come to his rescue. In his mind, he was already expecting the enemy to list all the reasons why he and his people were doomed and why surrender was the only logical choice.But instead, the figure merely replied, "Okay, understood," before abruptly ending the call.Everyone in the control room was left dumbfounded by the enemy’s abrupt response, unable to process what had just happened.A few minutes of silence passed as everyone in the control room tried to make sense of the enemy's unusual behavior. Typically, when one side is on the verge of victory and demands surrender, they'd follow up with a barrage of threats—promising slow, agonizing torture for anyone captured if they don’t surrender, using fear to pressure the

Ismail Maylander and his team had been advancing with relative ease, encountering opposition armed similarly to the previous groups they had already dealt with. Despite this, neither he nor the breaching forces aboard the ship let their guard down. Each of them carried a hard-earned lesson from their intensive VR training—battles where they held the upper hand but ultimately lost the war due to complacency. That experience was deeply ingrained in their minds, reminding them that the time to relax would only come when everything was truly over.However, they were briefly halted as a sudden wave of weightlessness swept through the ship. The sensation lasted only a moment before their personal gravity devices automatically adjusted, restoring them to a steady 1g. Each soldier was equipped with this device, designed to adapt to both high- and low-gravity environments, ensuring they could function at peak efficiency under the optimal gravity of 1g, no matter the conditions around them. Thi