In the heart of the human empire, a territory spanning hundreds of galaxies with some already in ruin was a unique star system—Gele System.
Unlike other star systems, this system had a hypergiant star with hundreds of planets in its orbit. Some of these planets were uninhabitable while some were used as facilitates for various purposes. The rest were inhabited by citizens of the empire.
The Gele System was the safest place in the current state of the universe and having the opportunity to live there could be considered a blessing.
Among the many habitable planets, three served as the home to the leaders of the empire—one from each branch of the human race.
Then, there was another planet, many times larger than Earth's sun serving as the planet used by the leaders for meetings and discussions that would determine the fate of the masses.
Titan
The council did not permit any humans to live on this planet, leaving only the plants and magical beasts of a certain level to dwell on it.
The only time people were permitted there was when there was an open forum that required the physical presence of all the representatives all around the empire, and that meant thousands of people.
Even then, that was a rare occasion as a virtual meeting sufficed for whatever discourse the leaders wanted to have with their representatives.
On one of its many continents was a magnificent structure covering many square kilometres, big enough to take millions and still have room for more.
In the centralmost part of this building, the three rulers of the empire sat around a large round table, each exuding auras that put them at the peak of humanity's power—Class S.
Lord Basso Fields, the only ordinary human among the three, exuded a commanding presence. He appeared middle-aged, with long dark hair tied neatly at the back, and his tall, imposing figure gave him the aura of a seasoned hunter.
Lady Zara Flawn, a one-horned human, was a striking beauty even among her kind. Towering at an impressive three meters, she stood taller than any of her fellow council members and even most of her race.
An anomaly in every sense, Zara's unmatched strength, golden eyes, and lustrous golden hair defined her extraordinary nature and the legend she had become.
The final member of the council was Lord Jaseph Lux, a dark sclera human. Of the three, he appeared the most unassuming, with the lean frame of an average man.
Yet his sharp, dark green eyes, streaked white hair against his otherwise dark locks, and the hauntingly black sclera gave him an unsettling edge that contradicted his stature.
Each of these individuals possessed enough strength to overwhelm Zol and his companions without effort. Yet among themselves... well, some things were better left unspoken.
These three were the second generation of leaders the empire crowned since the beginning of the universal chaos.
"Things haven't been this chaotic in years," Zara said, breaking the silence as she surveyed the other council members. "I doubt it's a coincidence."
"I agree," Jaseph replied. "Ever since that void creature appeared years ago, the data has shown a steady increase in universal chaos."
"But for it to spike so suddenly is unexpected," Basso added in his usual monotone.
While hunters had grown stronger over the years thanks to the Manastorm form Alexander had discovered, the escalating madness made them question if even that would be enough.
"What about the new strategic class warship? It's powerful enough to take down A-Tier creatures with a single shot," Zara suggested.
"Maybe, but it has its drawbacks," Basso replied. "Unless those creatures politely wait for it to charge, it's not going to help us."
This was precisely why firearms and cannons had fallen out of favour. When beings and creatures could move faster than light, a weapon limited to light-speed firing was nearly useless.
"For now, the best course of action is to have the guardians establish perimeters around their star systems," Zara proposed. "We should halt explorations and focus on preparing the hunters to defend their territories."
Zara proposed and it was a good proposal that they would adopt, but the issue was…
"What about the sudden cosmic mana waves and veil tears?" Basso questioned; his tone sharp. "If they're pressed for time, how can they handle that?"
Zara frowned at his remark, but she didn't argue. He had a point, and she was willing to admit the gaps in her plan.
"I think Zara's suggestion is a good starting point," Jaseph interjected, drawing the group's attention. "We can't control the appearance of veil tears or predict their location. But cosmic mana waves—those we can anticipate."
He paused, glancing at the others. "We'll need to commission more advanced deep-space monitoring equipment."
"It still won't be enough. The dangers posed by void creatures are, ironically, the easiest to manage. But veil tears and cosmic mana waves are an entirely different matter," Basso said grimly.
"We can secure perimeters and take defensive measures, but what happens if a veil tear manifests in a star system? Or worse—near a star?" His voice trailed off, letting the weight of his point settle over the room.
"So what exactly are you suggesting?" Zara asked, her tone edged with frustration.
"You know that's been one of our greatest challenges, even with Orbital Rings around every planet in the empire, it's still something we haven't completely solved."
Basso fell silent, his expression unreadable. Finally, he spoke. "Whatever it takes, we need to wake that woman. From what we've uncovered, she's similar to the boy—but far stronger. She might hold the key to resolving this crisis."
His words left his companions speechless as their minds went over what they knew of the mysterious woman trapped in a prison of her own making.
"But everything we've tried came back negative. Nothing can break that shell." Zara sighed. "At the same time, what if she turns out to be a problem instead of a helper?"
"Then we need to redouble our efforts to find the boy. The ability to travel the veil without consequence might be the only way…"