"He's here."
Ross's father smiled, getting up from his chair and swiftly disappearing from his meeting chamber. Behind him, Eein followed, not wanting to be left behind.
They had received a transmission some time back that Ross had arrived, and the loud entry into the planet's atmosphere was something Ferlok knew his youngest son would do; kids did love to make an entrance, after all.
It was all about aura farming…
Outside the temporary base, Ferlok and Eein came to stand at the entrance, where they spotted a blazing Ross speedily making his way over.
"Show off…"
Eein could help the grin on his face, observing as Ross came to a stop a few hundred meters above. The redhead gazed down at his father and older brother like a god descending to cast judgment on mortals.
Around them, the men looked up to see a majestic Ross with blazing, fiery eyes and smouldering embers around his body. In their eyes was astonishment, awe and respect.
They could feel his aura, a very strong one at one. It was the aura of a Class S awakened. But unlike the ones they were used to, Ross's aura was raging like a cosmic storm waiting to be unleashed.
Even then, this was not his entire aura, as the seal on his powers only allowed trace amounts to be emitted, primarily depending on the people around him.
"Are you going to stay up there forever?!" Eein shouted. "Get your ass down...!"
"Let your brother enjoy his moment." Their father shook his head, a proud smile on his face. "It's been over a year since we last saw him."
In one fluid move, Ross reappeared before his father and brother, almost as if he teleported.
The redhead stood slightly taller than both men, but that was of little consequence as Ferlok could not hide the pride in his eyes.
"Son…" Ferlok placed a firm hand on Ross's shoulders. "It's been a while."
"Mm," Ross nodded, moving in to hug both his father and brother. "It's good to see you again."
The family of three separated soon after, taking a moment to regain their composure.
"Come on, we have a lot to talk about." Their father turned around and entered the base, leading his two sons towards the meeting chamber.
"Was that show necessary?" Behind Ferlok, Eein didn't wait, quickly teasing Ross about his entrance. "You looked like a clown…"
"Nah…" Ross chuckled. "It was cool as fuck…" he grinned confidently, making Eein laugh heartily.
"You wish…"
Sometimes later, the trio reached the meeting chamber, where the other members of the force patiently waited.
While the structure was a temporary setup, the sleekness of its grey-white walls and lighting gave the building a sophisticated feel. Everything looked and felt new and fresh.
"Everyone…"
Ferlok began as soon as he reached his seat, his two sons by his side. His people were already on their feet, and in a snow of respect towards him as the leader of the force.
"You remember my other son, Ross." Ferlok introduced him with pride, his men nodding in acknowledgement.
Turning to Ross, he gestured for him to step forward. The youngest of the redheads did as he was told and greeted the members.
"It's been a while," he said, receiving nods in return.
The men and women in the meeting chamber couldn't believe their eyes. The last time they saw the youngest son, he was not anywhere near the S-Tier level.
But now, they could feel it; Ross had the strongest aura among the people in the meeting room. Though suppressed, it was very much evident to their senses.
"Good. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's continue what we were discussing before." Ferlok gestured for his sons to take their seats to his left and right.
Eein sat to Ferlok's right while Ross sat to his left, depicting their ranks as the first and second sons. When it came to family, it didn't matter who was the strongest; only the bonds mattered.
"Yes, boss." Ray, a normal human with blonde hair and brown eyes, got up to get the meeting going.
"However, before I proceed…" The man looked at Ross. "It's only right we get Ross up to date with the situation at hand." Everyone nodded in silent agreement.
Ray tapped the central table, bringing back to life the holographic outline of the territory the Starbane forces had mapped so far.
Ross looked at the map calmly, already spotting a few locations his senses personally picked up. While there was still more ground to cover, it was just the beginning.
"A few months ago, we stumbled on this galaxy during our exploration of the universe. Preliminary scans showed that this galaxy had been plagued with deadly storms for a long time, plunging it into chaos.
"Now, however, and thanks to Lord Alexander, this is no longer the case." Ray cast a glance at Ross before continuing.
They all knew of his relationship with the one and only Supreme Being in existence, after all. It was no secret to those who paid attention.
"The Starbane forces soon discovered this relatively stable portion of the galaxy spanning millions of light years in all directions.
"Fortunately for us, we also found out that this entire area was filled with displaced celestial bodies filled with vast and untapped resources." It was a big score for the Starbane forces.
This discovery was more than enough to put the brakes on explorations. With this, they could establish a Universal Company while setting up their base of operations there.
"A little over two months ago, they arrived…" Ray paused for a second, his expression subtly changing into a frown. "The Arkheons of the Valemont family…"
"The Valemonts?" Ross echoed, slightly surprised. "So it's them…"
"That's right," Ferlok added, looking at Ross. "Those bastards arrived after we had laid claim to the area. The annoying part is that they are laying claim to the entire galaxy."
"The entire galaxy," Ross replied with a blank expression, unable to believe his ears. "Isn't that too much for one group?"
"Exactly," Ray nodded, getting his teeth with a hardened expression on his face. "I don't know where they got that audacity from, but they want everything."
"Heh…" A knowing smirk emerged on Ross's lips, catching the attention of everyone present. "The Arkheons of the Valemonts, huh… Interesting."