"Damn," Kallus thought, sinking deeper into his command chair, the leather-like material molding perfectly to him. He could feel the comfort, but it wasn't the seat that settled him — it was the sheer magnitude of what he was hearing. Every word Red Empress spoke layered another revelation on top of the last. These weren't just upgrades. These were fundamental transformations.
His excitement grew with each detail, ballooning until it nearly burst inside him. The Obliterator wasn't just his creation anymore — it had been redefined, reshaped into something far beyond his imagination. Yet frustration bubbled under the surface.
"Why can't she just be upfront?" he muttered in his head, his expression neutral as he mimicked her voice in mockery. "'You'll have to find out yourself…' Damn it…"
Still, he couldn't stay annoyed. Not here, not now. He calmed himself, exhaling slowly. The truth was simple: the Obliterator had become the literal OG — an overpowered, unstoppable beast. His lips curled slightly. Damn… so cool.
But Red Empress wasn't done.
"There is more, Great Master," she said, her tone soft yet steady, as though delivering something far heavier than the grandiose introductions she had given before. "The Supreme Being recognized that while your talents in leadership and tactics are impressive, they come with limits. And to truly harness the vastness of this ship — its weapons, its systems, its countless functions — would be a burden too great for you to shoulder alone… at least for now."
Kallus leaned forward, attention locked on her words.
"To compensate," she continued, "he upgraded the original AI of the Obliterator into something far greater. A Sentinel-class intelligence, hyper-advanced, capable of overseeing every single aspect of this vessel at your command."
Her words echoed for a moment, but she didn't stop.
A crimson gleam flickered in her eyes, sharp and unreadable, as her voice lowered. "And as a fragment of Creation itself, I have been fully integrated with that intelligence. Assimilated into the ship's core. My role is not only to assist you… but to guide you, as you move forward into the future."
She stepped closer, the projection of her holographic form suddenly more real than ever. Her gaze locked with his — unwavering, piercing. For a heartbeat, he felt as though she was looking straight into his soul. Then, just as suddenly, she shifted, stepping past him with a smooth grace.
"My role," she said softly, almost whispering as her voice trailed behind her, "goes beyond managing your ship. I am your system, bound directly to your soul. Much like those so-called 'golden fingers' you've read about in those novels you loved."
She stopped, turned her head slightly, and her smile returned — small, sharp, deliberate.
"I can, and I will, assign you missions. Tasks that will test everything you are — your abilities, your will, your leadership. Complete them, and you will be rewarded, Master."
"The rewards, for now, will be limited to Creation Points… or, in simpler terms, System Points."
"Ohhh, so that's how it is…" Kallus muttered, curiosity instantly ignited. His lips twitched at the mention of the words golden finger, but he quickly masked his excitement, trying to play it cool as he leaned back in his chair. Still, he couldn't resist asking, "Creation… System Points? Does that mean there's something like a system store? A place where I can use these points to purchase things?" His tone betrayed a spark of eagerness despite his attempt to stay composed.
Red Empress nodded gracefully. "Yes, Master. These points can be exchanged at the System Store, which holds a vast repository of knowledge and technologies drawn from countless universes — perhaps even from the entirety of existence itself. In short, whatever you desire, you may obtain… if you have sufficient points to pay the cost."
Kallus's eyes lit up, his heartbeat quickening.
She continued smoothly, "Creation Points are essentially your currency. As you complete missions, you will earn them, and with them, you may purchase nearly anything — not just technologies, but rare resources, artifacts, and even things far beyond common imagination."
Her tone shifted then, a faint edge of caution in her otherwise velvet-smooth voice. "However… what is available to you will be limited. You may only access what you have earned the right to access. How those limitations are decided… you will discover in time. But know this — as you prove yourself, as you demonstrate your worth, the store will expand. Your options will grow."
Kallus leaned forward slightly, his hand brushing along his chin as thoughts raced through his mind. The idea of a store where anything could be purchased — anything that existed across all universes — thrilled him to his core. The restrictions did dampen that excitement a little, but not enough to matter.
"Limitations, huh?" he thought, his mouth curving into a half-smile. "That just means I'll have to work harder, unlock more, push further…"
In the end, the truth was clear. With this system at his disposal, the possibilities were truly endless. The only limit was him — and he had no intention of letting himself be the weak link for too long.
Kallus barely had time to process his earlier thoughts — the weight of not becoming the weak link — before Red Empress continued, her tone settling into a calm, neutral cadence.
"There is more, Master. We are not finished just yet," she said, her crimson eyes glinting. "One of the most significant upgrades, aside from power generation, lies in the Obliterator's propulsion systems."
She raised her hand, and a holographic schematic of the ship shimmered into existence beside her. The aft section glowed, revealing a complex new design.
"The original sub-light Generation Six propulsion engines, while impressive by conventional standards, were inadequate for what the upgraded Obliterator has become. They have been replaced with something far beyond them — Transcendent-class Dark Matter Quantum Speed Engines."
Kallus's eyes narrowed, his attention locked fully on the projection as Red Empress went on.
"These engines operate on principles far removed from conventional physics. Their properties allow the Obliterator to literally travel at quantum speed if supplied with sufficient energy. Under normal circumstances, they maintain stable sub-light speeds effortlessly, and this is their baseline performance. Understand this, Master — this technology exists nowhere else. No known empire, faction, or universe has anything resembling these engines. Their uniqueness belongs solely to the Obliterator."
The hologram pulsed, and the propulsion systems illuminated: eight sleek super-thrusters and six colossal main drives, all U-shaped in design, dormant but radiating immense potential.
"Compared to the original configuration, the Obliterator's propulsion array is not only greater in number but infinitely more advanced. Despite the increase, these systems occupy sixty percent less space internally than the originals, leaving room for further enhancements."
Her tone sharpened as she pointed at the glowing engines. "Each super-thruster can generate thrust on a scale that ensures the Obliterator maintains sub-light velocity regardless of its massive size. More than that — they can adapt instantly to any environment or condition, from hostile voids to quantum storms. There is no loss of control. No sacrifice in maneuverability. The ship moves as if the universe itself yields to its engines."
Kallus's fingers curled slightly on the armrest of his command chair. The reality of it struck him harder than any words could: the Obliterator wasn't just faster. It was unshackled from the same laws that bound all other fleets.
Red Empress continued, her expression calm but proud. "This new propulsion system ensures that the Obliterator is not merely a fortress but a fleet's spearhead.
It can outpace enemies, pursue targets across vast distances, or retreat from overwhelming threats if necessary. The engines are also integrated with the Transcendent Dark Matter power core, ensuring they have a nearly infinite energy supply."
Kallus sat deep in thought, replaying the endless stream of upgrades the Red Empress had revealed. Strategically. Tactically. Factually. The advantages were undeniable.
The truth struck him with clarity: the Obliterator had not only become overwhelmingly powerful — it had become far more mobile than before. Its versatility had been elevated to an entirely new level.
"So," he finally said, his voice steady but tinged with awe, "the Obliterator isn't just stronger. It's faster. More adaptable. More… alive. Its versatility now surpasses everything I ever imagined. Right?"
"Exactly, Master," Red Empress replied, nodding, her crimson eyes shimmering with something almost like shared excitement. "With these upgraded systems, the Obliterator has transcended its former state. It is no longer merely a warship. It is a mobile superstructure — a fortress of overwhelming power, and the foundation upon which something even greater can be built.
"This universe is vast, but this one we stand in is vaster still. Its dangers are countless… but so too are its opportunities. And now, with me at your side and the Obliterator at your command, you have a chance to carve your own legend. A chance to ascend."
Her words dug deep, striking directly at Kallus's heart. His pulse quickened, blood rushing hot through his veins, fueling his excitement. He clenched his fist tightly. He knew. The road ahead would be brutal. Even with Red Empress and this transcendent ship, the challenges would only multiply.
But he was ready.
He had his dream ship — now elevated to something beyond even his wildest dreams and creation. He had the Red Empress, unique and powerful in her own right. And behind it all, he had the backing of the Supreme Being. The very fact of the Obliterator's existence was a testament to that being's unfathomable power.
That realization burned within him, filling every fiber of his body with determination.
Red Empress, sensing the fire awakening inside him, allowed a small, secret smile to form — hidden from his view.
"Master," she said softly, almost reverently, "your journey… no, our journey begins here. With the Obliterator as your shield, your sword, your unyielding tool of war — and with me as your guide and companion — together we will make you into something greater. Something worthy of the Supreme Being's gaze. Perhaps… even something to rival him.
"Impossible?" Her lips curved faintly. "Perhaps. But what is impossible today… may not be tomorrow."
Kallus was stunned for a moment, the weight of everything pressing down on him. Then slowly, a smile spread across his face, carrying the same unshakable excitement that burned within his chest.
Yes — if he was to reach the level of the Supreme Being, the level of one who could forge reality itself as easily as drawing breath… it would demand more than just will. It would demand endless effort, relentless work, and unbreakable resolve. But he was willing. He had the Obliterator. He had the Red Empress. He had the system, the knowledge, and the tools.
And with those, he knew — he could achieve it.
"I don't know why the Supreme Being chose me," Kallus admitted, his voice steady, though tinged with humility. "Why he brought me here. Why he gifted me you… and the Obliterator, while also upgraded beyond anything I could have ever imagined and dreamed of not with my knowledge ."
He paused, his hand curling into a fist. His eyes hardened with determination.
"But I do know this—this is my opportunity. And a new beginning. And I won't waste it. This is my fate. I'll carve my place in this universe with my own hands. I'll become something greater… and when the time comes, I'll repay the Supreme Being in my own way."
Kallus walked toward the viewing point. Though not truly real, it was an augmented projection of the outside—clear and unobstructed, showing the void exactly as the naked eye would see it. No filters, no distortions.
His earlier excitement tempered as the weight of reality returned. The future would demand more than dreams; it would demand work. Hard work. But he had the Obliterator as his weapon and shield. He had the Red Empress as his guide, support, and system. With them, he knew he could achieve greatness.
And yet… there was something else. Something within him. He could feel it. His body had changed in ways he couldn't yet explain. Outwardly, he appeared the same as he had on Earth, but deep down he knew it wasn't true. He was different. Stronger.
For the first time, he saw it—energies. Countless streams of strange, radiant forces flowing around him, brushing against his senses. They gave him, if only for a moment, the overwhelming illusion of being their master. He didn't know what they were, or what kinds existed among them, but something in him whispered that he could manipulate them—bend them to his will.
Yet the Red Empress had said nothing. Not a word about these changes. That silence only deepened his suspicion. Either she truly had no knowledge of what was happening to him, or she did and was being prevented from revealing it. And if someone had that kind of authority over her… it could only be the Supreme Being.
Why hide it? Why withhold the truth? Kallus couldn't know. Perhaps the being himself intended to explain when the time was right. Or perhaps the discovery was something he was meant to reach on his own.
Either way, he accepted it. Answers wouldn't come to him now, so he let the questions drift to the back of his mind. What mattered was not what had already changed, but what he would do with it.
This universe was a blank slate for him—strange, unfamiliar, utterly unknown. No… not unfamiliar. He knew nothingabout it at all. The scale of it was overwhelming, like stepping onto a road without end, surrounded by mysteries on every side.
He exhaled slowly, lips twitching into a wry half-smile. Well… you get the point, don't you? he thought to himself.
He leaned back in his command chair, a grin spreading across my face. "Then let's start this bad boy, Red Empress."
The Red Empress smiled—a genuine, radiant expression. "Yes, Master Kallus. Activating all systems."
A low, resonant hum filled the command center as the ship's Transcendent Dark Matter Power Generator roared to life. Lights flickered on, illuminating the sleek and futuristic interiors of the Obliterator-Class Star Dreadnought. A cascade of energy surged through the ship's systems, bringing everything online:
The first systems to awaken were the life-support arrays, ensuring the Obliterator maintained a perfectly habitable environment for the crew that would one day walk its halls.
Next came the vast network of radars, scanners, and detection grids—silent sentinels sweeping every corner of surrounding space. One by one, the critical subsystems fell into place, each locking into readiness.
Then the weapons. Targeting matrices and fire-control systems flickered to life, their precision tracking arrays aligning in perfect synchronization. Following close behind, the engines stirred.
The transcendent-class Dark Matter Quantum Speed engines roared online, their presence announced as the eight super thrusters—sleek constructs so immense they could have swallowed entire Star Destroyers—ignited with restrained power. Moments later, the six colossal secondary thrusters came alive. Though smaller, they had their own critical roles, balancing and refining the ship's staggering propulsion capacity.
Finally, the drives that bent reality itself awoke. The various FTL and warp systems hummed in chorus, resonating like deep cosmic tones as they powered up, stabilizing one after another. A low vibration ran through the hull, not of strain, but of pure potential—an orchestra of impossible technologies declaring the Obliterator fully alive.
Red Empress's holographic form shimmered as she monitored the processes. "Master, we are operating at full power. All systems are stable, with no anomalies detected."
He nodded, his excitement barely contained. "Good. Let's completely scan the ship to ensure everything is as it should be."