Non-Administered World #97, Star Rail Universe…
Inside Arthra's bridge, the crew remained buried beneath a constant stream of reports, field updates, and emergency transmissions coming in from across the planet. Tactical displays changed almost by the second as new markers appeared, disappeared, or were immediately forwarded to the forces responsible for each region.
"Smaller dimensional tear detected twelve kilometers south of the North American breach zone! Multiple Quantum Shadows are emerging!"
Chrono immediately looked toward the updated display. "Redirect the nearest interception squad. Do not pull anyone away from the main defensive line."
"Yes, Admiral!"
Before that order had even been relayed, another operator raised her voice from across the bridge. "Egypt front reports the latest wave has been contained! Civilian evacuation is continuing without interruption."
"Good. Keep the aerial units above the evacuation route until every civilian is clear. I don't want the evacuation exposed if another tear opens nearby."
"Understood!"
Another warning appeared almost immediately.
"Admiral! At the Mediterranean crossing front, several Quantum Shadows have broken away from the main group and are moving beyond the engagement zone!"
Chrono brought the area onto his display and quickly checked the surrounding markers. "Any allied units or civilians in their path?"
"Negative! Allied forces have already withdrawn from that section, and all civilians were evacuated earlier!"
That was enough.
"Authorize orbital bombardment. Arthra batteries four and five, adjust fire on the designated coordinates."
"Roger! Adjusting batteries… coordinates locked!"
"Fire."
Outside the ship, the designated cannons rotated toward the planet below before unleashing several concentrated magical beams. They descended through the atmosphere and hit the marked area almost simultaneously, taking out the Quantum Shadows before they could move any farther from the main battlefield.
"Direct hits confirmed! Hostile signatures are disappearing!"
"Maintain observation," Chrono ordered. "If anything survives, send the nearest ground unit to finish it. No need to waste another bombardment unless necessary."
"Yes, sir!"
The bridge returned immediately to its controlled chaos. Operators passed coordinates between response teams while Chaldean reports were forwarded to nearby TSAB units, and evacuation routes were adjusted whenever smaller dimensional tears appeared too close to populated areas. Arthra's weapons continued providing support wherever the ground forces needed it, striking isolated groups of Quantum Shadows without interfering with the larger battles already being fought below.
"Mahora has cleared another wave! Their second barrier remains stable!"
A second report followed almost immediately. "Meldiana Sanctuary confirms no breach of the defensive line. The Express crew and local defenders are continuing to control the Gateport battlefield!"
Chrono gave a small nod as both fronts remained green on the tactical display. "Good. Let them continue handling their sectors. We don't divert anyone unless their situation changes."
"Understood, Admiral!"
For now, the major defensive fronts were holding, but Chrono knew better than to mistake that for peace. He barely had time to look toward the next incoming report when another alert sounded from the communications station.
"Admiral! We have an incoming priority transmission!"
Chrono immediately turned toward the operator. "Source?"
She checked the identification code, then paused as recognition crossed her face. "It's the Quick Response Force deployed to Hogwarts."
Chrono straightened in his chair. "Put them through."
"Yes, Admiral!"
The main screen changed a second later, revealing March waving enthusiastically toward the camera with a wide smile. Behind her, the grounds around Hogwarts were badly damaged, but the fighting had clearly stopped. Alliance personnel and local defenders were already moving among the ruins, checking the wounded and securing what remained of the battlefield.
Caelus stood beside March with both hands on her shoulders, apparently there for the sole purpose of keeping her from bouncing too close to the camera.
"Chrono!" March greeted him brightly. "We have very, very good news!"
"Easy, March." Caelus smiled wryly as he gently pulled her back when she leaned toward the screen again. "Let Chrono hear the report before you start celebrating."
"But it is worth celebrating!"
Chrono raised an eyebrow at the two of them. "I'll decide that after hearing what happened. Report first, please."
"Right!"
March immediately straightened, though the excitement never completely left her face.
"Voldemort has been defeated. His army is no longer combat-capable, and all Quantum Shadows within the Hogwarts vicinity have been cleared."
The bridge went silent. Several operators who had been working through reports from the other fronts stopped and slowly turned toward the main screen.
Chrono stared at March.
Caelus, apparently not noticing the effect those words had caused, continued the report. "It got a little troublesome near the end. Voldemort suddenly started bringing in some strange creatures from outside our world, and there were a lot more of them than we expected."
"But we took care of them!" March added proudly, placing both hands on her hips. "Well, this lady took care of most of them ♫."
"…That is also the part I find terrifying." Caelus glanced sideways at her.
"Wait, wait! Just wait a minute." Chrono finally raised one hand. "Both of you, stop for a second."
"Huh?" March and Caelus looked toward him at the same time.
Chrono rubbed his forehead before looking back at the screen, unsure whether exhaustion had finally caught up with him or whether the two people in front of him were somehow treating an absurd report as completely ordinary.
"March, I need you to repeat the first part."
"The first part?" She tilted her head.
"Yes. Slowly."
March and Caelus exchanged a confused glance before she turned back toward Chrono.
"Voldemort has been defeated," March repeated, this time carefully. "His army has been taken care of, and all the Quantum Shadows around Hogwarts are gone."
Caelus nodded beside her. "Our team checked the surrounding area before contacting Arthra. No active Quantum Shadows remain within the Hogwarts vicinity, and Voldemort is no longer capable of continuing the fight."
"…And Voldemort's status?" Chrono asked almost mechanically.
"Alive," Caelus answered. "But unconscious."
"Very unconscious," March added, raising one finger as though that was an important distinction.
Caelus slowly looked at her.
"…What?" March raised a brow at him.
Chrono stared at the two of them for several seconds before finally leaning back in his chair. "So he really is down…"
"Yeah." Caelus nodded. "One of our biggest headaches has finally been taken care of."
"As we said, mission accomplished!" March immediately threw both hands into the air with a bright smile.
For another second, the bridge remained completely silent as everyone seemed to process what they had just heard until... someone shouted.
"YES!"
That was all it took for cheers to erupt throughout Arthra's bridge as the tension that had been hanging over everyone for hours finally broke.
"Hogwarts is secure!"
"They actually did it!"
"Voldemort is down!"
Several operators clapped while others threw their hands into the air. One exhausted officer leaned back against his station and laughed in relief, while another immediately grabbed the shoulder of the person beside him and shook them excitedly.
Even Amy could not stop herself from pumping a fist into the air. Chrono simply closed his eyes and let out the breath he had been holding. Voldemort and the forces under his command had been one of the largest threats complicating the planetary defense, and now that entire problem had finally been removed from the board.
He allowed the bridge to celebrate for a little longer before opening his eyes again.
"Alright, everyone. We can celebrate properly when this is over. The other fronts still need us."
The cheering gradually died down as everyone returned to their stations, though the smiles remained. The atmosphere on the bridge was noticeably lighter now, and even the constant stream of incoming reports did not seem quite as suffocating as before.
Chrono turned his attention back to March and Caelus. "What about Hogwarts itself? How bad are the casualties?"
March's excitement immediately softened.
"There are a lot of wounded among the local defenders, and some of our people were injured too," she answered. "The medical teams are already treating everyone they can."
"The castle is still standing," Caelus added. "Most of the damage is around the grounds and the outer defensive areas. For the casualties, we're still waiting for the full report."
Chrono nodded slowly. The victory was important, but March's expression was enough to remind everyone on the bridge that it had not come without a cost.
"What about Voldemort's remaining forces?"
"Most of the ones still alive are either unconscious, captured, or restrained," Caelus answered. "Surprisingly, nobody managed to escape before the fighting ended. The force that attacked Hogwarts is no longer combat-capable."
"And those weird creatures Voldemort summoned are gone too!" March added, placing both hands proudly against her hips.
"The creatures you mentioned earlier?" Chrono asked.
"Yep! Every single one ♫."
"You sound way too happy about that." Caelus glanced toward her.
"They were causing trouble."
"I know. That doesn't make what you did to them any less terrifying."
March slowly turned her head toward him, her smile becoming just a little too sweet. "Ara ♭?"
Caelus immediately faced the screen again. "…Anyway, there are no active hostile forces left around Hogwarts."
Chrono looked between the two of them before wisely deciding that he did not need any further explanation. "Understood."
He allowed himself a small smile. "Excellent work, March. Caelus."
"Hehe ♫." March grinned and flashed him a peace sign.
Caelus answered with a thumbs-up. "Thanks."
"And pass that along to everyone in the Quick Response Force," Chrono continued. "Stopping Voldemort and the forces under his command was one of our highest-priority objectives. You completed exactly what you were sent there to do."
"Got it, Admiral!" March gave him an exaggerated salute.
Chrono smiled faintly at that before returning his attention to the tactical displays. "For now, remain at Hogwarts and stand by for further orders."
"…Eh?" March's salute immediately dropped.
"Stand by?" Caelus raised an eyebrow.
"Yes."
March and Caelus exchanged a glance before Caelus leaned slightly closer to the screen. "What about the other fronts? Won't they need reinforcements?"
"That's right, Chrono!" March quickly joined in. "If Hogwarts is already secure, we can go help somewhere else!"
Instead of answering immediately, Chrono brought the current battlefield statuses onto the main display. Several windows appeared beside him, each showing live feeds and tactical information from the other major fronts.
"Mahora has already cleared its latest wave, and its second defensive barrier remains stable. The Sanctuary forces are still controlling the Gateport area, while Egypt, North America, and the Mediterranean fronts are maintaining their defensive lines."
March and Caelus watched the screens for a few moments. Mahora's defenders were reorganizing behind their barriers, the fighting around the Gateport remained contained, and the other three fronts were still holding despite the continuous pressure from the Quantum Shadows.
"None of them currently require emergency reinforcements," Chrono continued. "You completed your assigned objective. Until something changes, the Quick Response Force remains at Hogwarts."
March puffed her cheeks. "But there are still smaller breaches, right? We can handle those!"
"Your squad is meant to handle the threats the other teams can't," Chrono explained, shaking his head. "We still have no idea how long this war will continue, or what else Dormammu might have prepared. I need your team rested and ready in case something like that happens again."
"But…" March looked ready to argue.
"March, I get it, but Chrono has a point." Caelus gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before continuing. "Besides, you just turned most of the Hogwarts grounds into an ice garden. Maybe resting for a little while wouldn't be such a terrible idea."
"Muu! You're one to talk!" March immediately puffed her cheeks and pointed accusingly at him. "You burned away thousands of those awful black-robed things and then made a small sun just to defeat Voldemort!"
"Which is exactly why I'm agreeing with Chrono," Caelus replied with a flat look.
March opened her mouth to answer, only to stop when she realized she had walked directly into his point. Her cheeks puffed even further as she crossed her arms and turned away with an annoyed huff.
Chrono could not quite hide his smile. "Standing by doesn't mean sitting around doing nothing, March. Help secure Hogwarts, assist the medical teams if they need you, and make sure Voldemort and the remaining prisoners stay contained. Once everyone has had time to recover, keep yourselves ready to deploy immediately if another front needs you."
March remained stubbornly silent for a moment before finally letting out a defeated sigh. "…Fine. But if anything happens somewhere else, you better call us immediately!"
"You'll be the first team I contact," Chrono assured her.
That finally seemed good enough.
"Alright then ♫!"
Caelus gave Chrono a small nod. "Understood. We'll remain on standby."
"Good. And once again, excellent work, both of you. Pass that along to everyone there."
"We will!" March answered before enthusiastically waving toward the screen. "See you later, Chrono! Amy!"
"Try actually resting this time!" Amy called from her station, waving back.
"Hey! I know how to rest!"
Caelus stared at her.
March slowly looked toward him. "…What?"
"Nothing."
"That look definitely meant something!"
Caelus laughed and began gently pulling her away from the camera by the shoulders. "Come on, March."
"Wait! I wasn't finished talking to them!"
"That's exactly why I'm taking you away."
"Caelus!"
"At this rate, you'll keep talking until morning."
"Let goooo!"
Chrono shook his head with a faint smile as their arguing continued in the background, fading as Caelus dragged March farther from the communication terminal until the transmission finally cut off.
Once the call ended, Amy leaned back in her chair and released a long breath.
"That's one major objective finally off the board."
Chrono looked toward the tactical display. The marker over Hogwarts had changed from an active combat zone to secured, leaving one less warning among the many still covering Earth.
"Yes…" Chrono leaned back slightly. "Voldemort was one of the biggest unknowns left in this operation. We no longer have to worry about where he might appear next or what he might try while our forces are occupied elsewhere."
"And keeping March and Caelus in reserve paid off." Amy smiled.
Chrono gave her a tired look. "Please don't remind me how much those two complained about being kept on standby."
"They still did exactly what you needed them to do." Amy laughed softly.
"That they did."
Chrono allowed himself a small smile, but it did not last long. His attention moved from Hogwarts toward the dimensional readings displayed beside Earth.
"Unfortunately, taking Voldemort out doesn't end this."
Amy's expression became serious again as she followed his eyes.
Noah, Hayate, Sirin, and Reinforce were still inside the Dimensional Gap fighting Dormammu, and as long as that battle continued, the dimensional tears across Earth could open again at any moment.
"The main threat is still there," Amy murmured.
Chrono nodded. "Which means everyone down there still has a job to do."
He straightened in his chair and turned toward the communications station.
"Send news of Voldemort's defeat to Chaldea."
Amy immediately returned to her console. "Full combat report?"
"Priority summary first. Tell them Voldemort has been defeated, his forces are no longer operational, and the Quantum Shadows around Hogwarts have been cleared. The complete report can follow once March and Caelus finish compiling everything."
"Yes, Admiral."
Chrono glanced once more at the secured Hogwarts sector before adding, "And tell Chaldea they can pass the news along to the other fronts."
Amy paused and looked toward him and saw a small smile return to Chrono's face.
"They've been fighting nonstop since this started. Let them know that somewhere, at least, we won."
Amy smiled as well.
"Understood."
—-------
Finis Chaldea Headquarters, Antarctica…
The atmosphere inside Chaldea's Command Room was no less hectic.
CHALDEAS continued rotating at the center of the chamber, its projection of Earth covered with warning markers. Five large red points remained active across the planet, while dozens of smaller dimensional tears appeared and disappeared as quickly as the response teams could contain them.
The operators moved from one report to another without pause.
"Egypt front confirms the latest wave has been eliminated!"
"North American evacuation has reached eighty-seven percent!"
"Several smaller tears are destabilizing across Central Europe!"
"Forward their coordinates to the nearest response teams," Marisbury ordered, listening to each report without taking his eyes off CHALDEAS. "Do not divert anyone currently guarding the primary breaches."
"Yes, Director!"
Another operator looked up from her station. "Mahora Academy has cleared another wave. Their second barrier remains operational."
"Any change in their casualty report?" Marisbury's hand tightened slightly behind his back.
"Nothing significant since the last update, Director. Their defensive teams are still holding."
"…Understood."
That was all he allowed himself to say. His daughter was down there; Olga Marie and her friends had already endured wave after wave of Quantum Shadows, and every report from Mahora forced Marisbury to resist the urge to ask questions that had nothing to do with directing the defense. Was she injured? Was she exhausted? Was she frightened?
He could ask those things later; right now, he was Chaldea's Director.
Marisbury loosened his hand and turned slightly toward the operator. "And the Gateport site? What is their status?"
"Still secure. The Sanctuary defenders continue to maintain control of the area."
"Good. Continue monitoring both fronts. Inform me immediately if either defensive line begins to weaken."
"Yes, Director."
Standing nearby, Kirschtaria watched the information moving across the screens surrounding CHALDEAS. Despite the scale of the assault, the major fronts had endured wave after wave without collapsing.
"They're holding better than I expected," he said.
"They have capable people defending them," Marisbury replied. His expression remained guarded as his attention returned to the five major tears hovering over the projection of Earth. "But capable defenders only buy us time. As long as Dormammu remains active, those breaches can continue bringing enemies into our reality."
That was the part nobody in the room could afford to forget. Every Quantum Shadow destroyed on Earth could eventually be replaced by another, and somewhere beyond the limits of Chaldea's observation, Noah, Hayate, Sirin, and Reinforce were still fighting the being responsible for the entire invasion.
Their battle inside the Dimensional Gap remained difficult to track. Chaldea's instruments would occasionally register enormous bursts of power before the readings vanished under the constant signal interference, only for another to appear somewhere else moments later.
Kirschtaria studied the unstable readings for several seconds. "We still can't establish a reliable connection?"
One of the operators shook his head. "No. The interference inside the Dimensional Gap is too severe. We can detect what is happening only when their attacks produce enough energy to break through it."
"So we have no way of knowing who currently has the advantage," Kirschtaria murmured.
Marisbury remained silent for a moment.
"No," he finally answered. "Which means our responsibility has not changed."
His eyes returned to Earth.
"We keep this world standing until they finish their battle."
Then a notification sounded from one of the communications terminals.
"Director, priority communication from Arthra." The operator stationed there immediately straightened.
"What do they have?" Marisbury finally turned away from CHALDEAS.
The operator opened the message, expecting another battlefield update, but his expression quickly changed as he read the first few lines. His silence lasted long enough for Kirschtaria to notice.
"What is it?"
The operator looked up, still visibly surprised. "The Hogwarts operation has been completed."
"Completed? Already?" Marisbury frowned.
"Yes, Director. Admiral Harlaown confirms that Voldemort has been defeated. His assault force is no longer combat-capable, and all Quantum Shadows within the Hogwarts vicinity have been cleared."
The conversations around the Command Room stopped almost at once.
Kirschtaria turned fully toward the communications station. "…Voldemort himself was defeated?"
"Yes, Lord Wodime."
"And Hogwarts?"
"Secure. Arthra received direct confirmation from Lady March and Lord Caelus' Quick Response Force currently stationed there."
A stunned laugh escaped someone farther back in the room. Another operator looked up from her console with a wide smile. "Hogwarts is actually clear?"
The communications officer checked the report once more before nodding. "Confirmed."
Cheers immediately broke out across the Command Room. Several staff members clapped while others leaned back in their seats and laughed from sheer relief. One exhausted operator covered her face with both hands before looking back toward CHALDEAS with a smile that had been absent for hours.
"They did it!"
"Voldemort is down!"
"Hogwarts survived!"
Kirschtaria closed his eyes briefly and released a breath he had not realized he was holding. "One troublesome variable removed from the board."
"That is putting it mildly," Marisbury replied.
His voice remained composed, but even he could no longer completely hide his relief. Voldemort had been more than another hostile commander. His contract with Dormammu had made his movements dangerously unpredictable, allowing him to introduce threats that none of their initial defensive plans had prepared for.
Worse, Chaldea had never been certain that he would remain at Hogwarts. As long as Voldemort was active, there was always the possibility that he would abandon one battlefield and appear somewhere else while their forces were already committed.
Now, they no longer had to account for him.
Marisbury looked toward the Hogwarts marker on CHALDEAS as its status changed from an active combat zone to secured.
"One less enemy to worry about," he murmured.
"Update Hogwarts' status," Marisbury instructed, looking toward one of the operators.
"Yes, Director."
A few commands were entered, and the red marker hovering over the British magical region disappeared from the tactical display. A green indicator took its place.
It was only one small light among the many warnings still scattered across the planet, yet nearly everyone nearby noticed the change. Hogwarts was no longer a battlefield that needed to be held. That battle there was over.
Kirschtaria watched the green marker for several seconds before looking toward Marisbury. "It seems Admiral Harlaown's decision to keep Lady March and Lord Caelus in reserve paid off."
"Precisely." Marisbury nodded. "Had they been committed to another front before Voldemort made his move, there is no guarantee they could have reached Hogwarts before its defenses collapsed."
"And now their Quick Response Force is available again."
"That may prove just as important." Marisbury glanced toward the remaining red markers. "If another front suddenly deteriorates, we once again have a force capable of responding immediately."
Kirschtaria gave a small nod. "Assuming Lady March accepts being placed on standby again."
Marisbury blinked as if considering, then he nodded. "…Admiral Harlaown can handle that particular problem."
A small laugh came from one of the nearby operators. The lighter mood lingered for a few moments, but Marisbury knew they could not afford to let it last. He allowed the staff their relief before raising his voice across the Command Room.
"Everyone, listen."
The conversations gradually stopped as the operators turned back toward him.
"Hogwarts is secure, and Voldemort's defeat is an important victory. You have every right to be relieved."
Marisbury turned toward CHALDEAS, where the remaining primary breaches still burned red across the projection of Earth.
"But this operation is far from over. Dormammu remains active. The dimensional tears are still open, and Quantum Shadows continue to emerge across several regions."
The celebration quickly gave way to focus again as everyone returned to their stations.
Kirschtaria looked toward one of the screens displaying the scattered readings they continued receiving from the Dimensional Gap. The information remained unstable, breaking apart between distorted energy signatures and brief bursts of white-gold, violet, and dark purple power that disappeared before Chaldea's instruments could properly analyze them.
"Lord Peverell and the others are still fighting him," Kirschtaria said quietly.
One of the operators checked the latest readings before shaking his head. "Still no meaningful communication from inside the Gap, Director. We can confirm that the battle is continuing, but that is about all we can determine."
Marisbury had expected as much.
"No indication of who currently has the advantage?"
"None, Director."
Marisbury remained silent for a moment before looking back toward CHALDEAS.
"Then our objective remains unchanged. Every defensive line we hold gives Noah, Hayate, Sirin, and Reinforce more time to finish their battle."
He looked across the Command Room, making sure everyone understood what mattered now.
"We do not need to defeat Dormammu from here. We only need to make certain his forces cannot gain enough ground on Earth to interfere with them."
"So we continue holding." Kirschtaria's eyes returned to the remaining red markers.
Marisbury nodded. "For as long as they need us to."
A faint smile appeared on Kirschtaria's face. "At least there is now one less enemy on Earth trying to make that difficult."
Another set of laughter came from around the Command Room, loosening the atmosphere without distracting anyone from their stations.
Marisbury allowed it for a moment before turning toward the communications officers. "Send confirmation of Voldemort's defeat to every active command network."
One of the operators looked back at him. "Every front, Director?"
"Every one of them. Sanctuary, Mahora, Egypt, North America, the Mediterranean, and all secondary response units handling the smaller breaches."
"Yes, Director."
As the communications team began preparing the transmission, Kirschtaria glanced toward Marisbury. "You want everyone to hear about Hogwarts."
"They need to hear about Hogwarts," Marisbury corrected calmly. "Most of them have spent hours fighting one wave after another while being told only to maintain their positions and wait for a battle they cannot even see to end."
His attention briefly returned to the newly secured marker over Hogwarts.
"They deserve to know that all of this is accomplishing something. One of the threats hanging over this world is already gone."
Kirschtaria considered that before giving a small nod. "A victory they can actually see."
"Exactly."
One of the communications officers raised her hand. "Transmission network is ready, Director."
Marisbury faced her. "Keep the message simple. Inform all active fronts that Voldemort has been defeated. His forces at Hogwarts have been neutralized, all Quantum Shadows within the surrounding area have been cleared, and Hogwarts is secure."
"Yes, Director."
"And make our current orders clear as well. Nothing changes simply because one battlefield has been won. Maintain every defensive line, prevent the dimensional tears from expanding, and keep the Quantum Shadows contained until Dormammu is defeated."
"Understood."
The operator entered the final commands before looking back toward him.
"Message ready."
"Send it."
"Sending now."
Within moments, Chaldea's communication network carried the report across the world.
The Sanctuary received it while its defenders continued holding the Gateport. Mahora received it behind the academy's battered barriers. The forces still fighting in Egypt, North America, and along the Mediterranean received the same message, followed by the smaller teams scattered across other regions, guarding evacuation routes and hunting down Quantum Shadows emerging from secondary tears.
For hours, nearly everything Chaldea had sent them had been another warning, another set of coordinates, another request for reinforcements, or notice that the next wave was already coming.
This time was different. This message carried something far simpler: Voldemort had fallen, Hogwarts had survived, and one battlefield was already finished.
====== Chapter 228 END ======