The command ship drifted through the silent battlefield.
Outside its reinforced walls, fragments of destroyed worlds continued floating through space. The remains of the Oki had long since vanished after Ashura's resurrection of Titan, but the atmosphere of victory still lingered throughout the allied fleets. Soldiers repaired damaged vessels while commanders organized their formations for the next inevitable battle.
Inside the secure room, however, a different kind of silence had settled.
Veldoza stood near the viewing window with his arms folded.
Hydra leaned quietly against the wall.
Damian and Jupiter remained seated, each reflecting on everything they had witnessed.
Ashura sat calmly with one leg resting over the other, appearing completely relaxed.
Then A faint smile appeared on his face.
His crimson eyes shifted toward a distant corner of the cosmos.
Far beyond the battlefield. Far beyond the fleets.
Veldoza noticed immediately.
"…Is something wrong?"
Ashura continued looking into the distance for another second before shaking his head.
"No…"
A small smile remained on his face.
"It's just that something interesting woke up."
Nobody spoke.
Veldoza understood Ashura well enough now to know one thing.
If someone like him described something as interesting…
Then whatever had awakened was anything but ordinary.
Before anyone could ask another question—
The doors slid open. A commander hurried inside before kneeling respectfully.
"Lord Veldoza. The Oldest are arriving."
Veldoza nodded once.
"Good."
He looked toward everyone else.
"Let's greet them."
Ashura stood without saying a word.
Together Veldoza, Ashura, Hydra, Damian And Jupiter walked through the corridors before emerging onto the front deck of the enormous command ship.
The battlefield stretched endlessly before them.
Then Space rippled. One…Two…Three…Four…Five… Six.
Six enormous warships emerged from dimensional gates.
Each ship rivaled moons in size. Each carried an army capable of protecting countless multiverses.
The allied soldiers immediately saluted.
"The Oldest have returned! Open the approach lanes!"
The six vessels slowly aligned themselves beside Veldoza's flagship.
Then One figure stepped forward. A man with tall purple hair flowing behind him.
Violet eyes burned like living flames. He stepped off his ship.
Without hesitation. Without slowing down. He descended through space before landing gracefully on Veldoza's deck.
BOOM. The ship barely trembled beneath his weight.
The man smiled confidently.
"Been a while, Veldoza."
Veldoza looked at him with complete indifference.
"I never want to see you again, Denar."
Denar laughed loudly.
"That's no way to greet an old friend."
Before anyone could respond Another figure leaped from one of the approaching ships.
A young woman.
Long robes fluttered behind her as she completely misjudged her landing.
"…Oops!"
BOOM. She landed directly on Denar's shoulders.
Denar nearly lost his balance. She blinked innocently.
"Sorry, Flame King."
Denar sighed deeply.
"Get off me. You're as clumsy as ever."
The girl smiled sheepishly before hopping off him.
This was Giana - The Oldest Witch. Esta, the Queen. One by one four more figures descended from their respective ships.
The first was a tall man with long black hair and crimson slit-like eyes.
His mere presence carried the overwhelming dignity of dragons.
Dronas - The Oldest Dragon. The Ancestor.
Beside him landed another man with short blue hair and calm blue eyes.
His aura felt divine yet peaceful.
Rome - The Oldest Divine. Samiel.
A young woman descended next.
Short white hair framed her face.
A black cloth covered both of her eyes completely.
Yet despite her blindness…She walked with perfect certainty.
Crystal - The Oldest Light. Creator.
The final arrival stepped down casually.
A man with short black hair, Hazel eyes. A relaxed expression.
Yet beneath that calm demeanor hid overwhelming pressure.
Spartan - The Oldest Sin. Desire.
All six stood together upon Veldoza's flagship.
Spartan stretched lazily.
"We're back, Veldoza."
A faint smile appeared on Veldoza's face.
"How did the mission go?"
The mood changed instantly.
Every Oldest grew serious.
Dronas spoke first.
"…Let's go inside."
Veldoza nodded.
"I understand."
The commanders remained outside to guard the deck while only the leaders entered the secured meeting chamber.
Moments later the massive doors sealed shut behind them.
The room was silent.
Around the large circular table sat Veldoza, Denar, Giana, Dronas, Rome, Crystal, Spartan And… Ashura.
Unlike everyone else Ashura wasn't seated around the table.
Instead, he occupied a chair slightly to the side.
Relaxed. Composed.
Sitting with the quiet authority of a king observing his court.
Several of the Oldest stole brief glances toward him.
Most had never met him before. None of them could sense even the slightest trace of his power.
That alone unsettled them. Spartan broke the silence.
Without a word he reached his arm into a dimensional tear that opened beside him.
His hand disappeared inside.
A moment later he withdrew it. He was holding…A heart.
It was enormous. Dark black in color. Still beating. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Each heartbeat sent strange pulses throughout the room.
Veldoza's eyes narrowed.
"…Is this from—"
Dronas finished the sentence.
"Yes. It's from the child of a Viz."
Silence.
Even Veldoza looked genuinely shocked.
"…A Viz…"
Before anyone else reacted Ashura disappeared.
Not even a ripple of space followed.
One moment he sat against the wall.
The next he stood directly beside the table.
Crystal's hidden eyes widened beneath the black cloth.
I didn't even see when he moved and…I still can't sense his power. Who is he?
Nobody spoke.
Veldoza looked toward Ashura.
"Ashura…What do you think?"
Denar glanced between the two men.
"Veldoza…Trusts him enough to ask for advice?"
Ashura looked down at the beating heart quietly.
"It is interesting…"
He slowly reached forward.
Only one finger touched it.
The instant contact was made BLACK LIGHT erupted throughout the room.
The heartbeat stopped.
The darkness surrounding the heart peeled away like layers being unraveled.
Within Ashura's consciousness countless scenes unfolded instantly.
The creature's birth..Its instincts, biology, abilities, evolution, weaknesses and It's place within the greater ecosystem.
Every fragment of information hidden inside the heart was revealed simultaneously.
Only a single second passed.
The black light faded.
Ashura withdrew his hand.
"I see…"
Everyone waited.
"So this is the creature that scared away the Okis."
The room became silent again.
Ashura continued calmly.
"I understand why they're fleeing."
His crimson eyes rested on the heart once more.
"But…this heart only belongs to a child."
Another pause.
"An adult one…"
He looked toward Veldoza.
"…would be much more powerful."
Nobody smiled anymore.
Even Denar's confident expression disappeared.
The implication was obvious.
If merely the child of this species had driven the Oki away…
Then the adults existed on an entirely different level.
Giana slowly looked at Ashura.
Her curiosity finally overcame her restraint.
"…Did you receive all the information…with that single touch?"
Ashura turned toward her.
His expression remained completely calm.
"Yeah."
Giana blinked.
"…That's all?"
Ashura: "Yeah."
An awkward silence filled the room.
Veldoza cleared his throat loudly.
"Okay, guys."
He looked around the table.
"So…Let's formulate a plan on how to deal with the Okis…"
His gaze shifted toward the black heart.
"…and the Vizs."
Outside the command ship far beyond the battlefield Something in the endless darkness slowly opened countless eyes.
It had also felt the pulse of Black Light.
And unlike before…It was no longer merely watching..It had become curious.