The celebration didn't last long.
Inside Olympus, the cheers faded as quickly as they had begun.
Because the main screen still showed the same thing.
The real enemy.
Hundreds of Harvester ships moving steadily through the solar system.
And behind them—
The Titan.
Adrian leaned against the console, arms crossed.
"Okay," he said, exhaling, "fun simulation… now we're back to reality."
Elara didn't respond immediately.
Her eyes were locked on the incoming fleet.
The scale of it was overwhelming.
Dots filled the map.
Each one a warship.
Each one capable of destroying cities.
"Olympus," she said calmly.
The system responded instantly.
HARVESTER FLEET ANALYSIS ACTIVE
The display expanded.
Breakdowns appeared.
Scout-class ships.
Hunter-class warships.
Carrier units.
And at the center—
TITAN-CLASS COMMAND VESSEL
Adrian stared at the size comparison.
"Yeah… that thing is still terrifying."
The Titan dwarfed everything else.
It wasn't just a ship.
It looked like a moving continent.
Elara studied its energy readings.
"It's not just a command ship."
"What do you mean?"
"It's a weapon."
Adrian frowned.
"Define weapon."
"Olympus estimates it can destroy planetary surfaces."
He blinked.
"Like… wipe out continents?"
"Yes."
He let out a slow breath.
"Great."
The council channel opened again.
This time, the tone was different.
Less panic.
More focus.
Secretary-General Kovac spoke.
"We've reviewed the simulation results."
Elara nodded.
"Yes."
"And we are prepared to follow Olympus command structure."
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"Wow."
"That's new."
Elara glanced at him.
"People learn quickly when extinction is involved."
Kovac continued.
"What is our first step?"
Elara didn't hesitate.
"We prepare for total war."
The words echoed across the chamber.
No one argued.
Because now—
Everyone understood.
This wasn't a localized threat.
This was survival.
"Olympus," Elara said.
The system responded instantly.
WAR PROTOCOL INITIALIZED
Across the planet, systems activated.
Military networks synced globally.
Satellite defenses aligned.
Factories shifted entirely to weapon production.
Adrian watched the updates scroll.
"Humanity just flipped the 'all-in' switch."
"Yes."
Elara turned to the map again.
"The fleet will reach Mars orbit in eighteen hours."
Adrian frowned.
"That's fast."
"They've increased speed again."
"And once they reach Mars?"
"They'll deploy forward units."
Adrian nodded slowly.
"So the first real engagement happens there."
"Yes."
The Architect's voice returned.
Calm as ever.
"You should not fight them at Earth."
Adrian looked at the screen.
"Yeah, no kidding."
"So what's the plan?"
The black spacecraft moved slightly.
Its position shifting closer to Mars' orbit on the display.
"You must intercept them early."
Elara understood immediately.
"Engage them before they reach Earth's orbit."
"Yes."
Adrian pointed at the map.
"With what fleet?"
"Because last time I checked, humanity doesn't have a space navy."
The Architect paused.
Then answered.
"You do now."
Adrian blinked.
"…what?"
The holographic map changed.
New markers appeared.
Dozens of them.
Hidden assets.
Dormant satellites.
Buried systems awakening across orbit.
Adrian stared at the screen.
"Where did those come from?"
Elara whispered,
"Olympus…"
The system confirmed.
HIDDEN DEFENSE NETWORK ACTIVATED
Adrian's eyes widened.
"You've been holding out on us."
Elara didn't look away.
"Olympus was designed for long-term planetary defense."
The new assets activated one by one.
Orbital weapons platforms.
Autonomous drone carriers.
Mass driver cannons.
Adrian laughed softly.
"Okay… that's insane."
The Architect spoke again.
"Olympus was never meant to be incomplete."
Elara asked quietly,
"You built all of this?"
"Yes."
"And left it hidden until now."
"Yes."
Adrian shook his head.
"Man really said 'surprise expansion pack.'"
But the mood shifted quickly.
Because the Harvester fleet kept moving.
Closer.
Closer.
Another alert appeared.
ENEMY ADVANCE: ACCELERATING
Adrian frowned.
"They're speeding up again."
The Architect confirmed.
"They have detected the activation of your defense network."
Elara's voice sharpened.
"They know we're preparing."
"Yes."
Adrian sighed.
"Of course they do."
The map zoomed in on the enemy formation.
The Harvester ships were reorganizing.
Adrian pointed.
"That's new."
The fleet was tightening.
Condensing.
Protecting the Titan at the center.
Elara analyzed the pattern.
"They're preparing for direct assault."
"On Earth?"
"No."
She zoomed further.
"They're targeting Mars orbit."
Adrian blinked.
"Wait… why Mars?"
The Architect answered.
"They intend to establish a forward base."
Elara's eyes narrowed.
"If they secure Mars…"
"They gain strategic control of the inner system."
Adrian muttered,
"And then Earth becomes easy."
"Yes."
The council channel opened again.
Kovac spoke urgently.
"We cannot allow them to reach Mars."
Elara nodded.
"We won't."
Adrian looked at her.
"You're planning something."
"Yes."
She pulled up the new defense network.
The hidden fleet.
Orbital platforms.
Weapon satellites.
Drone carriers.
Then she highlighted a cluster near Mars.
Adrian's eyes widened.
"Oh…"
"You're moving the fight there."
"Yes."
The first real space battle.
Not near Earth.
But at Mars.
Adrian smiled slightly.
"I like it."
"Better to fight them far away."
"Yes."
But the Architect added something else.
"One warning."
Adrian sighed.
"There's always a warning."
"The Titan will not engage immediately."
Elara frowned.
"Why?"
"It is observing."
"Studying your response."
Adrian crossed his arms.
"So it's like a final boss watching the first phase."
"Yes."
He nodded slowly.
"Great."
Elara issued the final command.
"Olympus… deploy forward defense units."
The hidden fleet began moving.
Ships launched.
Weapons aligned.
Humanity's first true space fleet formed in orbit.
Adrian watched the movement.
For the first time—
Earth wasn't just defending.
It was preparing to fight.
He exhaled slowly.
"Well…"
He looked at the map.
"Humanity finally has an army in space."
Elara nodded.
"Yes."
The countdown appeared.
FIRST ENGAGEMENT — MARS ORBIT: 16 HOURS
Adrian cracked his knuckles again.
"Let's see how we do in round one."
Because this time—
It wouldn't be a simulation.
It would be war.