The revelation spread across the Federation faster than light itself.

Every news channel, every civilian network, and every private communication terminal displayed the same horrifying footage.

One clip showed twelve Federation fleets advancing with absolute confidence.

The next showed them consumed by Void Cannons.

Another captured the terrifying silhouette of planet Zenith itself. Compared to the Federation’s Titan-class warships, the imperial capital looked less like a fortress and more like a celestial kingdom built for gods.

Silence filled countless homes.

"I... I don’t understand." An elderly woman stared blankly at her television.

"How can someone destroy twelve elite fleets?"

Her husband slowly lowered his cup of tea.

"I served in the Federation Navy for forty years. I’ve seen wars, rebellions, invasions. But this..."

He looked back at the footage.

"This wasn’t war."

"It was extermination."

...

Inside a crowded restaurant on Capital Prime, every customer had forgotten about their meals.

Their eyes remained glued to the massive holographic screen.

"No..."

"That footage has to be fake."

"It can’t be."

"The military already confirmed its authenticity."

Another customer clenched his fists.

"Then we’re finished."

Someone else whispered quietly.

"If he wanted to invade us who could stop him?"

These common citizens had no answer.

...

Across social media, billions of comments poured in every second.

"So the Federation lied to us?"

"They said the expedition was winning."

"My brother was aboard the Seventh Fleet..."

"They’re all gone..."

"Neo Godson..."

"Is he even human?"

"I heard he defeated the Titans by himself."

"No."

"I heard he never even moved."

"The golden warships destroyed everything."

"That monster..."

"He became a Dominator in just months."

...

Far away, inside a workshop, an old man sat silently in front of an aging television.

Old Man Dorok.

Beside him stood his granddaughter, Stella.

Neither of them had spoken since the footage began.

The holographic screen displayed Neo’s face.

He stood calmly before an ocean of golden warships, his expression peaceful, almost indifferent.

Behind him floated the Ghost like the demonic Fortress.

Stella slowly covered her mouth.

"Grandpa. Is..Is that really Brother Neo?"

Dorok’s weathered hands trembled, and eyes remained fixed on the screen.

"I...I don’t know anymore."

He let out a slow sigh.

"The boy I knew he smiled while helping people.He worked with his own hands. He laughed with us. But this..."

He looked at the image once more.

"That isn’t simply Neo."

"That is someone standing above an entire civilization."

Stella’s eyes became moist.

"Yeah, He looks...So far away."

Dorok nodded slowly. "He became someone the stars themselves bow to."

"It happened in only a few months. I never imagined... To think I once worried whether he’d survive as space mercenary.".

"And now..."

"He owns a kingdom larger than the Federation."

They both watched silently as another recording showed thousands of imperial soldiers hailing Neo as the emperor.

Dorok finally shook his head.

"I don’t think he’d even recognize this old man anymore."

Stella immediately protested.

"No. Brother Neo isn’t like that. He may have become powerful. But he’s still him."

She looked toward the endless sky beyond the window.

"I want to see him."

Dorok smiled gently. "Give up, sweetie pie. He is in a different world than us."

Stella’s small hand clenched into tiny fists.

"But I want to thank him. I want to congratulate him. And I want play Go with him again."

Dorok laughed softly.

"If anyone could remind a god what it means to be human. It would probably be you, my Princess."

Stella snorted her cute nose.

"I’ll meet him someday. No matter how far away he is."

...

Meanwhile...

Deep inside the Supreme Council Chamber, absolute silence dominated the enormous conference hall.

The Council members stared at the casualty reports projected before them.

Ninety Dreadnoughts.

Destroyed.

Three Titan-class Warships.

Destroyed.

Over 300,000 military personnel.

Confirmed subjugation.

Commander Musa dead.

One councilor slammed both fists onto the table.

"Impossible!"

Another immediately shouted back.

"Calm down, old man. It did happened! The evidence is sitting right in front of you!"

The Minister of Defense looked decades older than before.

"Our strategic reserve has been cut nearly in half."

"Our Dominator program is finished."

A female councilor slowly asked, "And the Rothschilds? Where are they?"

"Their Patriarch is dead. The survivors escaped the Federation this morning."

Another councilor closed his eyes."You mean to so they abandoned us."

The room became deathly quiet.

Finally, Supreme Chancellor Magnus rose from his seat.

His expression remained calm despite the disaster.

"Gentlemen, panic will destroy this Federation faster than Neo Godson ever could."

Everyone looked toward him.

"We still possess military superiority. We still command multiple life planets. We still have resources. We can defeat him."

A councilor frowned, Sir Magnus, resources won’t matter if he appears above Capital Prime."

Magnus nodded. "Correct. Therefore... We will not confront him directly again."

Several councilors looked confused.

"No more reckless offensives. No more attempts to overwhelm him with numbers. We will change our strategy."

"The first measure is Immediate martial law across all life planets.The second: Accelerate every classified weapons project regardless of cost."

"The third: Begin emergency alliances with every neighboring superpower."

One councilor widened his eyes."You intend to cooperate with our rivals?"

"Yes. I intend to survive."

Magnus answered without hesitation, "The fourth..."

He looked toward the intelligence director.

"I want every spy.Every infiltrator. Every information broker. Find me everything about Neo Godson. His weaknesses. His family. His commanders. His logistics. If he possesses even a single vulnerability... We will exploit it."

The intelligence director gave a nodd. .

"It will be done, Sir."

Pleased, Magnus then turned toward the gigantic projection of Zenith.

For the first time in his political career, fear appeared within his eyes.

Quietly, almost to himself, he muttered, "We are no longer dealing with an empire. We are facing the birth of another galactic lord. It’s a pity he is as heartless and tyrannical like Lord BALA. Otherwise, Earth wouldn’t have to worried about getting enslaved again.."