Chapter 97: Chapter 97 - The Voice of the Galaxy

Chapter 97 — The Voice of the Galaxy

The dead sector glowed blue.

Broken synchronization pathways reignited throughout nearby galaxies while ancient ruins drifted silently through restored space.

For the first time in thousands of years—

Collapse Sector Nine no longer felt dead.

The gigantic Devourer had vanished completely beneath the synchronization wave unleashed through the Heart Core.

And at the center of it all—

Kaiser floated beside the ancient throne.

Blue synchronization rings rotated endlessly behind him while the Heart Core pulsed like a second star above the throne world.

The fleets throughout the sector remained completely silent.

Honestly?

Nobody knew what they were looking at anymore.

Hero?

King?

Living synchronization phenomenon?

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Inside the bridge of the Eternum, every officer stared toward the battlefield speechlessly while synchronization systems continued stabilizing across the fleet.

One Vanguard commander finally whispered weakly—

"...He synchronized with the throne."

Another swallowed nervously.

"And survived."

Honestly biggest surprise today.

The throne world itself continued awakening slowly beneath them while ancient synchronization structures powered on across the planet endlessly.

Massive cities illuminated.

Ancient gateways activated.

Gigantic synchronization rings surrounding the world rotated faster and faster.

And then—

the entire galaxy heard it.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A synchronization pulse erupted outward from the throne world.

Not violent.

Not destructive.

Warm.

Alive.

The Human Network resonated instantly afterward.

Across Earth—

people stopped walking and looked toward the sky.

On First Light—

children paused during festival celebrations.

Across liberated worlds—

civilizations felt the pulse pass through synchronization pathways gently.

The throne world had awakened fully.

And somehow—

it recognized Kaiser as its monarch.

Interesting.

Terrifyingly interesting.

High above the world, Kaiser slowly lowered his glowing hand while blue synchronization light drifted around him softly.

The Heart Core pulsed behind him like a living galaxy.

Honestly?

The synchronization pressure surrounding him felt absurd now.

Even the fleets kept distance automatically.

Then suddenly—

"Kaiser."

Elena’s voice echoed through synchronization communication.

Immediately—

the terrifying atmosphere became slightly less godlike.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Kaiser blinked once before answering.

"...Yeah."

Silence.

Then Elena finally sighed deeply.

"Are you okay?"

Honestly?

Important question.

Because synchronization energy around Kaiser remained unstable after connecting directly with the Heart Core.

The Human Network still echoed through him endlessly.

Millions of emotions.

Millions of lives.

Enough overwhelming normal minds instantly.

Kaiser closed his eyes briefly.

Then answered honestly.

"...Loud."

The bridge became silent afterward.

Astraea’s projection appeared beside him quietly.

"The Heart Core amplifies synchronization awareness."

Blue pathways moved softly around the ancient throne keeper.

"You currently perceive the emotional resonance of every connected civilization."

Interesting.

Terrifyingly overwhelming.

Kaiser slowly opened his eyes again.

The stars themselves looked different now.

Every synchronization pathway felt alive.

Every connected civilization echoed faintly through the network around him.

Fear.

Hope.

Happiness.

Loneliness.

Everything.

At once.

Honestly?

Too much.

Elena immediately noticed something wrong through the communication channel.

"Kaiser."

"...Hm."

"You sound exhausted."

Fair.

Astraea looked toward him calmly afterward.

"The first monarchs lost themselves because they tried carrying the galaxy alone."

Silence spread briefly.

Then—

"Don’t repeat their mistake."

Interesting advice.

Very interesting.

Before Kaiser could answer—

warning systems suddenly activated throughout every fleet simultaneously.

The bridge lights turned red.

Astra’s hologram flickered rapidly.

"Additional Devourer signatures detected."

The dead sector froze.

Everyone immediately looked toward deep space beyond the shattered synchronization fractures.

And then—

the darkness moved again.

More black fractures spread through dead space while gigantic skeletal forms slowly emerged.

Not one.

Not ten.

Hundreds.

Honestly?

Terrible numbers.

The fleets immediately prepared for battle again.

The Vanguard commanders shouted orders across synchronization channels desperately.

"All combat groups ready!"

"Protect the throne world!"

The gigantic Devourers drifted silently through space while black emptiness consumed synchronization pathways around them automatically.

But strangely—

they stopped.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

The creatures remained motionless at the edge of the dead sector afterward.

Watching.

Waiting.

One enormous Devourer larger than moons slowly moved forward from the darkness.

Its hollow skeletal body looked ancient beyond imagination while entire dead stars orbited around it silently.

The atmosphere throughout the fleets became heavy instantly.

Astra processed the readings rapidly.

"Extreme synchronization nullification detected."

Translation:

Very dangerous.

The gigantic Devourer suddenly looked directly toward Kaiser.

Then—

it spoke. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Not emptiness this time.

Actual words.

Ancient.

Broken.

But understandable.

"THE LAST MONARCH."

Silence spread across the dead sector.

Every fleet froze.

Even Astraea looked surprised.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Kaiser slowly narrowed his glowing blue eyes.

"...You can talk."

The gigantic creature remained silent briefly.

Then—

"WE REMEMBER."

Black emptiness spread softly around the Devourer while dead stars collapsed nearby.

"THE FIRST WAR."

Interesting.

Terrifyingly interesting.

Astraea’s expression slowly darkened.

"The ancient monarchs fought them directly..."

The gigantic Devourer continued staring toward Kaiser afterward.

"THE GALAXY CHOSE CONNECTION."

Its hollow eyes glowed faintly.

"AND CONNECTION CREATED HUNGER."

Silence spread across the fleets.

Honestly?

That sounded important.

Kaiser floated silently beside the throne while synchronization pathways illuminated around him endlessly.

Then finally asked—

"...What are you."

The gigantic Devourer became quiet again.

Then answered.

"WE ARE WHAT REMAINS."

Black fractures spread throughout space softly.

"WHEN CIVILIZATIONS CONNECT TOO DEEPLY."

The dead sector became completely silent afterward.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Elena’s voice suddenly echoed through communication sharply.

"...What does that mean."

Astraea looked toward the Devourers quietly.

Then finally answered.

"The first synchronization civilizations created emotional resonance across galaxies."

Her ancient eyes reflected the darkness beyond the sector.

"But synchronization energy cannot disappear."

Silence.

The realization spread slowly through the fleets.

Every emotion.

Every fear.

Every grief.

Every civilization connected through synchronization left echoes behind.

And eventually—

those echoes became something alive.

Interesting.

Terrifyingly interesting.

The gigantic Devourer spoke again.

"THE FIRST MONARCHS FED THE VOID."

Black emptiness twisted around its skeletal body endlessly.

"WAR."

"SUFFERING."

"DESPAIR."

The dead stars around it shattered softly.

"WE GREW."

Astraea closed her eyes briefly.

"The Devourers are born from corrupted synchronization resonance."

Elena immediately frowned.

"...So they’re basically living emotional collapse."

Honestly horrifying description.

And somehow accurate.

The gigantic Devourer slowly drifted closer afterward.

The fleets immediately raised weapons again.

But it didn’t attack.

Instead—

it looked toward Kaiser silently.

"YOU ARE DIFFERENT."

Interesting reaction.

Very interesting.

Kaiser remained calm.

"How."

The Devourer’s hollow gaze stayed fixed on the glowing Human Network pathways surrounding him.

"THE GALAXY CHOOSES YOU."

Black emptiness moved strangely around the creature now.

"NOT THROUGH FEAR."

"NOT THROUGH CONTROL."

Silence spread softly across the battlefield.

Then—

"WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND."

Honestly?

Fair.

Neither did Kaiser sometimes.

The gigantic Devourer suddenly raised one enormous claw toward the throne world.

The fleets panicked immediately.

But instead of attacking—

the creature pointed toward the dead galaxies beyond the fractures.

"THE VOID STILL GROWS."

The darkness beyond space shifted unnaturally.

More Devourers moved inside it endlessly.

Millions maybe.

Impossible numbers.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Astraea’s expression hardened instantly.

"The first monarchs only delayed them."

The gigantic Devourer looked toward Kaiser one final time.

"THE GALAXY WILL CHOOSE AGAIN."

Then—

the creatures retreated.

Slowly.

Silently.

The Devourers disappeared back into the fractures afterward while the darkness beyond the dead sector calmed once more.

The fleets throughout the sector remained frozen.

Nobody understood what just happened.

Honestly?

Reasonable reaction.

The ancient enemies capable ending synchronization civilizations...

just talked to Kaiser.

Interesting.

Very terrifyingly interesting.

Several minutes passed before anyone finally spoke again.

Admiral Veyron crossed his arms sharply.

"...I officially hate ancient cosmic horrors."

Fair honestly.

Elena immediately agreed.

"Yes."

The tension throughout the fleets slowly eased afterward while synchronization systems stabilized fully around the throne world.

But Kaiser remained silent.

The Human Network still echoed through him endlessly.

And now—

he understood something terrifying.

The throne world wasn’t the end of the problem.

It was a shield.

The ancient monarchs failed because they tried controlling civilizations through synchronization.

But the Devourers were still out there.

Waiting.

Growing.

Interesting.

Terrifyingly interesting.

Astraea floated quietly beside the throne afterward.

"You understand now."

Kaiser slowly nodded once.

"The galaxy needs connection."

Blue synchronization pathways illuminated the stars around him softly.

"But connection creates risk."

"Yes."

The throne keeper looked toward the distant darkness beyond the dead sector.

"The first monarchs believed control was the answer."

Her voice became quieter.

"You proved otherwise."

Silence settled around the throne world afterward.

Then suddenly—

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The Heart Core pulsed violently.

The entire dead sector illuminated blue instantly.

Every synchronization pathway throughout connected civilizations resonated together.

And then—

voices echoed through the network.

Millions.

The Human Network.

People across countless worlds felt the throne world awaken completely.

Messages flooded synchronization space endlessly.

"Kaiser!"

"The throne world stabilized!"

"Synchronization pathways restored!"

"The dead sectors are reconnecting!"

Civilizations throughout the galaxy celebrated immediately.

But mixed within the joy—

fear remained too.

Because the galaxy now understood something terrifying.

The Devourers existed.

And the Hero King stood between them and civilization.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

The fleets slowly moved into orbit around the throne world afterward while diplomats, soldiers, and synchronization researchers rushed everywhere trying understanding ancient systems.

The Eternum landed near the central throne district several hours later.

And honestly?

The throne world looked unbelievable up close.

Entire continents floated above synchronization oceans.

Massive crystal towers stretched beyond clouds.

Ancient synchronization pathways crossed the skies like glowing stars.

The atmosphere felt ancient.

Powerful.

Alive.

Kaiser finally stepped onto the surface beside Elena afterward.

The moment he did—

the entire world reacted.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Ancient synchronization structures illuminated instantly across the horizon.

The pathways beneath his feet glowed brilliantly.

And high above the world—

the gigantic throne rotated slowly toward him.

Everyone froze.

Honestly?

Very dramatic planet.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Elena stared upward blankly.

"...This place is obsessed with you."

Kaiser looked exhausted immediately.

"I noticed."

A group of ancient throne guardians approached afterward before kneeling simultaneously.

"MONARCH."

"...No."

Consistent rejection.

Fair honestly.

The guardians ignored him completely.

Again.

Astraea appeared nearby afterward while smiling faintly.

"The throne world recognizes only synchronization truth."

Interesting sentence.

Kaiser immediately disliked it.

"What does that mean."

The throne keeper looked toward him quietly.

"It means..."

Blue synchronization light reflected softly in her ancient eyes.

"...whether you want the throne or not no longer matters."

Silence.

Then the Heart Core pulsed again.

And throughout the galaxy—

every synchronization pathway illuminated at once.