Beyond the Bloodline-Chapter 343: Interlude 4- The Supremes’ Return

The many Interstellar and Intergalactic powers that governed the vast regions of space within the Zanerth Universe were all mobilizing en masse, in response to the same piece of information that was rapidly spreading across its immense expanse.

The Supremes were returning.

The Rulers of Races, the big bosses behind the Race Kings and Race Emperors, and the ones who had delegated the responsibilities of leading their respective races to these Deity Realm existences during their prolonged absence.

They were among the highest-ranked and most powerful entities within the Zanerth universe’s extensive power hierarchy, and now, after ages spent governing the vassal universes under Zanerth’s dominion, they were making their way back to the main universe.

After all, Zanerth’s domain was never limited to the single universe that bore its name.

It was a multi-universal empire, one that had subjugated entire universes and folded them beneath its standard. Each major race within Zanerth had claimed its portion of the spoils, maintaining dominion over distant universes and reaping the long harvest of conquest.

These vassal universes, each bearing the mark of Zanerth’s conquest, were not held in check by mere treaties or ceremonial oaths.

Their sustained loyalty and continued usefulness demanded a balance of overwhelming force and strategic benevolence, both of which had long been embodied by the Supremes.

Following a collective agreement among the powers that be, these Supremes had been dispatched as autonomous governors, projecting Zanerth’s power and will across these distant universes.

Now, they had departed from their stations, having delegated responsibilities to their leagues of subordinates.

Not all chose to return, and even among those who did, many refrained from coming with their true bodies, opting instead to dispatch clones.

Yet, the very fact that they were taking action at all was enough to raise concern.

The cause was neither arbitrary nor driven by mere political formality. Something had occurred within their home universe, an event that affected all races, an incident of such gravity that neither silence nor distance was acceptable. Not when it carried the risk of their authority and reputations being undermined in their own backyard.

For although the day-to-day responsibilities were managed by those who had remained in the main universe, the Supremes were still, in title and stature, the highest authorities of their respective races. Any offence against those races was, by extension, an offence to their reputations, something few among them took lightly.

A blemish on their reputation could invite further slights, and force them to exert far more effort than necessary to resolve matters that should have been trivial.

All the more so when that blemish involved a violation of the previously agreed-upon proceedings established to decide who would hold the title of ’Master’ of their home universe.

One of the Six ’Legendary’ Hybrids who had remained in Zanerth had taken an action that impacted every race, every legacy, and the stability of the central universe itself.

If they weren’t careful, the rug could be pulled out from under them, and the delicate balance of power between the races could be thrown into disarray.

After all, time and again, it had been proven that the Hybrids were anything but impartial.

Far from it.

They, like everyone else, acted out of self-interest, making decisions that served their own benefit, as well as the well-being of their homes and the people they cared about.

And when they did act, it was with a bold, heavy hand, emboldened by the fact that these Hybrids had reached levels of power and influence surpassing even some of the older Supremes who had existed for dozens of billions of years in less than a tenth of that time.

Most importantly, they were quite literally unkillable.

The Supremes’ return was far from unified in intention.

Some came merely to observe, drawn by a mix of curiosity and caution, seeking clarity before passing judgment or committing to any course of action.

Others returned with political manoeuvring in mind, seeking to capitalize on the chance to expand their influence in light of the Hybrid’s disruption. Perhaps claim a few additional universes under their banners and further consolidate their own power.

There were those who arrived with the clear intention of supporting the Hybrid, choosing to align themselves with what they saw as an emerging new power structure. And then there were those who came with every intention of disrupting it.

The arrival points, the official inter-universal docks built to properly regulate and manage cross-universal entry, had become temporary points of convergence for many.

Convoys of spaceships and grand ceremonial processions gathered there, made up of elite emissaries and envoys dispatched to formally welcome the Supremes home.

In many cases, multiple factions from the same race assembled at these docks, each hoping to earn favour and recognition from their returning Supremes.

The Supremes made no effort to conceal their arrival, letting their power spill outward from their vessels, stretching far across the surrounding space.

Responses to their return were varied, with some of the more self-preserving vassal universes beginning to reinforce their defensive grids, uncertain whether the Supremes’ departure might open them to conflict or exploitation, whether from rival vassals under Zanerth’s rule or from external universes altogether.

Others sent urgent reports back to Zanerth, seeking instructions on how to preserve political equilibrium in the absence of their overseeing Supreme. There were even a few cases where competing factions within a single universe began pressing claims, attempting to reposition themselves during this period of ambiguity.

Within Zanerth itself, the effect was even more direct. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Tensions began to simmer between races, and long-standing disputes that had remained dormant for centuries began resurfacing in the form of provocations and sudden deployments of elite units.

Certain races, bolstered by the knowledge that their Supreme had returned and was now within acting range, began to act with increased boldness. Patrol fleets shifted closer to contested boundaries, and age-old grievances were suddenly remembered with great clarity.

Some tensions began with mere words, and while many remained verbal, others escalated into open military clashes.

Skirmishes erupted at several jointly occupied outposts, and accusations of sabotage and interference grew increasingly common.

In the minds of many, the return of the Supremes had effectively reset the board, and with new pieces now in play, it was once again time to test the waters of influence and reshape the balance of power within their respective territories.

It had only been a matter of days since the Hybrid’s actions sent ripples across the universe, prompting the return of the Supremes, and many now questioned whether even these Legendary Hybrids could withstand the storm they had set in motion.

But many more, especially those who served under that individual, felt no concern.

After all, there was a reason why, despite the existence of the Supremes and the vast age gap between them and the Hybrids, these Hybrids were still hailed as Zanerth’s Strongest, having amassed influence equal to, if not surpassing, that of the Supremes themselves.