In recent years, the Starfall Covenant had steadily expanded its influence across the Milky Way Galaxy, establishing its central headquarters on the planet Eris, a world devoid of human life yet teeming with powerful beasts and advanced defensive constructs. While Earth remained the birthplace of the Starfall Covenant and the center of human warriors' training, Eris now served as the operational heart, coordinating the Covenant's activities across thirty key planets, each with its own branch, tournament arenas, and defensive stations. The thirty planets under the Covenant's oversight included Earth, Vorthalis, Zenthar Prime, Draconis V, Aurelion, Nythera, Krylos, Velkaris, Thyraxis, Orphion, Talvoria, Nexaris, Zorath, Helion Minor, Karthos, Luminar, Crythera, Vexilon, Astryx, Xaltheron, Drayxis, Veltrion, Myrion, Solyra, Pyronis, Zerath Prime, Kaeloria, Rhydon, Tyralon, and Arkanis, each now a vital hub for the development of young warriors.
The Starfall Ascension Tournament, long regarded as the pinnacle of martial and spiritual competition on Earth, had now evolved into a galaxy-spanning phenomenon: local tournaments on each planet would select champions who would then converge for the Starfall Galactic Ascension, the ultimate stage where the strongest young warriors of the Milky Way would clash, tested not only on skill and strength but on their wit, adaptability, and ability to withstand the most extreme challenges the galaxy could impose.
On Earth, Valtherion Draven remained the pillar of authority and defense, accompanied by fifty-five of the Milky Way's most elite warriors, including five Galaxy Lords and numerous Stellar Lords, each prepared to respond to any threat that might emerge from the solar system, which had recently become a focal point of cosmic intrigue.
The remaining planets were carefully staffed according to their anticipated challenges: Vorthalis hosted ten warriors, including one Galaxy Lord and nine Stellar Lords; Zenthar Prime received twelve, two Galaxy Lords and ten Stellar Lords; Draconis V was guarded by eleven warriors, including a rare Void Monarch; Aurelion, Nythera, and Krylos each had between ten and twelve warriors, balancing Galaxy Lords and Stellar Lords to maintain authority and fairness. Every planet followed similar staffing: Velkaris, Orphion, Talvoria, Nexaris, Zorath, Helion Minor, Karthos, Luminar, Crythera, Vexilon, Astryx, Xaltheron, Drayxis, Veltrion, Myrion, Solyra, Pyronis, Zerath Prime, Kaeloria, Rhydon, Tyralon, and Arkanis each received delegations meticulously calibrated to prevent anomalies, supervise every battle, and ensure no participant, regardless of ability, was allowed to exploit forbidden techniques or circumvent the tournament rules. Void Monarchs were rare and placed on planets predicted to host the fiercest competitions, ensuring the most dangerous situations could be neutralized before escalating. Galaxy Lords served as ultimate authority figures, Stellar Lords maintained order and progression, and the rare Void Monarchs acted as a safeguard against hidden threats and rogue combatants.
The Starfall Ascension Tournament retained strict eligibility requirements: only students at the level of Beast Binder or Beast Master were permitted to compete. Any competitor below or above these levels was disqualified, guaranteeing that each match tested skill, ingenuity, and the ability to overcome life-or-death situations. This rigid system was complemented by the Covenant's unique Cloning Technique, developed by the original four heroes of Earth. Warriors using this method could extract and preserve the life core of any fallen participant, allowing them to be restored after their defeat. This ensured that the ultimate objective, training the next generation of warriors capable of defending the galaxy, was never compromised. Only Stellar Lords or higher could perform the technique, guaranteeing its safe and precise application during planetary tournaments and later at the Starfall Galactic Ascension.
The night before the tournaments, anticipation spread across every corner of the Milky Way. On each planet, young warriors prepared diligently, meditating, refining their techniques, and readying their weapons. Across cities, forests, mountains, and orbital stations, the energy of focused combat radiated intensely, signaling the galaxy's coming clash.
The Covenant broadcasted a final encouragement through Maize, the artificial intelligence that governed communication across all planetary branches. Maize, the most advanced AI in the Milky Way and once the servant of Michael's master, ensured that every student received guidance, rules, and encouragement. The AI stressed that participants could employ any legal technique, weapon, or strategy within their skillset, giving them absolute freedom to innovate and push their limits. Maize, untouchable and unhackable, guaranteed fairness and security across all tournaments. Its presence was a silent reminder that the Starfall Covenant's authority extended everywhere, and that no participant would escape its oversight.
While young warriors prepared, Valtherion Draven and his fifty-five elite companions remained on Earth, constantly observing the solar system. A slow but mysterious teleportation gateway had begun forming on the planet, its activation taking days, its purpose unknown. The portal's presence hinted at an unprecedented threat, one which could bypass conventional detection. The remaining warriors stationed across the other twenty-nine planets remained vigilant, supervising tournaments and safeguarding against cosmic anomalies. Every branch of the Starfall Covenant was connected through Maize, which provided live updates, tactical analysis, and coordination, ensuring no planet would be left vulnerable. The sense of tension was palpable: the Milky Way, for all its beauty and expansiveness, had never felt more like a battlefield.
As anticipation grew, whispers circulated about the young champions who would rise through the planetary tournaments to face each other in the Starfall Galactic Ascension. Families and academies across the galaxy eagerly prepared their most promising students, knowing that victory would not only bring personal honor but also influence their place within the Covenant hierarchy. The Milky Way itself, though vast, had now become a proving ground, its thirty planets linked in a network of martial challenge, observation, and discipline, where the strongest would rise and those unworthy would be weeded out. The galaxy's future, and indeed the fate of its countless worlds, rested on the outcomes of these trials. As the night deepened, the stars shone brightly above each planet, reflecting the resolve of the warriors below. The Starfall Galactic Ascension was on the horizon, and soon, every planet, every warrior, and every young contender would play their part in forging the legends of the next generation.