The Starry Beast Prison floated in the void behind them, its black iron gates shattered, its Warden enslaved, its guards kneeling. Kafu stood at the head of his army, his 12 wings folded, his power suppressed to 250 Quintrillion IF, his true self hidden beneath the mask of Epoch Forging 7. Behind him, the Warden waited—The Starv Beast, Etherial God Level 9, 999 Septendecillion IF, now his soul slave. Beside the Warden, the 1,000 Elite Guards stood in formation—Eternal Sovereigns Level 1-3, their power bound to his will. Behind them, 10,000 Prison Guards waited—Eternal Celestials Level 5-9, their chains transferred from the Royal Families to the Scorpion King.
And behind them all, the shadows waited. 700 million shadows, freed from their cells, their power restored, their purpose renewed. They had waited 100,000 years for this moment. They would not wait longer.
[DIVINE GOD SYSTEM — THE HUNTING PARTY]
Force Number Realm IF Range Role
Kafu 1 Chaos Sovereign 9 (suppressed) 250 Quintrillion IF Commander
The Starv Beast 1 Etherial God 9 999 Septendecillion IF Warden, Soul Slave
Elite Guards 1,000 Eternal Sovereign 1-3 1-3 Sextillion IF Commanders
Prison Guards 10,000 Eternal Celestial 5-9 50-100 Trillion IF Infantry
Shadows 700,000,000 Eternal Sovereign-Etherial God 24 Sextillion-90,000 Septendecillion IF Army
Kafu raised the Dream Devourer. "The Royal Families who attacked New Hope. The Cartels who sold our people. The Mafias who profited from our suffering. The remnants of the 12 Eras who escaped. The First Varnax, who has hidden for 10 billion years. They thought we were broken. They thought we were gone. They thought they could take what was ours and we would never return."
He turned to the Warden. "You know where they are. You held them for the Royal Families. You guarded their prisoners. You watched as they grew fat on our suffering."
The Starv Beast knelt. "I know, master. I held them. I guarded them. I watched. I was their tool. Now I am yours. I will lead you to every one of them."
Kafu smiled. "Then lead."
---
THE FIRST TARGET — THE ROYAL CARAVAN
The Warden led them through dimensional space, his power carving a path through the void, his knowledge of the Royal Families' movements absolute. For a billion years, he had been their tool. He knew their routes, their defenses, their weaknesses. He knew where they would be, when they would be there, and how to break them.
"The Royal Families who attacked New Hope have been consolidating their power. They believed you were gone forever. They believed your wives would never be freed. They believed your shadows would never rise. They have grown arrogant. They have grown careless. They have grown fat on what they stole from you."
He stopped before a dimensional rift, its edges crackling with the power of a thousand stars. "Beyond this rift, the Royal Caravan. Fifty ships. Fifty thousand Eternal Celestials. Five hundred Eternal Sovereigns. And at its head, the one who ordered the attack on New Hope. Emperor Solaris of House Solaris. Chaos Sovereign Level 3. 3 Quintillion IF. He has been hunting our people for 100,000 years. He has been selling them to the highest bidder. He has been growing fat on their suffering."
Kafu's eyes blazed. "Show me."
The Warden opened the rift, and Kafu saw the caravan. Fifty ships, each one a fortress, each one carrying the wealth of a hundred worlds, each one carrying the souls of those who had been taken from New Hope. At its head, a ship of gold and crimson, its hull inscribed with the sigil of House Solaris. And on its bridge, Emperor Solaris himself—Chaos Sovereign Level 3, 3 Quintillion IF, his power amplified by the treasures he had stolen, his arrogance absolute.
[THE ROYAL CARAVAN — COMPLETE ASSESSMENT]
Ship Cargo Defenders Commander
Flagship Emperor Solaris, 100 Eternal Sovereigns 10,000 Eternal Celestials Emperor Solaris (Chaos Sovereign 3)
49 Support Ships 5 million slaves, treasures, artifacts 40,000 Eternal Celestials, 400 Eternal Sovereigns House Solaris Commanders
Kafu turned to his army. "The Warden will take the flagship. The Elite Guards will take the support ships. The Prison Guards will secure the slaves. The shadows will surround them. No one escapes. No one survives who does not kneel."
He raised the Dream Devourer. "Attack."
---
THE BATTLE — THE ROYAL CARAVAN FALLS
The Warden moved first. Etherial God Level 9, 999 Septendecillion IF, his power unleashed for the first time since he had become Kafu's slave. He appeared on the bridge of the flagship before Emperor Solaris could blink. His hand closed around the Chaos Sovereign's throat.
"Emperor Solaris. House Solaris. You ordered the attack on New Hope. You took what belonged to my master. You sold his people. You grew fat on their suffering."
Emperor Solaris's eyes widened. "The Warden? You serve the Scorpion King now? You—"
The Warden's grip tightened. "I serve. You will serve. Or you will die. Choose."
---
The Elite Guards struck the support ships. One thousand Eternal Sovereigns, their power bound to Kafu's will, their purpose absolute. They moved through the caravan like a tide of judgment, each one finding a ship, each one breaking its defenses, each one capturing its commander.
[ELITE GUARDS — SUPPORT SHIPS]
Ship Defender Time Result
1 House Solaris Commander (Eternal Sovereign 2) 30 seconds Captured, enslaved
2 House Lunaris Commander (Eternal Sovereign 1) 25 seconds Captured, enslaved
3 House Stellaris Commander (Eternal Sovereign 3) 45 seconds Captured, enslaved
4-49 Various Commanders (Eternal Sovereign 1-3) 10-60 seconds All captured, all enslaved
The Prison Guards secured the slaves. Ten thousand Eternal Celestials moved through the ships, breaking chains, opening cells, freeing the 5 million souls who had been taken from New Hope. They had waited 100,000 years for this moment. They would not wait longer.
[PRISON GUARDS — SLAVE LIBERATION]
Ship Slaves Freed Time
1-10 1,000,000 5 minutes
11-20 1,000,000 5 minutes
21-30 1,000,000 5 minutes
31-40 1,000,000 5 minutes
41-49 1,000,000 5 minutes
And the shadows surrounded them. 700 million shadows, their forms flickering, their power absolute, their purpose clear. No one escaped. No one fled. No one survived who did not kneel.
[SHADOWS — ENCIRCLEMENT]
Force Number Fate
Eternal Celestials 50,000 Captured, enslaved
Eternal Sovereigns 500 Captured, enslaved
Support Crew 10,000 Captured, enslaved
Escapees 0 None
---
THE ENSLAVEMENT — EMPEROR SOLARIS FALLS
The Warden dragged Emperor Solaris before Kafu. The Chaos Sovereign struggled, his power flaring, his pride refusing to break. He had ruled House Solaris for a billion years. He had never knelt. He would rather die.
Kafu looked at him, his gold-red eyes calm, his will pressing against the Chaos Sovereign's soul. "You ordered the attack on New Hope. You took my wives. You took my students. You took my shadows. You took Makena's crystal. You sold my people for 100,000 years. You grew fat on their suffering."
Emperor Solaris spat. "You are nothing. A slave who became a king. A king who became a monster. You killed a quadrillion souls. You ended 12 Eras. You are the Executioner returned. You are no better than us."
Kafu smiled. "I am better. I keep my promises."
His will pressed against the Chaos Sovereign's soul, and Emperor Solaris's will crumbled.
[EMPEROR SOLARIS — ENSLAVED]
Aspect Value
Name Emperor Solaris
House House Solaris
Realm Chaos Sovereign 3
IF 3 Quintillion IF
Role Commander of Royal Forces
New Role Kafu's Soul Slave, Commander of Captured Forces
The other commanders followed. One by one, they knelt. One by one, their souls were bound. The Royal Caravan was no more. Its ships were Kafu's. Its treasures were Kafu's. Its slaves were free. Its masters were bound.
[THE ROYAL CARAVAN — COMPLETE]
Force Fate
Emperor Solaris Enslaved
500 Eternal Sovereigns Enslaved
50,000 Eternal Celestials Enslaved
5 million slaves Freed
50 ships Captured
Treasures 50 Sextillion UC
---
THE SYSTEM UPDATE — THE HARVEST
The golden text blazed.
[DIVINE GOD SYSTEM — THE ROYAL CARAVAN]
Aspect Value
Enemies Enslaved 50,500 (1 Chaos Sovereign, 500 Eternal Sovereigns, 50,000 Eternal Celestials)
Slaves Freed 5,000,000
Treasures 50 Sextillion UC
Ships 50
Time 1 hour
Casualties 0
Kafu stood on the bridge of the flagship, his wives around him, his students behind him, his shadows waiting. The first blow had been struck. The first enemy had fallen. The first promise was being kept.
Kyrella stepped beside him. "The Royal Caravan is ours. Emperor Solaris is bound. Five million slaves are free. Where do we go next?"
Kafu looked at the star charts, at the 108,981 systems of the Miniature Universe, at the enemies who had grown fat on his silence. "The Cartels. The ones who sold our people. The ones who profited from our suffering. The ones who thought we would never return."
He turned to the Warden. "Lead."
The Warden bowed. "As you command, master."