(Meanwhile, aboard a Su Clan Destroyer Ship, Su Yang's POV)

*Shing*

*Shing*

*Livestream noises*

Su Yang sharpened his sword against a whetstone with steady, practiced motions, the rhythmic scrape of metal against stone filling the quiet between bursts of distorted audio from the execution livestream playing on the holoscreen in front of him, as sparks flashed briefly with each pass and faded just as quickly, mirroring the tension building in his chest while Soron's image flickered across the projection.

The blade was already sharp enough to split hair, yet he kept going anyway, more out of habit than necessity, as his eyes remained fixed on the screen where Gods exchanged words meant to shake the universe, while his hands moved on instinct alone, grounding him in something simple and familiar.

"I still can't believe what I'm seeing…."

Su Yang muttered under his breath, the whetstone slowing slightly as his brows drew together.

"To think that the Righteous Faction would pull security from multiple resource rich worlds just to stage a spectacle like this, all because they were convinced the Cult needed to be crushed publicly rather than quietly…"

He exhaled through his nose.

"It's reckless. Arrogant. And for once, that arrogance is working in our favor."

He finally paused, lifting the blade to inspect its edge, before setting both sword and stone aside as his attention shifted fully to the larger picture forming in his mind.

"A planet like Notam doesn't stay exposed for long. Everyone knows what it holds. Mana stones, rare alloys, natural circuit amplifiers… resources that can empower a clan for generations if secured properly."

His fingers curled slowly.

"This is the kind of opening that changes a clan's destiny."

He said, as behind him, Su Tang's presence remained calm and unmoving, the clan patriarch seated with his hands folded loosely as he watched both his son and the livestream with equal scrutiny, his expression unreadable.

"You're not wrong in your assessment, son," Su Tang said at last, his voice low and deliberate.

"But you're still not seeing the full picture. You're thinking as a warrior, when what you need to learn is to think like the next patriarch."

Su Tang guided, as Su Yang raised an eyebrow at his words.

"What you're witnessing on that screen isn't just an execution that doesn't affect the Su Clan….

It's a turning point. And what comes off it will surely have grave consequences for us as well."

Su Tang said, as he leaned forward just enough to rest his forearms against the table.

"If the Cult collapses as a credible threat today, the Righteous Faction will need something else to point at, something else to unify against, and the Su Clan will then become the universe's next big villains."

There was no accusation in his tone, only warning.

"So yes, Notam is ripe. The timing is excellent. And today may very well strengthen the Su Clan's foundation."

A brief pause followed.

"But do not confuse opportunity with safety, or momentum with inevitability…. For power gained during chaos is always examined more harshly once order returns."

Su Tang guided patiently, as Su Yang finally nodded in quiet understanding, his inexperienced mind beginning to grasp the broader picture for the first time, as he realized that he had been watching the livestream from the wrong perspective altogether.

Until now, every glance at the broadcast had filled him with nothing but excitement, focused solely on the fact that many of the Righteous Faction's strongest Commanders and warriors were gathered on The Pit instead of guarding their home worlds.

And while that absence did make those planets easier targets in the present, what he had failed to account for was the future that followed such a move.

Because while today looked bright for the Su Clan, tomorrow, as his father had pointed out, remained uncertain at best.

The Su Clan was poised to raid, loot and destroy 9 Righteous Faction planets today, in hopes that the accumulated wealth would sustain their society for many centuries to come.

However, depending on the outcome of today's war on 'ThePit', their move today was either to go unnoticed, or brand them as the next big villains of the universe.

—---------------

(Meanwhile, on Planet Ixtal, Leo's POV)

Leo stood at the front of the command chamber, shoulders squared and back straight, his gaze fixed on the massive livestream projection hovering in the air before him, as the shifting light from The Pit washed across his face and reflected faintly in his eyes.

He barely blinked.

Around him, the Cult Commanders stood in formation, their presence heavy but disciplined, yet Leo did not turn to acknowledge them, as his focus remained anchored to a single figure on the screen, as he watched every minute change in Soron's posture, every pause between his words, every fraction of movement that could potentially carry meaning beyond what was spoken aloud.

'Not yet…'

The thought surfaced quietly, controlled, as his fingers curled slowly into his palms and then tightened further, the tension grounding rather than overwhelming him.

'Soron hasn't given the signal yet.'

He shifted his weight slightly, jaw setting as his eyes tracked the exchange unfolding on the livestream, his mind replaying every plan they had prepared in advance, every route plotted through hostile space, every fleet positioned just beyond detection, all of it balanced on the edge of activation.

This was the part Leo hated.

The waiting.

Not because he doubted the plan, but because he understood the cost of mistiming it, as moving even a moment too early or late would ruin everything.

'He's buying time.'

Leo thought, as his gaze hardened, the realization settling in with certainty rather than panic, as Leo recognized the deliberate pacing in Soron's words, the way he held attention without escalating and the way he refused to be drawn into a premature clash.

*Huff–*

Leo exhaled slowly through his nose, forcing his grip to loosen just enough to keep control, as he reminded himself that Soron had survived worse than this and that he had endured centuries of decay, betrayal, and pursuit without breaking.

Behind him, no one spoke, yet Leo could feel the readiness in the room, the restrained hunger for motion that mirrored his own, as every Commander waited for the same thing he was waiting for.

One signal.

One confirmation.

One moment where restraint would no longer serve them.

Leo leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing as the livestream continued, his attention sharpening rather than wavering.

'When it comes…'

His fingers flexed once.

'I won't hesitate.'

Because the instant Soron gave the signal—

The Cult would march to his rescue.

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