The empire announced that they would celebrate for 3 days for surviving this catastrophe.

The enitire capital planet decorated itself for a grand festival like it was the birthday of the empire.

But inside the Sorus estate, the atmosphere was much quieter.

Noah sat in the grand library, leaning back in a velvet chair. At his feet, the small white puppy, the terrifying Demon Lord Lucius, was currently chewing on a dragon-hide rug.

Beelzebub, the black cat, sat on the desk, watching the puppy with narrowed, judgmental eyes.

"He is a disgrace to the Yenine name," Beelzebub hissed. "Look at him. He is wagging his tail because he found a loose thread."

The puppy stopped chewing and looked up, his big brown eyes shimmering.

"It is not my fault, Progenitor! My demonic instincts are being suppressed by this fluffy vessel! I feel an uncontrollable urge to be petted!" Lucius's voice echoed in their minds, sounding pathetic.

Noah ignored them both. He was looking at a holographic map of the universe.

To the common citizens of Aetherion, their empire was the center of the world.

But Noah knew the truth.

In the vastness of the "Great Void," there were 13 Primordial Empires that ruled the stars. These were the apex civilizations, the ones that dictated the laws of reality.

The balance of power was skewed heavily against humanity.

The Dragon Race had 4 Empires.

Ancient, physical gods of the void.

The Phoenix Race had 4 Empires.

Masters of eternal life and fire.

The Spirit Race had 3 Empires.

Beings of pure energy and law.

The Human Race had only 2 Empires. Aetherion and the Nova Empire.

Aetherion was the "infant" of the group, a mere 10 million years old.

Compared to the Dragon and Phoenix empires, which had existed for over 10 billion years, Aetherion was a speck of dust.

Humans were widely considered the weakest race. Physically fragile, short-lived, and lacking the innate divine bloodlines of the other three super cosmic races.

"The news has already leaked," Noah murmured, his eyes scanning the data streams.

"A High-Tier Demon appearing in a human border world and being 'slain.' The other empires will be curious. Some will be scared. But most..."

"Most will be offended," Beelzebub finished. "The Nova Empire, in particular. They have always viewed themselves as the 'True Humans.' They won't like Aetherion stealing the spotlight."

Millions of light-years away, in the heart of the Nova Empire, a very different meeting was taking place.

The Nova Empire was older, colder, and far more arrogant than Aetherion. They boasted a lineage that supposedly traced back to the first humans who mastered the stars.

Inside a hall made of solid starlight, twelve Elders sat around a floating table.

"Sir, a messenger from Aetherion has arrived," a scout reported, bowing low. "They have sent an invitation to their 'Catastrophe Survival' celebration. They are requesting a formal collaboration. A trade and defense pact between the two human empires."

An Elder with hair like silver wire let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

"A collaboration? They kill one pathetic, starving demon that crawled out of a hole, and suddenly they think they have the right to stand on equal ground with us? How pathetic."

"They have grown arrogant," another Elder added, his voice cold. "They have a new 'hero' named Noah. The reports say he dispatched the demon without breaking a sweat. It is likely an exaggeration to bolster their weak morale."

"We cannot allow this," a third Elder spoke up. "If the Spirit or Dragon races see Aetherion acting as our equal, it weakens the image of the Nova Empire. We should teach them a lesson before they truly begin to believe their own lies."

The Lead Elder, a man who looked like he was carved from stone, tapped his fingers on the table.

"A lesson, yes. But not a war. We shall propose a 'Cultural Exchange.' We will arrange a tournament. We will invite their 'Twelve Generals' and this Noah.We will allow even the Ancestors to participate. We will show them the overwhelming disparity between a newborn empire and a true power."

"Excellent," the group whispered. "Let us go to the Emperor and ask his opinion. He will enjoy watching the 'dogs' of Aetherion crawl."

Back on the capital planet of Aetherion, the celebration reached its peak.

The event was being broadcast across every star system in the empire. Billions of people tuned in to see the man who had saved their world.

Noah and his Twelve Generals were the guests of honor. They arrived at the Royal Palace in a fleet of golden carriages.

As Noah stepped out, wearing simple black robes that contrasted with the glittering silk of the nobles, the roar of the crowd was deafening.

The Twelve Generals walked behind him, their auras restrained but still overwhelming.

Inside the grand ballroom, the Emperor stood on a high dais. He looked older, tired from the stress of the near-apocalypse, but his eyes were bright with a new plan.

The music stopped. The Emperor stepped forward.

"Citizens of Aetherion!" his voice boomed through the speakers. "Today, we do not just celebrate survival. We celebrate a rebirth. For too long, we have lived in fear of the shadows. No more!"

He gestured toward Noah.

"By my royal decree, I hereby name Noah Sorus as the Supreme Protector of the Empire. This position carries the same weight, the same authority, and the same sovereignty as the Crown itself. Where Noah Sorus walks, he walks with the voice of the Empire!"

The room went silent.

This wasn't just a title. It was the Emperor handing over half of his soul.

The nobles looked at each other in shock. They were witnessing the birth of a Shadow Emperor.

Noah stood there, his expression bored. He didn't care for the title, but he knew it would make things easier.

He glanced down at the white puppy in his arms. Lucius was trying to lick Noah's chin.

"Don't do that," Noah whispered.

"Sorry, Master. The fluff. It compels me."

The Emperor was about to continue his speech when the air in the center of the ballroom suddenly buckled.

A high-pitched whine, like the sound of a tearing silk sheet, filled the hall.

The beautiful glass chandeliers shattered instantly.

A blinding ray of white light descended from the ceiling, slamming into the marble floor. The shockwave sent food, wine, and weaker nobles flying backward.

The Twelve Generals immediately stepped in front of Noah, their hands on their weapons, their eyes glowing with killing intent.

As the light faded, forty-five figures stood in the center of the room.

They were humans, but they didn't look like anyone from Aetherion.

They wore armor made of white celestial steel, and their eyes glowed with a faint, cold blue light.

The moment they appeared, an overwhelming, suffocating aura gushed out from them. It was heavy, dense, and arrogant.

It felt like the weight of an entire mountain range had been dropped onto the guests.

The Emperor gasped, his knees buckling.

Even the Ancestor of the Aetherion Royal Family, a man who had lived for muillions of years and was hiding in the shadows of the rafters, felt his breath catch.

At the front of the group stood a young man with a sneer plastered across his face. He looked around the decorated hall with pure disgust.

"So," the young man said, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "This is the 'Great Aetherion' we've heard so much about? It smells like sweat and desperation in here."

He stepped forward, his boots clicking loudly on the cracked marble.

He didn't look at the Emperor. He didn't look at the generals.

His eyes locked onto Noah, and specifically, the small white puppy in Noah's arms.

"We are the delegation from the Nova Empire," the young man announced. "We received your pathetic invitation for 'collaboration.' Our Emperor felt pity for you, so he sent us to see if you were even worth the breath it takes to speak your name."

He released a pulse of energy that cracked the floor beneath him.

"I am Valerius, the 4th Prince of Nova. I heard a rumor that a 'commoner' here defeated a demon. I've come to see if that commoner is a man, or just a lucky dog."

The Twelve Generals moved to strike, their power flaring, but Noah held up a hand.

The room was deathly quiet.

The citizens watching the broadcast held their breath.

The "Saviors of Aetherion" were being insulted in their own home by their own kin from the stars.

Noah looked at Valerius.

Then he looked at the forty-four elites behind him.

He didn't look scared. He didn't even look angry.

He looked like a man who had just found a bug in his soup.

"You're loud," Noah said simply.

The puppy in his arms, Lucius, growled. A tiny, high-pitched sound that didn't match the murderous intent in the demon's soul.

"Master, can I eat this one? He smells like arrogance and low-grade mana. It's making me hungry."

Noah patted the dog's head.

"Not yet, Lucius. Let's see how much they've brought for us to play with first."

Valerius laughed, a sharp, ugly sound.

"A puppy? You face the Nova Empire's elite with a pet? Aetherion is even more pathetic than the rumors suggested. If this is your 'Supreme Protector,' then this empire deserves to be erased."

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