CHAPTER 36: CH 36 THOUGH... THIS WILL DEFINITELY

And they all sensed it for the same reason the battlegroup of Kevin had before them: it wasn’t the size of the ship.

For their federation had many ships which were much larger than it and even had many bigger guns directed at them than this one in front of it, whose weapons, though being central, weren’t the same as their federation’s.

And yet, it seemed like this ship was a husk of unknown metal. It was like a beast—ancient, vast, and terrifying—leisurely drifting through space, dormant but unmistakably aware.

That was the feeling that clutched the hearts of every fleet member as they looked at Ragnarök. It wasn’t acting... and yet, it was watching.

this was the feeling that all the fleeter on board the 4500 ships of the white tiger legion fled the very same and that made them shiver into their core. a fear like anything they ever had: if the ship desired our fleet be gone. we most assuredly would be eliminated by it even if we try to defend our self let alone fight it.

that was the common view for all.

Though they were relieved that the monstrous vessel belonged to someone currently affiliated with their Federation—yes, they knew—it didn’t ease all their fears. Grand Admiral John had made a fleet-wide announcement ahead of time to prepare everyone for what was coming, though even he hadn’t expected this.

At the bridge of oblivion, Grand Admiral John Watcher stood frozen in a profound silence. Beads of sweat slowly rolled down his cheeks, and he didn’t even bother to wipe them away. He couldn’t—not when faced with the monstrous, beast-like aura emanating from the vessel before them.

Beside him, Fleet Admiral Natasha Watcher stood just as still. Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to speak—but no words came, no matter how hard she tried. Her hands had gone completely white from gripping the console so tightly that blood circulation had ceased.

Only after several moments passed—moments spent trying to compose themselves—did John finally murmur in a strained voice, "There’s a third energy field surrounding that ship..."

Yes—Ragnarok.

A transcendent-grade vessel capable of powering itself. But right now, it wasn’t using its internal reactors. Instead, it was drawing in the ambient mana around it to meet its needs. And that mana—what humanity called blue particles—was vast, overwhelming.

These particles, named for their color and the unique nature of the Uranus Galaxy, were far more visible here than in the dark, starry void of the Milky Way. The space itself glowed in hues of bright blue, and the Ragnarök was absorbing it in tremendous quantities.

"So much..." John whispered. "So many blue particles..."

But what truly shook him wasn’t just the amount—it was the aura forming at the ship’s center. It was unlike anything he’d ever sensed. Far beyond the divine-class God Pilots of the Federation—perhaps ten times more powerful.

No... a thousand times?

He tried to measure it, to estimate it logically. But he couldn’t. The numbers escaped him. The sheer scale defied comprehension.

Beside him, Natasha finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper.

"Kevin... was telling the truth the entire time, wasn’t he?"

Her eyes narrowed, fixed on the towering vessel beyond.

"And so was this William... the owner of this behemoth."

Her gaze sharpened as she studied it.

"This ship... it’s not Tier-7. No, not even Tier-8. It’s something beyond. If there’s even a category after that..."

And then... there was a flicker.

Something passed through Fleet Admiral Natasha’s gaze. Fleeting. Elusive. And just as quickly as it had appeared... it vanished.

It was fear. A small, subtle speck of fear that wormed its way through her usually unshakable composure.

Meanwhile, aboard the Ragnarok —a few moments earlier...

Ascendency had already been monitoring the movement of the White Tiger Legion’s battlegroup, racing toward their location at Warp Factor 6.

Her voice was neutral, mechanical yet unnervingly human.

"Sir, it appears what Fleet Admiral Natasha informed us was likely true. This fleet seems to be either the main battle group or part of it."

With a sharp snap of her fingers, the regional tactical map of Ragnarok zoomed out, revealing something just behind the White Tiger formation.

An entire star system away... another fleet.

Tens of thousands of ships were charging through hyperspace toward the same destination.

"This fleet—if you look closely," Ascendency continued without being prompted, "they’re also part of the White Tiger Legion. It’s likely the battlegroup has been split for strategic maneuvering."

She zoomed in on one particular ship, significantly larger than the rest—well over 7,000 meters long. Its sleek, cylindrical structure was accentuated by cooling rings positioned at the midsection, glowing faintly with ambient energy.

"This one," she said, highlighting the vessel, "is a warp ship. Or, in simpler terms... a mobile space gate."

Before Ascendency could finish her analysis, Elsa cut in, eyes sharp with realization.

"So you’re saying... they used that ship to open a gate—jumped ahead of the main force to immediately reinforce Admiral Kevin’s fleet?"A slow smile spread across her face."Got that right, didn’t I? Am I right?"

Ascendency gave a small nod."That you are, Elsa. Absolutely."

Elsa grinned, puffing out her chest in pride."Of course I’m right."

William’s mouth twitched slightly at Elsa’s little display—he couldn’t help but chuckle. A moment later, he began bickering with her, tossing playful remarks back and forth like a pair of squabbling kids.

Ascendency, standing nearby and very much feeling like a third wheel, silently placed a hand on her synthetic forehead.

"I can’t believe these two existences have lived for countless eras... and yet they still bicker like children. Always. And never get tired..." she muttered just loud enough.

Unfortunately for her, both William and Elsa heard every word.

They turned toward her in stunned silence.

"What?" Ascendency blinked, feigning innocence, as if she hadn’t just insulted two of the most powerful beings in the galaxy.

Elsa’s face flushed red—part shame, part embarrassment, and part indignation. She pointed at Ascendency.

"Y-You! Since when did you start throwing tantrums, huh?"

She crossed her arms, trying to look angry but failing terribly.

Ascendency didn’t miss a beat."Since today," she replied cheekily, her tone as flat as ever.

William couldn’t hold it anymore and burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha! Oh stars..

"Hahahaha! Oh stars..." William laughed, clutching his side.

Hearing his laugh, Elsa pointed at him with mock outrage."Youuu—!" she blurted.

Still chuckling, William quickly raised his hands in defense."Hey, hey! It’s not my fault, okay? Don’t point at me—go fight Ascendency!"

Elsa paused, nodded dramatically, then spun toward Ascendency with narrowed eyes, ready to fire back a rebuttal.

But unfortunately for her, a sharp chime echoed across the command deck.

All three of them instinctively turned toward the main console.

Ascendency, being closest, spoke in her usual calm, precise voice."They’ve arrived. Re-entering realspace now."

As she finished, their eyes lifted toward the high-definition holographic screen projected in front of them. It displayed the vast space surrounding the Ragnarok in stunning clarity.

They watched as the fabric of space twisted, folded—and then tore open.

Dozens. Hundreds. Thousands of ships erupted from subspace in flawless formation.

In just a few moments, over 4,500 vessels of the White Tiger Legion exited warp, graviton and spatial ripples distorting the light in waves behind them before slowly fading.

William tilted his head slightly, watching as the last ship emerged and the warp ripples vanished completely.

Then, he smiled and spoke aloud, as if declaring something both amusing and inevitable:"Well, looks like someone with real pull in the Federation finally showed up."

(Not that he had any personal issue with Admiral Kevin or the Federation’s internal process—but if there was a way to fast-track things, William definitely preferred that route.)

Elsa crossed her arms and huffed, still visibly annoyed with Ascendency. But for a moment, she shifted her focus. Revenge could wait.

Her gaze locked onto the newly arrived fleet, eyes narrowing on one particular vessel leading the formation. From its scale, structure, and distinct coloration, she could easily tell it was the flagship.

The ship was enormous—though not as massive as the Ragnarok—and undeniably impressive in its own right.

"That ship," Elsa said, pointing to the lead vessel, her voice still tinged with grumpiness, "belongs to the Federation’s Grand Admiral, doesn’t it?"

Though it sounded like a question, she already knew the answer. The data collected from Admiral Kevin’s fleet had included specs and visuals for this very ship.

William nodded, but seemed to pause."Yeah... What was it called again?"

Ascendency, ever reliable, filled in without missing a beat."Oblivion. A dreadnought-class battleship."

"Ah, right. Oblivion," William nodded. "And as you said, Elsa, that would make this the fleet of Grand Admiral John Watcher—Tier-1 Federation member and Council delegate."

He paused for a moment, eyes still fixed on the ship in the distance, before continuing with a slight smirk.

"This person being a Tier-1 elite... he could fast-track my approval—and the acceptance of my gift as well."

The grin on his face deepened. His voice carried just enough amusement to mask the underlying calculation.

Elsa nodded, arms still crossed, but her expression had grown more serious.

"Though... this will definitely draw some attention our way....