CHAPTER 40: CH- 40 A DECLARATION OF SOLIDARITY-1 (REVISED)

There was a pause as those titles hung in the air, momentarily heavy with meaning. The name, the titles—they painted a far clearer picture of William than anything he had revealed to Kallus or others so far.

But then, as if acknowledging the present reality, he added with a faint smile,

"Of course, those titles have little weight here. There is no Terra Empire in this universe...."

The Grand Admiral was momentarily taken aback by the titles William had just revealed—titles he was certain had never been mentioned in Kevin’s report. If they had, Kevin would have made a note of it. And it wasn’t just him. Admiral Natasha, his wife, mirrored his stunned reaction.

There was a reason for their surprise—and it was immense.

If what this man claimed was true—if he had truly given them Tier-7 technologies and commanded the colossal vessel floating in front of them, a ship that was clearly far beyond Tier-7 in design—then that could only mean one thing: the Terra Empire was a civilization operating on a level far beyond the Federation.

The Federation, even at its peak, was a Tier-6 power. But this... this was something vastly superior.

And now, this William was revealing that he was the Supreme Commander of the Terra Empire’s naval forces, a man of royal rank second only to the Empress herself. That placed him above them not just in military power, but in hierarchy and influence as well.

Even if they weren’t citizens of the Terra Empire—or had never even heard of it before—and even if they were completely unrelated to it in any way, the claims William had just made were hard to ignore. Yes, claims—ones they were still struggling to believe.

The idea that the Terra Empire was not of this universe but from another entirely... it sounded impossible.

And yet, despite how unbelievable it all seemed, neither the empire nor William could be dismissed so easily. What he had just said carried weight—far more than they were prepared for.

He was no ordinary visitor.

While the truth was difficult to accept, it wasn’t entirely unexpected either.

After all, how else could one explain William possessing a ship of such immense size and power? And how could anyone ignore the fact that he wielded weapons far surpassing the Federation’s peak Tier-6 technology—so advanced that he dismissed them as if they were nothing?

What shocked them even more was his casual willingness to gift not one, but two Tier-7 warships—technology the Federation believed would take countless years, if not centuries, to develop on their own.

And yet here he was, offering it without hesitation.

Their expressions grew serious. Grand Admiral John finally broke the silence.

"Mr. William," he began cautiously, "are you saying you came from a different universe? How can you be so certain? And more importantly—why are you even here? Was your arrival accidental? Or were you sent for a reason beyond your control?"

His voice carried a note of skepticism, but also a trace of curiosity—because deep down, he was beginning to believe it. In a world where technology could rewrite the laws of reality, even inter-universal travel no longer sounded impossible.

William responded with the same calm smile that had never left his face.

"Indeed, Grand Admiral John. I can see that you’re just as skeptical as Admiral Kevin was," he said, his tone relaxed but assured. "But I see no reason to lie to any of you. What I’ve told you is the truth."

He folded his arms behind his back as he continued, "As for your question—yes, my arrival was... accidental."

He paused briefly, then began explaining, "I was en route from one region of my empire to another aboard the Ragnarök when an unexpected hyperspace disturbance occurred. We were forced to exit hyperspace prematurely. Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—at the exact location we emerged, a quantum wormhole opened. My ship and I were pulled in before we could react... and that’s how we ended up here."

John and Natasha exchanged glances as William continued.

"You asked how I know this is a different universe altogether," he said, his tone now slightly more serious. "The answer lies in the quantum charge. Every universe has its own unique quantum signature—its fundamental constants and background radiation values. And this one... is vastly different from my own.

If I had simply jumped between galaxies, the difference would’ve been negligible—just as your Federation has done through its own methods and with full awareness.

But my case is different. The shift I experienced was massive... and undeniable. That’s how we’re certain: this isn’t just another galaxy.

This is an entirely different universe."

He let that sink in for a moment before finishing with a shrug.

"As for why I’m here... well, I didn’t exactly have a choice, did I?" William said with a faint smirk. "I don’t have access to quantum tuning-class equipment that could let me return to my original universe."

Before he could finish, Admiral Natasha—silent until now—spoke up from John’s side, a subtle smile forming on her lips."So what you’re saying, Mr. William... is that you’re stranded here. Am I right?"

William looked at her through the holographic screen—and through his divine sense as well. He nodded casually."Indeed, Miss Natasha Watcher. You are right."

His eyes flicked between the admirals. "Once I realized that, I began searching the stars, hoping to find any sign of the human race. Eventually, I came across your Red Horizon fleet... and when I saw they were under attack, I intervened."

A flicker of thought passed across Grand Admiral John’s face as he silently processed everything William had just revealed. He couldn’t help but feel a sliver of doubt. The story—though detailed—seemed too conveniently aligned.

A hyperspace instability... followed immediately by the sudden appearance of a quantum portal... and then a jump into an entirely different universe? The sequence of events felt too precise, almost scripted.

And yet, space was vast. As immeasurable as it was, it was also filled with unknowns—phenomena beyond current comprehension. Could such a string of events, improbable as they sounded, actually happen? Perhaps.

In the great expanse of the cosmos, where probability danced with mystery, even the rarest outcomes had a chance.

Still, another thought tugged at him—one deeper and a bit more strategic.

Gifts from powerful empires rarely come without consequences.

Even if he asks for nothing today... what about tomorrow?

William may now be a universe away from his empire, with no known way to reconnect—but the possibility still lingers. Who’s to say the link won’t be reestablished one day? And when it is... what then?

And if that time ever came—if he reestablished that link—then the possibility couldn’t be ignored:

Empires didn’t always conquer with guns.Sometimes, they came bearing gifts.

And when they did, the outcome could be just as irreversible.

William noticed the flicker in John’s expression—subtle, but telling.