The Plaza was alive with thunderous celebration, but Adrian walked through it in silence. Every step felt heavier than the last, not because of the countless eyes fixed on him, nor because Helcarion's corpse lay behind him, but because the celebration meant only one thing: one storm had passed, and another, far darker, loomed on the horizon.
"Aethelia's chapter has ended," he thought. "Now, only the remaining threat is the Demon Emperor."
Warriors parted before him, their cheers still echoing off the white stone beneath their feet. Some reached out as if to touch him; others simply bowed.
But Adrian's focus was not here; he remembered the gaze he had felt at Nyseren. Now, after everything he had learned, he knew without a shred of doubt it was the Demon Emperor himself. And the sense he felt then was stronger than Arcton's divine concept by leagues.
He could not approach that enemy the way he approached Aethelia.
He would not be defeated by rage, nor by brute strength, nor by what worked against the Aethelian Empire. Adrian had to tread carefully.
And then there were the ancient cultivators scattered through the galaxy, beings about whom he knew next to nothing, possessing divine concepts beyond the reach of ordinary logic. Without understanding their intentions, power, or limits, rushing blindly would be the same as handing them his throat.
Behind him, Kai's voice rose above the crowd, hoarse from shouting. "To the Origin Emperor!"
The title rippled through the plaza like wildfire. Warriors took it up, chanting it in rhythm with their fists against their chests.
Adrian's jaw tightened; he hadn't claimed that title. Hadn't asked for it. But he understood what it meant: the galaxy would no longer see him as merely a clan patriarch. Whether he accepted it or not, the mantle had already settled across his shoulders.
He passed through the inner ring of the plaza where his core members stood. Elara's eyes met his, concern flickering across her features despite the pride radiating from her presence. Thomas stood beside her, arms crossed, his expression unreadable but his posture tense.
Selena stepped forward, "Adrian—"
"Not now," he said quietly.
She stopped, reading something in his tone that made her nod and step back.
Above him, the hatches of the five vessels opened, and the rulers emerged, descending together. Yet despite their unified approach, they lowered their posture in subtle deference as they drew near him.
The crowd's cheering faltered as the emperors descended, thousands of eyes turning upward to witness rulers of ancient empires moving with unmistakable respect toward a man who had founded his clan less than a year ago.
Lysandra reached him first and inclined her head in a rare gesture of open respect, "Origin Emperor."
Adrian arched a brow, "I haven't claimed that title."
"You don't need to," Lysandra replied, "You executed the Aethelian Emperor and dismantled his imperial clan. Whether you accept the title or not, the galaxy will give it to you."
Alice stepped beside her, "She's right. Yesterday, there were six empires. Today, there are still six, but Aethelia is no longer one of them."
Drazmir added, "Your people believe it already, look at them."
Adrian did. He saw his people, who now looked at him not as a leader but as something more, a symbol, a promise, a shield against everything the galaxy could throw at them.
Adrian nodded. He understood what this meant: an empire was not merely land; it was authority, protection, and structure. And if he wanted his people to be safe forever, truly safe, then eventually, he would need more than a clan. He would need a domain that could shield them from anything.
But right now, there was no room for coronations.
"We'll deal with this later," Adrian said, "The Demon Emperor will strike soon. None of this matters if he devours everything."
The rulers silently agreed. It was the reason they had come, the reason they risked leaving their sectors defenceless for these moments. The Demon Emperor's threat eclipsed territorial disputes, trade agreements, and even the fall of an empire.
Alice's gaze drifted to Helcarion's corpse, still lying where it had fallen, "What will you do with Aethelian territory?"
"Dissolve it," Adrian said without hesitation, "Let the vassal clans govern themselves. I have no interest in ruling them."
These clans were full of selfish and backstabbing beings; he didn't want to taint his empire by including them. If he was going to create one, then he would do it right.
Adrian turned toward the central structure of the Origin Construct, "Follow me, there is much to plan."
The rulers fell into step behind him. Emperors who had ruled for many millennia now walked the halls of the Origin Construct behind a young man. But none of them felt belittled, only aware that a new axis of power had emerged, and that they could no longer move without considering it.
...
They reached a circular chamber at the construct's heart, and they gathered around it.
Adrian stood opposite them, hands resting lightly on the table's edge. Behind him, Kaelith lingered near the entrance, silent but watchful.
He began without ceremony, "Until now, the Six Empires did not truly act united. Though the six empires have fought the Demon Empire together, it was never true unity. Each of you defended only your assigned sectors. You hoarded your strengths, protected your interests, guarded your knowledge like your lives depended on it."
Drazmir's jaw tightened, but he didn't interrupt.
"It worked only because the demons were equally scattered."
Adrian's gaze sharpened, "But now they are gathering. A single point of destruction aimed at the galaxy."
He leaned forward, "We cannot win this war unless we stand as one, a true unified front. No borders, no separate commands and no hidden agendas."
"The question is… are you willing?"
Silence filled the chamber.
Even after thousands of years of treaties and temporary alliances, no empire had ever fully shared its secrets or resources. They had always prepared for the demons, yes, but they had also prepared for the day they would fight each other. Old grudges, old fears, old ambitions. It was the way of the galaxy.
But this final war was not one they could handle alone.
Lysandra broke the silence, "The Demon Emperor will not wait for us to decide; When he moves, no empire will survive alone. Every ruler, every clan, every family will burn unless we stand together."
She met Adrian's gaze directly, "Lexaria will share all knowledge we possess."
The chamber stirred.
Drazmir's head turned sharply toward her.
For tens of thousands of years, Lexaria had thrived by hoarding knowledge and slowly releasing it to the galaxy. It was their foundation, their identity. For Lysandra to offer all their archives now…
It shook the other rulers deeply.
Drazmir then nodded, "Emberion will commit its armies. Our warriors will burn the void before we let demons reach our people."
Emperor Zerathul folded his arms, "Volkrith will also deploy our military powers in total. Our fleets and commanders will be at the unified front's disposal."
Emperor Seranth of Scaelith inclined his head, "Our worlds generate mana at rates unmatched in the galaxy. We will supply all required mana crystals, regardless of scale."
Alice finished last, "Duranthia will forge starships, weapons, armour, and support gear for the new unified front. Unlike before, we will not limit our efforts to our own sector."
Slowly, five empires aligned, and then all eyes turned to Adrian.
It was time for the Origin Empire, though not yet proclaimed fully, to declare its contribution.
Adrian knew that this moment mattered. His answer would define the Origin Empire's true value, and it should not just be Adrian's personal strength.
He had to show that the Origin Empire was a force that had its own advantages.