Vito Multiverse Administration.
Inside the colossal silver spire floating within the rifts between multiverses, the atmosphere in the grand hall was tense.
Representatives of the highest civilizations had gathered, their expressions grave as they finished reading the preliminary report from Marshal Calvin of the Luminous Empire regarding the conflict in the Aresia Galaxy.
"Absurd!"
"Utter foolishness!"
The psychic waves of the Void Spirit Patriarch reverberated through the chamber, brimming with fury.
"The Rivenblade Dynasty, the Dark Mechanicus… those parasites who know nothing but plunder and internal strife!"
"At a time when the entire universe stands on the brink of annihilation from the twin threats of the Abyss and the Zerg, they still wage war for petty personal gain?!"
"Do they have no sense of the bigger picture? No respect for the Cosmic Accord?!"
The Crystal Cluster Collective, a hive-mind intelligence, spoke in cold, synthesized tones.
"Such actions, which fracture unity and squander the universe's living strength, must be punished. I propose we immediately activate the sanction protocols."
As the delegates fumed and denounced those reckless interstellar factions, the massive communication sigil at the center of the hall suddenly flared to life.
Marshal Calvin's holographic projection appeared—his image unusually solid, his demeanor steadier than before, his eyes carrying a strange, conflicted light.
"Please, everyone," Calvin's calm voice carried clearly across the hall.
"Hold your anger for now."
"Do you have new information, Marshal Calvin?"
"Yes," he replied gravely. "About the Aresia incident."
"I believe I must present a truth that goes far beyond anything we have understood before."
The hall fell silent as countless eyes turned toward him. Then, in a tone both composed and deeply impactful, Calvin began to recount what he had witnessed in Dalton.
He told of how a supposedly primitive Aresia world, through its own strength alone, had devastated the invading interstellar forces.
He spoke of Princess Elizabeth, whose "Judgment Sword Intent" had reached a level surpassing all known Imperial records—domineering and absolute.
He described Aragis, who, despite being one rank lower, had battled him—an Astral Archmage—on equal footing within an independent Void Battlefield.
And then came the descriptions of Dalton Town—its reality-defying magnificence, its boundless luxury, and finally, that World Tree, rooted in infinite void, seemingly sustaining the laws of a thousand worlds.
By the time he finished, the hall was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
Every representative wore a look of disbelief.
A barren star sector?
A low-magic world?
Was this some kind of joke?
Had Calvin not been who he was, they might have already expelled him for such blasphemous nonsense.
Calvin's gaze swept across the stunned faces, and inwardly, he felt a surge of satisfaction.
What's the matter—you don't believe it?Good. I wouldn't either if I hadn't seen it myself.
But the fact that these words were coming from him—that made all the difference.
So, you arrogant administrators of the multiverse, always claiming omniscience…
How does it feel to be blindsided?
"Therefore," Calvin continued, "it wasn't a case of the strong bullying the weak."
"It was the greedy, short-sighted fools trying to bite off more than they could chew—trying to gnaw on a slumbering dragon."
"The power and potential hidden within Dalton far exceed all our previous evaluations."
He paused deliberately, letting the tension swell—then dropped the final bombshell.
"As for the ruler of that miraculous city—the man known as President Leo Grey—I was completely unable to perceive his aura or rank."
He looked around, his tone slow and measured.
"The feeling he gave me… of unfathomable depth and power… far surpasses that of anyone here—even Emperor Orladin at the peak of his reign!"
"It is the presence of one who stands beyond our very framework of understanding."
Boom!
The statement hit like a supernova detonating in the tranquil void.
The entire administrative hall erupted!
"Impossible!"
"Calvin! Are you certain your senses weren't disrupted?!"
"Someone beyond all of us?!"
"That's absurd! We represent the apex of known cosmic power!"
"It's inconceivable that a being from such a low-magic region could surpass us!"
"But how do you explain Dalton's rise, then?"
"Calvin, your sense of humor seems to have improved lately—what a fine story you've spun!"
Voices overlapped—skepticism, fear, indignation, confusion—all crashing together.
These were the sovereigns of their respective universes, entities who ruled with godlike pride.
Now they were being told that a backwater realm's leader eclipsed them all—
It shattered everything they believed in.
To them, it would be easier to believe that the long-dead Emperor Orladin had just climbed out of his coffin, alive and well!
Then, after the storm of outrage, a heavy silence descended once more.
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances before fixing their eyes again on the calmly smiling Calvin.
An elder from the Elven Alliance finally spoke, his voice dry and trembling.
"Marshal Calvin… are you certain you're not joking?"
"Of course," Calvin said evenly, though inwardly he was savoring the moment.
"Every word I said is true."
The hall fell into uneasy murmurs.
"If what you claim is true," another representative asked carefully, "then what is Dalton's stance regarding this conflict?"
"Do they harbor resentment toward other cosmic factions?"
"In these dire times, we cannot afford to have such a powerful force potentially turning hostile!"
That was the weight pressing upon every heart.
Anyone would bear grudges after being attacked without cause by extracosmic invaders.
Fortunately, Calvin offered a piece of good news.
"Please, rest assured."
"Before I departed, President Leo personally stated that the Dalton Civilization is willing to join the Temporal Management Committee (TMC)—to stand with us against the impending cataclysms and to safeguard peace and stability across the multiverse."
"That's excellent!"
"If what Calvin says is true, Dalton's inclusion would be an enormous boon to our cause!"
"Indeed, with such an ally, we'd stand a far better chance against the Abyss and the Zerg!"
Joy swept through the delegates.
The oppressive tension was replaced by a rising wave of relief and excitement.
Even if Calvin's account contained exaggerations, one thing was undeniable—
Dalton's civilization possessed tremendous power.
Gaining them as an ally was like catching a glimpse of light before the coming dark.
But just as the optimism began to swell—
Calvin spoke again, his voice carrying an ambiguous undertone.
"However… there is one more thing."
All eyes instantly refocused on him, curiosity piqued.
What else could there be?
Before he could elaborate, the heavy doors of the hall burst open with a thunderous crash.
A multiversal liaison officer rushed in, face pale, breath unsteady.
He didn't even bow before blurting out:
"My lords! Urgent report!"
"We've just received official responses from the Council of Star Spirits, the Titan-descendant faction Heart of Mountains, and the Void Predator Dominion!"
"They have unanimously refused to sign the Pan-Universal Cataclysm Defense Accord!"
"They claim that the so-called 'Abyssal Threat' is merely a conspiracy by the TMC—an excuse to consolidate power and seize control of the universe!"
"And they've issued a warning—for us to stay out of their affairs!"