Behind the legion's formation, space began to ripple like water, sending out concentric waves of silver light.
At the center of those ripples, something colossal was slowly emerging into reality.
The first thing that appeared was not a ship—but a flag.
A massive battle standard, billowing without wind, entered the field of vision.
On it was emblazoned a sharp, minimalist emblem of a lance and shield—a mark that radiated the weight of steel and unyielding resolve.
Simply gazing upon it made one's soul tremble with solemn reverence.
Then, from the silver distortion, an entire army began to materialize.
Their number was small—only one hundred thousand.
Compared to the two million soldiers assembled ahead, they seemed insignificant.
And yet, the instant they appeared, the atmosphere across the entire staging ground changed.
Two million pairs of eyes turned toward this army of steel.
Each rider sat astride a Starflame Beast, towering creatures the size of small mountains, their bodies clad in armor that shimmered like a blend of liquid metal and shadow.
Atop these beasts sat the knights of the Dalton Order—ten thousand upon ten thousand, encased in bastion-grade heavy armor,holding tower shields and Dawn Lances, with rune-engraved greatswords hanging from their waists.
No energy leaked from their armor, no aura spilled into the void—yet the sheer density of their restrained power made every watching soul quiver.
At the front of this steel phalanx sat Aragis, mounted upon the King of the Starflame Beasts.
His calm was absolute—Elizabeth's sharpness, Reize's wildness—both seemed to dissolve before the sheer gravity of his composure.
Every Dalton soldier looked at the knights with burning eyes.
They knew—this was President Leo's sharpest spear and strongest shield.
The weapon that decided battles in the most desperate of wars.
For thirty years, countless formidable foes had fallen beneath this silent, unstoppable legion.
Aragis's gaze met Elizabeth's across the sky.No words were exchanged—only a faint nod.
Elizabeth drew a deep breath, turned, and raised her voice—cold and resolute enough to shake the stars.
"All forces, heed my command!Target: K-77 Core Rift Zone.Advance!"
Under her command, the vast army—like a river forged of steel—surged toward the deep reaches of space.
Watching their departure, Leo's expression softened into a proud smile.
Through endless battles of blood and fire, the warriors of Dalton had grown—no longer seedlings beneath his care, but towering oaks that could stand on their own.
At the edge of the K-77 Star Sector, aboard the United Defense Line's Command Bridge.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!!!
With sounds like the breaking of cosmic bones, the unstable sub-spatial rift was torn completely open by an immense, unseen force.
In the next instant, it was as though the gates of Hell had been thrown wide—legions of demons and carapaced Void Zerg poured forth in a furious tide!
On the front line,ancient arcane arrays inherited from bygone eras flared to life, weaving radiant walls of light.
Energy beams, elemental storms, and spatial traps erupted in all directions, a desperate effort to hold back the flood of annihilation.
Countless low-tier demons and vanguard insects were vaporized in the radiance—but that was only the surface.
Within moments, cracks began spidering through the "impregnable" defense line under the relentless assault.
Inside the cramped bridge, commanders, engineers, and espers from dozens of civilizations shouted over one another, their eyes fixed on the tactical star map.
On the display, a crimson tide—representing the demonic swarm—was rapidly consuming the shrinking field of blue.
"Observation Point Seven has gone dark! Repeat, Point Seven lost!"
"High-concentration abyssal energy detected! Sensors are failing!"
"Commander! Left flank swarm of Plunderer-class units— they've breached the auto-turret network!"
Bad news fell like hail.
General Weir, coordinator of the entire defense, wiped the sweat from his brow and seized the comms console.
"Where's the Luminous Empire fleet?! We need their holy light barriers for the first wave—NOW!"
The calm voice of the captain of the Pious Faith came through the speakers.
"Pious Faith is in position.In the name of His Imperial Majesty—the **Holy Light shall cleanse all corruption!*"
Through the viewport, one could see the empire's warships forming luminous golden domes, pushing back the advancing tide of darkness.
When the sanctified runes met the foul miasma, they hissed with a sickening zzzzzzzt.
"Holy Light barrier integrity down forty percent… fifty…!"
The Empire's technicians trembled as they reported the losses.
Captain Augustus clenched his sword and murmured to his adjutant,
"Inform the rear lines. Tell them we need reinforcements—immediately. Report the situation to Marshal Calvin."
For the Empire. For His Majesty. No price was too high. But how long could this fragile wall hold?
On another flank, massive crystalline ships shimmered like floating water sculptures—the Crystal Cluster Civilization's fleet.
Their invisible force fields spread outward, imposing order upon the chaotic demonic swarm.
"Damn it! Has the elves' psionic barrier not been formed yet?!"
Weir roared into another comm link.
"Ethereal Trade Union! Where's your support equipment?! The front line needs reinforcement, now!"
As he barked orders, the situation worsened—the Plunderer-class Zerg were seconds away from overrunning the left flank.
And then—precise bursts of energy struck the swarm's joints and power cores.
A ragged cheer went up.
It was the Wings of Freedom Mercenary Corps—their battered old ships darting through the edges of the battlefield like nimble eels, using experience and courage to offset their outdated gear.
"Old John! The left's yours!"
"Got it, boss! These bugs ain't even enough for breakfast!"
Their laughter filled the channel—gruff, fearless, defiant.
The veteran commander watched as more of his comrades' signals winked out one by one, and a wry smile tugged at his lips.
Maybe we'll die here in the Starsea, he thought.
But at least, we'll die with no regrets.
And then—a terrifying presence surged from behind the front lines.
"Dalton—by order of the President—has come to reinforce the line!"
A cold, commanding female voice cut through the comm noise like a blade.
From the rift of space, enormous battleships emerged, glowing with flowing blue runes.
Each hull was lined with countless launch bays—an overwhelming promise of destruction.
On the flagship, a crest stood out clearly—a sprouting life seedling, the unmistakable symbol of Dalton Town.
"It's Dalton! They're here!"
"By the stars—those ships are enormous!"
"I've heard rumors for years about Dalton's army, but seeing it with my own eyes…"
"Incredible… our weapons couldn't even scratch their armor!"
Shouts of disbelief and awe rippled through the defensive ranks.
Moments later, Dalton's warships activated their energy shields, spreading a radiant blue glow across the starfield.
And at the heart of it all—Elizabeth herself stood before her million-strong Dalton Army,their formations gleaming with perfect discipline,their resolve burning bright as iron.
The sight left every soldier on the defense line stunned into silence.
The precision, the unity, the sheer presence of this force—it was far beyond anything they had imagined.
And yet—this was only the beginning.