Published at 22nd of December 2025 7:16 am

Chapter 1859 A tense meeting

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"...The Supreme Sword of the Shadow Swords, Theo?"

A strange, almost unsettling smile-confident, self-assured, and provocatively teasing-spread across Orion's face, curling at the edges in a way that was both challenging and strangely amused.

"..?!"

Hedrick's single eye narrowed sharply at the sudden, unexpected question, his brow furrowing in irritation and surprise. Even Heigra and Draice, seasoned veterans with years of experience and countless battles behind them, could not hide the fleeting shock and discomfort that crept across their faces. Their hearts skipped a beat, but their faces betrayed nothing-yet inside, a storm of disbelief and tension churned.

From the very beginning of the war until now, Theo had never shown himself. Not once. His identity had never been revealed; no one had seen a single image of him. Even after the Shadow Swords' secret involvement in the war had been exposed-barely enough to prove their existence-no one had learned the name, the face, or the presence of their mysterious leader. He had remained a ghost, a rumor, a shadow among shadows.

And yet, here he stood. His appearance in this moment was not inherently strange; after all, ever since the Shadow Swords' intervention had become known, their dark, sleek spacecraft were occasionally spotted on battlefields. Their operatives could be seen standing beside Marshals of the Crumbled Dreams Empire, silent and observant. It was not odd, therefore, to see someone standing behind Lord Hedrick during this delicate negotiation.

The real shock... was that Orion had recognized him instantly. Not vaguely, not by chance, but with absolute certainty, as though Theo's image had been burned into his mind long ago.

Yet the strangest part of all-Theo showed no sign of surprise, no flicker of hesitation, no trace of emotion. He looked directly into Lord Orion's eyes, his gaze steady, calm, and calculating.

"I am genuinely flattered that the Lord still remembers my face," Theo said quietly, almost casually, yet every word carried a subtle weight, a challenge cloaked in civility.

"Remembers?" Hedrick's single eye snapped toward Orion with controlled anger, his voice low and simmering with tension. "Have the two of you met before?"

".." Heigra's eyes followed Theo with barely restrained intensity. A dangerous, quiet storm of killing intent simmered behind her calm exterior. Thinking carefully, she realized something unsettling: Theo had insisted on coming personally. Had he arrived here with some hidden agenda, perhaps to betray them, to switch sides at the last moment?

"No. I have never been privileged to meet the Lord in person," Theo continued, his gaze unwavering, locked on Orion. "But I know perfectly well when Lord Orion saw my picture, who provided it, and exactly where it occurred."

A faint, ghostly smile touched his lips, subtle but unmistakable.

"It is remarkable that the features of a simple Martial Emperor like myself could remain in your memory for twenty-eight full days, Lord."

"...?!?!" Orion's confident, almost teasing smile vanished instantly, replaced by a flicker of unease.

"Are you... spying on me?" he demanded, incredulous.

Theo's expression remained impassive, completely unreadable, betraying no hint of emotion.

"Oh? So it is acceptable for Your Grace to investigate my image, yet somehow impermissible for me to gather a few pieces of information in my own way? Truly fascinating. In truth, you did not need to spend all those resources searching for me. I do not appear out of fear, nor out of a desire to remain mysterious. I simply have no reason to show myself. Your battle is with Lord Hedrick, not with me."

He raised his chin slightly, the movement deliberate, composed.

"But since you are so eager to see me, here I am, standing before you entirely of my own volition."

"Ahahaha!" Hedrick's voice erupted in deep, unrestrained laughter.

It was the first time in centuries-perhaps even in millennia-that he had laughed so freely, so fully. The sound seemed to fill the space of the tent, echoing faintly off its pristine, white walls.

Orion's expression soured, his annoyance flickering for less than a heartbeat. His aura remained unchanged, calm and unreadable, betraying none of the inner calculations and thoughts racing behind his eyes. He simply continued to study Theo, a few seconds passing in tense observation before he nodded twice subtly, his gaze then flicking toward Hedrick.

"I see you're in high spirits today," Orion said, his tone calm but observant, as if noting every nuance in Hedrick's expression.

"Honestly? I am reveling in it. Hahaha." Hedrick struck his knee lightly, his laughter echoing faintly again.

"No matter, no matter. Everyone has the right to laugh as they wish," Orion said, nodding with composed detachment. "Perhaps I should laugh as well... considering that one among us has now become a wanderer without a place to call home?"

"Ha-" Hedrick's laughter stopped abruptly, mid-sound, his expression hardening immediately.

"No. You do not get to laugh. I have fought in the greatest cosmic war of the modern era a war against three mighty Behemoths-and here I stand, invited to negotiations to end that war. I have come here as the victorious side, not as one to be mocked or belittled! I arrived with the authority of triumph in my hand, and I will not be treated as if I am a mere participant in this farce."

"I can't even begin to properly analyze this utter farce, with all due respect," Orion continued, his calm smile carrying a mixture of amusement and controlled frustration. "You are literally a wanderer, a man without a fixed home or base. All that remains to you is the planet Shazar, a moving piece that shifts its position every few days. Do you even have true control over its location at this very moment? Of course not. At any sign of danger, your followers will relocate it without hesitation... You are a man who doesn't even know where his own home is, who cannot claim dominion over anything that should be yours."

"Secondly," Orion furrowed his brows, his tone sharpening, "you claim to have fought against three Behemoths? Do you seriously count the Bright Galaxy among your enemies? We have not so much as fired a single arrow in your direction. Just because we chose silence, suddenly we become your enemies, and you claim victory over us? I do not know whether you say this merely to boost the morale of your soldiers or if you actually believe, in some deluded way, that you defeated us. Either way, I suggest you reconsider the way you phrase these claims, lest you appear foolish-a man who speaks without thought, blind to his own reality."

"...And putting aside the Bright Galaxy, what of the other two Behemoths you claim to have fought? The Savage Behemoth and the Cursed Behemoth remained entirely inactive. Their galaxies did not mobilize their full fleets or armies, not even all of their sons, nor their grandchildren. You might say you have some form of conflict with these galaxies, perhaps a disagreement, but to claim that you fought the Behemoths and emerged victorious? That is nothing but outright deception."

"Thirdly, why do you even call yourself victorious? What, in your mind, constitutes victory?" Orion leaned sligtly forward, emphasizing each word. "You entered these skirmishes while commanding a starfield and controlling five hundred fleets under your command. And now? You are nothing but a wanderer, stripped of almost all power, your original fleets reduced to fewer than one hundred. You possess nothing more than yourself and a handful of your most loyal followers." His gaze flicked upward briefly toward Theo. "And, of course, your partners-the few who still stand by your side." Then Orion returned his piercing gaze to Hedrick. "No, Lord Hedrick. I did not

invite you here as the victorious party, nor because you are deserving of such an honor. You have been invited because your prolonged skirmishes with external powers have unsettled and disturbed our people. Your endless maneuvering has caused enough friction. It is time to end this charade, once

and for all."

"..." Hedrick absorbed this verbal onslaught, letting the words sink in. He stared at Orion for a long moment, a tense silence hanging in the air. Then, as if shrugging off the weight of the insults, he leaned back comfortably in the chair, stretching out with ease, and allowed a provocative, self-assured smile to spread across his face. "Oh, but I have won. Without a shadow of a doubt, I have emerged victorious."

"Detaching yourself from reality will do you no good!!" Orion's fists clenched tightly, and he raised his voice just enough to echo through the tent. "Ask any dog or cat in the streets, and they will tell you that your position in this war is hopeless. You have reached a dead end. You have already been defeated, stripped of everything you once controlled. You have lost all-everything!" "Hahaha!" Hedrick's laughter rang out loud and clear, booming within the tent.

"And here you are, stepping down from your ivory throne to negotiate with a man who has already been defeated. My heart almost shatters from the mix of mercy and... debauchery-ah, pardon me, I mean purity!" He then shifted his expression suddenly to one of sharp irritation. "Why waste time with formalities? Let us dispense with the preliminaries and get straight to the

matter at hand."

"... Very well. Orion nodded slowly, composing himself, and adjusted his posture to sit straighter. "I have spoken with Lord Zarion, representing the Savage Behemoth's galaxy in these skirmishes, and with King Alfir, representing the Cursed Behemoth's galaxy. I have listened to their proposals carefully and deliberated on a compromise. And so, I have come to present a solution that balances both sides' interests." Orion fixed his sharp gaze on Hedrick. "Lord Hedrick, the truth is clear: you are no longer welcome in the Mid-101 Sector. Your presence is not desired, and your authority here is no longer recognized."

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