1814 Subtle The activity near the borders of the Three Pillar Sector was very subtle. In fact, from an outside observer, it was hard to tell that anything out of the norm was happening at all. The trading routes were still moving as usual, tourists still moved in and out as many without families and organizations to rely upon tried to move closer to Earth in hopes of gaining better lives, at the same time, those who had the foresight to see the coming implosion were doing the exact opposite, making their way out to stiller waters. Under all of this normal activity, though, an undercurrent was slowly building momentum. Covertly, several powers began to come together having been emboldened by the retreat of Shield Cross Stars. Although things had been tense before, they had never reached this extent. The power of the Shield was far too great and even those who were greedy had to temper their impulses. However, with the apparent hot-headed and foolish decision of Alienor, these lurking threats became very real threats. "How much longer?" "We still need a few more hours. This is already fast. If we move any faster, we'll expose ourselves and our organization will be lacking. The most important leg of this war will happen right in the beginning. During the first push, we need to claim at least half of the Three Pillar Sector. We'll need to secure all of the fast lanes toward the Rain Galaxy." "A few hours is fine." Of the two speaking, one was the Patriarch of the O'Neil family and the other was a Patriarch of the Bliss family. They were currently in a warship hanger, waiting for everything to be prepared to move out. Most of their warriors were already boarded and they were just waiting in silence for the signal. There were quite a few families that could control galaxies within the Three Pillar Sector and the surrounding Sectors and these were just two of them. It could be said that in the grand scheme, they were small fry, but it was also because of this that they would be leading the charge ahead first. It couldn't be helped. As the weak, if they wanted to change their fates, they had to take some risks. It was too dangerous to target families within the Three Pillar Sector, but from other surrounding Sectors, it was much easier. Given the short duration between the disappearance of Shield Cross Stars and this attack as well, it was only right that only those that had been corrupted long ago would partake. There wasn't time to convert others. Regardless, this didn't matter to them. As they saw it, Earth was nothing but loose soil. Even their own families warred against one another. With the obstruction of Shield Cross Stars, this battle was as good as won. They didn't need to do anything as crazy as conquering the Ascension Empire, although these few family heads didn't doubt that this was the goal of their superiors, all they wanted was a small piece of the pie. Suddenly... BOOM! Without a word, without warning, the entire hanger was eviscerated, wiped from existence as though it had never existed. The chatting Patriarchs didn't even register what happened and weren't even aware enough to know that they had just spoken their last words and had their last thoughts. This matter was repeated dozens of times over. Entire armies of the absolute elite wiped out one after another, like clockwork. It all happened so fast that information couldn't even make it back. It was only after news of the chain of explosions was known that the so-called "superiors" realized that they had actually been preemptively targeted, but none of them could understand how news of this had leaked. Even if one of their allies were traitors, those small fry would at most know their assigned gathering location. Even in the upper echelon, only a very select few who were aware of all of the locations, but all of these individuals had way too much to lose to betray them, if they didn't they would have never been trusted to begin with. Unfortunately, before these superiors could understand what was happening, an army descended on their location. In an instant, a battle that should have been waged in the Three Pillar Sector was fought at its borders, the citizens of the Ascension Empire completely oblivious to what was happening. Leonel stood on the bow of his flagship, his gaze sharp. To his left, an unhappy Harmony side. But at the moment, she could only obediently be used as a pawn. Leonel seemed to have every intention of making use of her without a care for her status. To his right, there was a slightly skeptical Aina. But seeing the unhappy expression on Harmony's face, she could only choose to trust Leonel. Behind them, the flagship was flooded with warriors prepared to battle. Leonel took a step forward, raising his foot and placing it on the bow of the ship as he peered over. A grin spread across his face as he looked toward the floating asteroids in the distance. At first, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with them, until one took a second look and noticed the sheer number of warships using their flow as camouflage. "Going to continue to hide?" Leonel's voice echoed through the vastness of space, rumbling like thunder. It was enough to make the weak feel as though he was squeezing their hearts in his palm. "Ah, seems like they don't want to come out.’ "Yip! Yip!" Little Blackstar sneered with disdain from Leonel's shoulder, waving his little claws. The simple action sent a surge of pressure through the void, causing the rockface of an asteroid in the distance to explode and send shrapnel in all directions. The warship that had been hiding behind it was pelted and instantly became riddled with holes. It barely managed to hold on. "Harmony, why don't you go greet our guests for us?" Leonel asked with a smile. Harmony grit her teeth, floating up from the flagship. These people would be very unlucky on this day. She needed someone to vent her frustration on.