Chapter 154: Tier VII Lord?

?Louis surveyed the quiet hall before speaking again.

"I understand your anger. The Arachnid Civilization has committed an act of war, and I have zero intention of letting them escape retribution. However, we will not launch a galactic war blindly simply because we are furious."

?A few councilors frowned, but none dared interrupt.

?"We require intelligence. We must determine the full scope of the Arachnids’ operational footprint, their hidden technological capabilities, and what they ultimately sought to achieve. Until we possess those facts, any large-scale fleet movement would be dangerously premature."

?He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over the military delegates. "Remember, the Arachnids maintain covert cells within our borders, just as we operate assets within theirs. We have been strategic rivals for generations, and both sides have poured vast resources into shadow warfare."

?"Furthermore, we must strictly control the narrative. Our enemies must not learn the exact extent of what we uncovered on Roca, nor should they know how close we are to exposing their network. If necessary, we will feed them deliberate misinformation to keep their high command guessing."

?The chamber grew still as his words settled.

?The Astral Dominion had maintained its dominance for centuries through a balance of military superiority, economic leverage, and intelligence networks.

A reckless, emotionally driven crusade could jeopardize those advantages and expose structural flaws the Arachnids could exploit.

?Louis continued, his voice firm and decisive. "For now, we will reinforce security along the southern frontier, double surveillance on high-value border rifts, and expand our investigation into the Roca facility. Any further military escalation will depend strictly on what our intelligence yields."

?He paused, letting his directive hang in the air. "Does anyone object to securing absolute clarity before we commit our fleets?"

?Silence reigned.

?Even the most hawkish councilors recognized the tactical logic. Charging blindly into enemy territory without knowing what traps lay waiting was a quick way to lose a fleet.

?Eventually, the assembly accepted the mandate.

?Louis released a quiet exhale.

’?At least that went smoother than expected.’

?Preventing the council from prematurely declaring a multi-system war was a small victory in itself.

?However, just as he prepared to transition to the next agenda item, another council member stood up.

?This time, it was a woman.

?She sat in the upper tiers, her posture immaculate and her expression entirely unreadable.

Unlike the previous speakers, she showed little interest in posturing about retaliatory strikes or border defense.

?Her eyes were fixed directly on Louis.

?"Overseer Ferdinand, there is another matter this council must address."

?Louis turned toward her. "Speak."

?The councilwoman glanced at the floating schematic of the Worldbreaker Core before meeting the Overseer’s gaze once more. "What information do we possess regarding the mysterious Lord who neutralized the core?"

?Louis’s eyes narrowed imperceptibly.

’?Ah. So we’ve finally arrived at it.’

?He had known this question was inevitable.

?The identity of the unknown Lord who had intervened on Planet Roca was a matter of immense concern for the highest levels of government.

?A Lord who could manipulate death mana on a planetary scale, operate completely outside Dominion registries, and neutralize a black-hole-level extinction device that would challenge even seasoned Ascendant Lords...

?That was a variable the council could not ignore.

?Louis folded his hands over his chest.

?The entire chamber fell dead silent once more, every eye in the House turning slowly toward the Overseer’s high seat.

?And this time, the inquiry was not about an alien enemy.

?It was about Cassian Voss.

....

Louis regarded the female councilor for a moment before answering.

?"I’m afraid I have no information regarding the identity of the Lord in question. However, considering that they intervened to prevent the total destruction of Planet Roca, I believe it is reasonable to assume they bear no ill intent toward the Astral Dominion."

?He spoke with measured calm, betraying not a single hint that he knew vastly more than he was willing to disclose.

?Louis had zero intention of exposing Cassian’s identity. The young Lord had explicitly requested that his involvement remain confidential, and the Overseer intended to honor that confidence.

Besides, he had yet to acquire the specific items Cassian had asked him to secure. Exposing the private affairs of someone he was actively courting would be an exceptional way to sabotage the relationship.

’?And after everything that boy has done, the absolute least I can do is respect his wishes.’

?The female councilor narrowed her eyes. "Is that so, Overseer?"

?Leaning forward slightly, her expression hardened. "Forgive me, but I find that conclusion rather premature. The fact that this mysterious Lord intervened does not inherently make them our ally. They might have harbored their own motives for saving Planet Roca, reasons that have nothing to do with the Astral Dominion’s well-being."

?Several council members nodded in solemn agreement.

?She pressed on, gesturing toward the central display. "Let us evaluate the facts. The Worldbreaker Core was capable of disintegrating a world. Neutralizing it required an extraordinary application of absolute force, and according to preliminary telemetry, the Lord accomplished this through a massive concentration of death mana."

?The councilor scanned the surrounding tiers. "Even with our current understanding of the device, we cannot state with certainty what level of power would be required to suppress it safely. However, if this Lord possesses enough raw strength to neutralize a planetary core, we must consider the distinct possibility that we are dealing with a Tier VII Lord."

?A sharp murmur swept through the assembly.

?"Such an entity poses an existential threat should their disposition shift," she declared. "We know nothing of their identity, their origins, or their ultimate objectives. How can we blindly assume they will remain favorably aligned with us?"

?Louis listened without interrupting.

?Internally, however, he was waging a heroic battle to suppress his laughter.

?’A Tier VII Lord?’

?It was almost painfully ironic.

’?I wonder what kind of face you would make if you learned the Lord you’re losing sleep over awakened less than two days ago.’

?Cassian had stabilized a Worldbreaker Core despite being a newly awakened Lord.

His inherent abilities were absurd, his potential was impossible to quantify, and his growth rate defied the very laws of the Lord System.

?And yet, here was the high council wringing their hands over the prospect of him being a Tier VII powerhouse.

’?If only that were the greatest concern sitting in this sector.’

?Louis briefly recalled Seraphina Voss.

?If Cassian was an unpredictable anomaly, his mother was a cosmic terror altogether. The hidden pressure radiating from her was enough to make even a Tier V Ascendant Lord like Louis weigh every single syllable in her presence.

?Compared to Seraphina, Cassian wasn’t even the most dangerous entity at his own dinner table.