Chapter 179: A New Age

The cockpit of the Astral Voyager was a spacious command bridge filled with hovering holographic displays and sophisticated control systems.

Beyond the expansive observation window, the Lord Transit complex stretched across the darkness, its colossal docking platforms illuminated by streams of blue and silver energy.

?Captain Reach stood behind the command console, his weathered face lit by the projection floating before him.

His gray eyebrows drew together as he watched the recording for the third time.

?"Replay that section."

?The operative seated at the console immediately complied. "Yes, Captain."

?The security footage rewound to the moment Cassian had turned toward Nyxara after the two older Lords threatened her.

The recording captured the brief exchange, the movement of Cassian’s lips, and the subsequent departure of the pair.

?Then came the moment that had caught Captain Reach’s attention.

?For a fraction of a second, the image flickered as the vessel’s internal sensors registered an unusual fluctuation.

The recording showed no obvious change in Cassian’s expression, yet something about the environment in the lounge had briefly distorted.

?Captain Reach narrowed his eyes. "Again."

?The operative obeyed.

?The scene replayed.

?And again.

?With each repetition, the captain’s expression grew more grave. He had initially dismissed the strange aura presence as a momentary disturbance caused by a cosmic storm outside the station.

However, the more he examined the sensor logs, the less convinced he became.

?He had personally felt that presence when it rippled through the ship.

?It had lasted for barely an instant, so brief that he might have mistaken it for a phantom sensation had he not possessed the high-tier cultivation to recognize the difference.

The pulse had been subtle, but its underlying nature had left him deeply unsettled.

?Now, after watching the recording repeatedly, he finally grasped a potential explanation.

?"Freeze the frame."

?The operative paused the footage.

?Captain Reach leaned forward, studying Cassian’s deadpan face. "A Tier II Lord..." His voice trailed off.

?He was a Tier V Lord, albeit one who had only recently consolidated the initial stage of that rank.

That alone placed him among the strongest individuals not only aboard the Astral Voyager, but across the entire Dominion.

The Orion Rift was a dangerous frontier, and the lethal threats awaiting explorers there demanded a ship commander capable of handling sudden crisis events.

?That was precisely why he had been assigned command of the flagship.

?Yet even with his Tier V cultivation, he could not confidently identify the exact nature of the aura he had just sensed.

?And the source was supposedly a newly advanced Tier II Lord.

’?What in the world is that boy?’

?Captain Reach had encountered countless individuals throughout his long career. He had met arrogant young geniuses who believed themselves invincible, cunning veterans who concealed their true strength, and tyrannical Lords who could crush whole worlds without blinking.

?He had learned long ago never to judge someone solely by their official cultivation record.

?Nevertheless, Cassian was an anomaly.

?The young man had barely moved. He had not unleashed a visible skill, nor had he displayed any extravagant manifestation of power.

Yet something had briefly emerged from him that made Captain Reach’s survival instincts flare.

?It was not a matter of raw mana quantity, the captain had encountered beings with ocean-like reserves before. It was something else entirely.

?Something he could not quite put into words.

?"Captain?" The operative glanced over his shoulder. "Would you like me to pull up his full file? I can retrieve his Association registration, background, and—"

?"No." Captain Reach straightened.

?The operative immediately snapped his mouth shut.

?For a moment, the captain continued studying the frozen projection. Then, a faint smile appeared beneath his gray mustache. "Leave it."

?The operative blinked. "Sir?"

?"Unless that passenger violates the rules aboard my vessel, there is zero need to investigate him further."

?"Understood, Captain."

?The operative returned his attention to the console, though a trace of confusion remained on his face.

He had assumed the captain ordered the replays to identify a potential threat. He couldn’t comprehend why the man had suddenly dropped the matter.

?Captain Reach, however, had no intention of explaining himself. He had already seen enough to know that Cassian Voss was someone worth remembering.

’First, a mysterious Tier VII Undead Lord appears during the Crimson Reckoning and prevents the destruction of Planet Roca. Now, barely any time has passed, and I run into another anomaly...’

?His smile widened slightly.

?’What a fascinating era we’re entering.’

?The Astral Dominion had enjoyed a relatively stable era, but stability was often nothing more than the quiet before an interstellar storm.

Beneath the polished surface, civilizations competed viciously for territory, Legacy Families maneuvered for influence, and dimensional rifts offered opportunities that could turn a noble into a cosmic powerhouse overnight.

?The Orion Rift was a prime example.

?Its sudden discovery had lured ambitious Lords from across the galaxy, each hoping to claim a piece of its ancient inheritance.

Yet the feverish interest in the anomaly was also dragging old rivalries into the light.

?Captain Reach had a distinct feeling that the situation was about to become far more complicated.

?’Something is shifting.’

?He turned away from the display and surveyed his bridge crew.

’?And I suspect the Dominion is about to experience a upheaval unlike anything we’ve seen before.’

?"Captain, we’ve completed the passenger manifest verification," another operative reported from the navigation desk. "All registered guests are aboard. Cargo holds are sealed, and Transit Control has confirmed our departure vector is clear."

?Captain Reach’s expression instantly smoothed back into its customary professional rigor. "Good. Notify Departure Control that we are clear for launch."

?The communications officer immediately opened a channel. "Astral Voyager to Transit Departure Control. Manifest verified. Cargo secured. All systems green. Requesting final departure clearance."

?A moment later, a calm voice responded over the cockpit speakers. "Astral Voyager, this is Departure Control. Manifest confirmed. Docking clamps remain engaged pending final sequence. Stand by for launch."

?Captain Reach settled smoothly into his high command chair. "All stations, prepare for launch."

?Throughout the starship, the crew sprang into motion.

?On the bridge, the navigation officer reviewed the flight trajectory.

A holographic schematic of the Lord Transit appeared above the central console, tracking the Astral Voyager’s position relative to neighboring docking platforms and designated flight lanes.

?The communications team maintained a stable link with the station’s traffic grid, while another technician monitored the spatial drive and primary shielding.

?"Primary power core is stable."

?"Spatial drive operating within nominal parameters."

?"Defensive barriers synchronized."

?"Navigation lock confirmed. Initial trajectory will clear the station’s restricted zone before primary acceleration."

?Captain Reach listened to each brief, his eyes scanning the telemetry. "Confirm passenger suites are locked down."

?"Confirmed. All passenger decks have received the launch notice. Internal dampeners and life support are fully operational."

?"Very well." He pressed an input on his armrest.

?A second later, his voice echoed through every sector of the Astral Voyager.