Reborn With A Technology System In A Fantasy World-Chapter 297: The Shadow On The Edge

In the center of the galaxy, suspended in the gravitational well of a binary star system, floated a megastructure.

It was an artificial ringworld built around the dying embers of two stars, it was the administrative brain of the Galactic Concordat.

The architecture was a testament to eons of accumulated wealth and power; towers of white gold stretching into the vacuum, connected by bridges of stars.

At the very apex of the ring stood the Celestial Palace, a structure so immense it had its own atmosphere and weather system.

Usually, the sector surrounding the Palace was quiet, reserved for high-level diplomatic shuttles and the silent patrol of drones. But today, the space lanes were filled with traffic.

Sleek, diplomatic cruisers from every corner of the galaxy were docking. Beings of different kind disembarked, their entourages creating a chaotic mix of alien cultures. Security was tighter than it had been in a century.

Most of the delegates were halted at the outer perimeter. Only the Core Councilors; the representatives of the Thirty Major Civilizations were permitted inside the inner sanctum.

Among them walked Lady Lunu.

She moved with an ethereal grace, her golden skin glowing softly against the sterile white corridors of the Palace. She wore the formal robes of a Highborn Diplomat.

’This must be serious,’ Lunu thought as her golden eyes scanning the crowd. ’Almost everyone is present.’

She recognized them all. "Lady Lunu," a passing diplomat, a being of pure gas contained in a suit approacgred her. "A pleasure to see Sector-98 represented. Perhaps we can discuss the trade routes later?"

"Perhaps," Lunu replied with a polite smile.

She continued walking, ignoring the undercurrent of gossip. The Council was a pit of vipers, each smiling while hiding a dagger.

They were obsessed with status and petty squabbles. And Lunu didn’t want any of that.

Lunu entered the Main Chamber. It was a vast amphitheater, with thirty raised platforms arranged in a circle, facing a central podium. She took her seat on the platform designated for her Civilization.

As she waited for the room to fill, her mind wandered to the one thing that mattered.

’Could it be about Adrian? Is his seal finally breaking? Has the Emperor lost control?’

She knew it was wishful thinking. But she could only hope. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Finally, the doors sealed shut. The murmurs died down as a figure walked onto the central podium.

He was tall; impossibly so. At nearly ten meters in height. His body was painfully lean, almost skeletal, with grey skin stretched tight over elongated bones. His head was bulbous and oversized, dominated by two massive, unblinking black eyes.

He was Nado, the Vice President of the Concordat. Though ugly by humanoid standards, his intellect was legendary, and his voice carried the weight of absolute authority.

"Ahem."

Nado cleared his throat. The sound wasn’t just audible; it resonated in the souls of everyone present.

"We have gathered here for a very important issue. It is regarding an event that we haven’t seen happen in a millennia."

He raised a long, spindly finger and pointed to the air beside him. A massive holographic screen materialized, filling the center of the room.

It displayed a map of the known galaxy; a swirling spiral of light representing the Concordat’s territory. But at the very edge, in the dark void where the stars thinned out, a red dot was blinking.

It wasn’t stationary. It was moving inward. And it was moving fast.

Gasps erupted from the Councilors.

"Shadow!" one of them hissed, slamming a fist onto his podium.

"Those scumbags!" another shouted. "They finally dared to expose their location!"

"The gall! They dare to come here? Into the light of the Concordat?"

Nado waited for the initial wave of outrage to pass. He stood impassively, his large eyes scanning the room.

"As of now," Nado continued, "we have no knowledge as to why the Shadow Collective would expose their location and come for us. But what we do know is that they didn’t come to chat. They are tracking a direct vector toward the Heartland. They are planning an attack."

The silence that followed lasted only a second before it was shattered; not by fear, but by laughter.

A boisterous, mocking roar erupted.

"BWAHAHA! SHIVER ME TIMBERS! THOSE SPACE RATS ARE TRYNA ATTACK US?"

"They never learn, do they?"

"They really saw our patience as a sign of weakness. It’s high time we erased them."

The last statement triggered a certain faction within the Concordat. They were the ones who advocated for internal harmony and had long argued against external aggressions.

They were the reason the Galactic union hadn’t gone after Shadow yet, instead preaching peace and stability among themselves first.

"Is the President aware?"

The question cut through the laughter. By using the title "President", he signaled his allegiance to the peaceful faction.

Nado turned his massive head towards him.

"Yes. The Galactic Emperor is very much aware. But he is... disinterested. He has stated that this is a matter for the Council to resolve. He wants us to handle this ourselves."

That single sentence brought the two opposing factions together in an instant.

If there was one thing they had in common, it was the fear and hatred for the tyranny of Sol-Prime. The Emperor’s strength had grown too vast. They were all scared of him having absolute control and ruining the very order of the Concordat with his whims.

"Fine," one spat. "We’ll deal with them ourselves then. It’s not really a big deal. They’ve overestimated their strength once again, and this time there WILL BE CONSEQUENCES!"

"I disagree," another countered. "We do not know their numbers. We do not know if they have something up their sleeve. I suggest we handle this as a Major Threat. Launch a massive fleet to intercept them at the Outer Rim and stop them before they get close."

"I DISAGREE!" a bulky alien interrupted. "OR WOULD YOU PREFER FOR THEM TO RUN AWAY LIKE BEFORE? LET THEM ENTER OUR TRAP. LET THEM COME DEEP INTO OUR TERRITORY, AND THEN WE CRUSH THEM SO THEY CANNOT ESCAPE."

"Foolishness!"

"Cowardice!"

The room erupted into chaos. Arguments flew back and forth. But they all fell in two paths. Some wanted to strike now, to meet the enemy in the void. Others wanted to wait, to draw them into the heavily fortified Core Worlds where the Concordat’s power was absolute.

"Enough," Nado finally announced. "We will hold a poll."

It was the only way to silence the bickering. A holographic interface appeared before each Councilor. Votes were cast, and the results were then shown .

Team Hold On: 13 votes

Team Attack First: 12 votes

Team Neutral: 5 votes

A cheer went up from the militarist faction who wanted to trap the enemy.

"There you have it," Nado concluded. "The Council has spoken. We will not deploy the fleets to the rim. We will wait for the Shadow to come upon us."