"Dad, you're here this time probably not just to see me and mom, right?"

"Spit it out, what do you want to do this time?"

Leo smiled slightly, not surprised by his daughter's sharpness.

"I need to leave for a while."

"I knew it."

Lilith sighed lightly, her gaze pointedly scanning her father, still carrying traces of her mother's presence.

Without speaking, she replied knowingly, "Don't worry, I'll stay by mom's side and won't cause her any trouble!"

In the beginning, Lilith had some reservations about Hathaway abandoning her husband and daughter.

Even though she understood there were reasons for it, and that Hathaway carried heavy responsibilities, some things couldn't be accepted just because they were understood.

But since she came to the empire with her mother, she gradually let go of her reservations. Her mother's domain was far more expansive than Dalton's!

The amount of official matters to be handled daily was astonishing. Countless lives across the star domain relied on the empire's existence. The burden on her mother was no ordinary weight.

"Dad, take care of yourself. Although I know there's hardly anyone who can hurt you…"

"Hahaha..."

Leo nodded with satisfaction and gave his daughter a hug before slowly disappearing.

...

In the Starry Realm.

Leo's presence surged like a tidal wave.

In the distance, a domain corridor, shrouded in misty Starshine, slowly took form.

He stopped in front of the door and took one last look back at the world behind him.

At this point, he had no worries about Dalton's development.

He temporarily entrusted the governance of Dalton to Magnar, Elarielle, and their group.

He was at ease with this decision.

Moreover, Dalton was brimming with talent, and Leo had left many contingencies in place, so no matter what happened, Dalton would never fall into crisis.

As for the Zisen Holy Empire, there was no immediate danger.

What Leo truly feared were the entities hidden in the shadows, the ones the empire was watching.

With his current perspective, Leo could see many hidden truths.

This world was far deeper than he had imagined, and even the Zisen Holy Empire was not invincible.

Beneath the calm surface, dark currents surged, and countless terrifying presences lurked in the shadows.

After a moment of silence, Leo gently shook his head, a smile curling on his lips.

Hathaway was no fragile person. Those lurking in the shadows were not worth his concern.

What truly mattered were the unknown threats that even Hathaway hadn't noticed. That was the true purpose of his journey.

Whoever they were, whatever their intentions, if they dared to target his woman, they would pay the price!

At the same time, he also wanted to take this opportunity to explore Hathaway's past more deeply.

Hathaway's origins seemed to be more complicated than he had imagined!

Additionally, he aimed to sow Dalton's seeds in higher planes.

He wanted the higher planes to remember Dalton's banner.

Looking at the domain corridor ahead, Leo smiled faintly.

Boom—!

With a deafening crack that split the void, the entire door shattered, and dense, tangible magical energy poured forth from beyond.

"Theodore's dimension, I, Leo, have arrived!"

...

At the same time, on the border of the Sigcon starfield.

In the void, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the stillness before a storm.

Sigcon Council Chairman Aoweir, leading several directors, stood still, with a few representatives from other forces following behind them. Their number didn't exceed fifty.

Facing the imposing army of the Zisen Holy Empire, Aoweir and the others felt an unprecedented pressure.

"Here it comes after all."

Among the imperial army, Steadfast slowly stepped forward.

He looked toward the few people on the Sigcon side and furrowed his brows, but still spoke according to protocol.

"Sigcon Council, are you willing to voluntarily accept the empire's management?"

The scene had to be played out.

"We are willing to submit!"

Steadfast froze for a moment, almost thinking he had heard wrong.

"What?!"

He asked in disbelief, "You say what? Willing to submit?"

What a joke!

How could they surrender so easily? Was there some plot at play?

His expression turned serious, and he warned in a low voice.

"Don't try any tricks. Before Her Majesty's absolute power, Sigcon has no chance."

Aoweir, however, simply shrugged, a nonchalant expression on his face.

"Dear Sir, what I said is true. Since there is no chance of victory, why add to the casualties?"

Steadfast was at a loss for words.

This was too pragmatic, wasn't it?

Over the years, he had encountered many who chose to surrender, but that was after witnessing the empire's power and suffering devastating losses.

Now, they hadn't even fought, and the other side directly surrendered?

A strange sense of frustration washed over him. He should have just attacked instead of wasting time!

However, at this moment, a solemn voice suddenly echoed from deep in the starry sky.

"Submit?"

"Not allowed!"

The void tore open.

A middle-aged man draped in a fiery robe stepped forward.

The moment he appeared, the temperature in the entire starry sky rose sharply.

"It's the Lord of Inferno Starfield—Ignis!"

Someone from the Sigcon side cried out in surprise.

From afar, Steadfast also frowned.

This so-called Flame Lord was a formidable opponent.

Then, an overwhelming aura surged from behind Ignis, as countless elite warriors from Inferno Starfield lined up in formation.

Aoweir smiled faintly at the sight.

As expected, he had come.

It looked like Ignis had brought almost all of his main forces.

With this, their chances of success had increased.

Ignis floated in front of Aoweir, who greeted him with a smile.

"Ignis, long time no see!"

The Flame Lord merely snorted coldly, his tone icy.

"Your retreat as a strategy is impressive."

Aoweir remained unfazed, replying, "But you still came."

You couldn't afford not to come.

If the council chose to submit, the Zisen Empire's next target would be your Inferno Starfield!

By then, you wouldn't even have the chance to cry!

Though his outward demeanor appeared calm, Aoweir had laid bare the harsh reality.

If they ignored it, they were as good as dead!

Ignoring the smugness in Aoweir's eyes, Ignis turned his gaze to the imperial army in the distance, his eyes cold.

"Damned Zisen Empire, aren't you afraid of retribution from fate?"

He deeply despised this greedy, conquest-driven empire.

Steadfast responded with an expressionless face.

"Don't speak such lofty words. This is a world of survival of the fittest, merely differing in stance!"

"Aoweir, do you think that uniting Sigcon with Inferno Starfield can stop the empire's iron hooves?"

If they thought so, they were gravely mistaken.

Just then, another cold voice rang out from deep in the void.

"If... we add the Land of Rest as well?"

The void split again, and an elderly man in a black robe appeared, flanked by several powerful figures.

His aura was on par with Ignis, a powerful presence of the Sanctuary Lord rank.

Behind him were the elite forces of the Land of Rest, an ancient starfield whose power rivaled that of Inferno Starfield, and in recent years, had grown even stronger.

Aoweir hadn't yet recovered from his surprise when another voice came from behind.

"And I, Rage Starfield!"

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