The Barren Wasteland

Morning.

As the first ray of sunlight crossed the horizon, gilding the magnificent complex of the Imperial Palace, the Ruins Core Area remained as it always had.

Bzzzz—!

A deep, soul-shaking hum of energy seemed to emerge from the void. Then, two indescribably dazzling bursts of white light erupted, their intensity briefly suppressing even the rising sun.

The light expanded sharply like a supernova explosion, yet invisible forces precisely confined it within a specific section of airspace.

When the blinding radiance gradually faded, two brand-new giant Space Gates, each six kilometers along every side, stood within the Ruins Core Area.

They resembled two flawless mirrors of mercury, reflecting the silhouettes of the sky and palace. Within them, gentle vortices of light slowly rotated, bottomless and deep, connecting two unknown universes.

Looking down over this core area, which now contained twenty-two Space Gates, one could see that vast assembly zones had already been designated before the newly opened Universe-21 and Universe-22 gates.

At this moment, the area had become a torrent of steel and will.

Large numbers of soldiers stood in neat formations. They wore equipment from different Legions and bore different paint schemes, yet all gave off the chilling aura of battle-hardened elites.

Agents from the Investigation Department and the Heretic Inquisition Department gathered in small groups in relatively separate areas. Their attire was more varied, but the sharpness and competence in their eyes were identical.

A vast number of automated combat units—

From massive, heavily armored intelligent tanks and mechs to compact, agile drone swarms used for reconnaissance and assault, they filled every corner of the assembly area like a silent forest of steel.

The sight in the higher airspace was even more spectacular.

Warships belonging to the various Legions responsible for this integration operation were parked in the