Inside the Cross-border Channel.
Aboard the command ship of the Dasaross Empire expeditionary force.
"Commander, in one minute, the advance fleet will reach the territory of the Violet Empire."
"Tell them to be careful. This is a special route with only a single path available for passage. It would be very easy to fall into an ambush!"
"Commander, the Violet Empire is only a Peak Third-order Black Hole Civilization. Even if they discover us and truly set up an ambush, they pose no threat to us at all."
"Hmph, underestimating the enemy? Have you forgotten how the Noreya Empire's first attack on the Heretics ended in the total annihilation of its forces, despite facing Heretic fleets far weaker than itself?"
Hearing his adjutant say that, Sherris immediately became angry.
Seeing Sherris's expression, the adjutant did not dare argue and promptly carried out the order.
Still, although he did not dare refute him outwardly, he could not help but complain inwardly.
How could those situations possibly be the same?
When the Noreya Empire launched its first attack, the Heretics had been weaker, but not by much.
But what about now?
The Dasaross Empire was a Peak Fifth-order Black Hole Civilization, while the Violet Empire was merely Peak Third-order, a full two orders below them.
What did that mean?
It meant that the Dasaross Empire could sweep through the entire Violet Empire with just a single legion.
The gap was simply that vast.
Sure enough, their commander was good in every way except that he was far too cautious.
As he sent the order to the advance fleet, the adjutant thought this to himself.
What he did not know was that, in Meridian Valley 178, less than ten Standard Black Hole Units from the entrance to the Cross-border Channel—
A Chaos Ray