The central black hole region of the Andromeda Galaxy.
Inside one of the White Dwarf Fortresses, [9436] and its companion [9435] stared intently at the screen before them.
The screen displayed a Wide-Area Tachyon Broadcast from their Parent Civilization.
The tentacles on either side of [9436]'s body swayed slowly, unconsciously, while its slightly paling skin laid bare its shock.
"Have they gone mad... has our Parent Civilization gone mad?!"
"Didn't they just forbid conflicts with the Neutral Faction a little while ago?"
"Why are they now..."
[For this mission, all branches must prioritize defending the Universe-Spanning Accelerator components against any potential attacks by the Gardener Faction.] [During the execution of this mission, any unusual actions by the Neutral Faction shall be considered provocations against us. Unrestricted retaliation is authorized.] [...]
The rest no longer mattered.
"Our Parent Civilization... is it ready to tear up the agreement completely?"
"This... isn't our Parent Civilization afraid of the Neutral Faction and the Gardener Faction joining forces?"
It could not believe the information before its eyes, nor could it understand the reason behind it.
Like [9436], even its direct superior, the head of the Cleaners Andromeda Branch, was utterly bewildered.
What on earth had happened to their Parent Civilization? Why had it suddenly become so "tough"?
The display on the screen changed again.
As they read the information, [9436] and the other members of the Andromeda Branch instinctively held their breath.
Beyond the Andromeda Galaxy, in a region of sparse matter between galaxies.
With a powerful spacetime fluctuation, a spherical structure of distorted spacetime appeared in this deserted region.
Then a long, seemingly endless filament emerged from within it.
In this dark stretch of space, almost devoid of light, the filament, which had neither length nor width, was exceedingly difficult to