The Starfish Republic recovered its national strength extremely quickly. It could sustain a protracted war, but a concentrated series of battles over a short period would leave it struggling to keep up. That was why the Starfish had initially fallen behind in their war against the Keen Empire and Habinte, only to gradually launch a counteroffensive and even wipe out the Chosen along the way.
Now fully recovered and bolstered by four Ocean Planets, the Starfish had grown powerful once again. After resolving their internal conflicts, they decided to become another pole of power in the Sea of Stars, establishing themselves as a third faction in the War in Heaven.
Naturally, the Starfish Republic became the leader of the Non-Aligned Organization, taking the helm of the alien empires that refused to side with either Awakened Empire but lacked Xi Yan's ability to flip the entire game board.
Fun fact: the Non-Aligned Organization was, in fact, an alliance.
During this period, the entire Human Empire lay low, watching its rivals fight from the sidelines, while the Starfish made a high-profile return to the grand stage of the Sea of Stars, announcing their resurgence to the Milky Way.
Soon, both Awakened Empires noticed the Non-Aligned Organization and the conspicuous Starfish Republic. One after another, they issued stern warnings demanding that the Starfish Republic dissolve the alliance and force every member to choose a side in the War in Heaven.
The Starfish neither refused nor replied. Instead, they continued rallying their allies, using their four new ocean paradise colonies to consolidate their government and building fleets to prepare for a war that could break out at any moment.
The Rixi Reconquest Empire and the Phethisia Arbitrator Empire were both furious.
{Rixi Reconquest Empire: Inferior species, your arrogance has angered us, the great Rixi.