Emperor of the Source

Within a conference room at the headquarters of the Ashen Vortex Sect, Ignis sat upon the central seat, his presence dominating the otherwise silent chamber. The vast room, designed to accommodate dozens of high-ranking members, now stood almost entirely empty, with only a single humanoid woman seated across from him, her posture relaxed and composed despite the tension that hung heavily in the air.

The woman spoke, her voice calm and unhurried, "Our UNI-Market Index has dropped to eighty-seven points."

The moment those words reached him, Ignis's domain expanded violently, an oppressive force surging outward as his expression twisted with rage. His hand slammed down onto the table before him, and the structure disintegrated instantly, crumbling into ash under the overwhelming pressure of his authority.

Despite the outburst, the woman did not so much as flinch. Her gaze remained steady as she continued speaking, her fingers steepled beneath her chin, "Calm down. Acting like this isn't going to solve anything. The entire galaxy saw you forced to your knees by the Major Sect envoy. It is only natural that our sect's reputation is bleeding."

Ignis moved in an instant, crossing the distance between them as he seized her by the throat, his grip tight and unyielding. Heat radiated from his palm, enough to char mortal flesh to cinders in seconds. His voice dropped into a dangerous growl, "Don't speak another word, Asteria."

Yet even in that position, Asteria showed no fear. Her pale skin remained unblemished beneath his touch, her own divine concept passively protecting her from the heat. Her gaze remained level, almost indifferent, as though his anger was nothing more than a passing storm. "You should have shown this strength at the UNI-Auction," she said quietly. "There is no use displaying it here."

Before the tension could escalate further, a new voice cut through the room, "You two should stop this pointless fighting."

Both Ignis and Asteria turned toward the entrance, where a broad, imposing humanoid man had appeared, his presence steady and grounded in stark contrast to Ignis's volatile aura. His frame filled the doorway, arms crossed over a chest wrapped in dark red robes.

He stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over both of them before continuing, "Our sect's reputation is already plummeting, and if actions like this were to leak out, what do you think would follow?"

Ignis released Asteria, his hand dropping as he turned away, frustration radiating from him. The heat around his body intensified, distorting the air. "Damn that envoy. If I ever see him again, I will kill him."

Asteria straightened, adjusting her robes with measured movements, her expression unchanged.

The broad man, Pyros, let out a short breath, shaking his head slightly. "And how exactly are you planning to do that? That envoy is a True Peak Rule Stage cultivator. Even if the three of us joined forces, it would still be impossible to kill someone like that. Don't lose your mind over something beyond our reach."

Ignis spun toward him sharply, his eyes burning with fury, "If you were humiliated like that, you would understand this feeling, Pyros. The entire galaxy saw it. Every sect, every cultivator, every insignificant insect watching through the net saw me forced to my knees, and you expect me to simply calm down?"

His voice rose with each word, the rage bleeding through.

Pyros met his gaze without wavering, his own domain pressing outward just enough to counter the oppressive weight Ignis unconsciously exerted, "I understand your feelings more than you think. But understanding them does not change reality. What happened has already happened. That envoy is beyond us for now, and chasing something we cannot reach will only drag us further down. We cannot undo that humiliation, but we can control what comes next."

Ignis exhaled harshly, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, "Control what comes next? How do you fix something like this without crushing the one who caused it? Without rewriting what happened?"

Pyros stepped closer, his boots crunching against the ash that had once been the council table, "We cannot fix it instantly," he said, "but if we move in the right direction, we can rebuild our reputation piece by piece through perception and influence. Right now, the galaxy sees us as a sect that was humiliated. We cannot erase that, but we can overwrite it."

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Asteria, who had remained silent during the exchange, tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing with interest. "Overwrite it… how?"

Pyros stepped forward, "You are both already aware of the situation. The two famous alchemy sects within the Andromeda Galaxy are on the brink of war. The Everlasting Pill Sect has already secured our support in advance."

Ignis frowned faintly, "So what? We act as mercenaries, crush their enemies, and take payment. That is how it has always been."

Pyros raised one hand, "That approach would have worked before," he interrupted, "but not anymore. Not after what happened at the UNI-Auction."

"If we appear in this war as Yselia's hired mercenaries, it will not restore our reputation. It will only reinforce the image that we are nothing more than hired enforcers, thugs acting under an alchemist's command."

Pyros continued, "But what if we do not take that role?"

He paused, letting the question hang.

"What if we position ourselves above the conflict instead?"

Asteria's lips curved into a faint smile, her eyes glinting with understanding, "Go on."

Pyros clasped his hands behind his back, "A war between two famous alchemy sects will destabilize the galaxy's pill supply. Every sect and every cultivator depends on that supply. If it collapses, the entire balance of power across the Andromeda Galaxy will be affected."

"This is not merely a conflict between two sects. It is a galaxy-level concern."

Ignis's expression shifted, the raw anger still present but now tempered by thought.

Pyros turned his gaze directly on Ignis, "You," he said, the word carrying emphasis, "can step forward and declare that the Ashen Vortex Sect will not allow such instability to spread. That you will intervene, not as a mercenary, but as a force of order. As a mediator. As someone enforcing peace for the greater good of the galaxy."

Asteria let out a soft laugh, the sound carrying genuine amusement as she tilted her head back. "From thugs… to protectors of balance." She shook her head slowly, the smile widening. "That is quite the transformation."

"It will work," Pyros replied, "Perception is everything. The moment we position ourselves as the ones preventing chaos rather than fueling it, the narrative begins to change. Not instantly, but it will begin."

Ignis remained silent, his gaze distant as his mind clearly processed the implications of what was being proposed.

"And there is more," Pyros added, his voice taking on a darker edge. "You have already seen the reports. The Crimson Vital Sect now has an elder at the Peak Rule Stage. Their leader had already reached that level, and now another has emerged."

"If they continue growing at this pace, they will become a problem… even for us. A sect with two Peak Rule Stage cultivators has the potential to become one of the strongest upper minor sects, and a sect that rises too quickly without proper control always becomes unpredictable."

Asteria nodded slightly, her expression thoughtful now, the amusement fading into something colder. "They could upset the entire hierarchy."

"Precisely," Pyros confirmed. "So we intervene early. Not through war, but through influence. Under the guise of maintaining peace, we approach them and offer protection."

Ignis's gaze sharpened, a dangerous glint beginning to form within his eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched upward.

"And in return," Pyros continued, "we bind them with a contract. One that places them under our influence without making it obvious. To the outside world, it will appear as an alliance. To the Crimson Vital Sect, it will appear as security. But in reality, it ensures they never rise beyond our control."

A slow smile spread across Ignis's face, the earlier rage transforming into something far more dangerous.

"With a single move," Pyros concluded, spreading his hands as though unveiling a masterpiece, "we restore our reputation, establish ourselves as a stabilizing force in the galaxy, and secure a rising sect before it becomes a threat."

Ignis finally let out a low chuckle, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest. "…Not bad."

The smile on his face widened, carrying a dangerous edge that hinted at the ruthlessness beneath. His eyes burned with renewed purpose, the humiliation at the auction now channeled into something actionable. "Not bad at all."

Asteria approached Ignis, "It seems our sect leader has finally found his focus again."

Pyros allowed himself a small smile, satisfied.

Without hesitation, Ignis activated his UNI-OS. The interface materialized before him, streams of blue light and flowing data cascading across his vision as he navigated to the public forum.

"Let's see how the galaxy reacts to this…"

Moments later, an official announcement was published across the Andromeda Local Network from the verified account of the Ashen Vortex Sect.

The announcement spread instantly, rippling through forums and private channels alike.

Asteria watched the notification counter climb, thousands of reactions flooding in within seconds, "And so it begins."

Pyros crossed his arms, his expression neutral but his eyes sharp. "Now we wait for the Crimson Vital Sect's response. They will either accept our offer and bind themselves… or refuse and reveal themselves as warmongers."

"Either way," Ignis said, his voice carrying dark satisfaction, "we win."

And with that single declaration, the next phase of the war had already begun, before a single blow had been struck.