<h4>Chapter 1445 Leaving The Center Of The Universe</h4>


    Author''s Note: Unedited Chapter


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    "This... whatever this is, it''s going to destroy everything."


    Falco nodded, his expression grim. "There''s no point in staying here and there is nothing to save. We have to leave, immediately."


    The urgency of the situation left no room for debate.


    They gathered closer preparing to escape the dying world.


    Gustav grabbed Aildris while Falco grabbed Ria.


    Violently pushing upwards with their legs, they cut through the air with immense speed, disappearing into the orbit.


    In a few moments, they appeared in outer space, floating before the charred and desated.


    Zing~


    Endric appeared beside them as they turned around to give the a lingering stare.


    The convulsed in its final moments.


    The dark mist surged with renewed vigour, enveloping everything in its path as the trembling of the ground reached a crescendo while they witnessed the''s disintegration.


    From a safe distance, they watched as the world that had been their link to an otherwise disappointing rescue, crumbled into ash.


    The''s final moments were both horrific and mesmerizing.


    As thest remnants of the vanished into the void, a heavy silence fell over the group. The loss of an entire world, even one as deste and forsaken as that, was a sobering reminder of the strength of the forces they were messing with.


    Just on the cusp of leaving the orbit, at the very edge of the centre of the universe, an event unfolded that defied all logic and reason—a phenomenon so surreal that it momentarily stilled the chaos of their thoughts and the ache in their hearts.


    Before their disbelieving eyes, the they had witnessed disintegrate into nothingness, consumed by a dark mist that heralded its doom, reappeared as if reborn from the ashes of its destruction.


    It was as though the universe itself had hit a reset button, presenting the in its original state, untouched by the cataclysmic forces that had ravaged its surface.


    The rifts that had torn the fabric of reality, the dark mist that had spread like a gue, all were gone, erased from existence.


    The group stood in stunned silence, their minds grappling with the impossible reality unfolding before them. The, with its desatedndscapes and remnants of ancient civilizations, was exactly as they had found it upon their arrival—barren, yet whole.


    "How... How is this possible?" Aildris murmured in astonishment.


    "I don''t understand," Ria added, his eyes wide with disbelief.


    "We saw it... it was gone."


    Falco scanned the horizon, his gaze piercing the void where the had vanished and reappeared. "The rifts are gone... there is no sign of my father''s influence as well...," he stated, his tone reflective.


    As they pondered the unfathomable resurrection of the, a strange twist of fate revealed itself.


    The, a solid, tangible presence to them moments ago, vanished from their view, disappearing as suddenly as it had appeared.


    They all witnessed its disappearance except for Gustav.


    To his eyes, the remained visible, a ghostly image that hovered on the brink of reality and illusion.


    "I can still see it," Gustav announced, his voice tinged with a mix of wonder and realisation.


    It turned out that the had simply gone back to bordering between existence and non-existence.


    "We can''t linger on this," Endric finally said, breaking the spell of bewilderment that had enveloped them.


    "We need to get back to our spacecraft, refresh and ren."


    They agreed with him and turned around to leave once more.


    As they made their way back, the repelling force surrounding the centre of the universe did not hinder them since it was only there to keep things out and not in.


    As the spacecraft loomed in the distance, a palpable shift in the atmosphere halted their progress.


    The surroundings trembled, not with the seismic activities of a but with the presence of a force that seemed to distort the very fabric of space around them.


    Emerging from the ether, a figure materialized, its presencemanding yet devoid of any discernible features save for the unmistakable crimson tree-like hair that flowed and flickered like mes in a non-existent breeze.


    The being, faceless and imposing, exuded a power that felt ancient and unfathomable, its eyes non-existent yet undeniably fixed upon them.


    Gustav, already burdened by the emotional weight of their recent urrences, felt a surge of irritation at the new challenge.


    His patience frayed and his voice carried a dangerous edge as he addressed Ifeiev.


    "We''ve been through enough. Leave us in peace, or I''ll destroy you," he threatened, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.


    The faceless being, undeterred by Gustav''s words, responded not with speech but with action. With a deliberate charge, it unleashed an energy so potent it rippled across the vast expanse of outer space, distorting the light of distant stars and sending a wave of foreboding through their minds.


    Falco unexpectedly stepped forward with unfathomable speed.


    With a swift motion, heunched himself at the faceless adversary, his fist imbued with the power of darkness so profound it caused the universe to swirl in response. The collision of forces was cataclysmic, a spectacle of power that reverberated through the cosmos.


    The impact sent the faceless being hurtling through space, its form streaking across the void like aet gone awry.


    It ripped through multiple stars, causing cracks in space as it streaked through gxies while its form slowly broke apart, leaving a trail of cosmic destruction in its wake.


    The force of Falco''s punch was so incredibly unbelievable, that it seemed like a different person was standing before Gustav.


    The group stared at him in awe as they witnessed the aftermath.


    Falco, turning back to face Gustav, offered a nod of reassurance, his expression unreadable yet conveying a sense of unwavering resolve.


    "Let''s go," he suggested.


    "Yeah, you''re gonna need to exin what the hell that was," Ria voiced in adoration.


    Falco nodded once more as they resumed their path to the spacecraft.


    As their spacecraft sliced through the velvet expanse of space, leaving behind the tumultuous events that had unfolded at the centre of the universe, a quiet realization dawned upon Gustav and the others.


    The spacecraft''s onboard calendar and time system, which had been synchronized with the standard gctic chronometer, revealed a startling discrepancy.


    The hours they had perceived to have spent navigating the chaotic other ne and confronting the mysteries of the centre were, in reality, three weeks in the external universe.


    The revtion hung heavily in the air. It also bore grave implications.


    "If someone from the alliance sent Ifeiev and he had been waiting for us there for that long... it means that the alliance most likely knows where we are," Gustav voiced in realisation.


    The realization that their adversaries had been granted such an advantage cast a shadow of caution over their journey.


    They understood that their movements henceforth would be scrutinized, fraught with the danger of confrontation with forces gathered specifically to thwart them.


    Falco furrowed his brows in confusion at the mention of the alliance and the apparent bounty on Gustav''s head.


    "Just what happened while I was away?" he asked, his voiceced with a mixture of curiosity and concern.


    The time he had spent in the other ne which had amounted to a year outside it had wrought significant changes. Changes he was now struggling toprehend.


    Gustav, sensing Falco''s confusion and the need for rity, decided it was time to shed light on the events that had transpired.


    "About a year ago after our return from IYSOP..." Gustav began with a steady voice.


    ....


    ....


    ....


    In the vast, uncharted expanse of space, where stars twinkled like distant beacons ands spun silently in their celestial dance, a fleet of spacecraft cruised with purpose.


    Each vessel, visibly formidable, bore the marks of advanced technology and untold power. The floti moved as one, a synchronized ballet of metal and might, cutting through the darkness like a de.


    Within these spacecraft, the corridors hummed with the activity of beings from countless worlds.


    Despite their varied origins and the diversity of their appearances—from the tall, willowy figures with skin like the night sky to the rugged, stone-like creatures whose eyes glowed with inner fire—all were united under amon banner.


    They were d in uniform outfits of silver, grey, and blue, the colours merging and shifting with a subtlety that spoke of high craftsmanship.


    Emzoned on their chests was an emblem of profound significance: a hand cradling a universe, its spiral gxies and nebe nestled securely in the palm, a symbol of their oath to protect and serve the vast cosmos they called home.


    These were fleets from the Alliance Corps.


    Amidst the soft hum of the ship''s engines and the quiet chatter of its crew, one of themanders, a figure of imposing stature with skin that shimmered like the surface of a star, stepped forward. Her eyes, piercing and clear, reflected the depths of space itself.


    She approached themunication panel with a sense of urgency, her fingers dancing across the holographic interface to activate the generalms link, connecting her to every ship in the fleet.


    "Attention all units..."