My Talent's Name Is Generator Chapter 685: New Beginnings With A Conflict

The entire group assembled on the main deck, positioned before the expansive viewport of the vessel.

I took my place at the center, gazing forward, while Steve, North, Aurora, and Primus flanked me. We made no effort to conceal our identities, choosing to leave our faces uncovered. We wore the clean black robes of our newly established organization, which were woven with subtle runic threads that pulsed gently as they reacted to the Essence circulating through our veins. The emblem of interlocking gears was displayed prominently over our chests, a clear and intentional statement.

There was nothing subtle about our arrival.

"All right," I commanded.

The ship responded instantly.

A deep, rhythmic hum vibrated through the floor as the engines roared to life, with Essence surging smoothly through the propulsion systems. We advanced at a measured speed, slowly approaching the invisible perimeter ahead. The void remained tranquil until the exact moment we crossed the line.

For a fleeting second, the darkness ignited in a crimson flare.

Runes manifested across the vacuum of space, rippling outward as if the hull had sliced through water instead of a void. The glow lingered for a single heartbeat before vanishing, returning the stars to their natural darkness.

A resonant, deep voice echoed through the emptiness.

"Halt."

I signaled with a raised hand, and the vessel drifted to a complete stop.

Initially, nothing greeted us. There was only the vast, silent expanse of open space.

Two heartbeats passed in silence.

Then, the void began to ripple.

Space distorted and folded like a disturbed pond, and silhouettes started to manifest from the warped reality one by one. Warships glided into existence with surgical precision, their dark, angular hulls etched with glowing red sigils.

The emblem of the Demon Monarch—a three-horned demon—burned brightly on the side of every ship.

Eight vessels emerged first, spreading into a broad arc that blocked every potential path forward. Their maneuvers were fluid and disciplined, revealing a crew well-versed in the theater of war.

Then, the flagship arrived.

It was colossal.

Its sheer mass exerted a heavy pressure on the local Essence, warping it as the ship took its position at the head of the fleet. In terms of scale and design, it was a match for the warship I had encountered on Vaythos, the one formerly commanded by Vaelix Ranthor.

Across the entire fleet, weapon systems hummed to life. Even the surrounding Essence seemed to recoil from the buildup of power. Energy signatures spiked as every cannon and launcher locked onto our position simultaneously.

There were no warning shots or verbal demands. This was a restricted zone, and we had trespassed without clearance.

"What a lovely reception," Steve remarked with a dry tone.

I remained silent. This confrontation was the inevitable price of crossing that boundary.

My focus shifted past the perimeter of warships into the void behind them. While everything appeared normal at a glance, a sense of wrongness nagged at me. I stretched my perception further, reaching beyond the limitations of physical sight.

That was when I spotted it.

A delicate layer of distortion was draped across the stars like a translucent shroud. It was an illusion, multi-layered and meticulously maintained. The spatial ripple the fleet had used wasn't merely a jump point; it was a veil designed to hide whatever was stationed behind it.

Before I could investigate further, a voice boomed through the vacuum, projected by the power of Law rather than sound waves.

"Identify yourselves. You have ten seconds."

I turned my head slightly. "Primus."

He gave a single, firm nod.

In a flash, he vanished from the deck and reappeared in the open void. He stood there calmly, his hands at his sides, with his fire Essence tightly controlled but ready.

"I am Primus Bloodreaver," he declared clearly. "Of the demon world, Armus." He paused for a moment before adding, "We are here at the request of Dravon Emberlord."

The void fell into a heavy silence.

The ships remained motionless. Weapons stayed aimed at us. The Essence signatures of the fleet remained high and tense.

Several seconds ticked by.

Then, the fabric of space shifted once more.

A figure blurred forward from the flagship. He was a demon of Transcendent rank, encased in full armor. His aura pressed heavily against Primus as he approached.

He came to a halt directly in front of Primus.

"Bloodreaver," the demon said, his voice dripping with ice. "So you are of the clan that seized control of Armus?"

"I am," Primus answered without wavering.

The demon’s eyes turned predatory. "We have reports concerning Phantom interference. Your family name was mentioned in those files."

Primus shook his head. "The Phantom targeted my family. It was the Del Rey family who invited them in. They have already paid the price for their treason."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

Something felt off.

The demon’s physical stance shifted by a fraction of a millimeter. Essence began to pool rapidly in his right fist, compressing with such intensity that it warped the surrounding flow.

"Aurora," I whispered.

The demon’s voice suddenly thundered.

"Lies!"

He struck.

His fist lunged forward with explosive velocity, aimed directly at Primus’s skull. The blow carried enough power to level a fortress. Primus was given no time to defend himself.

A massive crack of thunder tore through the silence of the void.

Lightning fractured the space between them as Aurora manifested, catching the demon’s fist with her bare hand. Her hair billowed wildly, and her eyes burned with blue radiance as arcs of electricity danced across her skin.

"You have a lot of nerve attacking one of our people," she stated coldly.

She drove her other palm forward.

A blast of lightning erupted.

A thunderous shockwave rolled through the void as the Transcendent demon was sent flying back like a falling star. He slammed violently into the flagship, the impact sending tremors through the entire fleet and momentarily breaking their formation.

"What?" North asked sharply, her blades forming in her hands with a faint metallic ring. "Why would he just attack like that?"

I didn’t reply immediately.

My senses were already fanned out, monitoring the weapon systems of every surrounding ship. Energy levels were fluctuating as targeting arrays recalibrated. They hadn't opened fire yet, but they were poised to do so. A single mistake would ignite a full-scale battle.

"I suspect he knows Lana," I finally said.

It was the most logical conclusion—someone acting on a personal grudge, willing to bypass protocol for a chance to strike. The alternative, that he was an operative of Dravon’s rivals, seemed less likely.

Steve clicked his tongue in annoyance. "That woman is nothing but a headache for Primus."

Aurora hovered serenely next to Primus, sparks of lightning still flickering at her fingertips. Her stance was relaxed, yet she remained lethal. She didn't chase after the demon; she simply waited.

"Fine," Steve muttered, his hand tightening on the hilt of his blade. "How do we want to handle this disaster?"

The flagship shuddered before finally stabilizing.

I watched as the demon pulled himself from the hull, his armor shattered and venting smoke. His presence was shaken, but he was far from being out of the fight. Around us, the fleet shifted their positions, tightening the net and tracking Aurora, Primus, and our ship all at once.