Plan in action

Meanwhile, Back at the Main Battlefield

Percy and the other faction vice captains had already finalized their plan to take down the leading ship, the Seed.

"Alright, now that we've got the plan down, we need to hurry and act on it," Eerie said firmly, her voice cutting through the noise of battle. "Even though our forces are stronger, they far outnumber us. A prolonged fight is far from in our favor."

"She's right. Percy, it's your call when we make our move since this plan revolves around you," Scarlett, the vice commander of the Iron Vanguard, added, her sharp eyes glancing toward Percy.

Percy folded his arms, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Alright. We move now," he said, his golden wings flapping as if to punctuate the decision. "But if this is going to work, we'll need a huge commotion to throw them off."

The group nodded in unison, a determined fire in their eyes. Without hesitation, they launched themselves into action, streaking through the battlefield like meteors.

Inside the Seed (Governor's Quarters)

The governors were seated around an ornate table in their quarters, drinking heavily and celebrating their expected victory.

"CHEERS!" they shouted, clinking their mugs together.

"HAHAHA!" Governor Trak bellowed with laughter, slamming his drink onto the table. "These bastards are really stubborn! Who would've thought their forces would be this powerful? But it's just a useless struggle. Our numbers overwhelm theirs, and by the time our soldiers are done with these pawns, our champions will have long since finished the Star Eater's strongest. That will give us more than enough time to crush the Star Eater himself."

They roared with laughter, clinking their mugs together again.

"Governor Cira doesn't know what she's missing!" one of the governors sneered, his tone mocking.

Trak's grin faded, his face darkening. "That coward Cira is nothing but talk. She ran off to hide behind the Steward, afraid of any 'complications' that might arise."

The other governors exchanged uneasy glances but said nothing, their silence filling the room with tension.

BAM!

Trak slammed his mug onto the table. "No matter. We're already on the verge of victory. Bringing the Box along was clearly—"

WHIIII—WHUMMM!

Alarms blared, cutting Trak off mid-sentence. The governors all froze, their celebratory mood shattered as confusion spread across their faces.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Trak roared, his voice echoing through the quarters.

A speaker crackled to life, the voice of a frantic officer filtering through. "Sir! We have a situation! The Star Eater's golden-armored soldiers have stopped their widespread assault. All of them are converging directly on this ship!"

Trak scowled. "And why is that a problem? They may be strong, but we outnumber them! Activate the cosmic ray cannons and fire on their formation! We'll crush them in one sweep!"

"Sir, we've already considered that, but… we have a major complication. Allow me to show you."

A holographic projector flickered on, displaying a live feed of the battlefield. The governors' eyes widened in shock at the sight before them.

"What the fu—" one governor stammered.

The Primordial Knights advanced in a perfect piercing formation, their golden armor glinting even in the chaotic void of battle. At the front of the formation floated Eerie, holding a glowing orb in her hands. Manipulating the solar winds of space, she was forcing X3X soldiers and ships into a massive, living shield, which moved with them as they closed in on the Seed.

"As you can see, sir," the officer's voice continued, strained, "if we fire the cannons now, we'll be hitting our own men!"

Trak clenched his jaw, his frustration boiling over. "I don't give a damn! Do NOT let them near this ship. Fire at them, no matter the cost. If we lose a few soldiers, so be it!"

The room erupted in outrage.

"DON'T YOU DARE FIRE!" shouted Governor Shrom of Universe 301, slamming his fist onto the table. "Our men are out there! What kind of leader gets his own soldiers killed?!"

"And what about morale?" another governor shouted, his face red with anger. "How do you think the rest of our forces will react when they see us slaughtering our own?!"

The governors' shouts filled the room, their fury directed at Trak.

Trak's eyes blazed with fury as he glared at his peers, veins bulging on his forehead. "Stop acting like spineless cowards and THINK! This is clearly a calculated move. They're exploiting our hesitation, betting that we won't fire. If we don't act now, they'll breach the Seed! Are you all blind to their strategy?!"

The room fell into an uneasy silence as the governors exchanged hesitant glances.

Trak straightened, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Listen. Those men are as good as dead. For all we know, they've already been sacrificed to buy time for this maneuver. We must stop this assault NOW, no matter the cost. It's the only way to protect the Seed and end this war."

Governor Shrom stared at Trak, his expression cold. The room grew heavier as he looked to the other governors. One by one, they nodded reluctantly in agreement.

Shrom let out a deep sigh and turned back to Trak. "Fine… we agree. Do it."

Governor trak started smiling. "You heard the man!… Do it.