Years Later – The Unseen Threat

The world had long bowed to the might of the Blackwood Empire. Cities gleamed with innovation, skies were ruled by fleets of Blackwood-crafted aircraft, and economies operated under the supreme currency bearing Chris's face. The global order had shifted entirely—there was no more democracy, no more competing ideologies. There was only power, and power belonged to the Blackwood Union.

Ethan Blackwood sat upon the Supreme Throne, his eyes cold and calculating as he listened to the latest reports from his enforcers. The council chamber was vast, a room lined with banners bearing the Blackwood insignia, where the most powerful figures in the world sat in utter silence, waiting for their ruler to speak.

Christiana, seated at his right, had not said a word throughout the entire session, but her mere presence was enough to silence dissent. As the Dictator of the Union, her authority was absolute. Yet, she knew better than anyone that ultimate power rested not with her, nor even with Ethan.

It rested with the man who had built it all.

Chris had kept his word. Since passing the torch, he had stayed in the shadows, unseen yet ever-present. He did not rule, but he watched. He did not interfere, but his silence was a warning—one that Ethan had never dared to challenge.

Until now.

A messenger stepped forward, his body trembling as he lowered his head in submission. "Your Majesty… We have a situation."

Ethan's fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of his throne. "Speak."

The messenger swallowed hard. "There have been… disturbances in the outer regions of the empire. Whispers of rebellion. Unrest is spreading, not from within our union, but from the remnants of the old world—those who never truly accepted the Blackwood rule. They are rallying behind a figure, a ghost from the past."

The chamber was deathly silent.

Ethan's jaw tightened. "A ghost?"

"The rebels call him the 'Shadow Sovereign.' No one knows his identity, only that he has been orchestrating attacks on minor territories under our control. At first, we dismissed them as minor inconveniences. But now, the scale is growing. He moves in silence, strikes without warning, and vanishes before our forces can react. He knows our strategies, our weaknesses… as if he were one of us."

Christiana narrowed her eyes. "Have we identified any possible leads?"

The messenger hesitated. "One name has surfaced… but it is impossible."

Ethan leaned forward. "Say it."

The messenger's voice wavered. "…Adrian Blackwood."

The entire room tensed. Christiana's hand clenched into a fist. Ethan's expression darkened.

Chris's younger brother.

A man who had vanished years ago, presumed dead.

Ethan's voice was calm, but the undercurrent of danger was unmistakable. "Adrian is dead."

"We thought so," the messenger said hesitantly. "But the tactics, the precision of these attacks… they mirror Blackwood strategy. Whoever this 'Shadow Sovereign' is, they have knowledge of the empire's inner workings. If it is truly Adrian, then he has spent years in hiding, waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

A low hum filled the chamber as Ethan sat back in his throne, his mind calculating every possible move.

"Send our best enforcers to investigate," Christiana commanded, her voice sharp. "I want every trace of this so-called 'Shadow Sovereign' erased."

Ethan, however, remained silent for a moment. Then, slowly, he exhaled and turned to the only person in the world who held more weight than he did.

Chris.

The God of the Empire sat in the grand chamber behind Ethan, the true core of Blackwood's power. He had not spoken, had not moved, but now, all eyes turned to him.

For the first time in years, Chris shifted forward. His presence alone sent a chill through the room.

"If it is Adrian…" His voice was quiet, but it carried the weight of the entire empire. "…then I will deal with him myself."

The chamber fell into an eerie silence.

Ethan met Chris's gaze. "You swore you would not interfere."

Chris's lips curved into a smirk—one that did not reach his eyes. "I said I would not interfere in your rule. But this is not about governance, Ethan." He leaned forward slightly, his presence suffocating. "This is about family."

For the first time in his reign, Ethan felt a shadow looming over him—one that reminded him why the world still whispered the name of the man who had built the empire.

The God of the Empire had returned to the game.