LOWKEY INTERSTELLER CAPTAIN

As the echoes of Chen Bo’s first major victory faded across the stars, the ruling houses of the Empire convened in secret. The destruction of House Marrik’s fleet had sent shockwaves through the noble hierarchy. Their downfall was not just a defeat; it was a message. Someone had risen from the ashes—someone they had tried to erase.

Within the grand hall of Imperial Nexus, the core of the Empire’s governance, representatives from the Twelve Supreme Houses assembled. House Xian, House Velkar, House Hadrian, and House Sorel were among the most vocalists. They had all played a role in the downfall of Chen Bo’s family, and now, the specter of vengeance loomed over them.

Duke Xian Ren III, father of Xian Ren and one of the masterminds behind the purge, sat at the head of the assembly, his expression unreadable. “This... upstart should have been eradicated,” he muttered.

A hologram flickered to life, displaying surveillance data from the Marrik assault. The ships defending Chen Bo’s territory had operated beyond the limits of Imperial technology. The way they fought, the way they annihilated their enemies—it wasn’t just skill. It was power.

“We have underestimated him,” Lord Hadrian admitted. “But the question remains: where did he obtain such ships? Such weaponry?”

“Someone is supplying him,” Duchess Velkar hissed. “Or worse... something.”

The room fell into silence. Even the thought of an unknown faction backing a fallen noble was dangerous. The Empire had spent centuries securing its dominance; the idea that an unseen force was operating under their noses was unacceptable.

Duke Xian’s eyes narrowed. “Then we will test his strength. If he is truly a threat, we will see how deep his power runs.

Chen Bo’s Next Move

Back in his territory, Chen Bo stood aboard his command deck, watching the endless expanse of space before him. Void Sovereign remained in concealment; its presence undetectable to all but him. However, the system had already begun formulating upgrade protocols.

The ship required Celestium Crystals, Void Titan Alloy, and Quantum Phase Cores—resources that were either monopolized by the Empire or buried within enemy-controlled star systems. If he wanted Void Sovereign to regain its former glory, he needed to act fast.

Chen Bo had already started revitalizing his shipyards, using the blueprints obtained from Void Sovereign’s database. Starborn Shipyards, the remnants of his family’s once-mighty fleet production centers, were slowly returning to life. New destroyers and cruisers were rolling out, but he needed capital-class warships to truly defend his growing domain.

Captain Orin approached. “My Lord, we have intercepted transmissions from the Imperial Court. They are gathering forces. They will come for you.”

Chen Bo smirked. “Let them.”

He wasn’t ready to reveal Void Sovereign, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t strike. He had two goals now: strengthen his forces and make the first move before his enemies could.

A Trap is Set

Three days later, a fleet of Imperial Executioners, the elite enforcers of the Empire—arrived in the neighboring Helios System. Their goal was simple: draw Chen Bo out and crush him.

The fleet, commanded by Admiral Vassilus, consisted of 30 advanced battleships, 60 cruisers, and 120 destroyers. Their ships were top-of-the-line, designed to wipe out insurgents and rogue nobles with precision.

But they had underestimated their opponent.

Instead of engaging head-on, Chen Bo lured them into the Helios Abyss, a treacherous region filled with unstable asteroid belts and gravitational rifts. His fleet, using Void Sovereign’s advanced warping technology, maneuvered through the battlefield undetected.

When the first shots were fired, it was already too late for the Empire’s forces.

From the shadows, Chen Bo’s Void Strikers decloaked and unleashed precision dark matter pulse strikes, tearing through the unprepared battleships. The Aether-Class Cruisers, stationed at the system’s edge, rained long-range plasma bombardments on the confused enemy forces.

Chaos erupted. Imperial Executioners scrambled to form defensive lines, but the Leviathan Battleships blocked their retreat, unleashing devastating broadside salvos.

Then, the final phase began.

The Wrath of the Void

As the Imperial fleet desperately tried to regroup, Chen Bo activated a new weapon—a remnant of Void Sovereign’s once-godlike arsenal.

From deep within the shadows of the asteroid belt, Void Sovereign’s Phantom Rift Array activated. Reality itself twisted as a massive spatial distortion spread across the battlefield. Imperial ships were suddenly dragged into dimensional rifts, vanishing in flashes of shattered light.

Admiral Vassilus, aboard his flagship Judgment Spear, watched in horror as his fleet disintegrated before his eyes.

“This isn’t possible…” he whispered.

Then, a final transmission came through.

“Tell them... that the fallen son has returned.”

The last thing Admiral Vassilus saw before his ship was swallowed by the abyss was the terrifying glow of Void Sovereign’s dormant core, watching from the void.