Chapter 64 — The Order —
Grand Meeting Hall of the Empire —
The Grand Meeting Hall stood silent beneath towering domes of crystal steel.
Massive pillars carved with the Empire’s crest lined the chamber walls.
At the center sat a huge circular table — a council table reserved only for the highest-ranking commanders under the rule of the Grand Master.
One by one…
They arrived.
Commanders from different sectors of the Empire entered the chamber, each radiating authority.
Among them were Commander Frostbyte and Commander Vortex, taking their seats beneath the glowing holographic crest of the Empire.
Vortex leaned slightly toward Frostbyte.
“This meeting…” he whispered.
“It’s about the portal incident, isn’t it? The Void outbreak. The resistance attack.”
Frostbyte didn’t look at him.
“Unlikely.”
“The Grand Master has never considered the Resistance a real threat.”
He paused.
“This meeting is about something else.”
Vortex frowned.
“So this has something to do with that resistance sniper?”
He lowered his voice further.
“Then why is Ryze — the Starlink Sniper — suddenly marked Dead or Alive?”
A long silence.
“Did you request it?” Vortex asked.
“Do you really want her eliminated?”
Frostbyte exhaled slowly.
“As much as I would prefer it…”
“…it wasn’t my order.”
Vortex turned sharply.
“Then whose?”
Frostbyte’s gaze hardened.
“The Grand Master himself.”
Vortex blinked.
“Why?”
Frostbyte replied calmly.
“He’s the one who gave the order.”
Silence settled between them.
More commanders entered the chamber.
Elite armor.
Jeweled capes.
Faction insignias.
These weren’t normal players.
They were rulers of sectors, masters of cities, and warlords of entire regions of the Empire.
Frostbyte scanned the room.
Most were powerful veterans.
Some were rich.
Some politically connected.
Others feared for their strength.
His gaze paused briefly on one warrior.
A player wearing old-fashioned armor — outdated but meticulously maintained.
A relic of another era.
Frostbyte narrowed his eyes.
Pro players…
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Their skill alone could outclass normal players ten to one.
Yet even they…
Would struggle against that anomaly.
Before Frostbyte could observe further—
The grand doors opened once again.
This time…
The atmosphere changed.
No armor.
No royal uniform.
Just simple, casual clothing.
Yet the moment he entered—
Every commander instinctively straightened.
An Administrator.
It felt like watching a god walk among mortals.
A being who could erase accounts, rewrite systems, or end wars with a single command.
The Admin approached Frostbyte with a relaxed smile.
“Oh, Frostbyte. Old friend,” he said casually.
“How’s everything going?”
Frostbyte nodded respectfully.
“Sir.”
The Admin tilted his head.
“Need assistance?” he asked playfully.
“Looks like you outdid yourself with that Void Portal accident.”
He chuckled.
“Tough lesson, huh?”
His smile widened.
“And the Resistance problem…”
“Oh, I wish I had watched it live.”
“What a waste. I missed the fun.”
A few commanders nearby stiffened.
“You know…” the Admin continued casually,
“I could erase the entire Resistance in a single strike.”
He laughed lightly.
Frostbyte’s jaw tightened.
“You know you can’t do that.”
“You don’t have the authority.”
The Admin snapped his fingers.
“Ah yes. The oath.”
“Staff are forbidden from interfering in player politics.”
He leaned closer slightly.
“We’re observers.”
His expression sharpened.
“But when things go too deep…”
“…we step in.”
Frostbyte’s eyes darkened.
“You’re watching him too.”
The Admin nodded.
“Of course.”
“He’s an anomaly.”
“Or maybe a bug.”
Before Frostbyte could respond—
A deep bell echoed throughout the chamber.
The meeting was beginning.
“Ah,” the Admin said cheerfully.
“Duty calls.”
“Good talking to you, Frosty.”
He walked toward the elevated observer platform.
Vortex leaned toward Frostbyte again.
“How many connections do you have?” he whispered.
“You’re on friendly terms with an Admin?”
Frostbyte answered flatly.
“Many.”
The chamber lights dimmed.
A massive holographic screen appeared above the council table.
Static flickered.
Then—
He appeared.
The Grand Master.
One of the Seven Ring Leaders of the Empire.
Even as a hologram…
His presence weighed heavily over the hall.
Every commander stood immediately.
They bowed.
The Grand Master spoke.
“My commanders.”
His voice was calm.
Absolute.
“It pleases me to see you all well.”
A brief pause.
“Unfortunately, I cannot attend in person.”
His holographic eyes narrowed slightly.
“But make no mistake…”
“My absence does not lessen my authority.”
A chill spread through the room.
“For this assembly, an Administrator shall act as my proxy.”
The Admin gave a small nod.
The Grand Master continued.
“Now…”
“Let us address the matter at hand.”
The holographic screen shifted.
A new image appeared.
RYZE — The Starlink Sniper
Resistance Operative — Countless Star
The Grand Master’s voice hardened.
“The resistance soldier known as Ryze.”
The display filled with combat data.
Battle logs.
Void portal reports.
“Infiltrating the Empire.”
“Turning one of our own against us.”
“And fighting alongside the most dangerous anomaly we have recorded.”
His eyes gleamed coldly.
“This is no longer about the Resistance.”
His voice dropped.
“This is preparation… for what comes next.”
The room fell silent.
“Ryze is to be captured.”
A pause.
“Dead…”
“…or alive.”
The temperature in the chamber seemed to drop.
“Exterminate all of her companions.”
“All allies.”
“Everyone connected to her.”
His final words echoed.
“And should any commander fail…”
His silhouette darkened on the screen.
“Understand this.”
“I do not repeat myself.”
The hologram flickered.
“Begin the operation.”
The screen went black.
No one spoke.
The war had just changed.
— Resistance Underground HQ —
Far across the deserts of SkyRealm…
Hidden beneath endless sand dunes…
Lies the secret underground headquarters of the Resistance.
Inside the command center, soldiers monitored dozens of screens.
Intercepting signals.
Recording the Empire’s meeting.
Writing down anything useful.
The sliding door opened.
A man entered.
A veteran from the WarPath
The Captain.
Every soldier stood immediately.
They saluted.
“Status on the meeting?” the Captain asked.
One soldier stood up.
“Sir, the Empire is planning something big.”
“We don’t know exactly what yet.”
The Captain nodded.
“Continue monitoring them.”
He turned back.
“One more thing.”
“What’s Ryze’s situation?”
Another soldier answered.
“Sir, Captain Chaxti successfully extracted Ryze from the Empire.”
“They’re currently separated, but she is heading toward HQ.”
The Captain smiled faintly.
“Excellent.”
“That’s good news.”
He left the room.
— Hallway, Resistance HQ —
While walking through the hallway, someone approached him.
“Captain.”
He looked down.
“Ah, Abbyrose.”
Abbyrose was one of the newer recruits — a player rescued by the Resistance not long ago.
She joined soon after.
“Any news about Ryze?” she asked nervously.
“She’s fine,” the Captain said.
“Ryze doesn’t give up easily.”
“She always finds a way.”
Abbyrose smiled.
“That’s great.”
The Captain looked at her.
“Shouldn’t you be practicing at the shooting range?”
“Your gunmanship is still sloppy.”
Abbyrose frowned.
“Captain, I’m a top mage from Countless Star.”
“I can literally summon dragons.”
The Captain shrugged.
“Sure.”
“But what if you run out of mana?”
He smirked.
“There’s an old saying.”
“Switching to your pistol…”
“…is always faster than reloading.”
Suddenly—
The Captain’s communicator buzzed.
BZZT
“Sir!”
The voice sounded urgent.
“We have a problem!”
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Alarms began blaring.
Red lights flashed.
Soldiers sprinted toward the armory.
“Captain, what’s going on?!” Abbyrose asked.
The Captain looked toward the surface scanners.
His eyes narrowed.
“…Looks like we have company.”
— Desert Surface —
Above the Resistance HQ…
The endless desert winds howled.
Sand dunes stretched to the horizon.
Then—
The sand began to shake.
A powerful presence approached.
A lone figure emerged through the storm.
Walking slowly.
Each step radiating overwhelming power.
And he was heading straight for the Resistance headquarters.
