Timeless Assassin

Chapter 1117: Under Control

(Planet Satoru, Central Military Base, Leo’s POV)

Leo stood at the highest observation point of the military base, his figure positioned near the edge of the sky tower as his gaze remained fixed on the vast stretch of the base below, where thousands of soldiers diligently carried out their daily tasks.

He remained perfectly still, his mind not in the present, but worried about future events, when—

"My Lord, I have the report you requested...."

A voice came from behind him, as he turned to look at Shadow Number One, who respectfully kneeled behind him.

For a moment, he remained silent, before then turning to look towards the soldiers again, as he smiled and said—

"You know... who would have loved this spot?"

He asked, his tone calm, as he recalled a fond memory from the past.

However, having no context of who Leo was referring to, Shadow Number One could not help but remain silent, as he waited for Leo to give the answer himself.

"My old master... Charles," Leo continued quietly, his voice carrying a faint trace of something deeper as he continued to look out across the base.

"He would have stood here every day if Satoru was under his control, smoking a cigarette while thinking about the future of the Cult," Leo added, as the image seemed clear in his mind despite the absence of the man himself.

"If he were still alive, he would have been excited about this... about the Cult expanding again," he continued, as his expression remained steady even as the thought lingered.

"I wish I could have shown him this day."

Shadow Number One lowered his head slightly at those words, recognizing the weight behind them without needing to respond immediately.

"I am certain he would have been proud of what you are doing now, my Lord," he said after a brief pause, his tone respectful and measured as he offered the only response he felt appropriate.

Leo gave a faint nod at that, accepting the sentiment without lingering on it, as he shifted his focus back to the matter at hand.

"The report," he said simply, gesturing for him to continue.

Shadow Number One straightened slightly before speaking again.

"Just as you anticipated, a large number of merchant vessels have begun requesting entry into Planet Satoru," he began, his tone steady as he delivered the update.

"However, upon screening these ships, it has become evident that they are not ordinary traders, as many of them carry Transcendent-tier individuals and, in some cases, even Monarch-level passengers," he continued, his gaze steady as he relayed the details.

"Based on this, it is highly likely that these ships have been dispatched by the Great Clans to probe our strength, with decoy spies masquerading as traders, as it’s impossible for genuine merchants to be this high levelled....."

He added, as a faint chuckle escaped Leo’s lips at those words, his reaction immediate as he shook his head slightly.

"They are predictable," he said, his tone carrying quiet amusement as he looked out across the horizon once more.

"They always follow the same pattern... observe, test, and then decide how seriously they need to take the threat," he continued, as his gaze sharpened slightly.

"And for now, they are still trying to understand what we are."

Shadow Number One nodded once.

"As per your instructions, all such vessels have been denied entry, and no external or internal traffic is currently permitted," he said.

"The planet has also been disconnected from the Galaxy Net, ensuring that no information regarding our operations can be leaked by local inhabitants," he added, his tone precise as he completed that portion of the report.

Leo remained silent for a brief moment, considering the situation as it unfolded exactly as he had expected.

"Good," he said finally.

"Let them grow a little desperate," he continued, his voice calm yet deliberate.

"There is no need for us to reveal our hand this early, not when the real game has not even begun yet," he added, as his fingers tapped lightly against the railing.

"For now, keep them in the dark and let uncertainty do the work for us."

He said, as Shadow Number One inclined his head slightly before continuing.

"Onto other topics, the morale of the troops remains high.....

They seem eager for more conquests now that they’ve tasted victory once."

"Commander James’s fleet, Commander Silva’s fleet, and Commander Dupravel’s fleet have all successfully arrived on Satoru, and integration into the planetary defense structure is progressing smoothly,"

"If everything proceeds according to schedule, Commander James’s fleet will be ready for forward deployment within three weeks."

He reported, as Leo nodded at that, satisfied.

Everything was moving exactly as he wanted it to.

"And what about the special surveillance I ordered on Clarence and Terrence?"

Leo asked, as Shadow Number One’s expression turned slightly more serious at that point.

"As instructed, we have deployed personnel to monitor the movements of the Demi Gods Clarence and Terrence," he said.

"However, tracking them has proven to be difficult, as they do not appear to be stationed in any fixed location," he continued, his tone measured.

"They have not been observed on Granada, and instead seem to move unpredictably between different regions of space, often appearing on neutral planets, while occasionally surfacing on territories under God Mauriss’s control," he explained.

"As of now, their objective remains unclear, and our intelligence network has not been able to determine what they are attempting to accomplish," he concluded.

Leo remained quiet after hearing that, his gaze drifting slightly as he processed the information.

Then, slowly, a faint sigh escaped his lips.

"Well that’s not good...."

He said, as he shook his head in disappointment.

"Of all the Gods in the universe, if I can’t understand the motives of someone, it is Mauriss.

So it’s important we have complete information about his schemes, no matter what.

Because that snake is always planning something nefarious...."

Leo said, as Shadow Number One bowed his head in shame.

"No matter the cost, find out what Clarence and Terrence are up to.

If we are to aim for universal domination, then our information network really needs to be the best in the universe...."

Leo said, as Shadow Number One nodded in agreement.

"I will do my best, My Lord."

He assured, as Leo nodded once and waved a hand to dismiss him.

—-------

Once Shadow Number One departed, Leo returned to his internal thoughts as he turned his attention back towards the future that currently worried him.

At this point, he already knew that fighting a God in the near future was an inevitable event, and yet, it was not something that could be approached with instinct or arrogance, as such battles demanded planning across multiple layers beyond simple strength.

The first factor he considered was the location of the fight, as engaging a God on a populated planet like Satoru was completely unacceptable under any circumstance....

For even a careless exchange between them could devastate the planet’s structure, as a single uncontrolled strike from a God could wipe out billions without intent or restraint.

Which meant that if a God ever appeared on Satoru, his first objective would be to draw the battle away immediately, regardless of how unfavorable the positioning became.

The second factor he analyzed was the duration of the battle, as a prolonged fight would increase unpredictability and reduce his control over how events unfolded.

Unlike previous encounters, this was not a fight he could afford to drag out, as the longer it continued, the higher the risk of external interference or miscalculation.

Which was why an emergency retreat plan was necessary, as he needed a guaranteed method of disengagement in case the situation turned against him unexpectedly.

Confidence alone was not enough, as even with Veyr by his side and the Origin Dagger in his possession, victory against a God was never guaranteed.

The third factor he considered was containment, as if he managed to injure or stagger a God but failed to finish the fight, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Allowing a God to retreat alive would invite retaliation, as they would most likely not return alone but with the full backing of the Great Alliance behind them.

That was a scenario he could not survive, as even facing a single God was already pushing the limits of what he could currently handle.

Whereas, facing multiple Gods simultaneously was sure to prove suicidal.

As unlike Soron in his prime, he did not possess the strength to withstand that level of pressure.

Which meant that if he ever committed to such a fight, it had to end decisively, with no room for escape or recovery for his opponent.

That was the only acceptable outcome.

Anything less would lead to consequences he could not control.

And that uncertainty was what unsettled him the most, because while there were elements of the battle he could prepare for and manipulate, there were just as many variables that would always remain outside his control.

Which was why his only option was to plan for every possible scenario, ensuring that no matter how the events unfolded, he always retained a path to survival and eventual victory.