Kass drifted high above the capital star of the Berke Empire, his gaze sweeping over the battles raging across the surface of the terrestrial sphere. From the highest mountains to the broadest plains, from the landmasses to the oceans, every feature bore the deep scars of this conflict.

The Berke people were an inherently arrogant race. Their arrogance was woven into their very essence, passed down through generations via culture and bloodline. This fundamentally determined that the vast majority would never willingly cooperate with the Protoss occupation.

Kass knew well that the Protoss, as a race newly stepped onto the grand stage of the galaxy, would struggle to change the Berke perception of them as primitives, no matter how advanced their technology or how brilliant their culture.

From the minds of the Berke elites he had controlled, Kass had gleaned something of their core spirit, something they termed 'Absolute Confidence.' Simply put, most Berke firmly believed in the principle: "What is mine is mine to command."

In their worldview, any individual or group that dared to trespass on their domain or stand against them was destined to be crushed underfoot.

To many other races, this so-called Absolute Confidence had long since crossed the line into baseless hubris.

The hard truth was that the Berke felt no need to live under the judgment of others; the understanding—or lack thereof—from outsiders was utterly worthless to them.

They spoke for themselves and acted according to their own code, steadfast in the conviction that Absolute Confidence was the very manifestation of their noble souls.

This situation was not something that could be altered by mere words or the efforts of one or two generations. The history, culture, and social structure of the Berke all indicated that this race was an incubator for arrogance.

The most typical example of this was the Berke's Awakened ones.

The essential nature of the Berke soul, like the Sub-humans, was inherently Level Two. Ascension to Level Three required arduous tempering and a genuine realization of self.

For the Berke, self-realization meant cultivating the mindset of Absolute Confidence. Without it, their spirit would be flawed; conversely, the more confident they were, the stronger their psychic power would become.

When evaluating the Berke, Kass often thought of Earth's Psionic Temples. The Psionic Masters there, who also needed to break through self-imposed limits and achieve self-knowledge, stood in stark contrast to these Berke.

Influenced by Earth’s traditional religious culture, Earth's Psionic Masters generally exhibited a spiritual cultivation characterized by humility, peace, and wisdom.

Arrogant Psionics were not nonexistent, but they were often viewed as having insufficient spiritual refinement and found it difficult to advance to Master level.

However, within the Berke Empire, if a Level Two psychic Berke were to display humility, peace, and wisdom, he would very likely be regarded by his own kind as mentally ill. Continuing on the path of spiritual cultivation and breaking through the Level Three barrier would be utterly impossible.

The reasons for this divergence might stem from environmental factors, differences in cultural development, or some other unknown variable. Kass had no interest in pinpointing the exact cause; his sole desire was the conquest of the Berke-Rek sector.

Just as he was completing his third circuit around the planetary ring, a strange yet familiar presence suddenly connected with his consciousness.

"Chairman Kass. That presence originates from a Level Four entity, and its owner possesses immense power—at least at the peak of Level Four."

Kass had never personally engaged with this presence before, but he had recently dealt with the creations of this entity: the very runes that had concealed the location of the Berke royalty.

This presence clearly carried the aura of those runes. Kass identified the source without effort: the creator of those runes. "Saliang the Great," Kass named the being holding the title of the founding emperor of the Lo'ya Empire, the creator of the Wall of Kings, the King of Kings, and other similar appellations—a peak Level Four existence.

"It is I, Emperor Saliang," the voice replied.

Kass ceased his movement. He could sense that Emperor Saliang had not physically arrived at Berke-Rek but was transmitting this telepathic message from a distant location.

"What brings you to seek me, Your Excellency?"

This was somewhat rhetorical, as it was obvious Emperor Saliang had come to discuss the Berke.

Kass was prepared for this. He understood that there had to be some connection between the Berke and the Lo'ya people.

In the galaxy, races without the shelter of a Level Four entity were terribly vulnerable—much like the distinction between nuclear and non-nuclear nations on Earth during the 20th century. Even a nation with superior overall strength could not hold its head up without the ultimate deterrent.

Level Four entities were not omnipotent, but within the domains they commanded, they were virtually all-powerful. Merely controlling the leadership of a race through psychic arts could allow them to govern that race from the shadows.

The Berke’s long tenure in the ninth position of the Orion Arm was undoubtedly linked to their amicable relationship with the Lo'ya Empire. The fact that they could summon the Lo'ya God of Slaughter, Sidi Lun, and possess rune artifacts capable of concealing the Imperial seat proved that much.

"Chairman Kass. Your power is formidable, perhaps even greater than mine. In my long existence spanning tens of thousands of years, it is a true regret that I only come to know of you today."

Emperor Saliang’s voice resonated with immense weight—a tone of lofty superiority, belonging to a world apart from mortals, a majesty descending from the clouds, or perhaps the deepest reaches of the cosmos. Every syllable felt as heavy as a planet.

"As fellow Level Four existences, what truly is time to us?"

While Kass's voice lacked the absolute authority of life and death that Saliang possessed, it too was a sound not entirely of this world; it was the sound of thunder in the heavens, deeply embedded in the very nature of the Protoss. The Protoss were named as such for a reason.

"Tens of thousands of years is too long, even for a Level Four existence," Emperor Saliang stated. "I have come today concerning the Berke, Chairman Kass. I am aware that their arrogance led them to violate the territory of the Protoss, thus igniting this war. However, they have paid a heavy price. Initially, they only offended you, causing little actual loss, yet now the Berke Empire has lost half its territory, and even the capital star has fallen into your hands. For the Protoss, is this not sufficient?"

"It seems Emperor Saliang harbors reservations about our actions. What counsel do you have, then?" Kass inquired.

"Unless the Protoss possess another viable core world, considering only that single planet, Aier, your population is clearly insufficient," Emperor Saliang responded. "The other half of the Berke-Rek sector would likely be too burdensome for you to digest, forcing you to rely on these tedious mercenaries for governance. Therefore, my suggestion is this: why continue the fight? The Berke royalty responsible for the offense has already fled into exile. Why not let the war conclude here? You could organize the remaining Berke to establish a new government friendly to the Protoss, and you could then divide the Berke-Rek sector between yourselves and the Berke. Would that not be a favorable outcome?"

"I do not agree," Kass countered. "While the Berke royalty is exiled, their inherent arrogance is bone-deep. Losing one or two rulers has little meaningful effect. The Berke-Rek sector has always been their domain, and they will never tolerate outsiders possessing it. Even if they feign fealty now, once their wounds heal, they will inevitably organize a new rebellion, dragging the Berke-Rek sector back into the vortex of war. A short, sharp pain is better than a lingering illness that plagues us later. Resolving the issue completely now is better than suffering profound harm in the future."

What Kass did not voice was the concern that while the various races of the Orion Arm were currently engaged in the distant expedition toward the Perseus Arm, should that venture succeed and the other races free up their strength, dealing with the remaining half of the Berke-Rek sector later might present insurmountable obstacles.

"Chairman Kass," Emperor Saliang's voice grew more imposing, like a vision of the human concept of hell—truly divine power held in reserve. If an ordinary person heard such a tone, they would likely die of sheer terror. He continued, "The patience of the Lo'ya is finite. Although we are currently occupied with the expedition and do not wish to become enemies of the Protoss, this does not mean we will tolerate every action you take. If you continue to display open hostility, even if we are reluctant, we will be forced to treat you as an adversary."

"The Lo'ya Empire stepping forward so resolutely on behalf of the Berke suggests you intend to bring the other half of the Berke-Rek sector under your own control," Kass observed.

"Do not make baseless assumptions about me," Emperor Saliang commanded.

"How is that baseless?" Kass pressed. "If the Berke-Rek sector is split in half, the Berke will inevitably seek to drive us out. But their strength, especially lacking the protection of a Level Four entity, is far inferior to ours. After seeking aid from you, what else can they do? At that point, the Lo'ya Empire, leveraging its profound national strength, can effortlessly absorb the other half of the Berke-Rek sector. To harbor such massive ambition right before the Perseus Arm expedition—truly worthy of Saliang the Great."

"It seems we have nothing further to discuss."

Emperor Saliang’s voice held no trace of anger, which was surprising. It was as if all earthly emotions had long since departed from him, or perhaps he had anticipated this exact outcome.

"Indeed, the discussion has reached its end. From this point forward, we shall each rely on our own methods, Kass," he stated.

"Very well, then we rely on our own means. I am delighted to have made your acquaintance today, Chairman Kass. We shall meet again."

With that, Emperor Saliang's presence quietly withdrew into the void, vanishing utterly.

Simultaneously, the last remaining stronghold on the Berke capital star was seized by the landing Protoss and mercenary forces. The conquest of the Berke capital star was thus concluded.