Everyone sighed upon hearing those words and nodded in agreement before quickly taking their seats around the table. Without delay, they began a structured and focused discussion—covering every detail they might need to know or prepare for in the war ahead.

Even though their first confrontation with the Minotaur Clan had ended in an overwhelming victory—and that was before the upgrades the Void Fleet had since received—their strength had increased dramatically over the past hundred years. Thanks to the Universal Domain and the number of elite members they had trained, the fleet under the Imperial Commander had grown more than tenfold in power.

Their advancements weren't just technological—they had expanded from a mere 100,000 personnel to over ten million, and from a modest fleet to one boasting over a hundred thousand ships.

So, while the seven of them gathered to discuss the upcoming war with the Minotaur Clan, they were largely unconcerned with the clan itself. The Minotaurs had once been weaker, and now—faced with the enhanced might of the Void Fleet—they were utterly insignificant.

What truly concerned them, and what the majority of the meeting focused on, was the possibility of an ambush. This concern was not born out of paranoia, but from a warning issued directly by the Imperial Commander—whose judgment they deeply trusted. As such, they treated the matter with utmost seriousness.

The possibility of an ambush wasn't merely theoretical—it was a near certainty. While they may not have fully grasped the true value of the Holy Region they now controlled, they understood one thing clearly: to forces outside this sector, the Holy Region held unimaginable value.

Its existence was bound to attract the greed of powerful enemies. The Minotaurs—realizing they couldn't stand against the Void Fleet alone—would likely attempt to draw others into the conflict to do their bidding. Given that they might be the only race in this corner of the Milky Way, and perhaps even throughout the entire galaxy, who were aware of the Holy Region—a place many considered a forbidden zone—it made sense.

And how did the Void Fleet and the Seven Admirals come to know about this place and its immense value? Well, that was thanks to the Minotaurs themselves.

After all, all this information had fallen into the Void Fleet's hands through Taurus Prime, the flagship of the Minotaur Clan's 7th Light Fleet—led by none other than the Minotaur rat they had deliberately allowed to escape, as part of their own greater plans.

Something they wouldn't have done had they known just how valuable the place they had reincarnated into truly was.

But oh well, there was no remedy for regret—and it wasn't like they were worried. Well, at least not right now. Had it been a week or two earlier, all seven of them might've had some concerns. After all, through the Minotaur's flagship, they had learned a lot more about the Milky Way galaxy and the powers that lived in and dominated it.

In fact, every debate they had about the Minotaur Clan's star system and their mission had been shaped by what they had extracted from Taurus Prime. And through it, they also came to understand just how valuable the Holy Region was—and what its appearance meant for the galaxy.

Pure chaos.

And when they finally attacked the Minotaur Clan, they were likely to become the very centre of that chaos.

Not because they attacked the Minotaur Clan—after all, there exist many powers like the Minotaurs, and such forces disappear from the face of the galaxy almost daily. So, no one would really care whether the Minotaurs existed or not. After all, the Minotaurs were just a Tier-2 power—and there were many others like them.

But the reason the Void Fleet could and would become the center of chaos and attention was something else entirely.

They had predicted—based on some of the data they had recovered from the Minotaurs and a few unsettling signs—that there might already be other powers, actual powers (unlike the Minotaurs), who had their eyes on this corner of the galaxy.

And the chances of that being true were quite high.

It was because of these very likely outcomes that the council spent more time discussing potential ambush scenarios than the war with the Minotaur Clan itself.

After all, none of the seven wanted to be caught off guard by an enemy that was not of the Minotaur Clan. The allies the Minotaurs might seek could range from weak to dangerously powerful—and such involvement could lead the Void Fleet to suffer heavy losses. Losses not due to lack of strength, but due to ignorance and the Grand Admirals' own failure to anticipate and prepare for such possibilities. Especially when Imperial Commander Kallus himself had already warned them about it—and more so now that they had reached the same conclusion on their own.

Because of this, they devoted more attention to preparing for potential ambushes than to the battle itself. None of them wished to face a scenario where they ended up suffering because they failed to foresee what now seemed like a very real threat. They now had a broader understanding of the many possibilities they might face—and they were determined to act accordingly.

Their discussion continued for quite a while—three hours straight—as they worked through the scenarios in detail. They spoke at length about what to do if an ambush did occur, especially if it was led by one of the true galactic powers. What would their objective be? What would they do if such a threat became reality?

Numerous strategic objectives and key operational goals were laid out, all to be implemented based on how any given situation might develop or evolve.

One such objective was to avoid overcommitting to the initial battle—particularly against a weaker opponent. This meant ensuring that none of the seven fleets deployed the full might of their forces in a single frontline engagement. Each fleet was ordered to keep ships in reserve, ready for immediate deployment in case an ambush occurred.

Only after the nature and capability of any hidden enemy had been fully assessed were they to respond with full force. If ambushed, and once the threat had been identified, the fleets were to deliver a clear warning—and if necessary, move swiftly to eliminate the threat entirely.

They also discussed what to do if they managed to detect the ambush prematurely. In such a case, the fleets were to engage immediately, neutralise the threat, and prioritise capturing as much intelligence as possible from the attackers.

Only after the nature and capability of any hidden enemy had been fully assessed were they to respond with full force. If ambushed, and once the threat had been identified, the fleets were to deliver a clear warning—and if necessary, move swiftly to eliminate the threat entirely.

They also discussed and planned for scenarios such as detecting an ambush prematurely. In such a case, the fleets were to engage immediately, neutralize the threat, and prioritize capturing as much intelligence as possible from the attackers. The goal was to at least gather knowledge about who their attackers were, why they were targeted, what their intentions were, and any other useful information that could be recovered—so it could be used for future retaliation.

Because the Void Fleet would strike back—regardless of whether the attackers were mercenaries or those so-called Super Tier-1 states.

After all, they had to make their appearance in the galaxy as a power that wouldn't tolerate attacks or interference in their affairs. Anyone who dared to do so would be dealt with in the same manner they had chosen to act—only ten times more severe. That was how the Void Fleet would make their stance known.

And there was a reason they intended to do so.

Numerous other tactics were brought up—covering what to do if additional enemy forces joined the fray, how to shift formations during multi-pronged assaults, and contingency protocols for rapid fleet realignment.

Even the use of deception tactics was explored, ensuring that whether the enemy was strong or weak, the Void Fleet would always have multiple strategies available to counter them effectively.

"Okay, that's all we needed to discuss," said Grand Admiral Ezra at the end of the meeting, which had taken far more time than he—or even the others—had expected.

But none of them complained. Why would they? The matters they had discussed were both crucial and deeply important. At the very least, they now had three to four solutions for every major problem—and multiple ways to implement them if such situations ever arose. They wouldn't be caught off guard or left unprepared to retaliate.

"Now then, everyone—we have even less time than before because of the delay we've caused. So, I want each of you to hurry and brief your fleet subordinates about the battle plans and the other scenarios we discussed. They should be made fully aware of everything they need to know.

Just make sure none of you make mistakes in the rush," Ezra added, addressing the others firmly.