The Empire begins with the Fourth Scourge.

2834. Vasari, go into battle!
In the northern region of the Milky Way, in the outer ring sector, lies the planet Macito, home to satellite MX-1. Macito has two satellites, one of which, MX-2, is a barren wasteland, devoid of anything but endless permafrost. Therefore, from outer space, this satellite appears yellowish-brown under the reflected light of its star.

The MX-1 satellite has an atmosphere, so its surface is covered with permafrost and ice crystal forests, making it appear pale blue from outer space.

However, unlike Macito, the MX-1 satellite does not produce abundant gems. Once it loses such a resource, the icy environment will be a fatal obstacle to industrial development.

Therefore, although Macito is highly developed, having long served as the headquarters of the Interstellar Banking Association and boasting a thriving financial industry, it has now become the most prosperous planet in the northern part of the Milky Way. However, the MX-1 satellite did not benefit from this development; it was once only used to imprison death row inmates.

However, since a year ago, the MX-1 satellite has completely disappeared from the data, and the planet has been completely cut off from contact, as if it never existed at all.

However, many black spaceships suddenly appeared around the satellite. These spaceships had no official records, evaded all detection, and even the administrative authorities of Macito planet designated the area around the satellite as a no-fly zone. What exactly happened on this satellite remains a mystery.

However, today, February 30th, at 8 BBY, the peace was finally broken.

On the southern hemisphere of the MX-1 satellite surface, vast glaciers and forests have been completely leveled, and a huge plaza covering tens of millions of square meters has been paved with black and gray foundation stones. In the center of the plaza is a black altar.

Millions of menacing soldiers stood solemnly. These were all Vasari, or more precisely, elite land forces specially created by the Vasari through genetic modification and cloning!

The Vasari possess a complete genetic map of their own race. Their society is extremely ruthless and highly efficient. Although they do not have the perfect physical conditions of the Protoss, they can mass-produce or clone offspring specializing in different fields by modifying their genes.

For example, descendants who specialize in land warfare, descendants who specialize in scientific research, descendants who specialize in diplomacy, descendants who specialize in administration... all their descendants will perfectly possess the abilities given by their genetic settings, without the slightest deviation, and will be extremely outstanding.

In such a society, there is absolutely no individual will.

The million-strong army now standing on the MX-1 satellite plaza is a super army created by the Vasari using advanced genetic technology to improve the genes of their feet and eyes, enhancing their vision.

The combat quality of this army is very close to that of the Kamino clone soldiers once used by the Galactic Republic. Although their individual abilities are still inferior, their production scale far exceeds that of the Kamino clones. The Vasari produced a million clones in just six months, while the Kamino, with the Galactic Republic's funding during the Clone Wars, only produced a few million clone soldiers over several years.

This is actually quite easy to understand. For a clone army based on super soldiers as genetic prototypes, the Kamino spent ten years researching and then poured the nation's resources into production just to barely meet the needs of the war; while the Vasari simply wrote down the answers on a blank sheet of paper based on all the combat requirements and then copied them in large quantities.

This is the fundamental difference between a dominant civilization and a planetary civilization.

A beam of pale blue light slowly rose from the top of the altar, piercing the thin atmosphere of MX-1. The Vasari army of a million men was divided into a thousand square formations and arranged around the altar in the center of the square.

On the altar, ten thousand human slaves were strapped upside down to human-shaped grooves. Vasari priests, wielding sharp blades, precisely slit the carotid arteries of each slave, dark red blood meandering down the grooves and seeping into the patterns on the altar's base. The eerie blue beam of light suddenly turned scarlet, and the entire plaza floor was covered with densely packed Vasari runes, gleaming brightly.

"Hoo! Hah!" "Hoo! Hah!" "Hoo! Hah!" The Vasari warriors around the altar shouted in unison, rhythmic cries, while forcefully pounding their left chests, the sound almost shaking the heavens and earth.

At the top of the altar, two figures, one tall and one short, stood majestically.

It was none other than the Vasari general, Kelsrak, and the Dawn Kingdom's northern military advisor, Ander Viking.

The pungent smell of blood in the air made Ander-Viking uneasy; his brow furrowed, and his fingers unconsciously rubbed the blaster pistol at his waist. He couldn't accept such a barbaric send-off ceremony, but seeing the fanatical warriors below, he had to admit that such warriors were the most terrifying force on the battlefield.

Kelslark, holding Andre Viking's hand, led him down from the altar and through the million-strong army, roaring as they went: "Victory!"

"Victory!"

"Victory!"

The Vasari warriors responded with even more ferocious shouts: "Hoo! Hah!" "Hoo! Hah!"

They walked for over an hour, circling around for a long time, and this was only the innermost ring of the entire million-strong formation. The entire square was over thirty kilometers in diameter, with a million soldiers stretching outwards like a crimson tide, layer upon layer, until they reached the horizon.

Finally, Kelslark returned to the altar, grabbed Ander-Viking's hand, and raised it high, shouting in the Vasari language: "Victory! Vasari! Victory! Ander-Viking! Victory! Kingdom of Dawn! Victory! Tang Xiao! Hooray!!!!"

The shouts turned into roars, and everyone roared incessantly until the sound echoed throughout the heavens and the earth!

One Vasari transport ship after another slowly descended, their hatches opening like the jaws of a monstrous beast, and came to a steady stop around the plaza. Countless clone warriors, stepping over countless blood-soaked runes, ascended the metal stairs and entered the transport ships.

Wherever it went, it left behind a trail of bloody footprints. Countless footprints mixed together, eventually coalescing into a winding, endless scarlet vein, like a blood-red carpet.

One transport ship after another took off. Kelslack, with Andre Viking, boarded the last, magnificent transport ship, painted in black and red. The entire 70-meter-long transport ship, apart from the two of them, was equipped with nothing but an incredibly luxurious staff of servants, kabuki actors, top chefs, and all the amenities for enjoyment.

The transport ship slowly rose into the air, activated its anti-gravity engine, broke through the constraints of the satellite's atmosphere, and entered outer space.

All that could be seen around this unknown satellite were 30 incredibly terrifying warships, each measuring 2000 meters in size. By the standards of the Dawn Kingdom's navy, these were essentially battleships!

20 Keltu Destroyers, each 2000 meters long! 10 Vakonos Destroyers, each 2300 meters long!
The transport ships, teeming with Vasari warriors, were being swallowed whole by these 30 colossal vessels. (End of Chapter)