As for the one who had done so, it was none other than the Lead Supreme Commander, and in silence they all watched as he rose to his feet, walking toward the end of the hall where a glass window allowed one to overlook the entirety of Humanity Ascension.

"There are some kinds of knowledge that are best left unknown to the common man, and to those aware of such knowledge, they become secrets."

The Lead Supreme Commander began.

"But... we all know you do not fit into the common man category, White Sinclaw."

He said, turning his head slightly, his eyes landing directly on White.

"Even if you didn’t have the horns and never went through with the fusion, you still wouldn’t be a common man. You’re a regressor, most likely the first human to ever achieve such a state."

"You fulfill the requirements to have some of these secrets revealed to you."

He said, then snapped his fingers.

White watched as the two Supreme Commanders in the room suddenly disappeared.

’He teleported them away?’

White realized, his brows creasing as the windows in the room slowly sealed shut, the walls extending seamlessly into one another.

All openings closed.

Then, the runic lights began flaring across the walls, forming a dome around the entire room.

White wasn’t sure what it did, but something told him it would be impossible for even air to escape that dome of energy.

[A sound cancellation runic barrier. Quite a high grade one too.]

The system panel confirmed.

"You asked why we go into outer space in search of resources when Earth itself already holds everything?"

He asked, his hand stretching outward as a projection appeared before White.

It was the projection of an expanse.

At the center, and the smallest portion of it, was a circular enclosure made of green energy.

Surrounding it was a much larger dome of red energy.

And beyond that, an even larger region stretching endlessly outward.

"Do you know what this is, White?"

The voice pierced through the silence.

"Earth." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

White replied.

"The green signifies Humanity’s territory, the larger red is Supernatural territory, and the rest is unexplored Earth."

"You’re right."

The Commander nodded.

"We could indeed obtain treasures from the unexplored parts of Earth. Treasures that wouldn’t pale in comparison and might even surpass what we gain from outer space."

"When Earth changed because of Essence, it wasn’t random. Many of the ruins that appeared were ruins that catered specifically to humans and strengthened our growth."

"Even while being corrupted by the energy of an Outside Natura, Mother Nature still chose to be kind to humanity."

"But the ruins beyond Earth, within the endless void of space, are not specifically attuned to humans. Yet we still go out there chasing them, even at the cost of losing some of our best people."

"It sounds foolish, doesn’t it? Ignoring the treasures on your own land to seek lesser ones outside it."

Supreme Commander Err admitted.

"But look carefully at the formation, White Sinclaw."

He said, pointing toward the hologram.

"The Supernaturals bottle us in. Their territory surrounds ours entirely, enclosing humanity within a simple circular domain."

"They cut off our path toward the unexplored world while having full access to it themselves."

"I don’t believe that."

White said, rising to his feet.

"You’re trying to tell me humans can’t cut through Supernatural territory and find a path into the unexplored world?"

"Those with the most unique Awakenings, the strongest Homo Aetherius to ever exist, all of that, and we can’t sneak past a bunch of Supernaturals to reach unexplored land?"

"That makes absolutely no sense."

White shot back.

Even he, with his Limitless Awakening just a while back, had managed to sneak into the lair of Alpha Werewolves and return alive without any support.

And that was back then.

Now, with his current level of strength, he had no doubt he could carve a path straight through Supernatural territory himself.

Yet the Ultimate Commander was claiming humanity couldn’t breach it despite everything he had mentioned earlier.

His words made Err pause before he finally replied.

"You know... you’re right."

"We could indeed find ways to bypass the Supernatural enclosure and enter the unexplored world."

"Invisibility. Teleportation. Spatial manipulation. The methods are endless."

He said.

"But you’re misunderstanding something."

"Something incredibly vital."

And with that, White watched the Commander walk directly toward him, grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him forward.

Being so close allowed White to faintly see beneath the dark garment.

A pair of ghostly white eyes covered in runes stared back at him.

Then the words echoed like thunder.

"Humans are weak!"

Those words caused White to instinctively flash backward, appearing several meters away before immediately replying.

"I don’t believe that either."

"What exactly do you not believe?"

The Supreme Commander asked, his voice rising.

"You seriously think Humanity is fighting a war against the Supernaturals!? You think Humanity Ascension’s goal is to reclaim Earth from them!?"

"Yes! Yes, I do!"

White shot back fiercely.

"That is humanity’s ultimate goal, and Humanity Ascension’s ultimate goal too, if it truly is the greatest Human organization on Earth like it claims to be!"

"You’re wrong!"

Supreme Commander Err roared back.

"Taking back Earth from the Supernaturals was never, and will never be, Humanity Ascension’s goal!"

The words made White freeze.

His lips opened and closed, but no words came out.

It felt as though the air had been ripped straight from his lungs.

"So what is your goal then?"

"Our goal..."

Commander Err said, inhaling deeply before exhaling to suppress the anger in his voice.

"Our goal is to make sure humanity survives..."

He whispered.

"For as long as it can."

There was silence as both looked at each other quietly before White slowly nodded his head.

"Survive..."

He whispered, raising both hands to his face.

"All of this power, and all I can do is...survive."

He turned his head up before asking a question that forced the Supreme Commander back a step in shock and disbelief.

"Is that..."