In the end, I decided to keep this current timeline. The initial assault is too loud and slow; by the time we broke the barrier, then the underground research facility will have already been evacuated.

Finding the location where the personnel escaped is also a priority, although I don't know if it's even possible. Krognar might be able to do something, but it's not a certainty, so I'm not going to expect anything for the time being. Instead, we need to clear the remaining rooms of the complex to make sure that it's secure before we deploy a team of Fabricators. We might also find another group of researchers, with any luck they'll be working on even more critical projects. They might also be able to make the situation clearer, but it's unlikely considering how the Empire functions.

I hope that there are still survivors since a single teleportation gate for such a giant complex seems to be too little. If the other portals exist, then they might not be in the same state as this one. Then we'll be able to find yet another important base of the Empire.

But those gates, if they even exist, are also a double-edged sword. If the teleportation gates still function, then that means that the Empire could be deploying reinforcements right under our noses. The possibility of fighting a ten-foot Minotaur covered in high-tech armor while in such an enclosed space doesn't sound like a good time.

Of course, I could also be worried about nothing. Maybe this gate is the only one...or perhaps not. Furthermore, we have to clear all the rooms to secure the facility, so I shouldn't be even asking the question in the first place.

I take a deep breath of recycled air and leave the devastated room that once was the home of a teleportation gate before focusing on our next target.

The number of labs and other types of rooms in this complex seems to keep getting bigger no matter how much we are exploring.

...Riley's POV...

I still can't believe it. My hand hovers over the weapon with a slight tremor; the sheer devastation caused by this device is still fresh in my memory. At first glance, the artifact looks harmless. After all, how can a simple phone-sized matte black cylinder be the harbinger of such an untold amount of destruction?

But appearances can be deceiving. A single click on the touch-pad of the weapon was enough to wipe out an entire platoon, and that was with the lowest power setting. I recall the scene every time I close my eyes; dozens upon dozens of well-trained soldiers equipped with state-of-the-art Imperial equipment were vaporized in an instant. The only reminder that they ever existed is the burned surface which they once stood on.

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And was this done at close quarters, or even within visible range? Of course not, it was done from so far away that even the best scout would not be able to detect us. The weapon somehow magnifies where it's pointed at to such an absurd degree that I could see the white of the eyes of the Imperial soldiers we killed.

And, as if it wasn't enough, is this the only instance of such a destructive device? Of course not, We have entire crates of the things. We at least have two thousand, far more than I expected.

I lean back into my chair and take a deep breath. I feel like I made a deal with an ancient demon. The crates appeared in the middle of the base as soon as I accepted the offer of the mysterious voice. And it wasn't the only thing that the boxes contained; we also have something akin to a small gray sticker. Once stuck on someone, it provides a barrier so strong that even Strategic spells will not be able to harm the wearer. The stickers also make it so the wearer's physical abilities are enhanced to the point where nothing on this planet would be able to keep up. It also somehow makes the wearer's mana supply nigh unlimited, and makes casting any spell a piece of cake.

I glance at the dangerous artifact on my desk and to the gray square stuck on my forearm before closing my eyes. I have no idea who gave us this godly equipment, but I know for sure that they aren't from Earth. Nothing of such power exists on this planet, not even John's weird portal-based attacks can hold a candle to the mysterious weapons. And don't get me started on the ability to instantly cast massive Strategic spells with the flick of a wrist.

But it begs the question; if the one who provided those things is not from here and probably not related in any shape or form to any Earth-based faction.

Then why did they gift this equipment to us? As far as I know, they have nothing to gain from this conflict, and if they did, then why did they choose a small rebel group like our own which was on it's way out?

The motivations of our mysterious benefactor escape me, but there's no free lunch in this universe. I don't know what price we'll have to pay when the benefactor decides to collect their due, but I hope it's not going to be too steep. Either way, the conditions for receiving this boon were straightforward and strangely aligned with our initial goals.

We have to crush the Empire, annihilate any rebellions and re-establish order by any mean necessary while not repeating the mistakes of the past.

That was more or less our initial goal, and I have to admit that the idea of a Wolfheart Empire doesn't sound too bad. I would not make the same mistake as the Stonecrusher. I would not tax the magical community into oblivion while repressing even the pettiest of crimes as harshly as possible.

I smirk and lean back. Look at me, already making plans for conquests and making the Family great again despite being in hiding in such a rundown place. I also have a tiny amount of followers, although the gifts of the voice breathed a second life into my group. Everyone is working harder, and better thanks to the stickers and the cylinders.

First of all, we have to recruit more people. It shouldn't be too difficult thanks to the Imperial abuse, which has reached new highs in recent days. But the Wolfheart is still a reviled name thanks to the debacle with Edmund and let's not forget the Beelzebub Incident that started this whole mess.

That hatred must have been redirected towards the Stonecrushers by now, but our reputation will not make it any easier for us to recruit more people. But we also have to be extremely careful about who we allow in our ranks. The gifts of our benefactor would tempt anyone. It wouldn't be funny if a group splinters from our own to sow chaos or if Imperial spies managed to get their hands onto such precious weapons.

I'm not worried about the people who are currently following me since they are still the most loyal soldiers the Wolfheart ever had. We'll have to have a very rigorous recruitment process while still laying low to not alert the Empire until we are ready to strike back.

But I know better than anyone that hubris can bring even the biggest empire to its knees. I have to be careful and be prepared for anything. Despite our new firepower, even opposing rebel groups might pose a threat to us since we lack numbers. Maybe I could attempt to convince the few rebels that are still operating in Imperial territory. But something tells me that they wouldn't listen to the heir of the Enforcer Family which allowed the Empire to grow to such heights without doing anything to stop them.

Another sigh escapes my mouth; the road ahead is bound to be difficult. But I feel something that I never thought I would feel again; hope.