2328 - Assistance
“…!!”
From a distance, Zina, daughter of Zavarus and his business manager, opened her eyes wide in astonishment.
She and her brothers had been listening to every word in silence, shock spreading across their faces since the conversation began, but at this very moment, she couldn’t restrain herself from covering her mouth with both hands.
She recalled her conversation with her father that day, when a request to purchase a quantity of blood arrived from Lord Robin, but instead, he sent a family of living monsters, and even the blood of a beast with Law Dominator power, telling her at the time it was a gift, a token of friendship.
Back then, she thought it was exploitation and an imposition of control by Lord Robin over them, and she felt her father had become a weak ruler begging the Emperor for a better position. She could almost hear Lord Robin in her ear, receiving that gift with mockery at Zavarus’s naivety and lowliness.
But in return, for that offer, he revealed all that information to him and offered assistance in a war of this scale?
Was her father the one with foresight… or was Lord Robin the one who wouldn’t accept a debt?
In contrast, Kiryān sighed and looked down.
He has no past with Lord Robin, and his situation is hundreds of times worse than Zavarus's position.
"...A second chance?" Zavarus narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Hmm," Robin paused for a moment. "I had already prepared an offer for you before I came." Then he turned toward a certain direction. "But since your companion is here, I see no harm in extending the offer a little to include someone else."
"...?" Kiryān pointed to himself. "You want to help me?" Then he waited for a few moments. "Do you know my situation?"
"Yes." Robin nodded. "The plan was to defend the line of Middle Sector 105, clear Middle Sector 106, then slowly advance and expand along the line until we reach Sector 110, where a proper war would take place." Then he pointed at Kiryān. "But since you're already in Sector 115, why don't we besiege Helmor from the middle?"
"..." Kiryān showed a suppressed smile. "That was the reason I came today." Then he turned toward Zavarus. "My galaxy has lost six hundred planets, and my forces are retreating, but my core power still remains, most of my disciples are still here, my planet's spirit is holding on, and I can still fight."
"As for me, I cannot." Zavarus laughed. "Is this a joke? I'm facing difficulties in Sector 106, and more than half of my sons are there. What would happen if I pulled them out and came to your aid? In that same hour, I'd find those wretched ones attacking my galaxy!"
Then he turned to Robin. "Lord Robin, forgive me, but I truly have a problem of my own. The Butcher was threatening me openly today, and my alliance with Kiryān will benefit neither him nor me."
Then he looked at Kiryān. "Why don't you gather your army and disciples and come to my galaxy? We'll form a strong front here."
"Abandon the galaxy, the soul of the galaxy, and have my disciples abandon their own planets within the galaxy as well, becoming half-dead, or even dead, just to come and fight alongside you? Let your galaxy burn with everyone in it!" Kiryān waved his hand. "At least, if you helped me, there would be a chance—we'd push him back, and we'd fight with honor!!"
"No agreement, then." Zavarus waved dismissively.
"Alright, alright, Uncle Robin is here." Robin chuckled and waved his hand downward, motioning for them to calm down. "My offer is simple, and you'll both like it."
"..." Kiryān and Zavarus fell silent and turned toward Robin.
Only then did Robin begin to speak, his eyes fixed on Kiryān. "First, I will open an Instant Support Channel and transfer to you a quantity of ancient Arrays, a number of Note Fleets, and about half a trillion Pearls for Cannons and Arrays. I will also gift you several Displacement Gear of various levels, so you can evacuate any important planet they approach."
"...." Kiryān's heart pounded rapidly, but he shook his head. "This won't be enough."
"It will be enough to slow the pace of the invasion." Robin nodded. "Your army is already fighting, as you said, and those supplies will be enough to prevent the loss of any new planets for a while, and that time will be necessary for the next step."
Then he looked at Zavarus. "I will gift you a similar quantity of Pearls and Note Fleets, and I will also gift you a Thousand World Calamities, and Three Hundred Nexus States, and on top of that, I will gift you a quantity of offensive and defensive Arrays manufactured in Jura, and a quantity of Talismans and Curses, and above all this, my secret weapon, the Imperial Guard, will also descend onto the battlefield. All of them will land in Middle Sector 106 in the near future, and all you have to do is lead them yourself to destroy Helmor's sons there."
"....." Zavarus furrowed his brows. "If I go myself, along with the rest of my sons and a respectable army, a massive battle will break out in Middle Sector 106, and I would win... but what then?" He then gestured toward Kiryān. "How would that benefit him, or benefit me?"
"He will buy time by defending his galaxy, and the passage I will open for Support will be continuous, secure, and eternal. Kiryān will not fall." He then pointed at Zavarus. "And you will reclaim Middle Sector 106, along with your honor, and you will open a powerful front against Helmor. He will find himself waging two massive wars instead of bullying just one of you."
Then he smiled. "And in the end, all of this will merely be buying time for both of you, earning respect, and declaring to the entire universe which side you have chosen to stand with."
"Buying time?" Zavarus furrowed his brows. "What exactly are we buying time for?" Then he smiled. "Is Your Majesty preparing to kill Helmor yourself?"
"No." Robin leaned back. "There are many players. So far, I've confirmed the betrayal of Helmor and the Syndicate—they are undoubtedly working for the same faction." Then his eyes gleamed. "Who knows how many other forces are under their command? Who knows if there is another faction besides the All-seeing God and his rival? Do not forget... there are three major powers in Universe B-14 that have yet to make a move."
“…” The hearts of the three sank.
But Zavarus asked again anyway, “…So what will we be waiting for?”
Robin smiled, “You will wait for Renara. She will finish her mission and come to help.”