Chapter 2497

2497 - Dreams

Stone Tablets Stellar Academy

—

Sector 811

"Is this real? Is this real?!"

"We're going to enter a war in 10,000 years against several Space Beasts Ancestors and their followers?"

"I wasn't planning on graduating from here before 10,000 years! I'm still a student, I haven't enjoyed life yet, and now I'm supposed to end up in the army, damn it!!"

The entire academy erupted in screaming the moment Robin and Billy fell silent.

This place wasn't like the Sacred Covenant Academy, which brought together almost exclusively the children of the Burton Family and the children of the Cosmic Elder. Rather, every one of them was from a different kingdom, belonging to a different class.

So upon hearing what had just been said, panic descended upon everyone. Each person began thinking of their family and the future slipping away before their eyes. There was no one sane or calm enough to settle the rest, so an absurd scene unfolded unbefitting of the attendees' stature.

But there was one particular side that still maintained its composure.

…

The academy director, with two people beside him, the three of them watching the broadcast from the balcony of the director's office. Each of them wore expressions betraying tension and heavy thought, but at least… they were outwardly calm.

"…Your Excellency the Director, what do you make of this?"

"…." The Academy Director, a man with smooth, slippery skin, furrowed his brows slightly. "I do not rule out anything from the Lord of Thrones Qarun, and likewise I do not rule out betrayal by the Archon Sevar, but Lord Robin's words still contain a massive gap."

"What is it?" asked the Second Vice.

"…He must prove that he was truly able to defeat a Space beast Ancestor and force it to retreat. That he is as powerful as those three, or at least close to them, so that everyone… so that even I… begin to take his words seriously." Then he shook his head. "Otherwise, his words can be set aside as slander and a way to extricate himself from the predicament he landed himself in."

"And what do you think would be sufficient proof?" the First Vice wondered.

"The testimony of Lord Blokan and Lady Morgana, for example? He said they witnessed everything…"

"….." The Academy Director cast a sidelong glance at him, filled with disappointment, then looked forward again.

Only after several seconds did he speak: "I cannot think of a way, but the days will prove everything. For now, we must keep his words under consideration… but that is all, only under consideration, and we continue as we are." Then he raised his head slightly toward the sky. "I am certain this is also the opinion of most of the leaders of B-14… heh~"

Middle Sector 250

—

"………………………"

Qarun's mouth hung wide open, sweat pouring from his head to such a degree that his carefully styled hair was ruined and disheveled.

.

Everything Robin had said so far could be dealt with, all of it could be denied. Even if the rest of the powers dealt with them cautiously from now on and began making their own preparations, they could still somehow complete their missions.

But if Robin was right and there really was a promised Legion of Executioners coming in only ten thousand years…

"Out…" Qarun muttered, "All of you get out right now, watch from somewhere else, why in hell are you bothering me here?!"

"……" Qarun's disciples exchanged glances, then quietly rose and left.

Qarun himself had no patron, and because of that there were many things he didn't know. As for the things he had learned from the Devils or other sources—like his conversation with Sevar—he kept most of it to himself.

He hadn't told his disciples, for instance, about the inevitable annihilation at the end of the Cycle, nor had he mentioned his grand plans to save himself. Without a patron, without armies, without followers—just him.

What his disciples had just heard was a shock to them… but there was no need to worry about them. They would calm themselves down on their own.

The real problem lay elsewhere—

*Woosh* Qarun waved his convulsing arm, with difficulty opening a window that pierced through hundreds of sectors… a window in which no landscape or image of a person appeared, but rather something resembling a white and crimson drawing made of Causality, Identity, and Creation together… a drawing that resembled one of them.

It resembled Sevar.

He, too, was sitting in silence as if birds were perched on his head; the arrogant laughter he had at the beginning of the broadcast was no longer present.

"Sevar!!" Qarun shouted at the drawing, "Don't you dare do it!" Then he stood forcefully, "Don't you dare contact your patron and hasten the sending of that Legion!!"

"…?"

Sevar turned with an ugly expression, "Nothing remains but to see your face for today to be complete."

"Don't do it, Sevar!" Qarun insisted, "I can still correct that Infant's nonsense. I have my ways. Do not bring early ruin — ending the Cycle early will make you lose your importance and be cast aside!"

"And did I announce that I would do anything?!" Sevar shouted loudly in Sector 750.

The mediator reached Qarun's ears, then he turned back toward the broadcast.

"…But it doesn't matter whether you make contact or not. If his words are true and he truly cut off the Executioner's arm and did it outside the Shell… then ten thousand years may indeed be too much."

Then he continued, “…This is no longer under my control or the control of those who patronize me. The Executioners are the guardians of the universes and fall under the administration of The Court… Perhaps one of them is receiving a bribe or performing a service for a Transcendent, but if one of their arms is severed or one of them is killed, the matter will leave the Transcendent's hands and The Court will personally take over the investigation.”

Then he looked down with his black eyes, “If this arm before him is truly the one who severed it, then the situation is bad… very bad.”

“…..” Qarun sat down again weakly, then barely turned to watch Robin on the broadcast reading something while Billy wept.

He could see his plans and dreams evaporating.

In Robin's small smile, he could see a guaranteed future.

And it was being broken in two by a child who was barely born like himself, “….Aaaaaaah!!!”