Chapter 2524

2524 - Attachment to the Past

Mid Sector 88 – Galaxy of Relativity

"You cannot put me between these choices and demand an immediate answer!" Asterion, the Behemoth of Relativity, shouted in a loud, rough voice.

"Asterion, we granted you more than a contract since the battle ended and the Buffer Zones were broken." Before him, a massive, dark-skinned figure spoke with confidence as he crossed his arms. "You have stalled long enough."

"What do you mean by stalled, Grafour? And what contract of time are you talking about? Is this supposed to be a lot?" Asterion replied in his raised voice. "Before the Third Era of Colonization began, 24 sectors were under your control, and all of them recently fell—you could not fully control them, nor stop the revolutions, nor secure their borders, nor even drain their wealth."

Then he swept his eyes toward the rest of those present. "And after the Buffer Zones were broken and Helmor escaped, the area of those core sectors increased to 27, and their area doubled after the breaking, reaching in size and wealth the equivalent of 270 sectors compared to what we had in the past." Then he struck the table before him. "Is what equals 270 sectors in area and dominance not enough for you, and you must take my two sectors as well?!"

Asterion was nearly overcome by rage.

When the dispatches arrived warning him that the tide was coming his way, he believed he had thousands of years before he would be forced to deal with Robin Burton and his forces again. He had been among the few Behemoths who had drawn new borders for themselves, annexed vast regions, and prevented anyone from approaching… but he never expected they would come for him within roughly ten years!

That vast expanse that Lord Robin and his followers had acquired would take hundreds of thousands of years to fully explore, even with the most advanced technologies—yet he had abandoned everything and chosen to spill more blood?!

Thinking it over, Asterion shouted at another of those present, "Say something, Arkail!!"

"There is nothing to say." Arkail replied with extreme calm and cold eyes, "We took Middle Sector 89 from this side and took 118 from the western side. The expansion will continue according to orders, at any cost."

Arkail did not try to hide the cold look and the concealed killing intent… he had come with his full armor, and his soul sense had never left his ring, ready to draw his weapons in the blink of an eye.

He had come to fight… and Asterion noticed this clearly.

His eye returned to Grafour, who was also looking at him coldly, as if he wanted to finish the formalities quickly before the real mission began.

"So that's how it is…" Asterion knitted his brows tightly. "You didn't come here to complete any negotiation, you're not prepared to offer any concessions at all… you came to rob me openly!"

"You're taking things far too personally." Grafour raised a hand with a smile. "Perhaps the vagrants and the absent ones can enjoy the new resources and the open world, but as a Behemoth, as someone who's supposed to be among the senior figures of B-14, you should have taken into account that this isn't a matter of space and resources—you have to take a side."

"And what if I don't want to choose a side?" Asterion turned toward Arkail. "What if I want to strengthen myself and pledge to defend my region if we face an external enemy? Isn't that enough?"

"You're not the person you think you are, Asterion." Arkail shook his head. "We're no longer Behemoths in the fullest sense, as we like to call ourselves. The path of comparing myself to Intiras's power, and comparing Zargul himself to Lord Qarun's wealth, is no longer rational. We're not on the same level, and the differences between us are slight—no, no… information has spread quickly lately; from every direction a new piece of information emerges."

Arkail shook his head, "Above us there are those known as the Soldiers, like Helmor himself and his sons, Intiras and his sons, and above them are The Unbound like Lady Renara and Lord Hedrick, and all of them are made with something called momentum, higher in station than any energy source we know. It is that which compressed the Sectors in the past and then shattered them."

Then he continued with a devastating smile, "And above them are individuals like the Cosmic Elder and The Archon, with a terrifying power we all know," then he continued with some pride, "And above all of this is The Breaker, the strongest being this universe has produced, Lord Robin."

Then Arkail pointed toward Asterion, "And you… you want to leap over all of these, and claim a Sector for yourself in their midst and declare that you will protect it? From whom, and how? We are now Behemoths working as vanguard generals under The Breaker, and you want to raise your head to his level? Or have you gone mad?"

"Bah!" Asterion spat beside him, "Have you no shame for your beard as you say these words? Has your honor died and have you forgotten your history?" Then he pointed at Grafour, "Where is your arrogance and pride that you always used to boast of before me? Why do I see you with your head bowed, working for someone else with such diligence?" Then he raised his voice further, "Has everyone gone mad? Have millions of years of your lives not affected your hearts even a little?!"

"..." Grafour gritted his teeth hard.

But Arkail replied, "Millions of years did not plant only arrogance and love of the throne in my heart—they also taught me wisdom, and that is what you sadly lack." Then a killing intent began to surface, "As a final respect for everything you once represented, Asterion, choose a side and do not force us to move first."

"So that's how it is..." Asterion's eyes began to tremble and his heartbeat quickened. His soul sense extended to his ring: "If I must choose a side between those who force me to hand over my possessions and those who support me from afar, then I will choose—"

"Ah, ah, wait a moment, haah." One of those present who had not spoken a word finally stood up raising his hands, "May I have a word?"

It was Aro, Marshal of the Third Army.