Chapter 2530

2530 - Dividing the Available

"...The True Beginning Empire is one of the five powers that will divide the new universe." Morval spoke very calmly as he strolled toward the exit.

"The five powers will divide it?" The mature woman stepped out behind Morval with quickened steps to catch up with him. "Haven't we already divided the universe long ago? I mean, us, the Tyrant Galaxy, the Council of Thrones, and the Syndicate... Lord Robin will simply take a new piece for himself, and one could say he's competing with the four of us."

"There's a big difference." Morval shook his head. "In the past, we divided the universe in terms of resources, not territory. The four of us worked in different ways to milk all the inhabitants of the universe. We use the properties of the Soul Society on all the inhabitants of B-14, the Tyrant Intiras uses the gates to interfere in the affairs of all powers financially and informationally, the Council of Thrones exploits its authority to collect taxes, and the Syndicate uses Sevar and Marlik for thuggery and tightening control over the underworld."

Then he continued, "Each of us was playing a different tune, Stacy, and each of us was extracting everything that could be extracted from the entire universe in separate ways. Any random empire would have to deal with all four of us at the same time, and at the end of every year it would find that nearly 70% of its resources had gone to us, directly or indirectly... It was an unwritten agreement among the four of us to preserve the path required of us."

"The required... you mean the Patrons?"

"..." Morval was silent for a moment, then nodded.

After Robin's speech was broadcast, many secrets were exposed, and with them the dreams of keeping them concealed were shattered—so much so that Morval was forced to disclose some matters to the close leadership around him... the first of which, of course, was that the Patrons truly existed, that their Patron was the Giver, and that she had killed their father Morpheus in a fit of rage!

Of course, the news struck them like a thunderbolt—whether it was the news of Morpheus's death, whose palace was still guarded by a strict and terrifying guard, making it clear they were guarding an empty palace.

Or the fact that there was a Patron from outside the universe who had given them everything and wanted them to extract as much of the universe's resources as possible for an unknown reason, according to Morval's words.

The mature woman, Stacy, looked down as she walked in silence and hesitation, "So the four powers were agreeing to direct the universe's forces toward achieving a single goal, and the division was merely a division of resources and roles... and this has changed?"

"You can see the change happening before your eyes." Morval nodded, "Lord Robin prevented the Intiras tax collectors from entering his planets, destroyed the Syndicate's headquarters within his domain, forcibly turned the Stellar Academies into Cosmic Academies, and expelled those who did not submit."

Then he narrowed his eyes slightly, "He is saying loudly that he will not play this Game with us, that his resources will remain his resources, and his people will remain loyal to him alone and personally. They need not fear a tax collector from here, or thuggish offices imposing control from there... He is declaring that the dozens of sprawling sectors are his own private home, and no one is permitted to trespass against him therein."

"But he restrained himself and did not destroy the Soul Society headquarters or announce the forced removal of the seedlings, and this is because we took a neutral stance in his wars." Then he looked back, "This somewhat prompted me to act through Timari. I wanted to show that we can still deal together under the new system he wants, through visible commercial planets, transport and delivery lines, and so on, and that he should look at us as a commercial power and a distant ally, rather than a competitor whose feet he needs to cut off from his sphere of control."

"So the new division you're talking about is...?" Stacy began to grasp the situation.

"Dividing lands and fixed spheres of influence." Morval replied directly, already having left his vast room and passed through several turns. "Lord Robin has started a dangerous game by declaring control over nearly 30 sectors and cutting our legs out from under us there, and even continuing to expand using the Unbound and six Behemoths at the Spearhead, in a scene that portends severe danger. We can no longer simply ignore his limited sphere of influence and focus on the rest of the universe as we used to, for by doing so we give him the opportunity to devour everything green and dry over the next few thousand years, and it is not unlikely that we will find him here in the heart of the Dreamer Galaxy one day."

Then his steps began to slow as he reached a balcony, "...So we, the four powers, can no longer continue sharing what is available, but must also establish powerful spheres of influence of our own and prepare them for the day of clash with Lord Robin, or better yet, deter him from thinking about it entirely... otherwise we will have nothing left but to wait for him to bring us certain slaughter."

Then he raised his hand slowly...

Creak

"Hoooooooooh!!!!"

The shout made Stacy tremble.

Beneath Morval's balcony lay a great valley—a valley that should have offered a breathtaking natural vista to anyone standing on the balcony, but at this moment it was covered with soldiers... millions of them.

The soldiers here did not hold imposing shields or spears and swords, but discs and scepters, and they wore white body armor that emitted a visible glow, their unified soul power shaking the space around them.

Above them floated a vast number of white war spacecraft, and in the air hovered hundreds of men and women who had not committed to wearing the same armor sets, but each of them possessed a unique, terrifying aura.

Faced with that sight, Morval raised his head slightly with pride, though not with joy. "This army was supposed to move on the day the cycle ended, but no matter... it is time to use the Soul Emeralds we have been gathering from B-14 all these years."

Then his eyes gleamed. "It is time for everyone to see the power of the Purple Sea experts."