Xena remained silent for a moment after everyone had taken their seats, her gaze resting on me with a thoughtful calm before she finally spoke.
"Before anything else," she said, her voice carrying clearly across the hall, "we owe you our gratitude."
"The Hollow Star had been a persistent threat for a long time," she continued. "A force that operated in shadows, beyond direct confrontation, eroding stability across multiple regions of the Blue Spiral. For you to eliminate them so decisively... and permanently... that is not a small achievement."
Her eyes held mine steadily.
"You have done something many of us had considered... but chose not to pursue directly."
I gave a small nod.
"They were in my way," I replied simply.
A faint smile touched her lips, as if she had expected that answer.
"Even so," she said, "the result benefits all of us."
She paused briefly before continuing, her tone shifting slightly.
"So tell me, Lord Billion... what are your intentions?"
Before I could respond, Xeron let out a quiet scoff from across the hall.
"You’re going to ask him like that?" he said. "Straight to the point?"
Xena didn’t look at him.
"Yes," she replied calmly. "That is the only way to ask questions that matter to an Esteemed Lord."
I leaned back slightly in my seat, considering the question for a moment.
"My intention is simple," I said. "I intend to become the strongest force in the Blue Spiral Galaxy."
The reaction was immediate.The atmosphere tightened.
Some of the elders’ expressions hardened, others leaned forward slightly, and a few exchanged brief glances with one another.
From the right side, one of the Naga men spoke, his tone measured but clearly probing.
"And what use will you have for that strength?" he asked. "Do you intend to challenge us?"
I looked at him calmly.
"I already can challenge you," I replied.
That answer drew a mixed reaction.
Xeron exhaled sharply, while a few of the elders remained completely still, their expressions unreadable.
I did not dwell on it.
"Strength, by itself, is not the goal," I continued. "But without it, nothing else matters."
My gaze moved across the room.
"I want to ensure that the Blue Spiral is free of Eternals... and those who choose to side with them."
A low murmur spread through the hall.
One of the elders spoke up again, his voice carrying a note of caution.
"That is not something that can be done so easily," he said. "Even we do not act so openly. The moment you move against them at that scale, you will attract attention you may not be ready for."
Another added, "You are speaking of provoking forces far beyond what this galaxy has faced in a long time."
"And not all threats are visible," a third voice followed. "Some operate in ways that cannot be confronted directly. It will be a mistake."
I listened without interruption.
Then I spoke.
"That’s alright," I said calmly. "I am still young. I am allowed to make mistakes... and learn from them. And more importantly, I have time."
Xeron let out a quiet chuckle at that.
"It’s good to be ambitious, young lord," Xena said, her tone carrying a faint warmth. "Ambition, when backed by capability, can reshape entire eras. I am sure you will achieve... significant things in your lifetime."
I acknowledged her with a slight nod.
She continued, shifting the conversation.
"Xeron informed me that you were willing to assist us with the Grade 3 rift," she said. "I will admit, I had my doubts at first. But after seeing your strength personally... those doubts no longer remain. Your involvement would be of great value to us."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"So tell me, what do you require from us in return for your assistance?"
"All I need is financial support," I replied without hesitation. "As you are aware, I have only recently established my organization. Building it to operate efficiently at scale will require resources."
Xena smiled knowingly.
"That is understandable," she said. "And I must say, we are in a rather fortunate position. Securing the help of a World Lord so early... is not something that happens often."
She paused briefly.
"That Grade 3 rift has been a constant burden on us," she continued. "We lose a significant portion of our forces there. It is not a battle we fight once, it is a drain that never truly stops."
I nodded, then asked,
"How many Grade 3 rifts exist within the Blue Spiral?"
"Only two," she replied. "And both are currently under Naga control. Aside from Xeron, the rest of us spend most of our time managing them. Today’s gathering..." she glanced briefly around the hall, "...is an exception."
That explained the earlier tension.
"So," she continued, returning her attention to me, "what scale of financial support are you expecting?"
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully for a moment before answering.
"I’ll have my people coordinate with yours and finalize the details," I said. "They will give you a clear structure."
She nodded without issue.
Then her gaze shifted toward the rest of the elders in the hall.
"In that case," she said, "shall we resume our discussion?"
The tone in the hall shifted as Xena’s expression turned more serious.
"We will return to the Crimson Zone," she said, her voice steady but carrying a weight that immediately drew everyone’s attention. "The situation there has worsened."
A few of the elders straightened slightly.
"The last group we sent to gather information on the Matriarch..." she paused briefly, as if confirming it once more in her own mind, "...is gone."
Silence followed.
"They are dead," she said plainly.
The words settled across the hall without resistance. No one questioned it.
Xeron’s expression hardened.
"We lost all of them?" he asked.
"All of them," Xena replied. "There was no signal, no trace, no residual presence left behind. Whatever happened... it was absolute."
One of the elders leaned forward slightly.
"That makes it the third group," he said. "Each stronger than the last."
"And each one failing faster," another added quietly.
"What about the groups sent by other races, any infomration on them." another elder asked.
"They are dead as well." Xena replied. Which leaves us with only one option now."
Her gaze moved across the room.
"We go ourselves."
That statement shifted the tension further.
"You’re suggesting we enter the Crimson Zone directly?" one of the Nagas asked, his tone careful.
"I am," Xena replied. "We can no longer rely on indirect observation or expendable units. If we want to understand what is happening to the Matriarch... we will have to see it ourselves. Some of us will need to go and check. There is a possibility that even we might not make it back alive."
Xeron spoke next, his voice lower.
"She has been inside far longer than anyone expected," he said. "Even for her... this is unusual."
"That is what concerns me," Xena said. "This is the longest she has remained within the Crimson Zone without returning or communicating. I do not know what she has encountered there... but I do know this—"
She paused, her voice tightening slightly.
"The longer one remains inside that place... the worse it becomes."