"Amun... you’re here," I said, my gaze settling on him as I tried to understand why he would show up at a place like this.
"Yes, Billion," he replied with an easy smile, spreading his hands slightly as if presenting himself. "As real as it gets. Are you not happy seeing me here?"
I tilted my head a little. "I’d say I’m feeling... neutral."
"Neutral is good enough for me," he said with a light shrug, completely unbothered, before his attention shifted past me. His eyes moved across my summons one by one, lingering just long enough on each to take in their presence. "You’ve gathered quite the group, haven’t you? Looks like your galaxy has already become too small for all of you. So tell me... when are you planning to move toward the Prime Galaxy?"
"Once we’re done exploring this... interesting Crimson Zone," I replied calmly. "After that, we’ll move higher up the ladder."
"Hmm," he hummed, nodding slightly as if he had expected that answer. "Sounds like a plan... but if you ask me, I’d recommend leaving the Crimson Zone alone."
The casual tone didn’t match the weight of his words.
"You," he continued, looking directly at me now, "are not strong enough to deal with what’s inside. If you step in there, there’s a very real chance you won’t make it back. And even if you somehow manage to return..." he paused briefly, the faint smile on his face not quite reaching his eyes, "...it won’t be anytime soon. Think centuries, not days."
My eyes narrowed slightly at that. Around me, I could feel the shift.
My summons straightened just enough for it to be noticeable, their attention sharpening, their presence tightening in response to what had just been said.
"What exactly is inside?" Lyrate asked, her voice direct, cutting through the moment without hesitation.
Amun turned toward her, and just like before, that same easy expression returned, accompanied by a small wink. "As I said, miss beauty, it’s better if you don’t go in there."
"You don’t get to decide that for us," she replied, her tone cooling as her aura flared ever so slightly.
Amun raised both his hands immediately, stepping back half a pace in mock surrender. "Alright, alright... no need to get worked up. I’m just looking out for you. I have nothing but your best interests at heart."
"Funny," Ragnar muttered under his breath, though he didn’t step forward.
I exhaled lightly.
"Amun," I said, I stepped slightly forward, drawing his attention back to me, "what’s going on?"
I held his gaze.
"Let’s not go in circles. Be straight with me. You really believe we can’t face what’s inside?"
For the first time since we had started speaking, Amun’s expression shifted.
The ease, the casual amusement, the faint mockery that always lingered in his tone... it all receded, replaced by something far more serious. He looked at me properly now, not as someone making conversation, but as someone weighing a decision.
"Well then," he said slowly, "answer me this... is your plan to go in there and deal with the source of the Crimson Zone?"
I didn’t hesitate.
"Of course."
The word had barely left my mouth when he brought his hands together in a single, sharp clap.
"Good," he said, nodding once. "Ambition is good."
Then his gaze hardened slightly.
"But in that case," he continued, his tone losing any trace of humor, "you won’t just fail to come out... you’ll die."
"In fact," he added, taking a step closer"let me make it even simpler for you. If I go in there with the intention of dealing with the source..."
He paused, just long enough for the weight of his words to settle.
"I die too."
There was no exaggeration in his voice.
"Not strong enough," he said, almost to himself, before looking back at me. "I’m not strong enough to deal with what’s inside."
He let out a small breath, then continued, his tone dropping just slightly.
"Does that make it clearer?"
For a brief moment, silence stretched between us.
Then he went further.
"Actually... let me be even more direct," he said, his eyes locking onto mine. "Even Theras wouldn’t be able to handle it."
"And if that’s not enough," he continued, his voice calm, almost indifferent now, "then let’s say it like this... even if you combine the Prime Universe and the Eternal Universe together..."
He stopped for a fraction of a second.
"...it still wouldn’t be enough."
This time, the silence that followed was heavier than before. I exhaled slowly, lifting a hand to rub my forehead as I processed what he had just said, and then spoke out loud.
"Hey, System... is what he’s saying true?"
[Affirmative.]
Amun let out an exaggerated breath, placing a hand over his chest as if struck. "Damn... you don’t trust me. You’re going to trust the System over me? I’m hurt. Truly hurt."
The casual tone had returned, almost instantly, as if the weight of the previous moment had never existed. But the System’s response had done its job.
I lowered my hand and looked at him properly now, no longer dismissing what he was saying as exaggeration or theatrics.
"Amun," I said, my voice steady, "I assume you’re not here just to tell me to stay away."
I took a step forward.
"So tell me... why are you here?"
A slow chuckle escaped him, his expression shifting into something more satisfied, as if this was the point he had been waiting for.
"Very perceptive of you, sir," he said with a slight nod. "I am, in fact, here with a deal."
He paused just long enough to let that sink in.
"And if you agree... everyone wins."
I didn’t react immediately, though a faint hint of amusement crossed my face.
"Let me guess," I said, folding my arms lightly, "that deal somehow involves me going inside the Crimson Zone."
He nodded without hesitation.
"Of course it does."
Steve let out a short scoff from behind me. "Wow. You just spent the last five minutes telling us how suicidal that would be, and now suddenly you want us to walk right into it?"
Amun didn’t seem offended in the slightest.
"I was building context," he replied smoothly. "Everything I said is still true."
He took a step closer, his gaze shifting briefly across all of us before returning to me.
"But," he added, his voice lowering just slightly, "I also have information that you don’t."
"I’ve been inside," he continued. "And I made it out alive."
He spread his hands wide, as if preparing to address an audience rather than just the few of us standing before him.
"Now," he said, his tone shifting, "before you start bombarding me with questions, let me give you some information about the Crimson Zone."