"They were clearly not natives, but somehow could speak our language fluently." Though she didn't see their appearance, their forms were different at a glance.
"They weren't like us--that was obvious at a glance, yet the brief exchange I had with them could make you believe otherwise."
Cassandra gulped recalling the experience. For the first time since she realized what she was, she was scared.
"Those people came with an offer." Cassandra continued a second later. "They proposed I join them and pledge my loyalty to the Supreme.
"The weird thing was that they were clearly up to something when I encountered them."
Alex furrowed his brows, not liking what he heard. He and the others didn't have to be geniuses to understand what that Supreme Walker was up to.
'And to be strong enough to make her scared…' Alex couldn't help but focus on that point. 'That being is focusing on something else entirely when all universes are likely going through the same thing.'
But then, recalling the arrangements of universes he saw, he had a feeling some universes were more powerful than others. That was troublesome.
Despite his thoughts on ruling, he had no intention of submitting to some random person who was not even from his home.
'I may not be strong enough,' he frowned. 'At least not yet. There are still a few things to look at.'
His passive absorption still continued, but it seems time may not be on his side. 'Time to put that into motion.'
He split a sliver of his consciousness--his soul, sending it to the far reaches of his universe, right in the centre of a veil tear where he conjured a body for it.
The second Alex looked into the chaotic true void and back to the universe. He had a theory of how chaotic energies were being organized.
From there, he intended to study the veil tears and how to close them. Then he created a solid space fold around the area.
The created private space stretched many billions of kilometres where Alex sat and closed his eyes.
Moreover, he needed to complete his comprehension of the remaining universal laws while switching his passive refinement to active.
Instantly, Alex began to sense the change in his inner realm. Ignoring that for now, he listened as the Catwoman continued her narrative.
"The alternative was forced submission. Naturally, I was pissed. Unfortunately, not long after that monster appeared."
The space became quiet as everyone mulled over her words. Alex's companions turned to him, wanting to see what his reaction would be.
"Did they tell you anything about the state of their universe?" Alex asked, ignoring their gaze. "They can't possibly be focused on conquest when their universe was a mess."
"Unfortunately, no." Cassandra shook her head. "But from where I stood, I think they pretty much had a solid hold on their chaos.
"And for all you know, they might already be here doing whatever they were doing in my universe when I encountered them."
"And how did that happen exactly?" Zola chipped in. "If they were clearly up to something, they wouldn't have made themselves known."
"Beats me," she shrugged. "My guess is they wanted me to find them."
"So this Supreme Walker wants to be some kind of multiversal overlord," Alex said and the catwoman nodded.
'She doesn't have much information on them, so there isn't much to go on.' Alex pondered. 'And it's not like I'm looking at everyone in the empire at all times. Haa… I'll have to be on the lookout.'
Putting that aside, Alex thought of something else he didn't hear the woman say. The core of the void creature she fought.
Zol and the others confirmed there was no black essence emanating from the core they got from the void creature.
"Cassandra," Alex called out as he stood up, the table parting in the middle.. "Have you ever seen a void core like this before?"
A thought retrieved one of the two black cores he got from killing those void creatures.
Everyone around the table stared at the core with narrowed eyes, feeling the sinister and dangerous vibe it gave.
Seeing the confusion in Cassandra's eyes, he realized it must be a recent change. The void creatures weren't static after all.
"Are those cores from void creatures?" Cassandra stood up as she walked towards Alex.
"I'm afraid not," Alex replied, sending the core towards the woman.
Cassandra made the core hover above her palm as she studied it closely. There was a feeling of rejection in her as if this was not meant for living beings.
'Strange…'
Try as she might, she couldn't deduce anything about the black core and turned to Alex for an explanation.
"I think it's a new addition to powerful void creatures. When that creature used it in its attack, it nearly killed me and the pain was no joke either."
"What…?"
The hunters muttered collectively. This was news to them. Since Alex did not say anything about his battle with that void creature, they had no idea what he went through.
They only knew he survived and that was all they needed to know.
'Just how many things is he keeping now?' Zol couldn't help but think to himself. 'The boy I watched grow up is no longer the same. Something is fundamentally different about him.'
Power definitely changed people and did in many ways, not just corruption. That was Alexander. With his perception of his world, things were never the same.
"I see…" Cassandra muttered. "Have you tried anything with it?"
"A couple of things," Alex replied. "It doesn't allow for ability absorption and the energy it contains can't be used in any technology."
Cassandra nodded as he stared at the core. Unlike Alexander, she hadn't tapped into her capabilities and Alex intends to correct that.
'She's lost her universe and has nowhere to go.' Alex thought inwardly. 'Maybe this can be her new home. Then again, it has to be her choice…'
He would have to ask if she intended to stay, but Alex had a feeling she would. At least until she had a good grasp of her abilities.
"But there is something else about the core…" Alex added, catching everyone's attention once again.
"The core…"