Ross took his time placing the beacons all over the galactic cluster. There was no incentive for him to rush the process. Furthermore, while he was sure the Arkheons wouldn't make any moves, he would occasionally extend his senses in their direction, quietly observing.
While Ross took his time claiming the galactic cluster, the Starbane forces had recovered enough to function once more. That meant sharing what transpired and what they witnessed with their own eyes.
An hour and a half after the defeat and eviction of the Arkheon forces, news had reached the ears of everyone on the network. What people did not realise was that Alexander had already optimised communications, making long-distance communication as flawless as possible.
Initially, there was a seed of doubt around such a feat, as people could not possibly imagine a single individual, other than Alexander, to have that kind of power. However, those doubts continued to clear as the minutes went by.
More and more members of the Starbane forces were being called by their contacts to verify the intel, and they verified it. But it did not stop there. People also reached out to those they knew on the Arkheon side.
Safe to say, the shock was widespread.
To have the power to spatially shift hundreds of space cruisers and powerful hunters out of a galactic cluster that stretched for hundreds of thousands of light-years? People had a hard time believing it. But it was the truth; the Arkheons, a powerful force, were evicted by one individual.
The sheer magnitude of such a feat was incomprehensible.
With the creation of the Universal Accord Commission, which was now the current talk of the times, Ross's feat paved the way for many to push their agenda. Knowing what it meant to claim an entire galaxy, no powerful being would want to be left behind.
Lord Malcolm Valemont was the most shocked when news of the event reached him. After the creation and touring of the UAC base, Alexander promptly returned them to the bounds of the Empire. Ironically, the eviction of the Arkheons had almost coincided with the end of the tour.
For several minutes, Lord Valemont was unsure of what to do or think. There was no way a child could have that much power in such a short time. It didn't make sense, and he was unwilling to accept it. There was something wrong somewhere!
Unfortunately for Malcolm, Lady Serenya confirmed the word going around. The woman was ashamed even to lift her head to face the family head when she gave her report. What she had experienced changed her worldview more than she thought possible.
It made her question reality and the unfairness of things. For someone like her, it was a ridiculous thought to have, but that was how she felt; she couldn't help it. Going back to the home system of the Valemonts was the only option left, but the woman did not have the strength to move.
Lord Valemont, on the other hand, was unwilling to give up. The rules of claiming were clear, but something wasn't adding up with Ross. It was not possible to have more than one Alexander in their universe, and he was right.
This, however, led him to his next choice of action.
Ross completed the claiming process a few hours later. When he returned, he was welcomed to a new world where everyone and their mothers knew his name. As Alexander's best friend, while most acknowledged his strength, some found it strange.
Unfortunately for them, Ross cared little about what others thought of him. He tasked himself with solving his father's dilemma, and he delivered. However, instead of registering the claimed territory as they initially proposed, Ferlok and the other leaders chose to wait till the next day.
***
"Ross, it seems Lord Valemont refuses to give up," Eein said to Ross, who sat cross-legged alone in the void, quietly meditating.
While humanity raged on about his capabilities and whatnot, Ross returned to comprehending his fire law. No one said Alexander had to carry him through the entire process.
Hearing his brother's words, Ross slowly opened his eyes, which flickered a brief but intense heatwave that slightly shook the void for thousands of meters. For a moment, Eein could not help but swallow hard.
To think Ross was his brother? The shock was still present, despite more than twenty-four hours having passed. It was not something one could just ignore. Even so, Eein proudly watched as Ross got up, stretching a bit.
"What is he crying about?" Ross turned to his brother, a brow raised slightly. "He lost fair and square. Alex clearly stated the rules for claiming a territory, so I don't see where his unwillingness stems from."
"That's just it," Eein sighed. "Lord Valemont is claiming you did not use your own strength in claiming the galactic cluster."
"What kind of nonsense is that?" Ross was visibly annoyed.
"Beats me," Eein shrugged and continued. "But he claims your strength comes from your connection with Alexander, and that indirectly implies Alexander had a hand in kicking his forces out of the cluster."
"He can't be serious..." Ross was stunned, unable to believe the words coming out of his brother's mouth. "Rumours going around are one thing, but for someone like him to claim such a thing?"
The redhead could not see it. Unfortunately for him, that was the reality unfolding before him.
"That's not all," Eein couldn't help but chuckle at Ross's expression. "He sent a petition to Alexander himself, proposing a different way to claim this galactic cluster."
"This can't be real, right?"
Ross had to be sure Eein wasn't pulling his leg. However, the helpless smile on his brother's face more than proved the credibility of his words.
"..."
Annoyance bubbled in his chest as Ross felt the urge to curse the stars. While he knew it was ludicrous and Alexander wouldn't give it any thought, the fact that a grown man went ahead to propose such nonsense baffled him to no end.
"Hah… Just for the sake of curiosity, what did he propose?"
"Well, Lord Valemont wants Alexander to award the galactic cluster to the force that shows capabilities of being able to manage it," Eein explained with an amusing smile. "And he made sure everyone knew about the proposal."
"I see… He's trying to use public sentiment to push his agenda." Ross quickly saw through the man's tricks. "He doesn't seriously think Alexander cares about that, does he?"
"Honestly, I don't know…" Eein replied, though it was a rhetorical question. "But it has gotten people leaning more to his story. People already find it hard to believe you have such strength, and would jump to the most logical conclusion available."
"Mm, makes sense." Ross nodded. "What does father make of all this?"
"It's easier just to ask him."
Eein looked behind him, where the base planet could be seen. The two brothers were at the edges of the star system, but had no problem seeing that far. With a thought, Ross explosively shot towards the planet, Eein not far behind.
Soon, they were back on base, swiftly arriving at the meeting chamber, where the others seemed to be waiting. The leaders had gloomy expressions, a stark contrast to what the redhead expected.
"What's with the long faces?" Ross asked, moving to sit at his father's left side while Eein moved to sit at his right. He looked at his father's face and then at the others, noticing how they were communicating with their gazes.
After a moment of silence, one of the leaders replied. "Your father is considering Lord Valemont's words."
"What…?" Ross abruptly turned to look at his father, who returned the gaze. "Do you truly believe you're unqualified to have the entire galactic cluster?"
"Son, maybe your perception is a bit skewed." Ferlok heaved a tired sigh. "But a galactic cluster is no small territory. We're talking about hundreds of thousands of light-years; it's not small."
Ferlok was never an ambitious man. He didn't wish to rule; he just wanted to carve a small organisation where he could prosper with his people, and that meant a few star systems at most — not a galaxy, and certainly not a galactic cluster.
He had been thinking about it, and he couldn't see himself ruling over such a territory. Honestly, it was overwhelming to think about. This had kept him awake with thoughts throughout the entire day of rest, leaving him more tired than before.
A few among the leaders were of the same mindset, while the rest saw nothing wrong with owning the cluster. They were all part of the Starbane forces, but some were more ambitious than others. However, they also knew their say was weak, since Ross did all the work.
"What happened to taking it one step at a time?" Ross could understand his father's worries, bringing a slight smile to his lips.
"Father… No one is saying you should rule the galactic cluster. Just own it, and do whatever you want with it. Rent it out, sell parts of it, or give it to your forces. Whatever you choose is up for you and the others to decide."
Ross looked at the others, who nodded in agreement to what he said. However, more than the nods of agreement, the redhead saw more in the eyes of some of the leaders but chose to ignore it — for now.
"You sure?"
Ferlok looked at his son, and seeing him nod, solidified his decision. Ross had said what he needed; the rest was up to Ferlok to decide. As for what Lord Valemont proposed, Alexander was already on it.