Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 121: Next step?

"What is the next step?" Tiber rumbled.

It was night, and they had been given a wing in Team 2’s base. Vale just found the biggest room for the three of them to settle in. It was big enough to have three beds with enough space left for couches.

Vale was currently sitting on one of the big brown ones, eating monster meat that had been deep-fried in spicy oil. Slya was opposite him, drinking a bottle of wine while eating chopped meat.

Tiber was the only one not eating. He had inhaled his food, two plates now.

He finished chewing before he answered. "We are clearing the ruin that carries the Rift Seed. I’m closing the second layer down."

By closing the ruin with the Rift Seed, it meant the ruin activity in the surrounding areas would reduce drastically. The frequency of ruin breaks and actual ruins would go down.

"I knew you’d say something like that," Tiber muttered. "But it won’t be easy. They don’t close Rift Seed ruins because they’re the reason the second layer exists, to make money for the Flags."

Vale shook his hand, waving a piece of meat. "A new Rift Seed will make its way here in the future. As long as the Rift itself remains standing, and that’s why I’m closing that too. This Borderland must be shut down."

Tiber was silent for a while. "It’ll be very difficult," he finally said.

He continued when Vale didn’t reply. "The Flagbearers... your clan. They have the power to close it. As much as the Rifts and ruins are a source of danger to humanity, they’re also a source of great resources and wealth.

"Clans go to war for the right to own a Rift."

Vale smiled. "You’re proposing another plan?"

"Why don’t you just claim the Borderland? All this wealth, everything."

He nodded. "I’ve thought about this as well. But have you forgotten this isn’t the only Rift my clan has? Besides, there are a lot of mysteries surrounding this Borderland. I don’t want to leave it behind. It’d be better to destroy everything."

Vale pointed. "I don’t know what my father is doing, but the Borderland is already showing the reflection of the court. The Flags represent the different factions that exist. He should have chosen a commander to represent his interests. I am here now. I will be that interest."

"You’ll work for your father?" Tiber asked in surprise.

"I’ll use his name until I get his head. But honestly, it’ll be better to deal with the Borderland issues before they hear anything back at the clan. I don’t want to be fighting two battles at once." Vale ate more in the silence that followed.

Then he added, "I must destroy interests that won’t work for me and take command of this place, one way or the other, before I turn my sword home.

"Tiber, start gathering information about the clan, especially the different factions and whose interests are controlling whom."

Slya sighed and licked her lips. "It’s strange, isn’t it?"

"What’s that?" Tiber asked.

"Five Master-ranked Knights in this Borderland. Why? No matter what, shouldn’t they be close to the clan? The might of a clan... of anything is measured by the number of Master Knights they have, right?" Slya drank from her bottle again.

This made Vale sit up. ’Wait... she’s saying the truth... why are there five Master Knights here? Why did Father send them here when he could have just led a force and cleared the Rift? Or, at the most, looted it and still farmed a reasonable amount of resources?’

’And yet, it’s almost as if he doesn’t care about the Borderland. Five Masters. Power strong enough to bring a small clan like theirs to its knees.’

’How many Master-ranked Knights remain?’

’Something is seriously wrong with my clan... something is happening... I wish I didn’t spend all those years only in training and envying my stepbrother... well... nothing is too far gone.’

After a long time, he finally said. "Tiber, take it seriously, that gathering of information."

Then he said to the two of them. "For now, we will focus on closing this Rift Seed ruin. Then we can talk about other things that come after."

"Are you going to close the ruin yourself?" Slya asked.

Vale snorted in reply. "No. That’d be stupid. I’ll get the other teams to help as well. They should have cleared it anyway."

Tiber grunted, thinking about the work Vale had just given him. Xan had told him the ways he used to gather information, how to know information sellers and how to buy without revealing one’s intent. ’It’s almost as if things are changing too fast.’

He shook his head and focused on the discussion.

Vale yawned. "Well, I’m going to sleep. You two can set up watch, but I doubt anyone will make any funny moves. Not when I have a sword given by the Sword Saint."

He smiled as he pointed at the sword leaning against a table. The glowing golden light had long vanished, leaving it looking like ordinary steel.

Tiber and Slya chuckled and bid him goodnight. He waved to them as he crawled into one of the beds, sighing as his muscles relaxed on the soft mattress.

The two of them stayed in silence as Slya slowly finished her food. Then she sighed. "I know the Knight world is dangerous, but we nearly died that time. Xan died."

Tiber nodded, his eyes like midnight. "It just goes to show that there are different levels of power, even in the same rank. We simply have to get more powerful."

"We should advance our ranks?" Her eyes flickered to the covered form of Vale.

Tiber grunted and sighed. "I don’t think we can do that unless Vale himself advances in rank. But that’s not what I’m talking about. We should get more powerful in the rank that we are. Do more training. Clear more ruins.

"You can see the difference between us today and us three weeks ago, right? We shouldn’t try to reach Vale’s level, because we can’t. We should strive not to burn simply by staying at his side."**

Tiber said solemnly.

Slya drank the last of her bottle and stood up. "In short, we should not be a burden, right? Leave all those words! Alright, I’m going to bed too. This drink made me all warm. Wake me up when it’s my time."

Tiber nodded without speaking, a faint smile on his face as he watched her. Then his smile drained as he remembered what happened to Xan. ’Slya... what if...? No... we must get stronger...’

Just then, a ripple spread out from him as he cast a faint sleep spell into the room. It would encourage sleep. Tiber had no intention of waking anyone up for the night watch.

After all, he’s a Nightmare. He doesn’t need that much sleep to function.