Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 170: We shall see

He went to the Scuffed Bones first, and he was admitted inside without issues, even though the environment surrounding him was tense.

Sevrix wasn’t alone this time. Beside him on his throne was Tower Captain Sybila, who watched Vale like a hawk.

A chair wasn’t provided, so Vale had to stand in front of him while he sat on his throne.

"The Commander, huh? I haven’t heard that in a long time," he said. The darkness folded in front of him like a cheap black curtain so that his face couldn’t be seen. "The second Young Master of the Athrimir Clan. I wonder why the Clan leader wouldn’t let us know you were coming here."

Vale shrugged. "It matters not. I’m here now, and I’m the Commander."

Sevrix’s chuckle was dark. "But a Commander should have something to command, is that not so? What are you a Commander over?"

Vale didn’t mince words as he went straight to it. "You won’t follow me?"

Even through the darkness between them, Vale felt his flat eyes on him. "No. I won’t. Let the Clan leader himself come down here to appoint you."

"There is no time for that. I plan to clear the Rift as soon as possible. This is the order of a Commander of a Borderland," Vale said.

Vale knew Sevrix was very unlikely to follow him—not only because the man hated him and would rather see him dead, but also because whoever he was working for was likely against Vale as well.

But still, he had to try.

"What about a price, then? Tell me your price, and I will do my best to pay." This was the last thing he could think of to bring the man over to his side.

Sevrix froze, and he seemed to waver slightly, but then he sneered. "You think you can pay the price I give you? How naive! The price I have isn’t something a bastard like you could ever think of paying. Oh, your father kept your secret well, but the shame you carried was enough to lock you away like an animal.

"Are you even worthy of carrying the name of Athrimir? You are tainted."

A flash of anger warmed Vale’s blood, and he took a step forward unconsciously. The air around him shimmered, and he wanted his Infernal fire to rage, but he kept it in. Hadn’t he been keeping it in all these years? Slowly stoking it, waiting for the time embers would turn into an inferno.

Vale took a deep breath. When he exhaled, it made the space in front of him shimmer from the dry heat that blasted out. He made himself numb so he could calmly analyze what Sevrix had said. He did not hurry to reply, and his silence made Sevrix twitch on his seat.

’...A shame... so Father must have found a way to hide that I carried the Forbidden Mark... Did he find a powerful Mystic Knight to wipe memories?..... So he replaced it with some kind of shame.....’

Vale nodded slowly to himself, then looked at the throne again and said flatly, "You have made a mistake. So what will you be doing while I clear the Rift? Wait and sit behind?"

Sevrix leaned forward, and the darkness parted to show his smile. "I will be waiting for you to bring the news of victory, of course, Commander!"

Vale’s neck pricked. ’.....More like waiting to attack us.....’

Sevrix continued. "And what do you mean by us? You want to go with only Takoda? CrimsonHood will never support you, and Steelclaw hates the Athrimir. The Exiled... well. So you see, give up this childish play you have going on in your head. This is reality, wake up to it."

Vale smiled faintly as he remembered Tiber. "I know some people who can bring the dream to reality. Maybe I should borrow their type of power."

Vale stood and turned to go. Almost as expected, the meeting had failed.

"Wait," Sevrix called.

Vale turned.

Sevrix was standing. "I should kill you now."

Vale’s hair stood on end, but he hid it by getting ready to bring out his tower. "Why are all of you making such suggestions today? I won’t be easily killed. Be careful what you do next, Flagbearer Sevrix."

Sevrix’s mouth curled. "We shall see."

Then his figure silently disappeared, melting into the darkness as if it was never there, leaving only Tower Captain Sybila to keep looking at him like stone.

Vale finally turned to go, feeling eyes on him throughout as he passed through the door and into the fortress grounds until he reached outside and entered his tower, taking to the air once again.

It was then that he was finally able to release a long sigh.

He didn’t know what might happen if he and Sevrix fought, but he knew it wouldn’t be in his favor. Vale’s mood had soured because he now knew that Sevrix was only waiting for others from his faction back in the Clan.

And from the way the Scuffed Bones had behaved, he had little doubt as to what the orders would be.

’.....He’s going to try to kill me... there’s no doubt about it... He seems to be the only one of the Flagbearers deeply involved with a faction... This is problematic... No matter how I look at it, there’s no one back at the Clan, save for a very few, that want me alive... Ah... shit....’

As he flew through the air, Vale began to formulate a plan.

Before long, he reached the territory of the CrimsonHood and floated closer to their fortress. He came down and absorbed the tower into his hand.

And then he waited at the gate for the guards, who had seen his tower, to report to their master before he was admitted inside the fortress grounds and then led to the Flagbearer’s building.

’.....What is with all of them and that chair-like throne? It’s as if they were trying to emphasize that they’re ruling some kind of small kingdom or what....’ Vale thought as he was led into the big hall.

And atop the throne sat a man with more fat in his belly than Vale expected from any Knight. He was also short and bald. Vale couldn’t help the surprised look.

’.....This is the Flagbearer of CrimsonHood....?’