Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 185: What I want

"What do you want?" Steelclaw asked flatly, his cold eyes on Vale, who was sitting opposite him at the other end of the table. Sitting on both sides were Flagbearer Pomora and Chief Takoda.

Vale matched his stare and tone. "You already pledged your support. I am here to discuss how we are going to clear the Rift."

It was three days after the attack, and the Commander’s Tower was done healing. It was time to do what needed to be done, and Vale didn’t want to wait even a little.

He used Steelclaw Alliance Fortress for this because it was the closest to the Rift.

Before Steelclaw could say anything else, Vale turned his gaze to the other two. "Tell me everything you know about the Rift."

Chief Takoda nodded, the crown on his head blinking. "The Rift can be said to be the center of the Borderland. No one, save maybe the Commander and the Athrimir Clan Leader, has ever tried to challenge it.

"Of course, we Flagbearers have fought near it now and then, but that’s only to clear the ruins nearby. Even then, we have to fight Riftborn Titans. They are not as strong as a single Master Knight, but they command hordes of other monsters. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Those Riftborn Titans are known to be seconds-in-command to what is really in control of that Rift, the Rift Lord. Currently, we do not know the power of a Rift Lord, but with three Master Knights, we should be enough." Chief Takoda ended with a look at the other Master Knights.

Vale didn’t lift the silence, and after a while, Steelclaw finally spoke. "I fought together with... the Clan to break into the Rift back then. It was a place as big as any city. Yes, it can be called a city of monsters."

Vale tapped the table gently. "If we reserve our Master Knights for the Rift Lord, how then will we take care of the Riftborn Titans? I’ve fought one before, and we were almost evenly matched. She was slightly stronger, even with my enchanted towers."

Pomora smiled. "The reason Master Knights were sent here is because we are thought to be capable of closing the Rift. We will have to take care of both the Rift Lord and the Riftborn Titans."

"Can you do it?" Vale raised his brows. The question was directed at everyone.

"We will," Chief Takoda said firmly. "But not alone. The other Errant Knights will be with us. We will wound the Riftborn Titans for you, and then you can deal with them together with the others."

Vale didn’t like the plan, and he frowned. It wasn’t solid enough. After being in enough fights and mini-battles, he knew things don’t always go as planned, especially things that aren’t properly planned.

"What about this? Let’s hold off on entering the Rift directly. Even the Rift won’t send a large number of monsters at once because it can’t. The Rift can only add to those it has already sent out through ruin breaks.

"Let’s find a way to lure most of the Rift Lords out. This way, we can take care of most of them before we enter the Rift."

It was a plan that appealed to all of them, and they nodded. The next thing they discussed was the resources needed. They would need a large amount of potions and enchanted tools.

A few days back, when the resources were shared, the alchemists and blacksmiths had also been enticed by the different fortresses to join them.

And the next day, part of what Vale did in his free time was to send a bulk of his raw natural resources to them to turn into potions and enchanted tools as soon as possible.

He was the Commander and would be carrying the bulk of the expenses. And clearing a Rift costs a lot, not to mention paying all the people who participated in it, both in advance and after the clearing.

The Knights also needed to make gold; that was one of the reasons they were here. And Knights were expensive, more so as their ranks increased.

Even those who died in battle would still collect their payments through the organizations they had joined to handle such things. The money would then be processed as the owner wished, given to family, to an orphanage, to fund parties for their funerals, or even to aid in some illegal things. It didn’t matter.

Just as they were about to discuss the team they were going to set up to go with them, the door banged open, and a huffing Knight stumbled in. Vale and the others turned to the man in surprise.

Not only was it stupid, but it was risky to just open the door where the Master Knights were holding a meeting! What sort of arrogance and confidence was that? But the man didn’t seem confident. His pale face was covered in sweat, and he was breathing too hard.

He was one of Steelclaw’s men, and he turned fear-filled eyes to them. "My Lord! There’s a massive monster break, monster armies are heading out!"

’...what? A monster break... isn’t that normal? Wait... armies...?’

"Where?!" Vale demanded.

The man gestured as if they could see through the walls. "Out there! They are bypassing all the fortresses—they seem to be heading out of the Borderland!"

Everyone digested the news with different expressions, but the main expressions they all shared were shock and surprise. It was a well-known fact that the monsters in this Rift didn’t try to conquer the land directly like all the others.

Instead, it used subtle ways like the Rift Seed and the ruin breaks to slowly spread. Now, it was making a decisive move? And not against the Borderland, but directly striking outside of it?

Vale was baffled. He couldn’t figure it out. That Rift Lord... what is he doing?

Everyone in the room stared at each other without saying anything, but Vale knew what each and every one of them was thinking....

’...i have to get to my Fortress and protect it!...’

"We will continue this meeting. You can all return to your fortresses to check your defenses. Put them in order, then send Tower Captains out. We will hunt the monsters.

"Don’t worry, let all Flagbearers stay behind. This might be a diversion."