Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 221: What’s going on?

Of course, Captain Orin was appropriately surprised and shocked. But he didn’t let Slya and Tiber go immediately because they might be part of the assassination as well.

Instead, he called his men to detain them while he began an investigation.

He went to the ruin to inspect the body, and he could only watch in disgust at the way Thane died. Although the assassin couldn’t be directly tracked back to the Clan, it was still jarring.

And then he glanced at Vale’s lifeless body and wished he had been the one to finish the job.

"...But seriously, why did Thane have to die? And in such a useless way as well? Who gets their head melted...?"

But as a good captain, he ordered the investigation and even got personally involved. He searched Thane’s body himself and also Vale’s.

He put on a full show of investigation, asking who Vale talked with last, what he did, and why. It took four days before he finally declared that the assassin must have been one of the Clan Leader’s enemies who wanted to get at them.

And that was why the Clan Leader wanted his brother to return to the Clan.

As for Tiber and Slya, they were released the same day. Captain Orin would have liked to keep them—they were torture material and would have interesting things to say—but Chief Takoda himself personally came to secure them, saying, "It was the least they could do for them."

There was no burial because the body was to be taken back to the Clan. He wanted to use the situation to his advantage and suggested that the Flagbearers accompany the body of their Commander, but he was flatly refused.

So he was forced to send one of his ships to carry the body.

In all honesty, Captain Orin’s job at the borderland was done, but it would seem too suspicious if he just left like that. And he did not fully trust the Flagbearers.

So he continued the waiting game.

☆☆☆☆

Almost all the people of the borderland grieved and mourned that Vale was dead. They might not have interacted with him personally, and some even hated him because he was instrumental in the death of their Flagbearers, but it was also for this same reason that they respected him.

He was strong. And he brought something that the borderland hadn’t seen in a very long time—change.

For their part, Slya and Tiber put on the outward appearance of mourning. And... it was tiring. They didn’t know how much of an impact even the fake death of Vale would have on them.

People looked at them differently, some with pity and some with smug expressions and sneers.

They got moody, especially since Vale himself wasn’t there, but the constant reminder was on them using their powers. But they didn’t waste the chance that was given to them as they threw themselves into training.

Truly, it was now a game of waiting.

☆☆☆☆☆

As soon as Vale left the ruin in his invisible form, he traveled through the core on a route he had mapped out already. He skirted around it, then used his tower to create an "unseen" law around it as he entered.

Then he took to the air, going far into the sky so the clouds would cover him. With his increase in essence, he didn’t have to worry much about his core running down since all he was doing was flying.

With his speed, he left the second layer in half an hour and reached the first layer. He flew above it and continued.

And then, four days later, he left the borderland behind him.

He would occasionally stop to absorb essence, rest, and then continue. By the third day after leaving the borderland, he reached the sprawling low hills marked with short-growing trees, and he knew he was within the real territory of the Athrimir Clan.

He flew above different villages and small towns, all under Chief Eamon Rikon of the Rikon Clan. Then he saw Rikon City. It wasn’t as big as the Capital, but it was massive.

A large wall encircled it, the pillars etched with symbols of power that hummed in the air loud enough that Vale, who wasn’t even flying close to it, could hear it.

And in the middle of it all was the palace.

But that wasn’t Vale’s destination, so he continued on. He looked down from above at the front gate of the city, and he could practically feel the tension.

Flying ships were docked at the gate, ready to take to the air in an instant. Magic rods lined the edge of the wall, ready to spit out beams of devastating attacks.

And in front of the gate itself was a captain commanding thousands of soldiers who wore the Rikon colors.

"...This bastard is declaring that he’s ready for war. Did he already find a backer or what...?"

It wasn’t what Vale was expecting. He thought the Chief would be cautious, ready for war but at the same time not aggressive. This was practically daring Thrain to attack him.

Vale didn’t know how to feel about that. The Chief must have a backer, or he was insane if he thought he could win against the might that Thrain currently controlled.

He flew above them all, over more villages and small towns.

The space below was covered in a little dust because the villagers were packing up from their homes and heading toward Rikon. Everyone could smell the taste of war in the air.

And then, finally, he reached the larger town in the south. He didn’t know what the town was called, but he saw the serpent of the Athrimir Clan flying on the flag on its walls.

"...So this is one of the towns directly managed by the Clan with the help of the Magister..."

But that wasn’t what actually surprised Vale.

It was the fact that there was a small battle going on.

A shield covered the front half of the town, but it flickered with each beam of attack that came from the soldiers standing near the town.

The soldiers wore gold and purple. That was the color of the army. But they carried no standard.

"...What in the Infernal is going on...?"