Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 153: Let’s go

"What do you want?" Vale asked immediately, the hair on his neck standing on end.

There was no reason to mince words.

’Steelclaw already knows I am my father’s son. The question is, why won’t he support me?’

Steelclaw smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "What do I want? I want a lot of things, and none of them can be given by you. Let me tell you a story. A short one."

"There were once two friends who grew up together. One was born a king, and the other vowed to make his way with his own hands. He took his sword and began to train day and night, carving a path for himself.

"He rose and became a general. He won the hearts of the people. His shadow grew so large it swallowed everyone else around him. Even the king wasn’t spared, as his own shadow paled in comparison to that of the general.

"The king grew jealous, and coldness grew between them. Then, a new enemy arose far from the kingdom, but instead of sending the general to fight, the king went with his own men. He was defeated, unable to face the enemy, and returned to his kingdom in humiliation.

"The people began to urge him to send the general to face the enemy."

Steelclaw paused, and Vale swallowed hard. The story being painted before him sounded eerily familiar, as though he were walking in the wreckage of a failed tale.

He wasn’t the only one captivated. Everyone in the room focused intently on Steelclaw.

The smile on Steelclaw’s face only grew colder. "The king was angry and vowed that the enemy would remain undefeated since he himself had failed to conquer them. He did send the general, but not before taking the man’s wife and children hostage. He gave the general an order, never to defeat the enemy.

"Of course, the king used this as an opportunity to purge his court. He sent more generals out, each bound by chains of one kind or another, ensuring none could claim victory over the enemy."

Steelclaw stopped speaking. For the first time, an emotion flickered across his face, grief, perhaps, before vanishing as quickly as it appeared. "The hostages the king held all died. The children, the wife—every one of them—while the general fought a battle he was forbidden to win."

Vale stood rooted to the spot. ’Ah... shit...’

Steelclaw straightened, and the heaviness in his voice was replaced by something sharp and strange. "What do you think this general should have done?"

Vale opened his mouth, then closed it. He took a deep breath and asked a question of his own. "Why didn’t the general simply defeat the enemy? There was nothing truly holding him back."

"The enemy wasn’t so easily defeated. Besides, by then, the general had made more than one enemy," Steelclaw replied.

Vale nodded and bowed. There was nothing more to say, but he answered the question nonetheless. "If I were the general, I would light a torch that burns. That is the truth. But there are always people with coldness in their hearts, ready to snuff out any flame."

Steelclaw smiled, this time with a trace of warmth. "It seems you have more than just his eyes."

☆☆☆☆

They were silent as they left the fortress. Even Frexon walked behind them without a word.

"What was all that about?" Slya asked. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"It means we can expect no help from Steelclaw. He’d rather kill Vale and send his head to the Athrimir Clan leader. Maybe he’ll even try after the seven days are over," Tiber answered.

Vale thought hard about what he had just heard. ’So Father isn’t just delaying the clearing of the Borderland to exploit its resources... it’s even more complicated than that. He’s punishing Steelclaw out of jealousy?’

’And what about the other Flagbearers? Are they in the same situation?’

’I need to understand what Steelclaw meant when he said the Rift isn’t so easily closed... Is the monster too strong, or is there something more?’

"So what are we going to do now? Are we going to visit the other Flagbearers?" Slya asked.

It had been Vale’s original plan, but now his mind was set on something else. "I’ll do what I should have done this morning. Let’s go to the Forsaken Tribes."

Frexon rolled his eyes and created a red portal in front of them. They stepped through, disappearing into the swirling light. Moments later, they stood before a fortress that looked like mountains stacked on top of one another.

It seemed as though the mountains had collapsed against each other, creating a natural protective barrier.

"This place is an original structure. It’s been here for centuries. It’s the palace of the Chief of the Forsaken Tribes," Frexon explained when he saw their expressions. He shook his head. "You’re wasting your time if you think you can convince the Forsaken Tribes to support you.

"They always remain neutral in matters like this. They prefer to watch, never directly supporting or opposing anyone."

Vale wasn’t deterred. "Let’s go."

As before, they were expected. The guards led them into the fortress, which, unlike the barracks of other Flagbearers, resembled a village.

Children ran around, and women who were not warriors moved about their daily lives. But the hard eyes of the people betrayed the Borderland’s harsh reality. These were people who had seen and fought monsters. People who knew fear. They watched the strangers warily.

Vale wasn’t surprised when Manefor greeted them at the palace. The man led them through a door into a smaller hall before announcing that only Vale could meet the Chief.

Tiber and Slya protested, arguing that they should go with him. What if it was a trap? They had just rescued him; there was no way they would let him go alone.

Vale smiled and reassured them. "If any Master Knight wanted me dead, I’d be dead regardless of whether you were with me or not. At least, none of them want me dead... for now."