Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 194: Come on now

Vale’s essence was running low, and he still couldn’t think of a way out of his current situation. Once his essence depleted and the law shielding him was removed, he would have to find a way to somehow sneak past a Knight-rank and a Riftborn Titan.

’.....i don’t think I can do it..... maybe I can use the law somehow?....’

"Can the tower do long-distance teleportation? At this rate, I think we can only try to run out of the Rift. Without even knowing what happened to the others... well, seeing Steelclaw like that..." Slya let the words hang.

"We should assume they are dead or, at the very least, not able to help us now. We can only depend on ourselves, which means getting out of here," Tiber added flatly. There was no reason to mince words when they all could see what was happening, and their lives were on the line.

Vale already knew Steelclaw must have done something to Takoda and Pomora, and for a moment, he felt anger boil in his stomach. Why would Steelclaw betray them? And to the monsters?

He swept his eyes over the two still searching, and his stomach dropped when he saw Steelclaw suddenly stop and spread both his hands as if he were trying to hug something.

The clouds suddenly turned dark and gloomy. Lightning flickered moments before a forest of thick, searing lightning bolts churned the sky.

Since he couldn’t find him, Steelclaw would simply strike him from his hiding place. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Vale cursed and made his tower shoot downward. At the same time, he activated short-distance teleportation, but it was already too late.

Bam! Crack!

The tower shook and spasmed, shuddering as lightning struck it hard, chipping away at the black material and canceling out the teleportation. And briefly, the tower was seen.

Steelclaw heard the cracking sound and looked over. He saw the black-and-red tower appear and disappear. His next move was without hesitation as all the lightning in the area was directed at where the tower had been.

Countless chains of lightning lit up the air in sizzling, cracking sounds and crashed into the tower so hard that the law shielding it vanished, and it fell from the air like a stoned bird.

Steelclaw watched with an impassive expression, then shot after it, gathering more clouds beneath him, which expanded to envelop the tower, stopping it from falling.

At the same time, the clouds curled around the tower, lightning flickering around them like fireflies. Steelclaw turned to the tower as the cloud lifted into the air toward the city.

"You can’t use any powers from that tower. I suggest you get out of there now," he said.

Inside the tower, Vale grunted. He was nearly dry of essence, and that attack on the tower had affected him too. It was as if his head had been used as a hammer.

He took time to gather his thoughts as he asked, "Are you guys alright?"

They were alright. The attack hadn’t affected them because most of it had been borne by the tower while Vale took the backlash.

"What are we going to do now?" Slya asked in a tight voice.

Vale didn’t answer because he would have liked to know the answer to that question as well. Instead, he looked outside and said, "Why are you doing this, Steelclaw? You dare betray and disobey the Commander of this place? Do you know what the Athrimir Clan will do to you?"

At that, Steelclaw’s eyes finally carried a hint of anger. It was a black anger, shorn of heat and cold. Anger mixed with deep hatred.

"What can they do that they haven’t already done?" he asked, his voice strangely calm. The expression Vale had seen on his face was gone, replaced by a flat mask and dead, cold eyes.

"I see," Vale said. He knew then that nothing he said would reach Steelclaw. This was a man who had been forged by his own anger into a weapon of vengeance.

’.....even now... my father is still causing me trouble... I can’t wait to mount his head on something...’ Vale thought darkly.

’...if I survive this one....’

They quickly reached the city, and it was just as Vale expected. It was filled with frozen monsters of different kinds, all standing there, facing the palace.

Steelclaw flew above the monsters and made his way to the palace. The grand entrance was held up by four imposing pillars, and the doorway was big enough to swallow the cloud along with the tower as they swept in.

They entered a vast hall immediately. There were no decorations—just a throne at the other end and gray walls and pillars.

"It’s him," Vale whispered. At the other end of the hall, on a throne of dark, hulking, gleaming metal, sat the monster with sickly green eyes.

But it wasn’t him Vale was referring to. Behind the throne was an image etched into the wall—a man covered in a cloak that hid his face. He was lying on the ground with his stomach split open, his right hand clutching a lantern. Trapped inside the lantern was a crimson moon.

The Forbidden Knight! The Crimson Lord! The one whose inheritance Vale held and was using.

The moment he saw the image, Vale’s right hand began to itch, and the Mark of Order with the red moon symbol appeared.

His eyes widened. ’...is an inheritance hidden here too?.....’

Then his gaze traveled to the rest of the image, and he frowned. Standing atop the Crimson Lord was the Rift Lord, looking down in both anger and fear.

’....what’s happening? This Rift Lord is the one that killed him?... But why does the Rift Lord not look victorious?.....’

Vale couldn’t believe his eyes, but he had no more time for analysis as they were now close to the throne.

Steelclaw stepped out of the cloud and bowed briefly. "He is here, Lord Vorgaelor."

’.....Vorgaelor? That’s the name of the Rift Lord?....’

It must be so, because the familiar monster smiled. "You really had to reveal yourself so soon, Steelclaw. Not that it matters now anyway."

"That is so," Steelclaw said.

Vorgaelor smiled. "Why is my guest hiding? Come on now."