Dian had wanted to fix his inadequate Auxiliary Ability Card as well as improve some that he had. That was why he needed to visit Universe Market.
There were numerous Universes under the Universe Council and the one Dian usually went to was the center of all. It was because he was still the Second Rank Planet Master.
“There is another matter I want to say.” Dian stated while the others listened.
“Who wants to accompany me to the Universe Market?” Dian asked.
This prompted the others to think. They wanted to see what kind of things were available to the Second Rank Planet Master, while Frie and Chikara were wondering what need Dian had that he needed to go to the Universe Market.
They then looked at each other and realized that all of them wanted to go. Dian also noticed this and then clapped his hands.
“Alright. If you all want to follow me, then that’s fine.”
“Who wants to follow you!?” Chikara said suddenly which made Dian consider her characteristics.
Then they got closer to Dian while Dian willed for him to go to that place. Then they were directly transported to the Universe Market, all five of them.
Dian looked around and felt the familiar plaza where many Planet Masters gathered. The others also looked around to see the changes that had happened during their absence.
There were many Planet Masters in various shapes and forms, and another appearance of one did not bother them much.
“First destination, Auxiliary Pagoda!” Dian pointed to the pagoda in the distance and walked there. The other four followed him since distance mattered for them.
“Do you want to buy and upgrade your cards?” Leif asked. He understood what Dian wanted and needed right now.
“Yes. You know that I am using inadequate cards now that I am a Second Rank Planet Master.” Dian explained not for Leif and Ghylea but Chikara and Frie.
“Do you mean that was not your peak performance?” Chikara almost blew her head off from the realization.
“Actually, I gambled that I could manage to get through the first time and also to find what my race lacks.” Dian replied truthfully.
Frie observed Dian and now knew that Dian was more of a practical person than a theorist.
“Do you think I am reckless or someone who needs practical application?” Dian looked at Frie and asked.
Frie shifted her gaze but Dian chuckled. They were speaking as they walked through the busy Gathering Square to the Auxiliary Pagoda.
But someone noticed these five individuals. Her gaze locked on Dian’s figure as she started to walk in his direction, while the other Planet Masters noticed her presence and gave way.
Dian noticed things were changing behind him but he also followed the others to give way.
Someone important is coming!
Dian also gestured for the four following him to give way and they did that.
“Is someone important moving behind us?” Frie asked, and Dian nodded as a confirmation. They could see that the other Planet Masters gave way to someone, and they followed.
“Who is it that can command respect and awe for the other Planet Master?” Ghylea wondered.
“Soon we will see.” Dian said while looking at the source of the awe and respect. He could see a humanoid figure with a veil covering her body. But Dian felt a strange premonition that this was actually targeted at him.
Dian dismissed the thought since he was no one special. He thought that someone of high status was roaming around the Universe Market.
“But isn’t the individual heading straight to us?” Chikara asked since she felt that the figure was heading to her group.
“Is it?” Leif was not sure either.
Dian felt that soon the figure would get past them and they could continue on their way.
But contrary to his expectation, the figure headed right to him without even changing direction. Dian’s face became stiff as he did not know what to do when facing someone with a higher status. He did not have the skillset to do that.
Thus, he became nervous but he also could not move since running away from someone who looked for you could be considered rude, especially since the one looking for him was someone with a higher status than him.
Dian then saw clearly who was heading in his direction. She had a veil covering her whole body. She exuded an enchanting aura as if everything around her would soil her beauty. But Dian felt another force, imperceptible easily but it was there.
This force…this grace. Could it be that one of the Ten Venerables is in front of me?
Dian’s thoughts became faster as he tried to analyze the figure in front of him. He could feel that the figure was relieved to see him, as if she had gone through a lot just to meet him at this moment.
“Hey, do you know her?” Chikara asked with concern now that she realized that the figure was truly looking for Dian.
“I don’t know her. I swear on my existence!” Dian denied knowing the figure.
“I finally found you.” The figure said. Her voice carried with a grace and dignity that could not be covered, and Dian knew this.
“What does your esteemed self want from this lowly one?” Dian decided to probe a bit of information since he did not know why someone was even looking for him.
“There is an important matter to discuss with you. But you and your friends should come with me to a more appropriate place to discuss it.” The figure said while gesturing for Dian and his group to follow her.
Dian felt the struggle to follow her or not but then he steeled himself and decided to listen to her first. He was in the dark while the figure who invited him was someone who was in the know.
“Fine. Lead the way.” Dian said while leading his group to another place in the Universe Market.
Dian followed the figure and realized that the Planet Masters turned their head at the sight of the figure among them. Leif was just following right behind Dian while Ghylea frowned while also following behind Leif.
They looked like a snake with Dian as the head and Frie as the tail. They moved in that fashion for a while before they reached a certain place.
“Are you sure we can be here?” Dian asked the figure. He had noticed that the other Planet Master would respectfully give way and also looked at the figure with reverence and longing.
Is she truly one of the Ten Venerables? If that’s true, then who is she?
Dian was sure that the figure was one of the Ten Venerables but he was not sure of whom.
“This is the place. It is not only entertaining but it is also secure.” The figure replied to what Dian had asked before she said another sentence to the waiter.
“One Private Room and also some dishes and drinks. It is my pay.”
“Alright! Your Excellency can use the Private Room Eight. We will deliver the drinks and the dishes later. Thank you for your patronage!” The waiter was something resembling a crab with a handkerchief on its pincer.
As if the figure had known the place for so long, she took a step inside.
The place was called Don Restaurant and it was at the center of the Universe Market so it always had Planet Masters visiting. The place outside looked like a two-story building but when Dian and the other four stepped inside, the space was vastly different from the outside appearance.
“This place has the space twisted and elongated. This is possible when mastery of space is high, manipulating it as if a fabric of clothes.” Chikara spoke so reverently that Dian realized that this place was renowned.
The figure stepped to the floor above them and they all followed. Then the figure found Private Room Eight on the signature on the wooden door. The figure entered and Dian and the group followed in.
Inside, there was a large table and also numerous chairs, at least a dozen, with additional chairs that could be requested according to the note on the chairs.
The figure sat on the chair after setting it to a comfortable level and Dian, along with his group, sat on the opposite side of the table.
Dian knew that the real moment was coming and he felt like he was not ready yet.
“Forgive me for not introducing myself after all this time of inconvenience.” The figure said apologetically before she let out a bomb.
“I am Tritis. As you all know, I am one of the Ten Venerables and I am also looking for you specifically for an important matter regarding a big threat.” Tritis said while shifting her gaze to Dian.
Dian frowned because he did not like being put on a pedestal by anyone. But he decided to listen more as the meeting could perhaps provide him with more information.
“So it’s true!” Chikara was letting out a reflex by saying out loud what she thought. Frie widened her eyes while Leif pursed his lips and Ghylea stared back at Tritis, wondering what she needed from Dian.
“Why do you need me specifically? There are as many as Second Rank Planet Masters here in the Universe Market alone.” Dian said.
Tritis sighed before she spoke, “Actually, what I am about to tell you is my deepest concern and I am not even sharing it with the other Venerables and the Universe Council.
“That is why I need this place, as it is secure enough for my purpose.”
Tritis looked at Dian before she continued, “I need you specifically.”
“Why me, of all Planet Master?” Dian wanted a direct answer since Tritis looked for him for a certain reason.
“Because of your Core Race.” Tritis replied quickly right after Dian finished with his question.
“Speaking about your Core Race, what exactly is a human?” Chikara was the one who asked Dian, since it was related and perhaps could reveal the extent of knowledge Dian had regarding his own Core Race.
“I don’t know for sure but they existed after I had done something.” Dian answered Chikara since it seemed like she was truly curious about it. However, Dian did not disclose anything important, ensuring that it was something truly important.
Dian added, “What about it, Your Excellency?”
“Because it is humanity who will help the entire Universe Field fight against the Outer Being.” Tritis replied as if this was more important than even her life.
“What’s an Outer Being? Why have I never seen information regarding them?” Dian asked back but when he turned his head, he could see that Frie was having a thought. It meant that she knew about it, even if it was just words spread around on the Forum.
“Would you like me to explain or do any of you want to help me with the explanation?” Seeing that Frie was deep in thought made her ask this.
“Your Excellency, you can explain things to us.” Frie realized that she had thought a bit too long and decided to let someone of high status explain the topic since all she got were some rumors. But she could add if Dian was confused.
“Alright.” Tritis nodded and then looked at the five of them before she continued with a long explanation.
“First of all, the Outer Being is entities that came from outside our Universe Field. They are strong even to the Ten Venerables; they are stronger than us.
“Second, they are what even the Universe Council cannot prevent. Either due to internal conflict or lack of external threat, this Outer Being will be the calamity of the Universe Field.
“Third, I come looking for you because your Core Race is the solution to the Outer Being.” At this point, Tritis looked at Dian like he was the final piece of the puzzle that had eluded her for so long.
“I am just a weak Planet Master,” Dian said after letting some time to process what Tritis had said. He continued, “My Core Race is also weak. We are only as good as a speck of dust in the vast reality. You are probably mistaken about me and my Core Race as the solution to your problem.”
“No, this information is gathered through my Core Race causality calculation,” Tritis explained so that Dian knew that the matter was big and important.
Dian knew that Tritis was the Venerable which specialized in what the humans on his planet called Divination. But to the Ninth Rank Planet Master, calculating the karma and causation was as easy as breathing. So he knew that Tritis treated this information as sacred since her race had provided her with such an answer.
The look on the other four when they saw the exchange between Dian and Tritis was changing with Dian’s response. They did not expect Dian not to even try to form a connection with her. It seemed like Dian was evading forming a relation with Tritis, especially for Frie; it was that obvious.
“So what? It doesn’t change the fact that my rank is low and my Core Race is weak. I can’t do anything about the external threat you seek to eliminate. I am sorry for getting your hopes up.” Dian really did not like being treated like some sort of savior.
“You are really different. This won’t be easy.” Tritis said while she thought about something. Dian felt that whatever Tritis decided would affect him.
“Please don’t look for me. Search for an alternative instead.” Dian let out what he had thought. But he felt that if Tritis had any solution in the first place, she would have done that first.
“I can’t. There is no other effective solution in the calculation other than your Core Race.”
Dian felt that he had hit a wall. Tritis would not give him up so easily now that she caught up to him.
The other four did not disturb Dian, respecting his decision despite the apparent rejection.
“My answer won’t change.” Dian said in a firm tone. He wanted Tritis to understand that he and his race were not for anyone to manipulate, much less to become the savior for the other Planet Master.
“This calamity will affect everyone in the scope of the Planet Master System. Please, won’t you consider this?” Tritis let out a sigh as she said this.
Dian tapped his finger on the table for a moment before his thought went to the planet he took care of, the resources it had, the biome in it, the flora and fauna and also the humans who also lived there.
If what Tritis had said was true, then it could even affect his own planet. But he also thought that there would always be someone who could hold down the heavens for him. That was why his gaze at Tritis became one of questioning her power.
“I know what you wanted to ask. Currently, you are of no use even to the current me. That is a fact. What I want to offer you is that if you want to help with the Outer Beings, you will have my support.” Tritis said before Dian even voiced his thought.
Tritis continued, “This action of mine is not under the Universe Council, more like my own personal. That is why this is going to be hard not only for you and those who follow you but also for your Core Race. My support will be that I can make your ascent smoother.”
Dian went silent as the other four looked at Dian and Tritis repeatedly. They wanted to tell Dian to accept the offer right away.
One of the Ten Venerables was offering her aid for a new Planet Master. That was something so rare that they could only dream of but now they witnessed that it was possible because of Dian’s existence.
“But there is the Universe Council to manage the Planet Master System. How could you manage to convince them to support me?” Dian stated.
“That is not easy, yes but I found a way.” Tritis smiled and demonstrated something to Dian. She swept her hand and then something popped up in Dian’s own interface.
[You have received 10000 energy points from Planet Master Tritis.]
[WARNING! Unauthorized access….]
[ERROR! ERROR!]
Dian knew that to transfer energy points, two Planet Masters had to touch each other but Tritis bypassed the rule, overwriting it.
[Due to an unknown source, the transaction can proceed.]
“Does this satisfy you?” Tritis tried to confirm Dian’s stance after her demonstration.
Dian thought hard about the offer, weighing its pros and cons. The way Tritis manipulated the Planet Master System showed that she was given access to higher privileges than he, but that was normal.
But he also realized that he had no backer in this place whatsoever. He had been doing things along with those he did not devour to assist him but their knowledge was ultimately limited.
“Yes.” Dian replied truthfully.
“Then what about our cooperation?” Tritis extended her hand, knowing how things would go forward.
Dian realized that this was already in the hands of Tritis but he could only feel helpless. She was more capable than him so he could only nurture his wounded heart and still accepted her offer. But still, he needed some sort of power to back him up and even support him.
It was deemed necessary in human civilization and Dian expected things to stay with a similar theme in the Planet Master System.
“Fine. I can accept it. But what about the terms? Should we make it clear?” Dian asked for certainty and Tritis knew this.
Tritis nodded and then said, “I can provide you with lots of benefits like resources, information and other matters. Of course, you know how this works, don’t you?”
Dian nodded, signaling that he understood. This was done as a favor and he should quickly gain some stability for himself in the Universe Field, where the Universe Council resided.