"Pardon?" Robin Burton revealed a strange, faintly amused smile that carried a trace of curiosity, "I won't be the first to try what exactly?"
"There are many before you who tried to ta the Crimson Plague, little Robin," the Cosmic Elder said as he slowly rearranged his papers randomly, his fingers moving with absent precision, then continued in a calm, asured tone, "the Crimson Plague is extrely tempting for those who walk the demonic path, far more than most would expect."
"...Could you explain more?" Robin frowned slightly, his expression tightening as a hint of unease crept into his thoughts.
"It's quite obvious" the Cosmic Elder sighed, leaning back just a little, "the power of the Crimson Plague, its ability to reproduce at an alarming rate, and its Savage execution of orders without question or hesitation make it the finest raw material for building an army. That is why evil clans and individuals who walk the path of corruption and curses have all attempted to exploit them in one way or another, whether by raising and training their young through fear and intimidation, through a specially crafted soul oath designed to bind them, or by making the Crimson Plague feel indebted to them through fabricated favors and manipulation."
"Things always begin well for them, deceptively so. Any of those three thods works for a ti, sotis even longer than expected. That person or clan gains a great force of the plague, using it in secrecy to crush their enemies far from the eyes of authority and the watchful gaze of greater powers... but it always, always ends in catastrophe, without exception."
The Cosmic Elder shook his head slowly, his expression growing heavier. "No matter which path you take with them, the demons forget quickly and acknowledge no master. They know nothing but destruction and devouring, driven by instincts that cannot be rewritten. Even souls crafted in special ways remain unstable and lack a fixed imprint, making it impossible to bind them with an oath for any aningful length of ti. And of course, they do not care for family, holand, or anything you might attempt to threaten them with. Such concepts simply do not exist for them. There is no leverage, no weakness to exploit. There is simply no way to subjugate them. Thus... the outco is always the sa, the plague turns on its master sooner or later."
******
"The only way to make them listen to you, even temporarily and without a true thod of control, is to secure a constant and overwhelming source of food for their insatiable hunger that never fades. But who could possibly do such a thing? Even demonic powers at their peak cannot provide enough worlds to satisfy the hunger of the plague or feed the countless new mouths that erge every single day without pause. And if you try to kill their young to limit their growth, they will hate you, rember that act, and eventually turn on you for restricting the evolution of their race!"
The Cosmic Elder exhaled slowly, as though tired of repeating a lesson learned too many tis. "Communicating with those creatures is possible, and so have even believed they reached an understanding with them, but no matter how you look at it, keeping them under control is impossible. No matter how special you think you are, no matter how confident you feel in your thods, it all ends the sa... you playing with fire that will inevitably consu you." Then he raised his head toward Robin, his gaze steady and piercing, "Unless, of course, you intend to let them reproduce as they wish and devour as they please without restraint..." his tone turned grave and heavy, "in that case, we will have a problem far beyond your control."
.......
Robin threw down a card with a quiet motion and lowered his head, his thoughts sinking deeper as he carefully weighed every word.
The Cosmic Elder's words did not seem entirely impossible or exaggerated. He could clearly recall several monts throughout his long history where a catastrophe involving the demons had nearly taken shape, monts that could have spiraled out of control if even a single detail had gone differently. Yet Amon's unwavering loyalty and Sakaar's tily support, along with a streak of fortunate coincidences, had played a decisive role in saving the situation from collapse.
At the mont, however, there was nothing apparent linking the plague to Robin in any direct or traceable way.
The three planets given to them all lay outside Nihari Galaxy, isolated enough to avoid unwanted attention, and they had already been driven out of all other worlds where suspicion might arise.
Perhaps there were a few scattered traces left behind here and there for those who searched with enough determination and patience, subtle clues buried within events and movents, but beyond that... he remained, for now, safely distant from all the cris the demons had committed over the years, hidden behind layers of circumstance and misdirection.
As for the current cris?
Things had beco far better... far more stable than before.
First, because of the absolute and unquestionable control of Amon and Sakaar,
a control that left no room for rebellion or disorder. Second, because the corpses of space beasts had beco a consistent and abundant resource, enough to satisfy the hunger of the vast demon hordes while also granting them the strength required to fight, grow, and reproduce for years without interruption.
The flesh of intelligent beings had gradually lost its necessity, becoming more of a luxury consud out of indulgence rather than for the sake of gaining power. Instead, the countless bodies that fell across battlefields in every sector were collected and devoured, recycled into strength and sustenance. As a result, no large-scale planetary extermination had occurred for centuries, sothing that would have once been considered impossible.
The demons who had grown under his influence... had changed.
Deeply and irreversibly.
At their core, and in their form alike.
The demons had beco organized, their chaotic nature tempered into sothing structured. Their cities had begun to resemble human cities to a surprising degree, not only in architecture but also in the deliberate planning of roads and districts. They now possessed clear hierarchical chains to enforce laws and judgnts, along with organized systems that mirrored police forces, judicial authorities, and standing armies. What once was a scattered and destructive race had begun to form sothing resembling a true civilization, one ruled firmly under Sakaar's authority.
And in form... those purple scars that had begun appearing on those who fed on space beasts were nothing short of astonishing.
The mont Robin Burton saw images of them, a sharp and imdiate idea surfaced in his mind... to conduct controlled experints on the plague.
He would wait patiently for years, allowing the transformation to spread naturally, and then reveal the scarred demons as proof that he had "refined" them. Their altered appearance alone, so distinct and visible, would grant his claims a layer of undeniable credibility, even to the most skeptical observers. "Have you changed your mind?" the Cosmic Elder tossed a card casually, a faint smile forming when he saw Robin staring downward with a sowhat dimd expression, "It's alright, this is the correct choice. Tampering with the plague is no trivial matter... they are one of the darkest secrets this universe holds."
"And that is precisely why I will continue pursuing my goal and attempt to control them!" Robin slowly raised his head, his gaze sharpening with a clear and unwavering resolve, "As long as you have not used your power to put an end to them, then I must rely on my own brilliance to find a solution for the sake of all humanity!" Then bam he slamd a card onto the table with force, "If I do not sacrifice my ti, my wealth, and my effort for the greater good...
then who will?"
"....." the Cosmic Elder examined Robin carefully from head to toe, his expression narrowing ever so slightly, "...I feel like I'm missing sothing important here."
"Of course." Robin revealed a confident and almost playful smile, then gestured lightly toward the pile of cards between them, "I've already won!"
"...?" the Cosmic Elder paused, then checked again, "No!" he leaned forward,
inspecting the cards more intensely, "Cheater, this card is still in my
possession!!"
"How do you even know it's still in your possession if all the cards are face-down and we're playing randomly? Are you cheating?" Robin imdiately flipped the accusation back at him without hesitation.
Bzzzt
At that very mont, a space portal abruptly manifested beside the glass house, its sudden appearance distorting the air around it and drawing both Robin and the Cosmic Elder's attention instantly toward its center.
Step
Step
Heavy footsteps echoed as a figure began to erge.
Then, at last, he appeared.
A massive man, standing nearly three ters tall, clad in striking black armor
that seed both elegant and imposing at the sa ti. His long, thick black hair flowed wildly like a lion's mane, framing a face marked by a calm yet overwhelming presence. Above it all rested a confident gaze and a faint smile that seed eternal, as though it had never once wavered or broken throughout his existence.
"Holak? What brings you he-" Robin allowed a small smile to surface as he
spoke, but his words abruptly halted midway.
Holak had not co empty-handed.
Resting over his shoulder was an object wrapped tightly in a piece of cloth, the
fabric stained with old, dried traces of food and ti-worn marks that hinted
at sothing carried for long.
The instant Robin sensed what lay hidden within that cloth... his expression
stiffened ever so slightly.
A cold, creeping realization spread through him.
And then-
Sweat began to form rapidly across his forehead, growing heavier with each
passing mont.
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