"Do you have any details on this Crimson Zone, Elder Xena?" I asked.
She shook her head slowly.
"No," she replied, her expression turning serious. "Only the Matriarch knows."
That answer didn't sit right with .
The demons had no information. The Ferans had none. And now, even the Nagas, one of the strongest races in the Blue Spiral, knew almost nothing or did not want to share.
Even Amun had said nothing about it.
That silence itself was unsettling.
"I can help you with the Crimson Zone as well," I said. "And I won't ask for anything in return."
The reaction was imdiate. Every gaze in the hall turned toward .
"Lord Billion… are you serious?" Xena asked, studying carefully.
I nodded.
"How much do you actually know about the Crimson Zone?" she asked.
"Almost nothing," I admitted. "Other than the fact that the leaders of every major race are tied up there, leaving their own people and rifts to deal with the Eternals on their own."
She held my gaze for a mont, then gave a slight nod.
"Then you should hear what little we do know before making that decision," she said.
She took a slow breath before continuing.
"The Crimson Zones exist across multiple galaxies," she began. "And more importantly… they existed before the Eternals ever invaded our universe."
I listened without interrupting.
"When they were first discovered, our forces were sent to investigate," she continued. "We lost all of them."
A faint tension spread across the hall.
"It was only later that we realized the truth," she said. "Only Saints and above could even enter those zones and survive. Anyone below that level… died almost instantly upon entry."
That alone said enough.
"So the first Saints entered," she went on. "And after several days, a few of them returned."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"They ca back with grave news."
I leaned forward just slightly.
"They said the Crimson Zones were more dangerous than the Eternals themselves," she said. "And they requested imdiate assistance from Demi-Gods."
I blinked, genuinely surprised.
Demi-Gods.
Until now, they had only been a concept in my mind, sothing that should exist beyond Saints, but never sothing I had seen or confird.
If Saints were already this powerful…
What exactly were Demi-Gods?
"But that help never ca," Xena continued. "Not because they refused… but because they had their own Crimson Zones to deal with."
The implication was clear. This was not a localized threat.
This was universal.
"And as expected," she added, her tone turning heavier, "the most dangerous Crimson Zone was found in the Pri Galaxy."
She exhaled slowly, as if steadying herself before continuing.
"Since then, they have remained a constant," she said. "But unlike the Eternals, the Crimson Zones do not behave like an invading force. They have a pattern. They… withdraw. They go dormant for long periods, centuries, sotis longer and then, without warning, they flare up again. When that happens, we are forced to respond and push them back into hibernation."
I frowned slightly.
"And if you don't?" I asked.
Before she could answer, I heard one of the elders nearby swallow audibly, the sound sharp in the otherwise silent hall.
"Destruction," Xena said.
Her voice did not rise, yet it carried enough weight to silence even the smallest movent in the room.
"The area surrounding the zone begins to collapse," she continued. ". It spreads at a terrifying pace. Life fades first… then matter itself begins to fail."
She paused for a fraction of a second.
"We have lost entire galaxies that way," she said. "Not weakened. Not damaged. Lost. Entire sectors, multiple star systems… erased from existence within hours."
For the first ti since entering the hall, I felt sothing close to disbelief.
The scale of it didn't make sense.
"What kind of enemy is capable of that?" I asked.
Xena shook her head.
"There is no enemy that steps out of the zone," she said. "Nothing erges to fight. Nothing to target."
Her gaze hardened slightly.
"It is the zone itself that devours."
The words lingered.
"They spread like sothing diseased," she continued. " Like a cancer growing within the fabric of the universe, consuming everything around it."
I remained silent for a mont before asking,
"If nothing cos out… then how do Saints deal with it? How do they force it back into hibernation?"
She held my gaze.
Then shook her head again.
"That," she said quietly, "is what we do not know."
A faint tension passed through the room.
"The Matriarch never spoke of it," Xena added. "Not to anyone."
A brief silence followed before she looked at again.
"So," she said, her tone asured, "would you still like to involve yourself in this?"
I nodded without hesitation.
"Yes," I replied. "I want to see this place for myself and understand what it truly is. I'm far too curious to ignore sothing like this."
A faint chuckle escaped her.
"That is… both reassuring and concerning," she said. "But very well. We will accept your offer of assistance."
"Thank you," I said. "So when do you plan to depart for the Crimson Zone?"
She exchanged a brief glance with the elders before answering.
"We will need ti to prepare," she said. "This is not sothing we approach carelessly. There are protocols, formations, and contingencies that must be arranged. It will take so ti."
I gave a slight nod.
"I understand."
"I will have Xeron inform you once everything is ready," she added.
"That works for ," I said as I rose to my feet.
Then I paused for a mont before continuing.
"There is one more thing," I said. "I would like your permission to establish a teleportation gate here. If we are going to work together regularly, it would be inefficient to travel back and forth manually every ti."
Xena smiled and stood as well.
"Of course," she said. "You are welco on Kaalseris at any ti, Lord Billion. You have our full permission."
She glanced briefly toward Xeron.
"He will assist you with whatever you need."
I nodded.
"Then I'll take my leave for now," I said, looking across the hall. "Until next ti."
With that, I turned and walked out of the chamber, Xeron moving alongside as we exited together.
"So you're going to build the gate yourself?" Xeron asked as we stepped out of the hall and into the open corridors beyond.
"Yes," I replied. "I'll handle it personally. It will be more efficient that way."
He glanced at briefly, then gave a small nod.
"Fair enough. From what I've seen, you're more than capable."
We continued walking in silence for a few steps before he spoke again.
"While you're working on it," he said, "I'll have Azalea co over as well."
I looked at him, a faint smile forming.
"Oh, definitely," I said. "It's been a long ti."
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