Crimson Eternal - Book 6 - Chapter 2

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Don't mind this fluff. It's so that free readers can't click on the link.
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Click on the following link for the 1487 word chapter 2:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yD0KPDr2FmSIDV0lFSF4aWsZms5yM2G5pfV11Dqo2YE/edit?usp=sharing

Or you can read the unformatted version below:

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Aria

After the first day of the youth’s branch of the Eternal Championships, I go ahead and continue my journey. At least until the youth branch is over and the junior branch starts. Simply because I want to see Ruby and Ryan fighting in the tournament.

But the youth branch will last at least a few weeks.

There are millions of contestants, after all. And it’s actually pretty common for the majority of people to only come to watch the second half of each branch.

It’s just too much. Too many battles to watch.

Even if some of them are split into battle royale survival rounds and regular duel rounds to make it go by faster and decrease the number of participants.

Anyway, the first place I stop on my journey is a new world I’ve never been to before. One that is split up into dozens of different nations with no planetary power. It’s just that the nations themselves are rather powerful. And they dislike outsiders for the most part. So they work together to fight off outsiders if they invade.

It makes the planet, which is Alpha Tier, strong enough to defend itself from most attackers.

But the planet still has a major weakness a lot of people exploit. Specifically the fact that the different nations on the planet are always squabbling with each other.

All someone has to do to gain some power on the planet is to aide one of the nations in fighting the others.

That said, if the outsider tries to push too far, they will be pushed off the planet. So all this weakness can be used for is to gain some business connections with the planet.

Connections that a lot of people want, seeing as it’s an Alpha Tier planet and all.

And this planet in particular has precious gems on it. The most expensive gems in the entire universe known as crimson diamonds.

Crimson diamonds are dozens of times harder than regular diamonds, they conduct mana better than any other metal in the universe, and they generate mana on their own. Not to mention that they can be used as batteries.

Self-refilling batteries.

They can be charged with mana, and refilled by their own automatic mana generation.

Overall, they’re worth a fortune. Even just one small gemstone is worth an entire Delta Tier planet. And one of the largest crimson diamonds in the universe is worth almost an entire Beta Tier planet.

Of course, the crimson diamond in question is enough to make at least a few weapons out of the metal.

There are a few other things that the planet has that others don’t though.

Like the only method known to work the gem in the first place to make weapons and the like. Since it’s too hard and too difficult to melt for almost any crafting methods to work with. And the only way to work with it is through the method those on the planet itself use.

Even different types of magic and abilities specifically meant to manipulate gemstones don’t work, so no one actually knows how the planet’s crafters are working the metal.

It’s a complete mystery.

And the one time a nation was allowed to learn their craft – the Eternal Dynasty – they left without learning it.

I tried asking Shirogane about that, but he just said it was impossible to learn, so his father gave up. He wouldn’t say anything else.

If I had to guess, the method probably has something to do with the natives of the planet. Since they have unique features that aren’t necessarily human.

Specifically a gemstone on the backs of their hands.

They’re probably a subspecies of human, just like the Crimsons and the Atlanteans.

All that to say, they’re a wary bunch towards outsiders. And I see that very clearly now as I lower my ship down towards the hangar of the capital of the one neutral nation on the planet uninvolved with the wards. Where I see the gathering of dozens of different rulers, each leading their own nation on the planet. And each with a squad of bodyguards.

The rulers themselves are all strong enough to face a Grand when they work together to face off outsiders, but individually they are just closer to the top grade of power in the universe. Somewhere around level fifteen to eighteen thousand.

And each of the rulers is looking both warry and afraid. Especially when I land and leave the ship with War casually waltzing out along with me.

Something about the way they look at me rubs me the wrong way though. It’s almost like they’re dragons defending their horde from people they believe are going to steal from them.

Do they think I’m planning on trying to steal their crafting method or their gems or something?

War seems to take their looks the completely opposite way as he laughs and lets his war energy flood out to cover the entire planet. Making me respond in kind by letting out my own death mana. Specifically to protect the people from the war energy.

Although doing that still makes everyone feel oppressed. But better oppressed than hurt.

Either way, both of us releasing our vast energy instantly makes the entire planet pretty much pause everything they’re doing. With everyone either falling unconscious or falling to their knees with panic, pain, and dread on their faces.

Then I smack War on the back of the head, making him stop laughing for a second, following which he withdraws his energy and starts laughing again. So I do the same, albeit without the laughter.

I let out a sigh before turning to look at the rulers here again. And what I find is at least a lot better than what I saw when I first arrived.

When I first showed up, they looked upset about my arrival and ready to treat me poorly but not threateningly in the hopes I leave.

Now, however, they look ready to treat me like an honored guest instead. Clearly frightened by what just happened.

Way too frightened to do anything.

Which makes sense. When I look back on what just happened, War’s energy shattered their barriers protecting the planet in an instant. Then mine proceeded to go straight past their shattered barriers to cover the planet as well.

They’ve obviously never dealt with Horsemen before. Because their barriers have little defense against us.

For other Grands, it would hold against them. They don’t have the sheer amount of energy Horsemen have.

So they can’t just overwhelm the barriers with nothing but their energy alone.

Even I have more energy than the Grands in terms of sheer volume.

I glance at War for a moment, feeling the previous irritation fading a little bit. Mostly because his actions just helped make this trip a lot nicer for me. Then I return my focus to the many rulers who are now climbing to their feet. Albeit still clearly shaken from the pressure of our energy.

And it doesn’t take long before they all begin to welcome me with rather flowery words before taking me over to a grand palace for me and War to stay at. With a suite of rooms apiece for both of us.

But after arriving at my suite and settling for a little bit, just lying down on my bed to read, I leave again. Because I really want to see those crimson diamonds.

The rulers aren’t bothered by the request either. Probably because it’s not exactly hard to see crimson diamonds for someone in my position.

I’m pretty sure the Eternal Dynasty has some, and so does the Crimson Empire.

It’s just that I never asked them about it.

So they bring a crimson diamond that is about a few inches in length to me so that I can look at it. And the thing is absolutely beautiful to behold.

It sparkles just like a diamond, but with a deep crimson color like blood shining within an otherwise black gem.

And to my surprise, they give me the crimson diamond for free. Without asking for anything in return.

Although they do glance in the direction of War, strongly implying a desire for me to handle War while he’s here.

I have to say, it’s rather amusing to see them being so subtle considering how they were before.

Not that it really bothers me. I’d be wary of powerful beings casually coming to visit out of the blue too.

Doesn’t give them the right to treat us poorly, or me poorly at least, but it doesn’t mean they have to treat us well.

Like they’re doing now.

Anyway, I yawn and head back to my room to go take a nap with Asher.

Then I can check out their Hunter’s Spots later.

The very places that they mine their crimson diamonds from.