The Rise of the Winter Wolf - Book 5 - Chapter 31 - The Rulers of the Universe

                                                               Imperial Stream

Diane looks around at the gathered rulers within the viewing room as she raises her voice, “Welcome to the Imperial Stream! I will be the host of this year’s annual Imperial Stream as the ruler of the Grand Werewolf Empire and I wish you a good time here!” The werewolf then spreads her arms out slightly, motioning towards the vast hall the rulers are all in, each seated on or standing near a grand throne unique to themselves. “Each and every one of us in this viewing room is a ruler of their own right. Of their own nation. And each one of us has earned the right to a place in this hall! Make sure you do not sully that right or your own nation!”

The typical applause for the host echo through the hall as Diane nods her head once and sits down with her legs crossed on her own grand throne – one with two large wolf statues to the sides of it with the head of a large wolf embedded on the top of the statue.

And almost right away, the hall falls into silence with the only noise being that of the screen above them all showing Wolf’s battle in the Beta Dungeon, a concession The Reaper’s subordinate allowed just for the Imperial Stream. Meanwhile each of the rulers within it begin discussing amongst each other using telepathy, not saying a single word out loud.

Diane glances at her husband, Leo Decayend, the Emperor of the Dread Empire, who is currently sitting atop a throne of skulls.

‘Why did I have to be chosen as the host this year?’ Diane complains to him, not showing a single ounce of emotion on her face despite her slightly whiny tone of telepathic voice.

Leo doesn’t bother answering his wife’s question as he looks over at the other side of the hall where one throne with hellfire shooting out of the back of the throne lies empty and says, “Looks like wherever the Ruler is, he really can’t interact with the outside world at all.”

After a second of sending a sad look Leo’s way, Diane sighs and turns to look at the throne as well, saying, “Yeah.” Then her gaze turns to the people seated to the left and right of him. The Sovereign Devil and Leviathan. “But it doesn’t seem to have affected his cohorts much.”

The Emperor nods his head silently in response before turning to look around the vast hall at the gathered rulers.

Of the rulers, almost every last one of them is an Executive, even if only a fourth of the rulers are Administrators. And all of them are at least level 10000. Just like with most rulers, almost all the highest level of their worlds.

The rulers range all the way from lesser rulers such as the King of the Dawn Galaxy, a celestial named Arlon val Dawn, to mid-level rulers like the Emperor of the Deep, a vampire whose name has never been disclosed. And seated closer to the center of the room are all of the top-level rulers, such as Diane, Leo, the empty seat of the Ruler of the Abyss, and even the Chairman of the Arcadian Magic Association, Arianais. But there are also top-level rulers who haven’t participated in any of the Administrator Dungeon affairs such as the Priestess of Eternal Night who rules over the Eternal Night Sovereignty. A fallen angel devout to staying out of outsider affairs.

And despite everyone using telepathy, most people don’t bother to hide who they are talking to as is courtesy within the Imperial Stream. So it’s easy for Diane to figure out who is actually speaking with someone and whom they’re speaking with by the body language of each ruler.

Diane smiles slightly as she finds the Priestess of Eternal Night simply sitting there without showing any signs of speaking to anyone. Just like always.

Looks like we won’t have to worry about her entering the fray after all.

She turns to look at the allies of the Abyssal Ruler again before narrowing her eyes slightly at the sight of them speaking with a few lesser rulers. But then she shakes her head and refocuses her attention on Leo, deciding that some lesser rulers won’t be an issue. Not when she herself can easily hold them at bay without any assistance from her Empire.

‘Looks like we don’t have as much to worry about as we feared,’ Diane tells Leo, finding him nodding his head in response. But then the both of them hear a voice coming from the other side of the inner ring of top leaders, bringing their attention to a man with a pale complexion and sickly glowing green eyes and green hair.

‘Empress and Emperor of the Grand Werewolf and Dread Empires, I greet you adieu,’ the man known throughout the known universe as Pestilence states, his sickly voice a complete contradiction to the power the man holds.

Both Diane and Leo show surprise for a split second before responding politely in kind.

Pestilence is showing interest now?

One of the strongest but also neutral powers in the universe. A harbinger of the poison element who is known to be even stronger than Arianais, even though he’s not an Administrator or even a Moderator.

And the ruler of the Underworld. The foremost nation of assassins in the universe.

‘If you could put me into contact with your son, I would be most appreciative,’ he says with a light nod of his head, not taking his eyes off of the two. Which only serves to confuse them further.

‘May I ask why you wish to speak with the Crown Prince?’ Diane asks, using her son’s official title in her court since this is Imperial Stream.

Pestilence – who’s real name is unknown to the universe to this day – tilts his head slightly, his deep black cowl moving slightly in the process as he states, ‘Curiosity about a fellow harbinger with an eternal aspect.’

Diane’s eyes widen slightly as she remembers the unique variant that Pestilence has.

That his poison is incurable unless the person he is poisoning is a certain number of levels above him.

Just like the eternal ice her son has.

‘Let’s speak further,’ Diane says, feeling pleasantly surprised at the aspect of a new possible ally.

Even if she’ll have to keep an eye on the assassin.

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