"Space beasts... killing each other?" Althera frowned deeply, a clear sense of unease surfacing in her expression as she tried to process what she had just heard, something that clashed violently with everything she knew.

"This kind of scene is not something you would normally witness, you could even say it goes against the very nature of space beasts." Blukan added, his tone carrying both disbelief and curiosity, "Space beasts rarely interact with one another in the first place, let alone engage in conflicts that escalate into battles with casualties!"

"...But it has happened." Asir nodded slowly, letting out a heavy sigh as if recalling something unpleasant, "Not just once... there have been multiple massacres among space beasts over the past years. Repeated incidents, not isolated ones."

"...?" Althera and Blukan both turned toward him, their surprise intensifying, the weight of his confirmation making the situation feel far more real.

"Your perspective is far too limited." Robin shook his head lightly, his voice calm but carrying a sharp edge, "I have a corridor leading beyond the Wall of World’s End. I observe them daily, continuously... and yet you think you can deny what I say and correct my understanding of them?"

He let out a faint breath.

"How foolish."

He continued, his tone steady, "Do not forget that all our knowledge regarding space beasts comes from the first and second waves. In both instances, we were attacked by a single nest."

He raised his shoulder slightly in a casual gesture.

"It is safe to assume there are unwritten rules governing those creatures within the same nest... but from what I have observed, those rules do not extend to other nests. Especially when it comes to food."

A faint smile appeared. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"If one nest attempts to take from another... conflict becomes inevitable."

"Anyway." Robin waved his hand dismissively, clearly uninterested in the reactions he had provoked by calling them ignorant, "The other side is no longer a suitable hunting ground in its current state."

His tone grew slightly more focused.

"We need to reduce the number of the stronger individuals among them. At the same time, we need to clear away the remains of dead space beasts... their corpses are piling up, obstructing movement and preventing others from approaching the corridor."

"Why do we want space beasts to enter in the first place?" Blukan asked, his confusion evident, his gaze narrowing slightly as he tried to grasp the broader intention.

"Orders from the Cosmic Elder." Althera answered before Robin could, her gaze lowering slightly as if weighed down by the responsibility behind those words, "We are to make use of this corridor and turn it into a means of reducing the population of space beasts as much as possible. It may be the key to preventing a future catastrophe."

There was a pause.

The conflict within her was clear.

"Well said." Robin snapped his fingers lightly and pointed toward her, a faint approving smile forming, "And let me add something further..."

He leaned back slightly, his voice calm yet carrying a quiet authority.

"We have already killed more than a thousand nascent space beasts in less than half a century. And based on current estimates, our actions have indirectly led to the deaths of over twenty thousand space beasts on the other side, both nascent and young."

His gaze swept across them.

"Now consider this... how many space beasts exist across the entire universe right now? Those remnants of the second wave? The very same ones the academies use as justification to collect taxes?"

He waved his hand slightly.

"Estimates place them at around one to two thousands. That alone should make it clear on how significant what we are doing here truly is."

"Do we really need to go beyond the corridor for this?" Althera asked, gesturing toward the imperial guards stationed nearby, her voice measured, "Can’t you simply widen the corridor more and allow young space beasts to pass through as well?"

"...?!" Blukan’s eyes widened in shock.

Had she already agreed to the task... but was just questioning the battlefield itself?!

"Widen it slightly?" Robin laughed, a short, almost incredulous sound, "Donara is a massive planet, yes... but it still cannot withstand a battle involving a young space beast."

His gaze sharpened.

"A young space beast can reach nearly a quarter of the planet’s size. Even a simple uncontrolled descent would be enough to alter the planet’s trajectory... and potentially wipe out entire continents in the process."

He held her gaze firmly.

"Do you intend to risk destroying the very planet that sustains the gate?"

"....." Althera fell silent, her eyes lowering as she weighed the consequences, the responsibility pressing down on her.

Then, slowly, she steadied herself. She lifted her head again, her expression resolute, "Fine." she said firmly, "I will fight."

"...heh~" Asir let out a quiet sigh, raising a hand lazily as if resigning himself to the inevitable, "Then I’ll go as well."

Morgana didn’t need to say anything at all. The sharp, eager gleam in her eyes spoke louder than any words she could have uttered, a clear reflection of anticipation and readiness that left no room for doubt.

"And what about you?" Robin turned his head toward Blukan, a strange, almost playful smile forming on his lips, "Are you going to evade your responsibility toward protecting the universe... or is there something else on your mind?"

"...." Blukan’s brows drew together slightly, his expression tightening as he chose not to respond immediately. This was his very first encounter with Robin, yet the man was already attempting to corner him, to push him into a position where refusal would carry weight.

Then, slowly, Blukan raised one of his flesh-like brows, his gaze sharpening as it locked onto Robin, "What about the spoils of the battle?"

"They’re all mine, of course." Robin answered without hesitation, his smile widening just a fraction more, as if he had been expecting that exact question. Then he casually gestured toward the forces surrounding Blukan, "Maintaining a force of this scale, one that stands at the front line of protecting the universe, is not something that comes cheap... you understand that much, don’t you?"

"Hmm." Blukan’s eyes moved briefly, scanning the area, lingering for a moment on the thirty royal soul masters standing at a distance, each radiating a heavy and oppressive presence. He nodded slowly, acknowledging the point, "It is indeed an exceptional force," then his gaze returned to Robin, steady and probing, "But that alone is not enough. You’ll need a better justification than that."

His tone became slightly firmer.

"If your concern were truly limited to maintaining military expenses, then one corpse and one crystal would already suffice for your needs."

"Then I’ll think of another one for you." Robin let out a light chuckle, completely unfazed, "I require those materials for my research. To develop more efficient methods to eliminate those creatures." He tilted his head slightly, his smile carrying a quiet confidence, "After all... there is no hand in this universe more capable than mine when it comes to research and innovation... or do you disagree?"

"That is, admittedly, a better explanation." Blukan nodded faintly, though his expression remained cautious, "But even then, what you need are samples... not everything." His smile grew slightly, carrying a hint of challenge, "So... do you have another?"

"Ahhh... so that’s how it is." Robin clapped his hands once, as if amused by the exchange, "Then what do you think of this justification..."

He extended his hand toward the gate.

"Do you see that corridor over there? That pleasant little passage?" His voice remained calm, almost casual, yet there was a sharpness beneath it, "It belongs to me. Everything within it belongs to me... and I intend to claim all of it."

His smile lingered.

"What do you think of that justification?"

"..." Blukan’s expression darkened instantly, the casual atmosphere dissolving as tension crept in, "That is not how things work, Lord Robin."

Morgana’s expression also shifted, her features hardening subtly, though her gaze remained locked on Blukan, her posture tightening just enough to suggest that she was ready to act at a moment’s notice.

"Alright, that’s enough." Althera stepped forward, positioning herself between them, her voice steady but firm, "There is no need for this to escalate. Everyone here is working for the sake of the universe."

"No... not everyone." Robin raised his head slightly, his eyes settling on Blukan once more, the faint smile still present but colder now, more deliberate, "Everything related to space beasts belongs to me."

He spoke calmly, yet each word carried weight.

"Even the corpses scattered throughout the other side. I want their cores. I want samples from the liver and the head of every single one of them. And if those parts are inside the stomach of another space beast..."

His gaze sharpened.

"...then cut it open and bring them to me."

Before Blukan could respond, before the tension could snap into open conflict, Robin continued, his tone easing just slightly.

"And there is no need for concern." He lifted his chin faintly, confidence radiating from him without restraint, "When it comes to wealth... there are very few in this universe who can claim to surpass me."

He let that settle.

"In return for every genuine contribution, points will be assigned. Those points can then be exchanged for rewards... rewards chosen by the contributor themselves."

His smile deepened just a fraction.

"Not ordinary rewards."

"Significant ones."

"Rewards worthy of being called ’significant’ by me... Robin Burton."

A brief silence followed.

Then, almost lightly, as if none of what he had just said carried any real weight...

"Is that fair?"