Galaxy's First Ruler

Chapter 169: A Settlement

Aldrich's life before the Dream Initiation Phase used to roll around the word 'lucidity'.

From the time he had realized that he could learn and do much more if he were to master his dreams, lucidity had fascinated Aldrich.This lucidity was the sole reason that had brought the unpredictable changes in Aldrich's Record.

And that change was Shared Vision.

Aldrich had always wondered what the description of the Shared Vision meant. What was the statement 'You can see what ?#?#?# sees' actually signified? He did not realise its meaning until he had died the first time and met the enormous Being behind the Black Veil.

Aldrich remembered little of what had happened within the 1 year long Dream. The snippets of that long sleep felt blurry to him and induced massive headaches. And he couldn't upgrade the Passive Skill, Shared Vision, hoping to find the answers. The only thing Aldrich had relied on to make some connection between the Skill and the Oldest One was his hunch.

His first clue was the ability to see all kinds of Stats. Why would a System such as RECORD would have ever given him a Skill that summed up his entire existence in the word unfair? His second clue was his ability to come back to life in that colorless world, where he could dive into his dead body to revive.

And both these clues defied the RECORD and its working.

Aldrich kept asking himself who in the world could defy the RECORD and go against it. Alas, Aldrich hadn't even left the constraint of Barren Earth for him to make an educated guess. But after leaving home, Aldrich had concluded if there was anything that could stand up to RECORD, then it was the existence behind the Black Veil.

So in literal sense, Shared Vision wasn't Aldrich's Skill, but an extension of that Being into Aldrich's Record. Like a Parasite. Aldrich had become so sure of it he even believed the reason for his unusual Perception wasn't his Class, but this Skill.

The reason for him betting the Shared Vision wasn't because of its rarity, but it was to put the Oldest One against the RECORD. The small game of Trial that the RECORD had forced him to play, Aldrich changed it into an indirect battle, the extent of which even he didn't know.

How could Aldrich, or any legend's existence, could matter when the scales had become so high?

*

Aldrich looked at the horrified look in the Crawler's eyes because of the notification between them.

The RECORD had even stated that her life wasn't enough to compensate for Aldrich's bet. He knew that this life that the fairy had betted was related to her spawning and not her true legendary existence. It was kinda like Aldrich coming back to life, but in the fairy's case, it would be like a true rebirth. The fairy slowly turned her head to look towards Aldrich, and he had been waiting for her to do so.

"The only thing that can come close to my bet is your legend, Lady of Righteousness. Let yourself be wiped away from the face of this world. Let those who worship you forget your deeds and let the RECORD wash away your existence in the torrent that none other than you have originated."

Aldrich's words were like the grating calls of hundreds of bugles, foretelling of an inevitable future. The fairy Anjana's entire body shook and her knees buckled as she slumped down on the vibrant green grass. The corner of her eyes became wet, and Aldrich waited for her broken words to come out.

"You You can't do that"

"Ah! Sure I can."

The sheer confidence with which Aldrich had replied to her was like breaking the last straw she had been holding onto. Tears came pouring out of her eyes, and lips quivered with a whimpering noise.

Uuu!

"Wha What did you bet? How can there be something like that?"

Aldrich crouched to meet the Crawler's eye level and let out a chuckle.

"Haha! And how would answering these questions lead us anywhere?"

Aldrich's retort worked as a nail in the coffin, breaking the fairy's Will, who was just moments ago towering as a manifestation of Justice. Her condescending tone had already turned to one filled with disbelief, and now it finally turned to that of pleading.

"Please. NO! Don't do this"

Aldrich stood back up and looked down at the glistening drops of pearl like tears as he spoke.

"Hmm! I have a solution."

" Really?!"

Aldrich saw the fairy lunging back to her feet and asking in a suspicious tone. He gave her a nod and continued.

"Let's come to a settlement. I can take away my bet On the condition that you forgo the rest of the trials and open up the portal leading directly to the El Cid's plaza."

Aldrich calmly waited for her response, but his proposal had already stupefied the Crawler Anjana. The shock was so great that she couldn't help but stumble a few steps back.

"How How do you know.. that I can open portals to other Plazas?"

Haha!

"How else did you send the Dreamer, who had passed all the Trials, to death?"

"You knew. You knew. Then from From the very start, you were leading me to this situation?!"

The fairy pointed her finger at Aldrich, but in return only got a smile. For the first time in countless years, Aldrich became the only person to see fear on the Lady of Righteousness, Anjana's face. Aldrich saw the fairy going into a traumatic shock as she maddeningly shook her head, loosening the ribbons in her braids. Her hair dangled down and gave her a crazed look as she muttered.

"You.. You can't be a mere Dreamer What are you?"

Aldrich ignored the low muttering and asked.

"Do you agree with this settlement?"

Aldrich didn't know if the fairy with her disheveled hair could even listen to him anymore, but she somehow nodded her head at his question.

[

Both parties have reached to a settlement

The Dreamer Aldrich has taken back his bet

Warning: The added compensation is confiscated as a price of settlement

]

A bluish portal opened up behind Aldrich, and the fairy started to turn into dust.

Even at the last moments of her death, her glossy eyes couldn't find out at what point Aldrich had laid the inescapable trap.