The Almighty Ring

“Guh…”

Just when Jiang Fei thought he was able to follow Alexis’ movements, he was struck again. The pain and threat of failure, coupled with sheer will to rise victoriously, granted Jiang Fei the desire he needed.

“Amazing!” Alexis gasped as he withheld his next attack. Jiang Fei’s current power level was already reaching 2,800,000.

“Terran, give up. You cannot win,” Alexis snorted.

“We’ll see about that,” Jiang Fei gritted his teeth and snarled.

“I wasn’t being serious, not until now. Perhaps you possess some kind of ability that allows you to grow stronger periodically. But now, I have had enough of this game. I can feel the power growing in you and I know you will be a threat. If you wish to continue, I will kill you in the next move. I’m done helping you become stronger,” said Alexis. His voice and tone were different from before. He was serious this time.

During the second rise of power, Alexis had somewhat made sense of Jiang Fei’s ability. Even though he did not fully understand it, he could at least piece all his observations together and concluded that Jiang Fei was gaining power throughout the fight. There were others just like him in other quadrants of space and there was a way to kill them. Before they became stronger, end the fight with a single, decisive killing move.

While Jiang Fei was slowly becoming stronger, Alexis was merely toying with him. But when he noticed his combat power was only growing exponentially, and was about to come close to his own, Alexis decided to stop playing around. He was already being merciful by giving Jiang Fei an option to end the battle right there and then instead of killing him instantly.

“Are you saying that because I am going to win?” said Jiang Fei. He took several deep breaths before continuing, “Perhaps, if I stop now, you would spare my planet?”

He understood well what Alexis was thinking. Before the enemy could get any stronger, one must end the fight quickly. It was a gaming mechanism which even Jiang Fei knew well. Still, he was prepared. If Alexis was going to end his life, Jiang Fei would drag him into the 10th Dimension and kill him there.

Even though he could not defeat him in combat, he could still rely on the power of the 10th Dimension. As long as he was ready for it, and not killed instantly by the enemy, he would enter the 10th Dimension. There was where he ruled. There was where he was god.

Jiang Fei had also been entertaining Alexis throughout the fight. He wanted to prolong the fight for as long as possible to allow him to grow.

“Your planet? You are already on the verge of death yet you are still thinking of your planet! Hah!” Alexis laughed.

“Know this, your planet means nothing to me. I do not care if your planet stops spinning,” said Alexis before he burst out laughing. Earth to Valsalrians was the same as a small ant colony to a kid. It was but a tiny unimportant planet in a corner of a random galaxy. Destroying it wouldn’t be hard but the effort was not worth the trouble.

Jiang Fei was stumped when Alexis stated his disinterest in the planet.

“Young Terran, you have talent and I like men such as yourself. Join my crew, surrender the Core of Time, and I shall spare the Earth and even protect your entire planetary system.” Alexis smiled and gave Jiang Fei an offer. The alien was taking a fancy to Jiang Fei. Such an ability to become stronger and stronger with every defeat was rare throughout the cosmos. Valsalrians were strong but even they had limits to their growth.

“I…”

Jiang Fei couldn’t be more happy. Even though he had the power of the 10th Dimension, he wouldn’t be able to stop the fleet of spaceships. He was only invincible in certain conditions. In the 10th Dimension, Jiang Fei would be the same as Spectres; invulnerable and undetectable. He could escape from certain doom or even defeat his foe with the 10th Dimension in his control. However, like a tethered kite, Jiang Fei could escape to the edge of the known universe and Earth would still be destroyed.

To be fair, if the Core of Will was in its full charge, Jiang Fei might have a chance to destroy the current fleet of spaceship hovering near Ceres. But currently, the Core of Will was only charged with one-third of its full power. Even if he could fully fend off the second coming, what of the third? Or the fourth?! Moreover, he needed to keep the power of the Core in absolute secrecy. If he used the 10th Dimension power, he needed to make sure no one lived to tell the tale. If anyone in the universe knew about his power, he might not be able to live a day without being chased after.

The offer to join his crew was a tempting path. If he joined them, Earth would be spared. For as long as tens of thousands of years, there hadn’t been any incidents of other races daring to trample across any of the Valsalrians’ territory.

However, there was a catch. He needed to surrender the Core of Time, of which was lost! Alexis might be courteous enough to offer Jiang Fei options but he was a man of duty. Sparing Jiang Fei or his planet was only secondary to his primary mission. He could be lenient in any other way but the Core of Time had to be in his possession. If Jiang Fei could not fulfill this condition, they would have to fight it out.

“You need not think for so long. Or are you looking down on us Valsalrians?” Alexis asked, his voice was solemn with a mild tone of disgruntlement.

“No… It’s not that… The Core of Time… Well…”

To be honest, Jiang Fei was fine with the idea of joining a brigade of space bandits. Even though they weren’t the nicest group of soldiers out there in the universe, Jiang Fei could still accept them. He had been hanging out in the Metahuman Society for so long. Even he could not escape the fact that he had done something… not commendable. Besides, if he joined the brigade, he would be leaning against a powerful foundation. At the very least, they would be a pillar of support to protect Earth from future threats. Best of all, he could use this period of time to master his domain ability. Once he got that in check, who else in the universe would dare to cross his path?

“What’s wrong? Not willing to give up the Core of Time?” Alexis asked. His voice grew louder.

“I… seem to have misplaced it,” said Jiang Fei honestly. He then proceeded to explain the event prior and after the conflict with Akatziris. Instead of saying that he had lost the Core of Time, he twisted the story a bit and said he had forgotten where he had kept it. All the while, he made sure to not reveal anything about the Core of Life and the Core of Will.

“Are you telling the truth?” Alexis asked, frowning.

“I have no reason to lie. My planet is yours to destroy and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. To think that I would lie just for the sake of a single Core…” Jiang Fei explained.

“Sixth Officer, bring Wanda down,” Alexis ordered someone on the ship.

“Yes, Commander,” a voice replied. In the next second, an oddly shaped creature, very much like a dog of Earth, was teleported there.

“Come, Wanda! Come on!” Alexis cried out with a soft voice. The dog-like creature then hopped and skipped its way toward Alexis before jumping into his embrace.

“Terran, look into its eyes tell me the truth! Where is the Core of Time?” Alexis asked again.

“Ehrm… Okay…”

Jiang Fei figured that the dog might have some kind of hypnotic ability. Even so, he wasn’t afraid. Consciously speaking, he did not know the whereabouts of the Core of Time. If he did unconsciously know where it was, the dog might be able to help him find it.

“I have no idea where the Core of Time is,” said Jiang Fei as he stared into the eyes of the dog.

“Ark! Wuu… Wuu…”

The creature barked once and then turned to Alexis whilst shaking its head.

“Mhm. Sixth, scan this entire system for the Core,” Alexis ordered.

“Aye, Commander,” someone on the ship replied.

In just a few seconds, the leading ship had finished scanning the entire Solar System and the Core of Time was not detected anywhere.