There's only one Class 1 city in the Flyer Civilization.
Kamelin, as a Class 2 city, is undoubtedly under close scrutiny.
The Flyer Civilization itself isn't large, but with its tachyon communication technology, Luna was certain that the Flyer Civilization's Monarch was constantly monitoring this location. This monitoring could be conducted by the Monarch directly or through a representative.
A pair of enormous wings appeared in the sky.
This Kirara differed from others; its body was pure black, and its wings were pure white.
The black and white contrast seemed to go against Flyer Civilization aesthetics.
Upon seeing it, Haru immediately retracted his wings, a sign of respect for a higher-ranking individual in the Flyer Civilization.
"Walton Archon, please forgive my transgression."
Archon.
A first-rank title holder.
This Archon, not Haru, governed Kamelin.
The Flyer Civilization didn't have a hereditary system; the fact that Haru's grandfather was once the Archon of Kamelin didn't guarantee Haru's position.
"You only care for our civilization. What transgression is there?"
Walton Archon communicated via electrical signals.
It stared intently at Luna.
"I apologize for Haru's impudence towards you."
Its apology sounded sincere.
But that was the problem.
Their relationship was far from sincere; this hypocrisy felt familiar to Luna, unlike Haru's straightforward scholarly manner.
"I'm not angry. Every civilization has such beings, don't you think?"
"It's just that Haru hid it rather well."
"I can sense the conflict within him, a conflict that nurtures the demons within."
Haru didn't change his initial attitude towards Luna.
Luna truly viewed things from the Federation's perspective. Before her, Haru felt selfish.
But it was precisely because Haru saw this that he felt a profound sense of danger emanating from Luna.
Hence his desire to capture, study, and kill her.
Luna hadn't initially understood Haru; she couldn't read minds. It was particularly difficult because Haru was a non-human.
With humans, she could read expressions and tone of voice.
But with an alien like Haru, who lacked a human face and whose English was devoid of inflection, it was harder.
"Thank you for your understanding."
"Regarding your and your companion's experiences, we will provide compensation."
"We will prepare a new residence for you. We hope you enjoy your stay."
Walton showed no further interest in conversing with Luna.
It had essentially obtained what it wanted.
And Luna knew it.
Haru's motivations might not be his own; they may have been instilled within him.
He is a tool, an executor, though he may not realize it.
Both Walton and the Flyer Civilization's Monarch hoped to access Luna's memories. If successful, that was the end goal.
If it failed, it would be nothing.
The damage, however, exceeded their expectations.
For such a powerful civilization, the loss wasn't significant. Luna had already seen many Kirara repairing the damage.
What Walton had obtained was simple: information about Luna.
This information included not only her memories but also her current state.
The purpose of obtaining her current state? That relates to the next conversation.
Dimensional invasion had begun; the Federation and the Flyer Civilization would inevitably cooperate.
Haru didn't want this to happen, but such thoughts were naive, a conspiracy theory.
It's true that the Federation could use this to deploy its military to the Flyer Civilization.
But would the Flyer Civilization gain nothing?
Of course not.
The arrival of the Federation military could alleviate their pressure; this alone would be sufficient incentive for the Flyer Civilization.
If the Federation and the Flyer Civilization never cooperated, the Flyer Civilization would have to resist the dimensional invasion alone, leaving the Federation to reap the benefits.
Early-stage four-dimensional invasions wouldn't be particularly intense.
This was common knowledge.
Similar to their exploration, the four-dimensional beings' understanding of three dimensions was also gradual.
This large-scale invasion could even be considered a large-scale probe.
The Flyer Civilization could definitely withstand this, but the resistance would further delay their development and severely deplete their combat strength. Dragging the Federation into this wasn't Luna's suggestion but the current need of the Flyer Civilization.
The Flyer Civilization wanted to gain more from this situation.
That was the main reason for this test.
Haru was merely an insignificant pawn.
Even Walton was merely an executor.
The true opponent facing Luna, as she had said before, was the Monarch.
Walton didn't refute Luna's statement after its appearance.
This was a tacit understanding between intelligent beings; neither treated the other as a fool!
Luna was taken to a newly prepared room.
She wasn't in a hurry.
She believed she would soon see Walton again.
A half-month later…
A Kirara arrived.
"Commander of the Federation forces, Walton Archon wishes to meet with you."
It was very polite, as requested by Walton.
Luna had been meditating, practicing an ancient technique, for a half-month.
This wouldn't cultivate spiritual energy; it would only clear her mind and allow her to think more clearly.
She stood up.
This might be her first official step into interstellar politics.
It should be interesting.
She hoped Walton would satisfy her expectations.
She arrived at a stalactite-like crystal formation, hanging upside down in the void. The scale wasn't consistent.
For example, a human might be 2 meters tall, but the structures here might be only 1 meter or even half a meter. As long as the sizes were adjusted proportionally to the scaling, there was no difference.
The building's interior was interesting.
Luna only saw a pillar of light, and Walton was hovering near it.
"Welcome, esteemed guest from the human civilization."
"I apologize again for Haru's previous impoliteness."
"Your compensation is within this pillar of light. This light beam is a treasury of knowledge; you may take any knowledge belonging to our civilization."
This was invaluable.
If it truly contained the core knowledge of the civilization…
Or if her choice wouldn't make her a pawn…
Suppose there was only one piece of knowledge within.
Luna approached.
The light split, illuminating her.
Instantly, Luna felt an overwhelming influx of knowledge into her mind.
This knowledge was vast and profound, containing theories unknown to the Federation.
For example, the relationship between the microcosm and dimensional space.
When an object is reduced to its ultimate limit, it naturally reduces its dimensionality.
This doesn't mean the process of shrinking is the process of dimensional reduction.
Rather, when an object is reduced to its ultimate limit and can no longer be made smaller, how does it become smaller still? It reduces a dimension.
Based on this, the Flyer Civilization proposed a concept: that one-dimensional strings aren't at the Planck scale, and that three-dimensional space particles can also be reduced to the Planck scale.
These two hypotheses underpinned all of the Flyer Civilization's research.
This theory is comparable to the theory of evolution in 21st-century biology, or gravity and quantum mechanics in physics.
The Flyer Civilization's advancements stemmed from its relentless pursuit of truth within these theories.
Upon seeing this, Luna's perspective broadened.
It was true.
Objects like Calabi-Yau manifolds could exist in the three-dimensional universe. Their radius is 1/100 nonillion meters, far smaller than any known elementary particle.
Calabi-Yau manifolds are crucial components of superstring theory.
A faction of scholars within the Federation were also intensely researching Calabi-Yau manifolds, their enthusiasm further fueled by the advent of dimensional space.
The existence of dimensional space reinforced the belief of many scholars in the validity of superstring theory.
Compared to the theory of gravity, superstring theory and quantum theory still had over 90% of their fields yet to be explored.
The information Luna received was only a fraction, incomplete. It was like an abstract of a book, but it was enough to provide her with significant direction.
To explore the book's content, she would need to turn the pages—to make a choice.
But Luna wouldn't make any choices.
"This seems more like a transaction."
"As I received the information, some informational fluctuations occurred."
"These fluctuations are like the grooves on a record or CD; they can be deciphered."
Luna cut off the influx of knowledge.
She looked at the device, unsure if her words were accurate, but it was a part of the game.
Always anticipate your enemy's actions more thoroughly than you think they might.
Walton emitted a faint sound after hearing this, almost a chuckle.
"You're too perceptive, Luna!"
"If we truly wanted to access your memories, we wouldn't need such methods."
"Our civilization has developed for millennia; we are familiar with all methods."
"While you may view our civilization as naive, no civilization develops peacefully. External or internal conflicts inevitably shape a civilization's experiences."
Luna offered no comment.
This, however, had little to do with the current situation.
Walton was simply changing the subject.
Luna didn't pursue this line of conversation; it was pointless.
"Archon, I believe that's an appropriate title."
"Well, what is it you wish to discuss?"
"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."
"Everything here is rather unconventional. I could be enjoying some time with colleagues, but I'm here alone."
"It reminds me of a poem: Alone in a foreign land, a stranger I am, longing for home on every festive day. Knowing my brothers are high in their positions, I am missing from the roster of victorious heroes."
Luna sat comfortably upon her own flesh.
She had her quark robots relax the cellular restraints, creating a flesh seat beneath her. This flesh seat was separate from her body; a portion of the quark robots remained within the seat, inhibiting its independent growth.
Luna was now in the dominant position.
In fact, she had always felt she held the upper hand, completely in control.
This control allowed her to be playful.
Though she spoke of leaving, she remained seated.
"The reason I summoned you is because of recent changes at the dimensional gateway."
"I believe this concerns both our civilizations. You can represent yours, and I can represent mine."
"We can make a decision on this matter. To save time, this meeting is necessary."
Walton didn't waste words.
Instead, it projected a cosmic scene before Luna.
Within this projection, the expanding bubble was beginning to contract.
However, new matter was erupting from within the contracting wave.
"As you can see, the expansion of matter is episodic, not singular."
"This matter will soon engulf Kamelin."
"We could send troops, but it will first sweep through Federation sectors."
Benefits. Walton wanted benefits.
The Federation had encircled the entire Flyer Civilization. Although the massive bubble originated within Flyer Civilization territory, its expansion was omnidirectional.
The Flyer Civilization's solution to the bubble would also resolve the Federation's problems.
Luna stated directly: "What's the difficulty? As long as you resolve it, it's your achievement. The Federation won't claim it as our territory."
Walton presented Luna with an agreement.
It contained the content Luna had just stated.
"If you agree, please sign."
Sign?
An archaic method of agreement.
The Flyer Civilization didn't use such forms of agreement. The Federation did, though it wasn't commonly used in practice; contracts were usually signed under the witness of a Boundary God.
Luna didn't believe Walton considered this signature binding. Was Walton merely going through the motions?
No, it was wielding a weapon.
While the contract's legal force was questionable, its very presence would influence people's mindsets.
Life is complex.
All beings live for their desires and beliefs.
If the Federation instilled the belief of "righteousness" in its people, and the Flyer Civilization presented this contract, declaring "No, you are evil," it would be a significant blow.
This blow could influence the outcome of a war.
One could create a counterfeit document, but a fake lacks the force of belief and obedience; most forgeries are easily detectable.
If someone does something, it must benefit them. Most forgeries fail to benefit both the signatory and the presenter.
This leads to distrust in the agreement itself.
Even a 0.00001% chance of binding power makes the contract worthy of signing.
Luna signed.
The signature itself wasn't crucial; it was perhaps more about Walton's immediate pressure on Luna. The content was the important part.
But after signing, Luna said: "This agreement assumes you solve the dimensional gateway problem."
"What if I solve it?"
"What?"
Walton looked at Luna, hoping to see a thoughtful expression on her face. He had deliberately studied subtle human expressions.
But he saw nothing on Luna's face.
Walton felt frustrated. The Flyer Civilization also had lifespan restrictions, and because of the Monarch, these restrictions were even stricter than the Federation's.
This meant his experience was limited.
Luna, however, acted like an old monster.
"Let me repeat. What if we solve the dimensional gateway problem?"
"We help you solve the dimensional gateway problem, eliminating your threat. What would your compensation be?"
Walton carefully considered this.
He hadn't anticipated this conclusion.
The Federation couldn't solve it; they hadn't found a solution yet.
The only method was brute force.
After all, this was only the first large-scale invasion; there wasn't a powerful enemy yet.
"What do you want?"
Walton couldn't decide this.
Luna had anticipated this.
He was throwing the question back. If Luna made an unreasonable demand, he could use that to refuse.
Luna thought for a moment.
"How about making your Monarch a female human?" she said.
Walton wanted to kill Luna at that moment.
What on earth is this person thinking?
For civilizations of this level, resolving such fundamental issues isn't a trivial matter.
"Impossible, from any perspective."
"Moreover, your claim that you can solve this problem is illogical."
"This is a civilizational summit, not a casual conversation. I expect you to be serious."
Walton was serious, quickly regaining his composure.
He realized he'd lost control of the conversation to Luna, even allowing himself to become emotional.
Dangerous individual.
Walton reconsidered whether this conversation with Luna was a wise decision.
Perhaps he should have worn Luna down further; he should have prepared more thoroughly.
But it had already happened; he needed to regain control.
"Since you've signed the agreement concerning the dimensional gateway, that's consent."
"We will soon deploy forces to the dimensional gateway."
Luna interrupted.
"Of course, I'm serious."
"If your Flyer Civilization's Monarch becomes a female human and forms a family alliance with our Federation, a fusion of flesh and soul could make our civilizations like family. This is a mutually beneficial cooperation."
"Besides, how can you be so sure I can't solve it?"
Was Luna serious?
Walton suddenly considered this point.
He questioned himself.
If Luna were serious, what methods would she use to solve the dimensional problem?
It was almost inconceivable.
But even if Luna could solve it, they couldn't let her. It wasn't just a matter of his individual vulnerability, but the civilization's as well.
"Perhaps you could solve it."
"However, I believe our speed would be faster, minimizing damage."
"Therefore, it's most logical for us to solve this."
He still avoided Luna's core question: what would the Flyer Civilization do if the problem were solved?
No answer meant no answer.
Walton's rhetorical skills were impressive.
However, the topic itself lacked direction.
"We also need to discuss inter-civilizational cooperation."
"With the current dimensional invasion, I hope the Federation can send troops to assist."
"After all, our civilizations are so close. If our civilization falls, the next to face the dimensional invasion will be your human civilization."
"Regarding this cooperation, we can exchange demands, which will first enter a draft phase. Then, when the true leaders of both our civilizations meet, a final decision can be made."
Walton wanted to gauge the human civilization's opinion and adjust his strategy accordingly.
Inter-civilizational cooperation was inevitable; he needed to prepare beforehand.
Compared to that, all other benefits were secondary.
"That's true."
"But why not wait until your Flyer Civilization finishes fighting?"
"The dimensional invasion will likely last tens of thousands of years. We can grow stronger during that time."
Luna liked interrupting Walton.
Or perhaps she didn't like it; it was a novel experience for her in diplomacy.
The Flyer Civilization was strong, but now it was the weaker party.
There's a saying: strike while the iron is hot.
Luna wouldn't reveal any information on that front.
Walton now realized Luna was truly difficult to deal with.
"If that's the case, why wouldn't we simply turn around and target your human civilization afterward?"
Walton raised his own counter-argument.
Luna shook her head: "Attacking your allies would incur penalties."
The civilizations behind the Connector.
Walton, secretly excited at this opening, said:
"Perhaps your human civilization isn't aware of the situation on the Milky Way's periphery."
"Dimensional warfare has been ongoing in the Milky Way's core for tens of thousands of years. The restrictions imposed on us by those advanced civilizations are merely threats, not absolute constraints."
He'd gained a rhetorical advantage, though he also revealed information.
Luna was surprised by this information. She hadn't received any relevant data because of the ship's damage.
Even more surprising was that the Flyer Civilization's information wasn't isolated; they understood what was happening in the core's sphere.
This small civilization might have been planning for this. Of course, the importance of information wasn't limited to their knowledge.
"Besides, if our civilization is destined for destruction, why not gamble?"
"It'll be mutually destructive."
"Facing an unknown stronger force, we both should favor a known stronger force."
Walton became increasingly aggressive.
This was a shift in momentum.
Luna carefully processed this information, then said: "Isn't this better?"
"It means that when you come, we can counterattack, subsequently leading to a larger exodus from the Milky Way."
"We humans have a saying: in danger, you don't need to be the fastest; you just need to be faster than others."
Luna redefined Walton's understanding of shameless audacity.
He was certain Luna was playing a game.
Luna likely knew cooperation was best, but she still wanted to gain something.
This negotiation yielded no results; it was merely mutual probing.
He hadn't initiated this topic; simply bringing it up placed him in a reactive position.
His civilization wasn't in such a rush for cooperation, at least not at this stage.
Luna was keenly aware of this. At this stage, cooperation couldn't be too deep, so maneuvering was necessary.
Walton instantly grasped this.
He said: "Perhaps."
"But any civilization's escape isn't easy. The human civilization should prepare early and not be slowed by internal conflict."
"Dimensional warfare is essentially a home-court advantage for us. Civilizations from other dimensions are inherently weaker; they're not top-tier civilizations."
"The real concern is the spillover from the core's war."
Walton shifted the focus, avoiding the previous topic.
"To prevent the war from spilling over and harming the human civilization, our Flyer Civilization has decided to deploy troops to protect the human civilization."
He finally got to the point: a counterattack against the Federation's containment of the Flyer Civilization's sector.
Luna thought they would have done this sooner; she hadn't expected this delay.
After all, civilizations couldn't initiate war against each other.
Thus, even if their warships reached the Federation's borders, as long as they lacked hostile intent, the Federation couldn't retaliate.
The restrictions on the Flyer Civilization applied equally to the Federation.
As for the core civilizations embroiled in war, no one wanted to be the first to break the rules. Their current judgments were based on speculation, and speculation was unreliable.
Furthermore, they currently lacked the power to challenge the rules.
Unless both civilizations united and broke through to Type 2.7, they might be able to offer some resistance against the core civilizations' punishment.
And only a little at that.
The weapons of a Type 2.9 civilization were unimaginable; they didn't want to be on the receiving end of one.
"Mutually beneficial support is necessary."
"Our Galactic Federation aims for the coexistence and prosperity of all cosmic races and civilizations."
"On behalf of the Federation, I welcome you."
Luna's face betrayed no emotion.
Since they'd prepared, all she had to do was respond strategically.
The Flyer Civilization wouldn't have raised this unless it were a significant action.
The dimensional invasion had also pushed them to accelerate this process.
This was a Flyer Civilization encroachment.
They had been operating along the Federation border for years.
The Galactic Federation's strengths were its inclusivity and openness, but those were also its weaknesses.
This meant that the Galactic Federation easily accepted the Flyer Civilization's and Kirara's influence in all areas.
Luna believed the Flyer Civilization's infiltration wasn't a recent decision.
If the Flyer Civilization made this decision, the Federation would need to respond accordingly.
Luna trusted Ayla to handle it; they had prepared.
This inter-civilizational game wasn't a war, but a battle of assimilation.
Soon, the war would enter its initial phase.
Walton, seeing Luna becoming less evasive, felt a surge of satisfaction.
However, he knew this wasn't a significant advantage. Obtaining much more from her in the short term was improbable.
Inter-civilizational games were long-term endeavors, meaning there were many possibilities.
Walton's only goal was to gain the upper hand immediately.
"It's excellent that you understand the value of mutual support."
"There should be no war between us; we should unite."
"To consolidate our stability, I suggest our two civilizations form a joint council to make decisions. What do you think?"
The real main event.
Previous discussions were only minor skirmishes.
Now, they were getting to the heart of the matter.
Luna knew the Flyer Civilization wouldn't only have such meager tactics.
A joint council!
Its creation would tie the Flyer Civilization and humanity together.
While it seems beneficial, the Federation currently holds some advantages. Once both civilizations are on equal footing, the Flyer Civilization could leverage that to their advantage.
Luna didn't know the specifics yet, but she could make other decisions.
"Why make things so complicated?"
"This will ruin the simple relationship between our civilizations, making things overly complex."
"I don't think a joint council is necessary."
After saying this, Luna looked at Walton, knowing he'd have a solution to make her agree.
Walton replied calmly.
"This meeting isn't just between our two civilizations; other civilizations have joined."
"The Milky Way is vast, especially on the periphery of the core. You should be aware that we aren't the only ones facing threats."
"This is an alliance. Three civilizations are already confirmed; if the Federation chooses not to join, it will be problematic."
"More civilizations are likely to visit the Federation."
The formation of an inter-civilizational alliance completely negated the Federation's advantage.
After learning of the Federation's control over the surrounding sectors, the Flyer Civilization understood its weaknesses. The Monarch then decided to seek assistance from other civilizations.
Walton reflected on how correct that decision had been.
Involving outside parties easily broke the Federation's blockade.
Faced with multiple civilizational incursions, the Federation's technological advancement would inevitably stagnate; their only choice was cooperation.
If Luna, in the Eternal Cycle star nation, heard this, she'd be surprised. The Flyer Civilization had beaten them to the punch.
But in the Flyer Civilization, Luna didn't have this information.
She fell silent for a moment.
This was an undeniable...threat.
Precisely.
This was the Flyer Civilization's first truly effective and clear threat to the Federation.
"This isn't something I can decide. If you want me to convey this information to our leadership, provide me with a tachyon communication device."
Luna wouldn't rush to a conclusion.
She was trapped here, with limited information.
Perhaps the Federation had already made preparations.
She couldn't fully assess the impact of this news on the Federation.
In short, this game seemed to be won by the Flyer Civilization.
However, this so-called game was just a negligible beginning; it didn't decide anything. Perhaps the only contest in this discussion was the speed of their tongues.
Luna remained unperturbed.
Because she had prepared a counter-gift for Walton.
"Rest assured, this has been reported to your Federation's high command."
"You just need to enjoy yourself here."
Walton wouldn't allow Luna any opportunity to send out messages.
Luna wasn't surprised.
"But this Kamelin city is incredibly boring."
"Are you sure this is a Class 2 city? If you hadn't told me, I'd think it was a remote mountain village."
"Such a simple city, yet it doesn't offer anything. Has entertainment died here?"
Luna continued to tease.
Walton was helpless; he could only attribute this to Luna's frustration with inaction.
However, he still wanted to salvage some face.
"For any living being, especially those of us in high-level civilizations, even if much entertainment no longer provides much pleasure, entertainment is still needed."
"Conveniently, we Kamelin are about to hold a grand Blood Tournament."
"Perhaps you'll find it interesting. Living beings enjoy this sort of spectacle."
Throughout Flyer Civilization history, Blood Tournaments were an indispensable event.
As the name suggests, it was a competition of bloodshed.
Unlike the civil wars prevalent in Luna's human civilization, this was a more primal struggle.
To put it bluntly—a gladiatorial contest!
Any beings competing for resources would fight each other.
War thus arose.
As lifeforms, the Flyer Civilization also followed this law. How could a civilization progress without conflict? Unless they had a clearly defined objective—obtain a blueprint and follow it.
Even this would create conflict, because the desires of life are limitless.
Are there beings without desire?
Luna believed there were.
But the Flyer Civilization was certainly not one of them.
Although the Flyer Civilization's history was longer than the Federation's, compared to most civilizations of similar level, the Flyer Civilization progressed at an incredibly fast pace.
This indicated a strong desire to become powerful, quickly.
"A Blood Tournament? That's something I can't miss."
"Forgive my bluntness, but your Kirara are not well-suited for combat."
The Kirara, on the surface, seemed to occupy a lower position in the ecological hierarchy.
They lacked powerful biological weapons and didn't use large-scale weaponry.
This civilization differed from human civilization.
Human civilization originated from humanity.
Humanity on Earth were large animals, gradually attaining apex predator status during the hominid evolutionary process, even before the advent of technology.
Humans' physical capabilities alone were sufficient to sustain their position at the top of the food chain.
The Kirara, however, rose to prominence after the advent of technology.
They lacked experience in the Stone Age or Iron Age.
Strictly speaking, they did have some experience, but it was extremely brief.
To become stronger, they developed exceptionally high intelligence and rapidly bypassed the development of rudimentary technology.
That was a weapon—explosives.
This was the beginning of the Kirara.
After mastering the use of explosives, the Kirara ascended to the top of the ecological hierarchy, constantly acquiring resources to upgrade their weaponry. In the process of upgrading weapons, they quickly mastered chemistry, aerodynamics, and mechanics.
Upon entering the era of technological development, the Kirara developed a distinct characteristic: the worship of strength.
This was a form of racial insecurity.
A naturally powerful race might also have a veneration of strength, but it wouldn't be so overt.
The Kirara, however, displayed it openly.
They began to hunt and kill other powerful beings, a form of hunting, but far more extreme.
This was the case throughout their civilization.
The absence of natural lifeforms in the present Flyer Civilization is primarily due to this period of extermination. In just a few hundred years, they eradicated all life besides the Kirara.
Initially powerful, then weak.
When the Kirara discovered the severe ecological damage they had caused, they tried to stop, but it was too late. The ecosystem rapidly collapsed under the combined effects of Kirara expansion and natural decay.
To satisfy their worship of strength, internal Blood Tournaments emerged.
Moving from behind the scenes to center stage, the Blood Tournaments became a nationwide event in less than ten years.
Victors in the Blood Tournaments received rich rewards and preferential mating rights.
Of course, such things are insignificant now.
More important than honor is the feeling of exhilaration.
Initially, the Blood Tournament was simply a fight for victory.
Now, it has become a true deathmatch.
Yes, even in such an advanced civilization, deathmatches exist.
Why?
Because if neither combatant dies, what is the point? What is the thrill?
This is a pathology.
The Flyer Civilization is, ultimately, a biological civilization.
Biological civilizations have biological needs, and the observation of bloodshed is one of them.
Furthermore, the Blood Tournament is not like the gladiatorial combats of ancient Rome, with enslaved combatants.
The Blood Tournament is a battle in which all levels of Flyer Civilization society participate.
Even some title holders.
Even they could die in the Blood Tournament.
To ensure fairness, the selection process for the Blood Tournament was randomized.
Everyone in the Flyer Civilization, except the Monarch, even Archons like Walton, could be chosen.
Hearing this, Luna felt a flicker of anticipation.
"Whether it's a suitable fight or not, we'll see after the Blood Tournament."
"The ultimate victor in the Blood Tournament receives supreme glory and power comparable to an Overseer."
Walton himself was anticipating it.
Sharing this with Luna wasn't an attempt at reconciliation.
It was meant to showcase the individual strength of the Flyer Civilization—a show of force, of sorts.
"Then I'll be watching with bated breath."
"But before that, I need a laboratory."
"You can't expect us to wait until the Blood Tournament."
Luna's way of passing the time was research; he treated it as a game. If he couldn't do anything else here, he would research. Besides, he needed some time for his preparations anyway.
"Research? I didn't expect you to enjoy that."
"Do politicians in the Federation also study science?"
Luna didn't elaborate: "Perhaps."
"Haru is a capable scholar. Perhaps I could have him as an assistant…or maybe he could be my assistant. What do you think?"
Walton couldn't immediately discern the truth in Luna's words.
He thought Luna would kill Haru.
"Let's forget that."
"He has other responsibilities."
"I'll provide you with some scholars."