LAUGHTER
The gaze of a Pluto held the vicissitudes of the world. If gazing upon a Void Beast could send one into the pits of despair, then meeting the eyes of a Pluto was akin to being forced to question one's very existence. It was beyond despair, it was a feeling of being inconsequential, of feeling meaningless. It forced you to live out your life in the blink of an eye, only solidifying how worthless your accomplishments would be.
Most would look away immediately on instinct, but it would have already long been over. It only took an instant, an instant to realize just how insignificant you were.
However, this gaze lasted longer than El'Rion would have ever thought possible for someone outside of his race. Leonel even looked like he would directly attack to kill him if he had the strength to do so. The only reason he hadn't was because he was logical enough to know how idiotic it would be. Maybe if he had known that such a thing could happen within a Zone, he wouldn't have attacked Shan'Rae so freely either, but what was done was done.
All he cared about now was finding a method to move toward victory.
He no longer feared failing a Sub-Dimensional Zone. Since he could find a way to exit once, he could do it again. And since others could ignore its rules, he could find his own method of doing so. All it required was him staying alive. So while he looked at El'Rion, it wasn't for the purpose of a meat measuring contest, although that was inevitably part of it, it was also because in a fight of this level, a single moment of hesitation or distraction would cost him his life.
El'Rion slowly looked away. This time, it wasn't disdain, but it might as well have been. He didn't even take Shan'Rae seriously, let alone Leonel.
"What did you come here for?" El'Rion's voice wasn't layered like Shan'Rae, or her Ancestor's, but it seemed ancient in its own right. Leonel hadn't noticed when it was his own voice, but now the effect was multiplied several times over, it was almost like even his voice could force you to fly through a gateway of time.
Shan'Rae coughed up blood once more, her body in a truly sorry state. But when she looked up toward El'Rion, she realized that he actually couldn't be bothered to talk to her at all. Instead, he was paying attention to the skies. Or in other words... Her Ancestor.
"Watch your tone, boy."
That layered voice echoed once again, the stars in the sky blinking in and out of existences, only to collapse and reform once again. Têxt belongs to .
El'Rion directly ignored these words, not even responding as he waited for an answer to his original question. The Ancestor felt as though he had swung and hit nothing but air. The skies rumbled, but he didn't say anything. In truth, he had wanted to attack to kill Leonel directly, but he wasn't willing to pay the price to do so. He was more surprised than anyone that Leonel had actually lived.
The only explanation for the fact that Leonel was still living and breathing was the fact that he was tied to someone decently powerful. But that shouldn't be possible on this weak, Incomplete World.
What a farce. He had sent Shan'Rae here specifically so that he wouldn't have to deal with this. But now that he was here, he couldn't just leave or else it would be an insult to the Pluto Race.
"The Gods haven't sanctioned this sort of action on your part," the entity spoke evenly.
"Since when has my Pluto Race needed the acceptance of your Races?" El'Rion replied indifferently.
The entity chuckled this time, not feeling the same ire he had previously. Maybe it was because he was mentally prepared this time, or maybe it was because he knew something that he wasn't saying in so many words. Either way, his layered laughter echoed with that very same emotion that Leonel hated so much.
"I won't say what doesn't need to be said, I'm sure your seniors know better than I. However, the act of handing over the rights to so many fledgling worlds to the Human Race of all Races is a ridiculous waste of resources. The Pluto Race can do as it pleases, but what it can't do is use the hard work of us all for their own personal gain.
"As for the matter of a God personally coming here to oversee a project, it's even more ridiculous, but that is your personal matter and I won't say anything. I am here for only one purpose. How will you compensate us?"
"The overseeing of Incomplete Worlds and how they're used is the jurisdiction of my Pluto Race. It has never been the turn of your Races to tell us how to use them. Compensation? Why would you be compensated for something you never owned in the first place.
"Your Races might have forgotten who the Kings are, would you like to be reminded?"
The laughter of the entity echoed once more.
BOOM!
El'Rion couldn't react. He was sent flying backward, his chest caving like crumpled aluminum foil. Even with such an injury, he didn't bleed, nor did he cough up a mouthful of blood. Even his gaze and expression remained indifferent and unmoved as he skid to a stop beneath Leonel's feet.
At that moment, the Regulator came roaring back to life, but the laughter of the entity didn't fade.
"You would do well to remember your station as a junior when you speak to me, boy. Your Pluto Race might be King of Gods, but that was built on the backs of your Ancestors, not you. Since I've received your answer, farewell. I hope your Pluto Race doesn't regret this in the future."
The entity waved a hand, and countless stars blinked out of life. What must have been over half of the galaxies in the Dimensional Verse were snuffed out and poured into Shan'Rae's body. Only then did the entity slowly vanish.
It was clear that he had acted this way on purpose. Bleeding or not, El'Rion was heavily injured. Even if he could finish off Leonel, Shan'Rae definitely would.
He left with his laughter still echoing through the stars.