Recklessness - (4)

Elsa walked to Zulova only to surprise her, ""Apostle Elsa greets her Master Zulova!!"", with a bow.

"????", all members inside the hall made a sudden jolt due to the princess' act. Even Mihu, who was supposed to stay unconscious, woke up in a shocker, "Eh?!!!"

---flash---

Within an instant, Queen El-nino charged at her daughter and brought her back to her feet, "Dear, what the heck are you doing in front of everyone? Can't you maintain your dignity as a princess?!!"

Elsa attempted, "But I'm her Apostle!!"

El-nino yelled, "That and this are different cases. You can't keep acting the same way everywhere. Are you really one hundred years old?!!"

Mihu commented, "Woah, the queen looks too old from a close glance!"

Curiously, she looked at the others. Every person inside the hall seemed wrinkly, including Elvin. Zulova exclaimed, "Not only her but every infinito of the former generation!"

Mihu responded, "You don't have to say that!"

Listening to their words angered El-nino. But she had no choice but to hold back, "Sigh, ahem. Okay, now that everyone's here, we shall start the meeting!!"

Elsa and the queen got back to their levitating thrones. Zulova and Mihu, on the other side, stood below the levitating thrones with their heads held high. Elsa took a breather, "Phew, we're starting our conference. First in line of speech, Elder Boron!"

Without a delay, a werewolf in pale white armour and a white cape flew forward, "Your esteemed royalties and my fellow elders, today I, Boron Albinjer, thank you all for allowing me the privilege to be the first speaker!"

"...!", Elvin and El-nino stared at Elsa. She jolted, "Oh, I grant you the permission to continue!"

The werewolf made a firm nod. He then began roaming around while looking at the elders. His speech started, "The 'Peripheral Cosmic Zone' that is under my authority has been undergoing unknown changes during the past few years!!"

Mihu asked Zulova, "Past few years?!"

Zulova interpreted, "The last time we conducted this meeting was around one decade ago!"

The elder carried on, "As you all know, The Peripheral Cosmic Zone is the biggest planetary system with two morning-stars and 'Seventeen' planets that revolve around the two stars in bi-petal motion!"

{Notice: Bi-petal motion in the sense, moving in the pattern of an Infinity symbol.}

He then brought up the point, "From those seventeen planets, eight can be ruled out due to being dead worlds. The remaining nine planets brim with more than a hundred billion infinitos.

Neglecting the count of animals, birds, insects and creatures would make the count 'Sixty billion people', all of them being terrorists!"

---gasp---

Every member present in the meeting jumped out in anxiety after hearing him, including Mihu. She thought, 'Six… Sixty billion terrorists? That many numbers is way too much for even Zulova!', and looked at Zulova only to know how wrong her intuition was, 'Gasp, is she smirking?!!'

While all members inside the hall broke out in excess fear, Zulova scoffed with an evil expression. Mihu shook after looking at every seated member. Because they were trembling at Zulova. That's when Mihu realized, 'They aren't afraid of 60 billion criminals… but this ominously smiling woman!'

In anxiety, she whispered, "Uh… Roaring Goddess, why are they looking at you?!"

Zulova chuckled, "Nothing much. During my childhood, I was once cornered by an army of ascended people. Driven by fatigue and desperation, I was dragged to near-death. While remembering the times I spent with Uncle Dray, my mind went crazy.

Due to that, my body unleashed a cluster of darkened yellow flames and the entire planet that I was on at that time turned to a crisp. That was also how I ascended to the next stage!"

Elsa ordered, ""Stop spacing out and get back to the topic!""

"!!!", all members snapped off their shocker. The elder nodded firmly, "Our Chief Elders Keyman Sist and Kokan Timon went missing during their inspection!"

Mihu remembered, "Keyman and Kokan, the only people of the former generation to have ascended to the same stage as me and Zulova.

I remember meeting both of them and suffering utter defeat during my teenage years. Are you telling me even they weren't much for those people?!"

The Werewolf Elder responded, "Yes, Shadow Angel. Since we had Roaring Goddess on our side, we didn't bother much. But fearing that sixty billion might be too much for her to handle, we began bringing as many people to our side as possible!"

She attempted, "How many people agreed to side with you?!"

He replied, "For now, it's just you, Zulova and a billion soldiers of the Pheiner Empire!"

Zulova corrected him, "You missed another person!"

"???", everyone looked confused, including Mihu. Zulova then reached Mihu and gazed upon the shadow underneath her. Mihu didn't get her. Zulova implied, ""Aunty, you can come out!""

Mihu flinched, "Don't tell me!"

---fwoosh---

A pile of black flames erupted out of Mihu's shadow, thereby reforming into a female figure that was none other than Shadow Masuri. Masuri pinched Zulova on her left cheek. Zulova exclaimed, "Aw, that hurts a bit!"

Mihu gaped her mouth in utter disbelief, "You… you were acquainted with my shadow guardian? Since… when?!"

Zulova revealed, "Idiot, all the shadow souls of Uncle Dray know quite well how much he cherishes me!"

Elsa stated, "Sigh, no matter how many times you say, it always feels weird hearing you call him 'Uncle'.

But Masuri is the only shadow soul who's still in one piece. We need her as a final resort for calling his absolute highness, Lord Adrona!"

Zulova chuckled, "Oops, I'm sorry, everyone. I've told you many wrong things about Uncle's shadow necromancy!"

El-nino questioned, "What is it?!"

Zulova confessed, "Shadow soldiers never die unless they are incinerated till every single cell of their being. Since they're composed of Uncle Dray's black flames which are the strongest and hottest, no one can purge them.

However, shadow souls can still face death only to revive tenfold stronger than their past selves. I lied to you people regarding the deaths of the shadow soldiers and hid them under my shadow all these days!!"

"...!", everyone remained speechless at her shameless confession. Elvin asked, "Can we know why you made such a cunning act?!"

Zulova made a grin, "In order to use them for my personal training. They say your potential explodes above the roof when facing death!!"

---gasp---

Although she didn't emit any pressure, the listeners gasped 'cause of her domineering face. Zulova calmed her expression. Elsa asked, "So, how many shadow soldiers do you have under your feet?!"

Zulova emphasized, "... Forty thousand!"

El-nino yelled, "Zulova, there's a limit for everything. Don't you think hiding forty thousand shadows is way out of line?!!!"

Zulova bowed, "I'll accept whatever punishment it is that you want to befall upon me!"

Elvin whispered, "Honey, she's only being humble due to the words of Lord Adrona. What if she were to become his absolute highness' fiance?!"

El-nino became spellbound. She then attempted, "Okay, Roaring Goddess. Can you summon those shadows, right now?!"

Zulova apologized, "Sorry, my queen. I sent all of them to gauge the Peripheral Cosmic Zone, a week ago!"

"!!!!", all members shook after hearing her excuse. She continued, "Actually, I placed a shadow soldier on every higher figure belonging to the Pheiner Empire. The shadows under Chief Elders Keyman and Kokan signalled me the moment they got knocked out by some strangers!"

Elder Boron jolted, "Wait, you knew it all along?!!"

Elsa exclaimed, "Indeed, Elder Boron. For a note, she was the one that recommended this meeting and made you the first to narrate!"

The elder confessed, "I thank Roaring Goddess Zulova for giving me the opportunity to speak!!"

Zulova stepped forward, "Elder, you did well. Please leave the latter to me!"

He made a firm nod and got back to his seat. Zulova raised her left hand.

---snap------buzz---

After implying a snap with her fingers, the space above the thrones began fuming with holographic projections. The projections were hallucinating visuals of two bright stars in between seventeen planets.

Zulova continued, "This is the Peripheral Cosmic Zone. The first two and the last six planets are a lost cause. One of our secret zones was constructed on the last planet. However, we lost signals from there right when the Chief Elders went missing.

Therefore, I sent all the shadow soldiers to scout that planetary system. The mystery behind is that there's an entire empire lurking within those worlds!"

Elsa attempted, "What kind of empire is it?!"

Zulova revealed, ""... An empire originating from the remnants of the late Evil God Cult, led by a descendant of the Calminos lineage, with the name Norman Calminos!""

---gasp---

Bystanders flinched at her revelation. One of the elders, seemingly a female elf, jumped out in shock, "Those blood berserkers are still alive?!!!"

Zulova corrected her, "No, Elder Siwol Hyan. Uncle Dray did obliterate the Evil God Cult. However, Hob Calminos' illegitimate son happened to be living a commoner's life. His son Norman discovered this truth not long ago. Therefore, he made an oath to plunder the entire empire. So he made his own empire, namely 'Cosmic Overlords'. His ultimate goal is to reign supreme over this realm to obtain the spot of the top strongest!"

Mihu interrupted, "Doesn't that mean you are his ultimate goal?!"

Zulova responded, "What concerns me is the fact that those rebels are using hostages to catch my attention. They made an example out of Chief Elders Keyman and Kokan!"

El-nino questioned, "Does that mean…?!"

Zulova emphasized, ""Those retards are indirectly inviting me to their planets. What an obvious trap?!""

Elvin asked, "Then what's your next step?!"

Zulova elaborated, "Uncle's shadow soldiers examined that rebellion empire whole. Shockingly, they succeeded in manipulating five billion people into becoming their disciples and completely tamed them!"

Elsa commented, "As expected from my master. Your intelligence is far above the level of an average Joe!"