"They drink from the Holy Grail," Bezois nodded with confidence, "It contains…

…all the power of those who came before them."

Bishop Bezios's face darkened as the car entered a tunnel. His expression, turning more and more serious by the second as the glimmering light that lit the tunnel's walls flickered on his eyes. Now, he truly looked like someone who was rich enough to move planets with just the wave of his hand.

"I am sure this concept is foreign to you as a lower species," Bishop Bezios's breathed out, "But our technology is far more–"

"Why are you telling the alien everything!?"

And before any more words could come out of Bezios's mouth, the confidence and seriousness that his face collected completely disappeared almost instantly as his wife suddenly slapped his bald head.

"W… why did you do that?" Bezios cried out, "I'm just telling him common information that everyone knows!"

"But don't actually tell him willingly!" Maria rebuked, "That's treason!"

"But…"

"..." Although Van just threatened to kill the two just moments ago, he didn't really have any plans to actually do so. But still… to think they would be this relaxed when they were trembling in fear in the hotel.

…Were they actually looking down and disregarding him even if they clearly know that he could kill the both of them in a blink of an eye? Just how skewed was their perception when it comes to species other than them? Or perhaps Athena was just rubbing off on him and he was overthinking too much?

"..."

The car became quiet as Bezios tried his best not to let even a breath escape his mouth, 'less he wants to face the wrath of his wife once more. But still, with him trying to hold his words, his breaths became worse and worse by the second; wanting to burst out any second now.

"..."

"..."magic

And with almost half an hour of Bezios's heavy breaths flowing inside the car, Van could no longer bear it anymore.

"This bishop that we're meeting–"

"Bishop Job!" And without even letting Van finish his question, Bezios quickly opened his mouth; his voice, almost deafening his poor wife that was beside him.

"...Bishop Job. Why are you– why are we meeting with him again?" Van then asked."He owns half of the planet," Bezios let out a small scoff, "I have basically bought the other half from all the other small fries that own it… so he's just the only one that needs convincing."

"I–"

"And by convincing, I mean I am buying him out," Bezios once again scoffed, this time even more arrogant, "And once I do that, then I will, by law and technicality, own this sector, this planet."

"Who is richer, you or that Job guy?"

"Why, me, of course!" Bezios's eyes suddenly lit up with passion; his voice rising to unprecedented levels and once again almost deafening his wife beside him, "The only reason he even has any wealth is that he inherited his father's illegal businesses– and by that, I mean truly illegal ones!"

"I… see," Van furrowed his eyebrows. This place is looking more and more like a normal place. Van was truly expecting a technology that would completely be unknown to him. Of course, the technology in Vivati's world was already something he couldn't understand… but he was truly expecting the Systellions to flaunt their technology more.

But besides the personal spacecrafts that people owned, and the Vessel… everything else just seems mundane.

Even Van, who was born on the worst part of the old world knew… that Bishop Bezios and all the other rich boys here were just playing a game to see who has the bigger dick.

"How many planets do you own in this Vessel now?" Van then asked.

"Hm," and with Van's question, Bezios's eyes once again lit up, "I thought you would never ask, my son."

"..."

"This is the last planet that I do not own. Once I buy it, this entire Vessel will be mine and I will finally have my 9th Vessel!"

"..." Van squinted his eyes as he heard Bezios's boasts.

"So tell me," he then said, "Why the richest man in the entire Systellions be one of the first people to be sent into an unknown universe? You could potentially have died here."

"Pft," Bezios quickly laughed, "Nothing can move past the Vessel's defenses."

"..."

"..."

Van could only blink a couple of times as he stared Bezios straight in the eyes; Bezios did the same, with his laugh slowly turning into an awkward chuckle.

"E… except you," Bezios then muttered.

"And I can kill you right now if I want to."

"Pl–"

"See!?"

And before Bezios could say any rebuttal, Maria suddenly joined in on the conversation and once again slapped his bald head.

"Even an alien who had only been here for who knows how short of a time thinks the same as me!" Maria bellowed.

"H… honey, not right now."

"No!" Maria pushed Bezios's waving hand away, "I told you Pontiff Tartys is starting to get threatened by your existence!"

"Nonsense," Bezios shook his head, "Why would a Pontiff even bother with someone like me?"

"You just said the reason! You are on your way to your 9th Vessel!" Maria clapped her hands a couple of times, "If someone who owns a quarter of all the Vessels isn't a threat, then who is!?"

"You are imagining things, honey," Bezios let out a small sigh as he tried to calm his wife, "A pontiff would not–"

"!!!"

And before he could even finish his words, a loud thunder suddenly erupted in the air; causing their visions to shake as the car started to tremble violently in place.

Bezios's screams, however, were even louder than the explosion… and even louder than the rumble that came after.

"W… what's happening!?" Bezios screamed as he and his wife both burrowed themselves into their seats, "Driver, what's going on!?"

"T… the path ahead exploded!"

"What!?"

"The tunnel caved in!"

"Then reverse!"

And with Bezios's order, the driver immediately drove back. However, not long after, Bezios once again screamed as his body almost flew straight towards Van, who was seated on the seat in front of them.

"W… what are you doing!?"

"There… there are cars blocking our path!" The driver quickly bellowed.

"W… what?" Bezios then lifted his head to look, only to see people coming out from several cars; holding guns in their hands.

"S… see!?" Maria shouted,

"I told you someone is after your life!"