MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

The following day arrived swiftly, its presence undeniable.

In the grand Patriarch's hall, Anthony sat with his father, his gaze fixed upon him with quiet intensity.

His posture was composed, yet the weight of his unspoken question hung in the air, one he had long awaited an answer to, yet never received.

His father, Michael, sat across from him, a silent figure of authority.

His expression was unreadable, as always, yet there was a certain weight in the air, a subtle tension between father and son that spoke volumes without a single word.

Anthony had done as he had promised, won the bloodbath, defeated the other champions, and claimed victory.

But now, with that triumph behind him, the questions that had lingered, unanswered, began to press in with an urgency he could no longer ignore.

Michael broke the silence, not with words, but with a single gesture.

From his palm, he casually tossed a small, crystalline orb across the table.

It glimmered under the light, its surface smooth and unassuming, yet Anthony felt the weight of it in the air.

This was no ordinary object, it was a memory crystal, an object that could contain vast amounts of information, memories, knowledge.

The very essence of a person's mind could be imprinted within it, accessible to those who knew how to unlock its contents.

Anthony reached out, fingers brushing the cool surface of the crystal.

Without hesitation, he placed it against his forehead, feeling the faint tingle as it activated.

His mind recoiled momentarily, not from fear, but from the sheer force of what was about to happen.

Then, like a floodgate opening, a torrent of information rushed into him.

The memories, the knowledge, poured in so rapidly that it seemed like it had almost overwhelmed his senses.

It was as if a hundred voices, all speaking at once, filled his mind with the weight of centuries.

He saw flashes of scenes, vast cities, starships traversing worlds, battles fought in the cold expanse of space, and worlds he had never imagined.

And then, in a single, focused moment, the truth unfolded before him.

Blue Planet, his home world, was not the only world in its galaxy.

In fact, it was just one of many, all of which had made a discovery, a discovery that would change the course of history.

Two million years ago, a remarkable piece of information was uncovered.

They had learned of a planet, a world hidden deep in the cosmos, a planet known as Verdanthia.

Verdanthia was a planet unlike any other.

Its resources were beyond measure, so rich and abundant that even the most powerful beings in the galaxy were lured by its promise.

For cultivators at the peak of their powers, Verdanthia was a dream come true, a treasure trove of materials that could fuel further growth, further power, and further control.

There was no temptation greater than what this planet could offer.

But Verdanthia was not to remain a secret for long.

The moment the discovery reached the ears of the great powers, it set off a chain of events that reshaped the galaxy.

More than a hundred different planets, from all corners of the galaxy, had caught wind of Verdanthia.

Each one set its sights on the planet, and each one made its journey toward it.

What followed was inevitable.

Upon arrival, these planets, each with their own might, fought ferociously for control over the planet's bountiful resources.

Blue Planet's initial foray into this conflict had ended in bloodshed.

They were not the only ones who had lost, but the tragedy was the same, none of the initial expeditions returned.

Those that were sent to claim Verdanthia had been slain by the others, wiped out in a conflict of incomprehensible scale.

But this was not just about Blue Planet.

It was not just a war for Verdanthia's riches.

The very existence of the planet, and the knowledge of its location, was a threat, not just to the people of Blue Planet, but to every world that knew of it.

A single race was responsible for ensuring that the conflict did not spiral out of control, that it did not escalate to a cataclysm that would consume the entire galaxy.

Demons.

These creatures, monsters in their own right, had ravaged countless worlds, leaving destruction in their wake.

They cared little for resources, but they thrived on chaos, on suffering.

If the demons had learned of Verdanthia, the very existence of the galaxy might have been at risk.

They could not be allowed to know.

And so, for more than two thousand years, the battle for Verdanthia continued in the shadows.

What followed was an agreement, forged out of the necessity for survival.

The galaxy's many powers would hold the planet's riches, but not for themselves alone.

Every hundred thousand years, each planet would send a champion to represent them in a contest, a competition where the victors would claim a portion of Verdanthia's bounty.

The rules were simple: only the top ten champions would gain access to Verdanthia's resources, with the top winner given first pick.

The runner up planet would choose second, and so on.

The competition would ensure that Verdanthia's resources were not depleted, that the planet could continue to grow and replenish itself.

No one could afford to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs.

The battle was to be fierce, but it was to be restrained.

In the end, it was all about balance, about ensuring the survival of the galaxy as a whole.

But not all planets played by the rules.

Some, frustrated by their continual failure to place in the top ten, had resorted to more desperate measures.
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There were whispers of attempts to leak the information about Verdanthia to the demons, but those attempts had met with swift and decisive retribution.

The consequence was annihilation, as the collective forces of the galaxy would converge to obliterate any world that dared to betray the fragile peace that had been forged.

Blue Planet had participated in the competition numerous times, but its success had been limited.

The planet had only ever ranked in the top ten twice, a far cry from the success of some of the other, more powerful worlds.

But those two victories had marked them as a force to be reckoned with.

And now, with Anthony as the champion, they stood at the precipice of something greater.

The question remained, however: what would this victory mean for him, and for the future of Blue Planet?

As the flood of memories slowly receded, Anthony was left with a deep understanding of the stakes.

He understood what he represented now, not just his own planet, but the delicate balance between all the worlds that vied for the resources of Verdanthia.

His victory would earn Blue Planet the right to claim a portion of these resources.

He was the representative of his people, the one who stood between their advancements and their abasement.

As the final fragments of the memory crystal faded from his consciousness, Anthony sat in quiet contemplation.

Blue Planet had earned two previous victories, but the road ahead would not be easy.

The galaxy was vast, and the competition would only grow fiercer with each passing moment.

Yet, for now, there was only one truth: He had to step in.