Primordial Expanse: I have the Strongest Talent!

However, despite knowing that everything could have gone to shit already, Alex didn't fret over the thought.

He knew that doing so was only a waste of his time and energy. There was nothing he could do about it, since he needed to become a B Rank if he wanted to leave the Primordial Expanse and return to the outside universe, since he was still stuck as a measly B- Rank for the time being.

And in order to do that, he needed to kill 100 B+ Rank Variant class beings…

That itself was the biggest hurdle he had to climb before any of his plans involving him heading back to the outside universe, with the ongoing war in the Andromeda Galaxy, could come to fruition.

To be frank, Alex had no idea how he was going to fulfill that requirement anytime soon, since where the fuck was he supposed to find 100 B+ Rank Variant class beings exactly!?

Well, he could guess one place… a realm of the Primordial Expanse where one of the civilisations near the centre of the universe presided, but that was entirely different story in and of itself.

Not only would he have to find a way over there, which even though his relationship with the Solari race was gradually in the process of being built, he doubted that anybody would willingly give him the information about how to get to one, or where a fracture leading to one might be.

The Solari didn't trust him enough for that just yet…

'Wait!'

However, Alex had a brilliant thought just then that might actually change that fact.

The Solari were already going to give him access to their records of the fractures to find any possible relation to Mikhail and his forge, so he potentially kill two birds with one stone!

Knowing Mikhail and his legendary status as a smith with capabilities rivalling the so called 'gods', his forge would probably be located somewhere nearer to the centre of the universe, or its Primordial Expanse equivalent.

Since they had already made the promise, the Solari wouldn't be able to stop him from searching for and exploring realms related to the centre of the universe if he found information regarding Mikhail related to one of them.

They had already proven themselves to be a rather honest race, so he severely doubted they would renege on that deal.

'Though this all hinges on them actually having some information in their records related to Mikhail, and or his forge.'

Alex prayed inwardly for this to be the case, but he shifted his attention back to the immediate situation at hand, since he was still in the middle of negotiations with the Conclave.

The short moment of silence the Conclave had given him to think were over now, as they finally spoke once again.

"This… Your answer is outside of our predictions… We need to think things over before we give you our answer on these negotiations." One of them spoke to him in what sounded to Alex like a skeptical tone.

That same Solari turned stiff as they paused the projection to speak with other members of their race on their own side of the conversation.

Many others joined them.

However, Alex didn't give them all the chance to leave and deliberate in their own time, as he decided to give them all a piece of his mind.

"Listen, how about we skip all these formalities – which are, quite frankly, a giant waste of our time – and move on to the more important stuff?" He spoke to the twelve Solari of the Conclave without using his polite, diplomatic tone this time.

Even though most of them had already paused their projections, so Alex couldn't see their reactions, his words still reached them as the feed from his side was still live.

Those who didn't have the chance to leave just yet frowned though, as they gave Alex what looked like a combination of annoyance… and intrigue.

One of them looked like he wanted to end these negotiations right then and there, since Alex's tone quite obviously triggered the guy's ego or such, but he was stopped before he could commit to anything by another, more senior member.

"Go on." He spoke to Alex without a single ounce of emotion in his tone.

Sure, he was giving Alex a chance to speak, but that didn't mean he was just going to go with whatever he said mindlessly. If he didn't like what he heard, then he too, would end the negotiations then and there.

That was just how fickle politics could be, especially between two parties representing two entirely different people.

"From the very beginning, it's quite clear that none of you took me seriously. You didn't show it outwardly, but you all clearly looked at me as some immature child with dreams and aspirations that far outstretched reality. I'm guessing you also didn't believe my diplomatic status from the moment you first heard me utter the words. But, I can assure you that I know my shit." Alex continued speaking.

He didn't give any of them the chance to interrupt as he wasn't done yet.

"I've seen and done shit that not even some of you might have experienced in your long lives. So, why don't we just cut the shit and get down to what really matters in this meeting. What YOU guys really want from me – from my civilisation."

Alex made his intentions clear.

"There's only one thing a civilisation like your own, one so powerful that you occupy your own space nearer to the centre of the universe, could want from a fresh new civilisation like my own. An alliance." Alex revealed to everyone present, though he was only speaking their thoughts aloud.

If the Grand Cartographer could read everyone's thoughts there, she would know that Alex's words hit the nail in the coffin.

Intrigue and surprise rung through the minds of those of the Conclave as they realised that Alex had grasped their intentions.

Of course, a bigger, stronger, older civilisation like theirs forming an alliance with a newbie civilisation like the Federation wasn't common.

Because it wasn't.

They very clearly wanted to take advantage of the Federation for their own benefit.