After discovering the culprit, Akuji hurriedly requested a meeting with Regulus.
"What happened?"
Although Akuji was still undergoing punishment, he remained one of the supreme powers of the Interdimensional Alliance.
Thus, despite his busy schedule, Regulus made time to meet him.
"I found it! The one responsible for our losses in the Silent Void Expanse!" Akuji said excitedly.
"Oh? Who is it?"
Though he wasn't particularly concerned about such an insignificant loss, identifying the culprit who had tarnished the Interdimensional Council's name was still an accomplishment.
"It's Maximus Shadowcrest! The so-called Supreme Primordial Candidate!"
"Hm? It's him? As expected, he had such strength even without a River of Law," Regulus remarked, somewhat impressed.
Recalling Maximus's demeanor during their last encounter, Regulus couldn't help but feel admiration.
Such a man was destined to reach the Absolute sooner or later; as for the Overlord Realm, his chances were high.
"Huh?" Seeing Regulus praise Maximus instead of condemning him, Akuji stiffened.
"What?"
"That Maximus must be a spy! Destroying two of our Dimensional Void Ships and killing one of our members—he must be a pawn of the Devourer faction!" Akuji accused furiously.
Hearing this, Regulus's expression grew solemn.
Gazing at Akuji, a mighty pressure began to emanate from him. "Watch your words carefully. Even if he killed you, Maximus would still be a prodigy of the Dimensional Alliance!"
"Why? We are the Interdimensional Council! How can a mere Primordial Candidate wield influence over us?" Akuji shouted indignantly.
As he endured punishment, Maximus was basking in glory; how could Akuji not feel resentful?
"The importance of a Primordial Candidate is not something for you to dismiss. Don't underestimate them as weaklings now. Their significance might even surpass that of us, the Masters of Absolutes of Law,"
As one of Overlord Ascelon's trusted confidants, Regulus knew these Primordial Candidates were more than just reserve powerhouses.
Noticing that Akuji still hadn't calmed down, he frowned slightly.
"So, I can't do anything?" Akuji finally sobered, slumping down with a sigh.
"Anyway, you're not to touch him. Even the Master couldn't save you if you did."
...
A few months later, within the Tower of Knowledge, Maximus received a notification.
"From the Court of Council?"
The Court of Council was likely the strongest surface-level power, below the Overlords.
Although it had no Overlords, it housed the strongest Seven Absolutes:
The Absolute of Justice, Judgment, Righteousness, Sin, Purity, Equality, and Oath.
These figures originated from the early days of the Aeon Plane.
Although they hadn't reached the Overlord Realm, their power was said to rival it.
If not for their stance of neutrality, they might have become a major force apart from the Dimensional Alliance and the Devourers.
Seeing a notification from the Council, Maximus grew slightly solemn.
Fortunately, after reading it, his worry quickly disappeared.
"A notice to compensate the Interdimensional Council? What a joke~."
He had long expected it was only a matter of time before the Interdimensional Council discovered his alternate identity.
What surprised him was that they had gone through a legal channel rather than directly confronting him.
"It seems I'm more important than I thought..."
The domineering Interdimensional Council retracted its claws and attempted a reasonable approach?
This made Maximus suspicious, thinking of the deeper implications.
While his ultimate physique granted access to limitless origin energy—able to help Masters of the Ocean of Law advance to Absolute of Law—that was all it could do.
As for aiding someone in reaching the Overlord Realm, that was far-fetched.
Deducing the likelihood of such an event using the River of Knowledge, the answer he got was almost zero.
Having an importance beyond what he estimated could only mean one thing: he still had undiscovered abilities that he hadn't even anticipated.
Looking over the total compensation he was supposed to pay, Maximus sneered.
"Compensation? Heh, it should be you who should be compensating me."