Chapter 275: What condition?

Words : 1295 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

Chapter 275: What condition?"Well, there wasn’t much anyone could do about it." "Back in the day, that Thunder King from the Tower faction—his power was terrifying. The guy radiated divine might. And with his thunder-based abilities? That kind of elemental force is a natural counter to us sea creatures. It’s like we’re hardwired to lose against him." "Even Sea King Maelthorak, a Crimson Ultimate hero and a sovereign in his own right, couldn’t escape that fate." "If it hadn’t been for that, he wouldn’t still be carrying those injuries all these years later." At this point, Naga Swordmaster Kairos turned to Ethan again, his eyes glinting with something unreadable. "And there’s one more thing..." "Now that an Overlord-class being has stepped onto the battlefield and is personally leading the war effort, the frontlines are going to be brutal—hellish, even. If Maelthorak were still at his peak, maybe he could handle it. But in his current state... there’s a real chance he won’t make it out alive." "And honestly, whether it’s for you or for me, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?" Ethan blinked, caught off guard for a second. Then, slowly, a grin spread across his face. "You’re not wrong. I appreciate the info. Really, I do. But let’s get back to what actually matters—compensation." "You’re clever. I’ll give you that. Trying to steer the conversation toward the Crimsonstar Kingdom and the whole faction war. But I’m not that easy to fool. If you can’t cough up something that makes it worth my while..." "Well, then I’m afraid you’ll just have to get comfy in those Soulbind Shackles. Enjoy the peace and quiet. For a long, long time." "So, what’s it gonna be? Pay up, or die?" At that, Kairos’s face froze completely. He didn’t say a word for a long time. Because, truth be told, he hadn’t expected Ethan to be this damn hard to manipulate. He’d laid it all out—fed him the whole story—and still couldn’t get the kid to take the bait. Just like Ethan said, the plan had been to shift his focus. Get him to stop thinking about Kairos and start obsessing over the Crimsonstar Kingdom. Over Maelthorak. The idea was simple: Dangle an entire kingdom in front of him like a prize. He’s just a young upstart—how could he not be tempted? Add in the looming threat of the Sea King himself, and the psychological pressure alone should’ve been enough to push Ethan into overdrive. Make him desperate to grow stronger. To throw everything he had into attacking Crimsonstar Kingdom. It was a classic psychological play. Once Ethan got tunnel vision for that goal, Kairos’s own presence would fade into the background. And with that, slipping away would’ve been easy. But now? Kairos never imagined that the elaborate psychological trap he’d so carefully laid out would have absolutely zero effect on Ethan. They’d gone all the way down this rabbit hole, and yet this guy still hadn’t forgotten to shake him down for ransom? Kairos was shaking with rage. But beneath the anger, a chill crept down his spine. Because he knew—he knew all too well—just how rare and terrifying it was to meet someone who could stay so grounded, so unshakably focused, no matter what kind of bait you dangled in front of them. That kind of mental fortitude? That was dangerous. "Ahh..." Kairos let out a long sigh, a wave of helplessness washing over him. Then, with a resigned look, he said, "Alright. I can offer you a private compensation of fifty million gold coins, three thousand units of the six core resources, and fifty Tier-12 Naga Swordmasters..." Before he could even finish, Ethan cut him off coldly. "If that’s all you’ve got, then we’re done here." As he spoke, Ethan actually turned slightly, as if ready to walk away. "W-Wait!" Kairos’s face went stiff. He quickly called out, "Lord Valkarion, please—just hear me out! Why don’t you just tell me straight—what exactly do I have to pay to walk out of here alive?" "Fine. I’ll spell it out for you." Ethan stopped in his tracks, turned back, and stared him down with icy eyes. "First off—two hundred million gold. Five thousand units of the six core resources. Or, if you want, you can substitute with rare resources—one unit of rare equals one million gold." "Two... two hundred million?!" Kairos looked like he’d just been slapped across the face. "Lord... Lord Valkarion, isn’t that a bit much? Even if you sold me piece by piece, I couldn’t scrape together that kind of money..." he said, practically on the verge of tears. "Minimum’s one-fifty. Not a coin less. Don’t tell me a top lieutenant of the Sea King himself can’t cough up that much for his own damn life?" Ethan snorted, his tone laced with mockery. Kairos stood there in silence for a long moment. Then finally, he clenched his jaw and nodded. "Alright... fine. One hundred and fifty million gold, and ten thousand units of core resources. I’ll pay it. Just... please, Lord Valkarion, honor your word..." Before he could finish, Ethan waved a hand dismissively. "I’m not done. What, you thought that was enough to buy your freedom?" Kairos’s pupils shrank sharply. He stared at Ethan, body trembling slightly. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine. Keep going." "Resources were just the start. Now we’re talking troops. I want ten Tier-14 Mythic Units, and thirty Tier-13 Legendary Units—" Ethan began, but Kairos cut him off immediately. "Forget it. That’s not happening," Kairos said flatly, without a second of hesitation. "Not happening?" Ethan’s eyes narrowed, his voice turning cold. "You sure about that?" "Lord Valkarion, surely you understand," Kairos said, his tone steady but edged with urgency. "Tier-14 and Tier-13 units aren’t just high-level troops—they’re heavily regulated strategic assets. Every major faction keeps them under tight control. I’ll admit, I do have a few Tier-14 Sacred Kirins and some Tier-13 Kirins under my command... but their soul ownership belongs to Sea King Maelthorak." He paused, eyes flickering as he studied Ethan’s face. "If you really want them, I can arrange something..." he added, his gaze unwavering—no hesitation, no fear. Ethan’s expression didn’t change. His face was calm, unreadable. But inside, he let out a quiet sigh. So it really is a dead end... After a moment, he shook his head and said coolly, "Then give me 200 Tier-12 Naga Swordmasters. And 500 Tier-11 Naga Swordsmen." "Done." This time, Kairos agreed without missing a beat. He even raised an eyebrow and asked, "Anything else?" "One last thing," Ethan said, locking eyes with him. His voice dropped a notch, slow and deliberate. "I’m going to make a move on the Crimsonstar Kingdom. You’re going to help me from the shadows. When the profits come in, we split them—eighty-twenty. I take eighty. You get twenty. Can you live with that?" "Yes." Kairos nodded firmly, and for a brief second, something wild flickered in his eyes. "But I can’t help you directly right now. You should know—when a Hero Unit dies, it takes time to resurrect. For me, that could be ten years at best... maybe even decades." "So if you want my help, I’ll have to send someone else in my place." "Who?" Ethan asked, eyes narrowing slightly. "You don’t need to worry about that," Kairos replied. "His strength is just a notch below mine. More than enough to deal with a minor kingdom like Crimsonstar. And most importantly—I trust him completely. He’ll deliver the compensation to you on my behalf." "Fine," Ethan said with a nod. Then Kairos suddenly added, "Lord Valkarion, I’d like you to agree to one condition of mine as well." Ethan’s eyes sharpened. "What condition? Speak."

Chapter 275: What condition?

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