Chapter 301: This was the turning point

Words : 1130 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

Chapter 301: This was the turning pointBANG! Astharel’s legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed back into his seat with a heavy thud, completely drained of strength. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he finally lifted his head. His face had gone ghostly pale, and his eyes locked onto Ethan’s with a mix of disbelief and desperation. His voice came out hoarse, almost a whisper, but laced with panic. "But if you’re planning to rise in the Crimsonstar Kingdom and the Five Sea Kingdoms region... that means you’ll be going up against the Greenwave Empire and the Eight Grand Duchies of the Sacred Continent—at the same time! You? You alone? What makes you think you can pull that off?! What do you have to back you up?!" Ethan gave a small, almost amused smile. He stood up slowly, eyes narrowing as he looked down at Astharel. "My backup?" he said coolly. "I’ve got three Crimson Ultimate heroes. Does that count?" Boom. It was like someone had slammed a hammer straight into Astharel’s chest. He froze. His whole body trembled, and then he fell into stunned silence. Three Crimson Ultimate heroes. Three. That absolutely counted. Hell, even the Greenwave Empire—this towering, seemingly invincible force in his eyes—only had one Crimson Ultimate hero, as far as he knew. And Ethan had three? If you were measuring power by the number of Crimson Ultimate heroes alone, then Ethan’s potential future influence would be at least three times that of the Greenwave Empire. At least. And that wasn’t even the scariest part. Three Crimson Ultimate heroes weren’t just a simple one-plus-one-plus-one equation. Their combined strength didn’t just add up—it multiplied. Exponentially. The more Astharel thought about it, the more his confidence began to crack. And then Ethan spoke again. "Your Majesty Astharel, let me be blunt. Whether I can survive the pressure from the Eight Grand Duchies and the Greenwave Empire, whether I can grow strong in the chaos between them—that’s still up in the air. But one thing’s for sure: the moment I take down the Crimsonstar Kingdom, your Gemspire Kingdom will be next in line." He paused, letting the words sink in. "And when that time comes... how much of a chance do you think you’ll really have?" "Or do you honestly believe the other Five Sea Kingdoms will throw everything they’ve got just to save you?" Ethan’s voice dropped, sharp and cold. "Even if all five of you band together, do you really think you can stand against the divine wrath of Crimson Ultimate heroes?" He shook his head slowly, his tone turning blunt, almost casual. "Look, I don’t know yet if Emerald Castle will come out on top against the Eight Grand Duchies and the Greenwave Empire. Maybe we’ll rise in the chaos, maybe we won’t. But what I do know is this—if we end up on opposite sides..." "Then the Five Sea Kingdoms—at the very least, your Gemspire Kingdom—is going down. No question." He leaned in slightly, voice low and deliberate. "Of course, Your Majesty, if you wait until that moment to surrender... well, let’s just say I might not even accept it by then. And even if I do, it won’t be seen as noble. It’ll just make you another broken ruler, crawling to beg for mercy." "But right now? If you choose to stand with me now, this isn’t betrayal. It’s survival. It’s choosing the winning side while you still have the chance. And believe me—I don’t forget the ones who back me when it counts." Ethan didn’t bother saying more. He’d laid it all out. You can be part of something bigger... or end up as cannon fodder when the war breaks out. Now, it was up to Astharel to decide. "I’ll give you three days to think it over," Ethan said, turning toward the door. "Give me your answer by then. And don’t worry—I promise you’ll leave here safely, no matter what you decide. I won’t lay a finger on you. You have my word." With that, Ethan turned and walked away. "No need." The words cut through the air just as Ethan finished speaking. The voice—hoarse, low—came from behind him. Ethan froze for a second, then slowly turned around, eyes narrowing as they locked onto the source. It was Astharel. The Jewel King’s expression flickered with emotion, and to Ethan’s surprise, he was already lowering himself—his body moving into a posture of submission. Thud! With a heavy sound, Astharel dropped to one knee. His head bowed low, his hand trembling as he pressed it to his chest. Then, in a voice that still carried the weight of pride, but now laced with solemnity, he spoke: "I, Astharel, King of the Gemspire Kingdom, pledge my people and my soldiers to Emerald Castle. From this day forward, we will stand as one. I only ask, my lord, that you treat the people of Gemspire with fairness and honor." He paused for a breath, then slowly raised his head. And then—he lowered it again, this time fully bowing before Ethan, his voice steady and clear. "Your servant, Astharel, greets you, my lord." Thud! At the same time, on the other side of the room, The Tidebreaker Paxton silently dropped to one knee as well. With unwavering respect, he echoed the words: "Your servant, Paxton, greets you, my lord." But this time, there was no system chime. No reward notification. Just silence. "Stand up, both of you," Ethan said, shaking his head with a faint smile. He stepped forward and helped them to their feet, his voice calm but resolute. "Emerald Castle may not be strong enough yet. But I promise you—years from now, you won’t regret taking this risk today." He looked at them both, eyes gleaming. "Welcome to Emerald Castle, Astharel. Paxton." The two men exchanged a glance, then stepped back and gave a deep, formal Cavalier’s salute—fists to chest, heads bowed. "In accordance with your will, great lord!" "In accordance with your will, great lord!" "Let’s seal the pact," Ethan said with a grin. He reached out, and moments later, the contract between him and Astharel was signed. It was a basic-level mercenary agreement, nothing too binding—but for now, it was more than enough. This changes everything, Ethan thought, excitement bubbling in his chest. With the Gemspire Kingdom on our side, the pressure from Sylvanwood should ease up a lot. After all, Gemspire wasn’t some second-rate kingdom like Stellamaris. Not even close. Just having The Tidebreaker Paxton alone was a massive boost—he was the kind of powerhouse who could carry an entire front line on his back. And that was just the beginning. Gemspire’s armies, its elite units, its resources—they were all coming with him.

Chapter 301: This was the turning point

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