NOVEL NEXT Chapter 104: Negotiating
Lionel's brows furrowed as he stared at the back of the man who had just appeared from apparently nowhere.
He could feel the subtle shift in the atmosphere upon the man's arrival.
The ether in the air became more lively, seeping into his pores faster, accompanied by a commanding aura that seemed to permeate the surroundings.
Though Lionel felt the presence to be soothing and comforting — almost like he had found a reliable shelter that could surely weather him from any storm — he could tell the enemy parties didn't get the same treatment.
A pressure like none other bore down on the six Lords. Lux grimaced.
"This… this guy, he definitely hasn't gotten weak since then." A flash of memory of the clash between Roy and Belzebub streamed fresh in his mind.
Feeling uneasy, Lux decided to transmit to his comrades telepathically:
"This guy is trouble…"
The others weren't stupid. They could all feel the domineering presence of the Lord before them, and it was obvious they had to take things cautiously.
Meanwhile, from the Captains' side, Ashley's eyes watered, turning red as she bowed a knee.
"Greetings, Lord!!!"
All guards and even Lionel himself were shocked agape, but that didn't stop the simultaneous thudding of knees.
"Greetings, Lord!!!"
Roy's back remained straight and unblemished, his scattered silver hair bristling in the wind.
He turned back, meeting Ashley's teary gaze with a smile.
"I am back."
He sighed, adding:
"Sorry for leaving you guys for so long, letting you take charge of all my burdens."
Ashley couldn't hold it any longer as tears streamed from her eyes. This display wasn't sadness — it was the result of overwhelming joy and relief.
Roy's gaze softened.
"You can rest. I will handle it from here."
Lionel's heart thumped hard, excitement filling his being.
"Finally I get to see my Lord! This is the best day yet. I just hope I can get closer to him and form bonds… That way my strength…"
Lionel licked his lips, eyes glowing with fervor at the thought.
At the front of the six enemy Lords, Alstera's pupils constricted, her mind overcome by shock the moment she saw Roy.
"Of all the scenarios I considered… to think I met him like this." Her inner mind broiled in turmoil.
But as an expert Lord, she was quick to get hold of her emotions.
"Finally we meet the Lord of this great territory." She voiced, her tone fainter than usual, almost as though she didn't want her true voice to be known.
Roy finally turned his gaze back toward his foes, an alarming notification blinking in view:
[Host is before three core causes of evil on this continent: Theft, Drug Dealing, and Mass Slaughter!
Three blights have tainted Host territory…]
[Quest issued: Deal with Nemesis Orders.]
[Details: There are two requirements for succeeding…
1. Capture them as prisoners. Reward: Legendary-grade elixir.
2. Kick them out of your territory. Reward: Epic-grade elixir.]
Roy's arms parted, his palms opening. He spoke, his voice directed at Lionel:
"Let me borrow these for a second."
The Captain merely felt a lightness, and before he knew it, his weapons were no longer in his grasp. Instead, they were now held tightly in Roy's parted arms.
"From my observation, I seem to sense you guys were planning on clashing with me?" His voice was cold and commanding.
Alstera's veil swerved as she shook her head gently, explaining:
"No, we had no original intention of clashing with you. Your subordinates denied us a meeting, hence why we had to take things into our own hands."
Roy's brows raised.
"What could you possibly want to see me for? Last I checked, I don't know any of you."
The Lords by Alstera's side were beginning to get unnerved by Roy's way of speaking.
"This guy… he definitely needs a beating," Haron thought with gritted teeth.
Meanwhile, Lux's frown deepened, his eyes frosting as he transmitted to Alstera:
"Don't tell me you're planning on recruiting him?"
The lady Lord merely gave him a sideways glance and left him unanswered.
Instead, she replied to Roy:
"To invite you into our circle, of course. A prestigious entity such as yourself has earned our notice, and we decided to give you a chance to join us."
Roy rested the two batons on his shoulders, his head tilting.
"And what makes you think I want to join you?"
Alstera didn't get offended. Instead, she explained:
"You're a latecomer, so you wouldn't know this fact. As a matter of fact, most earlycomers don't either…"
Roy's eyes brightened. He had just awakened from slumber, so to get more info about this plane was nice. His ears perked up in expectation.
"You see, territory clashes wouldn't be wise at this point in time, as they would only make us weaker. Arcana has three stages of evolution which occur naturally over the three years of safety under the plane barrier.
The first is the land merge. Just like Earth, Arcana is split into seven continents… and in ten months' time, they will all merge."
Alstera paused, observing Roy's expression. Seeing he was interested, she continued:
"All continents are in constant motion, moving to merge, and this will be completed by year's end. We have to be prepared before then.
We can't tell if others from other continents will be hostile or friendly, so we have to be united, focusing full concentration on development of territories and self."
Roy nodded in understanding.
"I understand… But from my perspective, there should be other alliances between other Lords. With there being multiple allied entities, your vision would be hard to achieve."
This time, the one who spoke up to reply was Lord Merkan.
"You're looking at this the wrong way. Our alliance consists of the strongest. With us breathing down their necks, other alliances dare not clash with each other in fear of us taking advantage when they are weak."
Lux by now was vexed out of his mind. These guys were busy negotiating with someone he had deemed his prey.
His eyes flickered dangerously.
"Let's not act rashly first and see what he would pick… Regardless, after today I need to reestablish my hold over this circle."
As Lux was thinking, his eyes were glued onto Roy, who seemed to be pondering something for a few seconds. Then, shaking his head, Roy gave an answer.
An answer that put a grin on Lux's face…
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to pass."