https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-465-The-Negotiation-with-the-Great-Sultan/13676898/
Chapter 466: Truce
Great Sultan stared hard at the Red Dragon, his voice tight with suppressed fury. “Kai Xiusu… what do you really want?”
There was no denying it—he was utterly outmatched in this negotiation.
And he had to admit, the timing of this Red Dragon’s arrival was nothing short of perfect.
The Fire Titan Realm was on the brink of collapse. Any external interference could trigger irreversible consequences—especially from a creature like a Dragon.
Kai Xiusu nodded slowly, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Excellent, Your Majesty, Great Sultan. It seems you’ve accepted my second proposal.”
The Red Dragon unfurled its wings, letting out a dramatic sigh. “Ah… why didn’t we just do this from the start? I’ve always believed one thing: if it can be settled at the negotiating table, there’s no need to resort to bloodshed.”
He paused, eyes sharp. “Unfortunately, your subordinates lack that wisdom.”
Thanks to the influence of Charmer, his words carried an almost convincing weight. But Great Sultan—a being of semi-divine power—was utterly immune to supernatural charisma.
After hearing Kai Xiusu’s words, the Great Sultan’s eyes flared with fury. His voice dropped to a dangerous growl. “Enough! Kai Xiusu!”
Your theatrics disgust me. State your demands, then leave the Elemental Plane of Fire—now.”
Kai Xiusu didn’t flinch. If anything, he almost laughed.
But he wasn’t about to provoke this Great Sultan into a full-scale battle. Fighting a semi-divine entity on equal ground would be a disaster for the Empire of Ashen, still in its early stages.
So the Red Dragon bowed slightly, politely, then extended one clawed toe.
“One hundred wishes per year. Surely, a ruler with tens of thousands of Fire Giants under your command, and leadership over half the Elemental Plane of Fire, wouldn’t find that unreasonable?”
“What?!” Great Sultan’s face twisted in shock, then rage.
In a flash of fury, he slammed his translucent scepter into the ground. Cracks erupted across the wasteland, fissures spewing fire, radiating outward from the point of impact. The earth trembled. Fire birds scattered in panic, fleeing the sky.
How dare he ask such a thing?
Not every Fire Giant could grant wishes. Only those of immense power—those noticed by the Plane’s consciousness—were granted such gifts. And those with three wishes? They were rarer than stars.
He led over a hundred thousand Fire Giants, including thousands of powerful Fire Giants—yet only nine hundred wishes were granted each year.
And that was already terrifying.
Wishes granted by Fire Giants could sway Devil Princes, Elemental Princes, and secure dominance over the Elemental Plane. To mortals, they became gods of legend—mythical beasts.
Even for the Great Sultan, these wishes were invaluable.
And this Dragon dared ask for one hundred?
All in exchange for nothing more than a truce… and a promise not to interfere in the war?
“Foolish fantasy!” Great Sultan roared. “The Fire Giant Empire will never accept such an outrageous demand! If you’re only trying to provoke me, then let the war begin!”
Though furious, the Great Sultan remained rational. If this Dragon truly entered the game, he’d have to sacrifice some of his hidden weapons.
Kai Xiusu’s expression remained unchanged—calm, unreadable. His gaze didn’t flicker with disappointment.
So it’s impossible, then.
He didn’t want war with the Fire Giant Empire. A nation with millennia of history, ruled by a semi-divine monarch? The Empire of Ashen couldn’t survive a full-scale war.
The demand for one hundred wishes wasn’t sincere—it was merely a tactic. As his past life would say, the house-breaking effect. First, propose an impossible condition. Then, offer a more reasonable one. The second would seem far more acceptable by comparison.
With a faint, almost apologetic tone, Kai Xiusu said, “Your Majesty, I apologize. Perhaps I was too bold.”
He paused, then continued. “How about this? Fifty wishes per year. And I’ll provide you with a supply of weapons.”
Silence.
Long and heavy.
Finally, the Great Sultan spoke, his voice low, grim. “Red Dragon… your greed exceeds all bounds. Even the Devil Princes would never demand a hundred wishes from me each year.”
He took a breath. “Fine. I’ll make you three conditions.”
Kai Xiusu locked eyes with the Great Sultan, his voice firm and unwavering.
“First: You will grant twenty-five wishes annually to the Empire of Ashen, for at least ten years.”
“Second: You will purchase weapons from the Claudew Military Industry Group using massive amounts of Elemental Ore, generating revenue equivalent to five million Golden Nael.”
“Third: The cities of Bronze Fortress, City of Iron, and Black Iron City shall become concession zones under the Empire of Ashen’s jurisdiction—exclusively.”
“This is my final offer,” he added. “If you refuse… then you clearly have no real desire for peace. In that case, I’ll have no choice but to support the Holy Flame Prince instead.”
The Red Dragon’s pale golden eyes flickered with flame-light, reflecting the towering, imposing silhouette of the Great Sultan.
“Impudence!”
“Red Dragon! How dare you speak to my sovereign like this!”
Before the Great Sultan could respond, Ismael stepped forward, fury blazing in his voice.
But Kai Xiusu ignored him.
He was waiting—for the Great Sultan’s answer.
To the Red Dragon, the Pasha—now weakened, stripped of much of his strength—had no right to speak in this negotiation.
The Great Sultan remained silent, lost in thought. Weighing the cost. Calculating whether he could afford to accept these terms.
Ismael glared at the enemy. One by one, he summoned Fire Giant soldiers, drawing bows, aiming them at the distant Red Dragon.
Behind Kai Xiusu, the Empire’s army raised their rifles, silent and deadly, targeting the giant hundreds of meters away.
The air, already scorching, grew thick with tension—like a spark waiting to ignite.
“Enough.”
The Great Sultan’s voice cut through the silence.
“I accept.”
His expression was grim. Each word was deliberate.
In this moment, there was no point in wasting strength over a single loss. Not when facing a Primordial Dragon.
Kai Xiusu grinned wide, bowing toward the distant crimson giant in a gesture of respect. His relief was unmistakable.
“Excellent, Your Majesty! This is truly a momentous day!”
He raised a claw. “Sign this Pact, and this matter is settled. Past grievances are forgotten. From now on, the Fire Titan Realm and the Empire of Ashen will walk side by side into a bright future.”
With a graceful flick of his claw, the Red Dragon summoned the power of the Elemental Plane. Flames danced in midair, forming glowing, intricate runes—symbols of binding magic.
Seeing this, the Fire Titan Pasha Ismael trembled with rage, but dared not speak. This power—this authority—had once been his.
“Come, Your Majesty,” Kai Xiusu said, his mind commanding the Pact to float before the Great Sultan’s projection.
The crimson giant reached out, pressing his finger into the contract, pouring his will into it.
嗡——
A pulse of crimson light erupted. The very essence of the plane shivered. The Pact was sealed.
The Great Sultan’s voice was strained, almost painful. “In all my millennia… I have met many dragons. But you… you are the most greedy I have ever seen.”
Kai Xiusu bowed again, smiling. “Your Majesty, thank you for the compliment. This, after all, is simply the nature of a Red Dragon.”
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
