"So..." Grand Duke Opriston chuckled, his voice smooth and deliberate as he continued, "this is basically a gamble. But if we win? The payoff will be massive—beyond anything you can imagine. Honestly, to put it bluntly, that’s exactly why I’m in. Opportunities like this don’t co around often. And my ambition? It won’t let stay confined to just one of the Five Sea Kingdoms..."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with intensity.
"Tell , gentlen—don’t you want to be like Oislor? To beco a true ruler of the seas? A king among kings? Don’t tell none of you have dread of that. I have! Every single night, for years!"
"We’re all kings here. So why the hell should Oislor get to stand above us like it’s his birthright? Why should he get to pull the strings, suppress us, trample over us like we’re nothing? He treats us like cannon fodder, stunts our growth—and you’re telling none of you are sick of it?!"
You had to admit—Grand Duke Opriston was a master manipulator. A true political animal.
Every word he spoke hit like a dagger to the heart for the three rulers listening—Astharel, Zurei, and Regnar XI. Even if they wanted to ignore him, to brush it off, they couldn’t.
They were kings. Ambition was in their blood. But the Greenwave Empire—and more specifically, the Erald Emperor Oislor—was like a mountain pressing down on their backs, keeping them from ever rising higher.
And that? That was sothing they could never truly accept.
But the reality was harsh. The Greenwave Empire was a powerhouse, backed by the terrifying might of a Crimson Ultimate Hero. No matter how much they resented it, they’d had no choice but to bow their heads and play along.
Until now.
Because Opriston was right—if they really couldn’t stomach it anymore...
Then this was their once-in-a-lifeti shot.
Helping soone in dire need always pays off more than flattering soone already on top. If Sea King Maelthorak could survive this crisis... they could flip the entire board.
With a Sea King’s power backing them, they wouldn’t just be minor kingdoms anymore. They could rise—maybe even beco a dominant force themselves.
But not everyone was fully on board.
The Jewel King, Astharel, was having second thoughts.
He wasn’t like the others. He’d already pledged allegiance to Erald Castle. He’d crossed a line he couldn’t uncross. Whether it was Maelthorak or Byolarn, neither of them really mattered to him anymore.
And yet...
Even from this angle, he could see a sliver of opportunity.
A different kind of opportunity—one the others hadn’t noticed.
He glanced at Grand Duke Opriston, who wore that sa calm, unreadable smile. Then at Zurei and Regnar XI, both of whom had gone quiet, clearly deep in thought.
And in that mont, a wild idea sparked in Astharel’s mind.
"I wonder... would Lord Valkarion of Erald Castle be interested in Maelthorak? If Prince Kyros could sohow get his hands on the Primordial Force of Maelthorak’s Crimson Ultimate Hero... that would be insane. The kind of power that could change everything."
But before he could dwell on the thought any longer—
Zurei suddenly broke the silence.
"Enough with the speeches, Opriston," he said, his tone sharp. "Just tell us what you want. No more dancing around it. I want to hear exactly what you’re asking before I decide anything."
"Sa here," Regnar XI added with a nod.
They were kings, after all. Calculated. Rational. Even if Opriston’s words had stirred sothing in them, they weren’t about to commit without knowing the full picture.
That was the smart move.
Opriston didn’t answer right away. Instead, he turned to Astharel.
"And you, Astharel?"
His gaze lingered a little longer than necessary, a flicker of scrutiny in his eyes.
Sothing about Astharel’s reaction had caught his attention—sothing that didn’t quite sit right.
"I’m thinking the sa as them," Astharel said calmly. "But—Opriston, let’s be real here. Even if the few of us tead up, we wouldn’t stand a chance. Not against Sea King Byolarn, and definitely not against the Greenwave Empire. They could wipe us out a hundred tis over without breaking a sweat.
"So if Maelthorak’s plan is to have us go up against Byolarn... sorry, but I’m out."
He paused, then added with a faint smile, "No matter how rare or tempting the opportunity is, staying alive still matters more than anything else. Don’t you agree?"
You had to hand it to him—if Grand Duke Opriston was a master persuader, then Astharel was a damn good actor.
It was a perfect counterplay. He’d clearly noticed Opriston’s suspicious gaze earlier, so instead of getting defensive, he leaned into it—retreating just enough to make his earlier hesitation seem perfectly reasonable.
And honestly, he wasn’t wrong. With their current strength, going up against a Sea King like Byolarn was suicide.
So if that’s what they were being asked to do, then his earlier reaction made total sense.
"You’re absolutely right..." Opriston chuckled, nodding in agreent. "Don’t worry, gentlen. Sea King Maelthorak isn’t asking you to do anything that reckless."
"In fact, at least for now, we’re not planning to go up against Sea King Byolarn at all. What we need from you is much simpler—just help Maelthorak recover. That’s it."
"For real?!" Grand Duke Zurei burst out laughing, clearly relieved. "Then what do we need to do?"
"Crimsonstar Kingdom... no, actually, to be more precise—Erald Castle," Opriston said, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Erald Castle?" Zurei blinked, confused.
But Regnar XI’s expression shifted subtly, a flicker of realization crossing his face. As for Astharel—his heart skipped a beat. He managed to keep his face neutral, but inside, alarms were going off.
"You’re saying Maelthorak’s real target... is the Kirin Hero in Erald Castle?" Regnar XI asked, his eyes narrowing.
Of course he knew exactly what this was about.
After all, he was the one who’d first gone to Maelthorak and spilled the beans about Kyros.
So the mont Opriston ntioned Erald Castle, he imdiately connected the dots.
As expected... Sea King Maelthorak had set his sights on the Kirin Hero of Erald Castle.
...
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