If he were to march against the Empire now, as one of the most powerful Dark Lords, the Empire would undoubtedly focus its superior forces to take him down first.
Facing the onslaught of three Rank S beings, plus countless Heroes... Even if Ethan won, it would be a Pyrrhic victory.
Furthermore, this would just be doing a favor for the other Dark Lords by blocking the Empire's top-tier forces.
After such a victory, he'd still have to face a bunch of Dark Lords whose strength has surged. This deal just wouldn't be worth it.
By accepting the peace talks, he'd get a long period of recuperation while the Empire and those Dark Lords wear each other out.
Isn't it more attractive to come out at the end and pick up the pieces?
And so, on the banks of the Furious River, Ethan met with Duke Karaman, and they signed a peace agreement that would last for fifty years.
After this meeting, Duke Karaman returned to Riverside with a heavy heart.
The close contact with Ethan made him feel even more acutely the terrifying aura emanating from the Dark Lord.
The threat this Dark Lord posed far exceeded all other Dark Lords he had known...
The best choice would be to nip the threat in the bud before he fully matured.
But given the current state of the Empire, a head-on confrontation with this Golden Dragon Dark Lord would only benefit the murderous Dark Lords and the circling predatory nations around them.
For the greater good, Duke Karaman had to accept the Empire's arrangement.
The day after the agreement was signed, Duke Karaman immediately left with his army to quell the rebellions around the Empire.
He showed a great deal of trust towards Dark Lord Ethan, seemingly not worrying at all that he might breach the contract and suddenly stab the Empire in the back.
This was the biggest point of contention among the Empire's officials in the court.
Even if they had signed a contract with the Golden Dragon Dark Lord, would he really abide by the contract and not violate the Empire's territories?
In the end, it was the Empire's Prime Minister Draco who broke the stalemate, ending several days of squabbles with his simple opinion.
The Golden Dragon Dark Lord was governing the East Sea benevolently, did no harm to the citizens, and kept sending goodwill messages to the coastal countries and cities...
Regardless of his motives, this was a signal the Golden Dragon Dark Lord was sending out - he was a creature of principles.
Since he was willing to follow the rules, whether he was a Dark Lord was no longer relevant.
Besides, given the current situation, there was really no other choice.
The Empire had only three Rank S big shots.
Grand Magus Ivo was needed to guard the imperial city and protect the royal family, leaving him no room to move.
Marshal Stein had to fortify the Empire's frontier, warding off the ambitious Orcthe Empire's advances.
Within the Empire's borders, the only Rank S powerhouse who could move freely was Duke Karaman.
Now that the Golden Dragon Dark Lord had shown goodwill, it was unnecessary to keep a top-tier powerhouse of the Empire tied up there.
Putting out the flames of war within the Empire's territory was the most pressing issue.
As Prime Minister Draco had anticipated, after Karaman led his army away, the Golden Dragon Dark Lord did not seize the opportunity to attack Riverside.
In the chaotic Empire, the appearance of a Rank S powerhouse swiftly brought the situation under control.
Many Rank A Dark Lords who had been rampaging around were suppressed by Duke Karaman in a storm.
Several Dark Lords perished within a day, which gradually subdued the arrogant Dark Lord alliance.
They began to band together, taking up defensive positions in locations with difficult terrain, and commenced a war of attrition with the Empire.
Duke Karaman, despite his strength, was but one man and could only attend to one front.
The Dark Lords could coordinate with each other, and every time Karaman launched an attack, he would inevitably be ambushed from behind.
As a result, no matter how much he seethed inside, Karaman had to personally hold the rear, becoming a fire brigade captain of sorts.
A few weeks later, the conflict between both sides had stalemated, neither side able to gain an advantage over the other.
...
In stark contrast to the war-torn major cities of the Empire, East Sea was peaceful and prosperous.
Due to the war, most trade routes leading to the Empire were blocked, making East Sea under the protection of the Dark Lord the best transit point.
The Empire dared not move against Ethan, and the Dark Lords were even less likely to do so.
In just a month, Ethan had amassed a large fortune, which made him realize a profound truth - war itself was a money pit, but for merchants, war profits were the easiest to earn.
The longer the Empire fought, the richer Ethan got.
He had no interest in participating in the war upfront, opting to quietly develop in the rear. The resources he currently held were a frightening number...
Even with the help of the Golden Dragon's Treasure ability, his power growth was still very limited.
"Simply accumulating resources won't easily break through to Rank S..."
"There's no hint from the system, so it seems like I have to pin my hopes on the NPCs in this world."
Ethan thought of Duke Karaman of the Black Lion, whom he had met once. In this Rank S powerhouse of the Empire, he felt a strong threat.
Karaman possessed a powerful force, one that even made Ethan smell a whiff of death.
"What is that special power?" Ethan was perplexed, but he was highly alert.
He originally thought that being Rank S, he could do as he pleased in the Empire, but it seemed it wasn't that simple.
This world had recorded history of tens of thousands of years, and Rank S was certainly not the limit.
He didn't want to suddenly crash and lose his life for no reason.
"I need to find an opportunity to gather some intelligence... Now the situation is stable, and there's no need for me to focus on the Dungeon. It's time to experience the local customs of the Empire and understand this world more deeply." Ethan began to formulate a plan.
In order to understand the source of the power within Karaman and how to break through Rank S, he planned to embark on a journey.
Recently, as East Sea's trade caravans continued to explore in all directions, he had acquired a detailed map of the surrounding countries.
"Being a Dark Lord is too much of a hassle and heavy burden. This time, I want to play the Hero, to experience the life of monster hunting," Ethan decided.
He called over Louise, along with a few officials who were both loyal to him and capable, entrusting them with the future development of the East Sea.
After settling the affairs of the East Sea, Ethan found the time to return to the Temple Dungeon.
Within the Dungeon, he saw Mia after what felt like a long time.
The Mia now was much more mature than when they first met, no longer that naive and innocent girl.
"Ethan, you're back!" Upon seeing Ethan, Mia excitedly ran over, hugging Ethan tightly, as if she wanted to merge herself completely into his body.
Ethan patted Mia's head, feeling the soft and warm body in his arms, his heart warmed too.
As his first woman in this world, Mia held a special place in his heart.
After a long hug, Mia slowly let go.
Her eyes had turned red, tears welling up in them.
Ethan gently wiped away her tears. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.
Mia had been captured and held in the Dark Lord's Dungeon shortly after entering the world, not having had the chance to experience much of its beauty.
However, regardless of her current feelings, even though she had wholeheartedly entrusted herself to Ethan, she was still human, she still had a family...
How would she face all of this in the future?
Mia rarely mentioned these matters to Ethan, keeping them all buried in her heart.
Their time spent together was short and sporadic, which only heightened the girl's worries, forcing her to mature quickly.
Ethan stroked Mia's head, pondering for a while.
Holding Mia's hand, Ethan didn't say much. As usual, he cooked a hearty meal for Mia, and couldn't help but laugh seeing her satisfying eating manner.
Perhaps only when she was eating, was she truly carefree.
Now without the need for battles, nor the urgency to become stronger, Ethan found himself with ample time.
He brought Mia out of the Dungeon for a moonlit stroll, gazing at the starry sky.
Sitting in a field of grass, the breeze blew softly through Mia's hair, presenting a different kind of beauty.
Sitting beside Mia, Ethan suddenly said with a serious tone, "Mia, have you thought about what path you want to take in the future? Do you want to become stronger? Do you want to stay with me forever?"
Mia nodded, then shook her head, a trace of melancholy flashed in her eyes.
"Of course I do... But as you know, I don't have much talent. I'm different from you Dark Lords. After all this time, I've only improved a tiny bit..."
"Maybe in ten, twenty years, or when I've become an old woman, I might be able to reach Rank B."
"I also want to stay with you forever, but I know it's just a wishful thinking... You're willing to stay with me during this time, I'm already very happy."
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