Chapter 545: Striking the Deal [Monthly Bonus 2]
"...this rank would now hold Authority within all of Gozon’s colonies in the Orithyia Galaxy."
""??!!""
To say that the reaction was one of shock would be an understatement—99% of the hall was visibly stunned.
Typically, the ranks held by soldiers from Battlefront worlds had a defined ’Effective Range.’
This range was meant to prevent situations where a General from one world could assert authority over another, causing potential conflicts. If a General from another world gave orders that contradicted the local Generals’ commands, it would create confusion among the soldiers, who might face punishment for choosing the wrong side.
To avoid such chaos, this ’Effective Range’ was established, limiting their authority over forces that weren’t under their direct command—except in emergencies.
The main focus here was the Authority that came with a General’s rank. Outside their designated ranges, although they were still afforded the respect that came with the title, these Generals were largely Generals in name unless an emergency situation arose.
But now, they had effectively given Arthur free rein to exercise his authority on any planet within their territory.
Only Four-Star Generals, like Alvey, would have authority surpassing Arthur’s on their respective worlds.
To prevent any potential conflicts with him exercising this new Authority, all commissioned officers—Second Lieutenants to Generals—would be informed about the extended range of his command.
Granting Arthur such broad authority could cause potential disruptions in the military structure. But they still did it because they were willing to take calculated risks for the sake of greater goals.
Since Arthur had made his intention to remain affiliated with them clear, the Demon Rulers saw this as a worthwhile investment in his future.
Arthur wasn’t the only one whose effective range was expanded. Alvey, McEnda, Barron, Sigesi, and even the absent Sylvan had their ranges increased as well.
The Demon Rulers also announced that once Aramis was conquered, Alvey and McEnda—who had the most significant achievements on that front—would be appointed as the planet’s new Overseers.
Typically, such a position was reserved for Peak-Ranked Demons, implying that by then, they expected the two would have become Half-Deities.
Other soldiers with notable achievements were also rewarded, with Alvey and McEnda entrusted to bestow these honours on behalf of the Demon Rulers. Additional troops and resources were allocated to the Aramis to further bolster their efforts.
On a side note, Evan received a temporary Lieutenant Colonel Rank since he was officially "Arthur’s Aide". The boy couldn’t help but shake his head with a wry smile beneath his mask as he accepted the badge signifying his new rank.
After the rewards were distributed among the other World Representatives, the Demon Rulers finally turned their attention to Arthur’s earlier proposition.
Malorum, the Demon King of Destruction was the first to speak, his voice heavy with contemplation.
"You were asking us to protect godslayers, to shelter them from the gods who aim to wipe them out before they reach their full potential.
An interesting proposition, which would benefit us as well, given that such a race would inevitably become a significant threat to the gods."
The Demon Queen of Gravitas was next to speak, her tone sharp but intrigued.
"From what I’ve seen in the reports on you, there seem to be some of them under your employ already, and in the battles you’ve called upon them, they were very useful, both with their mere presences and with their combat power on their levels."
Following up was McEnda II who placed a hand on his chin with a thoughtful expression.
"We can also use this to our advantage, making them divide their focus and give us some leverage against them."
The Demon King of Time added his voice to the discussion, speaking with a measured tone.
"We could even support them in rebelling on worlds where they are oppressed, encouraging them to rise and fight back with their own strength."
"That sounds good. Make sure to include proper combat training too."
Arthur replied after a moment and the man nodded silently. Then his gaze sharpened as it focused on Arthur and he spoke.
"But...we have a counteroffer."
Hearing this, Arthur wasn’t surprised. He leaned backwards and crossed his legs on his seat before telling the man to go on.
"Shoot."
"We would agree to your proposition, but given the scales are heavily inclined to your favour, we’d need a little extra work to balance them."
The Demon King raised his right hand as he outlined the offer that had been agreed upon by the others.
"We want you to temporarily assist in our wars on five High-Level Worlds. These are Battlefront planets where the gods and Divines have been particularly entrenched.
Your assistance could turn the tide in our favour."
The Demon Queen of Gravitas nodded after he spoke, her expression resolute.
"Five worlds. Five decisive battles. Help us secure victory there, and we’ll ensure the godslayers are protected under our rule.
Consider it a test of your abilities—a way to silence those who might be dissatisfied with your newly granted authority within our ranks.
After the Second Phase of the Summit, many eyes will be on you. This will also serve to bolster your reputation—or rather, your infamy."
As the Demon Rulers laid out their counteroffer, Arthur placed his hand on his chin, his expression thoughtful. He only took a few seconds in reality, but with his accelerated thought speed, it was much longer.
The mention of bolstering his "infamy" after the Second Phase of the Summit suggested that the Demon Rulers were aware of the political and social ramifications of granting him free reign within their territories.
As such, they wanted to ensure that any dissent or dissatisfaction within their ranks was quelled by proving Arthur’s worth in combat, thereby managing his reputation both within their society and on the interstellar stage.
Still, Arthur wasn’t about to agree without negotiation. He had his own simple counteroffer in mind.
"Five worlds are a bit too much, make it two."
He glanced between Malorum and the other rulers as he spoke, but Malorum wasn’t one to back down easily.
"Four."
"Three."
Arthur met his gaze, unflinching as he stated the number he had been aiming for from the start and there was a brief pause.
Malorum glanced over at Jamie and McEnda II to gauge their reactions before agreeing in a voice carrying a note of finality.
"Three it is."
Xagthor, the Demon King of Frost, twisted his lips a bit as he considered the revised offer.
"We would need to shorten the list we made earlier, maybe even adjust it."
At his words, Jamie leaned back and glanced at him before speaking calmly.
"Again, Xagthor, we would NOT interfere in Sectors 27-34."
His words caused several of the Demon Rulers to frown, clearly displeased by the limitation. Noticing their reactions, Jamie continued, his tone firm.
"As long as I’m around, I would NOT allow any conflicts with Worlds under Uvton’s and Rilene’s domains."
All the Demon Rulers knew exactly who the two people Jamie just called were even though he only said their first names.
Uvton Delgasso and Rilene Xagna.
’He who is Benevolent to all’ and ’She who shapes Space itself’.
They were the two strongest god Rulers, just like Jamie and McEnda II were for the Demons. As for their World, it was the Hegemon who stood toe to toe with Gozon, Aidos.
On a side note, Jamie was known as ’He, the one who comes from the Beyond’ and McEnda II was ’He, the Darkness that Corrodes all.’
Anyway, a different Demon King, his expression showing a mix of irritation and curiosity, spoke up after Jamie’s words.
"They only have their eyes on those sectors; they haven’t laid claim yet. We could strike first."
But Jamie still didn’t agree.
"Any other time, I might have agreed with you. But not when those two are involved."
Another Demon King, annoyed, asked.
"Because they’re your friends?"
And Jamie replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Yeah."
Despite holding the title of ’Demon King,’ Jamie was known to be close friends with certain god kings. He was the one who had spoken to Uvton and Rilene to let their daughters—Artemisia and Beatrix—remain on Aramis.
There needed to be a high level of trust between them for the two god Rulers to agree to leave their children in a world being invaded by demons at Jamie’s request.
He wasn’t the only one with such ties, but he was the most open about it—and he didn’t care what anyone else thought.
After all, Jamie wasn’t a demon.
"Besides, do you guys want to start a pointless war with Aidos? Uvton may keep quiet due to his calm nature, but Rilene is sure to flare up if you try to pull a fast one on her.
Last I checked, only Malorum, McEnda and I can hold her off if that happens."
The man added these extra lines before turning back to Arthur, his returning to its usual calm cadence.
"Three worlds, we’ll send you the list later."
Arthur nodded, but when he responded, it wasn’t in his usual voice. Instead, he spoke in his faux true voice, imbuing more cosmic energy than usual; enough to make even the Transcendents clutch their heads in pain.
|¬So, it’s a deal, then? ¬|
The power of a law was infused into his words, and the atmosphere in the Hall shifted as every Demon Ruler felt the binding energy of the contract law Arthur had invoked.
He was not settling with a verbal agreement—he was forging a binding contract, one that would ensure both sides fulfilled their part of the deal.
Ironically, it was Arthur proposing the contract, despite dealing with demons.
McEnda II, satisfied with Arthur’s decision to use a contract, nodded with a light smile and spoke in his own True Voice to affirm the agreement on behalf of all the Demon Rulers.
|It’s a deal. |
With that, the contract was sealed, the binding force of the law ensuring that neither side could back out without severe consequences.
The room was still for a moment, the weight of what had just transpired settling in.
Meanwhile, Arthur was patting himself on the back internally.
’They’d help me build up an army of godslayers even while I’m not around. The only issue would be to ensure loyalty, but if it comes down to it, I can just use "Race Command".’
Other Progenitors had their forces scattered across many universes and dimensions, but Arthur who was the youngest of them didn’t have the power and influence they had.
Still, he understood he needed to get it eventually but just like a tree starts from a seed, he needed to start somewhere.
Valmone was his chosen starting ground, using the soil that Lucifer and Kronos had tilled and fertilized with their actions millennia ago.
