The emotional gravity in the atmosphere multiplied after the emperor declared potential war, weighing everyone down. It was hard to breathe.
Kane looked away, comprehending the weight of his actions. Calling out Kaze, known for his power and bold and decisive threats of action, was a horrible move.
"If an apology isn't enough, what can we do to make amends?" General Michaels asked with a beating heart, trying to salvage the situation.
"I want you to be honest with your soldiers." Kaze demanded, "Tell them, General Michaels, Coronel Ryker—why Immortal Skye is a country."
A wave of static washed over the two men. They tried to avoid discussing that, but the emperor demanded they spell it out frankly.
Both knew the emperor wouldn't accept a calculated response, so it was better to exaggerate than downplay it.
His request was a serious diplomatic problem. However, not doing anything was a serious issue that would claim their soldiers' lives and endanger Malta. They couldn't afford a war.
"While I'm seeking a peaceful resolution to this misunderstanding, I cannot express an official stance on Immortal Skye." General Michaels stated, "I hope you understand that."
The emperor gave him a mocking smile. "Then give them Malta's official stance.
If you did that much, your soldiers wouldn't have suffered humiliation, and we wouldn't be discussing international conflict."
Kane cringed alongside the general, who was bleeding internally. He felt guilty, so he turned around to face his soldiers with a somber expression.
"Listen, soldiers!" General Michaels shouted, "I am giving everyone clearance for classified information. You understand the implications, yes?"
"SIR, YES, SIR!" The special forces yelled in unison, sweating slightly.
"Malta's official stance on Immortal Skye is that it's our top strategic ally—and greatest threat." He announced, shocking the soldiers.
"They're an invaluable ally we cannot stand to lose and a country we cannot afford to fight.
The estimated death toll from fighting the woman standing beside Kaze Lexicon is inestimable, let alone fighting Kaze Lexicon and the rest of Immortal Skye.
Due to their strength and their official stance of immediate counteraction to any breach of our treaty, we can expect that they will kill all of us and go to war without hesitation.
We were wrong for our behavior, and we were fools to forego basic diplomacy even if we weren't."
All the soldiers and elites were stunned by the news, turning to the cat woman in disbelief.
Crux was smirking, finally confirming that her threat classification was respectful.
However, she was the only one smiling. The elites, soldiers, and managers alike were stunned by Immortal Skye's threat classification.
"Wise choice." The emperor remarked, panning the sea of soldiers and elites, "I'll accept your apologies because you finally treated Immortal Skye with respect it deserves."
General Michaels and Kane took deep breaths to calm their beating hearts. However their fear returned when the emperor turned to Crux and spoke to her in Skylain.
After a few words, her eyebrow twitched, she complained aggressively, and then entered the arena, telling Brad and Aaron to get out.
The military leaders sighed in relief that she had left their area and they were on the final leg of defusing the situation their mistake caused.
However, it wasn't a mistake. The stressful powerplay was a setup to seed a critical value proposition to aid negotiations the next day.
The emperor had a message for the soldiers: join Immortal Skye—we're the winning team.
"Do not confuse Immortal Skye's size with its power." Kaze declared, "In a chaotic world filled with violence, starvation, and disease, our country's size makes it the most prosperous country on Earth."
His declaration stirred the souls of his new subjects, captured the attention of the soldiers, and astonished Kane and General Michaels.
"While Malta must manage millions of square miles and people, Immortal Skye needs only protect one mountain and a few thousand people to prosper." The emperor laughed.
He only then comprehended how absurdly low his responsibility as a ruler was. Less than two months ago, he presided over all five planes of cultivation—including all of Earth!
"So long as we can do that, our members can live forever, and I can teach them how to create water and live without food." Kaze claimed boldly, "So scoff if you wish.
As the world crumbles and you deride us, we shall prosper! However, Malta, take heed of what you see here!"
A terrifying roar came from within the arena, and a massive panther materialized from nowhere, making General Michaels and Kane jump backward.
"Never let your foolish ridicule turn to declarations of conflict again!" The emperor declared coldly, "We may only own one mountain, but we have the power of a world superpower to protect it!
And we will wield that power to fight anyone foolish enough to trespass upon our humble nation!"
Kiera trembled in excitement when she saw Crux turn into a massive cat and cheered aggressively. "Fuck, yes! I knew you were a bad bitch!"
Hearing a member of Immortal Skye express excitement, the passive elites burst into battle cries. They didn't understand how a massive panther materialized from thin air, but her words lit fires in their souls. Crux was part of Immortal Skye!
The Maltian soldiers and their leaders weren't so enthusiastic.
"Mr. Lexicon!" Kane yelled, standing next to terrified soldiers, "Please don't attack! We're not hostile!"
"Calm down, you fools!" Kaze scoffed, rolling his eyes, "I'd have killed you personally if I sought your deaths.
Crux has transformed to let ten of your soldiers use their strongest techniques or weapons on her without dodging.
If you wish to continue learning, I require you to understand what you face if you're ever foolish enough to declare war or attempt to break our treaty again.
Your incessant disrespect and foolish disregard for common sense are insulting and crippling our training."
Everyone's fear turned to confusion that he'd return to teaching them. Both emotions were passionate and made their hearts pulse violently.
However, their beating hearts deadened when they saw the massive panther walk to the other side of the arena, turn around, and sit down lazily.
Crux's panther face was so unenthusiastic it was insulting. It said [wake me up when it's over].
General Michaels and Kane looked at each other and back at the soldiers. Now that they'd been humiliated, no one wanted to attack the shadow cat!
They looked at each other, looking for volunteers and tallying sacrifices.
After drawing straws, the soldiers watched the ten chosen souls depart with heavy hearts, feeling guilty for condemning ten soldiers to lives without hope for respect or redemption.
Crux blinked twice in blatant annoyance when she saw the weak mortals arrive with depressed expressions.
One carried an RPG-7 rocket launcher on their drooping shoulder, barely supporting it.
They were a sorry sight to behold.
Only one person walked up with a determined expression, carrying a bag and intriguing everyone.
The female soldier with the RPG took a knee and aimed it at the shadow cat's pitch-black chest, shimmering elegantly in the sunlight. They were hesitant and cringing.
She turned around at the last moment. "Mr. Lexicon, are you sure that—"
"Hurry up, mortals!" The panther growled in English, shocking the soldiers and elites, "I'm here to prove how pathetic you are, not satisfy your curiosity.
So prove your feebleness so I can leave and eat the cake I was promised to participate in this farce!"
The soldier with the RPG said awkwardly, wincing as she pointed it at her chest again.
Whoooooosh! BOOM!
The missile hit the shadow cat in the chest, making a vein on Crux's forehead pop out. It wasn't painful, but it felt like an aggressive mosquito bite.
As a result, she shook her body quickly to shake it off. fre(e)webno(v)el
Everyone was horrified when she casually returned to a sitting position, wearing the same bored expression.
All the soldiers smiled wryly, losing even more enthusiasm. They finally understood how horrifying a divine physique tempered to the divine level was.
It was vastly different than anything in the mortal world.
The eight soldiers looked at one another with a communication signal. They pulled their arms back simultaneously, and eight guided arrows materialized before them.
"Fire!" Sandra yelled.
One after the other, the soldiers released their weak Guided Arrow technique, attacking the same spot.
Their attack showcased remarkable skill and teamwork. However, it only made Crux's eye twitch increasingly aggressively eight times in a row.
She was annoyed she let anyone hit her, let alone the mosquitoes before her.
As before, she shook her fur and sat back down, staring at the last foolish mortal to stand before her.
"You lack battle intent." Crux growled in annoyed interest, "What are you planning?"
"I'm not coming here to attack." The male soldier replied calmly.
He opened the bag and pulled out a strange item—
—a white flag.
All the Immortal Skye elites laughed once, sharply and awkwardly, at the strange development.
"Is this your way of saying you surrender?" The shadow cat asked, bewildering everyone present.
"Yes. Do you accept?" He replied with earnest green eyes.
"I do not eat humans and only fight and kill those who plot or attempt to harm me." Crux laugh-scoffed, "Killing gives me no satisfaction either.
Since you didn't try to kill me, there's no need to accept your petty surrender."
"We want to know if you'd accept one in general." The soldier clarified.
The shadow cat scoffed aggressively, making everyone shudder. "Your government has attacked me numerous times without warning.
Mere moments ago, you expressed a desire to attack us with your full military.
Yet here I am, sparing you mortals from death, and you have the nerve to test if I'm civil?"
His eyes deadened, joining Kane, General Michaels, and the rest of the special forces soldiers.
"Our apologies…." The soldier said hesitantly, "How do we make that up to you? And others like you?"
"Cake." Crux declared, "I like strawberry cake. The little one you mocked also likes the strange ambrosia, so if you want to express your apologies, bring me three strawberry cakes."
His eyes widened in bewilderment. "Who's the third cake for? Mr. Lexicon?"
"For me." She laugh-scoffed, rolling her eyes, "All three are for me. I shall provide some compensation to the little one if you have enough common sense to make such petty reparations."
After a second of stunned silence—
"HEY!" Kiera cried in indignation, "If you're playing the cake diplomacy game, get me my whole cake!"
—the slang-riddler complained, and everyone began chuckling awkwardly. It spread through the area until it turned to laughter, and the tension eased up.
After a relaxed moment, the emperor smiled and overlooked the soldiers.
"Now that we've thoroughly established how superior we are." Kaze laugh-scoffed arrogantly, "Who wants to learn so they can stop being inferior?
How many times must we remind you that you're here to shed your weakness and become monsters amongst men and Valkyries amongst women?
We've opened you with welcome arms and seek to teach you. So can we stop with this petty farce and continue our training?"
After a period of stunned disbelief, the soldiers awkwardly accepted, and the training continued.
It was a brutal session. However, over thirteen Immortal Skye elites fought the special force soldiers.
Kaze's chosen elites came out victorious, and those who he didn't lost their matches.
Yet all were healed, praised, and awarded lavishly with the technique.
Meanwhile, the tranquility training continued, building the soldiers and fulfilling their obligations.
While everything went well, General Michaels and Kane were shaken to their cores.
Standing before Kaze Lexicon and seeing his soldiers' strength convinced him that Immortal Skye was the winning side, both in war and in survival.
Malta couldn't use nuclear weapons [in their own country], their resources and supply chains were spread thin, and Kaze Lexicon's full power was unknown.
Soon, their soldiers would have combat experience and become monsters capable of warring with Malta [without the emperor's aid].
Lastly, Immortal Skye's population and resource needs made the small country a true utopia.
General Michaels suspected that the emperor was attempting to recruit them, and for the first time, he was questioning what he would do if asked.
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