Chapter 1757 - 1757. Deal

Reaching the edges of the magical beasts' domain from the Outer Lands would take years, even decades. Yet, it gave enough time to the experts to contact their allies and warn them about the imminent clash.

More cultivators ended up joining the army. The Sinnell family had connections with multiple branches of other human organizations, and some of them didn't want to miss the battle against the Crystal City. Noah's name also helped gather allies since his fame had already spread through all the forces in the Immortal Lands.

Noah and his companions contacted the forces in the Legion. They didn't want those experts to join them right away. The group in the Outer Lands only wanted them to prepare for the imminent war.

"You don't know where the Crystal City is then," Elsie commented when Noah explained that he had to find the rats to understand where their target was hiding.

"Don't worry," Noah replied. "We have already dealt with the rats. They are basically allies at this point."

Noah didn't seem to take the matter seriously. He actually hoped that the rats would fight rather than disclosing their knowledge. It was hard to find such a good source of power, and Noah wanted it all for himself.

King Elbas discussed with the experts inside the Legion's domain to find reports and clues about the rats. Noah's group didn't see them since their return from the magical beasts' domain, so there was a chance that they had moved toward a different location.

The experts inside the Legion's domain gave a surprising answer. They confirmed that the rats had expanded, but their lair's core still resided inside the Land of the Fallen.

'They expanded then,' Noah thought as excitement built inside him.

Noah couldn't even begin to visualize the amount of energy contained in those areas. The rats' innate ability involved their fertility, so they would have countless specimens in their lair.

The army flew forward, but Noah avoided the Legion's domain on purpose. He didn't let those experts take a glance at the transformed lands and moved directly past the edges of the magical beasts' domain.

Familiar lands unfolded in his vision. Noah recognized the regions that he had explored many years ago. Lifetimes had passed since his exploration of the magical beasts' domain. His existence had completely transformed since that journey. He had become a monster that even the immense pack of rats couldn't oppose.

Noah led the army across the border while giving voice to a few growls. He wanted to warn the packs in the area that he had a specific target. The other magical beasts didn't interest him, but they would suffer if they happened to attack him.

Of course, no magical beast would dare to attack Noah's army. The group had so many rank 8 experts that no force in the entire world would ever dare to attack them. Only the Crystal City with their many new allies and the cities in the sky had enough troops to match Noah's team.

"Come out," Noah roared once he returned to the Land of the Fallen. "I'm talking to you, Rat King."

The land remained silent, but Noah's instincts could sense that many lifeforms were hiding underground. The various inheritances in the region couldn't stop his senses from understanding the true nature of the lair.

"I come in peace," Noah roared. "I only want you to ask something about the Crystal City. I know that your pack is aware of its new location."

The pack failed to answer again, and Noah didn't hesitate to wave his hands toward the ground. A series of black slashes materialized in the air and enlarged before falling on the terrain.

The region began to crumble as Noah's slashes dug the terrain and began to absorb the energy contained inside it to grow in size and power. It didn't take much before most of the surface shattered and revealed the intricate underground world.

Noah descended toward the region. The rats had retreated even deeper inside the ground and tried to hide from the army. However, Noah didn't hesitate to launch more attacks to reveal a larger area of the underground world.

"Enough!" A squeak resounded through the underground world, and a series of cries echoed its sound.

"Come out then," Noah roared without interrupting his offensive.

"Make the others retreat, and we'll talk," A second squeak announced, and the entire underground world echoed that cry.

Noah interrupted his offensive and turned toward his companions. He sent a few mental messages to order them to leave the Land of the Fallen, and they followed his directives, even if a few experts from the human organizations gave voice to loud complaints.

A familiar rat who wore a small crown peeked out of one of the tunnels after the experts left. Many rats followed its arrival and created a throne with their bodies while lifting their leader toward Noah.

"You have gotten stronger," Noah laughed.

The rat king was in the upper tier of the eighth rank. It had almost reached the peak of the rank, but its expression showed only fear.

Its instincts were warning the creature about Noah's power. The pride that seeped out of his figure was enough to tell the leader how strong he had become. The rat had a higher level, but it felt completely unable to face Noah.

"You too," The rat king announced. "Now, what do you even want from my pack?"

"I need the location of the Crystal City," Noah repeated. "Let's avoid pointless discussion. Tell me where the crack in space is, and I'll leave."

"What do you even have to offer?" The rat king asked. "We are getting immense benefits from our cooperation with the Crystal City. Why would we even betray it?"

Noah pointed toward the Legion's domain before explaining the nature of the current political situation. "Hybrids, cultivators, and magical beasts under the same banner live at mere regions from here. They will eventually decide to expand, and you are the first pack on their path."

The rat king was aware of the expansion of the Legion. It had spies in all the surrounding areas, so it knew how threatening Noah's allies were.

"You can choose whether to fight them or be on their good side," Noah continued. "I'd prefer to eat all of you, but I think you can be good allies. Yet, you have to choose your side now."

"What will we get if we become your ally?" The rat king asked.

"Do you want to see?" Noah smirked, and a curious expression appeared on the rat king's face.

A squeal eventually came out of its mouth, and a rank 8 rat in the middle tier separated from the throne. Noah stretched his hand, and the creature jumped on him.

"I'll be back soon," Noah announced before shooting past the Land of the Fallen and rejoining his army.

"I'll fly to the Legion's domain," Noah explained when he reached his companions. "Wait for me here."

Noah then put the rat inside his separate space and accelerated toward the Legion. His movement techniques allowed him to reach the domain in mere months instead of years. The lands filled with blue bushes unfolded in his vision before he took out the magical beast and showed that scene.

"Eat one of them," Noah ordered while flying toward the ground and leaving the rat next to a blue bush.

The creature tasted one of the blue leaves before spitting part of it. The taste of those plants was quite awful, but the rat forced itself to eat more when it realized how much energy they contained.

The rat soon ate an entire bush and moved to the next one, but Noah promptly closed his hand on its neck.

"They are only for allies," Noah announced before bringing the rat back in the sky and showing how far those lands stretched.

The Foolery had affected a large part of the Legion's domain. The rat saw immense areas featuring the blue bushes. Those regions were the perfect lair for a pack with such low requirements.

"We never stop producing them," Noah explained. "Is this amount of food enough to satisfy your leader?"

The rat could only nod at that scene. The Legions' domain was a paradise that its pack had to enter no matter the price.

"Good," Noah announced before putting the rat back into his separate space and flying toward the Land of the Fallen.

His army soon unfolded in his vision, but Noah flew past them. He returned directly inside the cracks created by his slashes and threw the rat inside them.

Squeaks resounded through the underground world. The rats discussed the matter, and the leader soon came out of the underground world again. The throne reappeared, and Noah waited to hear the decision of the pack.

"Can we eat as much as we want there?" The rat king asked.

"Sure," Noah announced, "But you will also join the assault on the Crystal City."

****

Author's notes: The fever has stayed above 39 degrees for the entire day. I basically just stopped shaking. I'm really sorry about this, but I can't write properly until I feel better. I'll do one chapter of chaos and one long chapter of demonic sword until my bones stop aching. (I know, not cool after my announcement from yesterday, but I didn't expect the fever to hit me so hard.)