Chapter 1856 - 1856. Negotiation

Crackling whiteness filled the area again. Noah was close enough to the three Kesier apes to see how they reacted to the attack now. His senses could even study the nature of their energy before the light shattered his mental waves.

His astonishment couldn't help but increase when he sensed the two different elements contained in the creatures' energy. The Kesier apes mustered their power and used it to create a massive crackling shield that covered the uncovered part of the intermediate dimension. Noah felt forced to retreat to avoid the expansion of that defensive technique.​​

His dark world condensed once the whiteness threatened to reach him. The dark matter shattered as the intense power contained by the crackling light seeped past the higher energy and tried to fill its insides. Yet, a series of faces suddenly appeared among the blackness and made it able to stop the radiance after a few seconds.

Noah's companions had started to fly toward him, but the arrival of the light had forced them to stop and deploy defensive abilities. Still, they didn't hesitate to go back inside the dark world once the attack ended.

"What did they say?" Wilfred asked while glancing at the three rank 9 Kesier apes that had reappeared once the light vanished. "They seem interested in cooperating with us."

Noah ignored that comment and approached the three creatures. The crackling shield had crumbled after the previous attack, and parts of the intermediate dimension had shattered again. It was evident that their efforts weren't giving the d.e.s.i.r.ed effects, but they still prepared themselves to fight against him if he turned out to be hostile.

"We also are Heaven and Earth's enemies," Noah announced. "Let us help."

The three apes didn't reveal any expression, and they didn't bother to answer either. They continued to stare at Noah with their cold dark eyes and divide their attentions between the huge crackling figure in the sky and him.

"Come on," Noah continued. "We destroyed this piece of the sky by mistake, pure mistake. We can fix it in no time."

One of the Kesier apes finally reacted but only to give voice to a snort. They seemed completely unwilling to trust Noah and his companions. Not even the massive threat in the sky could make them decide to cooperate.

'Are they waiting for reinforcements?' Noah wondered as his eyes moved toward the city.

Noah had come up with a vague idea of how the area worked. The Kesier apes had created diversions and plans to defend their home and their intermediate dimension. They were probably smart enough to fuse Heaven and Earth's old powers to their species even. Yet, that only made the situation stranger.

It didn't make sense for such smart and prepared creatures to jump in a fight that they couldn't win. Noah didn't believe for even an instant that they had underestimated the power of Heaven and Earth's punishment. The various defenses and covers proved that they knew how scary the rulers could be. Still, that raised questions in his mind.

Why did the city send only three rank 9 creatures? Did the pack lack powerful specimens? Were the others busy in some mission? Did they have a secret weapon to use on these occasions? Was he overstepping into something that he didn't understand?

The crackling giant wanted to attack again. Everyone in the area sensed its energy condensing and giving birth to shining lightning bolts. Still, the tense situation created by the meeting of the two groups delayed the preparations of defensive techniques or attacks.

"Sword Saint, Divine Demon, Alexander, Elbas," Noah listed, "Come with me. This thing is annoying."

The four experts revealed cold smiles, but the three left behind couldn't contain their complaints.

"Are we too weak to fight Heaven and Earth now?" Wilfred snorted.

"My anger toward the rulers can surpass all of them," Robert stated.

"I won't remain behind after what they did to my organization," Steven insisted.

"You three have a higher chance to gain their trust," Noah explained while pointing at the three Kesier apes who had started to build the crackling shield while shooting glances toward the experts. "Do you really want to leave the negotiations to us?"

Wilfred, Robert, and Steven moved their eyes away from Noah and started inspecting the experts. Their minds could even imagine the consequences of a conversation between the three Keiser apes and them.

King Elbas would probably try to be polite at the beginning, but his arrogance would take over in the middle of the conversation. Then, his curiosity would fill his mind, leading him to dismantle the intermediate dimension right in front of the magical beasts.

Noah was a great leader once you learnt to know him. His first impressions were quite awful, and that situation wasn't any different. After all, he had taken part in destroying the sky to reveal the intermediate dimension. He had even single-handedly removed many traps.

Alexander wasn't actually bad, but he had eaten far too many magical beasts throughout his life. His natural aura carried an intense pride that would naturally threaten strangers.

Sword Saint never bothered to join conversations or events unless they involved the path of the blade or cutting something. He would probably ignore Noah's orders even, and that would even be the best outcome.

Divine Demon didn't need explanations. The three experts left behind didn't even know what he would be capable of doing in that situation. Challenging him to be a good ambassador wouldn't work either since he could interpret the situation too personally.

"We are the only sane-minded in our group," Wilfred sighed as a hand went on his forehead. "When did this even happen?"

"The requirements weren't so high," Robert uttered. "I believe we have the craziest in the world among them."

"Will they be fine?" Steven asked while looking at the departing group. "Heaven and Earth aren't playing around here."

"It means that the city has something worth destroying," Wilfred whispered, making sure that the Kesier apes behind him couldn't hear him. "And taking."

Noah and the others flew toward the crackling giant while the trio turned toward the Kesier apes. Everyone in the group had drawn their weapons or prepared their abilities for the imminent clash, and stern expressions inevitably appeared on their faces as the threatening creature grew bigger in their vision.

"The apes must have something stronger inside the city," King Elbas warned.

"Of course," Noah replied. "That's why we'll appear as the strongest rank 8 existences in the entire world."

"We are the strongest rank 8 existences in the world," Divide Demon grinned as he experienced one of his rare serious moments.

"What if they don't want to let us in even after we show our worth?" Alexander asked.

"We cut them," Sword Saint announced. "We cut them all."

"One problem at the time," Noah reminded. "I have someth-."

"No," King Elbas said before Noah could finish his line.

"No," Divine Demon followed suit.

"Don't even think about that," Sword Saint threatened.

"I'm afraid you can't win this time," Alexander laughed.

"You don't even know what I was about to say!" Noah complained.

"You wanted to fight alone again," King Elbas explained. "Don't even try to hide it."

"These subordinates have so little faith in m-," Noah sighed and shook his head, but the crackling giant released its attack at that point.

The crackling light expanded, but a series of attacks pierced it and created a conical safe area that contained the uncovered intermediate dimension below. Multiple lights had shone among the giant's technique and had destroyed the power that it carried before landing on its body.