2207 2207. Deal

Caesar's statement made June tense up, but Noah remained calm. He knew how strong his companions were, so he could see the flaws in those words.

"You don't have them," Noah corrected. "You have only trapped them inside the sky."

"I don't see the difference," Caesar laughed.

"I do," Noah growled.

Silence fell among the dark world. Caesar's ethereal figure flickered due to the influence in its surroundings, but it never faded. Noah also failed to sense it properly, which convinced him about Heaven and Earth's involvement.

"Don't you want to hear what I have to say?" Caesar asked.

"I thought that you worked against Heaven and Earth to make them obtain what they couldn't see," Noah responded, pretending to ignore Caesar's question.

"I do many things," Caesar vaguely replied. "Also, I know that you can see how the situation has changed. Heaven and Earth aren't the same confused entity they used to be."

"Does it mean that you are working together now?" Noah asked.

"We have never stopped working together," Caesar claimed. "The level of awareness has simply changed."

"I wonder what they think about your fate," Noah uttered.

"It's not my fate," Caesar corrected. "You should understand it by now. After all, you have fought my world a few times already."

"The fact that your world can spread throughout the higher plane doesn't change its nature," Noah stated. "An influence will always have a source, and that makes it vulnerable."

"Your destructive thoughts have hurt the sky many times in the past," Caesar revealed. "I wonder if they are limiting your perspective now."

"All these doubts that you try to inject into my world can't achieve much," Noah declared. "I don't have the power to block your influence, but you are in the same situation. You can't make me hesitate."

"I can't," Caesar admitted, "But that's not the point. I'm merely adding pieces to pave the path to victory. It doesn't matter how small they are. In the end, all of them will count."

Noah couldn't deny that. Caesar was an old monster who had focused on a single plan for countless eras. He wanted Heaven and Earth to achieve their best state, and it was impossible to know how many tricks he had devised.

"We will find Alexander and Wilfred sooner or later," Noah eventually announced. "You can't keep them inside the sky forever, and they probably are the hardest to kill in our organization."

"That's why I came here," Caesar revealed before chuckling at the sight of his ethereal hands. "Well, I'm not really here. I hope you won't mind me sending a projection. I figured that the atmosphere was too tense to bring my real body."

The curses of the experts recklessly attacking the sky were enough to prove Caesar's point. A giant battle would have started if privileged cultivators had dared to show their faces among that chaos.

"Are they making it hard for Heaven and Earth?" Noah wondered. "I don't believe that your side is so weak. Alexander and Wilfred are strong, but they can't win against your entire army."

<br/>"Your battle has caused some slight unrest," Caesar vaguely revealed. "You must understand that the death of privileged cultivators is a historical event, especially due to how it happened."

"What? Did your side just realize that Heaven and Earth aren't real allies?" Noah mocked. "They are a few eras too late."

"No one has ever questioned that," Caesar stated.

"Get to the point already," Noah sighed. "I'm sure you have fanatics willing to die to take down two of us. You have clearly told them to hold back. Why?"

"Because killing them now would be a waste," Caesar calmly declared.

Noah revealed a cold face, but he understood that point. Defeating enemies wasn't Heaven and Earth's main focus anymore. They wanted to succeed in the breakthrough, which, according to Caesar, required powerful stepping stones.

If Caesar and Heaven and Earth had really started to work together properly, there was a high chance that they had decided to let Noah's organization grow. That would give them a final hindrance worthy of the breakthrough to the tenth rank.

"Heaven and Earth could have just led us toward them," Noah pointed out. "Your presence is unnecessary unless you have something else to say."

"Actually, there is something that I forgot to mention," Caesar laughed.

"What a surprise," Noah sneered.

"Your friends might have caused a slight problem, and they won't hear reason about it," Caesar revealed.

"What kind of problem?" Noah questioned.

"They have captured some of us," Caesar replied. "We have offered them a path outside the sky in exchange for their lives, but they have refused. I'm afraid they have created a stalemate."

"So, you want me to order them to accept the deal," Noah guessed.

"Exactly," Caesar exclaimed. "Of course, my offer doesn't only involve their lives and those of everyone here. Your friend will also get what he needs to reach the solid stage."

"I want Heaven and Earth to offer him a few things to steal," Noah bargained. "Limiting him to one choice won't work."

"But he would just take everything Heaven and Earth offer," Caesar complained.

"If that's the case, so be it," Noah shrugged his shoulders.

Caesar fell silent for a few seconds and even glanced at the sky outside the dark world. He appeared immersed in a conversation, which ended with a simple exclamation. "Heaven and Earth agree to this deal."

"What happens after we return to the landmass?" Noah asked. "You have seen the maniacs in my organization. Do you want to stay up and wait for Heaven and Earth to start the final battle?"

"Don't try to trick me," Caesar chuckled. "We both know Supreme Thief is the last expert who can advance with the sky's resources. Everyone else in your organization either has what they need on the landmass or has to wait for the final battle to start."

"You have kept good track of us," Noah voiced as a cold smile appeared on his face. "You are correct. This trip out last mission. The final battle would come next."

"So, do we have a deal?" Caesar asked.

"Sure, why not," Noah casually agreed.

"I'll see you all during the final battle then," Caesar announced while performing a bow and disappearing among the dark world.

Noah inspected the insides of his technique a few times to make sure that Caesar had left before heaving a helpless sigh. Heaven and Earth knew exactly how strong his organization was, while the opposite was impossible to achieve. The sky hid far too many secrets.

"Is he always like this?" June asked.

"Caesar is hard to deal with," Noah declared. "I can't wait to fight him properly during the final battle. I'll finally have the chance to vent all the annoyance he has caused."

"No wonder," June whispered before voicing another doubt. "Why did you accept? I know you weren't lying when you said that you respect your end of the deal."

"I didn't lie because I have every intention of behaving as planned," Noah responded. "I will tell Alexander and Wilfred to release their prisoners. It's up to them to follow my orders."

"Should I expect a big battle?" June asked as excitement filled her expression.

"I don't know yet," Noah admitted. "I'll make up my mind once I see what Alexander and Wilfred are up to."