Ashen Dragon-Chapter 474 - 396 Ceasefire
Chapter 474: Chapter 396: Ceasefire
Chapter 474 -396: Ceasefire
The Great Sultan stared firmly at the Red Dragon and finally gritted his teeth and said, “Cassius—what exactly do you want?”
Without a doubt, he was at an absolute disadvantage in this negotiation.
And he had to admit, the Red Dragon had chosen its timing perfectly.
The Kingdom of the Fire Giants was currently at a critical juncture, and any external intervention could result in irreparable consequences—especially when it came to a giant dragon.
Cassius nodded slowly and smiled, “Very well, Your Majesty, it seems you have acknowledged my second proposal.”
The Red Dragon flapped its wings and sighed deeply but theatrically.
“Ah, couldn’t we have done this earlier? I have always believed that matters resolved at the negotiating table hardly need escalate into conflicts.”
He paused for a moment, “It’s a pity your subordinates don’t understand this.”
With the aid of the “Smooth Talker” trait, his words seemed quite persuasive, although beings of Pseudogod Power like the Great Sultan were not swayed by extraordinary charisma.
After hearing Cassius’s words, the Great Sultan’s eyes were burning with uncontrollable rage. He spoke in a low voice, “Enough! Cassius!”
“Your pretentiousness makes me nauseous! State your terms and then get out of the Fire Elemental Plane!”
Cassius felt more like laughing than angered by the insult.
However, he didn’t want to truly anger this Great Sultan as it would not be worth it to go all out against a being of Pseudogod Power.
Thus, the Red Dragon nodded politely, then extended a single clawed toe.
“One hundred wishes per year. For someone ruling over thousands upon thousands of Fire Giant citizens and controlling most of the Fire Elemental Plane, this should be no problem.”
“Are you joking!”
The Great Sultan was initially stunned, then enraged.
In a fit of anger, he struck the phantom scepter onto the ground, causing massive pits to appear on the barren land while flaming cracks radiated outward from the scepter.
The earth trembled with his fury, and firebirds took off in panic from the desolate plains.
How dare he make such a demand!
It should be known that not every Fire Giant possessed the power of Wish Magic; only those strong enough to gain the consciousness of the plane had such abilities, and even fewer had three wishes.
He ruled over hundreds of thousands of Fire Giants, among whom only a few thousand were Malik, and there were only nine hundred Wish Magic abilities per year.
Even so, this number was fearsome.
The Wish Magic of the Fire Giants enabled them to win the support of Great Demon Lords and Elemental Princes, making them the primary rulers of the Elemental Plane and earning them the title of “mythical creatures” among mortals.
For the Fire Giant Great Sultan, these wishes were incredibly precious.
This dragon dared to demand a hundred wishes straight off!
And in return, offered so-called “ceasefire” and “non-interference in the war,” which cost him practically nothing.
“What a pipe dream!”
“The Fire Giant Empire would never agree to such an unreasonable condition. If you mean to anger me, then let’s go to war!”
Though furious, the Great Sultan remained rational. If the dragon truly entered this battle, he’d have to sacrifice some vital assets.
Cassius’s expression remained unchanged, and there was not even a hint of disappointment in his eyes. He stroked his chin with a claw and thought:
“So it’s really not feasible…”
He did not actually want to go to war with the Fire Giant Empire.
Such a millennia-old kingdom, ruled by a Pseudogod Power being, would be too much for the nascent Ashen Empire to withstand.
The terms he had just proposed were merely to seek greater benefits, using what humans called the “door-in-the-face technique.”
First, make an impossible demand, then make a comparatively easier demand, making it more likely for the other party to accept.
With this in mind, Cassius said with a hint of “regret,” “Your Majesty, it seems I was indeed overstepping.”
“How about this: fifty wishes per year, plus I will provide you with a batch of armaments.”
“…”
After a long silence, the Great Sultan finally spoke again, “Red Dragon, your greed surpasses even my imagination. Not even a Great Demon Lord would dare ask for a hundred wishes per year.”
“Very well, Your Majesty, I only have three conditions.”
Cassius looked at the Great Sultan, his tone firm and forceful, “First, provide the Ashen Empire with twenty-five wishes per year, for at least ten years.”
“Second, purchase armaments from the Klaubow Armament Group with a large amount of elemental ore, generating an equivalent income of five million Ginnars.”
“Third, make the cities of Brass Fortress, Ironforge City, and Black Iron City into concessions under the jurisdiction of the Ashen Empire.”
“And this is my final offer.”
“If you cannot agree to this, then it shows you have no intent for a ceasefire. I will support the Prince of the Holy Flame.”
The Red Dragon’s pale golden eyes flickered with firelight, reflecting the immense and towering figure of the Great Sultan.
“Impertinence!”
“Red Dragon! How dare you speak to my master in this manner!”
Before the Great Sultan could respond, Ishmael stepped forward angrily, accusing Cassius.
Yet Cassius paid him no mind.
He awaited the Great Sultan’s response, believing that the weakened Pasha no longer had the qualifications to participate in this negotiation.
And the Great Sultan was still contemplating, weighing the pros and cons, considering whether to accept the terms.
Ishmael glared at his foe, summoning legion after legion of Fire Giant Soldiers, drawing bows and aiming at the Red Dragon.
Meanwhile, the empire’s army stood behind Cassius, raising their firearms and silently aiming at the Fire Giant hundreds of meters away.
“…”
The already sweltering air grew tense, as if it were about to explode at any moment.
“Enough.”
“I accept your terms.”
The Great Sultan’s expression was grim as he spoke each word deliberately.
At such a critical time, there was no need to provoke an Ancient Dragon for the sake of some lost power.
Cassius immediately grinned and nodded toward the distant scarlet giant, revealing a look of extreme happiness, “Excellent, Your Majesty.”
“Sign this contract and the matter will be entirely settled. Old enmities will dissipate, and the Kingdom of the Fire Giants and the Ashen Empire will march toward a better future together.”
The Red Dragon gently waved a claw, and the power of the elemental plane’s authority he had just acquired descended. Flames formed one magical text after another in mid-air, each bearing traits of a contract.
Witnessing this, Pasha Ismail trembled with fury yet dared not speak.
This power rightfully belonged to him!
“Come, Your Majesty.”
With a thought, Cassius manipulated the fiery contract to appear before the Great Sultan’s projection.
The scarlet giant extended a finger, instilling his will into the contract.
“Buzz——”
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Scarlet auroras flickered, even causing the essence of the plane to tremble, bearing witness to the contract’s establishment.
The Great Sultan’s expression was exceedingly dark, his voice tinged with bitterness, “Throughout these long millennia, I’ve encountered countless types of dragons, but you are the greediest giant dragon I have ever seen.”
Cassius once again nodded in acknowledgment, smiling, “Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty—this is merely the nature of a Red Dragon.”
