Chapter 336
[…What?]

The Assassin of Silence froze for a moment, his expression blank.

For reference, an “Arch Lich” is different from an ordinary lich.

Unlike pure undead liches, Arch Liches are half-living beings—they don’t need a Life Vessel, and they possess flesh-covered bodies.

Though their bodies are corpse-like, devoid of blood and warmth.

“I said you’re arrogant. Is that the attitude of someone who’s come to ask for a favor?”

[!!]

The Assassin of Silence radiated furious energy.

[You… How dare you.]

But then—

Fwoooosh!

Suddenly, a suffocating aura filled the conference hall.

It was the presence emitted by Nordian, who was nearby.

Though the meeting was supposed to be fully handled by Christian, perhaps worried about his grandson, Nordian lingered nearby and now flexed his power.

‘Grandfather, really.’

Christian smirked and spoke to the Assassin of Silence, who was crushed under Nordian’s overwhelming presence.

“You must be an empty-headed skull, because you clearly don’t understand the situation. Now is not the time for you to be holding your head high.”

[…….]

“I’m going to smash every single Life Vessel you have, then use the full might of our Dark League to bring down your Four Kings’ Castle. Do you really think you toothless fools can stand against us?”

The Assassin of Silence bit his pale lips.

“You have only two choices left: either fall to the Dark League as you are, or accept the terms we demand.”

To speak such humiliating words to the mighty Four Kings’ Castle—

It was no exaggeration.

Because the one holding the knife now was the Dark League.

Christian dismissed him like a pest.

“Make sure you deliver my words to the lord of the Four Kings’ Castle. But remember this: if you show such arrogance again, there will be no more talks.”

The Assassin of Silence stormed off in anger.

After that, the Four Kings’ Castle fell silent.

They couldn’t accept Christian’s terms, nor could they try anything else.

If they made a wrong move and all their Life Vessels were destroyed, it would be the end.

‘Let’s see how long they can hold out.’

Christian whistled as he smashed the Life Vessels one by one.

By the next day, he had destroyed seven.

“The envoy from the Four Kings’ Castle has come again.”

The Assassin of Silence returned.

“Get lost.”

[…What did you say?]

“Didn’t I make myself clear? If you don’t show respect, there will be no talks.”

The Assassin of Silence looked stunned.

He said nothing.

But Christian lowered his gaze and said,

“You look too cocky.”

Smash!

He shattered another Life Vessel right before his eyes.

[You… bastard…]

“Don’t forget: respect.”

The next day, the Assassin of Silence came again.

This time, his lips were tightly pressed, and his head bowed.

Though trembling with clenched fists in anger, at least he showed a respectful attitude.

“Well, I don’t like it, but I see you’ve made an effort. Since you’ve tried, I’ll talk. What do you want?”

[…As you said, we will negotiate. The Dark League and our Four Kings’ Castle will sign a truce and pledge not to invade each other’s territories for the next hundred years.]

“Rejected.”

[…What?]

Christian said coldly,

“Didn’t I say you’d follow our demands? How dare you come with such negotiation terms without knowing your place.”

Smash!

Another Life Vessel destroyed.

“Make sure you tell your lord: either accept our terms or face destruction.”

The next day, the envoy came again.

But this time, it wasn’t the Assassin of Silence.

It was the ruler of the Four Kings’ Castle, the deputy lord of the Four Spirits, the Death Knight, Drenne.

---

‘A real heavyweight has arrived.’

Christian’s gaze darkened as he looked at the composed white-haired woman.

Drenne was on a completely different level from the previous envoy, the Assassin of Silence.

For one, unlike the other Four Kings, she was not a lich but a living human.

Yet she had reached the pinnacle of 8th-tier magic power, reigning as the leader of the Four Kings.

Though not a family head, she was considered an ultra-powerful figure, on par with the strongest heads of the twelve great magical houses—Ghost Blade King, Spirit King, Obsidian King, and others.

And she wasn’t even old.

Only in her forties.

Thanks to her powerful magic, she looked like she was in her mid-twenties.

She was widely expected to reach the level of a 9th-tier Demon Lord in the near future.

‘She means to negotiate seriously.’

Christian didn’t show any disrespect toward Drenne.

“Pleasure to meet you. I’m Christian.”

“You must be Mahwi. I’ve heard much about you.”

Drenne spoke calmly.

“I suppose the insult to the Assassin of Silence was because you wanted me to come. I’m curious what you want to say.”

Christian’s words pierced her thoughts.

In truth, he had hoped the real decision-maker of the Four Kings’ Castle would come.

“Let me be clear: just coming to negotiate like this is already a huge humiliation for me. Please don’t test my patience too far.”

A warning that unreasonable demands would end talks.

“Don’t be mistaken in thinking you can overwhelm our Four Kings’ Castle by smashing all the Life Vessels of the twelve legion commanders. Our strength is not so shallow that we’d collapse from that alone. We’re negotiating now only because we want to avoid damage to the important liches of the main family.”

This was no bluff.

Of course, if all Life Vessels were destroyed, the Four Kings’ Castle would suffer massive losses.

But even then, their power was not inferior to the Dark League.

Even if the Dark League miraculously won, it would be a near mutual destruction.

“You, Mahwi, must know this, which is why you’re here to negotiate. So tell me, what conditions do you want from our Four Kings’ Castle?”

Christian shrugged and said,

“Well, I’m not asking for territory or any grand compensation. But in a way, it might be a much harder demand. First, I want a definite truce and a non-aggression pact.”

He continued,

“But not a hollow pact—I want solid guarantees.”

“Be specific.”

“I want an alliance between the Four Kings’ Castle and our Dark League.”

“!!”

Drenne’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“That’s… absurd.”

“Why is it absurd? Hasn’t there been a time when the Four Kings’ Castle and our Southern Magic Kingdom joined hands?”

Of course, there had been such times.

The history of the Magic Empire was long.

But nowadays, it was an outrageous idea.

“Of course, a mere verbal alliance isn’t enough to build trust. How about establishing ‘branch houses’ in each other’s territories?”

“…Branch houses?”

“Yes. As a sign of goodwill, the Four Kings’ Castle would host a branch of our Dark League, and we would host a branch of the Four Kings’ Castle.”

Though called branch houses, it was essentially exchanging hostages.

Drenne narrowed her eyes and asked,

“…If we’re talking about exchanging hostages, who from the Dark League would you send?”

Sending an insignificant figure would be meaningless.

But the name Christian gave was someone Drenne never expected.

“I will go myself.”

“!!”

“Only someone like me can truly symbolize the goodwill between our two powers.”

Drenne fell silent.

“I don’t understand your thinking. You, the most important figure of the Dark League, want to come here as a hostage?”

From the Four Kings’ Castle’s perspective, the two most crucial figures in the Dark League were Nordian and Christian—and if they had to pick one, it was Christian.

Christian alone had built the Dark League.

And now, the very essence of the Dark League was offering himself as a hostage in the deadly Four Kings’ Castle?

“I told you: it’s to prove goodwill.”

But Drenne’s eyes remained suspicious.

‘That cunning bastard wouldn’t make such an offer without some ulterior motive.’

Her suspicion was correct.

Christian had a plan.

He thought to himself,

‘I’ll bring down the Four Kings’ Castle from within.’

As mentioned before, a full-scale war to destroy the Four Kings’ Castle would be too costly.

So this was the alternative.

To infiltrate legally, then cause collapse from the inside.

Of course, it was risky.

But there was a safeguard.

“Establishing branch houses in each other’s territories will require approval from the ‘Central Authority.’ The Magic Emperor himself will be pleased.”

“!!”

With the Central Authority’s recognition, the Four Kings’ Castle couldn’t just harm him.

It would be an order from the Magic Emperor.

‘Of course, this alone doesn’t guarantee safety.’

They’d have to be cautious, but the Four Kings’ Castle wouldn’t just sit idly by.

Still, they wouldn’t openly attack him head-on.

Christian asked Drenne,

“What do you think? It’s a proposal that doesn’t cost the Four Kings’ Castle anything, isn’t it?”

“…….”

Drenne was silent for a long moment, then nodded.

“Very well. We will accept your proposal.”

It was an agreement!

Drenne stood up.

“But remember this: I, Drenne, do not accept this proposal without knowing your true, dark intentions.”

Before leaving, her deep eyes glinted with a chilling aura of death as she stared at Christian.

“No matter what schemes you’re hiding, the Fortress of the Four Kings will be your grave.”

A blatant declaration to kill Christian.

After Dren left, Chris sat quietly, lost in thought.

‘It won’t be easy.’

In truth, it was reckless.

No matter how formidable he was, taking down the Fortress of the Four Kings alone was a tall order.

‘But I have to do it. No, I can do it.’

Chris shifted his gaze southward.

That was where the Alliance’s Round Table and the Skyward Magic Tower stood.

‘Before I head to the Fortress, I need to grow stronger than I am now.’

He wasn’t going straight there.

There were procedures to follow, and time on his side.

He planned to stop by the Alliance first to further hone his power.

‘I’ve already made the preparations.’

From his pocket, Chris pulled out a document.

—Appointment as a professor.

He intended to serve as a temporary instructor at the Kainfer Training Institute.

‘Kainfer isn’t just any academy. It’s where the Alliance’s finest gather to sharpen their skills.’

Also known as the Cradle of Stars.

The Alliance’s beacon of hope.

Not just promising rookies, but only those who had proven themselves as top performers in their factions could set foot there.

In other words, it was an elite institution for the Alliance’s brightest stars.

As such, it was brimming with incredible opportunities for growth and discovery.

‘Of course, at my current level, I won’t gain much from those opportunities.’

What Chris truly sought was the vast knowledge housed within Kainfer.

It was the repository of the most extensive secret arts and wisdom in the entire Alliance.

‘To truly become a “Mahwi” — a being of magical radiance — I must acquire the secret arts of Kainfer.’

But that wasn’t all.

‘If I go to Kainfer, I can also get my hands on the secrets of the Round Table and the Skyward Magic Tower.’

Chris thought quietly to himself.

‘It’s about time I made the Round Table and the Skyward Magic Tower kneel.’