Negotiations (Part One)

"You're still as cunning as ever, spouting manipulative words without batting an eye..." Stosa said, looking at Jiligao Li was laughing while carrying the God of Dwarves. He clearly disdained Jiligao Li's behavior.

"Don't say that. This is also a manifestation of my strength. Don't underestimate it. Sometimes, deceiving the enemy can achieve the greatest results with the least loss. A violent maniac like you would never understand." Upon hearing Stosa's words, Jiligao Li not only didn't get angry, but seemed quite pleased. Lying seemed to be a wonderful thing for him.

"Alright, we don't have much time left. Let's quickly kill the other God Level dwarf and then severely injure them. The remaining God Level experts should all be with the elves."

"Hmm, the first one is solved, the second one won't be difficult..."

Time passed slowly, Issui and the others waited for news in the Elf Clan Goddess Palace. The sun was already high in the sky the next day, but none of them felt sleepy at all.

"Why don't we all eat something? It's not good to wait for news on an empty stomach. We don't want the enemy to come and we won't have the strength to fight," Marilyn said to the others. She was very clear that the Dwarf Clan couldn't escape this overwhelming crisis. Everyone was just hoping for the best, but in reality, no one was sure what would happen.

"Yes, that's fine. No matter what happens, we can't afford to be so complacent. Everyone needs to maintain a clear mind and peak strength at all times. Especially in situations like this, we can't afford to be listless. Let's listen to Her Majesty Queen Marilyn and eat something to recover our strength. Although God Level powerhouses can obtain some of their required energy from nature and won't feel hungry, eating something is always better than not eating at all." Issui completely agreed with Marilyn's words; he thought so too.

Everyone nodded, agreeing with Marilyn and Issui's suggestion.

"Oh no, oh no, Your Majesty, the dwarves, the Dwarf Clan..."

The moment everyone stepped out of the goddess's palace, a female elf rushed in, her face full of anxiety, mumbling incoherent words.

"Don't panic, speak slowly, tell me, what exactly happened to the dwarves?" At this moment, Marilyn disregarded Her Majesty's dignity, personally stopping the flustered elf woman and easing her chest, appearing extremely kind and approachable.

"Yes... yes, this morning, we were on our usual patrol near the Dwarven capital when we smelled a strong stench of blood. Led by our tribal elder, we went to the Dwarven War God City to inquire, only to discover that all the dwarves in the Dwarven capital were dead, and the God of Dwarves Moradin and the Dwarven Duruis had also been killed. Other dwarven tribes had also suffered heavy losses; almost all the Advanced Stage warriors had been wiped out. Now, all the dwarves are heading towards our City of Life, seeking help." The female elf, with Marilyn's help, spoke each word clearly.

"What? How could this be?" Marilyn could no longer bear it and screamed without any regard for her image.

Issui stroked his chin and said, "To exterminate them all? Although they didn't kill all the dwarves below the Advanced Stage, what big waves can a group of Intermediate Stage low-rank dwarves cause? The dwarves now are like a biscuit, easily crumbled. It's impossible for them to regain their former strength in less than a few hundred years. I really didn't expect them to be so ruthless."

"They're clever enough. Since they can't wipe them all out, they'll make one side completely lose its will to resist. From now on, the dwarves probably won't dare to have any more thoughts of resistance. What a brilliant plan. It must have been that guy Jiligao Li's idea. No magical beast would do something like this except for that treacherous old man," Leins said.

"It's all my fault. If I hadn't been so selfish, things probably wouldn't have turned out this way..." Marilyn felt extremely guilty, blaming herself for not suggesting rescuing the dwarves yesterday, instead hiding in her own home guarding the Elf Royal City, not daring to even step out the door. If it weren't for her selfishness, the Dwarf Clan would never have ended up like this.

"This isn't your fault, it's all our fault. The enemy's strength instilled fear in us, making us afraid to take the initiative and fight them. Instead, they gained the upper hand," Issui comforted her.

"Yes, Marilyn, some things can't be decided lightly. I'm sure you already considered this situation yesterday. Faced with a choice between elves and enemies, if it were me, I would also insist on staying in the Elf Royal City to protect the Elf Clan. It's our responsibility. Also, don't take all the blame on yourself. It's not just you who made the mistake; everyone made mistakes. But since this has already happened, there's no need for us to hide anymore. The key now is to consider how to deal with the current situation," Avril said, patting Marilyn on the shoulder.

"Yes, I understand, Your Highness. Let's formally negotiate with the monsters." Marilyn clenched her fist and said firmly.

"Yes, I understand. Right now, our strength is not much different from that of the magical beasts. Although those two God Level experts are powerful, they cannot withstand the combined attack of five God Level experts like us. So, at present, our strengths are evenly matched, and neither of us needs to be afraid of the other. We can only negotiate to gain some benefits for each other." Issui nodded.

In a corner of the Elf-Dwarf Continent.

"Haha, this was truly exhilarating! Those dwarfs couldn't withstand a single blow from me; they all lay on the ground one by one. I've never fought and slaughtered so wantonly before!" Stosa patted his chest and laughed heartily.

"Hmph, what's there to be proud of? Not a single worthy opponent. It's a waste of my hands; using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. However, from this point on, we can't continue this wanton slaughter. If we act further, they won't let it go. They'll transfer their anger to the other Demigod beasts besides us, and that would be a real mess. If everyone goes back and forth, and in the end only a few God Level experts like us are left in this world, then it's meaningless. Everything must be done in moderation, otherwise, a good thing will turn into a bad thing," Jiligao Li said calmly.

"Yes, I understand. You didn't need to remind us. Besides, it would be too beneath us to keep bullying the strong." Stosa nodded.

"Alright, let's go to the Elf Royal City and find them. Let's have a negotiation. They need to recuperate, and so do we magical beasts. Let's wait until everyone is stronger before we settle things once we've achieved our goal," Jiligao Li said.

"Okay, let's set off then. What are we waiting for? It's so nice to have you by my side. I don't have to worry about anything. You handle everything perfectly."

"Snort..."

"Alright, let's go to the city gate and wait for them. They'll definitely come," Marilyn said to the group.

"What's the point of waiting for them there? Will they really come?" Avril, puzzled and doubtful of Marilyn's words.

"No doubt about it, Her Majesty Queen Marilyn's idea was correct. I think those two old guys will show up soon," Issui said.

"Really?" Avril didn't understand those intricate details; she still didn't quite get it.

"They're here! These two auras are definitely them!" Leins suddenly said, looking towards the city gate.

"Oh, since the guests have arrived, let's go and greet them. We should observe proper etiquette," Marilyn said casually.

So the group followed Marilyn toward the entrance to the City of Life. They walked slowly, but this did not affect their mood. Although everyone was very nervous, since they had come this far, it made no difference whether they were in a hurry or not. It was better to remain calm, otherwise the other side would look down on them.

Before long, Issui and his group arrived at the city gate of the City of Life. The two old men Stosa and Jiligao Li, were already only a few meters away from the gate.

"Leins? Uriala? What are you doing here? That's great! The four of us together captured them all! Haha, that's wonderful! I thought you two little ones had been killed..." Stosa was overjoyed to see Leins beside Issui and Avril beside Uriala at the gates of the City of Life. He was glad that the two little ones were still alive; the Demon Clan hadn't reached the end of their rope.

Leins and Uriala ignored Stosa's words. Since they were already enemies, it was better to draw a line sooner rather than later. Silence was the best option for them at the moment.

"Don't get too excited, Stosa. Haven't you noticed? They're not the same Leins and Uriala we used to know. Look closely at their expressions; they're wary of us. That's not the look of a true comrade!" Jiligao Li immediately saw through the deception.

"No way, they're magical beasts! Hey, Leins, Uriala, you two come here and tell Jiligao Li you're not traitors!" Stosa, though somewhat shaken, still refused to believe that Leins and Uriala would betray them, even though their eyes held a hint of hostility. But... but...

"Stosa, Jiligao Li is right, we are no longer companions, because we now have masters..." Leins said calmly.

"No, Leins, you're not my subordinate, you're a comrade I can rely on. From now on, we'll be fighting together." Issui interrupted Leins, patting his lion head as he spoke.

PS: Some chapters might be frustrating or uninspiring to read, but they are written for the sake of the story's development. Please bear with me a little. Issui's journey in this world is about to end, Issui will return to the Hokage World to fight on all sides. The Hayate Chapter is about to begin, and even more exciting things are yet to come.