Chapter 1019: Intensifying Battle (1/2)
Fernando also furrowed his brow, thinking that Han Shuo was going overboard. However, he didn't chew him up directly like Althea did. ”Han Shuo, doing so will only cause trouble for us. Even if I allow it, the others will not. By then, let alone Azdins, even Nestor, Amon, and Cratos will get mad at you about it.”
While Althea might be collecting souls for her own ends as well, it was at least still justifiable. Without the mirror holding back Aethernia's pull, their Quintessence would've long disappeared. So, even if Azdins, Nestor and the rest were unhappy about what she might be up to, they still had to do what she said and only dared to cause the smallest of troubles for her they think they could get away with.
Han Shuo wasn't surprised at their responses. Smiling relaxedly, he said, ”Don't get so angry and hear me out first.” Seeing that the two were calming down, he continued, ”Didn't you say that as long as I can mitigate the pull on the Quintessence, you'll allow me to collect souls?”
Althea seemed a little weirded out and scrutinized him as she said, ”Are you saying you can do it?”
Fernando was just as surprised. He looked at him with uncertainty and said, ”Han Shuo, you shouldn't say things like this lightly. The slightest mistake can ruin all of us.”
”Do I look like the kind of person who jokes about matters like these?” he put away the smile on his face and solemnly said, ”I can promise that once my demonic artifact absorbs enough souls, it could counteract Aethernia's pull the same. Not only that, with enough souls, it can even break Aethernia's barrier with ease.”
Something flashed across Althea's eyes. She seemed rather shaken as she stared at Han Shuo hard, before deliberating for a moment. ”Are you certain your artifact can break the barrier of Aethernia once it gathers enough souls?”
Han Shuo nodded. ”I am sure. As long as there is enough, opening Aethernia up would be only a matter of course.”
”Very well!” she said, breathing so hard that her chest rose and fell. ”I will allow you to collect those souls. But you should know the consequence if you aren't able to break Aethernia's barrier by then.” She turned to Fernando and said, ”Fernando, please summon the other. This affects all of us and we have to make a new arrangement.”
Fernando nodded and opened a few spatial pathways to invite the rest to the Shrine of Destiny.
”What's going on?” Azdins said with a beaming smile, as if the murderous gods that were just fighting nearby weren't his men.
Althea, seeing Monroe, Lyna, and Azdins appeared, furrowed her brow ever so slightly as if she was unhappy about them attacking her dominion. She proceeded to brief the rest on the situation. When all of them heard it, they turned to Han Shuo with a doubtful look. Monroe was the most direct. ”Are you sure this kid isn't just making things up? This isn't something you should joke about. If he isn't certain, doesn't that mean we'll all die if he fails? Althea, don't you think it's pretty reckless of you to place our survival on the brat?”
Many others thought the same. They didn't believe Han Shuo actually had the ability to do that. Nestor, Amon, and Cratos didn't express their opinions on the matter, but they didn't stand up for Han Shuo either.
”I'm not sure if what he says is true, but I believe we should gamble on it. We don't have much time left, so we can't give up on any chance.
“But I have an idea for a fail-safe measure. I hope you will all agree to doubling the casualties in this war. With that, even if Han Shuo's method doesn't work, my mirror will still have enough souls to mitigate the pull. What do you think?”