This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 490 - 451

Chapter 490: Chapter 451

When Zariel said Amberser had gone mad, even Amberser was somewhat surprised.

Amberser asked Zariel, "Even Hell Demons would reject such an invitation? Kidnapping a Goddess should be a good deal for you."

Zariel said sternly, "Mortal, do you underestimate the Deities too much? Brivodoup is a Deity with Her own Divine Realm. Is your understanding of a Divine Realm merely a nest to hide away in?"

Amberser didn’t really understand this aspect. The knowledge given to him by the Lady of Mist only briefly described the Divine Realm as a cozy nest necessary for all Deities and the key to isolating strife and maintaining self-identity.

"If it’s just a matter of locating the Divine Realm, there’s no need for you to worry about that. All you need to do is help us capture this Goddess once we’ve opened the Divine Realm,"

Amberser’s explanation caused Zariel to shake his head in disappointment, "The wisdom of mortals... It seems that even someone like you does not truly understand what a Deity is. A Divine Realm is not just a hiding place; it is the embodiment of a Deity’s mighty power.

"I know you possess a private space where you can control the flow of time, right? That is the rudiment of a Divine Realm. A Deity can control everything within their Divine Realm. In your private space, the flow of time is under your control, and unless it’s a Deity or a race as unique as the Time Dragon, other creatures cannot resist.

"And a Divine Realm is something even more advanced than your private space. It’s not just time, but matter, rules, and much more—all under the complete control of the Deity."

After silently contemplating for a moment, Amberser said, "So, a Deity in their own Divine Realm would become incredibly powerful, and even just an Intermediate Divine Power Goddess would possess a might that towers over other Deities."

Zariel nodded, "Indeed, each Deity has their Deity Position and corresponding mighty powers. The most terrifying aspect of Brivodoup is not Her strength, but Her chaotic mind. Even I, if I dare to enter Her Divine Realm without any precautions, would instantly turn into a madman, completely losing the ability to think.

"I know you’ve been close with Talos recently, so you should be clear that Talos has opened the gates of his Divine Realm to the gods. In theory, all Deities can freely enter his Divine Realm. There’s more than one Deity with strong Divine Power. If other powerful Deities united against Talos, he wouldn’t stand a chance. However, the prerequisite is that they cannot fight Talos within his Divine Realm.

"Otherwise, even if a hundred Corellons entered Talos’s Tower of Ruins, they would only be reduced to ashes by the endless Thunder."

"Neither I nor Goddess Tiamat would accept your outrageous invitation because it’s simply not possible."

Zariel’s final words made Amberser laugh out loud. He couldn’t help but say, "There are even contracts Devils are afraid to take on? This is quite enlightening."

Zariel remained unmoved and stated calmly, "Provoking me with words is useless. I am a Devil, not one of those senseless Demons that only know how to kill."

But Amberser said, "We both know that even if the Divine Realm is as you described, countless Deities have still fallen, among them some very powerful and renowned ones. Divine Realms are indeed useful, but they are not absolute. So, it’s not that it can’t be done, it’s either that you don’t dare, or you’re hoping for a higher reward. Zariel, when you first ventured into Hell alone with your Knights, did you not consider that this place could be a Divine Realm controlled by Devils?"

Fiery light burst forth from Zariel’s eyes, an immense pressure descending upon Amberser, making his Mecha body creak and groan.

"You’re courting death, Lich!"

This was Zariel’s greatest pain, the part of His past He was most reluctant to revisit. Nobody dared to bring it up, and here this Lich was, poking at His wounds!

Amberser was completely unfazed and spoke with utmost calmness, "You keep on harping about ’mortals’ all the time, yet when it comes to enlightenment, you seem even less than mortal. Zariel, who doesn’t have a few hundred years of agonizing past if they’ve lived long enough? As a Deity situated high above, don’t you have anything beyond mere strength that sets you apart from mortals?"

Zariel was further angered by Amberser’s words, the blazing Hellfire nearly melting Amberser’s Mecha, but it eventually simmered down and did not harm Amberser’s body and soul.

Zariel seethed at Amberser, "Lich, you’re just hiding behind the rules set by Aeo. There will come a day when you reach the limits of mortals, and the moment you become a Deity, I will make you understand the meaning of regret."

The fates of the Rose Spider Queen and Shael had spread far and wide; naturally, Zariel would not make the same mistake.

Yet Amberser sighed.

"You misunderstand me; this time, my goal is not to provoke your anger and dull your thinking, at least not this time. I’ve died once, and I understand the value of life, so I never gamble with mine. Like now, I could simply find a spot to dig a hole to bury myself in.

"No matter how furious Talos is, he can only cause me a little trouble, ruin my endeavors, and persecute my friends—that’s the extent of his means. But for an immortal Lich, time can heal all wounds. I’d hide in my private space, where one day inside equals one year outside. I could wait for hundreds, thousands of years, and what’s so difficult about starting over?"

Zariel listened in confusion and asked, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

"What I’m trying to say is, for these past few centuries, I’ve tried countless times to start over. I’ve sold my most precious knowledge, but lacked the courage to face the consequences, ultimately losing the glory that should have been mine. I’ve succumbed to fate, and between countless life-and-death situations, I chose self-abandonment. I do not dislike glory; I just didn’t want to bear the responsibilities that matched it, so I deceived myself into being content with mediocrity.

"I’ve lived a life of upheaval for a few hundred years, always lacking that final bit of resolve, and thus kept failing and starting over. Yet now I see that every cycle of destruction and rebuilding is so dull. I’ve always fallen short of my goal, always encountering insurmountable troubles at the last moment, and opting to run away.

"So this time, I deliberately chose the most difficult path, I want to achieve feats beyond the reach of mortals, rather than bowing to an irresistible fate as I did in the beginning.

"You can simply understand it as, I’ve had enough of living, and this time, I intend to stand at the pinnacle of this world, where neither mortals nor Deities can meddle in my affairs. Therefore, I am willing to spend everything I have to fight tooth and nail. Zariel, I am inviting you to join this saga that is bound to go down in history.

"I hope you become a part of it, not a spectator, hoping you still have that courage from the past!"

Amberser finished speaking, then stared at Zariel, as if everything that needed to be said had been said, just waiting for Zariel to make the final decision.

Zariel reached for the longsword at his waist, his fingers gripping the hilt tightly, as though in the next second he might draw the Divine weapon and chop off Amberser’s head.

In the end, the flaming longsword was unsheathed, but it did not strike Amberser. Instead, it stabbed into the ground before him.

"Twenty million Soul Currency, and I want the highest quality. If you agree, pick up this sword, and I will lend you my power!"

Upon hearing Zariel’s words, Amberser, without a second thought, reached out, and pulled out the flaming longsword.

Hellfire surged from the blade, flowing into Amberser’s body, and in that moment, Amberser felt a vast magic power, a hundred times stronger than when he had used the Golden Throne!

No wonder mere Deities couldn’t crush his soul with a flick of their finger, this was an absolute power disparity,

Amberser exclaimed in astonishment, "This is... the power of a Deity?!"

"Hmph, feeling the gap now? It’s still not too late to back out, but you still have to pay the Soul Currency."

Amberser ignored Zariel’s taunts and hung the flaming longsword at his waist. In an instant, all the Hellfire disappeared, and the hellish Divine weapon dimmed and became inconspicuous.

"Don’t worry, I do business with credibility, I never default on a debt."

Amberser’s calm response, however, left Zariel somewhat moved.

Many years ago, he had been just as crazed as this Lich, and it was this madness and fearlessness that drove him to lead his Knights into Hell.

Regrettably, he was betrayed in the end, with his only retreat sealed, and he himself captured by the Demons and brutally tormented for countless years.

Now that he thought about it, maybe he should never have left any way out from the beginning.

Death is not to be feared, what’s dreadful is forever harboring the painful memory of this deep regret in one’s soul.

From this perspective, this Lich is stronger than he, at least the Lich saw the problem clearly before failing.

Zariel said to Amberser, "I will relay your message to Goddess Tiamat, but I cannot guarantee whether She will agree. You’ve killed too many Astral Red Dragons, and She has always kept that in mind."

Amberser laughed heartily, quite readily saying, "One million Soul Currency per Astral Red Dragon, consider it compensation and a hiring fee. Ask for Her opinion."

"One million per dragon, you really are..." Zariel was about to say how surprisingly generous Amberser was when he suddenly felt something was amiss, "Wait a minute, sixty Astral Red Dragons, you’re offering Goddess Tiamat sixty million? I only quoted twenty million, what are you implying?!"

Zariel couldn’t accept this offer; wouldn’t that make him worth less than Goddess Tiamat? How could that be, given that he ruled the First Layer of Hell and should be more expensive than Goddess Tiamat?!

Amberser, however, said nonchalantly, "That’s why I’m asking you to pass along the message. I quote you one million, but if you can convince her to settle for a hundred thousand, isn’t the remaining nine hundred thousand yours? You are the Archduke of the Devils, after all. Stop thinking about fighting all day long, your reputation is almost as bad as the Demons’. This is an opportunity for you. In this story, do you want to be remembered as a wise and brave figure who made a fortune, or do you want to be denigrated by the Bards as a brute?"

Zariel’s mouth dropped open in shock. He had dealt with mortals many times, but this was the first time a mortal had offered him such an opportunity.

Cheating Goddess Tiamat and taking her kickback? Who could resist such a temptation?!

Through gritted teeth, Zariel said, "Damn it, your tongue really must have been dipped in honey and poison!"