The air in the Azure Sea Guesthouse was thick with a new, sharp-edged tension. The initial shock of the Asset Duel challenge had worn off, replaced by the heavy, sobering weight of the stakes. Elder Quan and Branch Master Jing had departed to begin their own frantic preparations, leaving Li Yu, Kui, and Xylia in the quiet opulence of the main hall.
"That was a big gamble, Wise Host," Kui said, his usual cheerful boom replaced by a more serious, calculating tone. The fawning merchant was gone, replaced by the ancient, cunning sovereign. "To stake an ally's entire foundation on a fight."
The others didn't quite understand why Kui called Li Yu wise host but they just assumed it was the name Kui had given him, probably for a deed that was done some time ago.
"They left us no choice," Li Yu replied, his gaze distant. "Losing the Jade Sea Pavilion as our primary partner would cripple our expansion. It would be a threat to our peace." He turned to face his retainers. "But before we discuss our own strategy, we must be clear with our friends. A partnership requires transparency, especially when the risks are this high."
Later that evening, Li Yu and Kui met with Jing and Quan in a private, soundproofed chamber within the Pavilion.
"Jing, my friend," Li Yu began, his tone calm and direct. "You have placed your trust in us, and we will not fail you. However, this is more than a simple favor. My associates will be risking their lives. The companies will be staking their future reputation on this duel. This is a joint venture, and the terms must be clear."
Kui stepped forward, his cheerful smile now sharp and businesslike. "Branch Master Jing, Elder Quan, the situation is this: you can provide two champions. Captain Valerius is a mighty warrior, but his match against the Riptide Legion's leader is uncertain. Your second champion is a valiant effort, but is facing an opponent of a higher realm. Realistically, your chances of winning more than a single match are slim."
He spread his hands wide. "We, on the other hand, are prepared to provide three champions. Champions who do not lose. We will be providing the decisive, winning force in this duel. Therefore, it is only fair that we share in the rewards of this high-risk venture. We propose this: upon our victory, the Golden Shell Guild and the White Paw Company will claim fifty percent of all assets seized from the Azure Shell Chamber. We provide the victory, we share the spoils. It is a fair price for saving your entire foundation, is it not?"
Jing and Quan looked at each other. There was no hesitation. Kui was right. They were being offered a victory in exchange for half of a prize they currently had zero chance of winning.
"Agreed," Jing said, his voice firm. He extended a hand to Kui. "Fifty percent. Your terms are fair. You are not just our champions; you are our partners in this war."
With the deal struck, Li Yu returned to his chambers. He raised his hand, and a shimmering, watery portal to his Koi Martial Spirit materialized. The three of them stepped through, emerging in their physical forms on the central island of the Koi's Sanctuary.
"Now, for our own plans," Li Yu said, the energy of his domain swirling around him. "Xylia. Kui. I have one command for you in this duel." He met their eyes, his own gaze cold and absolute. "Do not just win. I want you to win with overwhelming, terrifying power. I want you to leave an impression so deep in the minds of everyone who witnesses it that they will never, ever forget it. This is not the time for secrecy. The Golden Shell Guild and the White Paw Company have appeared from nowhere. Let them remain a mystery, but let that mystery be one of unassailable strength. Make them fear us, so they will leave us in peace."
Kui's eyes gleamed with an ancient, predatory light. "A magnificent strategy, Wise Host! This old turtle will be sure to put on a truly unforgettable performance of crushing power!"
"I will break their champion," Xylia stated, her voice a low, rough rumble. "They will see the might of the White Paw and know true fear."
"But there is a problem," Xylia's rough voice cut in. "Three matches. We are two. Valerius is strong, but his fight is a gamble. The other is a certain loss. We cannot guarantee a victory."
Kui's cheerful expression sobered. "Lady Xylia is correct, Wise Host. We need a third, guaranteed victory."
Li Yu's gaze drifted towards a distant, dark island where the very fabric of space seemed to hum with an ancient, arrogant power. "Yes," he said quietly. "We do."
He focused his will, sending a silent summons. A moment later, a shimmering distortion of void energy appeared on the island, and the immense, galaxy-shelled form of Khaos materialized.
"You disturb this king's refinement, boy," Khaos's voice boomed in their minds, laced with annoyance. "What trivial matter requires my attention now?"
Li Yu quickly explained the situation: the Asset Duel, the stakes, and their need for a third, unassailable champion who could deliver an overwhelming victory.
When he had finished, Khaos let out a deep, rumbling sound of contemptuous amusement. "You want this king… to participate in your pathetic human games? A duel? You would ask a sovereign being who commands the void itself to lower himself to the level of a common pit fighter? The audacity is almost impressive."
"It is not a game, Khaos," Li Yu said, his tone respectful but firm, pleading his case. "It is a necessity. A victory here secures our foundation and ensures our peace. We need to win, and you are the only one who can guarantee it."
Khaos fell silent for a long moment. "Your logic is… not entirely without merit," he finally conceded. "However, that is not the primary reason this king will even consider your absurd proposal. The human, Jing, provided this king with the Void Core. It was a gift of gratitude for a service I had not yet rendered. This king does not accept gifts without earning them. It is a matter of pride."
A wave of immense, arrogant power rolled off him. "Very well. I will participate in your ridiculous duel. I will crush whichever insect they put before me. And in doing so, I will consider the debt for the crystal to be paid in full. I will have earned my prize."
A collective wave of relief washed over Kui and Xylia. But the ever-practical turtle sovereign immediately saw the next problem.
"A thousand thanks for your benevolence, Lord Khaos!" Kui gushed. "But… you have always said that human forms are weak and contemptible. How will you fight in a public arena?"
Khaos turned his immense head, fixing Kui with a look of withering disdain. "You mistake my disdain for inability, little turtle? This king finds the act of squeezing my magnificent form into a sack of frail flesh to be a vulgar and distasteful affair. But I can, of course, do it if I so choose."
He paused. "Observe."
The colossal, crab-like form of the Stygian Void-Crusher began to shimmer and distort, folding in on itself until a man appeared where the monster had stood.
And the three of them were stunned into absolute silence.
Kui's jaw hung open. Xylia's eyes were wide, her usual icy composure shattered. Even Li Yu was momentarily breathless.
Khaos's human form was a masterpiece of divine sculpture. He was an old man, yet his body was one of perfect, muscular proportion. His hair was a thick, lustrous mane of pure black, shot through with bold, striking streaks of stark white, and his long, perfectly groomed beard was the color of fresh snow. He was, without question, the most handsome man any of them had ever seen, his features chiseled and noble, his eyes the color of dark, swirling nebulae. He looked like the ancestor portrait of some legendary divine sect, the very image of a primordial god-king.
He stroked his long, white beard, looking down at his own perfectly formed hands with a critical, yet satisfied, expression.
"This form is adequate, I suppose," he said, his voice a deep, resonant baritone that vibrated with an ancient power. "It will serve its purpose."
He looked at the three stunned sovereigns before him, a faint, smug smile touching his lips. "Now then. Who is it that I am expected to obliterate?"