Published at 22nd of January 2026 6:56 am

Chapter 1929 Deal?

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"..?!"

The shock on Theo's face lingered for no more than a heartbeat before it twisted into sharp, restrained fury. Zarghul the Sorcerer had discovered that his father was Lord Human?! Of all people... of all secrets... this was among the most dangerous.

"Hm?"

The red-skinned man raised his hand, partially covering one eye as he slowly scanned the surroundings. "You receive a message at a time like this?" His tone was casual, almost idle. "Do you have companions nearby? I was under the impression you entered this planet alone."

Theo deliberately chose silence.

It was true that the intelligence reach of the Hidden Hand Syndicate was terrifyingly vast. Most of that power came from coercing figures in high positions, or paying astronomical prices to extract every major piece of information worth knowing. Yet even such methods had clear limits-limits that could not be crossed casually.

As for the interstellar communication network, it was something the Syndicate had not yet identified. Theo had personally verified this fact again and again. The miniature gateways were now installed only inside sealed chambers, under extreme guard, deep within ships. Only a single general-bound by a powerful, irreversible oath-was permitted to carry the ring. He alone knew of the interstellar communication capability. With layers of secrecy stacked atop one another, the matter remained tightly contained, nearly impossible to leak by any conventional means.

"Apologies," Theo said as he released a slow breath, steadying himself. "I need to enter the Soul Society." He inclined his head slightly. "Please, continue enjoying your hot drink. I won't be long"

"Hm..."

The red-skinned man merely shrugged, unconcerned, and took another leisurely sip.

Theo straightened his posture, placing both hands firmly on his knees. He closed his eyes and severed his awareness from reality-without the slightest hesitation, despite the presence of a Syndicate Monarch sitting right beside him.

In truth, there were very few places in the universe safer than this exact spot at this exact moment.

As long as the Syndicate still deemed him useful. As long as they still wanted something from him. Who, then, would dare to kill him?

The red-skinned man, meanwhile, slowly turned his attention outward, surveying the surroundings with calm, unhurried interest. "Hm..." This planet did not belong to the Syndicate. Its countless inhabitants had no idea that a Monarch was casually sipping a hot drink among them, nor that the leader of the Shadow Swords-whose name inspired fear across sectors-sat beside him with closed eyes.

Life continued uninterrupted. Lovers spoke softly. Elderly folk watched their grandchildren play, laughter echoing through open streets. To everyone else, it was an ordinary day.

Yet the red-skinned man perceived something different. "A pleasant place," he mused quietly. "Perhaps I should convert this planet into a private beach. "Hm?"

He turned back toward Theo.

Theo's eyes were already open-but they were no longer the same.

The tension and fear that had weighed upon him since the beginning of the negotiation were gone, as if scrubbed away in an instant. In their place burned resolute blue depths, steady and unyielding, paired with a heart pounding fiercely in his chest.

The red-skinned man's brows knitted together immediately. This sensation... it was unmistakable.

The heart of someone who had already decided to leap from the edge of a cliff.

Excitement intertwined with fear. Determination mixed with a hint of recklessness.

And beneath it all, a trace of madness.

That was dangerous.

"Looks like it was quite a powerful message, hm?" the red-skinned man said, deliberately light, attempting to reestablish the flow of conversation.

"...Very" Theo replied shortly, his voice controlled, his thoughts still racing as he processed what he had just heard.

Had his father truly told him to protect the secrecy of the protected zone- even if that meant waging war against the Syndicate itself? And said it calmly. With confidence. Even with a faint smile?

Did he really understand the consequences of such words?! Did he truly-

Before his thoughts could spiral any further down that path, Theo let out a quiet breath. A faint smile surfaced on his lips. His features softened, and the frantic beating of his heart gradually steadied.

There is a saying: Tie the horse where its owner wishes.

Shadow Swords, Nihari, the armies... even my own life-everything belongs to him, to decide as he sees fit. There is no need to overthink this.

Theo hardened his resolve, straightened slightly, and lifted his gaze to meet the eyes of the red-skinned man once more. "I will present you with a new offer," he said calmly, "and I sincerely ask that you listen to my words with due seriousness."

"...?!"

That sudden, unnatural calm struck the red-skinned man with profound surprise-and unmistakable curiosity. His posture shifted subtly. "And what, exactly, do you intend to offer?"

"I will pay twenty-five billion Pearls for the dead, exactly as you demanded," Theo said without hesitation. "And instead of providing a fleet, I will add five billion more, bringing the total to thirty billion Pearls. With this, we can place this entire incident behind us and consider it resolved."

He paused deliberately, allowing the number to sink in, before continuing, "As for the inevitability of inspecting that region-I will purchase that as well. I will put forward another thirty billion Pearls so that you withdraw completely and

permanently from that area."

"Oh?"

The red-skinned man's lips curled into an intrigued smile. "Just moments ago, you claimed Lord Human merely wished for his homeland to remain unseen. And now he is willing to spend sixty billion Pearls to seal it off entirely from us? That seems... somewhat contradictory, doesn't it?"

"Not at all,"

Theo replied with a face devoid of emotion. "Do we have an agreement?" His gaze sharpened as he stared directly into the red-skinned man's eyes. "I believe this offer is more than fair. I would advise you not to pressure me further."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible, little sword."

The red-skinned man shook his head slowly. "We cannot simply forget that area. A powerful oath binds us to investigate all unknowns-this decision is not mine alone to make."

Still, the thought of sixty billion Pearls caused an involuntary smile to creep across his face. If such a deal were concluded, he would personally receive a significant share of it-yet some matters lay beyond even his authority. "Then what about purchasing time?" Theo countered immediately, refusing to

retreat.

"Thirty billion Pearls in exchange for three thousand years. After that period ends, you may investigate the area freely and without restriction."

"Tsk. That won't do."

The red-skinned man shook his head once more, unimpressed.

"Damn it-fine."

Theo clenched his hands tightly, the tension visible in his shoulders. "I'll add

another seven billion. That makes it sixty-seven billion pearls in total. We erase what happened here today, and you ignore the protected area for three

thousand years."

That length of time had to be enough-enough for Nihari to rise, to anchor itself firmly, and to build armies strong enough to stand on their own. "Hm... it seems the Human Lord became quite wealthy after acquiring that youth-restoration device."

The red-skinned man chuckled softly. "Even so, this still won't work. If you intend to bribe the Syndicate, you must bribe all of its leadership. Thirty-seven billion is far too little a price for a secret of such magnitude."

"What secret?" Theo shot back instantly. "There is nothing there. It's merely a

personal wish-nothing more." "One hundred billion."

The red-skinned man waved his hand dismissively. "That is the price. In return,

I will turn a blind eye to the Nota Fleet and the protected area for two hundred years only, not three thousand. So-do we have a deal?"

Theo's eyes widened fully. Two hundred years was nowhere near enough.

"But-"

"Do we have a deal?"

The red-skinned man raised his voice slightly, the pressure in his tone

unmistakable.

"...We have a deal."

Theo ground his teeth, forcing the words out. Anything was better than igniting

a direct war with the Syndicate at this moment. "However, I have conditions."

"Heh?" The red-skinned man laughed. "You have conditions?" "There are two missions personally entrusted to me by Lord Human-missions I cannot handle on my own," Theo said steadily. "I want the Syndicate's full and uncompromising assistance in both."

He stared straight into the red-skinned man's eyes. "Consider those missions

part of the hundred-billion agreement. I will finalize the deal with you, here and now, with immediate payment."

The red-skinned man stared at Theo in silence. That little bastard-he was

clearly threatening to take the deal to another authority. After a brief pause, he spoke again. "...What are the missions?"

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