Without the World Tree’s Life Energy, the War Tyrannosprite King had lost its infinite regeneration.
Han Wu’s Digital Sprites gathered energy, preparing to finish it off, but the Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King rushed to stop them. “Please, don’t kill the War Tyrannosprite King.”
To the Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King, the War Tyrannosprite King had always been a younger brother. Now that the World Tree had abandoned it, perhaps it could finally understand how the Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King had felt back then.
“Let me die!” the War Tyrannosprite King howled. Abandoned by the World Tree it worshipped and betrayed by its closest companion, it had nothing left to live for.
“Shut up!” the Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King snapped, “The world is vast. The World Tree isn’t the only thing worth living for. You shouldn’t be trapped here.”
A tiny spark of hope lit up in the War Tyrannosprite King’s eyes before quickly fading. “I’m a guardian. The Guardian Seal is inside me. I can’t leave this civilization.”
At that moment, Han Wu walked over. “I know how to fix that. All you need is a fruit of the World Tree, right? I can go pick another one.”
“The World Tree only produces one fruit every hundred years. You already picked one. It won’t grow another anytime soon,” the War Tyrannosprite King said with a sigh.
Han Wu waved his hand and smiled brightly. “Whether it grows a fruit or not isn’t up to it. What I want to know is this: do you want to be free?”
The War Tyrannosprite King looked at Han Wu’s beaming face and gave a firm nod.
“Good. I can help you get one fruit. What can you give me in return?” Han Wu revealed his true purpose.
The War Tyrannosprite King hesitated. It owned nothing of value beyond its armor and the Courage Shield on its back. The armor was tailored to its frame and would be useless to Han Wu. The only thing it could offer was the Courage Shield.
Han Wu couldn’t use it, however. The Courage Shield required its user to possess both the light and dragon attributes. Han Wu didn’t have a Digital Sprite that met those conditions yet. Still, with no other option, the War Tyrannosprite King removed the shield and offered it to him.
Han Wu’s eyes practically lit up at the sight. The Dark Courage Shield was already super ultimate-tier equipment. This Courage Shield had to be just as impressive.
Even so, Han Wu wasn’t satisfied with that alone. He could tell the difference between a single meal and a steady supply. He put on a displeased expression and refused the shield.
“The shield is powerful, but I don’t have a Digital Sprite that can use it. To me it’s just scrap,” he claimed.
The War Tyrannosprite King panicked. Freedom was within reach, and it had to seize it. It simply had nothing else to offer. If it passed up Han Wu’s offer, it couldn’t challenge the World Tree on its own. Freedom would remain an unattainable dream.
The Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King, far smarter than the War Tyrannosprite King, saw through Han Wu immediately. “Just say what you really want.”
Han Wu dropped the act. “I love talking to smart people. Since you don’t have anything worth the price of a fruit, you’ll have to work off the debt instead. Serve me for a hundred years. After that, you’re free. Room, board, training resources are all included during your term of service.”
The live-broadcast audience went wild.
“The audacity. He’s not even trying to hide it.”
“Hiring a Subcosm powerhouse for a hundred years, and all it costs is one of the World Tree’s fruits? Actual capitalists would line up to call you boss.”
“Please open a class. I’ll attend it on my knees.”
“Bro, the water is deep. Let me handle it. I’d only need fifty years of service!”
***
The War Tyrannosprite King didn’t find the terms unreasonable. Obtaining a fruit was dangerous. Because of the Guardian Seal, it couldn’t act against the World Tree and would be unable to help.
The Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King had shed its Guardian Seal, but as a Digital Sprite born in this civilization, it couldn’t harm the World Tree either. Everything would fall on Han Wu alone.
A hundred years of service in exchange for that kind of assistance seemed fair. Still, the decision would determine the next century of its life. The War Tyrannosprite King needed time to think.
Han Wu graciously gave it that time, then turned to the Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King.
“Now we need to discuss the matter of the War Tyrannosprite King’s life,” Han Wu said, grinning as brightly as ever.
The Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King frowned in confusion. The War Tyrannosprite King would almost certainly agree to serve. What did any of this have to do with itself?
“I can see you’re confused. Let me walk you through the math,” Han Wu said. “We defeated the War Tyrannosprite King together. I have the right to decide whether it lives or dies. You’d agree with that, yes?”
The Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King nodded. In any civilization, the victor decides the loser’s fate. That was an iron rule.
Han Wu continued, “You stopped me from killing it. In other words, you saved its life, but you haven’t compensated me for it.”
“It’s going to serve you for a hundred years. Isn’t that compensation enough?” the Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King shot back.
“Don’t mix things up. That’s the payment for picking the World Tree’s fruit. These are two separate deals,” Han Wu replied.
The Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King couldn’t help laughing in disbelief. It had fought countless battles across ages and faced many members of the Divine Civilization, yet it had never met anyone as shamelessly brazen as Han Wu.
“What if I refuse?” the Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King challenged.
“All of you, kill the War Tyrannosprite King. I want to see what kind of special materials it drops!” Han Wu ordered immediately.
His Digital Sprites obediently gathered energy again and were ready to give the War Tyrannosprite King a permanent farewell.
The War Tyrannosprite King was the most bewildered of all. One moment they were negotiating a hundred-year contract, and the next they were about to execute it? What was happening? It was ready to agree! A hundred years was perfectly acceptable!
The Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King couldn’t let its brother die. It told Han Wu to stop and demanded, “What do you actually want?”
“You’ve already given me most of your valuables, so here’s the deal. You serve me for a hundred years too. A hundred years of service for your brother’s life. That’s a bargain,” Han Wu claimed.
The Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King weighed its options. It genuinely feared that if it refused, Han Wu would actually kill the War Tyrannosprite King. That was the only bond it still had left in this world.
“Fine. I agree,” the Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King said.
The corner of Han Wu’s mouth curled upward. He tried to suppress it, but he couldn’t.
He raised a hand to call off his Digital Sprites, then turned to the confused War Tyrannosprite King. “The Pride Dark Tyrannosprite King has already agreed to serve me for a hundred years. If you agree as well, I can arrange for you two to live together.”
The War Tyrannosprite King’s breathing immediately grew heavier. “I’m willing! Yes! Absolutely yes!”
It was the most resolute answer the War Tyrannosprite King had ever given.