Chapter 524: Chapter 524: Cooperation

Albert’s gentle gaze swept across the room, finally resting on the Sea Emperor on the throne. Without any pleasantries, he went straight to the point, his voice steady and clear:

“The Void Insect Race is the enemy of us all. They devour, evolve, expand, with no end.”

He raised his hand, not using any extravagant magic, just simply invoking the surrounding Water Elements.

Immediately, the sea water in the center of the hall coalesced into a clear image, depicting a trench ravaged by the Insect Race, with a massive nest, surging insect tide, and ocean behemoths reduced to bones… each detail was shocking.

“If I recall correctly, this was once Elder Lan’s hunting ground.” Albert’s voice carried a barely noticeable heaviness, “Now, only dead silence remains. How many such places are there still in the ocean? How many more will be added in the future?”

A veteran of the Sea Race couldn’t help but retort, “We have our own strength to clear…”

“Time, then?” Albert interrupted calmly, his gaze still gentle, yet seemingly able to pierce the heart, “To clear a Level 3 Nest, how many elite warriors must the Sea Race sacrifice? How long will it take? And while you’re clearing this one, how fast are other places, even new nests, growing?”

He paused, his tone still peaceful, yet every word was heavy: “The ocean is vast, but the Insect Race’s greed knows no bounds. We are racing against time, against a plague that might devour the entire Plane.”

The Sea Emperor remained silent, his fingers tightly gripping the armrest of the throne.

What Albert demonstrated was not power, but a cold, harsh, and pressing reality.

“We are not seeking entry into the Sea Race’s sacred grounds, nor coveting ocean treasures.” Albert continued, his words concise and straightforward, “We simply propose that in publicly confirmed areas severely eroded by the Insect Race, and specific disaster areas permitted by the nobles, the Wizard Council be allowed to dispatch personnel to collaborate with Sea Race warriors in pinpoint clearing of nests. The Sea Race can supervise the entire combat process. The objective is singular: to eliminate the Void Insect Race at minimal cost and maximum speed.”

He looked at the Sea Emperor, his gaze sincere: “This is not a victory for the wizards, nor a compromise for the Sea Race. It is survival, for the still blue waters, for the generations that can still swim freely.”

The hall fell into an even deeper silence.

Albert did not promise any benefits; he simply stated the consequences and proposed a pragmatic, limited, but highly workable cooperation plan.

He did not attempt to persuade everyone, only handed the choice, along with the weighty responsibility, back to the rulers of the Sea Race.

After a while, the Sea Emperor slowly raised his head, the struggle in his eyes gradually replaced by a heavy decision.

He looked around at the silent elders, seeing similar changes in their eyes.

He stood up, his gaze becoming sharp: “The Sea Race agrees to establish a temporary alliance with the Wizard Council. Effective immediately, we will open the confirmed Level 3 Nest sea areas and surrounding public waters, allowing joint extermination teams approved by both parties to enter. Specific details will be meticulously drafted by both parties together.”

He stared intently at Albert: “I hope this truly is for the ocean’s future.”

The Sea Emperor’s eyes were filled with apprehension towards Albert, for he knew better than anyone how formidable this seemingly frail old man before him was.

Albert nodded slightly, his face still wearing that gentle expression, yet there was a newfound solemnity in his eyes: “Time will prove everything, for our shared world.”

…

Seven days later.

The Duke was in the study of Habs Manor, reading some books, when he suddenly sensed some activity from the Black Sail Badge, indicating that there might be some news from Black Sail.

The messages sent directly via the Black Sail Badge are generally notifications. If it were an individual matter, it would usually be through the Wizard’s Mark.

The Duke then probed the Black Sail Badge with his Spiritual Power and quickly learned the content of the message.

The message first announced the significant news that the Wizard Council had reached a preliminary cooperation agreement with the Sea Race Royal Family, followed by a detailed explanation of the cooperation content.

The Wizard Council would organize elite forces to form a joint extermination team with the Sea Race warriors, entering the Sea Race’s open regions and disaster areas to carry out targeted elimination of the identified Void Insect Race nests, especially the highly threatening Level 3 Nests.

The latter part of the notification was a recruitment order for internal members of Black Sail.

“…In view of the special and complex nature of marine combat environments and the formidable threat of the Void Insect Race nests, we are currently recruiting volunteer participants from among the formal wizards and higher-level members. This mission is high-risk, and since it is a task directly issued by the Wizard Council, contribution rewards will increase by fifty percent, and there will be priority access to certain Sea Race exclusive resources for exchange. All participants must possess strong underwater combat or adaptation abilities and accept unified command and dispatch…”

The notification ended with the registration method and initial qualification review criteria.

After reading the message, the Duke unconsciously began tapping his fingers on the table, lost in thought.

He was not surprised by the cooperation with the Sea Race.

The Void Insect Race had already shown their enormous threat, and the Wizard Council could not stand by idly.

For the Sea Race, the Void Insect Race is an immediate and massive threat, and they do not possess sufficient capabilities on their own to solve the Void Insect Race.

To completely solve the Void Insect Race, the power of wizards is ultimately needed.

If the Sea Race insisted on not allowing the wizards to intervene, it could directly lead to a significant decline in the Sea Race’s power, completely losing the ability to rule the ocean.

By that time, whatever the wizards wanted to do, the Sea Race would have no chance to resist.

Wizards are already becoming increasingly powerful, and if it came to a head-on confrontation, the Sea Race would be undoubtedly defeated.

However, the wizards are currently considering issues from the perspective of the entire Plane, unwilling to let internal strife lead to a decline in the Plane’s overall strength.

This time, the notification from the Wizard Council reached all major wizard forces throughout the Wizard Plane, where a major wizard organization is identified as having a Level 4 Mage.

Some ancient Wizard Clans also received the notification, participation entirely depending on their personal willingness.

The situation is the same with Black Sail; for the wizards of Black Sail, this is a temporary emergency task and not a compulsory one.

This task, like previous Plane wars, allows individuals to keep any spoils obtained during war.

If obtained by multiple people working together, the spoils will be distributed according to contribution.

The Void Insect Race itself is considered a resource. Whether it be the most significant Heart of the Insect Race or the most ordinary insect corpse, they are all useful resources, the key lies in how to utilize them.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep