MTLNOVEL Chapter257-The Decision
Watching the figures of the fleeing god kings disappear into the distance, the 5-Element God King couldn't help but reflect.
Had he really been battling against such opponents for two years?
The thought left him speechless.
In truth, sparing those god kings would bring more advantages than killing them.
First and foremost, they were all severely injured.
Recovering from these injuries would take years—an eternity in the current unstable state of the God Realm.
This was no ordinary time.
In such precarious circumstances, wasting years on recovery was unwise.
Who could predict when the calamity would strike?
Furthermore, during the battle, these god kings had brought most of their elite forces, expecting to annihilate the 5-Element God Realm in one decisive strike.
What they hadn't anticipated was the overwhelming power unleashed by the 5-Element God King.
In one devastating attack, nearly all their elite forces were wiped out, leaving only a handful of survivors.
In the coming years, these realms would be left in a weakened state, significantly reducing their influence.
Additionally, if he were to kill those god kings now, their realms would fall into leaderless chaos.
And that...
The 5-Element God King could already imagine what would happen.
These realms bordered the beast clan's territories.
If their god kings perished, the beast clan might seize the opportunity to invade.
If five god realms descended into chaos simultaneously, even Daniel might find it a monumental headache to resolve.
The 5-Element God King knew Daniel despised unnecessary trouble.
Thus, he refrained from killing those god kings, sparing all but the Giant Mountain God King.
The Giant Mountain God King, however, was a special case.
The teleportation array hidden within the 5-Element Temple was the final straw that placed the Giant Mountain God King in an unforgivable position.
The others could leave, but the Giant Mountain God King had to die.
There were two reasons for this decision.
Firstly, the Giant Mountain God King had always harbored ambitions to kill the 5-Element God King.
Secondly, the proximity of his realm to the 5-Element God Realm made it strategic for control and stabilization once his death left a power vacuum.
After the god kings departed, the 5-Element God King turned his attention to the remaining beast clan god kings.
"We accept your terms," the Serpent God King said gravely. "I, along with the Fox God King and one other, will remain here at the 5-Element Temple."
The 5-Element God King nodded approvingly.
He respected the Serpent God King's decision.
Over the years, they had clashed numerous times, especially in the last two years.
The Serpent God King's tactics were formidable.
Without the Ink Sea God King's assistance, the 5-Element God Realm might have fallen early in the war.
The Serpent God King's choice to remain demonstrated his accountability and courage.
"Very well," the 5-Element God King replied tersely.
Thus, the two-year-long war finally came to an end.
Inside the 5-Element Temple, Daniel sat leisurely in a chair, reading through records detailing the events of the past few years.
Although the Ink Sea God King had given him general updates, these written records provided a more comprehensive picture.
As Daniel quietly reviewed the documents, one individual kept sneaking glances at him.
Every few moments, this person would glance curiously, only to quickly avert their eyes if Daniel looked up.
It was none other than the Grand Elder of the Greenwood God Realm.
This elder had been eager to see the legendary figure that both the 5-Element God King and the Ink Sea God King spoke of so highly.
Now, observing Daniel in person, he couldn't help but find him unremarkable at first glance.
"This is the great Daniel they've been talking about?" the elder wondered, puzzled.
Daniel seemed entirely ordinary—nothing about his appearance or demeanor screamed extraordinary.
"Has no one from the Crossbridge Realm ascended to the God Realm?" Daniel asked without looking up from the records.
"No, Daniel," the Ink Sea God King replied.
"When the 5-Element God King moved all ascension channels to the temple's vicinity, other mortal realms occasionally saw ascensions. However, the Crossbridge Realm…"
"It's been completely silent."
In other words, no one from the Crossbridge Realm had ascended.
Daniel wasn't surprised.
With the revival of the realms, the threshold for ascension had been raised significantly.
Moreover, the world's upper limit had increased further after Big White's breakthrough.
It was natural for no one to ascend during this period.
However, Daniel knew this situation wouldn't last.
Thanks to the guidance provided in Genesis, mortals had likely begun exploring realms beyond tier-sage.
Soon, a wave of ascensions would follow.
Just then, the 5-Element God King entered the room.
He was still dressed in his ornate ceremonial attire, looking more like a walking display case than a warrior.
"Our grand 5-Element God King returns," Daniel teased.
"Daniel, please, spare me the jokes!" the 5-Element God King replied with a feigned sigh.
"I had planned a grand ceremony to welcome you, but it ended up just being me…"
There was a hint of playful grievance in his tone.
"But truly, thank you, Daniel. Without you, I, along with the entire 5-Element God Realm, would have fallen to the beast clan's claws."
The 5-Element God King knew the truth.
Even with the combined efforts of himself, the Ink Sea God King, and the magic arrays, they couldn't have withstood the assault from ten god kings.
Thanks to Daniel, the victory had been swift and decisive, striking fear deep into the hearts of the beast clan.
"Come here," Daniel gestured.
The 5-Element God King approached, puzzled.
Daniel reached out and placed a finger on his forehead.
Years ago, Daniel had left a mark on the 5-Element God King's soul to monitor and restrain him.
Over time, however, Daniel had come to see the 5-Element God King as someone reliable.
Thus, he removed the mark.
The 5-Element God King immediately felt the change.
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Looking at Daniel, his eyes held a mix of gratitude and complex emotions.
"What about the beast clan and the other god realms? Have they been dealt with?" Daniel asked, steering the conversation elsewhere.
Feeling slightly flustered under Daniel's gaze, the 5-Element God King quickly composed himself and replied:
"Yes, everything has been handled."
He then began explaining his decisions, from sparing the human and beast clan god kings to his rationale behind each choice and the arrangements for the Giant Mountain God Realm.