Earth's Greatest Magus

The arrival of the Kronos elite lineup brought an ominous smile to the pirate grand magus's face. He pointed accusingly at Emery and exclaimed, "Kill him now, and I can forgive you for being late!"

Despite the gravity of the situation, Emery maintained his composure. VIA had informed him about the Kronos ship's arrival an hour ago, and he had some insights into why they chose this moment to reveal themselves. Playing along, Emery feigned ignorance and addressed Kronos, "Lord Kronos, what is he saying? I don't understand."

Dongbai, amused by Emery's apparent ignorance, "You are even more stupid than I thought!!" he scoffed and boldly ordered, "KILL HIM NOW!"

Kronos made a subtle gesture with his hand, signaling his men to take action. However, to the pirate's shock, the Kronos magus turned their spells not against Emery, but against the pirates themselves. Kronos unleashed his time manipulation spell, restricting Dongbai's movements, while Grand Magus Perses employed his overwhelming strength to immobilize the pirate. Simultaneously, the other Kronos magus swiftly conjured spells to chain and subdue him.

"BASTARD!! What the hell are..." Dongbai's enraged protests were abruptly cut off as the grand magus found himself stunned, rendered unable to speak another word. Emery, maintaining his facade, calmly addressed Kronos, "Lord Kronos, what is going on... can you please explain?"

Kronos responded with an air of authority, "Well, there is nothing to explain. Earth was our home for hundreds of years; of course, we came to assist against these crazy pirates."

Emery, still playing his part, turned to smile, expressing gratitude. "I understand," he said, making a thank-you gesture. "Your concern about Earth's safety touches me. I can't be more grateful."

"We are happy to help," Kronos replied, his expression seemingly benevolent. He then inquired, "Are there any of these pirates still around?"

"Ah, yes, let me check for a moment," Emery calmly responded. He communicated with Master Borin, who reported an all-clear situation to his ear. Despite the positive report, Emery said, "It will take some time... What about taking a little tour of the new base?"

However, Emery's attempt to divert Kronos's attention fell short. The powerful figure stayed resolute, saying, "Do not waste time, release their chieftain, and we will be on our way." Emery maintained his calm demeanor, inwardly satisfied that his assessment of Kronos's intentions seemed accurate. He believed that Kronos initially aimed to finish the job when the pirates failed, but his plan just shifted to the extraction of the two grand magus pirates, in an attempt to cover their tracks. As for the reason why he changed his plan, must have been because he detected Emery's reinforcements en route.

Taking a deep sigh, Emery, with a smile, uttered, "This is not right... I refuse."

The Kronos magus responded instantly with an intensified stare, their unyielding demeanor indicating a clear unwillingness to accept Emery's refusal. Kronos gazed at Emery with an intimidating presence, his tone carrying the weight of authority, "Are you sure that's what you want?" The unspoken implication lingered in the air.

Emery masked behind a calm facade, silently consulted VIA for the reinforcement ETA and received the number 21 minutes. The uncertainty of whether he could hold off the Kronos elite lineup for that duration weighed heavily on him, especially given his current condition and the concern for the safety of his friends. Refusing to surrender easily, Emery devised a plan. "Calm down… What I mean is that this pirate chieftain has a huge price on his head… it's not right not to share them… Let's say… 50 million will do."

Kronos caught the hidden meaning in Emery's words. The sum of 50 million represented the penalty cost for breaking their agreement. It was a demand for compensation without explicitly forcing Kronos to admit any wrongdoing. Without much hesitation, Kronos tossed his spatial ring to Emery. "That should be more than 50, now hand him over."

Holding the ring in his palm, Emery couldn't resist a sly remark, "Knowing it's so easy for you… I should have asked for more."

"Shut up and give him now!" Kronos snapped impatiently.

Emery, displaying a cunning demeanor, cast his spatial gate and slowly extracted the tiger-headed chieftain. However, Instead of releasing him immediately, he placed the sword at the pirate's neck, prompting panic among the Kronos elite lineup.

"What are you doing!!!" Kronos demanded.

Emery responded calmly, "Well, like they say, dead men tell no tales... Isn't this a better solution?"

"NO!" Kronos shouted urgently, "You don't want to anger his brother, you don't!"

Emery, with a hint of nonchalance, countered, "Well, I have slain two dozen of them... What difference would another one make?"

"NO... not his brother!! Don't be a fool!!" Kronos pleaded.

Emery's smile widened as he understood the situation better. Kronos must be worried that if the pirate king lost his brother on this job, it would affect not only Emery but also his faction who gave the order. Emery played his cards strategically.

"My hands are already stained with these pirates' blood... the only way I won't kill this one," Emery turned his gaze toward the captive Dong Bai and boldly said, "is if you kill that man." Emery's calculated move was apparent; by compelling Kronos to kill Dong Bai, he aimed to eliminate an enemy and force the Kronos faction to share the blame, jeopardizing any future cooperation between them.

Kronos hesitated for a moment, wrestling with the weight of Emery's proposal. The atmosphere became tense as the implications of the choice hung heavily in the air. His eyes locked onto Dong Bai, the captive pirate chieftain, who seemed to grasp the dire situation.

"You… you are pushing too far!" Kronos finally growled, his voice laced with simmering anger. The defiance was palpable, and Kronos appeared ready to engage in a fierce battle. Yet Emery replied swiftly, his tone unwavering.

"12 minutes... if you can't kill me in 12 minutes, you are screwed!"

In an eruption of anger, Kronos unsheathed his massive scythe and swung it with deadly intent toward the captive Dong Bai. The pirate's head detached and rolled across the moon's surface, freezing in an expression of extreme disbelief. With the execution carried out, Emery handed over the pirate chieftain to Kronos. He watched as Kronos, commanding all the ships, departed from the moon, leaving Emery with a profound sense of relief. The departure of the Kronos faction meant that Earth had once again been saved from a potential threat.

Minutes after, the reinforcement finally came, Klea showed up bringing with her three ships filled with magus. "What!? they all left already!?"