After learning about the grudge between Dunnington and the captain of the Sovereign Army under Chief Sovereign Locke, the attitudes of those Sovereigns instantly changed from eager enthusiasm to avoiding him like a venomous snake.
The other Destruction Sovereigns, such as the Violet Thorn Sovereign, the Stellar Sovereign, and the Muya Sovereign, were still alright. They merely shook their heads before departing one after another.
But the Bloodridge Sovereign, Pash, was so startled that he nearly jumped up on the spot.
At that time, aside from becoming more aware of Teacher Locke's standing among the Sovereigns, Dunnington also felt somewhat worried inwardly.
Would the Chief Sovereign of Destruction truly be willing to back him?
Although judging from the words of Teacher Locke and Master's wife, there was a high probability that the Chief Sovereign of Destruction would stand behind him—
What if he didn't?
Fortunately, the Chief Sovereign of Destruction ultimately did not disappoint Dunnington. After learning about the grudge between Dunnington and the soldiers of Locke's Sovereign Army, he directly brought Dunnington through the interplanar teleportation array to the Netherworld.
...
"Dammit…"
"So, this is the power of a Paragon?"
Oakes clenched both fists tightly. A powerful aura surged from his body, but after glancing at the heavily injured soldiers behind him, he ultimately suppressed the fury in his heart.
After exterminating the Nine Serenities pirate crew led by Algenis, Lotus Rock Island in the Nethersea had become one of the stationed bases of Locke's Sovereign Army.
The appearance of the Chief Sovereign of Destruction and Dunnington above the Sovereign Army's base was a humiliation and insult toward the Sovereign Army.
As such, Oakes had immediately flown into a rage and attacked.
But unfortunately, although Oakes could rival experts possessing two Sovereign artifacts when fighting with his full strength, he was still far too weak before a Paragon.
With just a single palm strike, Oakes had been blasted down by Dunnington.
Afterward, Vice Commander Reyn, Figaroa, Celes, and the other captains immediately assembled into a magical battle formation as well, only to be casually heavily injured by Dunnington.
Only Oakes remained unharmed under Dunnington's attack thanks to possessing a material-defense Sovereign artifact.
"Dunnington!"
After merely two exchanges, Oakes had already called out Dunnington's name.
Only a Paragon possessed such terrifying strength.
And among the Seven Divine Planes and Four Higher Planes, the only confirmed Paragon at present was Dunnington.
"Dunnington, although you are a Paragon, this is still the Sovereign Army of Chief Sovereign Locke."
"To attack the Sovereign Army of a Chief Sovereign—aren't you afraid of the Sovereign's punishment?"
"Oakes, Commander of Locke's army."
In the sky, Dunnington stepped forward several paces and looked down silently at Oakes, the only one still standing.
"You don't need to pin some disrespect toward the Sovereign charge on me."
"Although I am a Paragon, I have not become arrogant enough to attack a Sovereign Army without cause."
"Lord Wordred and I came here naturally because we have matters to discuss with the Sovereign behind you."
"But you attacked us indiscriminately the moment we arrived…"
"Commander Oakes, I truly admire your courage. To think you dared attack a Sovereign as a mere god."
"If we're speaking of the crime of disrespecting a Sovereign, then perhaps Commander Oakes is more suitable for that accusation than I am."
"What?"
Hearing Dunnington say this, Oakes's expression immediately changed as he looked toward the gloomy man seated upon the throne behind Dunnington.
This man… was a Sovereign?
That was right. Although Dunnington was a Paragon, he still stood behind this man. Furthermore, this man had remained utterly unconcerned even while facing attacks from them all. That alone proved how extraordinary he was.
But that this man was actually a Sovereign was something Oakes had never imagined.
"Greetings, Sovereign."
"Earlier, Oakes did not know that a Sovereign had descended. I offended you, Sovereign. Please punish me."
After taking a deep breath, Oakes knelt on one knee before Wordred and admitted his guilt.
Launching an attack recklessly against a Sovereign was a grave crime of offending and disrespecting a Sovereign.
"Greetings, Sovereign."
After hearing Commander Oakes's words, the soldiers of the Sovereign Army behind him also hurriedly dragged their heavily injured bodies into kneeling positions and saluted the Chief Sovereign of Destruction.
"Not bad."
Seeing the reaction of Locke's army, the Chief Sovereign of Destruction swept his gaze across them slightly before speaking.
"Earlier, your actions made me feel that all the subordinates under Chief Sovereign Locke were nothing but crude barbarians without manners."
"But now it seems you're not entirely beyond saving."
"As for your offense against me…"
"Oh? I wonder how exactly my Sovereign Army offended Lord Chief Sovereign of Destruction? Could you perhaps explain it to me in detail?"
Just as the Chief Sovereign of Destruction was about to impose punishment upon Locke's Sovereign Army, a spatial crack opened above Lotus Rock Island.
Locke's figure stepped out from the spatial turbulence and stood opposite the Chief Sovereign of Destruction.
"Hmph!"
Upon seeing Locke, the Chief Sovereign of Destruction let out a cold snort.
"Chief Sovereign Locke, earlier your Sovereign Army attacked me without cause—"
"Without cause?"
Locke tilted his head slightly, interrupting the Chief Sovereign of Destruction.
"Lord Chief Sovereign of Destruction, the Nethersea is my foothold within the Netherworld. My Sovereign Army being stationed here is perfectly reasonable."
"When encountering unknown enemies, my Sovereign Army naturally attacks all beings who dare fly above Lotus Rock Island in order to protect my dignity."
"In my view, when my Sovereign Army Commander and soldiers attacked you earlier, they were not acting without cause. Rather, they were stopping the Chief Sovereign of Destruction from continuing to make mistakes."
"Of course, if you insist that my Sovereign Army attacked you without reason, that's fine as well."
"But in that case, I would like to ask Your Excellency, the Chief Sovereign of Destruction, whether you intended to deliberately fly over my head in order to offend me."
"You!"
Hearing Locke's words, the Chief Sovereign of Destruction abruptly rose from his throne. Terrifying killing intent burst from his body and pressed toward Locke.
Now, Locke had thrown the problem back at the Chief Sovereign of Destruction.
If the Chief Sovereign of Destruction insisted that Oakes and the others had attacked him without reason, then Locke would naturally conclude that the Chief Sovereign of Destruction had intended to ostentatiously fly over his head.
Even children's games had rules like "you can't crawl between someone's legs."
Naturally, powerful experts had even more taboos, and each person's taboos differed.
But even ordinary people disliked others flying over their heads.
Just look at any city. Even ordinary small cities prohibited flight within the city limits except for city guards and stationed Sovereign Armies.
As a Chief Sovereign, Locke claiming that someone deliberately flying above his head was an insult toward him was not unreasonable.
Seeing the Chief Sovereign of Destruction Wordred narrow his eyes without speaking, Locke also didn't continue arguing with him. Instead, he waved his sleeve.
Instantly, white Fate Sovereign power transformed into mist and surged into the bodies of the Sovereign Army soldiers.
In an instant, under the effects of Sovereign power, the injuries of those soldiers completely healed.
"Alright, all of you may rise."
"You did nothing wrong earlier, so why admit guilt?"
"Many thanks, Lord Locke!"
After receiving Locke's approval, the soldiers of the Sovereign Army immediately rose with loud cheers.
For the soldiers of the Sovereign Army, having the Sovereign they served protect them in this manner was the greatest comfort possible.
If the Sovereign they risked their lives to uphold didn't even treat their own soldiers as people, then who would still be willing to risk their lives for that Sovereign?
"Greetings, Chief Sovereign Locke."
After seeing Locke finish handling the Sovereign Army's affairs, Dunnington bowed respectfully toward Locke.
In full view of everyone—and since this time Dunnington had come specifically to seek trouble with the soldiers under Locke's Sovereign Army—Dunnington did not address Locke as Teacher.
"So, it's you, Dunnington."
"The thing you gave me previously was of extraordinary use to me."
"However, you rejected my proposal to exchange a Sovereign artifact for it, and instead turned it into a favor owed by me."
"So, are you here now to redeem that favor?"
"What?"
"Chief Sovereign Locke actually owes Dunnington a favor?"
Upon hearing Locke's words, the Sovereigns outside the Netherworld were instantly shocked.
At the same time, a question arose in all their minds.
What kind of object could possibly make Chief Sovereign Locke willing to owe someone a favor?
As for Locke mentioning earlier that he had even offered a Sovereign artifact in exchange only to be refused, everyone felt that was perfectly normal.
Perhaps to ordinary gods, a Sovereign artifact could increase certain aspects of their power tenfold.
But for Dunnington, a Paragon possessing willpower, the usefulness of a Sovereign artifact wasn't nearly so great.
After all, even possessing the full set of three Sovereign artifacts wouldn't close much of the gap between a Paragon and a Sovereign.
Thus, Paragons would not become Sovereign Emissaries merely for the sake of Sovereign artifacts.
Even later, after the Planar Wars began and Commanders' badges could be exchanged for Sovereign artifacts, no Paragon was willing to enter the Planar Battlefield to slaughter Commanders just to obtain Sovereign artifacts.
Compared to a Sovereign artifact, a favor from Chief Sovereign Locke was vastly more valuable.
After learning that Chief Sovereign Locke owed Dunnington a favor, the Destruction Sovereigns in the Infernal Realm all regretted not persisting further.
If they had recruited Dunnington as their Sovereign Emissary, wouldn't that have been equivalent to Chief Sovereign Locke owing them a favor?
Unfortunately, they could only think about it.
Just from the fact that Dunnington would rather become a Sovereign Emissary than spend that favor to ask Chief Sovereign Locke not to interfere if he attacked a captain of the Sovereign Army, those Sovereigns understood that Dunnington also knew the value of Chief Sovereign Locke's favor.
"No, Chief Sovereign Locke. I do not intend to use your favor now."
"I came here only to seek justice for myself."
"Perhaps everyone here does not know this, but I was once an ordinary person from a material plane."
"By a series of coincidences, Figaroa, a captain under Chief Sovereign Locke's Sovereign Army, entered my home plane."
(End of Chapter)
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