Chapter 3113: Risky Gamble

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Lil’ Red Storm Realm

Putting his own insecurities aside, Thalorien decided that survival mattered more than satisfying his pride as the foremost specialist in Froslings and Half-Bloods. His vast Frost Rule Stream had already been reduced by nearly half under the Celestial Treant’s assault. He didn’t have much time left.

Thalorien forced himself to calm down and began reconstructing the entire battle from the beginning. In the heat of the fight, he had allowed his priorities to become confused. He had entered this realm with two objectives: kill the rogue Ruler-class entity responsible for the attack and retrieve his Froslings and Half-Bloods.

But after witnessing Dalia’s existence and everything surrounding her, those objectives could no longer remain at the top of his list as killing her was becoming increasingly unrealistic, let alone dealing with the force behind her to rescue the Froslings and Half-Bloods was even less realistic.

His priorities had to change. First, he had to survive. Second, he needed to determine whether there was still a possibility of cooperation with the ancient Ruler-class force behind this Celestial abomination.

If such a force had truly helped create an existence like Dalia, then fighting it would be madness. Negotiating with it, however, might be possible. And if they were willing to let him continue his research into the Froslings and Half-Bloods for the sake of the Snow Elven race, then Thalorien was willing to make concessions. Almost any concession, that was his bottom line.

As long as what he did ultimately benefited the Snow Elves, he was willing to sell even himself. That was how his father, the late Empyrean, had raised him. The interests of the Snow Elven race came first. His own pride, reputation, freedom, and even life came afterward.

But one question remained. Was there still room for negotiation? Thalorien initially thought there wasn’t. He had lost almost half of his Frost Rule Stream. His clones had been slaughtered in enormous numbers. His strongest form had failed to overwhelm Dalia, and the roots of the Celestial Treant were actively consuming his accumulated Rule Power.

What leverage could he possibly have left? Then he stopped. Wait... He did have leverage. It wasn’t much. He didn’t even understand what it was. But it existed.

If Dalia and the force behind her had genuinely wanted him dead, they could have killed him much earlier back at the Dark Realm. They had already demonstrated the ability to kill him. Yet, they had separated him from his reinforcements and lured him into this isolated region of the Myriad Realms, trapping.

Despite all that ordeal he was still alive. They had gone through an elaborate process to bring him here rather than simply killing him in the Snow Elven Capital. That made no sense if their sole objective was his death.

There was a reason. Something they wanted from him. Something valuable enough to justify all that trouble they went through to trap him and keep him alive, prolonging his death when they could have killed him instantly.

Thalorien didn’t know what that thing was. But as long as it existed, so did a tiny possibility of negotiation. His eyes gradually hardened. He had survived impossible situations before. Perhaps this would become another one.

The difference was that this time, surviving would require him to swallow his pride, understand what his enemy wanted, and convince them that the Snow Elven Crown Prince was more valuable alive than dead.

Thalorien’s eyes flickered toward Dalia. He no longer planned to fight his way out. Especially after everything he deduced, it would be irrational. But surrendering without understanding what his opponent wanted could be even more dangerous.

Thalorien’s jaw tightened as he forced himself to calm down. He glanced toward the enormous head of the Celestial Treant before finally speaking.

’Your Highness Dalia, I am sure you could have killed me by now. So I wonder which is this: mercy, an opportunity for me, or simply a cruel game you are playing to amuse yourself?’

The Celestial Treant’s enormous eyes remained fixed on him. There was no answer. Dalia simply continued watching him with that same indifferent expression while the roots continued devouring his Frost Rule Stream.

By now, the lower half of Thalorien’s Frost Incarnation had already been destroyed. From the waist down, there was nothing left but scattered frost and remnants of Rule Power. The roots had completely taken over what remained, firmly anchoring his incarnation in place as they continued siphoning his accumulated Frost Rule.

Seeing that Dalia had no intention of answering, Thalorien made a calculated decision. If words couldn’t establish an opening, then perhaps sincerity could. His Frost Incarnation was already half-dead. Continuing to maintain such a massive form while the roots consumed his Rule Power was only accelerating his inevitable defeat.

So he stopped resisting. The enormous Frost Incarnation began to dissolve. Its colossal body collapsed into countless particles of frost and snow, dispersing into the surrounding void. The millions of Frost Rule Meanings that had been compressed into its gigantic form gradually withdrew, returning toward its core.

There was no dramatic explosion, no one final attack, or going out with a bang. Thalorien simply abandoned the form that had represented the culmination of his Frost Rule. The roots immediately tightened around what remained.

At the center of the dissipating incarnation, the core transformed. The enormous Frost Incarnation disappeared completely, leaving behind Thalorien’s original Snow Elven form.

He looked almost pitiful compared to the gigantic Celestial Treant towering before him. His body was wounded from the neck down, roots piercing through and wrapping around him. They had already established themselves throughout his existence, leaving him with barely any room to move.

Yet he was still alive. Thalorien quietly observed Dalia. Nothing happened, no sudden attack when he was at his weakest, no attempt to crush his remaining core, co surge of Celestial force finishing him while he was completely defenseless.

His gamble had paid off.

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