Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 3114: Intentions

The gathering started with an emotional outburst from the giant monarch, setting a tense tone before the meeting had even properly begun.

Rendry Pardera was the first to respond, his voice tight with offense.

"There’s no need for disrespect toward the king," he said. "Especially not after all the reinforcements we have sent."

"Huh. The king." Thrumgar’s crystal eye flared. "He’s your king. Not mine. And you dare call what you’ve sent reinforcement?"

The giant’s voice carried the frustration that had been building for far too long.

The high elf King Ellendir exhaled slowly.

"Let’s not open this meeting with a fight."

He turned toward Valder, keeping his tone deliberately even.

"Please. Continue."

Valder let the giant’s outburst pass without comment. He had clearly expected some degree of hostility, and moved straight into the matter that had brought them together.

He began outlining the current state of the Scourge across Tartarus, moving from region to region and recounting the losses one by one.

Another force had fallen.

Another territory had been abandoned.

With each report, the atmosphere in the chamber grew heavier. The Scourge was no longer advancing along a single front. Its influence had spread across multiple regions, steadily tightening around the remaining civilizations like a net that grew smaller with every passing year.

When Valder finally reached the matter of the dwarven survivors who had recently arrived at South Star Fortress, the dwarf lord standing beside Rendry straightened immediately.

His guarded expression changed, hope appeared across his weathered face.

The news of Priestess Versa’s death followed close behind. The High Elf king took the information with practiced composure. He simply listened, his face calm and dignified.

Valder allowed the silence to linger for a moment before continuing.

"Now," he said, his voice steadier, "let’s finalize the plan to retake Pardera’s capital. I intend to—"

"My lord Valder," the Moon Guardian cut in gently, "it seems you’re missing one piece of news."

Valder’s expression shifted, a faint hint of amusement appearing in his otherwise solemn features.

"Oh?" he asked. "And what news might that be?"

The exchange immediately drew every eye in the chamber toward Valder, including those of the four Emperors who had remained in near-total silence until now.

It was not the Moon Guardian who answered.

Instead, the fairy Elder Thistlewing spoke.

"Lord of Pardera, there’s no need to hide it. The Earth Mother knows all."

Her ancient voice carried clearly through the chamber despite her small and delicate frame.

"Is it not true that an Outsider has arrived at South Star Fortress?"

Valder’s expression remained calm, almost casual. He leaned back slightly, as though the revelation were hardly worth discussing.

"Yes. Indeed. Just the one. Barely worth this council’s time."

The words landed strangely across the chamber.

For a moment, no one responded.

Several expressions shifted almost imperceptibly. Some Supremes narrowed their eyes, while others exchanged brief glances with the people beside them.

The moon guardian expression brightened.

"So he has arrived"

She did not address Valder directly. Instead, her gaze swept across the gathered council as she spoke, her voice carrying a quiet certainty that immediately changed the atmosphere.

"This Outsider is the one we’ve been waiting for"

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

Rendry Pardera straightened at once.

He turned fully toward Valder, one eyebrow rising.

"They’re talking about the so-called Chosen One, aren’t they?"

His tone sharpened with interest.

He looked directly at Valder.

"Is it true? What’s he like?"

It was the Sea Tide Emperor who answered, breaking his silence for the first time that session.

His voice remained calm and measured as he described what had happened, explaining how Emery had helped the dwarves and High Elves escape the Scourge-infested horde and survive their journey to South Star Fortress.

A Two-Cosmos Grand Magus.

That was all Emery appeared to be from the perspective of cultivation alone. Nothing more.

The detail drew a round of amused murmurs across the chamber.

Several of the gathered Supremes exchanged glances, while a few shook their heads in disbelief. Even those who had remained silent until now seemed unable to completely hide their skepticism.

Rendry’s smile sharpened.

"You don’t actually believe a mere Two-Cosmos cultivator is going to be the answer to our calamity, do you?"

King Valder added, "I had planned to inform the Fey personally after this meeting. The reason I didn’t mention it earlier was simple: I did not wish to delay our plans over one unproven belief."

Valder’s words were met with several murmurs of agreement. A few of the gathered rulers nodded, seemingly satisfied with his reasoning.

The Moon Guardian then spoke.

She remained calm and composed.

"I understand if you all don’t share our belief," she said with quiet confidence. "But what if I told you that his arrival came with hope for a cure?"

The mention of a cure immediately stirred the chamber.

Expressions changed almost at once. The rulers who had previously looked indifferent or skeptical suddenly became attentive, while several of the Supremes exchanged uneasy glances.

"A cure... Is there really hope for a cure?" the Wood Elf queen asked, her voice carrying a mixture of hope and desperation.

The Dusk Elf king gave a cold snort.

"What is this talk about a cure again?!! We’ve already lost so many people because of this."

The giant monarch stepped in.

"Silence."

His deep voice immediately cut through the chamber.

"If there is even a chance of a cure, I want to hear it."

The Moon Guardian slowly turned toward King Valder.

She did not need to ask the question aloud.

Valder understood exactly what she wanted to know.

He maintained a calm expression, but inwardly, the king was deeply unsettled by how much the Fey seemed to know. It had been only a few days since the Outsider’s arrival at South Star Fortress. Even more concerning, it had been only yesterday that Grand Master Milia, the highest-ranking alchemist residing within the fortress, had given him a report about the new formulas.

Valder had intended to keep the matter quiet until there were more reliable results.

But now, it seemed he could no longer keep it hidden.

"Yes," Valder finally said. "The Outsider brought several new recipes with him. They are currently being investigated by Grand Master Milia and her team."

The admission immediately sent a wave of murmurs through the council.

This time, the reaction was far stronger.

Questions spread from one projection to another, and even some of the rulers who had previously dismissed the idea began discussing the possibility of delaying the upcoming battle.

Valder waited for the noise to settle before speaking again.

This time, his voice carried considerably more weight.

"The situation has become more dire with each passing year. We cannot afford to chase another false hope."

His golden eyes settled on Thrumgar.

"As you said, real action is needed."

The giant monarch remained silent, his expression stern.

Valder then turned toward the gathered rulers.

"We will not abandon the much prepared plan"

The elves nodded in agreement.

For once, even those who had been most skeptical seemed willing to wait and see what came from Milia’s research.

Only the Fey remained completely certain.

The Moon Guardian’s expression did not change as she looked toward Valder.

"The Earth Mother knows that some things cannot be stopped," she said calmly. "We only ask that you do not prevent us from following our faith."

No one answered immediately.

The meeting eventually came to an end on those uncertain terms.