Strongest Hammer God

Chapter 1243: Team Crater Observer

Kyle looked at the newcomers.

Title: Team Crater Observer.

Strength: Minor Immortal.

Affiliation: Array of Stars (affiliate).

Three Minor Immortals and two Adept Immortals. For a team that decided to claim a Planet, they were on the weaker side. The fact that they belonged to the Array of Stars was a bit unusual, but it also wasn't anything special. Higher Supreme Organizations had members all over the world. After all, if there were too many people belonging to the same Organization competing against each other, the Organization wouldn't get as much.

They didn't want their members to kill fellow members, but they also needed to give their members the freedom to fight whomever they wanted to fight. As with everything, it was a balancing act. If there were fewer members present of the Organization one belonged to, one wouldn't need to be as careful about choosing an opponent, but one would also become a target more often. If one were an actual, true member of a Higher Supreme Organization, one was even disincentivized to fight against fellow members.

"A team you worked with in the past, huh?" Kyle asked Spring of Joy.

"There are no eternal bonds. There are only eternal benefits," Spring of Joy answered with a smile. "At least, that's how most people think."

When Team Crater Observer arrived, the alliance looked at them. Kyle, Sebastian, and Spring of Joy didn't seem surprised. Abyssal Depths narrowed her eyes as she entered a battle with her emotions. She knew why this team had arrived, and she knew that they couldn't possibly win this battle. Yet, she had also decided to leave everything to Kyle. If he wanted to battle, they would battle. She wished that Kyle refused the battle, but even if he didn't, she would keep following him.

The Leader of Team Wooly Sheep just looked at the newcomers with a mix of fear and conflict.

'My future? Is this what Spring of Joy meant?' she thought as she glanced at her friend and Guide. 'Is this the choice I have to make?'

She glanced at Kyle, who just looked at the newcomers with a confident smile. 'He can't possibly think about fighting them, right? There's no way that they will ask for everything. At most, they will just ask for 50% of the loot we've made. We can pay that price without issues. We've made thousands of Grade Nine Energy Stones during this Excursion. We don't need to throw our lives away.'

'But then, what did Spring of Joy mean? Is Kyle actually considering fighting this team? That's suicide!'

"We've come to an agreement," a red-haired woman from Team Crater Observer, their Leader, transmitted to them. "We allowed you to battle the team that was chasing you. Our deal is done. However, we have not yet come to an agreement regarding your traversal of this Planet. We have claimed this Planet, and as long as you are within our territory, you have to follow our rules."

"What do you have in mind?" Spring of Joy asked with a smile. She already knew how this would go, but she still asked.

"The true power of Team Ankylosaurus and Team Wooly Sheep is deceptively high," the Leader transmitted to them. "Allowing weaker teams to pass through our territories is not an issue. We believed that you were such a team, but you've proven otherwise. You have killed eight Adept Immortals without losing a single person. Even our team might not have such power."

'What bullshit,' Kyle thought. 'True, with three Minor Immortals and two Adept Immortals; on paper, they have just as much Energy as eight Adept Immortals, but that does not reflect true power. They would have crushed the eight Adept Immortals with relative ease.'

"Your presence poses a threat to our claim," the Leader continued. "If you wish to pass through our claimed Planet, you need to pay contributions equivalent to your level of danger."

No one was surprised by her words.

"We have seen the wealth of the Avatars you have killed, and we have decided on an appropriate price."

"400 Grade Nine Energy Stones per Avatar, and we will allow you to pass through our territories. This price also includes an implied agreement of secrecy. Since you have helped us, we will help you. No one else will know of the powers some of your members have shown."

"If you refuse, we will treat you as invaders. In this case, we would ask for the standard insurance fee, but we will also not allow you to pass through our Planet. You must go back to the Planet from which you came."

2,400 Grade Nine Energy Stones for passage and secrecy, or 900 Grade Nine Energy Stones for their lives. Naturally, the passage was not the reason why one offer asked for almost three times as many Energy Stones. The true incentive was secrecy. After all, the alliance needed to get back to Wild's Summit as well, and if Team Crater Observer told everyone about the power and wealth the alliance owned...

Things would become very troublesome. They had so many Energy Stones that even Minor Immortal Teams would be interested. There was even a chance that some Medium Immortals would be interested. Excluding the dead Avatars in the Excursion Lobby, the alliance had just harvested over 3,000 Grade Nine Energy Stones. One shouldn't forget that one of the traitors had owned a Grade 2.1 Energy Core, which he had harvested when the alliance formed. Just that thing by itself was worth roughly 2,000 Grade Nine Energy Stones.

While the other team gave them a choice, it wasn't truly a choice. If they unveiled the alliance's power and wealth, it would become almost impossible to get back to Wild's Summit.

Kyle glanced at Abyssal Depths. "Has your opinion changed?" he asked.

"No," she answered. "No matter what you decide, I will follow. If you feel like you must fight, I will join you."

Kyle didn't even look at Sebastian since he knew what his choice was. There was no way Sebastian would run away.

He also didn't check with Spring of Joy. After all, she was a member of the mysterious Organization. If she even knew about the Abyss Hammer Team, there was no way she didn't also know about Kyle's Battle-Strength.

That left only one member.

Kyle looked at the Leader of Team Wooly Sheep without saying anything. Naturally, she noticed his gaze. Immortals didn't have hearts anymore, but if she had one, it would be beating wildly.

Her instincts told her to run away. She could break the alliance agreement at the cost of a couple of levels of Karmic Luck. That would be a steep price to pay, but it was still better than losing an Avatar.

She knew what Kyle's look meant. For some incomprehensible reason, Kyle wanted to fight this team, and he wanted to know if she would follow.

No, of course not! Why the fuck would she do that?! They would just die! There was no possible way they could win this!

Think of your future...

She remembered Spring of Joy's transmissions. She kept talking about a choice that would impact her future, but this couldn't possibly be it! The other team had given them a choice, but it was more like an ultimatum! An ultimatum was not a fucking choice!

Was she supposed to decide whether or not she should follow Kyle's example and commit suicide by Excursion Team?!

This was insanity!

The author's patreon. If he gets more than 1000€ per month, he will increase the number of words in the chapter.

/user?u=27791050