Dragon Monarch System Chapter 975:- Difficult Option

Aditya and Rowan locked gazes intensely. While Rowan seemed composed outwardly, inwardly, panic surged through him wildly. This figure could snuff out his existence before the next notion even sparked in his mind.

'He terrifies me!' Regret started gnawing at him profoundly for his choices. The perks he gained from the organization by sharing intelligence weren't worth facing this dire mess.

Regrettably, no remedy existed for such remorse in this realm.

Aditya by himself now held the power to devastate Rowan's whole realm and force it into submission. He could seize control of this entire domain in under six hours.

"You've grown far more formidable lately." Having endured a lifespan spanning thousands of years, Rowan could tell at a mere look that Aditya now surpassed his previous might by a wide margin.

Even earlier, this youth had been a fearsome presence.

During that time, Aditya along with his companions had joined an auction event. Rowan, as one of the attending Emperors, had caught sight of Aditya's visage upon entering the auction venue.

Already then, Aditya possessed the strength to overpower him in combat. Yet the present Aditya wielded such overwhelming force that any clash between them wouldn't qualify as a fight.

The disparity in their strengths loomed so vast, akin to a youth attempting to triumph over a seasoned grown warrior.

And Aditya hadn't even tapped his full potential. He had merely advanced to the initial stage of Fifth Order cultivation.

'This guy defies all reason.' By standard reasoning, a cultivator of lower order shouldn't be able to slay one at the pinnacle of fifth order. Yet this individual had been dismantling fifth-order foes daily, even prior to reaching beginner fifth order.

Aditya ignored his remark about gaining strength. It was plain as day, leaving no point in addressing the evident. He wasn't seeking alliances here. His sole purpose was extracting information. No call for feigning warmth or courtesy existed.

"Emperor of the Radiant Empire, I've arrived to converse."

"I honor my commitments, so rest easy knowing I won't end you at this moment. You've got 18 hours remaining to offer a solid justification and reparations for your deeds." Upon hearing this, relief washed over Rowan.

At the very least, death wouldn't claim him right here.

Aditya started strolling across the well-manicured emerald lawn. He gestured for Rowan to join him at his side.

Rowan fell into step next to him.

He held his tongue, awaiting the Dragon Monarch's words. Lingering anxiety still churned within him. Such mighty beings proved far too erratic. What if Aditya reneged and struck him down instantly?

"I'm the type who won't abide violations against my own realm."

Rowan inclined his head in agreement.

This truth was known to every major force across the six continents. Opinions varied on the Dragon Emperor's character. However, they could reliably count on avoiding abrupt assaults from the Istarin Empire, provided they refrained from antagonism or encroachments on the dragon monarch or his domain.

Rowan dipped his head again, his features weighed down heavily.

"I can't reveal much about the organization since I served merely as their lookout. My knowledge of them stayed quite restricted."

He glanced toward Aditya and pressed on.

"Moreover, I firmly believe you possess greater insights into the organization than I do." Aditya offered no reply. Rowan interpreted the quiet as affirmation.

"My reasons for acting weren't driven by animosity toward the Istarin Empire. They stemmed from the gains I pocketed each time I supplied crucial intelligence to the organization's agents." Aditya gave a nod. The Organization brimmed with vast riches. Without that wealth, it couldn't wield such broad sway.

"I recognize my error. I beg you to overlook this and grant this elder another opportunity." Rowan had survived beyond 1000 years. His sharp mind knew precisely when to grasp openings.

This acumen had fueled the empire's robust expansion under his command.

He sensed this moment offered the prime shot to appeal to the Monarch and earn forgiveness.

The Monarch studied Rowan's expression briefly before gazing forward. "Countless of my valued warriors perished due to your actions. My Dragonians endured capture and public shaming."

The air near Aditya heated up sharply. Flames licked at the turf under his boots. Rowan spotted this right away and stiffened. "They suffered savage torments, only to be mended and tormented anew. Heaven knows how often this cycle repeated before my arrival?"

"Your intelligence sparked all of this. Who can say what further secrets the organization holds about my realm?" Should the organization desire it, they might have unleashed far graver harms during his absence, armed with that critical data gathered empire-wide.

Luckily, no such calamities occurred.

Aditya grasped this reality, which only stoked his fury higher.

"Fine, what form of amends do you propose?" Rowan clenched his jaw and inquired. This position humiliated him deeply, yet survival demanded this path.

"I'll present you with two choices to select."

"First, I'll seize half your lands, and from today forward, they cease to be yours. They'll merge into the Istarin Empire, integrating fully into my rule."

"Second, over the coming fifty years, your realm will submit and deliver tributes to ours. Not just a fraction or token gesture, but ninety-five percent of all your realm's yields—gold, levies, riches—will pour into my vaults."

At these words, fury nearly made Rowan spit blood. Each proposal outraged beyond measure.

The initial demand involved forfeiting half his domain permanently. In one stroke, the Radiant Empire would shed half its might, plummeting from a 5-tier giant to mere kingdom status.

Losing that vast expanse could invite assaults from adjacent realms, eager to gobble up the remnants of the Radiant Empire.

Certain bordering realms maintained amicable ties with them. Yet motives shift among mortals. Avarice could propel anyone to extremes. Who wouldn't covet a slice to expand their holdings?

The alternate demand proved even more absurd than the former. Surrendering ninety-five percent of the realm's full income for fifty years equated to gradually choking the life from the Empire itself. Funds formed the vital essence of any realm. Lacking them, operations ground to a halt.

The forces would falter first. Troops would miss timely wages, gear would go unrepaired, and fresh arms would cease production. Gradually, the ranks would weaken, spirits would plummet, and defensive capabilities would erode away. Foes, external and internal alike, would detect this frailty.

The fallout wouldn't end there.

Urban centers would start crumbling. Pathways would lie untended, strongholds would collapse, and key structures would disintegrate. Commerce would falter, traders would doubt the realm's solidity. Absent adequate resources, even core administration would struggle.

Initially, the harm might stay subtle. Stockpiles could sustain the realm briefly. But such stores weren't endless. When depleted, harsh decisions loomed. They'd slash defense budgets, lessen safeguards, and forsake duties merely to endure.

Ultimately, yielding to this would not just diminish the realm but erode it into a hollow facade, a title without substance, stripped of true strength to shield itself or its citizens.

'Picking either path spells doom for this realm.' Rowan struggled to voice his turmoil. Seeing the domain he'd forged through a millennium of toil teeter on such an abyss deepened the agony.

Rowan and Aditya halted their steps.

Silence stretched between them for an extended stretch.

To Aditya, sparing Rowan's life and throne already counted as profound leniency. He merely wished Rowan wouldn't mimic those arrogant rulers too vain to yield. Should resistance arise, though, he'd relish sparking turmoil.

The Istarin Empire would gladly serve as the tomb for the Radiant Empire and its sovereign.

"Allow me some time to consider." Following the prolonged quiet, this stood as the sole response Rowan mustered for Aditya.

"You've got plenty of hours yet. But fail to decide within the set limit, and ready yourself for conflict."

Aditya turned to depart, yet Rowan's voice halted him.

"Should I opt for the first choice, my bordering realms will surely strike at the surviving portions of the Radiant Empire. Then, my domain would lack the vigor to resist. To prevent that fate, might you proclaim to the world that the remnants of the Radiant Empire fall under the Istarin Empire's safeguard?" Such a declaration would ward off aggressors and lend the realm potent influence in worldly affairs.

Aditya hesitated briefly before answering without turning.

"I'll issue that proclamation, but in return, I'll shatter your cultivation." These words sent a shiver racing along Rowan's back. Ruining his cultivation mirrored condemning him to death.

The Monarch didn't linger for a reply. "Mull it over. I'll return when the deadline nears." With those words, the Emperor vanished from the garden.

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