Chapter 386: A damn good actor
"So..." Grand Duke Opriston chuckled, his voice smooth and deliberate as he continued, "this is basically a gamble. But if we win? The payoff will be massive—beyond anything you can imagine. Honestly, to put it bluntly, that’s exactly why I’m in. Opportunities like this don’t come around often. And my ambition? It won’t let me stay confined to just one of the Five Sea Kingdoms..."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with intensity.
"Tell me, gentlemen—don’t you want to be like Oislor? To become a true ruler of the seas? A king among kings? Don’t tell me none of you have dreamed of that. I have! Every single night, for years!"
"We’re all kings here. So why the hell should Oislor get to stand above us like it’s his birthright? Why should he get to pull the strings, suppress us, trample over us like we’re nothing? He treats us like cannon fodder, stunts our growth—and you’re telling me none of you are sick of it?!"
You had to admit—Grand Duke Opriston was a master manipulator. A true political animal.
Every word he spoke hit like a dagger to the heart for the three rulers listening—Astharel, Zurei, and Regnar XI. Even if they wanted to ignore him, to brush it off, they couldn’t.
They were kings. Ambition was in their blood. But the Greenwave Empire—and more specifically, the Emerald Emperor Oislor—was like a mountain pressing down on their backs, keeping them from ever rising higher.
And that? That was something they could never truly accept.
But the reality was harsh. The Greenwave Empire was a powerhouse, backed by the terrifying might of a Crimson Ultimate Hero. No matter how much they resented it, they’d had no choice but to bow their heads and play along.
Until now.
Because Opriston was right—if they really couldn’t stomach it anymore...