Hades, the King of the Underworld, merely let out a cold snort at Mo Han’s reply, then spoke in a low, detached voice, “With the might of our Nether race, why would we resort to such petty schemes? I am merely offering you a chance. If you fail to cherish it, then await the blood-cleansing of the Nether armies. By then, not a single living creature will remain on the Dragon Ascent Continent. Is that the outcome you desire?” “What a calculated move, Your Majesty, King of the Underworld.”

Mo Han remained utterly unaffected by the Pluto’s threat, offering a smile as he spoke, “To leave us with only half our lands—the nations whose territories are stripped will inevitably clash with others. I see that if the various nations on the Dragon Ascent Continent descend into internal conflict, it would perfectly serve the interests of your Nether race, wouldn't it, Your Majesty? It would be the very outcome you hope to see?” Hearing Mo Han’s words, Hades, who remained suspended in mid-air, offered neither affirmation nor denial. He simply fixed Mo Han with a pair of eyes shimmering with dim, spectral light, leaving utterly unknown what thoughts truly churned within him.

Seeing the King of the Underworld offer no rebuttal, Mo Han felt a flicker of surprise but did not let the opening slip away. He continued, “Once our Human Allied Forces are mutually decimated, your Nether race could then occupy the entire Dragon Ascent Continent without shedding a single soldier’s blood. Did you labor for hundreds of years just to seize half the territory of the Dragon Ascent Continent? I doubt even you would believe that. Did I misread the situation?” As he uttered the final words, Mo Han stared intently at the King of the Underworld, attempting to discern some clue from his expression, yet Mo Han was disappointed. The King’s gaze had not shifted an inch; he continued to stare silently at Mo Han.

This left Mo Han entirely unable to fathom the thoughts in the other’s mind.

“Oh, an interesting little creature. How can you be so certain that I am not genuinely inclined toward negotiation with you?” Hades’ gaze suddenly sharpened with keen interest as he focused on Mo Han.

“It is quite simple.”

Mo Han stated plainly, “This world is fundamentally one where strength dictates the terms. Even if everything Your Majesty says right now is true, by that time, the various nations across the Dragon Ascent Continent will be severely weakened by constant warfare. At that juncture, no force on the Dragon Ascent Continent will be capable of opposing your Nether race. If that moment arrives, and Your Majesty decides to renege on your promise, wouldn’t it all hinge on a mere word from you?” “Your Majesty, please do not deny the possibility. Just as we humans are inherently resistant to your Nether race, your people are equally repulsed by all life forms other than your own. Would you truly permit other races to survive on the lands of the Dragon Ascent Continent at that time? This principle can be summed up in the simplest phrase: those who are not of our kind harbor different intentions. What do you think, Your Majesty?” “Heh heh… Those who are not of our kind harbor different intentions.”

The King of the Underworld smiled as he repeated Mo Han’s words, his voice laced with amusement. “You truly are an interesting human. It has been a long time since I’ve heard anything so captivating. Had you not slain a few of my subordinates, I might genuinely have considered sparing your life.”

At this point, Hades paused, then shifted his tone to an icy chill. “However, since you have killed so many of my Nether race’s subordinates, one way or another, you must die today. But rest assured, after you perish, I will collect your soul and keep it. You can keep me company for eternity; it will alleviate my boredom then.”

Damn it, does this Hades suffer from multiple personality disorder? His expression changes faster than flipping a page.

Mo Han thought wickedly to himself.

However, Mo Han felt absolutely nothing toward Hades’ threats. This was because Mo Han was not inherently a being of this world, and he harbored no innate reverence or fear toward the deities of this realm. This was why he faced Hades with such composure. Otherwise, regardless of how high Mo Han’s cultivation reached, facing a true deity like Hades might have prevented such serenity.

Nevertheless, this very demeanor caused Hades to view Mo Han with even greater scrutiny, which was likely why he had uttered those preceding words of denial. Meanwhile, the representatives from the other factions, who had held some reservations, were swayed by the simple and clear logic Mo Han presented. Indeed, under normal circumstances, these individuals might have considered these points themselves. But when faced with the moment of existential crisis, the inherent weakness of human selfishness was fully exposed. Had their own survival not been on the line, it was likely that the other human factions present would not have been willing to fight the Nether race to the death. Mo Han’s words now compelled them to discard any hope of luck and commit to a fight to the bitter end. Ultimately, they believed Mo Han: the Nether race was indeed alien, and if events unfolded as Mo Han predicted, no nation on the Dragon Ascent Continent could escape utter ruin. It was better to fight now, for there was still a sliver of hope.

At this juncture, Hades slowly began to speak, “I believe there is no further need for discussion. Come forth. Let me see if the God-level powerhouses of your human race truly possess the legendary ability to contend with deities. But I reiterate my promise: if any among you can defeat me, my Nether armies will naturally retreat to their original domain.”

Having declared this, the aura surrounding Hades instantly underwent a staggering transformation. All magical elements in the air above the battlefield twisted dramatically. Except for the element of Darkness, all other magical elements seemed to have vanished overnight. Even with Mo Han’s power, he could barely sense a pitiful trickle of other elements. Ordinary mages, he reckoned, would struggle to even cast the simplest Fireball spell now.

As expected, the human mages on the battlefield, suddenly deprived of their connection to the magical elements, could not adapt to the abrupt shift. Many mages who had been floating in the air lost their mana and plummeted to the ground like shooting stars. Fortunately, the timely aid of many warriors prevented the falling mages from sustaining serious injuries, though many were left sitting on the ground, incapacitated by their inability to cope with the sudden elemental change in the spatial fabric. This was because the entire battlefield space was nearly saturated with the dense energy of Dark Elements. Mages with a naturally weaker connection to magical elements were hit the hardest; those of average strength turned pale, utterly unable to resist the encroachment of the Dark Elements, thus losing their combat capability. Even the human soldiers felt the strain due to the clear alteration in the spatial environment; their formations began to loosen, and their fighting spirit suffered.

Even Mo Han felt an indescribable discomfort lingering in his chest, though his primary concern was Hades’ true strength. This god had not even struck, yet merely projecting his aura had incapacitated the majority of ordinary human mages. This feat, Mo Han realized with a pang, was likely beyond even his utmost effort to achieve.

Just then, a clear, resounding dragon’s roar pierced the sky above Weihai City, echoing across the entire battlefield. It was the Patriarch of the Holy Dragons, who had been standing silently nearby, unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere any longer and initiating a counter-challenge. Influenced by their Patriarch, the other dragons also raised their heads and let out a chorus of roars, momentarily drowning out all other sounds on the battlefield.

Strangely, the human soldiers, usually terrified by dragon roars, now found these clear calls akin to celestial music. The oppressive mood weighing on everyone instantly lifted, and many soldiers couldn't help but exclaim in relief. For the human mages, however, the dragon roars offered little tangible aid; they felt only a slight physical reprieve, but their lost magical abilities remained irretrievable, leaving them essentially combat ineffective.

“Silence! Shut your mouths, you foolish dragons.”

Amidst the vast expanse of resounding dragon cries, the voice of the King of the Underworld, Hades, resonated clearly in the ears of everyone present. The roaring dragons seemed struck squarely in the chest, as if hit by a powerful force. They all grunted and ceased their roaring.

“You irritating reptiles. You were just as noisy tens of thousands of years ago; it seems you haven’t changed at all.”

Seeing that he had silenced the Dragon Race’s chorus, Hades nodded in satisfaction.

Leaping towards