The black mist quickly warped around him, twisting into shadows that transformed the room. Walls, table, and candlelight blurred into darkness, as if the whole space had been dragged somewhere it did not belong. Max immediately sent his void magic crashing into it, making the shadow realm tremble.

"Wait, don’t do that, please!" the same voice called out to him.

The woman walked out from the shadows once more, her face ashen beneath the hood.

"I need to talk to you in private. Please don’t destroy my realm." She panicked the second Max revealed his power, shocked by his terrifying ability, which completely countered hers.

Max looked at her with suspicion in his eyes. She was hot, sure, but a pretty pair of eyes and a nice body did not mean she could act so brazenly.

"Kneel and name yourself, and then I’ll consider forgiving you for this rudeness. Coming into my home and acting like you own the place, all of you are shameless." Max pointed at her with his finger, acting like an old man scolding some random youngster.

The woman bit her lower lip under the mask to the point where it bled. Her shoulders stiffened, and for a moment, her pride seemed to fight against the command. But in the end, she gritted her teeth and knelt on the ground, her palms resting stiffly on her knees in shame.

"I am Yukino, a shinobi from the Hashimoto Shogunate..." Her voice was quieter now, stripped of the calm mystery she had carried before. "I am sorry for dragging you into my shadow realm without your approval, but I had no choice."

The way she swallowed her pride made Max feel like she was worth listening to, at least for now. He was not afraid of this little trick she called a shadow realm, but it intrigued him a lot, making him wonder if he could create something similar with his void powers.

"And what does your Shogunate want from me?" Max leaned against the edge of his chair, his elbow resting on the dark frame. "I don’t suppose you came here to offer me an alliance as well? I already had two offers before."

He smiled wickedly, his gaze locking onto her two mysterious eyes.

"No, my father... Shogun Nobunaga, has requested me to offer you a deal and invite you to visit our palace... in hopes that you will take our side in the upcoming Summit of Rulers."

Max’s attention sharpened immediately. The lazy amusement in his eyes faded, and his back straightened like an arrow.

"I’ve never heard of such a summit. Explain more."

"Yes..." Yukino lowered her head slightly before continuing. "The Summit of Rulers is a gathering that takes place once every ten years at the summit of the Eternal Paradise, deep in the mountains far to the west. It is neutral territory that nobody dares to claim as their own."

Every word left her mouth clearly, almost too clearly, as if she had been trained to speak without hesitation, emotion, or interruption.

"Every ten years, the rulers gather to decide who will become the next Eternal, the one who dictates the rules of our continent. And as a new king, you are also invited to be part of the competition."

Something gleamed in Max’s eyes as he listened. Such a place had to hold plenty of bloodlines. More importantly, it would be filled with rulers, heirs, envoys, and hidden powers from every corner of the continent. He could create countless connections, find allies, and carve out his position in this world before anyone had the chance to push him down.

"And what benefit would I get from becoming a friend of your father and supporting him in the summit?" Max’s eyes hungrily explored her body, but he tried to keep it as subtle as he could.

Yukino lowered her head a little further.

"My father is willing to offer safe passage through our lands, information on every ruler attending the summit, and a private meeting before the gathering begins. He also wishes to offer you something the other kingdoms cannot."

Max’s eyebrow rose slightly.

"And what is that?"

Yukino gulped. Her fingers tightened against her knees, and beneath the shadow of her hood, her eyes wavered for the first time. This was the last card her father had told her to use in case Max proved to be a tough nut to crack. They desperately needed the dragons on their side, as dragon bloodlines had always held great weight in the summit.

"Me." Her voice came out quieter than before, stripped of the confidence she had tried so hard to keep. "My father is willing to offer me to you for the sake of a successful deal."

Max almost choked on his own saliva when he heard that.

For a moment, even he did not know where to look.

"Isn’t that a little sudden?" Max coughed, his gaze narrowing on her. "I don’t mind taking a beautiful woman like you as a concubine, but don’t you see me as a little too shameless of a ruler if you think I’d accept such an offer as if I’m desperate?"

Yukino lifted her eyes. There was a light of hope in them, small but clear, as if she was seeing Max in a different way now.

But then, her face paled.

The shadows behind her began to warp. The black mist twisted inward, bending like a wound opening in the darkness, and a tall man dressed entirely in black stepped out. His eyes were fully violet, cold and unreadable, and the aura around him made Max’s expression turn serious.

He was dangerous.

Dangerous to the point where Thor and Oswald felt like nothing but children in comparison.

"Then I will also add our finest wine and a shadow orb as compensation, along with my daughter, King Maximus." The man’s voice was deep, flat, and commanding, carrying no emotion at all.

"Father!" Yukino exclaimed, her fingers tightening against her knees.

Her shoulders lowered slightly, but she did not dare to speak again.

"You’re the Shogun Nobunaga, I presume..." Max’s voice turned cold as their eyes locked.

Neither of them moved.

The shadow realm grew silent around them. Max could feel danger in the man’s stillness, and Nobunaga seemed to be reading him the same way. Both of them understood that one wrong move could take the other ruler’s head in an instant.

And if they fought here, Yukino would be the first one caught in the middle.