Viserin was genuinely shocked by the proposition. The armor and weapons that the soldiers of the Xaos Kingdom used were undeniably impressive, and he was sure that if the troops of the Turkin Kingdom could get their hands on them, they would grow exponentially stronger.
However, it didn’t make sense to him that Vlad would offer such valuable assets; after all, once the Turkin Kingdom obtained these weapons and armor, they could potentially use them against the Xaos Kingdom.
Mark, who had been closely listening to the exchange, spoke in a solemn voice. "I suppose the Xaos King isn’t offering his kingdom’s greatest creations, am I right?" The old man’s voice was sharp, tinged with skepticism.
When King Viserin heard this, his eyes narrowed. While he felt somewhat disgruntled, it made sense. What they were being offered would surely be among the best the Xaos Kingdom had, but not anywhere near their top-tier weaponry.
"You are wrong," Vlad responded immediately, shattering their assumptions. "I will provide you with the very weapons and armor that my forces are currently equipped with. What you see before your eyes is what you will receive." The young man showed a radiant smile as he observed the looks of shock and confusion on the faces of King Viserin and his two advisors.
"I might be out of place here, but are you being too careless?" Zamas, the military advisor of the Turkin King, spoke in a solemn voice as he gazed at Vlad. The fifty-year-old man couldn’t comprehend how someone could feel so confident giving away such valuable weapons and thought there might be something amiss with the deal.
"He is willing to hand over weapons because, even with them, he does not see us as a threat," King Viserin interjected. The middle-aged man had been analyzing the situation from every angle until realization struck him. Seeing the smile on Vlad’s face, he knew he was right.
Vlad did not say a word but did not deny it either. He had analyzed the entirety of the fifty thousand soldiers present and knew they could barely clash against the Golden Wave Legion now; in a few months, they would stand no chance in open battle.
He wasn’t looking down on the people of the Turkin Kingdom—their forces were impressive, and their soldiers were fierce—but under Overlord’s guidance, the Xaos Kingdom’s growth rate was simply too fast.
Vlad wasn’t lying when he said he would hand over weapons and armor that his forces currently used, but what he didn’t reveal was that in less than three months, those armor would be phased out as new and better ones were distributed across his military.
"I wonder, are you looking down on us?" King Viserin was a man of great pride, and his military prowess was a significant source of that pride. The idea that someone thought less of them was infuriating.
"We are not looking down on you; we are assessing your forces with mathematical precision," a voice echoed from behind King Viserin. His eyes widened in shock as he hadn’t sensed any presence. Although he had been focusing on Vlad, his instincts had always been sharp, yet they seemed to have failed him this time.
He hastily turned around to see a small yellow cat gazing up at him. The contrast between his imposing frame and that of the cat was striking, yet Viserin couldn’t help but feel a power emanating from the feline equal to that of the young man before him. He thought that if a clash were to ensue, he might last less than ten seconds.
Jormungandr glanced at the Turkin King with a sharp gaze before taking a step forward. Tiny arcs of lightning appeared around his figure, and in the next instant, he appeared on Vlad’s shoulder. That speed shocked the Turkin King and his two advisors. None of them had detected his arrival, and with that speed, it would have been easy for him to inflict lethal wounds.
After a moment, King Viserin couldn’t help but sigh as he glanced at Mark and Zamas. They had come to this meeting with great confidence, thinking that everything would proceed as planned, yet they were now facing a force whose full extent they couldn’t even fathom. The trio finally nodded, understanding what their next step should be.
King Viserin turned back to Vlad and spoke with measured resolve. "The Turkin Kingdom will be glad to enter a business transaction with the Xaos Kingdom. We are willing to trade our resources for your weapons and armor. What kind of exchange rate do you offer?"
Vlad’s smile widened as he nodded to the man. While defeating the Turkin Kingdom wouldn’t be difficult, killing tens of thousands of human soldiers would only aid the aliens. Moreover, he couldn’t take control of such a large territory as the Turkin country since his forces were already spread thin, moving both west and east.
"Our proposal is straightforward," Vlad began. "For every shipment of your prime materials—be it precious minerals, unique metals, cultivation resources, or tamed beasts—we will provide an equivalent value in weapons and armor. We can establish a mutually agreed-upon valuation system to ensure fairness."
Viserin considered this carefully. "And how do we determine the value of our resources compared to your equipment?"
"Simple," Vlad replied. I will share all our knowledge regarding metals, gems, and cultivation treasures so you will know what you have. We can then let our proxies discuss an equal exchange. Transparency will be key to our partnership."
Mark stepped forward, his eyes scrutinizing Vlad. "And what guarantees do we have that the weapons and armor you provide are of the quality you promise?"
Vlad met his gaze evenly. "You may test the equipment before finalizing any trade agreements. I am confident they will meet—and likely exceed—your expectations."
Viserin nodded slowly. "Very well. We accept your terms. Let us proceed to formalize this agreement."
"Excellent," Vlad replied. "Our envoys can meet to work out the specifics."