"First, in the alliance between No Name and Perseus, No Name holds full authority to command Perseus to do anything."
"Second, all Gifts produced in this collaboration using Mystic Code technology must pay half of their selling price as patent fees to No Name."
"Lastly, Perseus must provide a sufficient number of qualified professional instructors to contribute to education in No Name."
"Is there any issue with an alliance agreement like this?"
Leticia sat in the main chair, using a special quill to write the terms of the alliance with No Name on a scroll.
Of course, she only said it like that; the actual agreement would undoubtedly have many messy clauses. However, this agreement was already sufficient to surrender power, so Lauis didn't care anymore.
After all, the Mystic Code technology alone was enough to make Perseus prosper.
Aslan and Leticia still lacked experience in forging. Of course, the more likely scenario was that they didn't care and lacked the manpower to manage it.
Mystic Codes are weapons created by imbuing an item with meaning through accumulated history, legends, or rituals. These weapons can influence meaning, natural laws, space, souls, and spirits.
With this unique forging technology, they could create Gifts that were only inferior to Divine Armaments and just below simulated Divinity.
Even the production costs of mass-produced invisibility helmets and flying boots could be reduced by at least threefold.
After all, Little Garden was never short of history, legends, or accumulated concepts.
Mystic Codes could spark a small-scale revolution.
The only pity was that Aslan was the one who brought it forth. Otherwise, he could have obtained the Divinity of a Forging God with this technology.
Others might not believe it, but the method for mass-producing invisibility helmets and flying boots was something he meticulously developed.
Lauis knew his limits well. He could forge, but managing a community? Forget it.
"No issues."
Lauis nodded, reviewing the agreement Leticia wrote. Aside from the agreement essentially handing over power, making No Name the leader of the alliance, and imposing various restrictions that practically turned Perseus into a subordinate of No Name, everything else was fairly normal.
At least Perseus retained minimal autonomy, and No Name didn't interfere in Perseus's internal affairs.
Lauis then signed the agreement as Perseus's leader.
Seeing Lauis sign without hesitation, Aslan and Leticia exchanged puzzled glances.
"So, he actually signed it?"
Aslan was slightly surprised. For the sake of external reputation, if the other party had resisted even slightly, he could have signed the alliance under the Planeswalker banner.
After all, No Name currently had no flag. Using his community's banner wouldn't have been an issue.
Aslan and Leticia felt they had been overly demanding.
"It feels… like we're still at a loss."
"Should I have asked for more conditions?"
Aslan muttered softly. What a fool this guy was. He should have been even more outrageous.
Meanwhile, Leticia looked at him with slight surprise. She couldn't understand why Lauis agreed to such exorbitant terms.
Even though Aishelia had fallen to Demon Lord status, Perseus wouldn't stoop to this level of groveling.
Even during Arcadia's prime, Leticia had never seen a community act so subserviently.
She vaguely felt something was off.
However, since Aslan had obtained that Authority in exchange for himself and the Demon Star Algol, he might no longer be able to avoid involvement.
After all, the transaction between Aslan and Aishelia was done privately. Though Shiroyasha was a witness, Perseus could still demand Algol back, citing the relationship between Shiroyasha and Aslan.
To uphold justice for Aishelia, if Aslan didn't want the issue to escalate and affect Shiroyasha's reputation, he had to act.
Spreading gossip is easy; refuting it is hard.
As for violence, that was even more troublesome. Perseus wasn't just a subordinate of Thousand Eyes; behind them stood a formidable goddess, Athena.
However, Aslan had Shiroyasha backing him. His own strength wasn't weak among Four-Digit levels. So, nothing major would happen.
Still, Leticia didn't let her guard down.
Or rather, the safer it seemed, the more Leticia felt something was amiss.
"Master, I feel there's a bigger scheme at play here."
Leticia spoke cautiously after Lauis left.
There's no such thing as a free lunch.
How could a Four-Digit community be so foolish as to force out the leader who brought them to their peak?
And replace her with "trash"? Though Lauis had some intelligence.
Compared to Aishelia, praised by Athena as a Guardian Knight, he was far inferior.
As for the gossip, it was even less likely to have emerged naturally.
"Of course I know."
Aslan crossed his legs, leaning back on the sofa, speaking casually and confidently.
"But the more it's like this, the more I want to see what they're planning."
"They can't toy with us so easily."
Aslan clenched his fist slightly, holding a few spatial fragments and lightly examining them in front of his eyes.
"Get ready, Leticia. If all goes well, No Name will soon fire its first shot."
"We need to prepare to return to Little Garden's stage."
By stepping on the long-famed Perseus and declaring to all of Little Garden that Arcadia, despite losing its flag, was still the same ruler.
Aslan wanted to see if Ouroboros had the ability to attack No Name again, so he could grab the snake's tail and let Shiroyasha finish it off.
Though he knew this might be a futile hope.
But he had to try, right? He had grown strong enough. His exceptional Four-Digit power was sufficient to face any danger in the Outer Layer.
Well, as confirmed by Scathach, Aslan's combat strength had reached an exceptional Four-Digit level, despite being new to it.
He wouldn't even lose to veteran exceptional Four-Digit fighters like Kasukabe Koumei.
As for Canaria, he could defeat her with one hand.
Of course, Aslan was still far from exceptional Four-Digit beings like Zeus or Martial Gods like the Twelve Heavenly Generals.
Especially in martial arts, he still needed practice. Without reaching the Divine Realm level in martial arts, how could he be worth mentioning?
Divine Realm martial arts are techniques that achieve Divinity solely through martial prowess. Even in Little Garden, only a few Martial Gods possessed them.
Among those Aslan knew, only Aishelia had reached this level in martial arts.
However, though his martial arts were slightly lacking, his Spatial Divinity was enough to make Aslan dominate Little Garden.
"I'm off. I'm going to Perseus to see what they're planning."
Aslan stretched his body. After a simple warm-up, he planned to infiltrate Perseus to investigate the situation and understand the storyline.
After all, alliances were an urgent need for community development, and "fools" like Perseus weren't easy to come by.
Both emotionally and rationally, Aslan had to clarify the situation.
At the very least, he needed to find out where Lauis got the courage to sign such a power-surrendering agreement.
"Let's hope it's not the worst-case scenario."
Aslan sighed, glancing in the direction Lauis had gone with a profound look.
The one toying with them wasn't Perseus, but the Main God behind Perseus, Athena, known as the Goddess of Wisdom and Victory.
If it was indeed Athena, Aslan would need to consider asking Shiroyasha for help and prepare to flip the table.
After all, he couldn't possibly hand over the Demon Star Algol.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
1224 Outer Gate, Perseus Headquarters.
Lauis, upon returning to his community, went straight to the Central Temple, preparing to announce the alliance he had signed with No Name.
However, as he stepped through the temple's gate, his body paused briefly. A look of realization appeared on his face.
Lauis immediately knelt before the indistinct female figure seated in the main chair of the Central Temple.
"Lauis, how did your negotiations with No Name's leader go?"
A sacred, clear voice reached his ears. Lauis spoke with a fanatical expression.
"Reporting to Lord Athena, the alliance with No Name has been signed, and I have shown sufficient sincerity."
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! As expected, there's no free lunch."
Aslan's body froze, cursing inwardly. This was indeed the worst-case scenario.
(No, does Athena really need to toy with a small planeswalker like me?)
Aslan was somewhat confused. If the other side wanted to find him, couldn't she just contact Shiroyasha directly?
Or at the very least, send an introductory letter or message.
(But why did Athena go through all this just to make me come to Perseus? What's this about?)
Aslan couldn't fathom what Athena was thinking, nor did he want to interfere with her plans.
He also didn't want to be part of Athena's plans. So, while still hidden in a different space, before he was discovered…
(Athena, see you later!)
Aslan prepared to step into the void without hesitation, hiding in another world before returning.
"Honored guest, since you're here, don't be in such a hurry to leave."
Aslan froze instantly. He sighed in resignation, stepping out from the folded different space and facing the golden figure seated in the main chair of the Central Temple.
"I don't know why Lord Athena went through all this to find me?"