If I could attach them strongly with my kingdom, if I could plant the seed of loyalty and belonging in their souls, then this problem would be solved.

Such a plan needed much patience and a long time to give good results. Trying to rush things up would end things up backfiring at me in return.

I didn’t have any good ideas for now. But I noticed something. Matte kept speaking about the legendary Hescos. It seemed these Hescos had a high place in his heart, and hopefully at others’ as well.

If so, then I could use these legendary Hescos to rope these talents in. I still didn’t know what I should do, but I’d try to come up with a good idea to make these talents mix with the legendary Hescos I got.

“I want to ask about something…” just as I was lost in thoughts about what I should do to rope in these talents and make them believe in my kingdom and me, Stephen suddenly asked.

“What do you want to know?” This question was just a sign of his mind changing for the better. He seemed to be moved by Matte’s words. And even if he didn’t agree yet, he wanted to ask about my kingdom it seemed and that was a good start.

Instead of absolutely refusing to join my side, he was now considering this.

“I want to know why you are fighting?”

“Excuse me?” I looked at him in a weird way. I expected him to ask about anything regarding my kingdom, my strength, my military forces, or even my dreams and plans for the future.

Yet what he asked was such a weird thing.

“I know people fight for different reasons. Some aspire for more strength, others are trying to protect their families. Some may aim for wealth, and others are seeking fame. What are you fighting for?”

I realised that simple looking question held behind tons of things. When I thought about the weird words Matte said before leaving, I couldn’t help but take this question quite seriously.

“You do know that I came from the human race, right?” I didn’t directly answer him, and instead tried to get more of his reasons behind asking such a question.

“And?” but unlike what I expected, he just used one simple word to answer me. Moments ago he was speaking a lot, and now he just used one word. What a dude!

“If you want a direct and simple answer then it’s simply because I wanted to live.”

“You can just lower your head, run deep under the ground, and keep yourself safe,” he shrugged, “why risk fighting the number one race in the universe? Why risk fighting big races in the first place?”

“It’s easy for someone like you to say that,” I sighed, bitterly sighed, “you were born in a mighty race, didn’t know anything about fear of death or something like that. You always had your life secured, nothing can threaten you or your race. But that’s not the case regarding me or my people.”

“Go on…” that suit he wore didn’t show anything about his reaction to my words. I didn’t know if he was interested or bored. But I didn’t care at this moment.

If I wanted him, then only honesty would be the sole path to secure him.

“If I did as you said, then in the middle or at the end I’d find myself not just fighting monsters, but mighty races including yours. Don’t tell me you don’t know about the rules of the apocalypse, and the end result of all the worlds merging together into one colossal world. If I didn’t fight you at this moment, if I didn’t take all the risks I could take when the gap between the two of us isn’t this big, then if I waited for longer, I’d end up fighting a losing battle and will die or serve as a slave in the end.”

“Slave or not, you’ll keep your life in the end!”

“A life of slavery is worth than death to me,” I raised up my head before adding in arrogance that I deserved to show, “I’d rather face death million times and live as free as a king than lower my head and live a life of a slave later on.”

“Interesting claims, but without enough strength this is all bull**.”

“I just crushed your mighty forces and took all of your formidable generals and paragons. Sorry, but what strength are you talking about here?”

If he got all the right to show such confidence in himself and his race, then I also got all the right to act arrogant and confident regarding my strength.

I didn’t need to speak about anything, just telling the end result of this war was enough. “Buddy, I didn’t just crush your race for a single time, but this is the second war I won against your race,” and this was also a fact.

I didn’t even exaggerate or try to boast. If I wanted, then I could have said much more than these few words.

“You do know that this is just the tip of the iceberg of our might.”

“I don’t care if it’s the tip or the entire mountain, I crushed you twice, and nothing you might say can change that,” I didn’t like his tone.

“You should expect fiercer wars from now on! After all, once the apocalypse ends, any race can come here without any restraint.”

“I don’t care, it’s something for the far fetched future,” I waved my hand before adding, “I only care about things happening right now. And right now I’m winning. When I conquer the entire apocalypse worlds and merge them together, then I can say I can compete equally with your race.”

“Nonsense! Our race has many formidable monsters whom you can’t compete with!”

“And who said I’m alone? And who said I’ll be the same after unifying the entire universe? And who said I’m not a monster myself? And who said you aren’t going to be one in the future?”

I looked at him and he seemed to be shocked by my answer. What did he expect? For me to feel fear and get terrified and intimidated of his race’s name and powerhouses?