Because of that, the tone in which Life Sovereign Wawaya spoke was anything but polite.
"Indeed, Orloff, I would also very much like to know what matter was so important that it couldn't be said during the Sovereign Assembly."
"And this time, your message explicitly excluded the Death Sovereign. What exactly is the meaning of this? Are you trying to stir internal conflict among the Edict Sovereigns?"
Hearing Wawaya's words, Destruction Sovereign Wordred's gaze toward Fate Sovereign Orloff darkened slightly as well.
Among the four Edict Sovereigns, only Orloff was not the first lifeform of the Celestial Realm.
If it truly came down to closeness, Wordred would, without question, stand on the side of Wawaya and Lilia.
"No, Your Excellency Life Sovereign, I have no intention of provoking discord among the Edict Sovereigns."
Orloff smiled and waved his hand.
Truthfully, Orloff—having cast off all negative emotions—was, so long as Augusta had not died and those emotions had not returned or merged back into him, the very model of what a Sovereign should be.
His heart held only two pursuits:
to study the mysteries of heaven and earth, and to become stronger.
And he put each of those ideas into practice one by one.
However, whenever something arose that might hinder his growth, Orloff's obsession with becoming stronger would drive him to erase that obstacle at any cost.
"It is only that what I wish to discuss with the two of you is… not suitable for the Death Sovereign to know."
"Hmph."
Wawaya snorted coldly.
"Then I would very much like to hear what it is that you claim is unsuitable for my elder sister to know."
"If, after hearing it, I decide there is no problem with her knowing, I will tell her directly."
"That is only natural."
Orloff nodded.
"I am merely making this judgment based on my own understanding of the Death Sovereign."
"If Your Excellency Life Sovereign believes she may be informed, I will have no objections."
"After all, when it comes to understanding the Death Sovereign, both of you far surpass me."
After hearing that, the expressions on Wawaya's and Wordred's faces softened slightly.
At least from the sound of it, Orloff truly did not seem to be trying to drive a wedge between the Edict Sovereigns.
Still, everything would depend on what he said next.
"Then speak."
"The matter I wish to discuss with the two of you concerns Sovereign Locke."
Both Wawaya and Wordred had already expected as much.
After all, Orloff had contacted them immediately after the Sovereign Assembly ended and summoned them to this three-Sovereign meeting.
Whatever he wished to discuss was bound to be related to what had happened there.
"I wonder whether the two of you paid attention to Sovereign Locke's Water divine clone?"
"Your Excellency Orloff, didn't Sovereign Locke already reveal his Water clone?"
"He even secured for it a status equivalent to that of a Lesser Sovereign."
"What exactly are you trying to say by bringing it up now?"
Wawaya's tone was sharp.
Meanwhile, Wordred, standing to the side, seemed to have suddenly realized something and fell silent.
"Your Excellency Life Sovereign, that is precisely the issue."
Although Wawaya's attitude was far from friendly, Orloff showed no sign of anger and continued explaining with the same mild smile.
"Locke's Water divine clone is not yet a Sovereign, and yet it already possesses the strength of a Lesser Sovereign."
"Then if Locke were to obtain a Water Sovereign spark, or even a Water Chief Sovereign spark, and become the Water Sovereign…"
"…just how powerful would he become?"
Orloff's words were like a bomb detonating in the depths of the sea, exploding beside Wawaya and Wordred and shattering the calm in their hearts.
"Yes… if Sovereign Locke were to obtain a Water Chief Sovereign spark…"
Wawaya murmured under her breath.
Right now, Locke's Water divine clone already possessed Lesser Sovereign-level power.
If he obtained even a Lesser Water Sovereign spark, then both of his divine clones would gain strength comparable to the four Edict Sovereigns.
And one must not forget—
once he gained another Sovereign spark, his Fate Sovereign clone would gain yet another portion of Will, bringing his strength to a level one hundred times greater than an ordinary Laws Chief Sovereign.
That was already enough to rival an Edict Sovereign Paragon.
In other words, it would be comparable to Fate Sovereign Orloff—assuming one ignored the fact that he secretly possessed another Sovereign clone.
But Locke was also a soul mutate.
The fusion of dual-system Sovereign power would increase his strength another tenfold.
At that point, he would already stand on the same level as Wawaya and Wordred.
Then what if Locke obtained an Intermediate Water Sovereign spark?
His strength would exceed that of Wawaya and Wordred by more than a hundred times.
And if he were to obtain a Water Chief Sovereign spark…
his power would surpass the four Edict Sovereigns by ten thousand times.
The thought that, in the future, they themselves might become as helpless before Locke as the ordinary Sovereigns were before them now made even Wawaya and Wordred shudder.
The four Edict Sovereigns were one thing.
Even if one among them grew somewhat stronger, the other three could still keep that one in check.
But if Locke refined a Water Chief Sovereign spark…
No—even an Intermediate Water Sovereign spark would be enough.
At that point, who in the universe could still restrain Sovereign Locke?
By then, perhaps every Sovereign in existence would have no choice but to move to the Underworld just to feel a semblance of safety…
"Enough, Orloff. Just say what you intend to do."
After a moment, Wordred and Wawaya quickly calmed themselves and looked to Orloff.
"My thought is this."
"Perhaps we can use the Sovereigns under our command to quietly spread this information."
"Let every Sovereign know that Locke may possess the potential to surpass all Sovereigns."
"The Sovereign Pact does not forbid battle between Sovereigns of the same level."
"Right now, the strength Locke has revealed still places him among the Laws Chief Sovereigns."
"However, he clearly also possesses the ability to kill Laws Chief Sovereigns."
"Therefore, I suspect that if a new Water Chief Sovereign were ever to appear, Locke would hunt them down and seize the Water Sovereign spark."
"For that reason, every Sovereign—especially the Water Sovereigns—must be warned."
"Under no circumstances can another Water Chief Sovereign be allowed to emerge."
"Mm. I have no objections."
"Nor do I."
Now that they understood the potential threat Locke posed, neither Wawaya nor Wordred opposed Orloff's suggestion.
Still, Wawaya frowned.
"Your Excellency Orloff, if this is all, then why not inform my elder sister of the possibility as well?"
Orloff smiled faintly.
"Your Excellency Life Sovereign, if the Death Sovereign were to learn of this possibility…"
"…what do you think she would do?"
"Though I have not had much interaction with her, everything she has shown in these two Sovereign Assemblies tells me that the Death Sovereign is an extremely proud Sovereign."
"If she were to learn that Locke had such potential, then with her personality…"
"…she might very well actively help him obtain a Water Chief Sovereign spark."
Those words were not lies.
However, the reason the Death Sovereign would help Locke was not because of what Orloff said—her personality.
There was something deeper at play that Orloff had not seen.
But he knew one thing for certain.
Locke was absolutely on the Death Sovereign's side.
Still, using "personality" as an explanation was more than enough to convince Wawaya and Wordred.
Compared to Orloff, the two of them understood Lilia far better.
They knew full well that the Death Sovereign possessed a supreme treasure that rendered her invincible within the Underworld.
If Locke truly had that kind of potential, it was entirely possible that one day the Death Sovereign might whimsically decide she wanted to test whether, within the Underworld, she could contend against that future version of Locke—
and then turn around and help him collect a Water Chief Sovereign spark.
Of course, this line of thought greatly exaggerated certain mischievous aspects of the Death Sovereign's personality.
But at a moment like this, mere possibility was enough.
As long as there was even a chance of it, they could not tell her.
That was the very foundation of cooperation among the three Edict Sovereigns.
…
Over the following period of time, new rumors began spreading—deliberately and yet seemingly by chance—throughout the Seven Divine Planes and the Three Higher Planes, with the Underworld as the sole exception.
And this rumor concerning Sovereign Locke once again made everyone realize just how terrifying an existence he truly was.
By tacit agreement among the Sovereigns, none of this information was allowed to reach the Sovereigns of the Underworld.
At the same time, the sole remaining Intermediate Water Sovereign sought refuge under Fate Sovereign Orloff and took up permanent residence in the Celestial Realm.
At present, only two Lesser Water Sovereigns remained to guard the Water Divine Plane.
As for those two, they were suffering in silence.
Every Sovereign knew it.
Even they themselves knew it.
They were being used as bait to lure Sovereign Locke.
The Edict Sovereigns were not worried about a Locke who had merely refined a Lesser Water Sovereign spark.
(End of Chapter)
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