Dike unleashed all the demonic energy within him, channeling it into his fists before slamming them down onto the ground.
*Boom!*
Cracks snaked across the earth and rock walls under Dike's onslaught, and then torrents of scorching lava began to flow out.
Dike had been digging his way here, already perilously close to the magma. The battle with Chen Long had exerted immense pressure on the entire volcano.
These two punches were the last straw, causing the volcano's internal structure to collapse. Lava surged forth.
Having accomplished this, Dike could no longer withstand the powerful suction of the Hell Gate. He burst through the surface, creating a passage straight to the crater, and was then pulled out, traversing mountains and seas, disappearing into the Hell Gate.
With Dike sealed away once more, the Hell Gate, its mission complete, closed itself. Everything returned to peace... or not!
Watching the relentless flow of lava, Chen Long led the way, with Tell trailing behind, carrying his father.
As they ran, Chen Long still clung to a sliver of hope, asking, "Dad, is there any way you can stop this eruption?"
Hearing this, if not for Tell holding him, Old Man would have leaped up to flick Chen Long's forehead.
"Your dad is human, not a god! I can't do anything. Hurry up and run!"
Given the destruction Dike had wrought before leaving, the volcanic eruption was inevitable. Fortunately, Dike had been in too much of a hurry to detonate the volcano. Had he been allowed to proceed according to his original plan, slowly and steadily, the entire island nation might have sunk into the sea.
Now, even with the eruption, the lava would at most cover more than half of Dongjing, causing some impact on the island nation's climate and environment.
But at least their homeland would be saved, preventing a nationwide refugee crisis.
However, the island nation's Prime Minister was clearly not satisfied with this outcome.
"What! Unacceptable! You call yourselves great mages, the pillars of the nation? You've consumed so much of the country's resources over the years, enjoyed so many benefits and privileges, and this is the accounting you give me now?"
The Prime Minister's assistant stood by, head bowed, too terrified to even breathe as he witnessed his superior's fury.
"Don't tell me any more of that nonsense. I'm giving you two options: either use your magic to stop the lava, or you all commit seppuku as atonement."
With that, he angrily hung up the phone.
As soon as the Prime Minister finished speaking, the assistant immediately brought a cup of black tea to his front.
Just as he was about to take a sip to calm his anger, he looked up and saw a stranger sitting on the sofa opposite him.
"Who are you!?"
Upon seeing the intruder, the Prime Minister immediately became alert, his hand instinctively reaching for the alarm under the desk. The Prime Minister's assistant also instinctively reached for the gun at his waist.
"Honestly, must it be so by the book? Are all you national leaders like this?"
Seeing the Prime Minister's reaction, Bai Qi muttered helplessly.
With a flick of his hand, the teacup in front of the Prime Minister floated up and settled steadily in Bai Qi's hand.
Taking a gentle sip of the tea, Bai Qi stood up and said, "Your meager mages are incapable of stopping the volcanic eruption. Only I can."
The Prime Minister blinked at Bai Qi's words.
The fact that this person could appear here so stealthily already indicated his extraordinary power. Now, he claimed to be able to stop the volcanic eruption.
"Who exactly are you?"
Before Bai Qi could answer, the Prime Minister waved his hand and said, "Never mind, that's not important. As long as you can stop the volcanic eruption, I'll give you money. How about a hundred million? If not, two hundred million is also negotiable."
Bai Qi smiled and shook his head. "I believe you've misunderstood. To me, your human concept of money is meaningless."
"Your human concept?"
The island nation's Prime Minister was no fool; he immediately grasped the key words in Bai Qi's statement. His eyes widened in alarm. "You're not human? You're... a demon!"
Seeing that his identity had been guessed, Bai Qi decided to reveal it.
Upon realizing he was facing the primordial, greatest demon, the Holy Lord, the Prime Minister's entire being collapsed. His aged legs trembled uncontrollably. He struggled to keep himself from falling due to sheer terror.
After a few deep breaths, the Prime Minister finally regained some composure. He looked at Bai Qi again and asked, "I don't understand. Wasn't it your demon companion who caused Mount Fuji to erupt? Why are you helping us?"
"There's a saying among humans: there are no eternal friends, only eternal interests. As long as you can offer me something sufficiently enticing, I don't mind lending a hand."
Even a fool like the island nation's Prime Minister could understand Bai Qi's meaning: he was clearly asking for a price.
But in the current situation, could he refuse?
Dongjing held immense economic and political significance for the island nation. If Mount Fuji were to erupt and Dongjing were devastated, the island nation's economy would regress by at least twenty years.
"What are your conditions? You can state them. I will do my best to meet them as long as they are within my capabilities."
Bai Qi stated without reservation, "Three conditions. If you agree to all of them, I will help you stop the volcanic eruption."
"What are the three conditions?"
"First, the island nation must establish diplomatic relations with Kuthor and recognize my absolute leadership over Kuthor. Second, the island nation must send at least twenty students to the Kuthor Magic Academy for advanced studies each year. Third, and finally, I want sovereignty over San Cun Island; you must cede it to Kuthor."
"What!?"
The moment Bai Qi finished speaking, the island nation's Prime Minister could no longer sit still.
He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, pointing a finger at Bai Qi, about to unleash a torrent of curses. However, as if remembering something, he trailed off, unable to utter a word, his old face turning a deep red.
Not only the Prime Minister, but even the assistant beside him was utterly shocked. As someone who had been by the Prime Minister's side for a long time, she was well aware of the implications.
It was true that Dongjing was crucial to the island nation, but Bai Qi's conditions were simply too demanding.
First, regarding the first condition, the United States had privately conveyed to the island nation and its other allies that they were forbidden from establishing diplomatic relations with Kuthor, or face severe consequences. If he unilaterally announced diplomatic ties with Kuthor, what would his American "father" think, and could he remain Prime Minister?
Second, though it seemed to benefit the island nation more, that was not entirely true. Su Dan Novel Network.
Setting aside whether these students would want to return after their advanced studies at the Magic Academy, twenty students might not seem like many, but the admission to Kuthor Magic Academy was extremely strict. Only those who met the requirements and possessed great potential were allowed to enroll for advanced studies.
Furthermore, the local noble families and conglomerates, in order to consolidate their positions, would undoubtedly vie for these limited spots.
After all, these individuals from noble families and conglomerates were the elite of the island nation, and those selected for advanced studies were the crème de la crème. They were all destined for important positions in island nation society in the future.
When these individuals returned after their studies, their acquired knowledge and magic would undoubtedly deal a severe blow to the island nation's indigenous magic. Moreover, given that they would all be studying at the same academy, who could believe they wouldn't be influenced by Kuthor?