It will do him a lot of good to release the paragons who have a lot of pent-up aggression against the wood elves. They will help to draw attention away from him and also assist him in resisting the two races. He can use every help that he can get right now so freeing them is good.
Gator smiled in return. "So we just have to wait for a few thousand years more. I can handle that. Then I will have my freedom."
He nodded in agreement. "Yes, my breakthrough to transcendence can take a few thousand years. But there is a way to shorten it."
He can break through now if he wants. The major thing delaying him is his stats. He wants to acquire as much as he can now before he breaks through. That could take a thousand years or less if the conditions are right.
Gator became happier. "What is it? What can shorten the time it will take for you to break through?"
She became happier at the prospect of gaining freedom quickly. She can wait for a few thousand years more. After all, she has been here for millions of years. But gaining her freedom earlier is better.
Ragnarok replied with a smirk. "Isn't the solution obvious?"
Then he flashed her a smile. He made sure to expose his very sharp and good-looking teeth at her.
She got the hint immediately so she paled and shrunk down upon herself. Her eyes widened in fear. Her 7 tails straightened and spread out.
She tried to appeal to him, "Don't do this. I know you're an Executioner. But you have to think about the bigger picture here. You can't take on the tree people on your own. So you can't be selfish. We all failed by working alone."
Ragnarok nodded in agreement. She made a good point. But she wasn't done yet.
"The greatest Emperor is here and I am also the greatest Executioner. And yet we failed. Freeing us will earn you much-needed support. Eating us will only give you short-term benefits. We need to work together or you will fail."
That is another good point but she had even more to say.
"Besides, we are the same race as you. You can't do this to us. We have suffered a lot. Free us and let us work together towards achieving freedom for all of Warrogs. Think of the spirit of corporation between members of the same race towards a greater goal."
He nodded in agreement. "You're right. I am not foolish. I have thought about all you said. I think freeing you is good. But eating you will be better. Don't worry at all. I am not alone and I will be the greatest Executioner after I eat you. I will handle my enemies on my own."
Freeing the paragons is good. He can say that is true. But eating them is better. At least it is better for him. There are two options for him, both of which are good. But he doesn't make decisions with emotions. Camaraderie doesn't work on him or influence him. He makes decisions after considering the pros and cons.
The pro of releasing the paragons is that they might be of assistance to him. It is not definite that they will help him. He can't rely on gratefulness to keep them in line. He himself will kill someone who just helped him if it will benefit him. So he can't trust the paragons to be useful.
He knows that the original Warrogs are incredibly violent. They might just attack him to eat him. They have been locked up for many years so they will be very hungry and he is a good-looking morsel of flesh. A single bite from Gator here might kill him immediately.
The paragons are a danger to him. Releasing them might not turn out to be a good idea. An oath can ensure their loyalty but many of them can't make oaths at this point in time. They are too weak for coherent thought. That means they are currently too weak to be of assistance to him.
He will have to prep them up by feeding or giving them Origin energy. So they will just be useless burdens on him if he releases them. Worse still, they will be rabid burdens on him that he might have to put down anyway or they succeed in killing him.
After all, all they need is a good bite of him. They don't need a lot of strength to do that. So why will he go through all that much trouble and danger if he can just cut to the chase and choose the option that is assured to benefit him now?
There are a lot of reasons why eating them is more appealing to him. He does not like sharing so he doesn't want to help them. He is a selfish person who can only rely on his personal strength. The only use the paragons will be for him is to distract his pursuers away from him. That means he will release them only to let them go. That is just a waste of resources that he can use to strengthen himself now.
If he can only rely on himself, it makes sense that he should prioritize his personal strength above all else. Hence, he is going to eat them to shorten the time he needs to break through. Eating them will ensure that he becomes an Executioner the likes that have never been seen. He is also not alone, he has Legion, so he is confident in himself.
He rose from his sitting position and approached her.
He said to her, "The only reason why I should save you is out of kindness and for the good of the race. But I am not kind. And I don't care about my race. So you will get my teeth."
"Please don't," Gator pleaded with him. She struggled to move away from him but the chains held her down.