"I can assure you that you will not regret giving us a chance."
Valaha put his hand on his chest as he spoke, and his face had a serious expression that showed he was not playing around! The Drakan organization was made up of some of the greatest warriors and spies in the Primordial Expanse, and they actually had one of the largest intelligence agencies of all the Mercenary Groups, but Jason could tell that there was something more to this. A mercenary coming to sell himself to the Overlord of a domain like this might look like the mercenary was just trying to preserve his own organisation, but Jason was smart enough to see underneath the surface.
"I don’t need your pathetic information network. There’s something more to this, isn’t there? You’re a mercenary, and from what I’ve heard about you people, you don’t just offer your services to anyone. If you were afraid of me killing you, then you could have simply gone into a parallel domain where I couldn’t find you. If you won’t tell me what’s really going on, then this conversation is over."
Jason turned around and began walking away, but Valaha immediately called out.
"Wait, my lord! Please."
Jason stopped and glanced back at Valaha, and Valaha finally spoke up.
"There is more. My organisation has operated in this domain for close to two hundred years now. But recently, there has been another organisation that has risen up. Its name is Jamani, and it is made up of some of the most powerful individuals I’ve ever seen. They possess more power than my group, and they have declared war against Drakan to try and absorb us into their group!"
Jason finally turned to fully face Valaha with a frown as Jason realised what was going on here. This was basically a mercenary war between the two largest mercenary groups in his domain, and the only reason Valaha had come to see Jason was because Valaha realised that he would lose this war. Right now, Valaha was making one of the riskiest gambles of his life! It was like a sheep begging a lion for protection from the wolf that was trying to eat it! If the lion decides to, it could kill both the wolf and the sheep!
But Jason stopped and really thought about it. Jason knew that there were limits to what he could do. Even though Jason’s Legion was very dangerous and they could act as spies since they were shadow-users, there were still limits to what Jason’s Legion could do. The Legion couldn’t infiltrate organisations in the same way a real person could, and they couldn’t trick anyone into telling them their secrets since they couldn’t speak. The Legion could only spy on people, and there was a chance that the people being spied on would sense the mana from the spy and lash out to kill the subordinate. Jason couldn’t simply throw this opportunity away without first considering it!
But at the same time, Jason refused to partner himself with a fucking mercenary who would most likely betray him the moment someone paid them enough money!
Jason spoke up calmly.
"So what is it exactly that you’re asking me to do for you, mercenary?"
Valaha stepped forward and spoke.
"I want you to help me take care of my enemies and preserve my organisation. And in exchange, I’ll give you information about all the other mercenary groups in the sixth domain. Their location, their movement, and their current strength level. I’ll make it easy for you to take care of all of them."
Jason didn’t say anything for a while, and Valaha felt a sweat going down his neck as he waited for Jason’s response. Valaha knew that this was a gamble that could backfire seriously if it didn’t work, but Valaha was willing to take that gamble. In the world of mercenaries, it was every organisation for themselves, and if Valaha didn’t get this deal with the overlord, then he knew he was going to be killed anyway! It was better to try and strike this deal than to wait for death to simply come to you!
After some time, Jason finally spoke, but what Jason said shocked Valaha down to the core.
"Your bravery is admirable, mercenary. But I do not involve myself in matters that do not concern me. Your war will only lead to the death of more mercenaries, and as far as I am concerned, that’s a good thing for my domain. Mercenaries like you lack the virtue of loyalty, and I cannot provide help to people who would betray me for a few coins in the future."
Jason stared Valaha down with intensity! Even though no one could commit violence in this world, Jason’s stare still had an imposing authority, and Valaha felt like there was a building on his back pressing him down! Valaha didn’t want this deal to fall through! This was Valaha’s only chance to try and preserve his organisation, and he knew that if he allowed Jason to leave right now, then that would be the end for him! It was either he was killed by the Jamani’s Cult or he was killed by Jason sometime in the future!
Thud!
Valaha immediately went down to both knees at Jason’s feet, and he bowed his head down while speaking in a desperate voice!
"Then let me offer you my loyalty! If that is what you require, then I will serve you till my dying breath."
"You’re a mercenary. Your loyalty belongs to whoever gives you the most money. Loyalty that can be bought means nothing to me."
"Then tell me what I need to do! I’ll do it!"
At this point, Valaha was desperate! He could feel his own life slipping from his fingers, and he refused to die like this! Jason was silent for a few seconds before he asked.
"Are you really willing to stand by those words? You will do anything I ask you to?"
"Yes, so long as it will preserve my life and my organisation. I will do anything."
Jason crouched so that he was on eye level with the kneeling Valaha, and Jason looked him right in the eye and said.
"Very well then, I’ll spare your life. But from this moment forward, you are under my command. You are my servant, and I am your master. Do you understand?"
Valaha closed his eyes as he felt his pride take a serious hit, but he knew that this was his only option and he nodded.
"Y-Yes, my lord."
Jason smiled, and he stood up and told J to return them to Radagan. J did as he was told, and both Jason and Valaha were dropped off in Radagan.
"It was a pleasure to facilitate this meeting. If you are ever in need of an Eternal Wanderer, we will be sure to find you wherever you are."
J turned around as a portal opened behind him, and he simply walked through and vanished. Once he was gone, Jason looked down at the kneeling Valaha and spoke.
"I’m going to need everything you have. Information on all the mercenary groups in this domain, as well as the information you have on the domains parallel to yours. I’ll send some of my servants with you to retrieve them, and you’ll be able to use them to reach me if you ever want to speak to me. But before anything else, stand up and take off your shirt."
Valaha raised his head to look at Jason in surprise, but Jason’s face was set into a look of absolute seriousness, and Valaha realised that Jason wasn’t playing around. Valaha stood slowly and took off the black shirt he wore, and Jason only gave a short warning.
"Grit your teeth. This is going to burn."