"Listen, feel, think?" Su Ming's expression was a bit strange, as if he had heard this before somewhere.
Olini nodded, being just a head: "Our home planet, Faltin, possesses a consciousness of its own, and fundamentally isn't different from us, the Faltin people; we're all aggregates of Magic Energy. If explained in terms humans can understand, she is a fixed star, shaped by Flame Magic."
"So she's actually a Faltin individual, just countless times bigger than all of you?" Su Ming sat cross-legged, floating in the air. After the cloak consumed the 'chocolate beans' earlier, it seemed to have gotten an instant boost.
Olini looked at the Supreme Mage with some curiosity. He hadn't noticed any spellcasting movements, yet the other was floating—quite interesting.
However, he still answered the question seriously: "We and she are all Faltin, essentially one body. Anything you say to me here can also be heard by her, and she can respond through Cosmic Energy."
Su Ming frowned; although he imagined Faltin as a living planet like a Cosmic Elder, he didn't expect her to have such surveillance methods.
Is this the space version of Big Brother? Or an alternative hive mind?
"Can other Faltin people know what I've said to you? Like Dormammu..."
"No, our connection with Faltin is one-way. Even Dormammu today can't hope to gain any secrets from Faltin." Olini assured resolutely, his black bean eyes turning square.
Dormammu is very powerful and can easily destroy Faltin, but as a Dimensional Demon God, Faltin would rather die than reveal her secrets to him.
Dormammu has been ruling for hundreds of thousands of years and is already incredibly arrogant.
Afraid that Su Ming wouldn't understand, Olini made a grounded analogy: "Like a human who would care about the secrets ants hold?"
These secrets mean nothing to powerful beings with disproportionate strength.
To be honest, seeing a pumpkin lantern with such a serious expression made Su Ming want to laugh. But since the message path is one-way, it wasn't a big problem.
He propped his hand on his knee and answered seriously with determined and courageous emotions: "Good, I came here to show Dormammu what ants eating elephants is about."
"You mean..." Olini was somewhat excited, his tone trembling, his eyes full of disbelief.
Su Ming was puzzled about how he made sound but confidently answered, full of fearless and heroic sentiment: "Yes! I'm here to liberate people in the Cosmos suffering unfair treatment. My first stop is Faltin, and I will help you overthrow Dormammu to strive for a free life."
Not sure if aliens buy into 'free will'. If freedom doesn't work, maybe try exporting revolution?
Clearly, Faltin people most desire freedom; anyone locked away for tens of thousands of years would crave it. Olini immediately started bouncing around the cave, expressing his excitement like a fiery ping pong ball.
He finally calmed down after a while, spitting flames from his mouth: "Thank you, Supreme Mage of the Main Dimension. If we could truly escape Dormammu's rule, you would be a savior of the Faltin race."
"Who calls the shots here?" Su Ming raised his head, smiling: "Besides the Faltin Planet."
Olini spat out a flame, and from beneath his pumpkin head, a flame-shaped humanoid body grew: "It's me. My father was named Olnar, the last King of Mages before Dormammu killed him. If he were still alive today, he would be able to discuss many cosmic topics with you. He was the wisest among us."
Speaking of this, Olini looked somewhat sad.
Su Ming stroked his beard, offering a sympathetic expression fitting conventional norms: "Condolences, how is your mother?"
Olini imitated Deathstroke, sitting cross-legged and floating in mid-air. Hearing this question, he seemed confused: "My mother is Faltin. As an elemental race of universal mages, the King of Mages is Faltin's spouse."
Su Ming secretly took a cold breath, reproducing offspring with a planet; these elementals sure dare!
Thinking of small fireballs colliding with Earth, he felt a chill.
"You...didn't inherit the throne?" Suddenly, Su Ming thought of something—if Olini became King of Mages, then he and his mother...
Olini shook his head regretfully: "No, now the King of Mages is no longer selected. Dormammu doesn't allow us to have our leader; I am just an Ordinary person now."
"No worries, don't mind those details. So next, if Faltin agrees, we'll sign the contract."
Seems that ethical norms are exclusive to carbon-based life; fire elements have different worldviews, no need to delve deeper.
Faltin, being a Demon God after all, couldn't be anything less than odd.
Knowing Olini's status and value is the most important. Su Ming skillfully took out several papers to change the subject, where the triangular emblem of the Trinity Emperor of Mount Wei was prominently displayed.
He naturally had assurance to free them from Dormammu's rule... After all, entering Omar's era also counts as fulfilling a contract, doesn't it?
At this moment, Olini suddenly convulsed like performing a ritual, then his head drooped. A few seconds later, his whole figure illuminated immensely, his previously burning pumpkin head now like an incandescent lamp, faintly discernible.
Su Ming slipped his hand into the waistband, gripping Nightfall Greatsword's hilt as preparation. However, Olini's flame figure slowly changed, turning into a delicate female form under Deathstroke's icy gaze.
"Listen, feel, think, it's the first time someone summarized my racial function so well. Supreme Mage of the First Dimension, though you are a mere human, you undoubtedly possess extraordinary courage."
Flames formed words, hovering in mid-air, a silent exchange. She did want to use Mind Magic to transmit into Deathstroke's mind, but he was immune to Mind Skills, so she had to go the second-best route.
Su Ming realized the phenomenon was essentially invoking deity possession, Faltin somehow descend onto Olini's body, both of them were fire elements, which was rather convenient.
However, what couldn't talk properly? What does 'mere human' mean? Doesn't she know human identity is the strongest in the Cosmos?
Let her learn her lesson this time on a human, hehe...
But as the Supreme Mage, keeping a good facade was necessary: "Flame Demon God Faltin, I represent the Trinity Emperor of Mount Wei to greet you."
Sure enough, upon mentioning Emperor Vishanti, Faltin stuttered; the flame words hung in the air didn't change for a long time, as if a distant gaze scanned Su Ming entirely.
"You're not human?????" The flames in the air changed, leaving several question marks.
This person's bones are wrong, flesh is wrong, and there's an aura of Death, clearly not Earthly biology, Faltin couldn't comprehend it.
Su Ming pulled out Nightfall Greatsword, forcefully plunged it beside him as he landed, accompanied by the sound of metal clashing, X Metal's Silver light spread like a starriver, making his smile appear somewhat grim: "I'm just an Ordinary human, but that's irrelevant, Faltin, I'm here to negotiate."