The Shelter Game: Me, Starting with a Tenfold Drop Rate

Irving sighed as he looked at the spot where the Chaos Entity had just been. "It seems my only option is to collaborate with them if I want to gather more information about the chaotic powers. I truly have no alternatives left; my companions should understand my decision."

Irving muttered this to himself, fully aware that his collaboration with the Chaos Entity and Elder Astra would likely face resistance from his allies. Aron and Anna had a deep-seated hatred for both Astra and the Chaos Entity. There was no way they would agree to work with them. James might be more open to cooperation, but the assistance he could offer was limited.

After pondering for a while, Irving decided to head to the Ocean Group headquarters first. He hoped to inform Vicky about the situation. In his eyes, Vicky was the least likely to oppose him. No matter what decisions he made, she had always been supportive.

However, this time, Irving encountered an unexpectedly fierce opposition. When he laid out his plan at the Ocean Group headquarters, Vicky bluntly replied, "We cannot collaborate with the forces of chaos! The Chaos Entity is a product of pure chaos; working with him will only lead to a greater threat from chaotic powers."

Vicky's voice was laced with a mix of fear and anger as she shouted this. Her reaction not only surprised Irving, but it also caught Benjamin, who had been following Vicky, off guard. He hadn't anticipated that Vicky would oppose so vehemently.

"Calm down for a moment. We've worked with the Night Blades before. Sure, there were a series of issues during that collaboration, but we ultimately succeeded. The power we currently wield isn't strong enough; if we want to defeat Shadow Celestial and Sophia, who has been tainted by Blood Moon energy, we need powerful allies. Besides the Chaos Entity and Elder Astra, we have no one else."

Irving instinctively began to persuade Vicky. However, his attempts only intensified her opposition.

"This is entirely different. The Night Blades wield only dark power, which presents an obvious threat. The powers of chaos, on the other hand, pose a complex and hidden danger. I believe we need to be vigilant against the threat of chaotic forces."

Vicky's words finally made Irving and Benjamin realize the gravity of the situation.

Irving immediately realized that he had been somewhat neglectful of Vicky's feelings. It was clear that she had been living in fear of the encroaching chaotic forces. Without offering any explanations, he slowly walked over to her and pulled her into an embrace.

"You don't need to worry. No matter what dangers we face, I'll always protect you. Whether it's against chaotic forces or dark powers, I'll ensure your safety," he said softly.

Upon hearing his words, Vicky broke down in tears. Irving didn't say anything more; he simply stroked her hair, believing it was important for her to have the chance to express her emotions. Anyone in Vicky's situation would feel immense fear.

After a while, Vicky managed to compose herself. "I believe you can keep me safe. But I still oppose collaborating with the Chaos Entity. If you truly intend to work with it, you must be prepared for the possibility of being corrupted by chaotic forces."

Although Vicky continued to express her opposition, it was evident that she had softened her stance. She only wanted Irving to be more prepared; she wasn't entirely against the idea anymore.

"Don't worry! I'll be fully prepared! Plus, I have a chaotic artifact at my disposal. Even if the Chaos Entity is incredibly powerful, I can use the chaotic arrow to deal a critical blow when it matters most."

Irving's reassurances finally eased Vicky's worries. "During the upcoming operation, you won't be in any danger. I want you to stay at the Ocean Group headquarters; let us handle the battle in Starling City."

Irving's words left Vicky feeling conflicted. While she had been eager to fight alongside him, the prospect of facing potential chaos made her hesitate.

"You don't need to feel any guilt about this. After the battle, many of us will need your help. This fight will likely leave many of us seriously injured."

Irving was mentally preparing himself for significant injuries. Although he had chosen to collaborate with the Chaos Entity and Elder Astra, their enemy was Sophia. If Sophia could inflict major damage on Starling City simply by entering the real world, her power would be even greater if she were summoned passively.

Vicky fully agreed with Irving's plan. He then turned his attention to Benjamin. "You have to come with me; I assume you won't refuse to join the fight?"

Benjamin, of course, wouldn't decline. After all, he viewed his primary role as that of a fighter.

"Let's head to the Angel Guild headquarters. We're bound to encounter some opposition there, given how much the members despise the Chaos Entity and Elder Astra."

Before they left, Irving made sure to remind Benjamin of this. And so, Irving and Benjamin set off for the Angel Guild headquarters. However, upon sharing his plan there, Irving was immediately met with a chorus of dissent.

Anna asked in a confused tone, "Why do we have to collaborate with the Chaos Entity? The chaos I experienced was caused by them. Do you really want to face that kind of corruption again?"

Before Irving could respond to Anna's question, Aron jumped in with his own. "Do you really trust them? Do you think they genuinely want to work with us? I can't shake the feeling that they're trying to set us up. Once they summon Sophia into the real world, they might just choose to run away. In that case, we'd be the only ones fighting Sophia while they watch from a distance. No matter what happens, they would come out as the ultimate winners."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Both Anna and Aron clearly voiced their opposition. Although James didn't speak up, his expression revealed that he was skeptical about the plan.

Faced with their dissent, Irving took a deep breath and replied, "I anticipated that each of you would oppose this idea. But I hope you realize one thing: our current power is very weak. Shadow Celestial is continually gaining more chaotic energy, and although Sophia's previous attempt failed, her control over Blood Moon energy hasn't diminished at all. If we can't weaken our enemies' strength in the short term, the challenges we face will only grow more severe."

He continued, "Collaborating with the Chaos Entity and Elder Astra is a desperate measure. I hope you can understand that. Of course, if you really can't come to terms with it, I won't force you. I will fight alongside those who are willing to believe in me. I won't compel anyone who doesn't want to follow my lead."

Irving's words effectively silenced the room. While there was still some dissatisfaction regarding his plan, they knew they had no choice but to work with Irving.

At that moment, Benjamin slowly stood up. "I understand each of your concerns and they are completely valid. However, the series of crises we've faced recently has made one thing clear: our enemies are incredibly powerful. When facing such formidable foes, we can't expect to have a foolproof plan. Every strategy will carry some risk. Do you really believe your judgment is better than Irving's?" Continue your adventure with empire

In the face of Benjamin's persuasion, James stood up and said, "I think Benjamin makes a good point! I believe my judgment isn't as strong as Irving's, so I'm willing to trust his judgment."

With James declaring his stance, Aron and Anna found themselves in an awkward position. Anna didn't actually need to express her opinion, as her current condition prevented her from participating in the fight. Aron, however, needed to make his stance clear, given that he was considered by Irving to be the strongest person apart from him.

All eyes turned to Aron. After a moment of contemplation, he stood up and said slowly, "I'm certainly willing to fight alongside you, but I have one condition."

Irving looked at Aron seriously and replied, "Just tell me your condition."

"My condition is that once our collaboration is over, we must immediately attack the Night Blades. We cannot afford to miss any opportunity to weaken them."

Irving nodded. "No problem! In fact, this collaboration is just with the Chaos Entity and Elder Astra. We are not collaborating with the Night Blades, so the regular members of the Night Blades remain our enemies."

Finally, Irving and his companions reached a consensus. Although he faced significant opposition during the process, Irving successfully resolved all issues.

As they began preparing for the battle that was set to erupt the next day, at the same time, the Chaos Entity found Elder Astra, who was currently in the outskirts of Starling City. When the Chaos Entity informed Astra of the agreement reached with Irving, a brilliant smile spread across Astra's face.

"I knew it! Irving would absolutely agree to collaborate with us! He is indeed eager to weaken Sophia's power."