Chapter 606: Hawthorne
Meanwhile, Victor nodded in understanding and spoke in a solemn tone.
"As long as he is dead, there is no problem. Now, let's come to the main topic. I called you here hoping you could do something for me. I was supposed to participate in the upcoming Star Tombs exploration, but something unexpected happened. Due to someone's intervention, one of the Elders of my family struck down my name on the list and replaced it with someone else. Due to his Legend Rank and his firm position in the family, not even Patriarch questioned his decision."
"Aren't you the direct descendant of Hawthorne? Why would they not allow you? If I'm not wrong, you participated in the Star Tomb Dungeon last two times, too, right? Won't you have great advantages if you enter again?" This time, the one who asked this question was the tall, auburn-haired man.
"You don't understand how the Elders handle my family's affairs, Archbishop Lawrence. Although I'm already a Rank-4 [Archbishop] and a Rank-5 [Dream Creator] Mystic, I'm still weaker than many of the descendants of the Hawthorne family. Not only that, my family is strict when it comes to age. They think that younger ones have more opportunities than older people. That's why they decided to discard me this time." A hint of anger could be seen in Victor's tone.
After a short pause, Victor turned his gaze towards Archbishop Lawrence, then at Archbishop Magnus, and finally shifted his attention towards Erwin.
"That's why I want you guys to help me eliminate one of the participants."
Upon hearing his words, everyone's expression turned grim.
They all knew the Hawthorne family was one of the most powerful families on the continent and even had many Legend Rank experts!
"If we got found out, not only us, even our families and relatives, will disappear. The risk is too high, Victor. Although you have been my friend for more than 200 years and even helped me countless times, you can't just send me and my family to death like this." Lawrence refused instantly.
Meanwhile, Victor shook his head and spoke.
"The person, you guys, are going to assassinate is not a member of Hawthorne but an adopted orphan. They will only imprison you if they find the truth somehow."
"Ronan? Weren't his parents died during the last planar war and then adopted by the Elder of the Hawthorne family? Isn't he a commoner, though? How come your family Elders even dare to send an outsider to Star Tombs? I even heard he was being treated as a servant even though he already had a good reputation in the Holy City. Aren't they afraid of him betraying the family after getting all the benefits?"
"Yes, even many within the family are dissatisfied by that Elder's decision, but his strength is too strong. They say that if the current Patriarch dies unexpectedly or resigns from his post in the future, he will take his position and become the next Patriarch. What made everyone restless was that if Ronan somehow obtained some treasure during this exploration and made a big contribution to the family, Elder's faction strength might grow even stronger within our family. I won't be surprised if he forcefully takes back Patriarch's position and become the next head of the family." Victor's tone was cold.
"Hmm, it seems even one of the most powerful families in this continent can't escape the internal power struggle," Magnus said calmly and finally agreed.
"If we manage to assassinate that guy, we will get support from the other Elders of Hawthorne and might receive more benefits. Let's agree to his request." Saying so, Archbishop Magnus closed his eyes to gather information about Ronan in his 'Inner World.
"I heard he is also a Dual Class Mystic like you and had already become a Rank-5 [Fierce Light] Mystic two years ago. But even if he is a Rank-5, his [Healer] class isn't suitable for battle. Also, if the three of us work together, it's way easier to kill him." Magnus said while stroking his beard.
"But both of you can't kill him." Victor pointed his fingers at Archbishop Magnus and Lawrence and then added.
"The one who delivers the final blow should be Erwin. Although our family has no High-Rank Seer Class mystics, we all imprinted our soul aura in an ancient artifact within my Family's Ancestral Hall. Due to Elder's intervention, even Ronan's soul imprint was also registered in that artifact. When a family member dies, the Patriarch can see the skill the enemy used to kill our family member. If you guys use any Priest-related skills or your other attack skills, it will expose our schemes in seconds."
"But Erwin won't get caught?" Lawrence raised his eyebrows in confusion and looked at the Radiant Inquisitor deeply.
'From what I've gathered, this guy is just an average Inquisitor with no family background. If I'm not wrong, his family came from the far south a few decades ago and settled in Sacred Empire.'
A crafty smile appeared on Victor's face.
"Erwin, show them your sword skill." He turned his gaze towards Erwin and ordered.
"Yes, My Lord." Erwin nodded as he unsheathed his sword and suddenly disappeared from there.
Before Lawrence could blink, Erwin appeared behind him and pointed his sword tip at his back.
It all happened in two seconds, which caused Lawrence and Magnus to widen their eyes in shock.
"Sword skill! Does he know a sword skill? Moreover, it's not an average skill but a powerful one!" Magnus said in a shocked tone.
"That skill... Teleportation? No, I didn't feel any spatial elemental energy. If I sensed any spatial energy manipulation, I could've reacted in time and cast [Sacred Shield] spell." Lawrence said in an astonished tone and continued to comment.
"Sword skills are even rare in a large family like yours. Although I don't know how Erwin got a hold of such a powerful technique, it's enough to make him stand out among the same Rank Mystics."
"Yes. Anyway, I'll tell you more details about Ronan." Saying so, Victor continued explaining Ronan's daily routine and other details.
After thirty minutes of discussion, they finally decided to assassinate Ronan tomorrow.
"But you seem to be taking much risk, Victor. If we fail to kill him, things might get more complicated for you in the family." Magnus said as they were about to disperse the secret meeting.
"I know, my friend. But I must go to the Star Tomb this time." Victor's tone was firm.
Lawrence noticed something strange about his current activities and soon widened his eyes as he thought of something.
"You found something there last time but couldn't get your hands on it?"
On the other hand, Victor didn't hide anything and gave them a vague answer.
"Yes. I found something that could change my fate and help me enter the realm of Legends and become Rank-6 [Dream Lord]."
"No wonder you dare to take risks," Lawrence said with a nod and sighed.
Upon noticing his sigh, Victor raised his eyebrows and asked.
"What happened? You seem unhappy. You don't like me entering the realm of Legends?" He said jokingly.
"Nah. Unlike you, I need to contribute significantly to the Church of Order if I want to Rank Up and become a Rank-5 [Cardinal]. Even if I become a Cardinal, my strength won't be as strong as an average rank-5 powerhouse." Lawrence said with a bitter smile.
"Why not focus on your other class? Unlike me, you also chose to walk on the path of dual-class mystic, right? If I'm not wrong, you are a [Ranger] class mystic before joining the Church 300 years ago, right?" This time, Magnus interjected.
"Humph. I was too naive back then. Thinking that it would be easier to rank up in a matter of a century in both classes and become a Legendary Powerhouse. The reason I joined the Order Church is actually to extend my lifespan. I'm already 830 years old and only have around 200 years left to live. Although I became a Rank-4 [Hawkeye] more than three hundred years ago, I've reached a bottleneck just after ranking up."
After hearing Lawrence's words, Victor fell into deep silence and finally thought of an idea.
"Although it's improper, can you tell me about your skills? I will look into my family library and learn how to master the [Bowman] Class skills."
Archbishop Lawrence's face brightened up as he heard Victor's reassuring words.
"My skills are Eagle Eyes, Absolute Stealth, and Master Marksmanship. Although Eagle Eye allows me to see even small insects miles away, I don't know how to use it to aim the arrow perfectly. Whenever I used my bow and locked my target using [Eagle Eyes] skill, I couldn't even hit a large target. Also, my absolute stealth became useless after becoming a [Priest] class mystic. My height increased up to seven feet, and I also got muscular. With this sturdy body, I'm more suitable to become a Warrior Class Mystic." Michael finally shook his head and continued.
"That's why I'm now focusing on increasing my lifespan by becoming a Cardinal sooner."
