A lot of people were investigating the site, they wanted some clues that would lead them to the culprit behind the fall of the Triple Tribe Alliance.
Souta managed to sneak in. The guards were only B-rank and a few of them had reached A-rank. Still, there was some high level officer that was assigned to do the investigation. These officers were mostly S-rank.
They were still not enough to prevent Souta from sneaking inside. Souta concealed most of his energy as he activated the effect of his bracelets to help him suppress his overwhelming energy.
"This..."
Souta narrowed his eyes. The lingering mana in the atmosphere was on the verge of disappearing. Despite that, he could still feel the power behind it. No ordinary expert possessed such energy.
Souta advanced and he discovered a few marks on the rubble. The marks were red and they looked familiar to him. The marks weren't completed since the entire place was demolished. It looked like a puzzle so Souta went around to find the other pieces.
"Where have I seen this thing...?"
After a few minutes, Souta found another rock with red marks too. In his mind, he put the two marks together. He still couldn't understand it so he wanted to find other marks again. He was about to move when Saya's voice echoed in his mind.
'Did you forget it? This mark is a part of the ritual circle of the Blood Sacrifice.' Saya said.
Souta's pupils shrank as he understood why the red marks felt familiar to him. It was similar to the Blood Sacrifice he found in the White Line City after he captured the Wingless Crow's members.
"Blood Sacrifice... So they sacrificed all the people of the Triple Tribe Alliance but where would they use the energy that they'd gathered?"
Souta couldn't feel any borrowed power from the lingering energy. It means that the one who attacked the Triple Tribe Alliance didn't use the energy from the Blood Sacrifice.
He turned his head and looked at the horizon. The unknown organization didn't bother covering this event. They just let the other factions speculate about the destruction of the alliance. It seems that they would show themselves sooner or later.
For now, they wouldn't show unless...
"They eliminate the biggest obstacle in Spring Land... The Heiro Kingdom."
They were afraid that all the factions in Spring Land would band together. After all, that's what the Triple Tribe Alliance was trying to do. It was trying to absorb all the smaller groups and give them resources. If given more time, the alliance would undoubtedly grow larger and it would threaten the unknown organization. So they decided to eliminate the alliance while in the process of growing.
"Then, what about the one that unified all the tribes in Earthen Woods?" Souta rubbed his chin.
According to the data of the Death King, the unknown organization had its hands on the tribe that unified that region. And now, they were waging war against Mine Valley.
'The one who will receive the most benefits is that unknown organization... After all, war is a good way to use Blood Sacrifice. All the people that died in the war will become a sacrifice.' Saya said.
"Hmm, then I will go to the Heiro Kingdom. They will try to eliminate them and sacrifice all the people there." Souta said in a low voice.
He turned around and flew into the sky with a loud noise. His energy flared up and everyone in the vicinity felt the pressure. He didn't care if they noticed him. The most important thing was to arrive at the Heiro Kingdom as soon as possible.
...
Triple Tribe Alliance's fall shook the entire Spring Land. This stopped the ongoing battles of other organizations for a while. But everyone could feel the looming tension in the air. Ordinary people could feel that a bigger battle would occur. The battles stopped and various organizations tried to strengthen their defenses.
Heidi Kingdom...
Princess Yaniesvyl was in her room staring at the window. She had a bad feeling about this. It was like a calm before a storm.
She sighed before she walked out of her room. She went straight to her father's room and gently knocked on the door. She has made up her mind.
"Come in." A voice sounded inside the room.
Princess Yaniesvyl slowly opened the door and saw her father, the King of Heiro Kingdom, sitting on a chair with his back facing her. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
"Father..."
"What do you want?" The King asked after a while.
"I... I will leave the kingdom." Princess Yaniesvyl said after some hesitation. It was hard to say this but she already made up her mind.
"Why? Is it because of what happened in the ancient ruins?" The King asked without looking at her. His back was still facing his daughter.
"Yes, I don't know why but those people are targeting important people from overlord organizations. I think they will come for me sooner or later." Princess Yaniesvyl said.
She knew that the target of the unknown man in ancient ruins was them, the people from the top factions. Unfortunately, it didn't go well since a monster arrived and killed that man. So they were targeting the survivor of the last trials. Princess Yaniesvyl and Dream were the only known survivor of the last trial so they were coming for them.
Dream was gone along with the Great Chan Hall so their next target should be hers. She also had a feeling that the one that destroyed the Triple Tribe Alliance was them. She just didn't know why would they attack the alliance first.
The information she had wasn't enough. She had to know the truth. That's why she decided to leave the kingdom. Since she was the target, they would come at her but, what if they still destroy the kingdom even after she left?
"Are you sure about your decision?" The King asked once again.
"Yes, father. It's better if I leave the kingdom. I will not inform mother about this since she will stop me. Just announce later that you've expelled me." Princess Yaniesvyl said.
The King turned around and stared into his daughter's eyes. After a while, he opened his mouth and said, "Fine, I will respect your decisions."
"Thank you, father." Princess Yaniesvyl bowed her head.
She talked with her father for a while before she excused herself. She was back in her room and packing all the things she would need on her journey.
There were other people in the ancient ruins. The man that saved her and Dream from the last explosion. The man with that monster. She didn't know him but she should at least try it. She would return to the ancient ruins.
According to the information that she gathered, when Thunder Hall learned that Hermo haven't returned yet, they tried to enter the ancient ruins but somehow it rejected anyone who tried to enter. Then, somehow the Thunder Hall's experts were found dead on the site. Their bodies were mutilated and no one would've recognized them if not for the clothes and badges in the area that belong to Thunder Hall.
"Iris, take this and go to the treasure hall to retrieve my Crystal Crane Sword." Princess Yaniesvyl threw a palm-size badge at her maid.
"Yes, My Lady." The maid, Iris, bowed before she left the room.
Princess Yaniesvyl focused her attention on the things that she would bring. Aside from her sword, Crystal Crane Sword, which was a low-quality red grade, she would still bring a bunch of potions that would ensure her life.
Mana potion, health potion, smokescreen potion, or explosive potion.
A few minutes later, the maid came back. She entered the room with a sword in her hands. The exquisite sword was wrapped in thick bandages. It was the Crane Crystal Sword.
Princess Yaniesvyl said, "Iris, place the sword on the table."
Suddenly, she felt a pain assault her stomach. Princess Yaniesvyl looked down and saw a blade protruding from her belly. Blood flows out of her mouth as she turned her head and looked behind her.
"I-Iris..." Princess Yaniesvyl saw her maid holding the handle of the sword.
Iris just stabbed her using the sword and she didn't even notice at all. The red-grade weapon easily tore through the natural defenses of her body. If it was a lower grade then it wouldn't be able to pierce her. Iris would've needed to infuse her mana in a lower grade weapon before she could injure Princess Yaniesvyl. But doing so would get her detected by the princess.
It was a different question if the sword was a red grade. It was powerful enough to pierce through Princess Yaniesvyl's defense even without infusing her mana.
"Why...? We've been together for five years..." Princess Yaniesvyl asked.
"Please forgive me, Princess. They have my family. I could only do this." Iris said with trembling hands.
"You could have killed me but you didn't. It seems that they want me alive. Cough! Cough!" Princess Yaniesvyl coughed a mouthful of blood.
"Y-Yes, they want you alive in exchange for my family," Iris answered as she loosen her grip on the sword.
"Good." Princess Yaniesvyl smiled as she quickly turned around and threw a punch at Iris.
Bang!
