At that instant, after witnessing everything that had taken place throughout the meeting, Seth immediately gave up hope of competing with Orion for the next Village Chief position.
'It's no use,' Seth thought, shaking any useless thoughts of refusal out of his head. He had already attacked Orion once with the intent to harm him seriously, but thankfully, Fifi had been there to protect him from harm.
However, even with that, the fact that he, a three-star warrior, had attacked Orion, a one-star warrior, had still gotten him into very deep trouble that would take him several months to dig out of.
So, he quickly disillusioned himself from making rash decisions that would put him at risk of getting a much more severe punishment and losing everything he had worked hard to attain.
Seth had understood that his dream of becoming the next village chief would be difficult and stressful; however, he had never expected that even before the battle had begun, he had already lost to a young man with far more achievements and merits than his own.
"Is there anyone who wants to disagree with his request again?" The Village Chief asked, his gaze fixed on the key figures.
The key figures all shook their heads one by one in response.
"I agree with his request. I'm sure that Orion would bring more ideas for us to implement in the future, so I don't see any reason not to grant this request," Caretaker Shani said, shaking her head in response.
"Hohoho, I also agree with his request. However, with the way things are, why don't we already make him the Rightward Stronghold Leader, so that he can develop something beneficial to the warriors, just like the Orion skies," Stronghold Leader Zogar said.
He decided to pitch his idea of making Orion the next Rightward Stronghold Leader because he understood that with how things were going with Orion, his opportunity to do so would only get smaller and smaller as time passed.
"Cough!!" The Village Chief coughed a few times before he cleared his throat and said, "I think it's too early to consider Orion for such a position. After all, he is still a one-star warrior and would require much time before he advances into becoming a two-star warrior or even reaching his full potential. So, it's best to take this decision slowly and allow him to develop peacefully in the Village."
Stronghold Leader Zogar furrowed his brows at the Village Chief, "Chief, I don't think it's good for a warrior, especially one with extraordinary star potential like Orion, to live peacefully within the Village without facing any challenges. He needs to train and sharpen his senses to make the most of his potential," he said.
"Yes, I understand that. I've already made sufficient arrangements for Orion to be trained and protected under the best warriors. After all, his life shouldn't be put at unnecessary risk just because we want to sharpen his instincts. In fact, as for the future Rightward Stronghold Leader, I have the best idea in mind," the Village Chief said, shifting his attention towards Seth. "With his contributions to the village and achievements in the Strongholds, I believe Seth is the best candidate for the next Rightward Stronghold Leader."
Seth felt his shoulders deflate even more as the reality set in: he stood no chance against Orion for the next Village Chief position.
Stronghold Leader Zogar immediately frowned. While he acknowledged Seth as a candidate for the Rightward Stronghold, the comparison with Orion made it abundantly clear that the latter was incomparably superior.
"Ahem! I think we should set aside this delicate matter for another time," Stronghold Leader Zogar suggested.
"I agree," the Village Chief responded, focusing his gaze on Orion.
"Is there anything else you want to say?" he asked.
Orion nodded; his expression suddenly became serious.
"I would like to report an incident that occurred on our journey to the mountains, involving Seth and me," Orion said, shifting his attention towards Seth.
Seth instantly felt his body tense, lowering his head as he sensed everyone's eyes on him.
The Village Chieftess, who had been silently observing the meeting, perked up after hearing Orion's words.
"Alright, can you explain what happened?" the Village Chief asked, his attention shifting back to Orion with a serious expression.
Orion proceeded to narrate the entire incident. Once he finished, the Village Chief nodded in understanding.
"I see," the Village Chief acknowledged with a thoughtful nod. He exhaled deeply and continued, "Before we even gathered here, Seth had already confessed everything to us."
The Village Chieftess nodded in agreement, her expression becoming tired.
"However, seeing as everything he said matches your own explanation, even though I am pleased he decided to handle this situation this way, I still believe he should understand better than to do what he did. As his punishment for attacking a one-star warrior with the intent to kill during a very important mission, you will be given the right to choose whichever punishment you desire for him," the Village Chief said, observing Orion as he furrowed his brows thoughtfully in response.
Seth's fists immediately tightened, but he didn't dare raise his head, his mind racing with uncertainty about the kind of punishment Orion might choose for him.
Meanwhile, Orion pondered thoughtfully about the kind of punishment he wanted to give Seth. Recognizing that Seth had not only attacked him but had done so with the intent to kill, Orion understood that this was the only chance he had to make Seth regret his actions until he became strong enough to retaliate on his own.
"Can I ask for his life?" Orion asked of the Village Chief. He saw no reason to wait until he became stronger and when he could promptly deal with the enemy.
A sudden silence fell over the room, catching everyone off guard, mainly as Orion directly addressed the Village Chief and Chieftess.
Seth's body tensed, and he took a deep breath to regain his composure.
The Village Chieftess felt a similar tension, narrowing her gaze on Orion.
Meanwhile, the Village Chief wore a wry smile.
"Given that he is my son, could you please refrain from asking for his life?" he requested, locking eyes with Orion and awaiting his answer.
