"Alright, now that we've resolved this unexpected encounter, let's continue on our journey."
Marshall announced to the group as he vaulted gracefully onto the back of his fire-tailed steed with practiced ease.
Val also hopped onto his own horse before he turned to Oliver, who was sitting on the horse parallel to his, and said, "Thank you. If not for your tily intervention, I would've been in quite a pickle."
The rewards for killing a level 60 beast had
appeared more lucrative to Val than whatever he might earn from defeating Clea and his group of assassins if he ca across them in the lesser dinsion.
Thus, despite the risk of exposing his true strength to the rest of the group—and thereby perhaps deterring Clea from attempting to assassinate Oliver in the lesser dinsion—Val had chosen to attack the beast weakened by Marshall's disastrous kick.
Thanks to Oliver's unexpected aid, Val had managed not only to kill the formidable creature but also to keep his own strength a secret from the rest of the group.
This ant that Clea had no reason to alter his assassination plans, and that was invaluable to Val as it also ant that the efforts he had put into this plan of his so far hadn't gone to waste.
It was still in play.
It could be said that Oliver had really helped him a great deal this ti!
"Don't ntion it," Oliver spoke to Val with a warm smile on his face. "We're literally brothers under the sa banner of the Destiny Walkers. If I can't step in to help you when you need it the most, what face would I have left to assist others who are strangers to ?"
Val responded vaguely.
He was using Oliver's misfortune to net himself a fortune, and yet Oliver had shown him nothing but sincerity and kindness.
His consciousness took a blow, nagging at him, making him feel more uncomfortable by the minute
Now that he was already above a level where not just anything could kill him, he was no longer desperate enough to take advantage of soone as naive, gullible, and genuine as Oliver, who has been nothing but good to him, to grow stronger. He felt the sa towards Eliana.
It just didn't sit well with him.
'Once all of this is over, I'm going to set so new rules for myself. I won't entertain any ideas where I have to put Oliver's life at risk just to line my own pockets. It's not right, and I can't let it continue. I will also be more sincere towards her.'
Val made a silent vow then and there. He would be good to those who showed him sincerity and kindness, starting with Oliver and Eliana. It was a small but significant decision that marked a change in his approach to relationships and life itself.
.....
Marshall led his horse deeper into the forest, and the others followed suit, each riding their own steeds as they continued on their journey to the lesser dinsion.
anwhile, Ron had grown visibly concerned after seeing Val effortlessly take down a Striped Mana Bear. "Clea, should we reconsider our plans? We didn't anticipate Val being strong enough to defeat a level 60 beast. We haven't made the proper arrangents to deal with soone of his caliber," he hesitantly voiced out his fears to Clea.
Clea offered a reassuring smile to Ron. He was clearly unshaken by this developnt. "Ron, you worry too much. We don't need to change our plan because of him. The Striped Mana Bear was already heavily injured by Marshall before Val even began to fight it. Not to ntion, during that skirmish, Val would've just been another notch on that beast's kill count if it hadn't been for Oliver's help. Moreover, the way he killed it is suspicious. It's obvious he lacks the strength to penetrate its defenses. So, it must be that sword that let him kill it. Being able to penetrate the defense of a level 60 beast suggests that it's a rank-2 artifact at the very least. But that artifact won't help him if he can't get close to us. So, there's no need to be cautious around him. After all, no matter how strong he is, against a group of dark wizards and the two of us, he will be like a fish on a chopping board. If he decides to stick his neck where it doesn't belong, he'll be beheaded alongside Oliver."
After learning that Val could not only navigate the perilous terrain of Shadow Valley but also successfully hunt there, Clea had beca increasingly concerned. He felt that if Oliver had Val's assistance in the lesser dinsion, their original plan to assassinate Oliver would almost certainly fail. With this in mind, Clea had decided that he couldn't rely solely on his and Ron's abilities to complete the mission of assassinating Oliver and that they needed additional firepower to make it possible.
Thus, he discreetly made his way to a seedy part of the city and enlisted the help of a group of dark wizards who specialized in assassination.
Now, dark wizards are a particular subset of magical practitioners. These individuals have been ostracized and excommunicated from the wizard community due to criminal behavior or unethical magical practices. They usually live in hiding and are willing to undertake dangerous and morally dubious tasks for the right price.
Clea, however, was very selective in whom he hired. He didn't bring on board anyone ranked higher than a low-level wizard. The reason for this was simple but chilling: Clea had orders from his imdiate higher-up and the person he had sworn loyalty to to eliminate everyone involved in the assassination operation, successful or not. This directive even included Ron, his right-hand man. The goal was to remove any and all evidence that could possibly link back to Leon and him as the masterminds behind Oliver's assassination. It was a asure to ensure their tracks were impeccably covered, thereby leaving no room for the invigilator of the Thunderspear Tribe to suspect Leon's involvent.
This level of precaution was necessary because Oliver wasn't an ordinary mber of the Thunderspear Tribe. He was far more important. Oliver was the direct descendant of the Thunder Lord, the current chief of the tribe. To make matters even more sensitive, Oliver was the sole student of Lord Lucious, a highly influential figure. The death of soone with such connections would not go unnoticed. It would trigger an imdiate and thorough investigation, and if any foul play were detected, those responsible would not just be facing severe punishnt; they would be courting certain death.
To minimize the risk, Leon decided that the assassination should take place in a dinsion where conducting an investigation was almost impossible and only two people should know the full extent of the operation—himself and Clea.
Even if they sohow beco the primary suspects, without solid evidence, they could not be touched. Lord Lucious might be powerful, but he couldn't act recklessly. There were plenty of advanced-level bloodline users in the kingdom who wouldn't hesitate to unite and take him down if he acted without proper justification.
"You make a strong point, but there's another issue. I've been watching the dark wizards we've hired for the assassination, and their commitnt seems to be waning. They're having second thoughts. If we don't do anything to keep them on board, it wouldn't be a surprise if they suddenly pull out of the expedition and run away." Ron's expression was tinged with worry as he spoke to Clea.
"Just tell them what I told you. Also, add that whoever lands the finishing blow on the target and his assistant will get to keep their most valuable item. That should be enough to keep them committed," Clea said to Ron while displaying his typical cool deanor.
"Understood," Ron replied obediently.
He had no idea that he was just a disposable pawn in Clea's grand plan, expendable once he'd outlived his usefulness!
"Don't waste any more ti. Speak with them right away. Strengthen their resolve before they decide to do sothing foolish," Clea instructed. "We can't afford for them to lose their nerve and ss this up."
Ron responded with a nod, "Yes, I'll handle it right away."
With Clea's instructions in mind, he rode back to the rear of the group and engaged the dark wizards in conversation, successfully suppressing their fears and ensuring they remained committed to the mission at hand.
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