Three hours slipped by in slow, heavy silence inside the Death Clan’s ancestral hall. The discussions were over with new laws, adjustnts to the clan’s education structure, preparations for the tournant, and everything that needed addressing before the world’s brightest young elites gathered. None of it held Azzy’s mind for long.
His thoughts kept drifting back to one person.
Orion... where are you? Why aren’t you answering?
When the final elder finished speaking, Azzy stared down at his watch and rose from his throne. "Send word to all nineteen representatives," he ordered. "Have them gather at the Ancestral Temple."
The elders stiffened at his voice.
"And," Azzy continued, "if Orion does not arrive by the deadline, he will be replaced with Liam Phantom."
A few elders exchanged uneasy glances. Affea in particular tensed, her expression turning sharp, but she stayed silent as the discussion regarding Orion was already over.
Liam Phantom was actually soone who used to go by the na Liam Silver.
He had belonged to the Silver Clan until the day he ran away from an arranged marriage with the Crescent Clan, due to his love affair with their maid, a girl far below his status. Ares Silver, the clan’s current elder, was left with no choice but expel him from the clan.
But later, after Azzy ascended to the throne, he introduced the Clan of forsaken, and gave Liam and many others who were expelled for many reasons a second opportunity to serve the clan.
Liam took the chance to return, but unfortunately, he had to abandon the Silver na and live among the Forsaken Clan, where people stripped of their original clans could start over. Liam accepted and beca "Liam Phantom."
At the Ancestral Temple;
Ti passed, and soon nineteen representatives stood waiting inside the towering structure. The ancestral temple had always been sacred, with more than twenty figures carved with sharp detail.
Each statue represented a demigod of the Death Clan from the past.
Azzy’s statue would also one day stand among them if he died, or if he ascended beyond this world and left the clan forever.
And the representatives were gathered in such a place.
The rookie division, children barely twelve to fourteen years old, stared up at the statues in awe and started whispering among themselves, marveling at the legendary nas etched beneath the stony faces, as for almost every one of them, this is their first ti they have been in the temple.
The adults, on the other hand, stood in disciplined lines, although their eyes repeatedly flicked toward Liam Phantom.
Regardless of whether Azzy gave those who have been forsaken a place, still, the natives who lived for a long ti in the village, they can’t help but see soone wth a Phantom surna as a traitor of the clan. It was difficult for them to work with soone like that. It was even more difficult for Silver clan’s leader, Ares Silver, to bear his presence when they were standing only a few feet away. Ares wore a stiff expression. His jaw tightened each ti he glanced at Liam.
Fortunately for Liam, in that group, there’s Fiona and Affea, who were basically youngsters and were more accepting of changes compared to the older generation.
Liam kept his head low, hands folded behind him, trying to stay low-key and not talk with anyone else.
Soon enough, the hall grew quiet as footsteps echoed from the entrance.
Azzy stepped inside, dressed in simple black robes embroidered with faint silver lines.
Behind him walked Yashna Night, forr clan leader of the Night Clan, now a Supre Being thanks to Azzy’s provision of rare rank-9 spirit cores. Her aura and her cold expression alone made half the adults and almost all the kids stiffen slightly.
The mont Azzy entered, all nineteen representatives then dropped to their knees and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty!" Their voices echoed in unity.
Azzy offered a brief nod. "Rise."
They stood at once.
Azzy moved to the forefront, standing before the statue of the Death Clan’s founder, the place where the portal to Genesis would open.
His voice carried through the hall as he spoke calmly. "As you have been inford earlier, Orion will no longer be part of your team. Liam Phantom will replace him as the second universal substitute."
A wave of whispers swept through the younger representatives. So of the adults exchanged glances, though none dared question him aloud.
Liam bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the announcent without pride or fear.
Azzy let the murmurs fade before he continued.
His gaze drifted to the rookies, the youngest warriors, nervous but excited.
"Now," he said, gesturing toward Yashna, "For the rookies, Lady Yashna will serve as your ntor. Her authority represents mine, and you can consider her words to be absolute."
His eyes then swept over all of them as he said, "Understood?"
The voices answered together.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Azzy allowed a brief silence to settle after the rookies’ loud reply. Then his gaze shifted toward the adult representatives, veterans who had lived through real battles.
Azzy said, "You adults do not need a ntor. You all have enough experience to make proper judgnts in the field."
A few of them nodded with quiet confidence.
"However," Azzy continued, "Evelyn Starlight is your captain. Avia Night will serve as your vice-captain. They will make the final decisions."
His eyes swept across the group, lingering briefly on Evelyn, who bowed her head respectfully, and then on Avia, who maintained her usual calm composure.
"If you have matters to discuss, discuss them with your leaders. Co to a conclusion together. But if you cannot reach an agreent, follow your captain’s decision. If your captain can’t make the decision either, then Lady Yashna will make the decision for you."
He paused, letting the structure sink into the minds of all present.
"And if, afterwards, you feel that her decision cost you a victory or disrespected you... Bring those matters to after the tournant. But during the tournant, Lady Yashna’s authority cannot be channeled."
Affea stepped forward slightly at that. "Your Majesty," she said, her voice respectful yet curious, "what about the wagers and stakes for the tournant? Will Lady Yashna decide those as well?"
Azzy shook his head lightly. "For the rookies, yes. She will make all decisions related to wagers."
Affea blinked. "And the seniors?"
"I will decide their stakes myself."
A ripple of surprise went through the representatives, especially Affea.
"You will be coming with us?" she asked, unable to hide her shock. "But... you said you wouldn’t leave the clan vulnerable."
Azzy responded with a calm, indifferent expression, "I am not leaving the clan vulnerable, Affea. And... not to ntion, the other clan leaders will be there. I must attend."
The room shifted subtly, and so of the rookies looked excited beyond asure, the idea of traveling with their legendary clan leader making their hearts beat faster. Others looked nervous... knowing Azzy’s presence ant the stakes would be higher, expectations heavier.
Azzy noticed all of it, but didn’t let their reactions sway him. He let his eyes fall specifically on the rookies and said, "Listen carefully, especially you children. You are going to a secure place. Yes. But that place is not the Death Clan’s territory. It is neutral ground. All clans will be present there, and our influence is equal to theirs. No more, no less."
The rookies exchanged uneasy glances.
Azzy continued, "Do not trust anyone there. Not fully. Not blindly. Not even our closest allies."
His voice dropped lower as he continued.
"The Elves and the Minamoto clan are trustworthy to an extent... but they still prioritize their clans before ours. If you must pick soone to rely on, choose them over others. But do not forget, every clan has its own agenda. You all might think that the other clan leaders fear because I am a demigod. But it is because I am a demigod, I have a weakness. I cannot interfere directly in mortal affairs. They know this, too."
The rookies stiffened, fear flickering in their eyes.
"So do not assu you are safe because of my presence. Do not assu no one will make a move against you. And above all, do not act like fools."
He swept his gaze over each of them, making sure they understood.
"Do not flaunt our strength or taunt others. Do not act arrogantly. Do not provoke other clans. I do not care what our clan used to do before I beca leader." His voice hardened. "But as long as I rule, I will not tolerate cris born from ego or childish superiority."
Every representative, rookie and veteran, lowered their heads.
"You represent our future. You stand beside veterans today... but soday, you will replace them and beco the pillars of our clan. So do not do anything that tarnishes the reputation of the Death Clan."
Azzy’s final warning echoed through the hall like a vow: "Carry our na with pride and return without sha. Am I clear?"
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