Chapter 720: I'll Give You One Chance
The Fifth Elder spoke with a dark expression, picking up the thread: "That's right. The interests of the tribe come above all else. Now there is clear evidence—everything that's happened stems from the arrival of these outsiders. Our hunting parties operate in absolute secrecy; no one but our own people knows their strength or destination. The only ones who could pull this off are these outsiders!"
The Third Elder swept a cold gaze around the room: "For the sake of the tribe, we must crush danger in its infancy. These outsiders must be dealt with—they are definitely plotting to overthrow the tribe. We need to interrogate their words and actions, their origins, their schemes. Otherwise, every one of us here could be in danger."
As soon as the Third Elder finished, at least half of the dozen council stewards below echoed his words—some even went so far as to clamor for immediate execution.
Elsa wore a troubled expression—not for Leon Merlin, but for the future of the tribe.
Looking around, it was clear that almost everyone shared the same attitude—even the Second Elder's face was grim. Fear had consumed their hearts. Leon Merlin had never left his quarters since arriving; how could he possibly leak tribal secrets? He wouldn't have any way of knowing them in the first place.
None of these people had witnessed Leon Merlin's true power—if I told them, they wouldn't believe it. Leon may appear to be just a peak ninth-level Archmage, but even I can't truly estimate how strong he is. I've never seen Leon in despair; whatever the crisis, he always finds a solution.
The tribe may be strong, but the Grand Elder has entered the Lightless Dream. Of those left, most couldn't even escape from Oracis, but Leon Merlin managed to break through Oracis's Ashen Prison by sheer force.
Even if the Grand Elder hadn't fallen into slumber, he still couldn't have kept Leon Merlin here. Everyone knows how terrifying Duncan is, but none of them realize Duncan might be as strong as the Grand Elder now—maybe even stronger. Yet even so, Leon Merlin managed to escape.
As for Curio, Duncan's contract beast—even within the tribe, you could count on one hand those who could face Curio without being defeated. But Curio was still slain by Leon Merlin...
They will never understand how terrifying Leon Merlin truly is...
They don't even know Leon is a Worldshaper—he's mastered the Elven Dirge passed down by the Dark Elves, and his version is even more powerful than the tribe's own. He can forcibly sacrifice a Dark Elf to channel the power of nature.
If I told them, they wouldn't believe it. Even the Fourth Elder—my closest confidant—thought I was joking when I told her...
Not to mention, Leon has several powerful companions—a level 38 Frost Dragon, whose strength is well known in the tribe.
There's also a strange but formidable Alchemical Golem, whose spellcasting surpasses even the Dark Elves. Its instant-cast spells are like a torrent, and then there's the bizarre Relic Spirit, a true High Essence Relic, and the Dragonblood Orc, whose body shrugs off most spells...
Yet none of them are as strong as Leon Merlin. Especially when I saw him yesterday—his aura was even more composed, his magical presence vast and endless, reminiscent of the Tree of Wisdom itself...
Just standing before Leon Merlin, I felt a powerlessness akin to facing a god of wisdom. No one here has seen those eyes—brimming with infinite knowledge. He hasn't even become a Title Archmage, yet he already gives me the same feeling as the Grand Elder...
They'll never believe it. No, I can't let them do something so foolish. We absolutely cannot provoke Leon Merlin. They don't understand—if we follow the Third Elder's plan, it could doom the entire Dark Elf tribe!
Elsa looked at the elders and stewards, their anger boiling over. A wave of helplessness washed over her—there was no way to persuade them...
Looking around, only the Fourth Elder remained silent. Aside from the Second Elder's worried face, everyone else sided with the Third Elder.
I'd only ever heard from the Fourth Elder about how much influence the Third Elder wielded in the council—even his relationship with the Grand Elder was supposed to be strong. But I never imagined it was this overwhelming...
The Second Elder is a good-natured old man—fine for handling daily affairs, but when it comes to real decisions, he has no opinions of his own. There's no convincing him; he would never believe just how powerful Leon Merlin truly is...
The Fourth Elder stood up and began arguing endlessly with the Fifth Elder, completely disagreeing with the Third Elder's stance. But faced with a crowd, she was overwhelmed and powerless to resist.
Gritting her teeth, Elsa suddenly stood up and glanced around: "I absolutely oppose using force against Leon Merlin. Listen—Leon is the one from The Prophecy. He's the one foretold to break our Dark Elf clan's millennia-old curse!"
Elsa's words instantly silenced the rowdy council, but only for a few seconds. Then the crowd erupted again, questioning Elsa, demanding proof and explanations.
But how could Elsa be absolutely certain? And after all these years, few truly believe The Prophecy is real.
Or rather, no one really believes Leon Merlin is the one from The Prophecy...
Seeing the Second Elder leaning toward the Third Elder's side, the Fourth Elder abruptly sat down, a cold smile on her lips as she glanced around—then she looked directly at the Second Elder.
"Second Elder, all of this is just the Third Elder's personal vendetta. Besides, we have no evidence Leon Merlin means any harm to our clan. And if Leon really is the one from The Prophecy, and you drive him away, our curse will never be lifted. Who will bear that sin?"
The Third Elder kept a stern face, letting out a cold laugh: "I only believe what I see. The tribe faces an unprecedented crisis, and these outsiders are the prime suspects. I must eliminate them. For the tribe's sake, I'll bear all the consequences!"
The Fourth and Third Elders were on the verge of a showdown; it looked like they might come to blows before the Second Elder stepped in with a wry smile and waved his hand.
"Enough, all of you. The outsiders are indeed the prime suspects—we can't just ignore that. But since Elsa brought up The Prophecy, we can't go too far. Let's detain them for now. If it turns out they're innocent, I'll swallow my pride and personally apologize..."
The Second Elder had finally taken a stance, but he was just trying to smooth things over—asking both sides to compromise. The Third Elder sat down, expressionless, and the other stewards all voiced their agreement.
The Fifth Elder, always the Third Elder's shadow, crossed his arms and sneered at Elsa. Clearly, he wasn't planning anything good.
At that, Elsa's face finally fell.
Of the four elders present, three agreed, and over seventy percent of the stewards supported the motion. The decision was now set in stone—unless the Grand Elder appeared, there was no hope of reversal. But the Grand Elder was nowhere to be found...
It's over...
Completely over. This time, they're going to make an enemy of Leon Merlin for good. If they go to arrest him, something terrible is bound to happen...
If a major conflict breaks out, the tribe will be devastated long before any external threat arrives...
As soon as the meeting ended, Elsa was the first to leave, rushing straight to Leon Merlin's cabin at top speed.