Chapter 722: Secret
Leon was utterly shocked. If the Life Sigil Crystal failed, the Dark Elves would be facing extinction!
And this wasn’t just a loss of power—it was true annihilation. Every Dark Elf born tied to the Life Sigil Crystal would gradually die off, one after another.
From then on, there would never again be a race called the Dark Elves in this world!
Leon’s mind reeled with shock. The Life Sigil Crystal was so crucial, and yet these people still had the bandwidth to worry about other things?
His mind was flooded with questions. Leon frowned and spoke up.
“How could the Life Sigil Crystal possibly be unusable? If it really stopped working, wouldn’t the Dark Elves be wiped out?”
The Third Elder sneered, “What business is it of yours? At first, we only suspected you of plotting against our Dark Elf Clan, but now you even know about the Life Sigil Crystal. Tell me, where did you learn this? And what exactly is your scheme?”
The Fifth Elder’s face darkened as he snorted, “Arrest him first! This damned outsider knows far too much—he’s definitely a spy. For all we know, he’s involved in the Life Sigil Crystal incident. Lock him up and interrogate him thoroughly. I’m sure we’ll get plenty out of him.”
Even the Second Elder frowned and said, “This is our clan’s highest secret. We cannot tell you.”
Jairus gritted his teeth, ready to seize the damned outsider—who could have guessed he even knew about the Life Sigil Crystal!
Damn it, is there anything this outsider doesn't know? He must be plotting something huge against the enclave. He needs to be caught—no, killed immediately. This bastard even tried to kill me before. Once you're captured, I'll make sure my father executes you without delay!
Jairus shouted, voice hoarse: "Seize him! This outsider must be a spy—the secrets of the enclave have leaked! There must be a traitor. If we don't interrogate him now and uncover their plot, the enclave is doomed."
Jairus kept shouting, but several elders and stewards hesitated. In the past, they could simply consult the Life Sigil Crystal to reveal the truth. Now, with that tool gone, grabbing suspects based on mere guesses felt unnatural.
Yet without the Life Sigil Crystal, Third Elder, Fifth Elder, and most of the stewards agreed: Leon Merlin should be detained and thoroughly questioned. After all, even among the enclave, few knew of the crystal's existence.
The elders whispered among themselves, while Jairus kept fueling the flames.
After a brief discussion, the consensus was clear: for safety's sake, Leon Merlin must be restrained first.
Third Elder's face was stone cold, his eyes gleaming with malice. Fifth Elder sneered, eyeing Leon as if he were a lamb for slaughter. Elsa looked anxious, powerless to intervene, while Fourth Elder, her supporter, wore a sour expression.
Second Elder frowned and said to Leon, "Given the circumstances, you and your companions are the prime suspects. For the safety of the enclave, we have no choice but to detain you. Once the truth is uncovered, you will have an explanation."
Jairus, smug and triumphant, rushed forward with a squad of Dark Elf guards. Magic runes glimmered across his body as he stared at Leon, grinning coldly.
You damned outsider—I'm going to seize you right now. If you dare resist, I'll kill you on the spot. Even if you don't, I have plenty of ways to make you suffer. Soon enough, you'll be begging me to end your misery.
Jairus strutted toward Leon, radiating confidence and ready to strike at any moment.
Leon seemed oblivious, head bowed, lost deep in thought.
After a long silence, Leon suddenly spoke: "It's been a hundred years, hasn't it?"
Jairus blinked in confusion. "What nonsense are you spouting? No matter what you say, it won't change your fate today!"
Leon glanced at the elders. As expected, their faces shifted in unison, as if recalling something ominous.
Fourth Elder waved to halt the guards, then asked loudly, "A hundred years? What do you mean?"
Leon explained earnestly, "I mean, it's been a century since the Relic Spirit of the Life Sigil Crystal vanished, hasn't it?"
"How do you know that?!"
The usually calm and genial Second Elder shrieked, his voice cracking with fear.
Third Elder's expression darkened, eyes reddening as he glared at Leon. He roared, "Tell us! How do you know this?!"
Fifth Elder cried out in alarm, "Guards! Guards! Seize this damned spy—he must know the reason! Curse you, outsider!"
As they spoke, Third and Fifth Elder moved simultaneously, trapping Leon in the center. Magic surged, winds whipped around them, and their fury was palpable—like confronting a mortal enemy.
"Speak! How do you know this?!"
"Damned outsider, explain yourself—or I'll make your death quick!"
Even Fourth Elder, who usually supported Elsa, looked at Leon differently now—worried, but intent on hearing his explanation.
Second Elder's face was grim as he stared at Leon.
Everyone was stunned—even those Dark Elves hearing about the Relic Spirit's disappearance for the first time were on the verge of collapse.
Many Dark Elf guards—their will supposedly unbreakable—fell to their knees, sobbing in despair.
Shock rippled through the crowd. Dark Elves everywhere wore expressions of hopelessness, while beads of sweat formed on the elders' foreheads.
Second Elder stared at Leon, mind racing. This secret was known only to a handful of elders—how could an outsider know it so clearly?
What now? Damn it, what doesn't this outsider know?
"Seize him! Interrogate him! He must know the reason!"
"It's over. We're all doomed. The Relic Spirit of the Life Sigil Crystal is gone—so are we..."
"The enclave has no future. We're all dead..."
"The fate of the Dark Elves is sealed..."
"I knew it... I knew it... My son couldn't have died so easily..."
...
Chaos erupted. Dark Elves, upon hearing the news, broke down—some went mad, others wept uncontrollably.
At that moment, Leon looked at the elders, who seemed ready to fight. He offered a kind warning.
"It's been a hundred years. If the Relic Spirit of the Life Sigil Crystal isn't found within twenty more, the Dark Elves will face extinction, won't they?"
That sentence was the final straw. The elders' gazes toward Leon grew grave—this was knowledge no mere spy could possess.
Only five elders and the Queen knew the Relic Spirit had been missing for a century; no one else could possibly know. The Queen herself had long left the enclave to search for it.
Only Second Elder knew about the twenty-year deadline. The Grand Elder's journey into the Lightless Dream was partly to seek the Relic Spirit, hoping to ascend to the Heaven Tier and make the search easier.
"If you don't speak now, don't regret it later."
Leon watched Second Elder's face shift dramatically and added the remark.
Third Elder scoffed, "Outsider, this is your last chance. Surrender now, or don't blame me for what happens next."
Leon ignored Third Elder and looked toward Second Elder.
Second Elder, face solemn, rebuked Third Elder: "Enough, Third Elder."
The others were shocked—Second Elder, usually mild and soft-spoken, had never spoken so harshly to anyone. Could Leon really be telling the truth?
Sure enough, Second Elder, face heavy with sorrow, waved away the surrounding Dark Elves and finally spoke to the other three elders: "He's right. The Grand Elder told me before he went into slumber."
Even Fifth Elder, usually Third Elder's staunch supporter, looked shaken. His magical aura faded, and his gaze toward Leon softened.
Third Elder wanted to protest, but Second Elder silenced him with a single glare.
After a long pause, Second Elder finally began to speak.
"A hundred years ago, it was just an ordinary night. No one expected it—the Relic Spirit of the Life Sigil Crystal suddenly broke free and vanished in a streak of light.
After decades of peace, no one saw it coming. In mere seconds, the Relic Spirit was gone, and no one knew where it went.
From that moment, the Life Sigil Crystal lost its light and could no longer be used. The enclave began to change—misfortune settled over us. Infant deaths increased, many Dark Elves became infertile, and newborns were plagued by strange illnesses.
The number of magical beasts dwindled, fruit trees suffered blight or disaster, and calamities multiplied. In a hundred years, not a single healthy child has grown up in the enclave, and even those born in this era have poor talent.
In recent years, even adult Dark Elves have faced mounting problems—accidental deaths have increased, and the population has declined instead of grown...