526 Intervene


    Gore turned around and nced at the weeping trees slowly shifting back and covering the narrow pathway.


    I still can''t believe none of the trees attacked us, he thought in shock.


    "Praise our ancestor!"


    "His artifact saved our lives!"


    "Long live the ancestor''s spirit!"


    The other Magi in the group dropped to their knees and began sincerely thanking their ancestor, Magus Stratford, for leaving behind the ck orb.


    If not for that strange artifact, they would have never made it out of the Weeping Woods.


    Hearing the suddenmotioning from near the town gates, Kenley and Eleiney, who happened to be nearby, approached them cautiously.


    Besides them, there were a few daring townsfolk who also came forth to see what the cause of this suddenmotion was.


    When they saw the group standing near the northern gates, they were stunned.


    "M-Mayor!"


    "You''ve made it back!"


    "You''re alive!"


    The townsfolk rushed toward the old mayor in joy. They had never thought that anyone other than Adam''s group would make it out alive.


    However, seeing their mayor and a handful of other local Magi return to town filled them with happiness.


    Mayor Hobbs nced at them with warm eyes. "I''m sorry for making you all worry. Where are the other residents? Are they safe?"


    Although the blood moons were about to rise very soon, he still had to keep up pretenses to ensure everything went smoothly.


    Until the grand n came to fruition, he had to make sure that everything was perfect.


    "Yes, my lord," said a middle-aged woman. "Magus Darkmore ensured that all of us had enough food and water to survive the—"


    Her words got stuck in her throat when she saw Gore standing behind the mayor.


    "L-Lord Darkmore…? Did you just arrive?" She asked in confusion. The other residents standing with her were also perplexed. They had thought that Gore was already inside the town.


    "What do you mean he fed you food and water? Just what did he feed you?" Mayor Hobbs growled menacingly while tightly sping the woman''s shoulder.


    A terrifying foreboding feeling welled up in the old man''s heart. The act of feeding the local residents food and water appeared to be very suspicious to him. Especially considering that the n was in the final stages.


    The woman graoned in pain. "Aaahh! M-Mayor… you… you''re hurting me!"


    "Answer me!" The mayor got even more furious, tightening his grasp on the helpless woman''s shoulders.


    Suddenly, Kenley firmly patted the mayor''s arm and coldly stated, "That''s enough."


    Mayor Hobbs immediately let go of the woman, causing her to drop to her knees, crying out in pain. He then nced at the neer and was about to rebuke him, but suddenly stopped when he realized who it was.


    "Kenley?!" He said in shock. "If you''re here… that means the Herbalist must be here too!"


    "Yes, he is." Kenley nodded, not understanding why the old mayor was suddenly behaving so strangely.


    "What did that man feed the people?!" He growled. "It doesn''t make sense for him to feed the entire town when we''re in such a frightening situation unless he''s nning something nefarious."


    A crafty glint shed across his eyes as he thought to himself, I had already considered the possibility of the Herbalisting back to town.


    This is perfect! I will have Gore and the Herbalist fight each other over the supposed treasure, while I prepare the ritual. But what''s this about the man feeding everyone food and water?


    No, it doesn''t matter! Once he has risen, none of this matters!


    Centuries of nning wille to fruition tonight! I will have achieved what all the mayors before me weren''t able to!


    I will receive all the glory for his revival!!


    Mayor Wyndham Hobbs was confident in his scheming abilities. Having already predicted this oue, he turned around and looked at Gore with a sincere look in his eyes.


    "My Lord!" He said passionately, "That vile Magus not only wants to use all the souls residing inside the weeping trees, but he also wants to use all the innocent residents of this town! Please! I urge you to deliver justice!"


    Inwardly, the mayor was snickering to himself. He knew just how greedy the man standing before him was. Now, after having given him another justification to fight Adam, he was sure that the man would agree.


    Gore looked at the old mayor with an indifferent expression, coldly stating, "Show me your ancestor''s will."


    "Huh?" The mayor looked at him in a daze, not having expected this oue. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Show me the will where it states that your ancestor has stored his legacy in the ring," Gore continued.


    A drop of sweat trickled down the side of the mayor''s forehead. "O-Of course, I can show it to you. It''s in my office. B-But we must deal with Herbalist first!


    "My Lord, I told you he ns to use the power of the blood moons for his wicked ns. Once you deal with him, not only will you have the ancestor''s treasures, but you will also have saved all the residents of this town!


    "You must hurry! The moons are about to rise soon!"


    The indifferent expression on Gore''s face did not change. He deeply looked into the old mayor''s eyes andmanded in a chilly voice, "Give me that ck orb."


    "W-Why?" Mayor Hobbs involuntarily took a step back.


    Realizing what he had just done, he hurriedly said, "I-I mean, of course, I can give it to you. But first, let''s take care of the—"


    "I have been suspicious of you ever since we met in the Weeping Woods," he said as he ced his hand on the old man''s shoulder.


    08:45


    "Your reasoning seems to be full of loopholes, and I don''t trust a word thates out of your mouth." Gore''s eyes zed with killing intent and fury.


    "I knew it," said Gore as he took a step forward, standing right before the mayor.


    "I have been suspicious of you ever since we met in the Weeping Woods," he said as he ced his hand on the old man''s shoulder.


    "Your reasoning seems to be full of loopholes, and I don''t trust a word thates out of your mouth." Gore''s eyes zed with killing intent and fury.


    The old mayor''s body shuddered in absolute horror. He wanted to escape but found that because of Gore''s grip on his shoulder, he couldn''t.


    "M-M-My Lord, I-I can exin!" He stuttered desperately.


    "No need," said Gore.


    SPLURT!


    The old mayor coughed out a mouthful of blood as Gore''s other hand pierced through his heart. As he fell to his knees, he saw through his hazy vision his murderer taking the ck orb from his possession.


    Before he embraced the cold touch of death, only one thought echoed in his mind.


    Where did I go wrong?


    …


    Inside the abandoned house, Adam weakly sat on the wooden chair, practicing a round of mindfulness. His face was extremely pale from all the blood loss and beside him,y dozens of empty vials that once contained healing potions.


    Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and shone with a sharp light. He abruptly got to his feet and turned his head in the direction of the northern gates.


    "The effects of the spell have manifested!"


    Without wasting another moment, he dashed in the direction of the northern gates.


    …


    Beyond the red door in the basement of Howlett Manory a long, winding tunnel that led to an ancient underground chamber.


    The exact location of this underground chamber happened to be directly underneath the town of Stratford!


    The towering stone doors that were carved with the figures of werewolves suddenly rumbled and a deep, ominous voice was heard from the other side.


    "It would appear that fate has intervened."


    The voice turned cold and calcting.


    "No matter. This changes nothing."


    A twist of fate!