NOVEL WEB Chapter 18: CHAPTER 17: The meeting (2)
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"Now that's over with, what do you say we get this meeting started?" Onyx stated, his words making all the heads straighten up. His voice alone contained enough power to make any other Adept fall to their knees.
"Raven, if you will take the floor now. After all, it was you who called our attention," Onyx said calmly, directing the focus toward Raven.
Raven, who was sitting opposite Onyx, stood up, his posture straight. "Of course. I called this meeting today because of the Scarlet vein's recent activities."
"Not only did they attack Solhaven, but we also have proof of them cultivating through the blood essence of humans."
His words brought gasps among the Major Clan heads. Cultivation of Aether through blood essence was one of the most forbidden acts across all five continents. Not only was it inhumane, it was considered disgusting and repulsive, as it involved the sacrifice of human lives.
Power was not supposed to be gained through such vile methods. People worked hard to grow stronger, using their own sweat and blood. Such shortcuts were heavily frowned upon among Adepts.
"As far as I know, the Scarlet vein have only been active in the Calyndor Continent," one of the family heads suddenly spoke. She was a woman who looked to be in her early thirties, with long green hair. She looked as delicate as a flower, but the aura she emitted was sharp, cold, and distinct.
She was the leader of the Zenith Clan—Rosaria Zenith. A clan made up solely of females, their domain was located in the Arcadia Continent, explaining why she wore such thick clothes despite the warm weather.
"And with both of the great clans located in the Calyndor Continent, it makes me wonder why the Scarlet vein has still not been erased," she added, her words clearly addressing both Orion and Raven, as their clans governed that continent.
Her words drew murmurs of agreement and nods from the rest of the Clan Heads.
"Of course, we—the Arcana Clan and Ethera Clan—have already tried our best to fix the problem, but it seems their roots are deeper than they appear," Raven replied calmly.
"We've tried capturing some of them alive for questioning, but before we get anything from them, they kill themselves." Raven finished with a sigh.
"Okay, we understand what you mean, but I still don't see how that concerns us," another clan head commented. He had dark brown hair and a cleanly shaved beard. He was the Head of the Helios Clan—Felix Helios.
His clan was located in the Tharros Continent, which explained his tanned skin. The aura surrounding him was hot and fierce. He had a muscular build, his body seemingly carved from stone.
"Allow me to answer that question," Orion suddenly chimed in, glancing toward Raven, who nodded in agreement, allowing him to speak.
With that, Orion continued, "Through the Scarlet vein's current actions, we've deduced that what they're planning might extend beyond the Calyndor Continent and could pose a threat to all five continents."
"Through my information resources, I was able to gather enough evidence to suspect that the leader of the Scarlet vein might be someone holding a very high position within the Empire as a whole."
His words were heavy, and the atmosphere of the room changed. All the Clan Heads were shocked—the most shaken being Raven. After all, it was both of them who were dealing with the Scarlet vein firsthand.
"Are you sure of what you're saying? That's a huge claim to make," Blake questioned with squinted eyes, making all the Clan Heads turn toward Orion, awaiting his response.
"Why would I come here just to waste my time cooking up lies for all of you?" Orion answered coldly, making the heads nod.
There was no valid reason for Orion to lie—after all, the problem was directly affecting his continent as well.
"Well... this changes things," Onyx muttered slowly, his expression turning serious. "With what Orion just revealed, it seems this situation might end up involving all five continents. The question is—what should we do to fix this problem?"
"I have a suggestion," Orion spoke up again. Although he hadn't planned to speak much during this meeting, the fact that the Scarlet vein had attacked the shopping mall—despite knowing his wife and son were there—made this personal.
"And what do you suggest?" one of the Clan Heads asked, raising an eyebrow. He had a slim figure, short black hair, and a sharp jawline that matched the sunglasses he wore.
He was the leader of the Lumina Clan, based in the Eridoria Continent—Jack Lumina.
"Well, I was thinking that first off, just to be sure, each of the Clan Heads should secretly run background checks in their own continents. We don't want the Scarlet vein to be alerted by any sudden movements," Orion said calmly and carefully.
"If there really are Scarlet vein trails in your respective continents, we'll reconvene and build a team composed of Elite Adepts from each Clan to assist the Guardians. They'll be the ones to take down the Scarlet vein once and for all. What do you say, Victor?" Orion asked, turning his attention to one of the seated men—the leader of the Guardians.
He appeared to be in his late sixties. Bald, with a thick grey beard, his eyes were closed. His aura was quiet and reserved, unlike the rest of the Clan Heads.
The Guardians were a force created solely to maintain peace and enforce the law across the Empire. With branches across all five continents, the Scarlet vein's threat was also their concern.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Orion. "I don't have a problem with it… as long as those bastards in the Scarlet Vein are dealt with," he muttered coldly.
"Alright, do we all agree with what Lord Orion has suggested?" Raven asked.
All the Clan Heads nodded in approval. A satisfied smile found its way onto Raven's face.
"Good. With that, I call an end to this month's meeting!"
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