When the plot-skips players into the game world

In fact, Croix had the opportunity to assassinate Isabel back then.

She had already gotten within a few meters of Isabel, and there were no "elder" Transcendents present. Aiwass's healing abilities at the time were far from sufficient to treat the fatal wounds inflicted by a Fourth Level assassin...

—A mere flick of her finger, and the course of history would be changed by her.

It could be said that the future of the entire world was thus held in the hands of a minor figure.

In such a circumstance, Croix missed that one and only chance.

It sounds unfortunate, but it was also inevitable. Because that was not her mission originally, and in her understanding, Shadow Stealth couldn't be detected, so she didn't bother to take extra precautions. Moreover, for her, killing the Royal Family was meaningless—it was a task entrusted to her mentor, "Bone Sculptor," whom she trusted completely. As an assassin on the Path of Adaptation, survival was her primary concern.

—It seemed that luck or coincidence dictated everything, but in fact, it was an inevitability built up by countless details.

That can't be considered a mistake, not even fate. It was merely a matter of information asymmetry.

Now, her grandfather Thomas faced an identical situation—

Assassin Master Thomas actually had the opportunity to execute Aiwass.

Although the Sin Thorn Arrow was not fatal to Aiwass, the Son of Si Zhu, the concentrated Sin Thorn within it would greatly elevate Aiwass's conversion rate.

The conversion rate of the Sin Beast isn't easily improved. Aiwass consumed a great deal of Mana treating the Blood Slave, yet even so, the increase in conversion rate was less than 1%.

Aiwass's conversion rate was still 55%—this was because Aiwass used the Sin Thorn to devour his adoptive father, gaining all the sins from Professor Moriarty's soul, otherwise, his rate wouldn't even be close to half.

And now, just three shots of the Sin Thorn Arrow directly pushed Aiwass to over 60%...

In other words, if Master Thomas fired all nine Sin Thorn Arrows, he could raise Aiwass's conversion rate above 70%.

At 70% conversion rate, Aiwass would permanently transform into a "Pure Deer Man" form. If Aiwass's time to remove the Sin Thorn Arrow could be slightly delayed, there might even be a chance to raise the conversion rate to 80%, thus expelling Aiwass from the Material Realm.

At that point, Aiwass would be a genuine demigod, able to become a Celestial Marshal just by obtaining a Celestial Marshal Shard; he could even become possessed by a Celestial Marshal Shard born from the Source River if expelled from the Material Realm.

In that scenario, Aiwass couldn't return to the Material Realm unless drawn back by the Ring of Ouroboros.

Once he ascends as a pure Celestial Marshal on the Path of Devotion, Aiwass would no longer be able to elevate his Path of Transcendence through dreams. His Path would completely lose balance, unable to synthesize powers that surpass the Void and reach Miracles.

He would also completely lose the ability to resist the Void.

—For an instant, the course of history was again held in the hands of a minor figure.

But like his granddaughter... Thomas's task wasn't to "kill Aiwass at any cost."

In his understanding, it was inconceivable anyone could survive being hit by a Sin Thorn Arrow.

That was the power prayed for through Advanced Divine Art by Cardinal Loki—he had used the Sin Thorn to attack Aiwass. Similarly, Aiwass had killed his adoptive father using a Sin Thorn.

—If an arrow hit a vital point while he was alone, even the Eternal Pope would die from a single strike.

The stronger the Transcendent, the more voluminous the Mana within, the greater the harm when Mana within is corrupted by the Sin Thorn. It's akin to a large-caliber bullet hitting an ordinary person, not a Transcendent—the temporary cavity would shatter them, and the damage far exceeds the small entry wound.

Upon being struck by the Sin Thorn, the Sin Thorn invading the soul would pollute Extraordinary Power, preventing self-healing.

To prevent Aiwass's heart from being on the right side, Master Thomas shot arrows to both sides of the chest, finally capping it off with a shot to the head.

This last arrow was an absolutely fatal attack—the first two already delivered fatal wounds, but damage to the heart, even if severe, might not instantly cause death; however, with the first two arrows sealing off defensive Extraordinary Powers, the nearly simultaneous third arrow would puncture a head no different from a mortal's. The Sin Thorn erupting in the skull would melt and tear apart the brain.

Even the Son of the Moon would be killed by such an arrow.

—In truth, Thomas realized he'd successfully killed Aiwass the moment he released the arrows. Much like a skilled basketball player knows if the shot is good the instant the ball leaves their hand, an adept assassin need not check the target's condition. The moment his finger pulled the trigger, the assassination was confirmed successful.

This was something he didn't impart to Croix... nor did he wish to teach her the true family skill.

—"White Rainbow Secret Continuation."

This was the real ultimate technique to defeat stronger foes and kill anyone in the world.

Although a Path of Adaptation secret, it required Path of Devotion Mana to drive it. Time would pause, and one's soul, life would burn, extracting everything to burst forth a dazzling white rainbow.

The stronger the enemy to be killed, the greater the price, the higher the commitment required.

If that white rainbow happened to pierce through The Sun, it signified the resolve and costs were sufficient, skipping the process, ignoring defenses, directly hitting the weak point. But if the white rainbow veered off, it meant the move wouldn't guarantee a kill through the secret but could still be used to establish an advantage.

In the recent assassination of Aiwass, he relied on a similar ability to ensure the strike's accuracy.

—And just now, the white rainbow had indeed pierced through The Sun.

This strike was inevitable.

At that moment, the hatred was resolved.

But Thomas didn't feel solace, only emptiness and confusion.

He didn't make an immediate retreat, nor did he fade into the shadows. Instead, he stood at the crossroads, hands lowered, the hand crossbow hidden in his sleeve, lost in thought.

His attack was flawless. People nearby didn't even notice his strike on the carriage, and the vehicle's body was utterly undamaged. The driver likely felt no impact. If the driver reacted slowly, they might not even realize until the destination that the passenger was already dead.

Aiwass's head and chest would burst open, sprouting countless black, hardened thorns. Seated in the carriage, his lower body would remain intact, resembling a grotesque potted plant.

In that instant, a strange emptiness and regret stirred in the old man's heart.

—Perhaps it would have been better not to kill Aiwass, he thought.

Was pushing the conflict to an unresolvable peak really a better choice for the Iris Flower?

Or... did he truly love Croix?

If he truly loved Croix, would he have allowed her to join Hawkeye? Would he have agreed to let her go abroad, acting beyond his control to "gild" herself? When Croix died, why did he not directly seek revenge under the guise of an "overall situation"? Now that it's all settled, why strike now, willing to kill Aiwass at all costs... even risking war?

Was this vendetta born of love, or was it despair brought on by the extinction of the Cherioux family?

Compared to a love where "he didn't want Croix to face danger," was it closer from the outset to a hope for "the eternal presence of Cherioux's glory"? Did he truly intend to "purge the trash," thus cleansing the Iris Flower anew? Or did he love the Iris Flower that much?

"... I see."

The old man realized, whispering, "So that's it..."

In the moment he took Aiwass's life by his own hand, awakening and understanding it all, the old man found it laughable.

He was merely deceiving himself in the name of love... and deceiving the leader.

—Thomas simply didn't want a "Hawkeye Organization without the Cherioux family" to prosper.

In another light, while he may not have wanted anything bad to happen to Croix, more than that from the start, he desired the glory of "Cherioux family enduring forever." He genuinely wanted to "rid them of the scum," making the Iris Flower pure again? Or... did he love the Iris Flower that much?

If an accident did bring ruin to the Iris Flower, Thomas wouldn't feel overly regretful.

Because that would mean a future without Cherioux.