The chamber was cloaked in cold, unyielding darkness. Flames flickered along the sconces, casting jagged shadows across the stone walls, reflecting the council's grim expressions. The leaders of Black Lotus, each cloaked in black, gathered around the stone table, their eyes fixed on the figure at its head.

Obsidian stood before them, his posture rigid, a silent storm brewing within his dark gaze. The atmosphere was tense, the council exchanging wary glances, anticipating the fury waiting to erupt from their leader.

One elder, known for his quiet pragmatism, cleared his throat, breaking the uneasy silence. "It seems our operations within Clareo's ranks have been… compromised."

Obsidian's jaw clenched, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone. "Compromised?" His hand curled into a fist, knuckles pale. "We've lost every one of our embedded agents, each one picked off like vermin. Years of strategic positioning, dismantled in days."

A shiver ran through the room as the elders glanced at each other. They had all known Obsidian's wrath, but seeing it so visibly contained was enough to make even the most hardened among them uneasy.

"The Clareo forces have gained a significant edge," another elder murmured, his voice edged with apprehension. "They've strengthened their defenses and eliminated our influence. And that… shadowed ARM user," he spat, eyes narrowing, "seems to be behind it all."

Obsidian's gaze flicked to the elder, his voice venomous. "That ARM user has disrupted Black Lotus at every turn, tearing apart our networks, our commanders. Yet you speak of him as though he were a mere inconvenience." He leaned forward, his eyes flashing. "He is a threat. One that we can no longer ignore."

An elder at the far end, her face lined with scars and age, nodded slowly. "This… ARM user has turned himself into a symbol—a beacon of fear to us and hope to them. Our people have begun whispering of his power. Some even believe he's untouchable."

A dark silence settled over the council, each of them sensing the same truth. The ARM user's presence had shattered their control in Clareo, and his actions had become more than tactical; they were unraveling the very fabric of fear that Black Lotus wielded so carefully.

Obsidian's voice cut through the tension. "Symbols are dangerous," he said coldly, "but they can be broken." He let his words hang in the air, a dark promise underscoring each syllable.

An elder, his fingers fidgeting with an obsidian ring, leaned forward, a calculating glint in his eye. "We could exploit his reputation. If we turn his symbol against him, it could be enough to erode the loyalty he inspires."

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Obsidian's eyes narrowed. "Explain."

The elder smirked slightly. "There are rumors—about his past, his family. If we dig deep enough, we may find the flaws in his legend. Show Clareo that he's not the invincible force they believe him to be."

Another elder, her expression shrewd, nodded. "Yes. Break the illusion. Make them doubt him, strip away the fearlessness he's inspired. Once Clareo questions their faith in him, he'll be far more vulnerable."

Obsidian's face darkened with satisfaction. "Not only him, but his allies as well. Black Lotus has always thrived in the shadows, but perhaps it's time we remind Clareo of what real fear looks like. Let them see their hero… and let him fail."

The council murmured in agreement, and one elder gestured to a device on the table, activating a screen. "I have something to share," he said, his tone calculated. The screen flickered to life, displaying a grainy video clip taken from a recent encounter.

The footage showed the final moments of their operative Revner, captured in the shadows just before his demise. The camera shook as it focused on the ARM user, turning in his dark hood and cloak, his gaze unreadable yet intimidating.

A hushed silence filled the chamber as the footage froze on that face, the shadowed, enigmatic figure standing amid the remains of Black Lotus operatives.

Obsidian's gaze locked onto the screen, his jaw tightening. "There he is. The ghost Clareo has come to believe in. But every ghost can be hunted."

The elder with the scars leaned forward, his voice a low hiss. "We take the fight to him. Draw him out, force him to confront his weaknesses."

Obsidian nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving the screen. "We will strike hard and without mercy. But it will be on our terms." His voice hardened. "This ARM user has dismantled too much of what we've built. He will come to see the depth of his mistake."

One of the younger council members, his voice barely more than a whisper, added, "But Clareo has fortified its ranks. They'll be watching for any move we make."

Obsidian turned his steely gaze on the younger man, his voice cold and unyielding. "Then we adapt. We lay traps where they least expect it. We exploit every weakness in their ranks. And when their precious symbol falters, when they see his failure… Black Lotus will be there to reclaim control."

He straightened, addressing the entire council, his voice dark and resolute. "Send word to our agents. Every operative we have left will be mobilized. Clareo will suffer for this. And when the time comes, their 'hero' will be forced to face the depths of his own vulnerabilities."

Obsidian's eyes returned to the screen, to the figure captured in shadow, as though Val's presence there alone had sparked a challenge—a vow of retribution.

He let the silence stretch, then, with a final, deliberate motion, he turned off the screen, plunging the room back into darkness.

"Prepare the forces," he said softly, but his words were filled with malice. "The time has come to turn the shadows against Clareo. Let their symbol of strength see what true fear is."

The council members rose, each one silent, their expressions steeled as they moved to carry out his orders. Obsidian watched them go, his heart pulsing with a dark satisfaction.

And as the room emptied, he remained, a solitary figure in the darkened chamber, his mind already crafting the path to destruction that awaited his enemies.

The Black Lotus would rise from the shadows, and this time, there would be no mercy.