THIRD NOVA'S DEMISE
Leonel didn't react much to Issa's shock. The line he was drawing was something others probably didn't expect him to know or to understand, but there were clearly many here who were shocked by more than just the fact he had said the words Silver Empire.
"What are you trying to say?" Issa said with narrowed eyes.
"This woman has a relation to the Silver Empire. It was the Silver Empire's Emperor that fought my father in his final battle, and this woman and your Third Nova are closely connected. What should I think about that?"
Issa's gaze narrowed further. "You've simply said this with no other kind of proof. On top of that, even with such choppy visuals, it was clear to anyone with sharp eyes that the Silver Emperor in that battle was nothing more than a puppet on someone else's string, how can that matter even be blamed on the Silver Empire, especially when they died so long ago?
"Taking a thousand steps back, the Silver Empire, like I've said, is long gone. Even if this girl is their descendant, how can she still be related to the Silver Empire of old? And even if she was somehow related to all of this, once again, the Silver Emperor you saw was nothing more than a puppet."
Issa's words were once again reasons. Leonel had not shown any proof, he had just spoken as though his word was law, this was already something that the various elders didn't like. But on top of that, the Silver Empire wasn't clearly on the side of the wrong either.
While the Silver Empire had been destroyed due to its connection with demons, these elders and Ancestors knew that that was nothing more than a pretext. Powerful families didn't like other powerful families to exist, and the Silver Empire just happened to give them a good reason to target.
Plus, since Leonel had made use of the Cloud Race, where was his moral superiority in this case?
"Mm, that would be a good rebuttal. If not for the fact that one of the three founding members of the Three Finger Cult, the organization behind the descent of the Cataclysm Zone and the very same organization that both sunk its claws into the Void Palace and took part in this Domain War on the side of the Invaders."
Issa was shaken again, but she didn't have an immediate response outside of the fact that Leonel had yet to display any proof. Unfortunately, she was far more unwilling to say this now because she felt like Leonel was goading her into doing so, all so that she could embarrass herself again.
This time, Leonel didn't wait. He waved his hand and an old man appeared. He waved his hand again and another old man appeared, then another. The fourth time came an old woman, and then another, and then an old man again.
This continued until the hall was filled with what looked like dozens of old timers, each of them exuding powerful auras, and yet each one of them subdued and unable to do anything but look around with sharp gazes.
"Do you know who these people are?" Leonel asked.
Issa grit her teeth, but outwardly she looked just the same. "No," she finally said.
"These people are the leaders of the families and organizations that Third Nova had under his wing. Do you know what they all have in common?"
Leonel waved his hand, and a powerful Spear Force that made Issa's spine tingle manifested, shredding their clothing apart in various locations. One after another, a simple tattoo of an unadorned line of three appeared. The tattoo couldn't have been blander, just three straight, thick lines of black. And yet, with it appearing on them one after another, a pattern was revealed all too easily.
The Three Finger Cult. Each and every last one of them.
How Third Nova had managed to get so many family geniuses to defect to his side was entirely unknown. But what was even more unexpected than that was that Leonel had actually gone out to find each and every one of them, bringing them forward just for this moment.
Just with this alone, Leonel had no need to prove any sort of connection to the Silver Empire. It made others wonder just why he had at all... it was like he was trying to goad Issa into looking foolish, as though he was trying to make a point. Têxt belongs to .
For those that understood what was happening right before them, it was something they found a difficult time accepting... but they knew exactly what it was.
A warning.
"Third Nova has broken the most sacred of Morales family rules. Over 20 years ago, when I first stepped foot into the Void Palace, I was sent into the Rapax Nest along with my fellow members of the Cataclysm Generation. During that time, my woman was targeted, yet again, by members of the Three Finger Cult.
"The ones behind that sudden change to the structure of the True Selection was none other than the Unfettered Blade Party under the behest of none other than Third Nova. He tried to kill me once back then, then he tried to kill me again during the Heir Wars, he's spat in the face of what it meant to be a Morales, even relying on such an evil organization for the hope of becoming the Patriarch of his very family.
"You tell me, what should happen to Third Nova under these rules?" Leonel asked calmly.
Issa looked Leonel dead in his eyes before slowly responding.
"According to the family rules... he should be executed."
"Mm," Leonel nodded. "Sounds about right. None of you have to worry, though. I've long since taken these matters into my own hands, Third Nova is no longer in this world."
Issa's pupils constricted, her fists clenching, but there was nothing she could say. Of all the things she had expected to happen, this was the very last. But here they were.
Leonel stood up and walked down from the throne, walking by the Ancestors one by one until he disappeared from sight. He didn't even bother to say goodbye.
Not long later, Leonel appeared within a certain section of the Segmented Cube, looking down at a chained individual with his hair drooping over his eyes.
This man was none other than Third Nova.