Back in the chamber, Oasis stood calmly in the wake of the city lord's unleashed aura, completely unfazed.
His azure eyes remained steady as he watched the older man with quiet respect.
Not bad, Oasis thought, his expression unchanged, though inwardly he acknowledged the power being displayed.
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"Follow me, young man," the city lord said, his voice now firm and commanding as he walked toward the door.
"Let me show you how to deal with traitors."
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As the city lord strode out of the room, Oasis followed at a measured pace.
The two of them barely made it past the threshold when a group of guards came rushing down the corridor, their faces pale with fear.
They skidded to a stop the moment they saw the city lord standing before them, fully revitalized.
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"My lord!" the guards gasped, immediately dropping to their knees, their bodies trembling from the pressure of his aura.
Sweat dripped from their brows as they struggled to maintain their composure in his overwhelming presence.
The city lord's gaze swept over them, his voice like thunder.
"Pervard!" he roared, his voice echoing through the halls. "Bring yourself here this instant!"
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The manor seemed to quake at his command.
Oasis watched in silence, his sharp eyes noticing how every servant and guard they passed immediately dropped to their knees in submission.
Even those stationed outside in the open courtyard could feel the city lord's revitalized aura flooding through the estate.
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As they moved toward the living hall, more guards and servants lined the way, kneeling in reverence as the city lord passed, fear and awe in their eyes.
The once silent manor was now alive with murmurs of disbelief and terror.
In the living hall, the city lord's voice rang out again, his fury evident.
The tension in the air grew as the weight of the city lord's returned power hung over the manor like a dark cloud.
Servants and guards alike braced themselves for the reckoning that was to come, knowing that the traitor would soon be dragged into the open.
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As Pervard came stumbling out of a nearby corridor,
barely dressed with his arm around a woman—the very same who had killed a man in the town square—he roared furiously, completely unaware of the situation.
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His face twisted in rage, he shouted, "Who dares shout my name in my manor?"
His eyes hadn't yet registered the sight of the servants kneeling before the revitalized city lord.
"Who are you kneeling to, huh?! Stand up!" he commanded, the arrogance in his voice overpowering any sense of caution.
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Despite feeling the oppressive aura in the air, Pervard, the vice city lord, didn't entertain the possibility that it could be the city lord, bedridden for so long.
But then, his eyes fell upon the figure standing before him.
The sight of Lord Riftain standing tall and fully revived caused Pervard's bravado to falter, if only for a second.
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"Huh… L-lord Riftain?" His voice wavered.
His eyes widened as the sight of the city lord.
What's happening here? I poisoned him—he should be dead, Pervard thought in disbelief.
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His mind raced as he struggled to make sense of the impossible.
How could a man who has been bedridden for almost a year be standing before me?
His mind raced. No matter. I still have his children.
Pervard quickly regained his composure.
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"Ah, if it isn't the high and mighty city lord Riftain," Pervard spat, now speaking with disrespect.
"How dare you!" Riftain's voice thundered, fury flashing in his eyes.
"You took my family, killed my wife, tortured my children, and poisoned me! You are a snake, Pervard!"
"Blah, blah, blah," Pervard mocked, waving his hand dismissively.
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"Who cares about your trash of a family? It's not like there's anything you can do to me."
The revelation sent shockwaves through the room.
Murmurs of shock and disgust erupted from the servants and guards as the truth of Pervard's betrayal became clear.
"And tortured the children?"
"I can't believe he would betray Lord Riftain!"
Their whispers filled the air, fueling the tension that gripped the manor.
With a cold laugh, Pervard raised his hand slightly.
"I still have your children!" he mocked, signaling to a group of men behind him.
Emerging from the shadows were a few men, clad in attire that immediately drew Oasis's attention.
Crimson Hand, Oasis thought, recognizing their garb. "Their attire is identical to those I encountered in the woods."
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But before Pervard could further gloat, one of the men bowed before him and whispered urgently, "Executive, the children are not in the cell."
Oasis, with his sharp senses, heard every word of the whispered exchange, even from several feet away.
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"What?!" Pervard roared, his face contorting with rage. "What do you mean they're not there?!"
Just then, a voice rang out from another corridor.
"Ah, Uncle Pervard, are you looking for us?" Raven called out weakly, his body battered and bruised but still standing.
He staggered, walking through sheer willpower.
Behind him, Oasis's two guards appeared with the other guard,
one helping the younger brother balance, while the other—the guard who had fed them—stood protectively nearby.
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The city lord's heart clenched as he saw his children, their bodies worn from suffering but their spirits unbroken.
My children… they suffered because of my incompetence , he thought, guilt and anger swelling within him.
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"Father, you're well!" Raven's voice was filled with relief and joy, but the effort drained him, and he collapsed to his knees.
"Blah, blah, blah… reunion, how sweet," Pervard sneered, waving his hand.
"But this time, I won't let you survive!" His eyes glinted with malice as more Crimson Hand members poured into the room.
Oasis's eyes narrowed as Pervard laughed, relishing the situation.
Oasis stepped forward slightly, his gaze cold and piercing as Pervard laughed, relishing the situation.
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"So, Pervard, you're an executive of the Crimson Hand, huh?"
"Who is this kid?" he wondered, barely sparing Oasis a second glance.
"Well, it doesn't matter. He dies today along with that man who just rose from the brink of death."
The woman beside Pervard recognized Oasis, her eyes narrowing in realization.
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"That's the boy who was staring at me in the town square."