CHAPTER 100: INTENTION TO KILL

That statement was met with silence as no one spoke to refute after that.

Sage Maximus didn’t say any more, simply returning to his seat comfortably. The elders weren’t fools. Just like Sage Maximus had said, they were all thinking the same thing. And now that the sage had laid it all out in the open, there was no use trying to hide it under the rug anymore.

"I think we are rushing this decision because of this similarity." Petyr stood up carefully and took over. "I am young. In fact, the youngest here. So I cannot boldly say the conclusion I’ve come to is right... but as the Overseer that you all allowed to be put in office, I believe my words count for something." He said. "I have met the boy personally, and I do not see anything that bears resemblance to how High Exalted Ashworth was depicted in the records. If anything, Zephyr’s eyes are full of curiosity and eagerness to learn. From the reports I receive and from my brief meeting with him, I could sense that he’s just a lost boy that wants to be left alone to his devices." Petyr paced around the empty circle in the middle of the hall. "I saw no wild ambition in his eyes, nor anything of the like. I only saw a boy. A weary and tired boy."

The scrawny old woman rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, muttering to herself, "These young ones— If that is all you’re capable of Petyr, then I’m sorely disappointed. He’s just a boy? You didn’t see any ambition in his eyes? That’s your argument?! And you simply want us to take it like that?" She frowned distastefully.

"Did you think Ashworth had ambition in his eyes from birth? You think he was born with a certain ’look’?" She chuckled. "No! He grew! His magic grew faster and stronger than anyone else around them, he comprehended things that others took years to even scratch the surface of within days, and slowly he began to think to himself: Why do I need to conform to their rules? Why do I need to limit myself to their level? They cannot do anything to me anyway..." she said with venom in her voice. "No one is born a villain, Petyr! Their experiences and environment make them into one!"

"And what are you doing at the moment, you old thing?!" Sage Maximus snapped at her. "You said experiences and environment are what shape a person into a villain. What do you think the boy is experiencing right now?! How do you think he feels in this environment?! Huh?! You’re shaping him into a villain by doing all this!"

"Not if we cut him off from the roots right now." She answered, making Sage Maximus’ look turn cold.

"Well, you’d have to go through me first before you can do that." He said.

"Maximus!" the scrawny old woman seethed. "Do you think you’re untouchable?! While we all know how strong you are, do you think you can stop the whole council?!" She warned.

"If it comes down to it, I’m ready." Sage Maximus replied with a surprising surety to his voice. He knew he was the strongest person seated here aside from the Old One, and he knew the Old One wouldn’t butt into their squabbles, so he could speak as he pleased.

His statement was not well received though. The rest of the elders felt like he was belittling them, to the joy of the scrawny old woman— this seemed to be her goal all along... riling up the other elders. She knew Sage Maximus was not one to think straight whenever he was challenged.

Petyr quickly tried stepping in again, but Sage Maximus shot down his effort. "Why so silent? You scheming old thing. Do you dare to invade my estate?! I’ve been itching to beat up something to my heart’s content for the past few years." He stood up menacingly, with a thick aura that began to build up increasingly.

The scrawny old woman couldn’t help but shift back fearfully in her seat. They were all elders here—including the younger ones seated who were being groomed for the main roles in the future—so most of them were Tier 6s and even 7... but the power gap between every one of them was wildly different.

Sage Maximus was not exaggerating when he said he could take on all the elders seated here.

A few others here could also try the same, but with difficulty, so his claim wasn’t far-fetched, hence her subconscious fear when Sage Maximus directed his challenge at her.

He aimed his aura solely at her, pressing her in her seat. She strained visibly, barely able to raise her head to look at the Sage.

He snorted at her miserable display, feeling she wasn’t even worth the display of power he showed, before dispersing his magic aura, allowing her to breathe again. She gasped, sucking in deep breaths in mouthfuls, not caring for her image as her relieved pants echoed through the hall.

"If anyone’s playing games, it’s you." Sage Maximus said to her. "You lack the ability to come at me directly, so you’ve resorted to using manipulative tactics, trying to goad everyone into action... I expected more from you at least... considering your age. You’re one of the oldest among us, yet you still act like a child at times, using unsophisticated tactics like you’re dealing with three-year olds." He shook his head in disappointment.

Her face contorted into an ugly scowl at his words and she grinded her teeth so hard that the veins on her forehead threatened to pop out. Everything he said bit into her very deeply. And it was doubly worse because it came from Sage Maximus’ mouth. She knew when the sage had joined their organization, young and eager to fight for their cause. She had watched him with his gifted mind, rise through the ranks and at the same time, through tiers, growing higher than her both in influence and in strength... She could’ve nipped him in the bud back then, but she told herself it was all for the cause.

If she had simply done what she had really wanted to do, she would never be in this situation where she was getting told off by her junior after he had just suppressed her... and right in the public view of the other elders too.

No elder offered any input, at the end of the day, strength was law. At their level, all the petty talks were just for show. Something they didn’t really pay attention to. Only lower level councils like the one that tried Zephyr considered those kinds of talks to be very important.

Sage Maximus continued, making his intentions clear for all to see. "I said I’m not going to release the boy to anyone. For me to say that you must know I’m well aware of the dangers and potential risk. I am willing to bear them. The boy would not be allowed out of the estate for the two-year duration before the convergence arrives. He would be my sole responsibility for the duration of this time, and none of you would see or hear anything about him during this period."

"...and what about the benefits you claim he would provide for the Half-Exalted we have here in Freehold?" Another person spoke, this time a man. The same man that had a discussion with Sage Maximus outside the Grand library a few days before.

He was also on Sage Maximus’ side, but was putting up the farce of a neutral party trying to weigh pros and cons.

"Regardless of whatever pathway the boy creates, any Half-Exalted that wants to learn will still have to go through me. I will always serve as the channel between Zephyr and anyone else."

The eye of the man that asked the question twitched slightly at that statement and he couldn’t help but cast a subconscious glance towards the direction of someone else in the hall. A middle aged man. Whose face was grim.

Their eyes locked and an unspoken understanding passed between both of them before they turned their gazes away.