"Lord Salvatore, if I may be so bold as to speak."
In the midst of the silent tension, with the faction leaders wearing troubled expressions that clearly annoyed Doni, Paolo stood up with a bitter smile.
"Oh? What is it you'd like to say?"
Hearing this, Doni turned his head slightly, raising an eyebrow at Paolo.
In contrast, Blake remained as composed as ever, as though the situation had nothing to do with him. Diana, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.
She had already been scared before; now it was time for this group to face the same. The reason she hadn't revealed Doni's real intention was exactly for this purpose. If she had actually explained it, these old friends would likely find every possible excuse to avoid attending and send their second-in-commands instead.
That wouldn't do! Everyone needed to share both joy and hardship together.
Thinking of this, Diana felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.
"Lord Salvatore, the traces of Heretic Gods are generally untraceable, let alone of the High deity level. Summoning a Heretic God recklessly will also cause significant destruction to the surroundings. Moreover, Lord Salvatore has only recently become a Campione. Engaging in a battle with a High deity-level Heretic God so soon could be extremely dangerous. If Lord Salvatore sharpens his sword further and discovers more of the power of his existing authorities, he will become even stronger."
Paolo advised earnestly and logically.
"Exactly, Lord Salvatore, please reconsider," others chimed in.
Hearing this, the leaders of the various factions exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up. They all began to voice their opinions in support, offering all kinds of advice to dissuade him.
Seeing this scene, Diana shook her head subtly, her gaze strange as she looked at the group. Among those present, only Lily and she knew the true purpose of this gathering. Naturally, she wasn't going to speak out about it.
"So, what you're saying is that I need you to plan my path to becoming stronger?"
As the noise filled the air, Doni's aura suddenly turned sharp. A terrifying surge of magical energy swept through the room, pressing down heavily on everyone except for Blake.
"W-We dare not…"
Even Paolo broke out in cold sweat as he stammered under the weight of that aura.
"Oh, I forgot to mention—I'm not doing this for myself. To be precise, I'm helping my close friend Blake. So, for this Heretic God, it's his prey, and I won't interfere."
Doni retracted his aura as he tapped the table lightly, his tone playful.
"Ha——?!"
Upon hearing this, the leaders froze, staring dumbfounded at Blake, who sat next to Doni with a calm, indifferent demeanor.
Even Erica's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief as she gazed at Blake.
When Doni first mentioned finding traces of a god, they thought it was because the Sword King was eager for more authority. Who could have expected this outcome…?
"L-Lord Salvatore, this is far too dangerous. Heretic Gods are not entities humans can contend with, let alone those of the High deity level. Please reconsider!" Paolo's expression was filled with urgency. Letting a God Slayer battle a Heretic God was already perilous enough, but sending someone else to face a high deity-level Heretic God? That was courting disaster. It could easily lead to the destruction of a city or worse, widespread calamities.
After all, provoking the wrath of a Heretic God could have catastrophic consequences.
The mere thought of such an outcome sent shivers down Paolo's spine.
"This has nothing to do with me. If you can convince Blake, then I'll give up as well," Doni replied with amusement, fixing his gaze on Blake, who remained unbothered, seemingly detached from the unfolding drama. Doni's lips curled into a mischievous smile.
Hearing this, the leaders' eyes gleamed as they eagerly shifted their attention to Blake, as though they had just stumbled upon a hidden treasure.
In their minds, Blake was surely easier to deal with than Doni. With so many experts present, they believed they could undoubtedly pressure a young man into submission!
Diana, however, silently shook her head, feeling a tinge of pity for her old rivals. Blake was no meek lamb; he was the king of beasts.
"Do you need something from me?"
Blake raised an eyebrow as he looked at the group with a calm demeanor, speaking as though the matter were trivial.
Doni, that guy, actually had the nerve to push this mess onto him. It seemed they'd need to have a good talk about life later.
"Ahem, Mr. Blake, could you perhaps abandon this dangerous idea? Heretic Gods are not entities that humans can confront. Provoking them recklessly could lead to disaster."
"Yes, everyone dreams of instant success, but throughout history, most who dared to challenge the gods perished. Only a few chosen by fate succeeded."
"You're still young; you shouldn't be so impulsive. Why not join our magical society? We'll certainly treat you well. When your knowledge and power grow stronger, you can challenge the gods then. The chances of success would be much higher."
Seeing Blake's composed expression, the faction leaders frowned and began to offer their advice earnestly, though their words carried faint undertones of threat.
...
They refused to believe it. With their combined efforts, using both rewards and veiled threats, they couldn't possibly fail to sway a seemingly inexperienced young man.
Moreover, they were addressing him as "Mr." and "Sir" with utmost respect. Any young person would feel flattered and then obediently give in, wouldn't they?
It had to be said, their calculations seemed meticulous.
"You all make some very valid points. I've learned a lot from this."
Blake's lips curled into a faint smile as he nodded sincerely.
"Haha, Mr. Blake truly understands reason…"
The leaders began to smile, thinking Blake had finally been persuaded, but his next words froze their expressions.
"However, I'm quite confident in myself. Just because others can't accomplish something doesn't mean I can't. I'd still like to experience the sensation of slaying a god. So, I must trouble all of you to do your best to find traces of the strongest Heretic Gods. The stronger, the better. After all, I wouldn't want my actions to lead to Doni, that idiot, cutting you all down."
Blake's crystalline blue eyes gleamed with a sharp light as he scanned the faction leaders, speaking with a faintly mocking smile.
If they had spoken respectfully, he might have let it slide. But these people dared to threaten him with their so-called "kind persuasion." Did they really think he was easy to bully?
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