Chapter 111 - The Inside Job
The father and son duo kept on discussing and quarreling over their plan. For Bartholomew, it was a golden opportunity and for the Eren, it would spell their doom.
"The risk is too great father! And what if those people fail? There are also two Peak Grandmasters who could also join and those people won't be able to kill the Clan leader!" yelled Eren at this father.
"You fool! Do you really think that bastard will actually let you become the next head? Sooner or later, he will find some excuse such as your taste in men and use it to null your succession. Do you think the news of you not being interested in females was leaked to others easily?" asked the father.
"You mean.." spoke Eren.
"Yes.. I recently found out as well. This whole fiasco happened because the clan leader wants his own son to become the next heir, not you who won the competition and the title fair and square." replied Bartholomew and continued.
"Just the incident with the Blacksmith's daughter was also part of his plan all those years ago, we just couldn't see it. And he will use it when the succession ceremony comes next year. He has been biding his time for all those years. And now this whole thing with this irritating Azrael bastard.. He will use it to take away your right and make his own son get this position. Only if I was a Peak Grandmaster myself.. I could've made a firm stand. But only those with the bigger fists make the rules." explained the father.
"But.. Are those people reliable?" asked Eren.
"Don't worry.. They're all professionals. I've used my entire life's savings to hire 3 of their Peak Grandmaster Assassins from the Capital. They should reach Flavot city by tonight. Even someone like the clan head won't be able to fight the 3 of them together. All I want is to see you sit on that throne. Even though I was robbed of my chance to be the clan head.. I want to see my son sitting there and commanding our clan." said Bartholomew.
"But how do we even get them inside the clan mansion? The security will be too tight and all the entrances will be protected. Even a bird won't be able to get inside without getting detected." asked the clan heir Eren.
"What good is security if someone from the inside opens the door for the intruders?" asked the father in a cunning tone.
"Unlike those buffoons, I know many secret locations and pathways that were created by our first clan head. The 2nd and now the current clan head never studied those records and blueprints. They don't even know that there's a secret passage right beneath the Eastern end of the mansion." explained the father.
"I can get those people inside and they'll finish the job. With the clan head out of the picture, we can blame it on Azrael and have the entire clan start a manhunt for him. With this, no one will challenge our authority. Even if Jean & Connie did, they'd be branded as traitors who are going against the clan rules. Everything will go in our favor from now on." spoke the father a devilish grin on his face.
Kahn had been doing reconnaissance for the past 2 days. Although there was no time limit or a target of certain days given to him to kill the last heir.. He wanted to do it in under a week and be done with this war with nobles. After this, he'd hang up the hood and maybe leave this city for good.
Since the past 2 days, he had been coming to look for a possible entryway to enter inside the main clan mansion that was twice the size of the Elven clan's mansion, but the security was simply too tight. There were even master rank archers on the roof of the mansion. He couldn't even transform into some bird and fly in before getting shot down with a volley of arrows.
These people hadn't even left any shadows during nighttime using the magic lamps for him to enters through the premises using Shadow Walk.
All the possible entry points were gone and the most frustrating part was they had already expected him to come under a disguise. Many bloodline tracking magic formations were placed on all the gates. So if anyone who didn't carry their clan's bloodline entered through the gates, they'd raise an alarm and an army of fighters would drop upon them.
Even if he were to get mixed into the goods & rations that were brought inside, he would still get caught.
"This is just too hard. I won't be able to infiltrate inside in this lifetime at this rate." said Kahn as he was contemplating his options and choices.
And after learning about the clan head being a Semi-Saint rank Swordsman.. Kahn had already left the idea of frontal clash with any of their forces out of the equation. He had to do it in the most covert and well-planned way. Without getting caught or detected by anyone.
So since last two nights, he had been coming and examining the headquarter surrounding during the night and simply tried to find a proper entry point. His sense on full alert and both his Survival Instinct & Hunter's Intent working at two times their maximum capacity since it was during the night and he'd get this buff because of his Hero of Darkness title.
Just when he was observing the headquarters from a mile away while sitting amongst the tall trees, his ears picked a sound of multiple people 100 meters away, walking and whispering amongst themselves.
Kahn quickly used Shadow Walk and mixed inside the dark shadows.
"Is this the right place? The employer said he'd meet us here during the night." said a man completely dressed in black robes. In his hands, was a glowing map.
Creak! Crung!!
Suddenly, a 5 meter stone boulder that was at the foot of a small peak started moving on its own, close to 50 meters away from Kahn's position and his ears picked up the noise.
A secret passageway was opened and a blonde middle-aged man came out from the other side of this stone door. He looked at these people who stood just 10 meters away from this stone passage entrance.
"Follow me. We only have this night." he said and gestured to the 3 men to follow him.
Kahn who was watching everything from afar smiled and spoke to himself.
[Thank you, mother of coincidence.]