My Soul card is a Reaper-Chapter 960: Before the tournament (Part-1)

Three hours slipped by in slow, heavy silence inside the Death Clan’s ancestral hall. The discussions were over with new laws, adjustments to the clan’s education structure, preparations for the tournament, and everything that needed addressing before the world’s brightest young elites gathered. None of it held Azzy’s mind for long.

His thoughts kept drifting back to one person.

Orion... where are you? Why aren’t you answering?

When the final elder finished speaking, Azzy stared down at his watch and rose from his throne. "Send word to all nineteen representatives," he ordered. "Have them gather at the Ancestral Temple."

The elders stiffened at his voice.

"And," Azzy continued, "if Orion does not arrive by the deadline, he will be replaced with Liam Phantom."

A few elders exchanged uneasy glances. Affea in particular tensed, her expression turning sharp, but she stayed silent as the discussion regarding Orion was already over.

Liam Phantom was actually someone who used to go by the name Liam Silver.

He had belonged to the Silver Clan until the day he ran away from an arranged marriage with the Crescent Clan, due to his love affair with their maid, a girl far below his status. Ares Silver, the clan’s current elder, was left with no choice but expel him from the clan.

But later, after Azzy ascended to the throne, he introduced the Clan of forsaken, and gave Liam and many others who were expelled for many reasons a second opportunity to serve the clan.

Liam took the chance to return, but unfortunately, he had to abandon the Silver name and live among the Forsaken Clan, where people stripped of their original clans could start over. Liam accepted and became "Liam Phantom."

At the Ancestral Temple;

Time passed, and soon nineteen representatives stood waiting inside the towering structure. The ancestral temple had always been sacred, with more than twenty figures carved with sharp detail.

Each statue represented a demigod of the Death Clan from the past.

Azzy’s statue would also one day stand among them if he died, or if he ascended beyond this world and left the clan forever.

And the representatives were gathered in such a place.

The rookie division, children barely twelve to fourteen years old, stared up at the statues in awe and started whispering among themselves, marveling at the legendary names etched beneath the stony faces, as for almost every one of them, this is their first time they have been in the temple.

The adults, on the other hand, stood in disciplined lines, although their eyes repeatedly flicked toward Liam Phantom.

Regardless of whether Azzy gave those who have been forsaken a place, still, the natives who lived for a long time in the village, they can’t help but see someone wth a Phantom surname as a traitor of the clan. It was difficult for them to work with someone like that. It was even more difficult for Silver clan’s leader, Ares Silver, to bear his presence when they were standing only a few feet away. Ares wore a stiff expression. His jaw tightened each time he glanced at Liam.

Fortunately for Liam, in that group, there’s Fiona and Affea, who were basically youngsters and were more accepting of changes compared to the older generation.

Liam kept his head low, hands folded behind him, trying to stay low-key and not talk with anyone else.

Soon enough, the hall grew quiet as footsteps echoed from the entrance.

Azzy stepped inside, dressed in simple black robes embroidered with faint silver lines.

Behind him walked Yashna Night, former clan leader of the Night Clan, now a Supreme Being thanks to Azzy’s provision of rare rank-9 spirit cores. Her aura and her cold expression alone made half the adults and almost all the kids stiffen slightly.

The moment Azzy entered, all nineteen representatives then dropped to their knees and bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty!" Their voices echoed in unity.

Azzy offered a brief nod. "Rise."

They stood at once.

Azzy moved to the forefront, standing before the statue of the Death Clan’s founder, the place where the portal to Genesis would open.

His voice carried through the hall as he spoke calmly. "As you have been informed earlier, Orion will no longer be part of your team. Liam Phantom will replace him as the second universal substitute."

A wave of whispers swept through the younger representatives. Some of the adults exchanged glances, though none dared question him aloud.

Liam bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the announcement without pride or fear.

Azzy let the murmurs fade before he continued.

His gaze drifted to the rookies, the youngest warriors, nervous but excited.

"Now," he said, gesturing toward Yashna, "For the rookies, Lady Yashna will serve as your mentor. Her authority represents mine, and you can consider her words to be absolute."

His eyes then swept over all of them as he said, "Understood?"

The voices answered together.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Azzy allowed a brief silence to settle after the rookies’ loud reply. Then his gaze shifted toward the adult representatives, veterans who had lived through real battles.

Azzy said, "You adults do not need a mentor. You all have enough experience to make proper judgments in the field."

A few of them nodded with quiet confidence.

"However," Azzy continued, "Evelyn Starlight is your captain. Avia Night will serve as your vice-captain. They will make the final decisions."

His eyes swept across the group, lingering briefly on Evelyn, who bowed her head respectfully, and then on Avia, who maintained her usual calm composure.

"If you have matters to discuss, discuss them with your leaders. Come to a conclusion together. But if you cannot reach an agreement, follow your captain’s decision. If your captain can’t make the decision either, then Lady Yashna will make the decision for you."

He paused, letting the structure sink into the minds of all present.

"And if, afterwards, you feel that her decision cost you a victory or disrespected you... Bring those matters to me after the tournament. But during the tournament, Lady Yashna’s authority cannot be channeled."

Affea stepped forward slightly at that. "Your Majesty," she said, her voice respectful yet curious, "what about the wagers and stakes for the tournament? Will Lady Yashna decide those as well?"

Azzy shook his head lightly. "For the rookies, yes. She will make all decisions related to wagers."

Affea blinked. "And the seniors?"

"I will decide their stakes myself."

A ripple of surprise went through the representatives, especially Affea.

"You will be coming with us?" she asked, unable to hide her shock. "But... you said you wouldn’t leave the clan vulnerable."

Azzy responded with a calm, indifferent expression, "I am not leaving the clan vulnerable, Affea. And... not to mention, the other clan leaders will be there. I must attend."

The room shifted subtly, and some of the rookies looked excited beyond measure, the idea of traveling with their legendary clan leader making their hearts beat faster. Others looked nervous... knowing Azzy’s presence meant the stakes would be higher, expectations heavier.

Azzy noticed all of it, but didn’t let their reactions sway him. He let his eyes fall specifically on the rookies and said, "Listen carefully, especially you children. You are going to a secure place. Yes. But that place is not the Death Clan’s territory. It is neutral ground. All clans will be present there, and our influence is equal to theirs. No more, no less."

The rookies exchanged uneasy glances.

Azzy continued, "Do not trust anyone there. Not fully. Not blindly. Not even our closest allies."

His voice dropped lower as he continued.

"The Elves and the Minamoto clan are trustworthy to an extent... but they still prioritize their clans before ours. If you must pick someone to rely on, choose them over others. But do not forget, every clan has its own agenda. You all might think that the other clan leaders fear me because I am a demigod. But it is because I am a demigod, I have a weakness. I cannot interfere directly in mortal affairs. They know this, too."

The rookies stiffened, fear flickering in their eyes.

"So do not assume you are safe because of my presence. Do not assume no one will make a move against you. And above all, do not act like fools."

He swept his gaze over each of them, making sure they understood.

"Do not flaunt our strength or taunt others. Do not act arrogantly. Do not provoke other clans. I do not care what our clan used to do before I became leader." His voice hardened. "But as long as I rule, I will not tolerate crimes born from ego or childish superiority."

Every representative, rookie and veteran, lowered their heads.

"You represent our future. You stand beside veterans today... but someday, you will replace them and become the pillars of our clan. So do not do anything that tarnishes the reputation of the Death Clan."

Azzy’s final warning echoed through the hall like a vow: "Carry our name with pride and return without shame. Am I clear?"