Rivers of the Night - Chapter 295

Chapter 295: Grievances [1200 GT Bonus]
“I would like to say something.”

The voice came from the one participant among the First Years that Theron hadn’t spoken to—a member of the Gold Clan who had been quite silent until now.

Maybe because of all the losses the Gold Clan had suffered until now, there was hardly much room left for them to speak. But Theron didn’t believe that was the reason.

Instead, Theron believed that the Gold Clan saw the writing on the wall. With all the oddities that were ongoing, and their close relations with the Black Clan, the Gold Clan was in a better position than most to see through what was happening.

Right now, a storm that could even sweep the Black Clan in was brewing, so the Gold Clan knew not to interfere too greatly.

However, by the same token, soft power was just as important as hard power. The Gold Clan couldn’t afford a loss in this gathering. Their bloodline was far superior to any of their competitors, and though they would take a slight step back in the coming generation, they would come raging forward in the years to come.

Resources alone couldn’t make up for talent.

Still, if their enemies saw this as an opportunity to pounce, that would be a problem for them too. As Theron had once thought, the Black Clan would have to deal with quite a bit of trouble if its five subordinate Provinces attacked all at once. Though they would win, and likely handily, it would still be a hit to their resources and time, and it would eat into their reserves as well.

The Gold Clan was even more susceptible than the Black Clan. They had to make sure that others remembered they were still top dog.

Eating a loss in the academic stream was fine.

But they couldn’t compromise a dominating win in the military stream.

Usually, the military stream might come in a variety of ways. Sometimes it was raw combat, but sometimes it might be Mana control. It might also be comprehension-related or a test of Resonance and how fast one could learn a spell.

But…

“Oh my, another interruption so early on,” Mello coughed a bit awkwardly. It was clear to Theron that he had been ready for yesterday, but this one caught him off guard. “Yes, please speak.”

“I’m of the opinion that too many people have grown relaxed. They’ve forgotten the strength of my Gold Clan. Not long ago, there was even someone who deemed it appropriate to kill one of our own in the middle of the street.”

Riyan Gold spoke with a calm cadence to his breath, his gaze looking out toward no one in particular. There was a steadiness to him that outlined the rage of a slumbering dragon.

Unlike Faustin, nothing about what he was saying was performative. He was well and truly angry, the fury deep in his chest threatening to spill over. There was a radiant Gold Mana coming from his eyes, but he kept it restrained, his voice remaining steady all the while.

“My Gold Clan chose not to retaliate to this provocation not because we fear the Sangun, but because we are not fools. We are aware that cowards of this sort only dare to act so brazenly when they are within the shelter of their own Empire. But this is still a slight that cannot go unpunished.

“Today, I would like to formally ask, on behalf of the Gold Clan, coming humbly to you as a servant of the Black Clan, if we might be able to forego the other methods for the sake of pure combat. I would like the chance to remind the world of the might of the Gold Clan…

“And also take this opportunity to issue a formal declaration of war.

“Once this gathering has been completed, the Gold Empire will march onto the lands of the Sangun and wash them clean with blood.”

Riyan finally looked up, his gaze landing on Elder Kelyne Black.

A heavy silence fell over the arena.

War.

Something had been brewing in the shadows for a very long time, but no one thought it would lead to this point—certainly not so immediately and harshly.

However, it also made sense that the Gold Clan wouldn’t sit idly by and allow this sort of slight to go unpunished. Maybe if they had performed better in the academic stream, it would have still been fine. But after they hadn’t, they understood that this was the world of cultivation.

If you weren’t strong, you were weak. If you had a blade and didn’t use it, it would become dull.

In one moment, you could be a giant atop a mountain looking down on your subjects, and in the next, you could be trampled beneath their feet.

Doom.

Every Gold Clan member in attendance stomped a foot in unison. Their Earth Mana surged and the ground shook. As though a gong from the depths of the world’s core itself had been awakened, the arena quaked.

Elder Kelyne Black still said nothing at all, but the resounding determination of the Gold Clan spoke for itself. The Black Clan didn’t encourage conflict between its subsidiaries, but it obviously didn’t heavily involve itself in it either.

Still, an all-out war was something completely different from skirmishes at the border. But it was clear that Sangun had crossed that boundary long ago—especially when it tried to steal the Blood Crystals of the Nightingale Province.

Still, Theron saw something completely different.

‘A proxy war, huh?’

This wasn’t the Gold Clan spreading its wings. It was almost certainly the Black Clan standing behind them.

“Apologies, Elder Black,” Crown Prince Marcel Gold’s voice cut through the commotion. “My Gold Clan has suffered quite a bit in these last few days, and this little brother of mine spoke out of turn. These are his words, not the words of the Crown.”

“Mm…” Elder Kelyne Black nodded slowly. “…The actions of the Sangun have truly crossed a boundary of cordiality, but the Black Clan does not hope for war in these trying times. At the same time, we will not interfere in your grievances either.

“I will allow this change in hopes that what grievances your Gold Clan does have can be resolved in this way. I will emphasize, though… I will not tolerate any deaths in this gathering. However, in understanding of your passion… I will make an exception for crippling and maiming.

“I will give you all one final chance to decide if this is really what you want.”