Unsealing Emptiness

The scroll had a red stamp over it with the mercenary guild’s stamp. Others didn’t seem surprised because they were already aware of it.

“I told you that I will not accept any invitations, Irvin.” Ozul found it bothersome since he knew that he wouldn’t ally with any of them anyway.

Instead of putting the invitation away like he usually did, Irvin insisted, “No no, Young Master. This is different.”

“Hmm?” Ozul looked at the scroll. The point that it was sent by the mercenary guild was the only special thing about it. He asked, “What is it about?”

“It’s the invitation for the Tournament,” Irvin answered.

However, Ozul looked just as confused as he did before. He hadn’t heard of any tournament before.

.....

“I guess you haven’t heard of it before, Young Master. The Tournament of Egon happens every 50 years,” Irvin explained after he remembered that Ozul was relatively decades younger than any other Rank-9 Mage.

“Every 50 years?” Ozul muttered. Every 50 years meant that a new generation would be able to participate each time.

“Yes, Young Master. As you might have already guessed, the tournament is only a show for the strong to display the strength of their young blood, while it is an opportunity for the humble ones.” Irvin briefly explained.

Ozul raised his brow at his explanation. He hadn’t heard of this before, but such a thing wasn’t so unexpected either.

“How does it work?” Ozul asked. The other members one by one started to leave the room under Haley’s instructions.

“It is a long tournament actually. It takes months till things reach their conclusion. First of all, there are small tournaments in towns and villages. The winners of those areas go directly to the tournament at the kingdom’s level. And at last, there is a final round that pits the strongest from all around the continent...,” Irvin explained. It was as if he had memorized all the rules.

“All of that aside, who organizes it?” Ozul could not help but ask.

It was a wonder if some separate faction could actually make all the other factions accept their judgment or rules. There weren’t many such organizations capable enough that he could think of right now.

“For that, Young Master, we can say that the mercenary guild plays a huge role in it. Although, they are not alone. The Ashin Family, Leonhard Dynasty, and the Church are also representatives.” Irvin couldn’t help but feel gleeful. Others might not know, but he was well aware of their circumstances with the Ashin family.

The only other person who knew of his relationship with the Ashin family was Haley. The fewer people knew about it, the better.

“So, what is this invitation for?” Ozul didn’t understand. They were only an illegal organization that collected information from all over the world, were they invited to send their men to participate as well?

“Uh...?” Irvin motioned towards the scroll to ask for permission to read it since he hadn’t opened it yet either. He was also curious about the contents of the letter.

Ozul nodded his head as Irvin opened the scroll and started reading the letter. A few moments later, Irvin finished reading everything as he closed the scroll and said, “The letter just says that it would be ideal if we participated, but even if we didn’t, they would like it that we came to observe the event.”

Hearing his words, Ozul started to contemplate. He couldn’t think of any reason for the mercenary guild to invite them specifically. This invitation meant that they would have a special spot in the tournament like all other prominent factions.

‘Unless...’ In the end, he concluded that it might not be the mercenary guild. Sure, they were organizing the event, but it didn’t mean that they would decide on all the matters. Many of those Rank-9 Mages had been trying to have a meeting with him, but he had declined all of them.

With a couple of them supporting the decision of inviting a new-formed organization such as theirs, it wouldn’t be a surprise that they would have to give in to their demands.

And Ozul’s guess was perfectly on spot, these people had been hoping that this tournament would give them a chance to meet with him. Even when some of them weren’t so set at making him an ally, they couldn’t let others poach him either.

“Hmm...” Ozul’s mind gears again started to work. He couldn’t decide if it was worth joining or not.

“I suggest we don’t turn down this opportunity, Young Master. Those who still think low of us would be forced to change their opinion once we make our appearance there,” Haley advised when she noticed that Ozul was unsure about accepting the invitation.

Ozul didn’t pay her words any heed since he didn’t need other’s recognition to achieve what he wanted. However, he still nodded his head and said, “I will think about it.”

“If that is all...” Ozul stood up, about to go back to his room. But before leaving, he had to ask, “When does the tournament start?”

“In two months, Young Master,” Irvin quickly replied.

Ozul nodded his head and went upstairs.

After he had left, Oliver could not help but sigh as he muttered, “Sigh... Why is he hesitating to accept? I might not be so knowledgeable about them, but I at least know that those other Rank-9 Mages don’t even compare to him.”

Even he could tell that Ozul was strong even compared to other Rank-9 Mages. Oliver knew how he was able to hunt three Rank-9 Beasts on his own!

“Our Young Master isn’t afraid of them. He just finds it a bother to go there,” Irvin defended Ozul.

“I know, but it wouldn’t be that bothersome to talk with Rank-9 Mages, right?” Oliver said lazily. He also knew that Ozul tended to avoid annoying matters as much as possible.

“Say that after you have had a chat with one,” Irvin said before taking his leave. Following his lead, Haley also left the room leaving Oliver to pout as he muttered, “Why so serious all the time...”

——–

Ozul went back to his room which had enough space for more than 20 people to be able to sleep comfortably.

As he laid on the bed, Ozul began to think his future plans through. Just then, Jinx also jumped on the bed and laid near him.

Earlier, he had planned to start developing the organization to the point where they would have their spies in other organizations. However, he knew that it was a long term process again. No one knew how much time it would take and if it would even yield any results or not.

‘I have been thinking too much of finding clues about those weird runes that I haven’t done anything to get closer to obtaining my arms at all...’ Ozul again started to feel a little disappointed at his progress.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have put so much focus on the organization?’ he considered allowing the three to decide almost all the decisions. However, it wasn’t practical to hand over all the authority to only three people, two of whom had yet to advance to Rank-8.

“But how can I even get close to my arms...” there were not only tens of deadly formations set up at the Church and the Royal Palace, but there were also Rank-9 Mages at both of these areas that he knew had his arms.

If either the formations or the Rank-9 Mages were not present, he could give it a go and take the risk. But it was also not so easy as it sounded since the Emperor and the leader of the Church rarely left their place.

“I will have to create an opportunity...” Ozul muttered. There was no other way. He couldn’t just sit tight and wait for a chance to get his arms back. He had to take the risks, or who knows? He might have to wait for decades.

‘Wait. Opportunity...’ suddenly his own words repeated inside his mind. He remembered Irvin using the word just a little while ago.

“How could I miss that? I guess I am getting rusty with age...” Ozul realized that he already had the opportunity!

Without waiting for another moment, he went out of his room and found Irvin on the floors below.

Irvin was also surprised when he suddenly popped up beside his work desk. Though he hurriedly stood up and bowed before asking, “What can I do for you, Young Master?”

“Will the other Rank-9 Mages come to watch the event?” Ozul inquired.

Though Irvin was surprised at his sudden interest, he quickly collected himself and answered, “Y-yes, Young Master. If not all, most of the Rank-9 Mages from all over the continent tend to join at least the finals.”

“Perfect. Alright, inform the mercenary guild that I accepted the invitation,” Ozul said with an eagerness that couldn’t be felt from him before.

Irvin didn’t know what had suddenly made Ozul so excited, but he quickly nodded his head and refrained from asking any questions.

Satisfied, Ozul went back to his room. Though his face still retained its stony look, Jinx immediately felt the improvement in his mood as she stared at him for a couple of seconds as if wondering the reason for it.

Ozul laid beside it again.

‘Now later, I will just confirm Raymond if the Emperor would be really coming...’ he had been so eager because this was a perfect opportunity for him to get his arms back! Though it was only his guess that the Royal Palace should have at least one of his arms.

He closed his eyes to sleep. Tomorrow he would leave to meet Raymond or Alver.

‘... Weird... I again feel as if I am forgetting something...’