Chapter 345: No Wonder

Inside the grand chambers of the Church of the Three Paragons, the Three Cardinals gathered around a large, ornate table.

Cardinal Sophia, the wise and perceptive leader, Cardinal Lucius, the charismatic and persuasive diplomat, and Cardinal Marcus, the stalwart and courageous warrior, exchanged concerned glances as they contemplated the recent turn of events.

The failure of the Thunder Emperor to retrieve the Divine Sword from Vermont Academy weighed heavily on their minds.

What was even more troubling was the fact that the Headmaster of the Vermont Academy used some sort of manipulation spell on the Thunder Emperor, making him like a puppet under his control.

The Academy had completely thwarted their plans, leaving them no closer to obtaining the powerful relic.

Cardinal Sophia, her voice filled with determination, broke the silence. "We've got all the reports about the Mountain Bandit's condition. Jean Hoffman, the Headmaster of Vermont Academy, has proven to be a formidable adversary. Not killing that Bandit was such a great move... We underestimated his cunning and influence. I thought he would only be as strong as that old Charles."

She paused momentarily as she looked at the other two's expressions before continuing. "But we cannot let this setback deter us from our ultimate goal. The Divine Sword must not fall into the wrong hands."

Cardinal Lucius, his eyes ablaze with fervor, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, we must adapt our strategy. The Headmaster's control over the Thunder Emperor, or that Bandit, is a grave concern. I think we should try and regain control of him. Jean might be expecting this to happen, so we have to be careful. We can't just kill the Mountain Bandit since he should still possess vital information about the location of the Divine Sword."

Cardinal Marcus, his grip tightening on the hilt of his staff, spoke with conviction. "I will assemble a team of our most skilled operatives. We shall infiltrate Mountain Bandit's base, rescue that foolish person... Then, we'll reclaim the Divine Sword with our full force. If we have to flatten the Vermont Academy, we must do it."

Cardinal Sophia hesitated, but she still nodded. "Yes, but we must proceed with caution. The Academy's defenses are formidable, and the Headmaster's influence runs deep. Isaac was also a big problem. We've tried buying information about him, but it's not going well."

The Three Cardinals exchanged nods, their resolve unyielding. They knew that their quest to retrieve the Divine Sword was not only crucial for the Church's cause but also for the balance of power between the Five Churches and the Twelve Arcane Factions.

Cardinal Sophia thought for a moment before outlining the plan in her mind. "We will gather intelligence, we can consider recruiting allies within the Academy, and strike when the time is right. The Headmaster's hold over the Mountain Bandit must be broken, and the Divine Sword must be secured. Our operatives shall be prepared for any challenge that lies ahead."

As the Cardinals dispersed, each taking on their respective roles in the intricate web of their mission, a sense of determination and anticipation filled the air.

They knew that the path ahead would be treacherous, but they were unwavering in their commitment to retrieve what was rightfully theirs.

Of course, they also kept cursing the Masked Devil, who had completely disappeared after the incident. As a matter of fact, the three of them were already suspecting that the Masked Devil was actually the Headmaster of the Academy, but none of them dared to mention this yet.

***

In the meantime, Isaac Vermont, unaware of the Church's renewed determination, was getting bored. Jean asked him a favor to guard the base of the Thunder Emperor while he returned to the Academy.

He was watching over Thunder Emperor's movement for several months... However, the people who had hired this person had never appeared.

"I guess this bait is not working, huh... Should I make my move?" Isaac muttered to himself.

However, after some thought, he immediately shook his head. He knows that the Secret Organization, or whoever was behind the Thunder Emperor, would soon make their move.

He just had to be patient.

Unfortunately, even after several weeks had passed, the enemies did not make their move.

"I underestimated their caution," Isaac muttered, frustration evident in his voice.

"But I mustn't let impatience cloud my judgment. They will reveal themselves soon, and when they do, I will be waiting." He said as he comfortably reclined on his chair.

After another day had passed, Isaac realized that he had to do something...

'The Church should have three Ancient Relics of the Three Paragons... They don't have the pocketwatch and lost possession of the divine sword. As for the third item...'

Isaac's eyes lit up as he finally understood what he should do.

He sent his subordinates to find out about this item.

While he had little personal interest in the items left by the Three Paragons, he recognized their significance as potential sources of information about the Church's plans and the Secret Organization's motives.

Soon, he got hold of rumors and whispers within the underworld that hinted at the existence of the third Divine Item, known as the Creation Ring.

It was indeed not in possession of the Church, and they were also searching for it. The one their Pontiff wore seemed to be just a replica of the original Creation Ring.

Its powers were said to be shrouded in mystery, capable of granting unimaginable abilities to its wielder. Isaac knew that uncovering the secrets of this ring could provide invaluable insights into the plans of both the Church and the Secret Organization.

"Creation Ring..." Isaac muttered.

With renewed determination, he dispatched his informants to scour ancient texts, hidden archives, and underground markets in search of any leads on the Creation Ring.

It was a race against time as the Cardinals of the Church continued their preparations, unaware of Isaac's shift in focus.

Days turned into weeks, and Isaac's informants finally unearthed a cryptic clue about the whereabouts of the Creation Ring.

"No wonder Jean wanted Vale to participate in that deadly competition..."