Chapter 500: Intentions

500 Intentions

Town Hall.

The following day, Gore instructed the old mayor to call all the mercenaries and the Magi to the mayor's room. He had to discuss something very important with them.

After returning from the Weeping Woods last night, he had already decided to lead a group of Magi to the ruined manor and take whatever was inside.

Now, he had to formulate a sound battle plan and decide on the date of the attack.

Dozens of mercenaries and Magi gathered at a large, wooden table. The scent of firewood mixed with the fragrance of ink and parchment filled the room, creating a peaceful yet tense atmosphere.

At the head of the table stood the burly Rank 2 Magus with a receding hairline. Beside him stood the mayor and the four town council members.

On one hand, they were glad that Gore had decided to take action so swiftly. But on the other hand, they were displeased by the fact that they, who had lorded over the town for decades, were now reduced to mere attendants.

Alas, they could not voice out their opinions. They could only bottle it up inside them and silently endure any and all disrespect aimed at them.

However, they found solace in knowing that Gore would finally be solving the problem that had been plaguing their town for more than half a year now.

Gore's piercing eyes glowed with an intense light as he gazed at everyone present. The people were afraid to look him in the eye. They could only lower their heads and stand in trepidation.

His presence commanded attention. This was the might of a Mana Liquefaction Magus. The others couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and trepidation in his presence.

Maps and scrolls were spread out on the table. It would appear that the man had been planning the entire night or at least most of it.

Gore's voice was deep and resonant, filling the room as he began to outline the siege of the Howlett Estate. His tone was calm yet authoritative, every word carefully chosen to convey the gravity of the situation.

"We stand on the brink of a great challenge," he began, his dark eyes scanning the faces of all those present.

"The haunted manor in the heart of the Weeping Woods is sprawling with countless wolves!"

A collective gasp could be heard inside the room as everyone gazed at the man with shocked expressions.

"M-My Lord, you... you visited the manor?!" Mayor Hobbs was astonished.

Gore glanced at the man with cold eyes. After visiting that ominous place last night, he was certain that what the old mayor had said to him wasn't false.

It was highly likely that the Howlett Estate contained a great secret. And if it really was the area where a possible Rank 3 Magus was sealed centuries ago, it was very possible for it to hold great treasures.

His eyes softened ever so slightly and he nodded. "Yes, I told you, didn't I? That I would check the validity of your statements myself."

Mayor Hobbs couldn't help but nervously gulp. "W-What did you find?"

Gore's lips curled up into an amused smirk and he patted the old man on the shoulder, "Looks like you were speaking the truth."

"You..." the old mayor's eyes flashed with a strange light. "Did you go inside the manor?"

Gore shook his head. "Unfortunately, I couldn't."

He then looked at the rest of the people gathered and spoke solemnly, "Not only are there innumerable wolves surrounding the Howlett Estate, but there are four werewolves amongst them!"

The people's eyes widened in sheer disbelief as they heard the man's statement.

"Im-Impossible!"

"So the rumors were true!"

"There are indeed werewolves in the woods!"

"Have they been the ones that have been controlling the wolves all this while?!"

"Wait a minute! You said there were four?!"

"We're doomed!!"

Magus Alan, who was standing right next to the mayor, glanced at him with complicated emotions. He couldn't help but mutter in anger, "You... why did you lie to me back then when I asked you about the werewolves?"

Mayor Hobbs smiled wistfully, "Would you have remained in the town if I told you the truth?"

Alan didn't know how to react. It was true that he would have immediately abandoned this place if he had earlier known that the ones responsible for the wolf tide were, in fact, werewolves.

Still, he couldn't help but feel that he was taken advantage of. He glared at the mayor and the town council members, spitting through gritted teeth, "You son of a bitch... were you planning to send us to death?"

"Please, forgive me." The old mayor lowered his head in shame. "As the leader of this town, it is my duty to protect it. But please believe me, I didn't have any unkind intentions toward the Magi and mercenaries that we hired."

Alan didn't trust a word that came out of the mayor's mouth. He was about to yell at him even more when all of a sudden, Gore waved his hand.

"That's enough," he said. "The mayor only did what he believed was right. You cannot blame him for wanting to protect his people."

Speaking such words of righteousness, the people couldn't help but turn silent.

Gore continued, "This is not the time for infighting. We must stand united!"

The mercenaries and Magi listened intently, their faces were mixed with determination and unease.

"Our approach must be precise," Gore began. "The greatest threat we face is not the werewolves, but the enormous horde of wolves. Mowing down their numbers will require not just our collective strength but also our unwavering focus."

He then pointed at specific areas on the map, detailing the positions they would take and the spells they would cast.

As he spoke, the tension in the room grew palpable. The weight of this mission pressed down on them, each Magus acutely aware of the great risks involved.

"We will succeed," Gore confidently declared. "Together we will face the creatures of the night and emerge victorious!"

A wave of hushed discussion rippled through the crowd as they carefully weighed the pros and cons of the battle plan.

Although they didn't dare to back down now, they could still provide valuable insights into the plan that could increase their overall survival rate.

"When do we leave, my lord?" A wizened mercenary asked meekly.

A hint of greed flashed across Gore's eyes and he smirked. "We attack tomorrow at dawn." He then looked at everyone present and asked, "Any other questions?"

"Yes." Suddenly, a calm voice sounded from the other end of the room, towards the back.

Everyone simultaneously turned their head in that direction and found that the one who had just spoken was a young man wearing a black, pointy hat!