Cervantez's victory came as a shock to many, as he, like Leo, was an open qualified candidate, meaning he had never received proper education from universities.
For the past two decades, the royal universities had fostered the belief amongst the masses that only through structured training could talents blossom.
It was the royal universities which decided whether one had the aptitude or not to be enrolled into their esteemed programs, and if one could not make the cut, it was these same universities that labeled them as second rate talents.
If one felt discontent with the evaluation of the royal universities, the only platform they had to showcase the fact that they could become a great warrior even without receiving proper education, it was the Grand Tournament.
However, In the last 20 years, there had not been a single champion from the open candidates, making the qualification of two open qualified candidates into the semi-finals a significant event.
It was almost a signal that times were changing, as the hegemony of the Royal Academies seemed to be coming to an end.
However, while two open candidates making it to the semi finals was a big event, three of them making it was just borderline insane– as Lin Mu's upset victory over Randy the mage sent the crowd over the edge of their seats.
Hailed as a genius of the mage academy, Randy was one of the favorites to win the grand tournament, however, he was cut down to size by a spirited Lin Mu who wanted to win the Grand Tournament and then forfeit her wish to her love 'Jin'.
Since the Night Guild was already being handled by the Virex Corps, the only other desire that Lin Mu had now was to see her future husband happy.
This meant that the penultimate match-up of the grand tournament was Cervantez facing 'TheBoss', while Luke took on Lin.
*********
( Meanwhile Dem Paltrow )
Dem Paltrow sat in the dimly lit chamber at the heart of the Night Guild's hidden headquarters in StrongHaven City.
The room was draped in shadows, with flickering candlelight casting an eerie glow on the stone walls.
His fingers drummed impatiently on the mahogany table before him, an elaborate piece adorned with intricate carvings of mythical beasts, as he impatiently waited for his right hand man Hollard to return with an important report on the situation of their guild.
Ever since the rumors about Ben Faulkner killing the Royal Counselor had began to spread throughout StrongHaven, the Night Guild members were forced to go into hiding as the Virex Corps began hunting them like hounds.
It was a hopeless situation for the guild, as while they did not understand why they were dragged into this mess, apparently, they were taking all the unnecessary aggro.
Eventually, the heavy wooden door to the room creaked open, and Hollard stepped in, his face grim and his movements precise as Dem's cold, calculating eyes shifted to his right-hand man, immediately sensing the gravity of the news Hollard bore.
"Hollard," Dem greeted, his voice a low rumble, "What does the situation outside look like?" He asked, as Hollard slowly approached the table, his steps making a very faint sound which was unlike his usual walk, which conveyed to Dem that his most trusted man was in tangible distress.
Stopping a few paces from Dem, Hollard bowed slightly as a gesture of respect as he said "Guildmaster, we are facing a dire situation. The Virex Corps are hunting our members like hounds, the situation outside is not good at all.
We have lost 12 men for sure, while we can't establish contact with 20 others.
We also fear that 35 have abandoned the guild in these tough times and have gone rogue.
We are literally crumbling apart–"
Dem's fingers ceased their drumming, as he leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Give me the details." he said, as his eyebrows creased into a frown.
"Our operatives are being captured or killed at an alarming rate," Hollard continued, his voice steady but laced with tension.
"The Virex Corps are relentless, showing no mercy.
Currently, as per your orders many of our men are in hiding, but it's only a matter of time before they are found.
Nobody can escape those mad dogs of the Emperor for too long. They have a knack for finding out rats in hiding–
The unskilled one's will not make it past midnight" Hollard said, as Dem's jaw tightened listening to the report, prompting him to rise from his seat and pace around the room.
"I am well aware of the reason behind their aggression. The rumors about Ben Faulkner and the Royal Counselor's assassination have thrown us into the Emperor's crosshairs. It's a baseless accusation, but one we are helpless to deny." Dem said, as he gritted his teeth in anger.
The entire Assassin world was built on the trust of one's words.
If Dem openly denied that Ben Faulkner was not a member of the Night Guild, it would cast a long shadow of doubt over the guild's credibility.
The trust that clients placed in their word would be shattered as for years, the Night Guild had built its reputation on reliability and discretion.
Now if the news broke out that they could lie about something as significant as their association with a legendary assassin like Ben Faulkner, who would ever believe them again? Potential clients would question every transaction, every promise.
How could anyone pay them with confidence, expecting their targets to be eliminated, knowing that the guild might fabricate such crucial details?
On the other hand, remaining silent in the face of these accusations would lead to a relentless hunt by the Virex Corps.
The Emperor's men, driven by the belief that the Night Guild harbored the Royal Counselor's killer, would show no mercy.
Each day, more members would fall, captured or killed in this unjust purge and the guild's ranks would dwindle, their operational capacity severely crippled, leaving them vulnerable and exposed.
Dem found himself to be caught in this impossible dilemma and it gave him a headache as denying the allegations would destroy the guild's hard-earned reputation and future viability, while failing to deny them would result in the systematic eradication of his operatives.
It was a precarious balance between preserving the guild's honor and ensuring the survival of its members.
"We have to do something, we have to somehow clear our name from this mess-" Dem said, sounding extremely frustrated as he grinded his teeth audibly.
"Indeed," Hollard affirmed. "Our denials fall on deaf ears tho— The Emperor is convinced of our involvement, and the Virex Corps will not stop until they believe justice is served, those mad dogs are just irrational.
They won't stop until their master tells them to" Hollard said, as his words made Dem shudder involuntarily.
The Virex Corps were just too ruthless, those mad dogs did not stop for anyone or anything as they systematically executed anyone that the Emperor wanted them to execute.
Unbound by laws and having the freedom to operate in broad daylight, they were basically an assassin guild running under a glorified license as at their core they were all just cold blooded killers just like assassin's.
Thinking about those dogs, Dem stopped pacing and turned to face Hollard, his expression a mask of controlled fury as he said "We cannot afford this. Our guild's very survival is at stake. If the Virex Corps continues their hunt, we'll be exposed and annihilated."
Hollard nodded, his face reflecting the severity of their predicament. "What are your orders, Guildmaster?"
"First, we need to secure our remaining members. Instruct them to lie low, avoid confrontations, and prioritize survival.
Second, we must find a way to contact Lin Mu, she has won the semi-finals, let's have her win the finals and use her wish to absolve us of our crimes or something–" Dem said, as he placed all his hopes on Lin Mu, not even understanding that she was the source of all his troubles in the first place.
"I'll see it done." Hollard said, bowing as he prepared to execute the orders.
As Hollard turned to leave, Dem's voice stopped him. "And Hollard," Dem said, his tone icy, "be careful. The Virex Corps will not stop until they believe justice is served. We cannot afford any mistakes…. You cannot fall in their hands" Dem reminded as Hollard nodded his head in acknowledgement, understanding the gravity of the situation he was in.
Meeting Dem's gaze, Hollard gave him a silent promise of unwavering loyalty and determination. "I understand, Guildmaster. I'll ensure our survival." he said, as with that, he left the chamber, leaving Dem alone with his thoughts.
With nobody else in the room, the flickering candlelight in the corner cast long shadows on the walls, mirroring the emotions that Dem currently felt.
Dem knew that the Night Guild's path forward was fraught with danger, but he also knew that he would stop at nothing to protect his guild and reclaim their safety.
"Fucking Ben Faulkner…. Fuck him-" he said, as he felt rage bubbling inside him, just thinking about that guy who made his life a living hell ever since he had left his job as a doorman.
"I should've killed him…. I should've killed the old man when I had the chance…. I should've…." Dem said regretfully, as he truly regretted his choice of not killing Ben Faulkner while he was still fat and out of shape, when he was working as a doorman.
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/// A/N - Bonus chapter for hitting the GT Target, good job everyone! ///