As Jin Mo stood silently in the back of the grand hall, the air seemed thick with tension. His mind, a whirlwind of thoughts, struggled to keep up with the storm of emotions coursing through him. His father, the Patriarch of the Mo Sect, spoke with the weight of authority that could crush even the strongest of wills. Every word he uttered carried the power to shape destinies, and as he scanned the room, Jin Mo could feel the force of his gaze like a tangible presence.
The elders, each a seasoned veteran of both martial and political struggles, were visibly uncomfortable. Even they, who had faced countless challenges, exchanged uneasy glances at the mention of the war. The Patriarch's words were sharp, his disdain clear, but it was what followed that sent shockwaves through the room.
"The Emperor... is an idiot," the Patriarch said, his voice flat and unyielding.
A stunned silence swept through the hall, like a cold wind cutting through a warm summer's day. Jin Mo's heart skipped a beat. The Emperor—the ruler of the entire continent—was a figure of immense power and influence. To speak so bluntly about him, especially in the presence of the clan, was unheard of. Emperor Kim Ryu was a godlike figure, untouchable, even in the eyes of those who held great power like his father. Yet here was the Patriarch, renowned for his wisdom and strength, boldly dismissing him.
The elders, usually so composed, shifted uncomfortably in their seats, their faces tight with a mixture of disbelief and unease. The Patriarch was not one to make such remarks lightly. It was clear they weren't prepared for such words.
"The war wouldn't have happened if he'd just kept his mouth shut," the Patriarch continued, his voice tinged with an edge of frustration. His words were like daggers, striking at the very heart of the Emperor's arrogance.
Jin Mo's eyes widened. His thoughts began to race as he tried to make sense of the situation. The Emperor, so often spoken of with reverence, had made a grave misstep. The tension in the room grew thicker, the weight of the Patriarch's words pressing down on everyone present. This wasn't just a political conversation—it was a revelation.
The eldest elder, Ren, one of the most seasoned among them, spoke up, his voice cautious but filled with curiosity. "What happened, Patriarch?"
The Patriarch's expression darkened, his gaze becoming distant as though replaying the painful memories of the past. "There was a small dispute between Emperor Kim Ryu and the Blood Sect from the Devil's Domain. His ego, his damned pride, let the confrontation spiral out of control. And it led to war."
Jin Mo's mind spun as the pieces began to fall into place. He had heard whispers of the Blood Sect—infamous for their dark practices and cruelty—but hearing that their conflict with the Emperor had escalated into a full-scale war was unsettling. The Blood Sect was no trivial threat.
The Patriarch's voice remained steady, but there was an undeniable weight to it, a depth of experience that could not be ignored. "This dispute had been brewing for years, even before I was born. The Emperor and the Blood Sect had been clashing, but it was Kim Ryu's impulsive actions that turned a simmering tension into all-out war."
Jin Mo's thoughts sharpened. He had always known the Emperor to be reckless, but this... this was a different level of irresponsibility. To provoke a faction as dangerous as the Blood Sect was nothing short of madness.
The Patriarch's grim tone cut through the room. "For five long years, we fought the Blood Sect. The Mo Sect, the Fang Sect, and the Wolf Sect, we were the ones on the frontlines, while the Emperor sat in his palace, untouched by the suffering. Fang Sect's Patriarch Zorin Fang, Wolf Sect's Patriarch Rurik Wolf, and I, we led the charge. Day after day, we fought, while the Emperor did nothing."
Jin Mo's mind whirled with the weight of his father's words. Five years. Five years of bloodshed, and the Emperor had not once lifted a finger. The Mo Sect had bled for a cause that had not even been theirs to begin with.
"The losses were staggering," the Patriarch continued, his voice low with bitterness. "We lost more than we could count. Outnumbered, outmatched, but we fought on. I personally killed the Vice-Patriarch of the Blood Sect—struck a significant blow to their ranks. But Valthor Crimson, their leader, he escaped. We couldn't stop him."
Jin Mo's heart clenched. The sheer sacrifice that had been made, and yet the enemy had slipped through their fingers. It was a harsh reminder of the cruel nature of war.
The Patriarch's expression grew colder, his fists tightening. "We won, yes. But the price was steep. The Blood Sect may have been defeated, but they are far from gone. And Valthor Crimson, the leader, is still out there. A lingering threat, a shadow that looms over us all."
Jin Mo's eyes flicked toward his siblings, each of them silent, their faces a mirror of the gravity of the situation. The Mo Sect, the once untouchable pillar of power, had been dragged into a war that nearly broke them. And all of it was the fault of a boy Emperor, too immature and impulsive to see the consequences of his actions.
Jin Mo's thoughts turned inward. The Ryuzen continent is home to three great sects—the Mo Sect, the Fang Sect, and the Wolf Sect—all of whom serve the Emperor. Kim Ryu is a 16-year-old ruler, known for his inflated ego and lack of wisdom. He's dangerous, selfish, reckless. His immaturity could destroy the entire continent. Jin Mo's grip on his thoughts tightened as he processed the depth of the Emperor's failure.
The Emperor's actions had nearly cost them everything. And Jin Mo knew, deep down, that they would have to pay a heavier price if things didn't change.
The Patriarch's voice broke through his thoughts, and he saw the man shift in his seat, his gaze hardening. "Enough of this. There's more important news to discuss."
The murmurs in the room faded into silence, the clan members now fully attentive, their eyes fixed on the Patriarch. His tone, resolute and commanding, left no room for doubt.
"I have some important news," he declared, and the room held its breath, awaiting the next words that would shape the Mo Sect's future.