77 Hidden Dragon?

"Joanna, I do not know if I will be able to follow that plan." Now sitting down nervously and with some sweat pouring from her face, Maria felt as if something was not right. Almost as if, she had made the wrong decisions up until now to join this group of women and to seek more political power.

"Oh child, do not forget that I was the one who brought you many luxuries and training regiments. The sacrifices for you that I made, was not an easy price to make." Joanna replied as she sat down across from Maria while wearing a sinister grin on her face.

For Jacob to outright tell Maria that her father and Leo would have to be either destroyed or somehow removed from the village and its future, Joanna understood the meaning behind his words.

Jacob was a very cunning young man who had years of growing up under his household that was an extremely formidable existence. Saying what he had said to Maria was also a signal for Joanna to firmly convince Maria that what they were doing was the correct path for her.

"If it is about paying you back for the treatment you have shown me, that would not be an issue. If I could just tell my fath-" before Maria could finish speaking, Joanna slapped her face as she flew across the room in pain.

Though she was not even spitting out a mouthful of blood, Maria was clearly not expecting Joanna to act in such a manner and thus, the slap caused more damage than it should have.

"Must I remind you that although Jacob took a liking to you, I am the true leader of this group?" unleashing a dark aura around her body, Joanna was now presenting her real strength to Maria, and to Maria's surprise, Joanna seemed as strong as her father!

"E-E-Executive level?" filled with fear as if she was being swallowed by the air around her, Maria started to cough out a mouthful of blood as she realized that she was entrapped simply by Joanna unleashing her power, rather than a technique.

"Jacob's household several years ago gifted me a training technique that has given me the strength to reach the executive level of power even before your father was able to. Do not think that I am the only one as well. Right now, Jacob stationed another executive level warrior outside of the village, including the two he will be also sending over to help deal with your father and Leo."

"Do not worry Maria, one day I hope that you will be able to surpass me in raw power. However, for now, you must understand that even if you were to tell your father everything, that it would be no use, and you would also be gravely injured in the process."

With her final words being said and with Maria now completely terrified to the point where she could only go along with the current plan, Joanna hid her aura yet again and helped Maria to her feet. With a hand gesture, two of Joanna's guards started to help Maria return to normal as they headed out back to her father's residence.

"Maria darling! I hope that we can continue being such great friends, and if you ever need anything, please never hesitate to come by!" Joanna now wearing an innocent and bright smile on her face called out to Maria and the escorts.

Hearing Joanna's voice, all of her neighbors now understood that Maria and her were now very close friends. Assuming that everything was normal, the neighbors quickly spread word around the village by the next morning that Joanna and Maria were now very close.

This caused many of Joanna's political enemies within the village reevaluate their current situations as they made their way over to Joanna's residence to hopefully get on her good side. As this was happening, many of the neutral parties around the village also began to pay Joanna a visit as well to try and work with her.

In the span of only three days, not only Maria, but now Joanna was considered by many of the villagers to be unshakable political figures within the village. This was not something that scared anyone, since it was clear that Maria was someone who spoke up for all of the women in the village, while Joanna was a supporter since the beginning of hers.

As each day went by, the women of the village began to get their elemental affinity tests done, as they were then immediately given many volumes of training methods and techniques that matched their element. Though they were not nearly as strong as the men of the village who trained for many years longer, there was a slow and steady rise of strength among the women of the village.

"So Chieftain, I believe it is time to finally try to break open that rock." Leo said in a cheerful manner as they were escorted to the training area where the rock was stationed in by all of the Chieftain's advisers.

"Just remember, if we are able to finally break open that rock using this strategy, not a single villager will think of you as an outsider. I understand that your contributions have been both of quality and quantity, but I believe when we get back from the test, I would like to present something more to you than just becoming a citizen of the village." the Chieftain said as the advisers near the two men that were speaking started to break away slowly from them to give them some more privacy.