Chapter 13 The Hunt

Marquise Laxus sat impatiently at his desk, tapping his fingers on the wooden surface.

It has been weeks since he heard any news from Lucas, his hired assassin.

It was unlike Lucas to not report back, and the silence was making Laxus anxious.

What could have happened to Lucas?

Did he fail his mission?

Or was he captured by Maximus' men?

Laxus couldn't shake off the feeling that something was not right.

As he pondered over the possibilities, Laxus realized that Maximus may have a hidden force that he was not aware of.

His gut feeling told him that there was more to this lowly mage than he had initially thought.

Maximus' ability to transform barren land into fertile ones was not the work of an ordinary mage.

Laxus knew that he had to find out what Maximus was hiding, and he began to consider other options.

Perhaps he could send in more spies or hire another assassin.

However, he needed a safer and more subtle approach.

Then, an idea struck him. He decided to spread rumors about Maximus' treasure that can turn a land fertile.

Marquise knew that news travels fast in the kingdom, and he hoped that someone would take the bait and come forward to investigate.

This way, Laxus could see what trump cards Maximus had hidden up his sleeve.

Marquise quickly dispatched his most trusted messenger to spread the word.

The messenger was instructed to visit local taverns and markets and spread the news.

The messenger was warned to be discreet and not attract any attention to himself.

Days passed, and the Marquise received no news of any progress.

He grew more impatient and frustrated by the day.

Laxus wondered if anyone had taken the bait or if the messenger had failed to deliver the message.

Just when he was about to give up hope, a report arrived.

One of Laxus' spies had overheard a conversation in a tavern about Maximus' treasure.

The spy reported that a group of mercenaries were hired by someone to investigate and see if the rumors were true.

Laxus was ecstatic.

Days turned into weeks, and Laxus received no further news.

He began to worry that the nobles hired mercenary had failed, or worse, had been caught by Maximus' men.

He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was not right.

Back in his castle, Laxus couldn't help but frown.

He now knew what Maximus was hiding was bigger than he imagined.

...

Maximus sat in his study, pouring over a stack of parchments and maps.

His attention was suddenly interrupted by the sound of his door creaking open.

He looked up to see his trusted advisor, Gerald, entering the room.

"My Lord, the monitoring system you established has been frequently ringing alarms as spies and assassins have been entering the city, and rumors have been spreading about a treasure in your possession capable of transforming barren land into fertile fields," reported Gerald, his face reflecting his concern.

Maximus let out a deep sigh.

The word about a treasure, which was actually just the crystal boom he bought for 10 gold points, had evidently spread farther than he had anticipated.

"Thank you for the reminder, Gerald. I'll take care of it," Maximus said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice.

Maximus became increasingly annoyed with the constant stream of interruptions.

He had worked hard to create a life of leisure and success for himself, and he wasn't about to let a bunch of hired killers ruin it for him.

He spent less time with his wife and more time out and about, trying to catch the assassins before they could even get close to him.

As the days went by, Maximus became more and more exasperated with the predicament he found himself in.

One day, he summoned Phantom, the leader of the spy group he created called the Phantom Group, and presented a plan to uncover the source of the rumors.

The Phantom Group spent several days investigating and analyzing information, and eventually, they discovered that the rumors had originated from the nearby Marquise Laxus.

Marquise Laxus believed that he was being clever by spreading rumors about Maximus' supposed treasure.

He had hoped to expose any hidden trump cards that Maximus may have possessed.

Unfortunately for him, his plan had backfired tremendously.

When Maximus discovered that Marquise Laxus was the culprit behind the rumors, he was infuriated.

In the past week, he had been dealing with the consequences of Laxus' actions, which had significantly impacted his good business.

Maximus thought with cold eyes."You thought you could outsmart me, but you were wrong. Now, you will pay the price for your arrogance."

...

Maximus had always been a man of foresight.

Before the war had started he started forming a group of assassins and spies.

He knew that his power and wealth would inevitably attract enemies, He didn't expect it to be useful now.

In the ongoing war about the magic crystal mine, Maximus's group of assassins and spies had been slowly growing, spreading throughout the empire.

Although their number was small, consisting of just over 100 members, they were highly trained and equipped with useful alchemy and mechanical items.

Maximus spared no expense in ensuring that they were well-equipped to carry out their tasks.

The group was divided into two factions: the assassins, who were responsible for eliminating threats to Maximus, and the spies, who gathered intelligence on potential threats and kept a watchful eye on the empire.

Despite their small number, Maximus's group of assassins and spies was highly effective.

They were able to infiltrate even the most heavily guarded of castles and take out their targets with ease.

Maximus made sure that his group operated in secrecy, so no one knew about their existence except himself.

Maximus had been very careful in selecting his group of assassins and spies.

He handpicked each member, making sure that they were loyal to him and his cause.

As the group grew in numbers and strength, they started spreading throughout the empire, keeping an eye on all potential threats.

Their equipment made it possible for this group to monitor a large area from the smallest villages to the largest estates.

They could intercept messages and track the movements of potential threats, making sure that they were always one step ahead.

Maximus was proud of this group as they were a testament to his foresight and his willingness to do whatever it takes to protect his territory.

...

Phantom Group had been planning their attack on Marquis Laxus' castle for a week.

They had studied the layout of the castle, analyzed the habits of the guards, and developed a strategy that was sure to succeed.

The day of the attack finally arrived, and the assassins moved smoothly and quietly through the castle, completely undetected.

Laxus, exhausted from the previous day's activities, had retired to his chambers early, leaving the castle in the hands of his trusted advisors and guards.

Unbeknownst to him, the assassins had already infiltrated the castle, using their alchemy items to seamlessly with the staff or the surrounding land.

They moved with the precision and speed of a well-oiled machine, taking out guards and advisors without a sound.

As they approached Laxus' chambers, the assassins knew that they had to be especially careful.

Laxus was known to be paranoid and had taken great pains to fortify his chambers against any possible attack.

As they got closer, Laxus was alerted and tried to rouse in his sleep, but it was too late.

The assassins moved quickly and efficiently, silencing him before he could even scream.

With Laxus dead, the assassins retreated from the castle, slipping out undetected just as they had arrived.