Just like all the other top clans in the Dark Faction, those that had arrived from the Erupting Fist Clan were also covered in wounds and didn't look to be in the best shape.
When looking around further, they could see it wasn't just the top clans, though. They could also see the lower Pagna warrior clans.
Those that were powerful, not quite considered the top five, but still had considerable strength.
They too had been greatly injured. One of the merchants, named Boom, was sitting in his sedan chair, pleasantly eating grapes over his large belly, but he stopped as he realized what was happening around him.
Then he saw the Ferocious Beetle Clan appear by his side, the leader badly hurt, with a bandage around his head.
He was a middle-stage warrior and one of the strongest clan leaders outside of the top five in the faction.
"Herbee, can you explain what's happening?" Boom asked. "Was there some type of war or battle that occurred that I wasn't aware of?"
Herbee, the leader of the Ferocious Beetle Clan, looked over his shoulder, surveying all the other clans.
"You could say that… you could say that in a week, there was a war going on in the Dark Faction that no one else had a clue about." Herbee then touched the wound on his head.
"All of them were so strong. Some of them were Hybrids, others… I don't even know how to describe it… and before we knew it, it was happening to every single significant clan in the Dark Faction."
"What do you mean? How could there be so many fights, a war right under our noses, and the public was unaware of it?" Boom asked.
Herbee shuddered to think of the scale of the invasion. He had been attacked by what looked like a sweet, innocent girl.
The whole clan went up against her, but she used a strange sword that ignited her power.
Any scratch made on her body, any mark or damage of significance, all of it disappeared.
Not only that, but the girl they fought never seemed to tire. There was an endless amount of Qi building up more and more.
"If such a war happened, then why are you all still alive?" Boom asked.
"That's what I don't understand either. They essentially claimed to take over the clan. They told us to listen to what they wanted, or they would attack again."
"They took the clan's artifacts, they're in control of the clans, but they've allowed us to continue operating as we have before."
"Then I got a message from them, saying to come here. I wouldn't have dared to deny it, which is why I'm here now."
There was more to Herbee's story. Originally, after the girl had let him live, he tried to contact the other clans, to warn them or to plan an attack against the invaders.
Little did he know, the forces were spread wide. They had more than just one powerful warrior, and all the clans were being taken out.
Some of the clans he contacted had already gone through what he had and refused to even try going against the enemy attacking them.
It was well-coordinated, and there were even those from within the clans fighting against them.
"Then who did all of this? Was it the Light Faction, the Demonic Faction, or maybe even the Dark Magus?"
A lot of people in the courtyard were starting to think the same things. They were noticing the same things and having the same conversation that Herbee and Boom were having right now.
After learning that the Dark Magus was responsible for attacking the Dark Faction, they had to assume it was him.
"No one claimed to be the Dark Magus; we never saw such a person," Herbee stated. "I asked the other clans; we even had a meeting before coming here."
"All the attackers were different, and some of them… we recognized… they were from the Dark Faction."
"You recognized the attackers? Then you should know who called this meeting, right? Who was it? Who was it?" Boom asked.
There was silence from Herbee. How could he say who the attackers were? He couldn't say it out loud, or they might think he was mad.
It was impossible to say that it was them.
"Hey, look, more people are here. Who invited them?" one of the merchants said, pointing his finger at the group.
As for the group of people that had entered the courtyard, it was the students of the Dark Faction, followed by the Crimson Crane and more.
All of Raze's built-up allies had arrived, causing more confusion. Some recognized the Crimson Crane, making them think their suspicions were correct, that it had to be the Dark Magus.
However, why were there students—students they had seen during the Dark Faction's own event that had played out?
"This is an important meeting; we can't have students here," the merchant continued.
That was until one of the clan heads pulled out a sword and pressed it right up against the man's neck.
"You shut up, you keep your mouth shut right now! And don't say another damn word."
The man was frightened. What would cause the clan member to act ?
Amir then jumped out to the forefront of the group and continued to walk, leading the others behind him.
Eventually, they got to the platform at the front, and those who traveled with him spread out to look at all the others. The representatives from the kingdoms, the merchants were looking at each other, wondering why the Crimson Crane, members from the Demonic Faction and others were all standing on the platform that was meant for the principal to make announcements, and why Amir was by their side.
However, none of the Clans said anything.
"You wanted an answer, right?" Herbee said. "As for who attacked us, well, your answer is all of them on the platform right now.
"How could I say it… that our whole clan was annihilated… by a student?" Herbee said, looking right at Safa.