Dimensional Descent

Xavnik walked out of the Senate with a light smile on his face, his expression carefree. He walked by the straggling members of the Stalwart Polearm Party without a word, none of them being aware that the young man who had put them in such a state was right before them.

He strolled down the pathways, his demeanor remaining the same. However, when he reached a patch of forest, his steps suddenly paused.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

The voice came from a shadow hidden behind a tree. Despite the fact Xavnik was at most a meter away, it was still difficult to see this person as though they had perfectly fused into the shadows. Still, Xavnik didn't seem to have a very hard time telling who it was.

Smiling lightly, Xavnik shook his head. "I'm not sure what you mean."

The voice remained silent for a long while, but Xavnik didn't move either. It was as though the both of them had entered a state of tacit silence, each probing the other as though to check to see which of them was bluffing more than the other.

"I have to say, it's quite an excellent move. First Nova was just on the verge of becoming a core member of the Stalwart Polearm Party, and now he's effectively wasted more than a decade of effort. Fourth Nova also just managed to gain their favor and promote his Faction to a Legacy Faction as well. If this was you, you've quite effectively crippled two of them."

Xavnik chuckled. "Even if it was me, your conclusion would be too exaggerated, don't you think? Crippling First Nova with just a single move? Is that even possible? Your attempts at probing me are just as terrible as they always are, Second Nova. We both know First Nova well enough to understand that this isn't a setback, it's an opportunity on a silver platter. So, why would I ever do that?"

"Indeed…"

able to see Second Nova's face, the narrowing of his gaze was

Polearm Party might sound like a terrible plight for First Nova, but that was only if their Eldest Nova was incompetent. The only one to truly suffer from this was Fourth Nova, but he was actually foolish enough to follow in the same path as First Nova as though there would be scraps to pick up and make use of. He had

of a Party back to a Legacy Faction, especially a Party with such deep roots and foundations, there would be a chance to capitalize. The heads of former management would likely roll and that would allow new voices to bloom where they would otherwise not

sure that Xavnik had acted, there was actually no way to tell… because the motive was simply too murky. Even he couldn't tell

made it all the more

of both factions had gone back and forth for too long. Even though most of the Morales brothers hadn't chosen to join the Stalwart Polearm Party because First Nova had already staked his claim upon it, that didn't mean that they didn't benefit

their fall,

would lead to less investment in the discipline overall, less techniques

almost insignificant changes in the short term, but in the long term, and on a large scale,

sword fanatics in

was the second reason why Second Nova just couldn't reconcile this matter. The grudge between the Morales family and the Suaird family, the Kings of the Spear and the Kings of the Sword, was just as deep as the grudge between the Morales

who were active members of the Stalwart Polearm Party, and it was likewise for the Suaird family and the Unfettered Blade Party. Crippling the former would be like Xavnik

get rid of that habit of sneaking up

into silence for a moment before