The vampire mage now stared at the young human who stood in front of him with contempt.
"So you're my well-wisher." spoke Kahn as he gave a gentle smile.
"You human vermin! You have no idea how many people you've enraged by saving this brat's life and thwarting our plans.
Start counting your remaining days!" declared the old mage.
"Well.. Not the first time I've had such a rude greeting. But unlike you, I come bearing gifts." said Kahn coyly and suddenly, he threw a round white object in front of the now tied up mage.
This round object was a head that belonged to someone this mage had used as a chess piece for targeting Kahn & his company since they couldn't openly attack him without raising the suspicion of the Pureblood Faction.
It was the snakekin, Houdini Warsmeich.
The blood-oath token applied only on him, Omega and Jugram. But it didn't work on Ceril & Armin who hadn't taken part in the ritual. So Kahn had Ceril do the work and brought the snakekin's head as a parting gift.
Kahn chose to kill the snakekin who easily switched sides under small pressure. Because at the end of the day..
A snake may shed its skin, but it's still a snake.
"Your mistake was to think that I will not see through the fact of you using him as a proxy and targeting me from behind the scene.
But instead of scaring or torturing him, I made him think that we were on the same side. And believe me.. He was very keen on selling you out when I said that I have connections and means to kill you.
You left a loose end and thought that I would do the job for you.
And now that you've been caught.. So will be the rest." said Kahn.
He already had his suspicions when the member of the council including the snakekin president hired an entire assassination organization just to hurt him and his people. As if they no longer had any fear that Kahn would come knocking on their doors or kill them in their sleep.
There were only two logical reasons for it as far as he could think.
One, they received backing from someone who could easily kill Kahn's Peak Grandmaster subordinates.
Two, the backer was so powerful that the council members were more afraid of angering the them instead of Kahn.
And there wasn't anyone of that caliber whom Kahn had come in contact with or made an enemy of.
So the only possible suspects he had were the enemies that he made by saving Szayel's life that day.
But as per Szayel's words during the secret meeting they had, the Demi-Human faction wouldn't benefit from targeting him in any way. And first of all, they didn't even know anything about his part in all of this.
Since it was obvious that these traitors couldn't kill Szayel themselves, they joined hands with the enemy faction and both sides would profit in some way.
Only the top clan members of the Vandereich clan were informed about his doings. So whoever it was.. It was one of the Elders.
And from the words of this mage, it was also clear that the group of traitors believed in the supremacy of their own faction & species and wanted to rule over others or simply massacre them like true extremists and fanatics.
They wanted to kill Kahn out of their ego as he ruined their future plans and even exposed Vivian, Szayel's stepsister and one who was favored by these people for the position of the next clan leader.
It appeared as if the vampire swordsman girl was also one of such extremists and why they wanted her to become the next leader.
So after Kahn found out about the exact culprit hidden in the shadows, he informed Szayel through the jade medallion.
But even before all of this, as if having foreboding of the future, he asked Szayel to make a contact with the Faction Council and propose this idea even before the killings happened. His gut feeling had proved useful and the Faction Council had reached a consensus.
Just catching one guy was enough for them to fork out the names of the others. Not only from the Vandereich clan but also the traitors hidden in other clans of the pureblood faction. Now, the traitors didn't even know that one of them was already in custody and soon they would be too.
Kahn planned for this big part and acted as bait because he couldn't afford to fight these people on his own and he simply didn't know exactly who was pulling the strings.
And now, all of their work came to fruition.
"You did good work, Kahn. We are in your debt." said Ismatrazel as he nodded in approval.
"I've won… But at what cost?" said Kahn in a solemn voice with his head dropped down.
"More than a hundred innocent people died because their target was me. And since they couldn't afford being caught, they killed others to get to me." he said with an ashen expression.
At this.. Ismatrazel walked towards Kahn and placed his right palm on Kahn's left shoulder.
"Listen, kid. Whenever there's a war.. The first victims are the innocents who had nothing to do with it in the first place. That is the harsh truth.
A true leader must make sure that even if they're not present.. Their people are safe and protected. This is where you failed." said the vampire lord.
"And whether you lead by setting an example or through fear.. You should never be affected by the death of your comrades.
Over two thousand of my soldiers died because other Saints couldn't come here on time. But do you see me or anyone else crying?
Remember... an emotional leader is a weak leader.
And weak leaders don't win a war." spoke the clan leader.
"But you knew it would come to it. That's why you came to my company's grand opening. To rub it in their face and incite them to target me.
You planned to use me as bait on the very day I arrived at your clan headquarters and proposed the business deal. I was a chess piece in your game before I even knew it.
Am I right, Lord Clan Leader?" asked Kahn, his countenance filled with slight anger.
Ismatrazel was slightly taken aback but then nodded in response. There was no guilt on his face rather he looked impressed by Kahn's intelligence.
"To take down your enemies, you also need to create opportunities in order to trap them.
After my son told me about you, I knew that someday, you would be targeted by the impatient or the egotistical ones. And it happened just as I planned." replied the vampire lord in his domineering tone.
Kahn was just reminded that he wasn't the only one with foresight. Just now, Ismatrazel proved why he was the clan leader of this vampire clan which also represented an entire faction of millions.
Not only because he was strong but he also planned 10 steps ahead with his cunningness.
All Kahn could do was swallow down this fact.
Although he greatly benefitted from the support of the Vandereich clan, let it be setting a big business, having a connection with bigshots and influential people; even gaining popularity through their means… But it also came with a price.
A price paid with blood of the innocents.
"I can't bring back your dead. But I can at least offer a bigger compensation given how greatly you helped us excel in finding traitors within our ranks." spoke the vampire lord.
"What will happen to him & the others?" asked Kahn out of curiosity.
"You'll know soon…" spoke the vampire lord and continued in a domineering tone.
"Not just you... but the entire Rakos empire."