Wizard Earl

"snort!"

Although Reyes hadn't finished speaking, Hummels couldn't help but let out a cold snort and said coldly to Reyes:

"Reyes, we've known each other for decades, and I'm very familiar with your ways. Although we've had our disagreements, you wouldn't go so far as to set up such a huge scheme against me just because of that. Tell me! What is your motive?!"

At this point, Hummels seemed to understand something. His eyes turned cold as he glanced at the leisurely Reyes, then at Elena, who sat silently under the olive tree. He said in a deep voice, "Or is it that Reyes wants to emulate what you did in Loen, to create a major upheaval, like you put Eder to the position of bishop, and put Elena on the papacy as well, making her your puppet!"

After Hummels finished speaking, Elena, who already harbored doubts about the Loen incident, suddenly realized what was going on, and her expression changed slightly. Although Elena reacted this way, Reyes, as the protagonist, remained calm. He shook his head slightly and said, "Hummels, you're overthinking it. If you were the Pope, you might fall for this kind of trick a second time."

"But unfortunately, the current Pope is that old man of yours. That old fellow is shrewd enough that with him around, how could I possibly resort to the same old tricks?"

"But you're not wrong either. Although we have some past grievances, you've lost more often than you've won against me. Why would I go to such lengths to set up such a huge trap for you, determined to kill you, because of those grudges?" At this point, a strange smile appeared on Reyes's refined face. He paused, then looked at Hummels and said in a deep voice:

"Hummels, now that things have come to this, I'm not afraid to tell you: what I'm after is something about you! This thing is as important to me as the papacy is to you; I must get it no matter what!"

After listening to Reyes's words, Hummels gave him a deep look, then did something that neither Reyes nor Elena expected. He took out an exquisitely beautiful jade pendant from his robes and said to Reyes, "Reyes, I don't know what you want from me, but this is my spatial jade pendant. All my things are here. As long as you are willing to leave and no longer participate in the affairs of our Storm Church, this jade pendant is yours!"

Elena, who was initially worried that Reyes wanted to use her to control the Church of Storms, became tense when she saw Hummels being so straightforward as to offer such humiliating terms to persuade Reyes to back down.

In Elena's view, although she had reached an agreement with Reyes, given Hummels's generous terms, it seemed unnecessary for Reyes to insist on the agreement. After all, the two of them were only temporarily united for the sake of interests, and they had no other ties besides interests. Not long ago, they were even mortal enemies who had fought each other. If the interests were enough, Reyes could sell her to Hummels!

According to Hummels's proposed method, Reyes would basically not need to do anything to get what he wanted. If he refused, he would have to bear any risks of fighting Hummels and might get nothing at all. Therefore, under such circumstances, it seems self-evident what choice Reyes would make!

Thinking of this, Elena looked at Reyes with worry. If Reyes really chose to betray her and agree to Hummels at this moment, then only death awaited her...

Looking at Hummels' jade pendant, Reyes fell silent. A minute later, under the gaze of Elena and Hummels, he shook his head with a wry smile and said:

"Hummels, you've really put me in a tough spot. If it were someone else offering me this deal, I certainly wouldn't hesitate and would agree immediately."

Sensing the rejection in Reyes's words, Hummels's face darkened, and he pulled the jade token he was holding back into his robes. He never expected that even after he had already endured so much, Reyes would still try to kill him. Just then, Reyes continued:

"Unfortunately, just as you understand me, Hummels, I understand you just as well!"

"Hummels, I know your ways very well. If I take your jade token today and hand Elena over to you, although I may be safe for the time being and it may seem like I've gained a great advantage, you will surely hold a grudge against me for the rest of your life!"

"Without Elena's restraint, you will have no rivals to succeed you as Pope in the Church of Storms. Therefore, even if your old man doesn't like you, he has no choice but to let you succeed him for the sake of the Church of Storms' development."

"And when Hummels becomes Pope, it will probably be the time when the Storm Church will do everything in its power to hunt me down. So I'm sorry, although I, Reyes, have some skills, I am also afraid of being hunted down by the Storm Church!" As soon as Reyes finished speaking, he launched a surprise attack. A golden light flashed in his eyes, and a mental storm was sent towards Hummels.

Although Hummels had clashed with Reyes several times over the decades and was intimately familiar with Reyes's methods, this time, despite his constant vigilance against Reyes's sneak attack, Reyes's mental storm seemed exceptionally powerful. It penetrated Hummels's defenses and struck him, causing a flicker of pain to appear on Hummels's dignified face…

"Reyes, you've actually gone this far..." Hummels gritted his teeth, his voice a complex mix of emotions, as he looked at Reyes standing not far away.

Hearing Hummels's感慨 (sentiments/reflections), a smile appeared on Reyes's refined face as he said calmly, "Although I was seriously injured in this battle with that old bastard McKenney, thanks to him, I've also gained a lot of insights. I'm only one step away from becoming a Level 3 wizard, and that step lies in you, Hummels!"

Hummels composed himself, gave a cold snort, and looked at the composed Reyes, saying in a deep voice, "Reyes, although you are very strong, if I'm not mistaken, your injuries haven't fully healed. Are you so confident that you can keep me here?"