Zane, lost in deep thought, wondered if he was brought to this world just to die. Why were they saying he stole some kind of dragon jade? From the memories he'd received, there was no way Marco would steal something so important to the clan.
A few minutes later, two guards with cold, expressionless faces entered the room. "Get up, you shameless dog. You're going out."
Zane managed to get up. With a scared voice, he asked, "Where are you taking me?"
The second guard spoke with a cold voice. "To die, of course, to pay for your sins. Now move."
The guards grabbed Zane's hands and dragged him by force to the execution ground. When he arrived, he saw multiple faces—young men and women, old men and women—it seemed everyone in the clan had come to watch his execution.
"Tsk. To think a mid-level Mage Lord like our patriarch would have a mortal son like him." "He's a shame to the patriarch and our Corvin clan." "Not only is he a mortal, but he even stole the dragon jade! And he still hasn't confessed yet!" "Yeah, I heard the Third Elder saw him entering the Dragon Hall where the dragon jade was placed. He said Marco was the last one to enter."
Zane heard people talking badly about him. They even said there was a witness who saw him stealing it. Zane's face flushed with anger and pain.
Suddenly, he heard a voice inside his head.
"Ding. 5 minutes remaining for connecting chakra network."
Zane heard it, but he didn't feel happy. Instead, he said with a grieving voice, 'So what if I get chakra? I'm going to die anyway.'
Why should he die? At the very least, he had to know the reason. It all seemed like they would execute him even if they found out that he didn't steal it.
"Everyone, quiet."
At that moment, everyone heard a loud but not-too-deafening voice right next to their ears. It was Adelard, the patriarch of the Corvin clan.
After everyone quieted down, Adelard continued. "As everyone knows, Marco stole our clan's dragon jade for his selfish use, which has put our clan in danger."
He took a deep breath, then continued. "The Third Elder was a witness on the day Marco stole the dragon jade. But even after we tortured him, he still hasn't confessed."
Then, with a cold face, he turned his head to look at Marco, who was on his knees. "Since you were once my son, I'll give you two options: confess your sin and give us the dragon jade, then get out of our clan... or die!"
Zane's heart began to shatter like glass, and a dark shadow appeared around it. If anyone saw this scene, they would say the shadow was waiting for the right moment to conquer his heart.
Zane spoke in a trembling voice. "Father, I didn't steal it! Why would I steal something so important to the clan?"
A cold voice spoke. "Marco, we all know that you have a reason for stealing it. We all know that the dragon jade has three uses." It was the eldest daughter, Celri, who spoke.
Another voice followed. "Big brother, don't act like you don't know its uses. Apart from borrowing 40% of its power and making our clan's territory suitable for cultivation, there's another one." It was the second daughter, Lildra, who spoke.
This time, a trembling voice with a hint of sobbing could be heard. "Big brother Marco didn't steal it! Why are you all accusing him of something he didn't do? We searched everywhere inside the clan and still didn't find it. He didn't do it!"
"Enough, Firus! The Third Elder was a witness, why would he lie?" Balen spoke to Firus angrily.
"Why would I trust him over my brother?" Firus retorted with a red face.
"Because we all know he needs it to create a new magic root within his body," Balen said coldly.
This time, Canas, who had been silent the whole time, turned his head to his father and spoke in a low voice. "Father, can't you delay it for a few days? We didn't search the elders' territories yet."
"CANAS! Do you know what you're saying? The elders are the pillars of this clan, after me and the ancestors."
Adelard scolded Canas, then turned his head to Marco, who was puzzled after hearing his family talk about him. He then turned to the Third Elder and spoke with a cold voice.
"Third Elder, state what you told us about this incident."
Everyone in the crowd turned their heads toward an old man who looked to be 55.
"Patriarch, everyone, last week I saw with my own eyes Marco enter the Dragon Hall and leave quickly. But after one hour, when I checked the hall, I didn't find the dragon jade. He was the only one to enter it at that time, so I say he stole it."
Then he looked at Marco, who looked as if he had lost his soul, with a mocking smile.
At this moment, Zane heard the system speak in his mind.
"Ding. Installing chakra network completed. Marco's full memories are unlocked. You can check them."