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"What did you say?"
Ezio, an Elder of the High Table, stared at his subordinate in shock.
"Say that again."
"Elder..." The subordinate knelt immediately. "The Rome Adjudicator was shot and killed by the original Rome Continental Hotel owner, Gaius, while announcing a new owner."
"...Inside the Continental Hotel?" Ezio paused.
"Yes." The subordinate nodded. "After that, Gaius publicly announced that he would join the Templar Knights. The local Moles organization also joined them and began purging the Hawkeye organization. Hawkeye suffered heavy losses."
Ezio's eyes narrowed.
"What about our people?"
"The elite unit was dispatched, but shortly after... that lightning appeared again. The same lightning from New York."
"It was a massacre. The entire unit was wiped out."
Ezio inhaled deeply, then slowly opened his eyes.
"It's him again. Morin."
"The Sword of Eden again."
He straightened.
"Send more people. Use overwhelming firepower. I don't believe he can walk through a hail of bullets."
He paused, then added coldly, "Prepare the missiles. If this batch is wiped out too, launch them immediately. Destroy the entire area."
"Elder..." The subordinate looked up, eyes wide.
"Are you questioning me?" Ezio's gaze swept over him.
The attendant trembled and lowered his head at once.
"I wouldn't dare."
"Then get out and do your job."
Ezio roared.
When the subordinate hurried out, Ezio's chest rose and fell sharply. He took several deep breaths, but the scorching desert air only worsened his irritation.
"Damn it."
He waved his hand and leaned back into his chair.
Didn't he understand the consequences of using missiles?
It would mean openly breaking the agreement between the High Table and the government.
But if he didn't act, Ezio knew exactly where this would lead.
Honestly, he would rather have heard that Morin had wiped out the Rome Continental Hotel alone than hear about betrayal.
What was this?
Every time Morin arrived somewhere, a Continental Hotel pledged allegiance to the Templar Knights?
The Continental Hotels were the core of the High Table.
If even the core organizations were defecting, didn't that mean they believed the High Table couldn't win?
Ezio understood how most factions saw this conflict.
On the surface, the High Table still held the advantage.
That was why no one dared interfere. They feared retaliation later.
But once people started believing the High Table was losing...
That would be fatal.
Other forces would rush in without hesitation.
At that point, the High Table would be overwhelmed.
Ezio couldn't allow that.
He had to end this.
He had to show resolve.
No more Continental Hotels. No more affiliated organizations defecting to the Templar Knights.
New York had been different. America's control was too tight. Missiles were impossible.
But Rome was not New York.
After thinking for a moment, Ezio waved his hand.
"Bring the captive in."
Sloan was escorted inside.
"Morin has appeared again," Ezio said calmly. "And he's carrying the Sword of Eden. Another High Table unit was wiped out."
He looked directly at Sloan.
"How much do you know about the Sword of Eden?"
"All I know is that it can generate electricity and it's extremely sharp," Sloan replied, frowning.
"And... it likely enhances physical ability. Otherwise, electricity alone wouldn't allow Mr. Morin to destroy an entire unit."
"Did I call you here to tell me useless things?"
Ezio's tone turned contemptuous.
"Of course it's because of the Sword of Eden. Are you saying he was born with that power?"
"Even if he's an Assassin Grandmaster or has special blood, he's still human. He has limits."
"You're right," Sloan said, nodding. He didn't argue.
"Then, honored Elder, you've kept me here for so long. You didn't summon me just to chat."
"Of course not."
Ezio gestured. An attendant brought over the bronze box. He opened it and removed the Apple of Eden.
"Tell me how to use this."
Ezio was convinced that Morin's performance came from the Sword's enhancement.
That made the Apple irresistible.
He wanted control of it.
"...I already told you," Sloan said, shaking his head. "It requires Assassin blood. You can't use it, and you won't let me try. What do you expect me to do?"
They stared at each other.
After a moment, Ezio drew a dagger from his waist.
"Give me your hand."
An attendant brought over a table and placed it between them.
On it were two plates. One empty. One filled with a transparent liquid.
"I'm already old," Sloan said, his eyelid twitching. "I can't handle this kind of pain."
Still, he extended his hand and placed it on the empty plate.
He had no choice.
He was meat on the chopping block.
But-
Sloan's eyes shifted slightly. His expression remained calm.
"Don't worry," Ezio said. "Just a small cut."
He dipped the dagger into the transparent liquid, lifted it, and without hesitation sliced Sloan's hand.
Blood flowed out, dripping onto the plate and spreading outward.
"That's enough," Sloan said through the pain.
Ezio gestured.
"Stop the bleeding."
He picked up the plate of blood and walked to the Apple of Eden.
After a brief pause, he tilted the plate.
The blood dripped.
Nothing happened.
Ezio stood there in silence for two seconds.
Then he flung the plate aside.
"Don't stop his bleeding."
Sloan: "???"
Ezio turned, his eyes cold.
"Nothing happened."
"You're useless."
The attendant moved to restrain Sloan, preparing to drag him away and let him bleed out.
Then-
A golden light appeared.
Ezio turned sharply.
The light came from the Apple of Eden.
He reached out and grabbed it.
The faint glow expanded, spreading across the entire apple until it shone brilliantly.
Ezio stared at it.
His eyes didn't ache.
Instead, he felt drawn in.
As if he were staring into an ocean of knowledge.
Suddenly, the golden light contracted-
Then exploded outward.
-
Morin frowned.
The Sword of Eden in his hand was glowing strangely.
Before he could understand why, another group of High Table armed personnel arrived.
He had no choice but to move.
"What's going on..."
As he fought, weaving through gunfire, a sentence resurfaced in his mind.
The words the system had shown him when he first obtained the Sword of Eden-
"Didn't expect it, did you? I'm back!"
Morin wondered if those words carried another meaning as bullets whistled past him.
-
Deep underground, in an ancient temple unknown to the world.
Darkness and deathly silence had ruled this place for ages.
But now, three spherical objects began to emit golden light, illuminating the chamber.
Three Apples of Eden.
At their center lay a woman, motionless, as if asleep.
She wasn't even breathing.
Then the scepter in her hand began to glow.
Under its light, her fingers twitched.
-
Several armed attendants rushed toward Ezio's tent, alerted by the disturbance.
Inside, everything appeared normal.
Except-
The Apple of Eden in Ezio's hand glowed faintly.
"Get out," Ezio said coldly.
"Our apologies, Elder." The attendants exchanged looks and withdrew.
"Bandage him," Ezio ordered.
Sloan wasn't surprised.
He looked up. Golden light flashed in his eyes as he smiled.
"Hello, Elder."
"Hello."
Golden light flashed in Ezio's eyes as well. His expression was unfocused, but his tone was respectful.
"Mr. Sloan."
The attendants showed no reaction.
They continued working.
At the same time, golden light flickered in their eyes.
Sloan smiled.
The ancient records hadn't been wrong.
The Golden Apple required Assassin blood.
And once activated-
It could control minds.
-
At the same time.
In the collapsed underground temple, the woman opened her eyes.
She sat up.
Golden light shone from her gaze, divine and cold.
In her hand was a scepter. At its top, two serpents intertwined beneath a hawk with outstretched wings.
"They're back..."
Her voice was quiet.
"How is this possible?"