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¿Could have Elio taken the cores? But that would go against what he has seen from Elio's behavior, something was missing…

"Hold on, Elio," he muttered to himself as he descended the stairs to the street. "I won't let them harm you. Not after what your father did for me."

The streets still showed signs of the recent battle. Lucien advanced with determination, his presence causing people to respectfully part from his path. Some looked at him with hope, others with trepidation, but all recognized the power he wielded.

As he approached the imposing families' building, Lucien felt the tension growing in his chest. The structure loomed before him, its white stone walls seeming to mock his urgency with their impassivity.

As he climbed the steps of the families' building, Lucien raised a silent prayer. Not to a god, the system, or a higher force, but to the memory of Farbe Elian.

"Give me strength, old friend," he whispered. "Together we're going to protect your son. It's time to leave behind peaceful methods and force real change from these old rotten fools."

♢♢♢♢

Several hours earlier, Varen carried Elio's unconscious body. The families' complex rose before him, its tall walls of indestructible white stone a testament to their status. Varen headed for a less frequented side entrance to avoid curious glances.

Through the corridors of the privileged families' complex, as he walked, Varen couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse.

He wanted to surpass Lucien, he needed cores for that, to have more power and achieve his dream of pushing back the monsters, of reclaiming what belonged to humanity. If the book of genesis wasn't an invention of those old men, then there was no time to lose, but...

Elio was already known even to him, he had improved the overall effectiveness of the soldiers on the wall, had fought valiantly against a Locus and won alone, had risked his life for the city like all good soldiers. But rules were rules, stealing someone's 'drops' and unauthorized possession of a summon were serious crimes.

"I'm sorry, boy," Varen murmured. "But you've crossed a line that can't be ignored."

His mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Anger at Lucien's betrayal mixed with a deep sorrow for the loss of Marcus, his nephew. Although they hadn't been close, blood was blood, and the pain of his family loss felt like an open wound.

Upon reaching the council chamber, Varen took a deep breath, preparing for what was to come. He knew the news he brought would unleash a storm, but it was his duty to inform the elders.

♢♢♢♢

In the dimness of the meeting room in the families' building, three figures were silhouetted against the faint light filtering through the windows. Mordred, Estin, and Kairos, two of the three most powerful elders in the city and Mordred's grandson, the summoner.

Mordred, the oldest of the three, slammed his wrinkled fist on the table. "This is what I told you would happen! The plan to 'try again with 5%' has been a resounding failure."

Estin, his face furrowed with worry lines, nodded slowly. "Lucien... that brat simply increased the mana in the barrier too soon. He always finds a way to be impertinent."

Kairos, the youngest of the three, thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "Perhaps you should consider a more... subtle reduction. Between 2.5 and 3.5% could be more sustainable and less noticeable."

The elders exchanged looks of displeasure.

"It seems it will be necessary," Mordred admitted grudgingly, his voice laden with frustration. "But we'll need much more than that if we want to avoid the system's failure..."

Estin leaned forward, his bony fingers interlacing on the table. "What if we conduct another conscription? Arming another 5 to 10 thousand level 3 soldiers could be beneficial. Lucien's strategy, as much as it irks me to admit it, seems to be effective."

"Moreover," added Kairos, his voice dropping to an almost conspiratorial tone, "if what you showed me is true, grandfather, the 'Limit of God's City' is almost reached. It's inevitable that we start getting rid of... 'useless lives'."

A heavy silence fell over the room at these words. The elders looked at each other, the gravity of what they were considering reflected in their eyes.

Finally, Mordred spoke, his voice cracked by age but firm in his resolution: "The mana cost would be higher, both to invest and maintain. But our mana balance is considerable. We have been... conservative with our resources, but the advantages are evident."

"Besides," Mordred continued, "In the end, the result will always be the same, God's will is inevitable. If we manage to normalize the sacrifice, then we'll ensure that the city lives at least 1000 years."

Estin nodded slowly, his face a mask of cold calculation. "Yes, it could work. But we must be cautious. Lucien won't be long in coming to stick his nose in our business, as always."

"Speaking of Lucien," Kairos intervened, "how are we going to handle his inevitable intrusion? Knowing his temper, he won't be long in coming to demand explanations for the latest increase in breaches."

Mordred was about to respond when the doors of the room burst open. The elder, assuming it was Lucien, snapped irritably:

"Lucien! How many times do we have to tell you not to interrupt our meetings like this? Your lack of respect for protocols is..."

But the words died in his throat when he saw it wasn't Lucien who had entered, but Von Varen, carrying an unconscious young man over his shoulder.

"My apologies for the intrusion, honorable elders," said Von Varen, his voice laden with urgency. "But I bring news that can't wait."