The question Alex asked seemed out of place. Although to him, it didn't feel rude to ask about someone's power level. In fact, Alex thought it was something people might even brag about.
However, the expressions of the four people in front of him changed strangely at that moment. It wasn't anger that filled their faces, but sadness, as if his question had stirred something deep within them.
"You three can leave," Elder Rooney suddenly said, breaking the silence that had hung heavy in the air.
This response greatly shocked Merrick, Tamsin, and Gwen. They exchanged glances as if confirming that they had all heard the same words.
Without saying anything, the three slowly walked out of the room, though they each cast a final look at Alex and Elder Rooney before leaving.
Outside, they couldn't help but talk about what had just happened.
"Do you think he's going to tell him anything?" Merrick asked, uncertainty clear in his voice.
"It's not like there's a rule against it," Tamsin replied thoughtfully. "I mean, there are other members of the faction who know our origins down to every detail, but I'm sure this is something Uncle Peter would want us to let him know about."
As they spoke, they hurried down the hallway, already making their way toward Peter's room.
Back inside, after the three had left, Elder Rooney looked directly at Alex.
"Don't worry. Your question isn't a harmful one. You're meant to know about us. I'm sure we've shared parts of our history with you before. But there's something specific you need to know about us Pendragons," Elder Rooney began, his voice calm yet carrying a weight of significance.
"However," Elder Rooney added, his tone suddenly serious, "you need to give me your word that you want me to speak. Only then will I proceed."
Alex found this request odd. It was true that he was curious about the Pendragons, especially after having multiple visions about them. What confused him was why Elder Rooney needed his permission to talk. Why ask for his word before speaking?
"I want to know, but—" Alex started, his words trailing off.
"That's enough," Elder Rooney interrupted, his voice firm but not harsh. "I'll tell you what you need to know and why our faces changed when we heard your question."
"You see, the Pendragons aren't just a faction. We are a family, deeply rooted in our origin. We're unique in many ways, and we're powerful. We have a strong bloodline. Now, I know you might think this sounds like boasting, but it's true—we possess the strongest bloodline. But with great strength comes a heavy price," Elder Rooney said, pausing for a moment as though to let his words sink in.
Alex listened attentively, his curiosity only growing. While he had been told about the Pendragons before, the information had always been surface-level. He had learned where they started, how they rescued people from kidnappings, human trafficking, and other illegal activities, how they took over fallen orphanages.
But nothing he had been told explained the dreams he had been having, the visions of something deeper, something more than just a rescue mission or a faction's origin.
With Elder Rooney speaking, Alex felt like he might finally learn something important.
"Our family has a restriction on cultivation. In our bloodline, we have a deep connection that all links to one person, the Keybreaker."
"That word might not mean much to you now, but I'll explain it in a moment," Elder Rooney continued. What he didn't realize was that this wasn't the first time Alex had heard the term.
'Keybreaker… isn't that what Stan was called in my dream?' Alex thought to himself.
"In our family, only one person is able to cultivate at any given time, and that person is known as the Keybreaker. When the Keybreaker breaks through to a new level, every member of the family automatically advances as well, even if they've never trained a single day."
"Now, in most cases, this might sound like a good thing, since only one person bears the burden and all attention is focused on the Keybreaker. But," Elder Rooney paused briefly before continuing, "this can also turn ugly sometimes."
"Let's say the Keybreaker dies. What does that mean?" Elder Rooney asked rhetorically. "No, the other family members won't die with him. But our cultivation level would be stunted. We wouldn't be able to progress any further, leaving us stuck at whatever level we were at when the Keybreaker died. That would be our reality unless a new Keybreaker is born to take over."
"So… are you saying your Keybreaker died?" Alex asked, trying to connect the dots.
"No, he's very much alive," Elder Rooney replied, shaking his head. "However, something happened to his evolution. He can no longer cultivate his powers, and this has affected us all greatly."
"Why are you telling me this?" Alex asked cautiously. "Aren't you worried that I might use this information against you?"
At this, Elder Rooney chuckled softly, shaking his head again. "Hahaha… You've forgotten about the seal on you, haven't you? You could never betray us. That's the only reason I'm even telling you this," he said, his tone serious but calm. He stood up slowly, muttering to himself, "After all, you're deeply involved in all of this."
Alex suddenly remembered the seal. It was something that came along with the system he had, binding him in ways he hadn't fully understood before.
"So… where is this Keybreaker now?" Alex asked, his curiosity piqued.
Elder Rooney glanced toward the door, then back at Alex.
"He'll be here in a moment," he replied.
Almost as soon as those words left his mouth, the door burst open. Rushing in was none other than Stan, accompanied by Peter, Merrick, Tamsin, and Gwen. The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately as they entered, all eyes falling on Alex and Elder Rooney.
The group entered the room with sad expressions on their faces. It was clear that something heavy weighed on them.
When Elder Rooney had told the others to leave earlier, they had immediately rushed over to Peter's office. They didn't even bother to knock—they barged straight in. What they hadn't expected was to find that Peter wasn't alone. Stan was there too, sipping his drink. The moment Stan saw the three of them rush in, he knew something was wrong. Without waiting for explanations, he forced the truth out of them. That's what had led them all to the hospital room now.
Stan's face was fierce, his expression full of anger as he glared at Elder Rooney.
"What do you think you're doing, going against my command?" Stan shouted, stepping forward, his voice thundering through the room.
Peter, standing nearby, wanted to intervene. He could feel the tension rising and thought about stepping in to calm things down. But before he could move, Stan turned toward him, his eyes glowing with a golden-purple fire.
"Don't move!" Stan commanded, his voice sharp and full of authority.
It was as if Peter was under some kind of influence—his body froze on the spot, unable to move even an inch.
'Damn his influence... I hate it when he uses that on me,' Peter thought, grinding his teeth in frustration.
Stan's gaze then shifted back to Elder Rooney, but just as he was about to speak, something strange began to happen. His vision blurred, and the room started to spin around him. The world seemed to swirl, twisting and warping in front of him.
Suddenly, Stan collapsed, falling to the floor, clutching his head in agony.
"Damn it! You three, check on him—I can't move!" Peter shouted at Merrick, Tamsin, and Gwen, who had been standing behind him, frozen in shock.
Before any of them could react, Elder Rooney was already kneeling beside Stan, who had seemingly passed out.
"What's wrong with him?" Peter asked, his voice filled with concern and confusion.
"I... I think his memories... they're coming back," Elder Rooney replied, his voice shaky, as if he could barely believe it himself.