The sword made a sharp whisper as it was unsheathed. Yumi and the rest turned to Syd in shock and horror.
"What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?" Yumi screamed.
Fern and Mist jumped to their feet at once, drawing their swords at Syd as well.
"Put down your sword right now! How dare you disrespect Master Penn like this? You''re making yourself an enemy of the n!" Mist roared.
Fern said in a deep voice, "Put the sword down, Syd, or I''ll kill you before anyone else does."
Wilbur looked at Syd quietly, saying nothing.
Syd''s expression was contorted into one of agony. "I know Master Penn has saved the n and forged a path of glory for the Gardners that we have never had before."
"Then why are you still doing this?" Yumi shouted, enraged.
Syd held his sword with both hands, staring straight at Wilbur. "But I cannot let a non-Gardner control the family. I cannot let the man who murdered our previous n leader, Yaron, and Cyrus, lead our family."
Yumi was stunned. Fern and Mist''s expressions grew solemn as well.
The deaths mentioned had happened because of the family''s internal conflict, and
it was unfair to say that Wilbur had murdered these men on purpose.
It was undeniable that he had killed them, but only because he had been forced to.
However, that was no reason for Syd to draw his weapon on Wilbur.
The truth was undeniable. Master Penn was not the one at fault here.
"Put the sword down and beg for Master Penn''s forgiveness. Now!" Yumi shouted.
Syd shook his head. The de of his sword lit aze with spiritual mes, and he brought the sword down onto Wilbur with one swift move.
Fern and Mist cried out in shock, swinging their swords at Syd as well.
A sword formed in Yumi''s grasp to intercept Syd''s attack.
Fern and Mist''s swords hit Syd''s body at the same time.
Blood sprayed in the air, and Yumi flew to her feet to block the mist from touching Wilbur.
Syd was practically chopped into three, keeling over onto the ground.
Wilbur barely looked up, his expression cold.
"I''m so sorry, Master. Please, punish me as you see fit," Yumi said, falling to her knees.
Fern and Mist dropped their swords and fell onto their knees as well, fearing for their lives.
The Gardners would cease to exist if Wilbur were to lose his temper, and all they had would be obliterated.
They would not be able to bear this loss.
Yet all Wilbur said was, "The guy was just loyal to a fault. Give him a proper burial."
The other three heaved a sigh of relief, shaking in cold sweat.
Wilbur did not me Syd and was able to see why he did what he did.
Syd had been willing to borrow Wilbur''s help for the survival of the Gardners.
However, what Syd could not take was seeing an outsider gain control of the family and turn his family members into mere puppets.
That was why Syd had drawn his sword on Wilbur after the family''s crisis was over despite knowing he would die doing so.
Syd knew, of course, that there was no way he would be able to kill Wilbur.
All Syd wanted was death, and to be freed from his misery.
Thus, Wilbur was not angry in the slightest and even admired Syd a little for his unwavering loyalty.
Syd was a man of honor through and through, willing to live and die for his family. People like him were rare in this day and age.
Fern and Mist carried Syd''s body away. Meanwhile, Yumi was in a daze as she stared nkly at Wilbur.
Just then, however, someone called out at the door, "Madam, Mister Zenith Tek is at the door calling for you."
Yumi''s expression shifted at once.
Zenith Tek was the most powerful swordsman in all of Cherrytopia. He had made a name for himself before the five Shadow level experts even came to be and was already a Shadow level cultivator decades ago.
He entered the Imperial Pce during his peak, bing Emperor Tyler''s royal advisor and leaving the cultivator''s circle for good.
Was he responding to this, too?
Yumi furrowed her brows, unsure why this swordsman wanted to see her.
For some reason, her gut was certain that nothing good woulde out of this.