Outside the council chamber, the tension hung heavy, thick, and suffocating as two titans stood locked in a silent exchange of power. Iron Fist's grin widened, his bloodied lips twisting with malicious glee. He cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing like gunshots in the oppressive stillness.
"I've fought kings in the making," he snarled. "I've brought nations to their knees. And you think—"
His taunt was cut short.
Dante moved.
It wasn't an attack—it was devastation given form. The air split with the sheer force of his speed, a violent rupture that sent shockwaves through the stone walls of the castle. Lumina Blade was a blur of blinding light, its edge carving through the shadows with precision so exact it felt as though reality itself recoiled.
Iron Fist barely had time to raise his arms in defense before Dante's blade struck. The sound of impact wasn't a clash but a cataclysm, as though a mountain had shattered beneath the weight of divine wrath.
The battle was over before it began.
Iron Fist was sent hurtling backward, his body twisting violently through the air as he crashed through the outer wall of the castle. Stone and debris followed him like a trail of smoke as he disappeared into the horizon, a speck on the edge of Dante's unrelenting domain.
Dante straightened, his blade humming faintly with residual power. The courtyard, once filled with the chaotic cries of combat, was now silent save for the faint crackle of distant fires and the groans of fallen attackers. The fight had ended in a single breath—a testament to Dante's unyielding dominance.
But his expression did not ease. His gaze shifted toward the inner sanctum of the castle, where faint flickers of mana lingered, coiling like snakes in the dark.
Inside the Chamber
The royal council chamber was a stark contrast to the chaos outside. The air within was thick with dread, the heavy wooden doors still trembling from the force of the earlier explosion. Nobles huddled in clusters, their eyes darting to the shattered remains of the chamber's grand table.
Alessia moved swiftly, her hands steady as she guided the king and his advisors to safer positions near the chamber's reinforced walls. She glanced toward the doors, every muscle in her body tensed, waiting for the next wave of attackers.
"Your Majesty," she said, her voice firm despite the storm of emotions threatening to overtake her. "We need to move you to the safe room. Captain Daren is securing the rest of the royal family."
King Aric, however, didn't budge. His eyes were fixed on the door, his jaw set. "No," he said, his voice calm but resolute. "We stand here. This chamber is the heart of the kingdom. If it falls, so does the crown."
Before Alessia could respond, the doors shuddered again. This time, not from an external force but from within.
A moment later, with a resounding boom, one of the inner chamber doors exploded inward. Splinters of wood and shards of metal shot into the air, and a figure barreled through the wreckage—a blur of energy and force.
Kenji.
He landed in a crouch, skidding to a stop in the center of the room, his boots leaving deep grooves in the marble floor. His breathing was heavy, but his wild grin remained intact as he looked up, his eyes gleaming with exhilaration.
"Guess I overdid it," he said, running a hand through his messy hair as if he'd just woken up from a nap.
"What are you doing?" Alessia snapped, her voice sharp as steel. She stepped forward, her sword already half-drawn, her eyes scanning for any signs of attackers. "You're supposed to be with Dante—"
Kenji waved her off with a lazy grin. "Relax, Captain Stern. The old man's got it under control. Sent their leader flying halfway to the next kingdom. Trust me, nobody's getting through him."
Alessia's scowl deepened. "This is no place for jokes."
Kenji's grin faltered slightly, "Oh I'm not joking."after that, one of the nobles let out a panicked cry. Alessia turned on her heel, moving to calm the group, her hand still on her sword.
Kenji, meanwhile, surveyed the chamber with a faint frown. His usual carefree demeanor was slipping, replaced by a flicker of concern. He glanced toward the shattered doors, where faint traces of mana lingered in the air.
"Hey, Alessia," he said, his voice unusually serious.
She didn't turn. "What now, Kenji?"
"This… doesn't feel like it's over."
Alessia froze. Her grip tightened on her sword as she turned to meet his gaze. His expression was unreadable, but his hand had moved to the hilt of his blade—a rare moment of caution from the usually reckless soldier.
The room fell silent once more, Kenji's face darkened, a stark contrast to his usual carefree demeanor. His gaze swept over the chamber, scanning every corner, every shadow. "Fast, but not unreachable."
Alessia frowned, instinctively stepping closer to the king, her hand tightening around the hilt of her blade. The council members exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale and drawn.
"You're sure?" Alessia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kenji didn't reply immediately. His eyes narrowed as he studied the faces of the council members, his instincts fine-tuned to the slightest flicker of movement. The air in the room felt thicker now, charged with an unseen tension.
"Perhaps," he murmured, tilting his head slightly, "we're already infiltrated."
The words sent a ripple of fear through the chamber. One of the younger nobles let out an audible gasp, drawing the attention of others.
Kenji's gaze snapped toward the king, his muscles tensing. He caught the faintest shift in the air—a flicker of movement, barely perceptible, but enough to set his senses alight.
It happened in a blur.
From the shadows near the council table, a cloaked figure lunged toward the king, blade glinting under the faint torchlight. The attacker moved with incredible speed, their strike aimed directly at King Aric's heart.
But Kenji was faster.
"Gotcha," he said, a laugh bubbling from his lips as he intercepted the attack in a single, fluid motion.
With a swift kick to the ground, Kenji propelled himself forward, drawing his blade in one clean arc. The clash of steel rang out like thunder as he deflected the assassin's strike, sending sparks flying through the air.
The force of the block sent the attacker stumbling backward, their hood falling to reveal a young, sharp-featured face contorted in frustration. Kenji didn't give them a chance to recover.
"You picked the wrong castle, buddy," Kenji said, his grin widening as he closed the distance between them. His blade moved like lightning, cutting through the air with precision and speed that left the assassin no room to breathe.
The intruder tried to retreat, but Kenji was relentless, his attacks unyielding. Each strike forced the enemy further into the open, exposing their presence to the rest of the room.
"Alessia!" Kenji called, his voice steady despite the chaos. "Get the king out of here, now!"
Alessia nodded, her instincts kicking in as she moved to shield the king. She guided him and the remaining nobles toward the reinforced door at the back of the chamber, her movements swift and efficient.
Meanwhile, Kenji pressed his advantage. He feinted left, then struck right, his blade slicing cleanly through the assassin's weapon. The intruder let out a hiss of pain as the shattered remains of their blade clattered to the floor.
Kenji pointed his sword at the attacker's throat, his grin never faltering. "Now, why don't you tell me who sent you?"
The assassin didn't reply. Instead, they smirked, a glint of defiance in their eyes.
Kenji's smile faded, replaced by a flicker of unease. He turned his head slightly, just in time to see another figure emerging from the shadows—a second attacker, blade raised and aimed directly at him.
Before the strike could land, a deafening crash shook the chamber.
The air shifted violently as an oppressive wave of spiritual energy swept through the room, forcing everyone to their knees. The second attacker froze mid-strike, their body trembling under the crushing weight of Dante's presence.
"I told you to guard the king," Dante's voice echoed from the doorway, calm but filled with a cold, unrelenting authority.
Kenji glanced back, his grin returning despite the strain in his muscles. "I had it under control, old man."
Kenji had to stop playing around.
Kenji's grin widened as he saw the second attacker emerge from the shadows. His hand crackled with a faint glow, arcs of electricity dancing up the length of his arm and coalescing at his fingertips.
"You think sneaking up on me is gonna work?" he said, a laugh bubbling from his throat. "Let me introduce you to something fun. I call it Volt Barrage."
In an instant, the chamber lit up with a dazzling surge of lightning. Kenji thrust his hand forward, unleashing a barrage of electrical strikes that lanced through the air with deafening crackles. The attacker barely had time to react as the bolts slammed into them, sending them flying into the far wall with a resounding crash.
The energy lingered in the air, crackling and sparking as Kenji adjusted his stance, his blade glowing faintly from the residual charge. He turned his head toward the remaining attacker, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Now, who's next?" he taunted, his voice brimming with chaotic energy.
The attacker tried to run away, but just in time Dante stopped them, saying it's time to interrogate you.