Originally, Charles thought Kurogane Gen had only come to bring Ascalid and Todoroki Yui, but after everything had been settled, Kurogane still didn't leave.
Kurono Shinomiya noticed something was off and asked, "Is there something else, Mr. Kurogane?"
Kurogane sighed. "There's news I thought you all should hear in advance. The White Knight contacted me earlier—she found Shizuku, gravely injured."
A chilling frost spread across Charles's face. That earlier sense of foreboding was growing stronger.
"What happened?"
As Shizuku's teacher, Kurono immediately asked, "Is she going to be alright? Wasn't Ikki with her? What about Ikki?"
Kurogane replied, "Shizuku will be fine. Thanks to the White Knight's healing, she's out of danger.
As for Ikki, the only thing Shizuku said before losing consciousness was to ask the White Knight to rescue him. He's most likely been captured."
Charles's voice turned glacial. "So this is the Puppet King's doing?"
Kurogane shook his head. "Shizuku's injuries were serious, and she hasn't regained consciousness yet. We don't know the exact details.
But with Ikki's strength—and Shizuku at his side—there are only a few people in this country who could defeat them both."
From the Worst One to the Uncrowned Sword King, and finally Seven Stars Sword King—even Kurogane Gen had to acknowledge Ikki's power.
Especially after awakening as a Majin, Ikki could have easily earned a spot in the KOK's A-Rank League.
And in the entire country, the only ones capable of subduing both Ikki and Shizuku would be those on the Puppet King's side.
Charles laughed from rage. So that cloaked figure among the Puppet King's team was probably a controlled Ikki.
"So that's your plan—forcing close friends to kill each other. What a pathetic sense of entertainment."
Charles had already felt something was wrong the first time he saw Puppet King Orgel. Now he understood. That man's personality was twisted to the extreme—a sadist who found joy in others' pain.
The malice in his eyes was like venom ready to overflow.
Perfect. It had been a long time since someone made Charles this furious. Not even dust would remain of that bastard when he was done.
Charles's surge of emotion made everyone present tense.
These were all elite Blazers, experienced warriors. But as Charles's anger exploded, they felt a wave of lethal danger.
Especially when the flames erupting from him forced everyone a step back.
Kurono snapped, "Hey! Are you trying to burn down my office!?"
Charles quickly suppressed his fury. It wasn't intentional—he hadn't experienced this kind of threat to his friends in a long time and had lost control.
Taking a deep breath, he said coldly, "They'll pay for this. And I will bring Ikki back."
Kurogane walked forward and gave Charles a deep bow. "I leave my son in your hands."
Charles looked at him in surprise. He remembered Ikki saying this man had coldly told him he never expected anything from his son.
But seeing him now, Charles realized Kurogane wasn't so heartless. In fact, their personalities were strangely alike.
Charles didn't make any promises—but everyone could see his determination.
He left the director's office and returned alone to the dormitory.
He'd worried about Ikki at first, but once he calmed down, he understood—whatever had happened to him, Ikki was a stubborn man. Even now, he was surely gathering strength to break free.
And all Charles had to do was create the opportunity during the battle—enough for the Puppet King to regret ever touching him.
…
On a cliff by the sea, Stella turned off her phone.
Edelweiss said, "What, you're not going to help him? Seems like things aren't looking good on his end."
Stella replied, "Of course I'm going to help him. That's what we promised each other long ago. Which is exactly why I must finish my training.
Only then can I stand by his side—not behind him."
Edelweiss nodded. "That's admirable resolve. But it's not enough to awaken as a Majin."
As she spoke, her pure white winged sword slashed down.
Stella grit her teeth and activated her Dragon Spirit state, just barely managing to block the attack.
But what she blocked with all her might was just a casual strike from Edelweiss. What followed was a storm of overwhelming blows—despair itself for anyone on the receiving end.
…
In the waters off Japan, aboard the White Eagle Pacific Fleet's flagship—
This strategic warship had long since been taken over by just five people.
The White Eagle military, unlike their aggressive stance elsewhere, had strangely chosen to retreat—leaving the warship entirely to the attackers.
And aside from broadcasting a bizarre declaration of war to Japan, the invaders had done nothing else.
Orgel sat in the commander's seat—meant for the fleet's admiral. Threads of magical silk danced through the air from his fingers.
Nearby, a massive, rotund man sat at a table, continuously stuffing food into his mouth.
Across from him, a woman in a long dress admired a thorn-covered flower blooming in her hand.
The cloaked figure stood in the shadows. Beneath the hood, Ikki Kurogane's face could barely be seen—his eyes still retaining a trace of consciousness.
The final figure in the control room was a man in black, with wild, lifeless hair.
He was the first to break the silence, grumbling, "I've had enough! Puppet King, I didn't come here just to sit around and rot!"
The boy in the commander's seat smiled. "Don't worry. The wait will be worth it—our opponents are the finest."
The man in black sneered. "They'd better be. Otherwise, I'll kill you first."
Orgel laughed eerily. "Oh, how terrifying! But I have every confidence—you won't be disappointed."
The woman stroked her flower and murmured, "Is he really that strong? Then I'm sure I can bloom even more beautiful flowers with him."
But her "flowers" were far from beautiful.
The crew members who hadn't escaped were still alive—though they might've preferred death.
The woman had embedded flower seeds in their bodies, rooting them in organs, tearing through muscles, growing through skin, and blooming externally.
Worse, the flowers secreted chemicals that kept the victims fully conscious of their pain—while photosynthesis sustained them, preventing death. An eternal, living hell.
The fat man grinned stupidly. "Flowers? So sweet. I wanna eat some."
The woman shot him a look of disgust and said no more.
Among this nest of evil woven by the Puppet King, only Ikki Kurogane remained an outlier.
Even under control, Orgel hadn't stripped him of his ability to perceive the world. So he witnessed every atrocity—but could do nothing to stop it.
That was probably the Puppet King's true perversion. He loved watching people suffer and break down.
What he most looked forward to was Charles and Ikki—dear friends—slaughtering each other in a battle to the death.
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