"What?! He's still not dead? That brat's life is really stubborn. How can he be this lucky? What were those idiots even doing? They couldn't even get rid of a useless waste?" In a certain corner of the General's Residence, a lavishly dressed young man slammed his fist onto the table, his face so dark with fury it looked almost frightening.
Saito Ze.
The second son of the late General Saito Kagemitsu.
He was known throughout the residence for his martial strength and boldness.
Many people in the General's Residence believed that Saito Ze inheriting the general's seat would be far better than Saito Tsubasa inheriting it.
However, for various reasons, many others felt that Saito Tsubasa would be easier to control, so most of them had supported him becoming the next general instead.
And besides, Saito Tsubasa was the legitimate eldest son.
By all rights, the inheritance should have naturally gone to him.
The moment he heard that Saito Tsubasa had survived, Saito Ze flew into a rage.
In his eyes, Tsubasa had merely been lucky.
He had sent so many elite death-sworn assassins...
And yet they still couldn't kill a piece of trash like Saito Tsubasa!
If anyone found out that he was the one behind it...
At that thought, he suddenly relaxed and laughed again.
That cowardly weakling?
What could he possibly do?
The position of general was destined to be his.
It was only a matter of sooner or later.
Still...
As long as that brat remained alive for one more day, he would remain an eyesore for one more day.
He needed to think of a way to eliminate him completely.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" said Saito Ze's mother.
She was one of the late General Saito Kagemitsu's concubines.
Because she had given birth to Saito Ze, her status had risen accordingly, and she now held a certain position within the General's Residence.
"Your father only just died, and you're already stirring up something like this. Anyone with eyes can guess that it was you. How could those commanders possibly agree to that? Right now the residence is already dealing with enemies inside and out. If you rush to slaughter that little brat now, a lot of people will be dissatisfied."
"Mother, you know as well as I do," Saito Ze said, his voice growing colder, "with talent like his, how could he possibly inherit Father's legacy? I'm just missing one opportunity. Once he dies, the general's seat will fall into my hands effortlessly. But he just refuses to die, and keeps blocking my path."
The more he spoke, the angrier he became.
His deep-set eyes darkened with a sinister, unreadable gloom.
Meanwhile...
Rosinante, who had appeared soundlessly by the window, heard every single word without missing a syllable.
After sorting through the memories in his mind, Rosinante had quickly identified his first suspect.
To confirm the thoughts in his heart, he had quietly come here in person.
Although, due to the weakness of this body, he still couldn't fully bring out the power of the Silent-Silent Fruit, the most basic applications, silencing sound and suppressing his presence, posed no problem at all.
With his abilities, no one here could possibly detect his movements.
So it really was the same old cliché.
A fight for power.
For the sake of the inheritance, they were willing to kill their own flesh and blood brother.
What a pack of absolute scum.
Since Rosinante had crossed into this body, then naturally...
He would avenge the boy.
He would settle every grievance and every hatred for him.
But not yet.
For now, he still couldn't kill them.
However...
These people had only sent assassins after him.
So who exactly was the one who had poisoned Saito Tsubasa in the first place?
That was still unclear.
But in the end...
It didn't matter.
The sky gradually began to brighten.
Dawn had arrived.
Rosinante sat calmly in the main hall of the General's Residence.
Because of the assassination attempt on him, the military commanders who controlled the residence's armed forces, along with the stewards responsible for the estate's affairs, had all gathered in the hall.
The moment they stepped inside, they saw Rosinante seated in the seat of honor at the head of the hall.
That overwhelming, impossible-to-ignore kingly bearing made everyone instinctively look at him again.
But after the first surprise, faint contempt soon appeared in some of their eyes.
"Father has long since passed, and his funeral rites have already been completed. Since Father is no longer here, many military matters have already piled up. From today onward, I will inherit Father's position as general."
Rosinante's voice was calm.
Cold.
Steady.
Then his gaze swept across the hall.
"Who agrees... and who objects?"
It sounded like a question.
But even more, it sounded like a command.
A declaration that demanded acceptance.
A pressure that did not allow refusal.
The commanders exchanged glances.
Many of their expressions turned ugly.
Although some among them had supported Saito Tsubasa before, it was only because they had thought him weak, soft, and easy to control.
But now, seeing Rosinante so overbearingly forceful...
Their expressions changed.
He hasn't even inherited the general's seat yet, and he's already this domineering?
If he really takes the seat...
Who would be able to control him then?
"The Young General is still too young," one of the lead commanders said at last. "If you ascend now, I'm afraid the people will not be convinced. Why not first go earn a few military achievements? At the very least, give us something that can truly make us acknowledge you."
There was no longer any trace of respect in his tone.
It was practically the tone of someone trying to force Rosinante down from the seat.
"I think Commander Uchida is right," another commander immediately added. "If you don't have genuine military merit to prove yourself, then even old General Saito would not rest easy in the grave."
None of them wanted some teenager who knew nothing to suddenly stand over their heads and lord it over them.
"So..." Rosinante said lightly, "you oppose me?"
"It's not that we oppose the Young General inheriting the position," one commander hurriedly said, "it's just that the Young General is still very young, and—"
Before he could finish speaking—
A flash of blade-light burst forth.
Then blood exploded from his chest.
His face froze in utter disbelief.
He had never expected Rosinante to strike so directly.
Even less had he expected Rosinante to possess such terrifying strength.
That slash had been so fast that he hadn't even been able to react.
If he had known Rosinante possessed this level of power...
How would he ever have dared to oppose him?
"Father gave his dying order for me to inherit the general's seat," Rosinante said calmly. "And as the legitimate heir of the Saito family, it is only natural that I inherit it. Anyone who opposes this... will be treated as a traitor."
His eyes swept across the hall once more.
His tone remained flat.
But now, it carried the chill of death.
"So now..."
"Who agrees, and who objects?"