[Timeline: Day 3 of the Tournament – The Invasion]
[Location: The Arena Floor]
THUD.
The sound of Prince Nero's body hitting the dirt was soft, but it echoed like a thunderclap in the minds of everyone present.
For three seconds, there was absolute silence.
The Void Hounds stopped growling. The wind stopped blowing. Even the Demi-Gods fighting in the sky seemed to pause, sensing the sudden, violent shift in the world's destiny.
Then, the scream tore through the arena.
"HIS HIGHNESS!"
It was the Captain of the Imperial Guard. A 6th-Order Paladin stationed at the edge of the VIP box.
He stared at the broken corpse of the Golden Prince, his mind unable to process the treason he had just witnessed.
"KILL HIM!" the Captain shrieked, drawing his blade. "ALL UNITS! EXECUTE THE TERRORIST!"
Simultaneously, near the shattered East Gate, the Twilight Cultists saw their opening. The prince was dead. The Academy's defences were distracted.
