The Royal Ballroom was a sea of shimmering silk, polished gold, and fake smiles. Thousands of candles floated mid-air, held by minor levitation spells, casting a warm glow over the most powerful people in the kingdom.
At the center of it all sat King Valerius III. He was an old lion, his hair white but his eyes sharp with the weight of a man who had killed to keep his throne.
Beside him sat Prince Bastian, the Crown Prince. Bastian was the golden boy of the realm—tall, arrogant, and possessed of a "Solar Flare" mana affinity that made him glow with literal light. In Lucian's past life, Bastian had been the one to sign the decree that declared the Thorne family traitors.
Lucian entered the hall, his hand resting lightly on the crook of his elbow. He wore a midnight-black doublet with silver embroidery. The Raven's Mask hummed against his skin, hiding the predator beneath the surface.
"Lord Lucian Thorne," the herald announced.
The music didn't stop, but the conversations did. A hundred pairs of eyes locked onto the "Stone-Breaker."
Go, Lucian signaled through his mental bond with Seraphina.
From the shadows of the balcony, a flicker of silver moved, invisible to everyone but Lucian. Seraphina was gone, heading toward the Royal Vaults while the entire palace guard was focused on the ballroom.
[Mission: The Royal Heist — In Progress]
[Seraphina's Detection Risk: 5%]
"So, this is the boy who broke a thousand years of history," Prince Bastian said, his voice carrying across the room as Lucian approached the dais.
Bastian stood up, his hand resting on the pommel of a sword encrusted with sun-stones. "Tell me, Thorne. Was the stone simply old and brittle, or did you use some forbidden 'Null' trick to shatter it? My father is curious, but I am merely... unimpressed."
Lucian bowed—not low enough to be submissive, just enough to be polite. "The stone gave what was asked of it, Your Highness. Perhaps it simply found my presence... overwhelming."
A ripple of gasps went through the crowd.
"Overwhelming?" Bastian laughed, stepping down the stairs to stand face-to-face with Lucian. He was a head taller and broader. "A boy with no mana core talking about being overwhelming? That's like a grain of sand claiming it's a mountain."
Bastian reached out, intending to pat Lucian's shoulder—a gesture of condescending "friendship" that would secretly plant a trace of Solar Mana, causing Lucian to burn from the inside for hours.
[Warning: Hostile Mana Manipulation Detected.]
[Action: Devour?]
No, Lucian thought. If I devour it now, the King will see. Divert it.
The moment Bastian's hand touched Lucian's shoulder, Lucian activated Void Veins. Instead of the Solar Mana burning him, it was sucked into a vacuum and redirected through Lucian's feet into the marble floor.
CRACK.
The floor beneath them spider-webbed. Bastian's eyes widened. He pushed harder, trying to force Lucian to his knees, but it was like trying to push down a pillar of iron.
"Are you alright, Prince?" Lucian asked, his voice dripping with faux concern. "You're sweating. Is the sun too bright for you tonight?"
Bastian's face turned scarlet. He channeled more power. His hand began to glow with the heat of a forge. The air between them blurred.
"Enough, Bastian," the King's voice rang out.
The Prince pulled his hand back as if burned. He glared at Lucian, his pride wounded in front of every Duke and Duchess in the realm. He didn't understand how a "Null" had just resisted his S-Rank pressure.
"Lucian Thorne," the King said, leaning forward. "My scouts tell me you have a new 'servant' with you. A silver-haired girl. Where is she?"
"Resting at the inn, Your Majesty," Lucian lied smoothly. "She is shy of crowds."
[System Notification]
[Seraphina has entered the Royal Vault.]
[Target Found: 'The Eye of the Abyss' (Void Fragment).]
[Warning: A Tier-5 Guardian has awakened!]
Lucian's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained a mask of calm. He needed to create a massive distraction, or Seraphina wouldn't make it out.
He looked at the Prince, then at the massive chandelier hanging above the King.
"Prince Bastian," Lucian said loudly, drawing the attention of the entire room. "Since you are unimpressed by my 'tricks,' perhaps a duel? A friendly spar to entertain the court? If I win, you allow House Thorne to trade in the Capital without the 'Null Tax.' If you win... I will give you the secret of how I broke the stone."
The King's eyes sharpened. The "Null Tax" was a massive drain on the Thorne's wealth.
"A duel?" Bastian grinned, his confidence returning. He was an S-Rank Solar Knight. To him, this was a gift. "I accept. But I won't just defeat you, Thorne. I'm going to show everyone what happens to a fake."
"Excellent," Lucian said, his eyes flashing violet for a split second behind the glamour.
Seraphina, hold on, he thought. I'm about to turn the ballroom into a disaster zone.
[New Quest: 'Solar Eclipse']
[Objective: Defeat Prince Bastian using his own mana.]
[Reward: 5,000 SP / Skill: 'Gravity Well']
Lucian stepped into the center of the hall, the nobles clearing a wide circle. He didn't draw a sword. He simply stood there, his hands empty, looking like a lamb led to the slaughter.
But in his mind, the System was screaming with excitement.
[Current SP: 15,950]
[Ready to begin 'Consumption'?]
Yes, Lucian thought. Let's show the King why he should have stayed afraid.