The Shadow Strategist
The taste of blood was metallic. Arian opened his eyes to find himself lying on a cold stone floor. A sharp sword was inches from his throat, held by a young man whose eyes blazed with fury. "Cassian! Your sins have reached their limit," the youth roared. Arian realized he was now inside the novel 'The Sword of Heaven', inhabiting the body of the villain, Cassian. According to the plot, he had ten seconds to live.
"Stop!" Arian—now Cassian—said calmly. "If I die today, who will save Princess Elina from the poison tomorrow morning?" Prince Leo's hand trembled. Cassian used his knowledge of the future to strike his first deal, surviving the encounter with the help of his loyal shadow guard, Jade.
Chapter 2: The Invisible Assassin
Cassian moved quickly. He cornered the Royal Physician, Master Thomas, revealing he knew about the plot to poison the Princess. Using a mix of threats and a promise of protection, he turned the physician into his ally to counter the schemes of Count Volkov.
Chapter 3: The Tables Turned
The next morning at the palace, the atmosphere was grim. But to everyone's shock, Princess Elina recovered. Master Thomas credited Cassian for the cure. Cassian walked up to Count Volkov and whispered, "Your 'Black Widow' poison was strong, Count. But I'm keeping you alive... I need a living pawn for my game."
Chapter 4: The Shadow's Game
Cassian interrogated Volkov and learned about 'The Imperial Shadow', a traitor within the royal family. He discovered that secret meetings took place in the royal library's hidden tunnels during the full moon. Cassian began preparing a trap that would change the fate of the empire.
Chapter 5: Annihilation of Shadows (Finale)
Under the full moon, Cassian lured the traitors into the hidden tunnels. With King and Prince Leo watching from the shadows, the traitors, led by Duke Reynold, were exposed. Cassian's brilliance saved the throne and wiped out the conspiracy. The old, cowardly Cassian was gone; in his place stood the true mastermind—The Shadow Strategist.