The moment those words left his mouth, everyone froze.
Then the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Internal Affairs burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! Your Highness, have you not been sleeping well lately? Are you delirious? Who exactly are you giving orders to?"
"I'd like to see who in this kingdom would dare lay a hand on me!"
The two ministers mocked him openly, while the Minister of Defense merely shook his head helplessly.
After all, the military authority of the Kingdom's army rested entirely in his hands. Without his command, not even the prince could mobilize a single soldier.
The guards in the hall exchanged uneasy glances. Though they wished to obey Arthur, military law was absolute—they did not dare move recklessly.
"Your Highness…" The little maid looked at Arthur anxiously, worry filling her eyes.
And just as everyone assumed he had lost his mind under pressure—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Four black shadows appeared out of nowhere.
In the blink of an eye, they were already in front of the three ministers and Erik.
"Who goes there?!"
The Minister of Defense lived up to his title. Though he hadn't seen battle in some time, his reflexes were still sharp.
With a cold snort, he threw a punch at the shadow before him.
But just as his fist was about to connect, the shadow vanished.
The next instant, the world spun. He was slammed violently to the ground.
The tip of a strange, dagger-like weapon pressed directly against his forehead, stopping him from moving even a fraction.
"Don't move—or you die."
An ANBU member wearing a monkey mask pinned him down, a kunai poised between his brows.
The speed was terrifying.
The skill was chilling.
A tremor ran through the Minister of Defense's heart. He glanced sideways—
The other two ministers had already been subdued just as swiftly, kunai pressed precisely against their foreheads.
"Ahhh!!!"
The maids who had been presented to Erik shrieked in terror and fled the hall in panic.
"Who are you people?!"
The surrounding guards were equally shocked. They moved to react—
Only to discover that each of them now had an ANBU silently standing behind them, a kunai resting against their throats.
"Stay still if you value your lives."
White Fang stepped out from the shadows, his voice icy.
He walked to Arthur and bowed respectfully.
"Your Highness, all targets have been secured."
"Mm."
Arthur nodded calmly.
"Your Highness…" The maid stared at White Fang and the others in stunned disbelief.
"Don't be afraid," Arthur said with a faint smile. "They're an assassination unit I trained in secret. My personal forces."
He stepped forward, stopping before the three ministers and Erik.
"Bastards! Who do you think you are?! How dare you lay hands on the Minister of Finance?! Where is the Kingdom's army? Call the army at once!" the Minister of Finance roared, struggling wildly.
"Damn it, Arthur! These men are yours, aren't they? Order them to release me!" The Minister of Internal Affairs glared at him with venomous hatred.
"It seems… I underestimated you."
The Minister of Defense, however, suddenly became calm. He looked at Arthur deeply, as though trying to see through him.
Their gazes met briefly.
"Take them away. Lock them up," Arthur ordered the ANBU holding the three ministers.
"Yes, Your Highness."
The three ANBU moved at once, dragging the ministers out.
Aside from the Minister of Defense, the other two struggled and shouted frantically as they were taken away.
Arthur watched them leave, his eyes lingering on the unusually quiet Minister of Defense. His brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed.
"I don't know what you're plotting," he said softly, "but since you chose this path, there's only one end waiting for you—death."
He closed his eyes briefly before opening them again.
Then his gaze shifted to Erik, who was still struggling violently.
"Damn you! Release me! Let me go right now! You're finished! I'm warning you—Zephir's good days are over! How dare you treat me like this? The Gambino Family will make you pay! Just wait for your kingdom to be destroyed!" Erik screamed hysterically.
"You're too noisy."
Frowning, Arthur stepped forward and drove a brutal kick straight into Erik's open mouth.
A blood-curdling scream erupted as blood splattered across Erik's face.
"Wait for the kingdom's destruction?" Arthur looked down at him coldly, a mocking smile curling at his lips. "I don't have the leisure to wait for you."
"Today will be the day the Gambino Family falls."
His frigid voice echoed through the reception hall.
Erik, who had been writhing in pain, suddenly fell silent.
He lifted his bloodied face and stared at Arthur before bursting into manic laughter.
"The Gambino Family will fall? Hahaha! What a ridiculous joke! You—a mere prince of Zephir—think you can destroy the Gambino Family? Hahaha! Let me tell you, you're courting disaster! Zephir will be wiped out because of your stupidity! You dare strike me? The Gambino Family's wrath is something you cannot endure! Hahaha!!!"
The guards restrained by the ANBU looked equally stunned, their gazes all shifting toward Arthur.
The Gambino Family—what were they?
One of the three great mafia powers of the West Blue.
An uncrowned king of the West Blue's underworld.
And the Kingdom of Zephir?
It had nearly been destroyed by fewer than a thousand of their men.
And yet their prince now boldly declared he would annihilate the Gambino Family?
"I already told you," Arthur said coldly, "you're too noisy."
He kicked Erik in the face again.
Another agonized scream tore through the hall.
"Take him away. Lock him up as well," Arthur ordered.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Without hesitation, the ANBU dragged the shrieking Erik out of the reception hall.
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