4
1632 Words
POV: Liam
"You idiots, calm down! Or do you want the entire mansion to find out about your existence before the sun even sets?"
My voice, though small and high-pitched, carried a sharp edge that cut through the thick tension in the room. The air, which had been vibrating with the clashing auras of a Warlord and a Demi-Dragon, suddenly grew still.
"Yes, my Lord," they chimed in unison, their heads bowing so low they nearly touched the floorboards. Even Kurma let out a small, apologetic squeak, his nine tails tucking slightly between his legs.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. I was a four-year-old child commanding entities that could level this city, and the weight of that responsibility was starting to settle on my shoulders. I looked at Thor and then at Ren, my gaze lingering on each of them to ensure they understood the gravity of my next words.
"Ren, Thor... listen to me carefully. I will not tolerate any infighting between you. You are my left and right hands; if you clash, I am the one who bleeds. Do you understand? I want you to begin your missions immediately, but with the utmost discretion."
I turned my focus to the armored giant. "Thor, your task is perhaps the most dangerous. This State is a cesspool of bandits and hidden syndicates. I want you to unite every single underground organization. Do not just defeat them—absorb them. Turn them into a cohesive, disciplined army. But it must be done in total secrecy. If the capital hears whispers of a rising military force in the Secluded State, we will be crushed before we can even stand. You are to report to me every week at midnight. Not a day later."
Thor's expression turned solemn, his crimson armor shimmering in the dim light as he looked me in the eye. "Yes, Lord. Your will shall be done. The shadows of the underground will belong to you."
However, a frown soon marred Thor's scarred face as he glanced toward the heavy oak door of my chambers. "Lord... what about the vermin currently infesting this mansion? These lowly spies and greedy servants... I assume you have a reason for letting them breathe? Surely, you don't want us to alert your true enemies by turning this place into a graveyard just yet."
I let out a long, weary sigh, leaning back against the pillows. "True. If the Emperor or my brothers find out their spies have been slaughtered, it will send a signal that I am no longer the helpless 'trash' they remember. It would invite a storm we aren't ready to weather."
A cold, predatory smile spread across Ren's face, her golden scales glinting. "That won't be an issue, my Lord. We don't need to leave a trail of blood to achieve a clean slate. We can purge this mansion of every disloyal soul and ensure someone else shoulders the entirety of the blame. You are only four years old; in the eyes of the world, you are a fragile, blind bird. No one would ever dream that a child could orchestrate a political cleansing."
My eyes lit up as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. "You're right! Old Zhu... that greedy, ambitious bastard. He wants everything for his own clan. We can use his own reputation against him. We'll make it look like *he* is the one purging the servants to consolidate his power."
I began to pace the small area of the bed, the gears of my mind turning rapidly. "But first, we must be patient. We need to build our own loyal staff first. Once Ren's shadow guards and Thor's men are ready, we will replace the spies one by one. We'll frame Old Zhu for the disappearances and the corruption. I can even turn my new men into double agents—letting them send false reports back to the capital while they secretly serve me. Ren, you're a genius!"
Ren's stoic expression faltered for a moment, a bead of sweat appearing on her forehead. "Ha... ha... yes, my Lord! That is exactly... precisely what I was thinking. A masterstroke of strategy!"
Thor shot her a sidelong glance, his eyes full of skepticism. "I bet she just wanted to slit everyone's throat and hide the daggers in someone's closet. Typical lowly methods of a lizard."
Ren chose to ignore him, a rare display of restraint that showed she was prioritizing my praise over his insults.
As the plan solidified, I remembered another crucial piece of the board. I looked down at the snowy fox at my feet. "And then there's Kurma. I can't let anyone see a nine-tailed fox. Divine beasts are legends; his presence alone would bring every powerhouse in the continent to my doorstep."
"Squeak! Squeak!" Kurma chirped, his tails blurred in a frantic motion as he looked up at me with intelligent eyes.
"Lord, he is speaking to you," Ren translated, her voice soft. "He says, 'Let us form a blood contract.' If you bind your souls, he can communicate with you directly and use his innate divine abilities to hide his presence from the eyes of others. To seal it, you need only give him a single drop of your blood."
I was momentarily surprised that Ren could understand the language of beasts, but then I remembered her 'Beast Language' skill. Without hesitation, I bit my finger and pressed a crimson drop to Kurma's small mouth.
The room was suddenly bathed in a soft, golden radiance. I felt a strange, warm tugging at my soul—a tether connecting my consciousness to his.
*"Lord! Can you hear me now? Kurma is here!"* A playful, high-pitched voice echoed directly in my mind. *"Let me go out and subdue every beast in this State! I will make you the Emperor of Monsters! These two idiots beside you are nothing but slow, worthless beings compared to a Nine-Tailed Fox! Kurma is the best! Kurma is superior!"*
The little fox began jumping around the room with renewed energy, his laughter echoing in my head. I looked at Ren and Thor, who were both blinking and looking around the room in confusion.
*"See? They can't even see me anymore! Kurma is invisible to the weak! Kurma is good, right?"* He tilted his head toward the ceiling, looking incredibly smug.
"Hahaha... indeed, Kurma. You are very good. A very good boy," I said aloud, watching the mischievous fox make fun of the two powerful cultivators who were now technically 'blind' to his presence.
"Okay, it's time," I said, my voice regaining its seriousness. "Both of you must start now. But Ren, before you disappear into the night, find me a sword. Something lightweight, balanced for a child's frame, but made of high-quality steel."
Ren bowed and vanished into the shadows. Not even a minute later, she reappeared, holding a sleek, silver short-sword. I took it from her hands and immediately placed it into my system inventory.
"Be careful," I warned them, looking at the two legends before me. "Do not alert anyone. Understand the layout of this State, the power dynamics, and the hidden players before you make a move. I trust your experience over my own in these matters."
Thor offered a confident, toothy grin. "Lord, do not worry. You can depend on us. Even if I have to work with this half-lizard, the mission will be a total success."
Ren looked at me with deep respect. "I loathe this brainless monkey, but he is right about one thing: your trust is not misplaced. We will forge the strongest force this land has ever seen in record time."
I smiled, relieved to see them finally in agreement. "Dismissed. Report back in one week, at the stroke of midnight."
In an instant, the room felt empty. Ren melted into the shadows of the corner, and Thor stepped out of the window, disappearing into the night air like a ghost.
Silence returned to the room, but I wasn't finished. I reached into my inventory and pulled out the Golden Mask and the small sword Ren had brought. As I slipped the cold metal of the mask over my face, the world as I knew it ceased to exist.
My vision didn't just improve; it transcended. The walls of the mansion became semi-transparent, like smoked glass. I could see through the stone, through the wood, through the very earth. Everything within a two-kilometer radius was laid bare before me.
I saw Thor, a streak of crimson energy moving across the rooftops toward the city's slums. I saw Ren, a flickering shadow infiltrating the library of a nearby noble's manor. I even saw, to my slight embarrassment, a couple in a house over a kilometer away engaged in a very private moment.
But more importantly, I saw the energy of the world. Tiny, shimmering particles of various colors floated in the air like dust motes in sunlight. Surrounding them were larger, colorless orbs that seemed to draw the smaller particles toward them.
"Is this... Qi?" I whispered, mesmerized.
The mask was beyond magical. I could see in every direction at once, even behind my head, without turning. Every heartbeat in the mansion, every breath of a guard in the courtyard, was a blip on my new radar.
The blind prince was gone. In his place stood a boy who could see the very fabric of reality. And with the Sword Maniac's ritual in my mind and a legendary army in the making, I knew that the 'execution' the novel had planned for me would never come to pass.
I gripped the hilt of my
sword, the colorless particles of Qi dancing around the blade. "Let's begin."
- Writer
