Chapter 309: Chapter 309 : Commander of the shadow guards

In the royal palace of the Avaloria empire, a silver-haired boy walked through the corridors with steady steps, as if he had a very clear destination in mind.

Just a few paces behind him, two women followed—one with golden hair and sharp eyes, the other with white hair and a serious expression.

Evelyn and Alicia.

Alex spoke in a low voice, hands in his pockets. “What do they want to talk about?”

Evelyn shrugged slightly. “What do you think? Obviously about the war—and how badly they’ve been losing it.”

“So what do they want from me?” Alex asked.

“We’ll find out soon,” Evelyn replied.

They entered a large chamber.

On the floor, a giant magic circle was etched into the stone—intricate runes and sigils weaving together in a complex pattern that hummed faintly with power.

Alex stared at it. “This thing again…?”

“It’ll take us to where the meeting is being held,” Alicia explained.

Then she turned to look at him, her expression grim. “Are you really going to meet them… like *that*?”

She pointed at his clothes.

Alex glanced down at himself.

He was wearing stylish dark jeans and a fitted white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms. On anyone else it might have looked casual, but on him—tall, lean, with his long silver hair tied back—it made him look like he’d walked off the cover of a fashion magazine.

“Why?” Alex asked. “Don’t I look good in it?”

Alicia puffed her cheeks slightly and looked away, mumbling something under her breath that he didn’t catch.

Alex turned to Evelyn. “Will you say something, my stingy friend?”

A vein popped on Evelyn’s forehead. With an expressionless face she replied, “Yes, I will. You look like a circus clown.”

Alex’s mouth twitched. “Alright, alright… so it’s just you two and me, then?”

“Not just us,” Alicia added. “The commander of the Shadow Guards is coming too.”

Alex’s eyes lit up. “That sounded so fucking cool. Where is he? And what does he do?”

The answer came without warning.

Cold metal kissed his neck.

A blade rested against his throat, and a presence appeared right behind him—so fast that even Evelyn and Alicia stiffened in shock, their senses having detected nothing until he was already there.

Evelyn’s thoughts raced. ’Even I couldn’t sense him until that last second… so that’s the commander of the Shadow Legion everyone whispers about.’

Alicia, for a heartbeat, couldn’t believe Alex had actually been caught off-guard by someone.

A smile crept onto her lips. “Erwin. Long time no see, huh?”

The man behind Alex was clothed entirely in black—tight, flexible armor perfect for silent movement. His face was hidden behind a dark mask, only cold eyes visible.

Erwin gave Alicia a brief nod in acknowledgment.

“Excuse me, dude,” Alex said calmly, “but what the hell are you doing to the person you’re supposed to protect?”

Erwin’s hand reached up, pulling off his mask.

He revealed a sharp, angular face with calm, assessing eyes and short, dark hair—someone who had seen a lot of blood, but carried it like a second skin. A smirk tugged at his lips.

“I was just testing,” Erwin said. “To see if you were truly a king worth laying my life down for, when the time comes.”

Alex smirked back. “So? What happened? Did I pass?”

Erwin stared at him for several long seconds, silence filling the hallway. Alicia and Evelyn watched, holding their breath.

Then Erwin dropped to one knee.

“You are more than qualified,” he said. “Your Majesty, it will be my honor to serve you.”

Alicia’s jaw dropped. “What the hell?! How did Uncle fold so easily? He’s supposed to be the hardest person to get on your side!”

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Yes!” Alicia said. “After King Edward died, he refused to support *any* of his children because he didn’t think any of them were worthy of the throne!”

She rushed up to Alex, grabbing him by the collar. “What the hell did you do? I thought he would beat your ass, not kneel to you!”

Alex pointed lazily at Erwin. “That’s something you should ask him. From my side, I didn’t do anything… much, at least.”

He glanced at Erwin. “You can stand.”

Erwin rose smoothly to his feet.

Alicia turned to him. “Uncle, what did he do?”

Erwin looked at her, then at Alex. “In all my life, I’ve never failed an assassination. Any target I’ve been given, any mission… I completed it.”

He folded his arms. “Do you know what the most powerful weapon for an assassin is?”

“Stealth, speed, and patience,” Alicia answered.

“Exactly,” Erwin said. “Now, to answer your question: when I attacked him just now, I was testing him. Normally, in less than a second, I can see thousands of openings to kill someone.”

He glanced at Alex again. “Against him, I counted precisely 1,747 ways to end his life in that instant.”

Alicia swallowed.

“I’ve never met anyone who could match my speed,” Erwin continued. “But at the last second… I saw it. He was following every move I was about to make. Every path I could take.”

He lifted a hand and snapped his fingers lightly. “And in that instant, all 1,747 openings disappeared.”

He shrugged. “That’s all that happened.”

Alicia stared at Alex as her mouth dropped open again.

Alex scratched his cheek. “See? What did I tell you? I didn’t do anything.”

Inside, his thoughts were a lot less relaxed. ’That was close. I really thought he’d take my head off for a moment. How the hell is someone that good at hiding? I didn’t sense him until the last second.’

[ I had a feeling if you didn’t catch him in time, that guy would’ve cut your head off. ] the system commented.

’Yeah, I think so too,’ Alex replied inwardly. ’The only reason he’s still alive is because we need every bit of manpower we can get. So I’ll let it slide.’

In Evelyn’s mind, Aurora’s voice echoed. { Is it just my imagination, or is this kid becoming more of a freak every day? }

’Pretty sure you’re not imagining it,’ Evelyn thought back.

“Alright,” Alex said aloud, looking at Erwin. “What can you do for me?”

“Anything, Your Majesty,” Erwin replied.

He flicked his fingers once.

Shadows rippled across the corridor.

In an instant, at least a hundred figures materialized out of the darkness—kneeling on one knee, heads bowed. They were all clad in black like Erwin, faces covered, a silent army of living shadows.

Alex’s eyes widened slightly. “Whoa. That was pretty amazing.”

“At a single command,” Erwin said, “we will do anything you ask—even lay down our lives for you.”

Alex let out a low whistle. “Impressive. I’ll put you all to good use.”

He turned serious. “But first, let’s finish this meeting with the other monarchs.”

Then he looked at the shadow guards, a glint in his eye. “Actually, I’ve got an idea for your first task. Go find out how much cash those noble bastards are hiding. Every illegal deal, every hidden asset. I want everything.”

“As you command,” they said in unison.

In the next blink, they were gone—dissolving back into the darkness as if they had never been there.

Only Erwin remained.

“Let’s go, Erwin,” Alex said.

Without a word, Erwin dissolved into Alex’s shadow, merging seamlessly with it.

Evelyn and Alicia stepped onto the magic circle, joining Alex.

Evelyn placed her hand over one of the runes and channeled her mana into it. The carvings lit up, lines of light racing across the circle and flaring upward.

The world around them blurred as their bodies turned into motes of light—drawn into the teleportation spell, heading toward the place where kings and monsters would soon sit at the same table.

Inside a massive grand hall, the air was thick with power.

Six monarchs from six different nations had already taken their seats around a circular table of polished obsidian, its surface reflecting their faces like a dark mirror. Above them, a vaulted ceiling glittered with enchanted crystals, casting soft light that shifted like starlight over water.

On one chair sat Sylphoria Sylven Everglade, Queen of the Faerie Domain. Her beauty was almost unreal—dark-blue hair cascaded in smooth, silken waves all the way down to her waist, catching the light like a night river under the moon. Her silver eyes glimmered like stars trapped beneath glass, simultaneously soft and piercing, untouched by age yet heavy with ancient wisdom.

Beside her sat Eleanor Aqualis, Queen of the Merfolk. Her sky-blue hair fell around her shoulders like flowing water, each strand seeming to move with a current of its own. Her eyes were violet crystal—calm, deep, shimmering with sorrow and quiet resolve, like the deepest parts of the ocean mourning its losses.

Further along sat Thalion Moonshade Lareth’Thalas, King of the Elven Empire. His blond hair resembled sunlight poured into silver, perfectly straight and falling past his shoulders in elegant layers.

His ember-hued eyes carried both noble grace and quiet fury, reflecting the weight of centuries spent watching the world repeat its mistakes. His long ears, adorned with subtle silver cuffs, twitched faintly as he listened.

Next was Damon Noctis Bloodrose—the Blood Monarch, King of Vampires.

Damon’s presence alone made the air tremble.

His skin was pale as carved marble, yet carried an inhuman perfection. A faint blood-red mist curled around him like a living cloak, drifting and twisting with his breathing. His eyes, a deep crimson, glowed faintly from beneath long dark lashes.

Every movement he made was unhurried, predatory, as if he had all the time in the world and everyone else was merely prey in his territory. The aura flowing from him was so dense and oppressive that many in the hall didn’t dare meet his gaze directly.

The fifth monarch was Cian Aurelias of the Holy Empire.

He sat with arms crossed, maroon hair slightly tousled as if he’d run his hand through it one too many times on the way here. His brown eyes were sharp but filled with irritation, as though every second wasted in discussion instead of action grated against his nerves. His holy robes—white and gold embroidered with intricate patterns—couldn’t fully hide the tension in his posture.

The sixth was the Dwarven King, Selvic Storm Everforge.

Selvic’s body was short but solid, like a boulder given life. His broad shoulders were wrapped in heavy rune-engraved armor, and his thick beard—braided with small metal rings and gemstones—fell to his chest like a decorated waterfall of iron-grey.

His eyes, a deep earth-brown, carried the steady weight of the mountains, and the aura around him felt like standing before a volcano—contained, but unimaginably dangerous if provoked.

Behind each monarch stood two attendants, ready and alert.

Behind Thalion’s chair stood Elaria, the elven princess. Her features were graceful, her long blond hair tied back neatly. Her green eyes watched the proceedings quietly, taking in every detail, every shift in aura, every breath her father and the others took.

Behind Damon stood Lilith, her crimson eyes matching his in intensity. Her dark hair fell down her back in a straight sheet, and her presence was like a calmer, subtler echo of the Vampire King’s—dangerous, but carefully leashed as she stood just to his right, hands folded neatly in front of her.

Beside Cian Aurelias stood Saintess Liana, draped in pure white robes traced with golden threads. A soft, holy light seemed to cling to her skin, and her expression contrasted sharply with the irritation radiating from Aurelias.

Together, they formed a circle of rulers and chosen heirs—each carrying their own pride, grudges, and fears—waiting for the silver-haired human who had suddenly become the wild card in a world already on the brink of destruction.

——

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A/N:

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