Kazuki's eyes gleamed with icy resolve.
"When I returned from the Elf Kingdom," he began, "I secretly captured the cart rider and brought him to a hidden chamber."
"There, I used a technique I obtained after purifying the demon you sent to the academy."
He took a breath.
"The Holy Manipulation Technique—a rare gift capable of affecting a person's mind."
"I was at Body Refining Tier 3 at the time… just enough to glimpse fragments of your future plans."
A flicker of dark energy surged around Vareon, a sinister aura beginning to crackle around his frame.
But Kazuki continued, calm and composed.
"I released the cart driver after erasing and rewriting parts of his memory. Then, I took my first major step in dismantling your plans."
[The Failed Failing Plan]
"You tried to make ninety-nine percent of the third-grade students fail the annual exam."
"You manipulated my father through your spies to approve an exam that was impossibly difficult. The intention was clear: to create mass outrage from the parents."
"That chaos would have distracted the empire's officials and weakened the central structure… opening the gates for you to execute your true plans—economic collapse, destabilization, and ultimately conquest."
Vareon's expression was unreadable, but the energy pulsing around him continued to grow.
Kazuki smirked slightly.
"But all I had to do was block one plan to make you hesitate."
"I deliberately scored the lowest on the exam myself. Then, I asked my father to pass all the students regardless of marks."
He looked up.
"The public believed I passed only because I was the prince… but since their children passed too, they had no reason to complain."
"And that alone was enough."
"It told you that I knew about your operation—without giving away how much I actually knew."
Kazuki took a slow breath.
"In reality, I knew very little. But I played the hand well enough for you to stop all your current plans and shift to creating new ones."
"And while you were busy doing that… I had already begun planting seeds to intercept them through the administrators."
[Unmasking Raizen]
"This year… I found another head spy. Raizen."
"His timing of arrival was just like Darius. That alone raised suspicion."
"Using administration records, I confirmed it—he returned at a critical moment, just before things shifted again."
"So I waited three years. I needed to reach Body Refining Tier 4… because I knew I'd have to face Raizen head-on."
"And when I did—when I captured him—I used Holy Manipulation once again."
"Through him, I gained deeper knowledge about your kingdom… its systems, its weaknesses… and your secrets."
Kazuki's gaze narrowed.
"Then, I rewrote his memory."
"I made him believe you betrayed him. That you cast him aside because of his age."
"And with that planted memory, he came to me, convinced of his loyalty to a false truth."
[The Fall of North Ryehem]
Kazuki's tone grew colder, sharper.
"Using that false memory, Raizen brought me to North Ryehem."
"As soon as I arrived, I used my holy abilities to render the citizens unconscious—and incapacitate several key officials."
"Raizen knew your daily schedule. He knew you were at the Demon King's temple at that exact time."
Kazuki's lips curled into a confident smile.
"And even when you sensed us, you didn't come."
"Out of loyalty. Respect for your master—the Demon King."
"But that was your mistake."
"In the short time you were gone… I defeated your entire kingdom. Alone."
The air between them seemed to freeze.
"I shared my spiritual energy with Raizen, allowing him to transport all the civilians outside the kingdom using his Spiritual Material Manipulation."
"He manipulated gravity itself to carry materials, cotton, and citizens far beyond your reach."
Kazuki's eyes burned now with undeniable fire.
"And through Raizen, I also learned that aside from you… there was no one in North Ryehem above Tier 3."
"That gave me all the confidence I needed."
"And so… I came here."
"To your throne room."
"To finish what I started."
[Vareon's Fury]
For the first time in what felt like hours, Vareon spoke.
His voice was low—nearly a growl.
"Why?" he asked. "Why did you do all of this?"
He stepped forward, his face darkening.
"What was your motive?"
The ground beneath them cracked slightly as his spiritual energy spiked.
Then, with a thunderous shout that shook the very hall—
"WHY DID YOU DO ALL OF THIS?!"
His dark aura exploded outward like a crashing wave.