Chương 51: Alliances in the Dark — Shadows of Destiny

The deepest, most protected royal chambers of the palace of Ithrya remained completely oblivious and untouched by the chaos unfolding on the front lines of the besieged city. The bedroom was immersed in a dense, clear atmosphere, bathed in daylight. Beneath the heavy silk sheets of the immense royal bed, Queen Liria and Sienna lay very close, completely naked, making their profound intimacy evident to anyone within those walls, far from judgmental and political eyes.

Around the vast chamber, a few ordinary maids moved in absolute silence, organizing the royal linen garments and gathering the golden chalices to maintain the discretion of that private environment. The stillness gave way to the coldness of political survival when the conversation gravitated back toward the overwhelming dread they felt for Kurogami. Sienna, seventeen years old with her long red hair spread across the pillow, stared fixedly at the dark fabric canopy above them.

— What do you honestly think of him, Liria? — Sienna asked. Liria clutched the sheets against her own body, staring at the ceiling with a serious, analytical gaze. — Kuro... that person is a killing machine. But can he really win this war against the enemy armies? — Hina mentioned that he had a direct connection to the Goddess. — Sienna continued her line of reasoning, recalling what the counselor had said earlier. — She said that person might actually have the power to change destiny...

but she also warned us that he is a ruthless monster. Someone who will resort to any atrocity to achieve victory. We shouldn't trust him, right? The queen closed her eyes for a brief moment and let out a sigh, wrapping Sienna in an embrace against her bare skin. Both knew that accepting the political contract marriage with Kurogami was the only remaining choice to keep the kingdom from collapsing before the invaders, but their distrust behind his back was absolute. — Yes, my love. We are not going to trust him.

— Liria replied. — But if Kuro spoke openly about falling in love with me, it's obvious he will demand royal affection in bed. We have to play this with absolute caution. Sienna flashed a provocative, bitter, and confident smile, mapping out the counter-attack strategy right there in the intimacy of the sheets. — You are marrying out of obligation, but you are still my queen. So, order Kaelia to go to bed with him.

She is your blood sister, the strongest warrior in the kingdom, and she leads our elite army of over 500 women with an iron fist. Let Kaelia satisfy him and watch him closely every single second. Besides, I also have my half-sister, Selene. Sienna shifted her position on the bed, glancing sideways at the maids. — And we have our 100 maids controlling the palace corridors. Since the two of us already use these maids for our own pleasure, let the King simply use them to satisfy himself as well.

As long as he stays away from you, he can use whoever he wants. Queen Liria looked into her companion's eyes. — I love you, Sienna. Sienna leaned in to seal the promise with a calm, possessive kiss on Liria's lips. Pulling away, she stroked the monarch's hair and answered aloud, making her dominance clear: — Yes, my queen... and I hope it stays that way. You are my queen, you belong to me, queen.

As her fingers slid across the monarch's face, Sienna completed the thought mentally: It is very good that it stays that way, Liria.

The point of view shifted abruptly to the dark immensity of the system. Kurogami emerged on the broken floor of the void. The previous timeline—which continued to exist in space-time with the fallen bodies and the destroyed hall—was deposited into the static darkness. In the midst of the purple mist, Rina's specter materialized. — I hate you, Kuro! I hate you because you literally cursed me to be bound to you for eternity. You are a murderous monster who kills and doesn't even feel anything...

That is your greatest sin, you murderer. Kuro stood up from the broken floor with precise movements. His eyes remained entirely cold. — Rina, I know that. And I try to change... but you see, I have to be this way. I became stronger like this, and to save the women I want on this chessboard, I need to do exactly this. And you saying all this won't make me hate you. After all, you didn't lie. He took a step forward into the void. A subtle smile played at the corner of his lips.

— In any case, why are you really so angry? Is it because when I kiss other women, you feel everything through our bond, isn't it? Is that jealousy, Rina? No need to deny it... I love you too. Rina stared at the cold barrier of Kuro's eyes, keeping her posture firm. — You never tire of saying you love, do you? Even when it's nothing but pure void, you say you love... And that might not even be a lie of yours, but you simply cannot show it. And you lie too much, Kurogami.

She pointed into the deep darkness of the abyss surrounding them. — Aurélia... you have an obsession with her. Selene... you love her, but you view her only as a tool. And it's exactly the same with Liora and Kaede. Even Liria and Kaelia are just tools in your political game. And Akari? You want to protect her above all else. She is also just a tool, but unlike the others, you don't get involved with her. Even though you say she's useless, you care about her. You care about her and all the others.

Even if you tell yourself that you are evil... on the inside, you aren't that evil. Actually, you are very evil, Kuro. Just not with these women. Rina crossed her arms, detailing with precision the physical limitations of her spectral existence within the system. — Ever since your wish, I became a specter that walks by your side everywhere. I live through everything with you, I feel every single action, but if I move more than 30 meters away, I am instantly pulled back by the system.

I spend most of the time sleeping inside that crystal where Reina, the dragon-woman, is sealed in your pocket, just so I don't go crazy with your actions. I only wake up to send the messages and status updates you need on the interface. Kurogami listened to the explanation without changing his cold facial expression. — Honestly, I wish this world was 100% women — Kuro commented, his voice flat with a slight hint of mockery.

— At least that way I would have an easier harem and all the women in the world would chase after me, being a king in a world of only women. But screw logic or destiny. I will suffer, I will bleed as much as it takes. And because of my wish, this won't be a goodbye to Liora. I will bring everyone back. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Rina's voice dictated the system's countdown directly into Kurogami's mind, breaking the silence: — Seven minutes.

The world spun, and time reversed. Kuro rewoke in the middle of the militarized commercial streets of Ithrya. His heartbeat operated at the normal regularity of his emotionless body. He looked up, analyzed the sun, and calculated the physical distance to the central hall in a fraction of a second: at a normal running pace, Liora, Myreia, and Aurélia would cross the doors before he could reach them. He changed his strategy.

Kuro advanced rapidly toward Selene, scooped the mage into his arms, and dashed at absolute maximum speed down the city's central avenue, tearing through the wind. Selene showed immediate shock, her long red hair flying against the harsh gale as she was carried away in an abrupt and violent manner. — Why are you doing this, Kuro?! Let me go! What has gotten into you?! Why are we running like this?! — she screamed into the midst of the gale, receiving no answer.

Kuro concentrated all his physical strength into his advance, planting his feet firmly on the ground and breaking the air's resistance. Utilizing the brutal momentum of his sprint, he crossed the perimeter and smashed open the gates of the palace's central hall with exactly thirty seconds left before the previous fatal event. Kurogami invaded the vast hall, his eyes locked onto the enemy's tactical positions. The group of girls was completely surrounded and cornered by a compact wall of enemy armor and swords.

Because they were totally isolated by the ranks of iron, they couldn't move to reach one another on the battlefield. Upon crossing the entrance with Selene, Kuro immediately barked out tactical orders: — Selene! Aurélia! Fight together! Liora, Myreia, join the assault as well! Following the swift command, Selene and Aurélia began to coordinate their actions from the spot where they stood.

Selene channeled external mana to hurl multiple projectiles of stone and fire against the blockade that was suffocating them, while Aurélia used her own magic to empower her companion's spells, leaving her visibly stronger. At another isolated point of the siege, Liora advanced frantically, leaping between the rows of iron, punching helmets, and blocking opposing blades with her katana. She had already brought down several suits of armor, but she was visibly overwhelmed.

Damn it, I need to save them, that's my objective, Kuro thought rapidly, analyzing the combat from a distance. Selene is good and so is Aurélia. Myreia is quite powerful. But Liora isn't making it because she's an assassin. An assassin wasn't built to fight like a warrior against numbers this vast, and her blade can't destroy armor. Only pure magic can bring down iron. Separated from the others by the enemy blockade, Myreia tried to use her own mana with her bare hands to desperately defend herself.

Kuro approached her front line and spoke directly: — Myreia, give me the weapon now! The Eclipse Musket! I know I can trust you. Even though you betrayed me, you can make up for that betrayal by helping. Myreia... you know I like you, right? So please, you need to start over. Use the Blade Shower magic to create multiple projectiles made of metal. You can do it, right? Or use external mana to create something, or use Arcane Lance to condense external mana into a spear.

Hearing the request, Myreia gathered the remainder of her strength. She channeled her energy and executed the commands flawlessly, conjuring the blades and metal projectiles that sliced through the enemy ranks, shattering over ten suits of armor at once. Immediately after, she utilized a light magic that condensed into a massive purple sphere, launching it against the blockade. The brutal effort completely drained her mana reserves, causing Myreia to collapse to her knees on the marble, exhausted.

Kurogami gripped the heavy musket. Before even stabilizing his stance, he sought the interface in his mind, questioning the specter as his adrenaline surged. — Rina, what skill did I unlock? — I already told you. Shadow Manipulation. — I know that! But how do I use it? — I don't know. You're smart, figure it out. Kuro concentrated on the concept of pure shadows.

He drew upon the environment's external mana—his body's internal mana was strictly reserved for his assassin skills—and injected this external energy directly into the weapon's structure. The musket reacted instantly, and the bullet turned completely black. Shadow Manipulation, he defined. The specter's voice detailed inside Kuro's mind as the combat grew hotter: — Looks like your Shadow Step skill has increased by another level. Now you can teleport up to 7 meters.

And shadow manipulation allows you to create things, like a shadow sword. But you are at a low level. You can use shadow manipulation with a normal staff that has an affinity for external mana for a mage, or you can use it with your bare hands, but the magic will come out weaker. The other option is to use it with a weapon or apply shadow magic to your assassin skills. Kuro processed the tactical information while raising the heavy barrel: So if I use it, I might run out of mana to regenerate...

Yeah, everything has a price. Seraphine observed Kuro appear in her line of sight and narrowed her eyes with disdain. — So you finally arrived, Kurogami. Kuro raised the Eclipse Musket, pointing it in her direction. — You are General Seraphine Veyra. — I am. And you are exactly as they described you to me. — Who described me? Seraphine smiled faintly. — Does that really matter? Kuro aimed at the heavy suits of armor that were cornering and suffocating Aurélia and fired without hesitation.

The shadow bullet exploded directly against the iron group, scattering dark particles and instantly trapping their movements on the ground, paralyzing the enemy's front line and clearing the perimeter around Aurélia. I needed to save Aurélia, Kuro thought right after the shot, keeping his focus firmly on the battlefield. I already showed her one skill. The more she knows, the more dangerous she becomes. Showing my skills to this enemy lowers my chances; she is very clever. But I had no choice...

Seraphine remained motionless in the face of the attack on her forces. — Interesting... — she commented. Kuro narrowed his eyes, maintaining his combat stance. — You don't seem surprised. — Because I already knew you would do that. — Impossible. — To you, perhaps. Her hands rose slowly into the air. The remaining suits of armor scattered throughout the vast hall began to move all at the same time. — You brought your pieces to my chessboard, Kurogami. Now watch how they fall.

Kuro kept his focus on the General and issued a tactical command: — Aurélia, use your magic to make Selene's stronger! Don't worry about me! Activating Shadow Step, Kuro teleported the 7 meters instantly, appearing at the exact spot for the final shot. He channeled a larger shadow projectile directly into the barrel of the Eclipse Musket, aiming at General Seraphine Veyra, and fired. Seraphine merely smiled, mocking the attack. — Did you really believe I would let that attack reach me?

Her fingers moved with surgical precision. The projectile changed direction in mid-air in an impossible manner. — Return. Kuro realized the alteration of the trajectory too late. The ricochet split the massive bullet into two large shadow projectiles in the vacuum. The two tore through the hall at absurd speeds, ripping through the air straight into their bellies in a clean, fatal strike. — LIORA! — Selene screamed in pure desperation.

One of the projectiles struck Liora dead-on before she could even register a reaction. The assassin fell violently against the marble floor. Selene immediately rushed to her side, ignoring everything around them, and pulled her tightly into her arms. — Liora! Liora, look at me! Liora opened her eyes with extreme difficulty, coughing up blood. — Selene... — she whispered. — I'm here! I'm here! — Selene replied, holding her close against her chest, her hands staining red. — You're going to be okay.

Aurélia can heal you! At the same time, the second projectile struck Myreia. Kuro vanished in a blur with Shadow Step and appeared by her side before her body could fully hit the ground. He held her firmly in his arms. — Myreia. The neko opened her eyes slowly, her life fading away. — Kuro...? — she asked. — Stay awake. — I... tried... — she murmured. — I know. Kuro looked across the hall, analyzing the situation. Selene was kneeling on the marble, holding Liora against her chest. — Kuro!

— Selene cried out, weeping loudly. — Liora is dying! He looked down at Myreia in his arms. Two people. Two deaths. And I can only reach one of them in time. For the first time since the start of that battle, his tactical calculation hit an impossible variable that he couldn't simply eliminate or bypass with pure speed. — Aurélia! — Kuro shouted. — Heal Liora! Aurélia tried to stand and push forward, but the enemy armor still blocked her path in the middle of the hall. — I'm trying!

Selene squeezed Liora even tighter against herself. — Don't close your eyes! Please! Liora breathed with extreme difficulty, blood trickling down her lips as she looked at the faces before her. — Selene... — she called. — Don't speak. — I'm... happy... kuro... selene... I love you... forgive me... — she declared. — Don't say that! — Selene began to sob uncontrollably, leaning over her to press one last tearful, desperate, and deep kiss onto her lips. — You're not going to die! I love you too!

Kuro lowered his eyes to Myreia. He already knew this tragic moment. But this time, he had arrived sooner. Myreia tried to raise her trembling hand and touched his face, leaving a red smudge on Kuro's skin. — Kuro... — she called. — I'm here. — Don't let... Selene be alone... — she pleaded. Kuro stood completely still for a moment. His response came directly: — I won't. I love you too, Liora. Then he looked back toward Liora and Selene as their lives faded into the marble. But I won't let you die either.

The hall plunged into the complete silence of death. Seraphine remained motionless before the royal throne, observing the outcome with a calm, victorious smile. — That is what happens when someone believes they can control destiny. She looked directly into Kuro's eyes. — You can return as many times as you want, Kurogami. As long as I am here, your pieces will keep dying.

Kurogami's presence ceased to exist once more in that timeline, which would continue to spin with tragedy, as his soul was ripped back to the abyss by the system. Kurogami emerged on the broken floor of the void for the second time. He wiped the bloodstains of the girls from his clothes with his hands, keeping his cold, focused eyes locked onto the system's eternal darkness. Rina's specter materialized a few meters away, crossing her arms with a deeply serious and analytical expression.

— If the Goddess weren't directly interfering, you would have won this battle — Rina commented. — In terms of pure power, the area was clear. But the sword of the Goddess, Ariana... she was sent by her to interfere, making sure the General knew absolutely everything you were going to do. Kurogami stared at the specter with military rigidity, processing the words he had just heard. — How do you know that, Rina? Rina shrugged completely casually in the middle of the static. — I don't know. Just thought of it, really.

Silence settled over the abyss. The technical victory of the fight belonged to him; the direct interference of the Goddess Ariana justified the General Seraphine's impossible information. The board was operating under divine cheating. He kept his cold mind focused on the remaining chances within the system. His voice came out flat and icy in the darkness: — I have two more chances. I just need to not make the same mistakes. This served as a lesson. Next time, I have to make it.