The air in the room was heavy and smelled like old paper and arrogance.
The four pillars of this rotten system sat high above me. They looked like gods, but to me, they were just targets.
"Boy," the first one spoke.
It was The Skin. He was the most foolish of the group. He thought that having expensive things and fake loyalty meant he was powerful. His voice was annoying, like he was talking down to a kid.
"You must feel small next to your father," he said, trying to tempt me. "Don't you want to be even greater than him?"
I lowered my head. I made my shoulders shake just a little bit. I had to look like a loser. I had to look like a hungry dog ready to take any bone they threw at me.
"I... I want power," I whispered. I made my voice crack perfectly. I looked up, letting a fake look of greed show in my eyes. "I'm here to prove I can do it. Better than anyone. Use me... just give me more power than my father has."
It was a perfect act. I looked like a desperate child reaching for poisoned candy.
"Child, we can give you everything you want," The Jaw said. He was the one who whispered lies into the ears of kings to make them obey. He leaned forward into the light.
Next to him, The Structure stayed quiet. He was the architect, the one who actually made their plans work. He watched me with cold eyes, checking if I was useful or just trash.
"Child," The Eyes finally spoke. Her voice was like a soft song. "Being weak is beautiful because you can become anything. But without us to lead you... You will get lost."
I kept looking at the floor. Inside, I was laughing.
These were the four pieces: The Skin, the Jaw, the Structure, and the Features. Together, they made the perfect puppet. But that was their weakness, too. If I broke just one piece, the whole thing would fall apart.
They thought they were the masters, and I was the tool.
"I understand," I said. My voice was flat now, no more shaking. "I am ready to learn."
The room went silent. It was heavy and thick. The first crack in their group had formed. Now, I just had to wait for Kai to hit them with the hammer.
Suddenly, Kai moved in the shadows.
He waved his hand slightly. That was the signal. His mind-control power seeped into the room like a ghost. The Structure didn't even realize it was happening. He was already our puppet.
A small smirk touched my lips. Our secret trump card was working.
"General, let the child go. We shall discuss this further," a deep voice said. It was so scary that even a dead person would be frightened.
It was The Structure. Kai's power was already working on him.
"Yes, Master," the General said. He walked over and led me out to a fancy lobby. "Wait here until they call you."
I activated my skill, The Information War. Even through the thick door, I could hear every word they whispered.
"That stupid kid! Let's use him!" The Skin said, sounding very excited. He was already thinking about how to use me.
"We should be careful," The Features replied. Her voice was calm. "He is the Golden Lion's son. That blood is dangerous. He might be a problem."
"Dangerous?" The Skin laughed. "You saw him. He's a coward. He can't do anything by himself."
I leaned back in the expensive chair. A sharp, slow smile spread across my face.
They thought they were deciding my life. They didn't realize that Kai wasn't just controlling the General. He was already breaking them from the inside.
The Skin was blinded by greed. The Features were too cautious, and the Structure... he was already mine.
I closed my eyes and listened to them argue.
Good. Keep talking. Every word they said made their foundation weaker. They wanted to use me to fight my father. They didn't realize they had already invited their own end into the room.
"They really are just chess pieces," I whispered.
And I was about to flip the board. They dared to challenge the people who built this empire. Now, they were going to pay for it.
The air in the room suddenly felt very heavy.
A bright red screen appeared, and blinked fast.
[WARNING!!]
'The Eyes' has noticed a strange power in the shadows!
Enemy Skill: 'True Sight' has been activated.
Damn it. How did that woman know?
I looked at the closed door. I thought Kai's power was perfect, but I guess 'The Features' wasn't just a pretty face. She was the real boss of this group. The innocent-looking ones are always the most dangerous. While the others were busy being greedy, she was actually watching.
But I wasn't scared.
You don't walk into a trap without a backup plan. I already knew these four were smart—after all, they were the ones who turned the King into their puppet.
Inside the room, her voice changed. It wasn't sweet anymore. It was cold.
"Everyone, shut up," she hissed. "Skin, stop talking about money. Jaw, stop lying. Look at the General. Look at how he is standing. That isn't him."
The room went silent. I could feel their killing intent through the door.
"Someone is controlling him," she said. "Someone is playing with us."
I sat back in my chair and let out a small laugh.
"You're pretty good," I whispered.
She was smart, but she was too late. I already told Kai what to do if we were caught. If you try to catch a mastermind, you shouldn't just look in the shadows—you should look at the person right in front of you.
I tapped the table. My eyes started to glow.
"If you want to see who is controlling everything," I said to the door, "then I'll show you."
The plan was changing. I didn't need to act like a weak child anymore.
Kai moved in the shadows. He didn't run away. Instead, he released even more power. If they wanted to find the person in the dark, we would just turn off all the lights.
The real fight was starting now.