A bright red screen flashed in my vision, but it was different this time. It was darker, pulsing with a dangerous light.
[CRITICAL WARNING!!!]
Mastermind has detected extreme danger.
The 'Real' Ego is taking over!
My body went cold, then burning hot. My posture changed instantly. I didn't look like a "weak cub" or even a smart noble anymore. I looked like a god of death.
"Tsk. Now you've woken me up," the Mastermind inside me said.
His voice was different, deeper, colder, and full of ancient authority. He looked at The Jaw, who wasn't scared at all. Instead, The Jaw looked like he had just won the lottery.
"Pfft. Fantastic! This is fun!" The Jaw laughed, his red eyes wide with excitement. It was like he had just found a brand-new toy to play with.
"Shut up, brat," the Mastermind said.
He didn't move a finger. He just looked The Jaw dead in the eye and released his True Aura.
BOOM!
The air in the throne room became so heavy it felt like lead. The floor cracked under the pressure. The Jaw, who had been laughing a second ago, suddenly gasped. He clutched his throat, his face turning purple as he began to choke on the sheer power filling the room.
But even while he was choking, The Jaw didn't stop smiling.
"HAHAHA! Do it more!" he choked out, laughing like a complete madman. "Show me more! Give me everything you've got!"
The Mastermind narrowed my eyes, a look of pure disgust on my face.
"This little brat... he actually dares to challenge me?"
The shadows in the room didn't just move; they stood up. Kai's power combined with the Mastermind's aura, creating a black storm that swallowed the light of the torches.
The fake King fainted from the pressure alone, but the Jaw just kept staring, waiting for the slaughter to begin.
"Tsk, I need to go," The Jaw suddenly said.
Just like that, the pressure seemed to bounce off him. He stood up straight and regained his composure as if the Mastermind's crushing aura was nothing more than a light breeze. He looked genuinely disappointed, like a kid being told his playtime was over.
"No fun," he muttered, sighing. "I really wanted to see more. But, since it was fun while it lasted, I'll give you a present."
Before the Mastermind could react, The Jaw moved like a flash of red lightning. He blurred across the room toward the throne.
Schwing!
With one casual swing of his hand, the fake King's head was gone. The "King" didn't even have time to scream.
"Here," The Jaw said cheerfully.
He picked up the head and tossed it through the air. The Mastermind caught it with one hand, looking down at the bloody "present" in his grip.
"This psycho..." the Mastermind whispered, his voice dark and wary. He had met many monsters, but this guy was something else.
"Bye-bye!" The Jaw waved a hand and vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind. No mana, no smell, nothing. He was just gone.
The Mastermind felt the surge of power fading. The takeover had drained my body to the absolute limit.
"Kai... come here and look after your master," the Mastermind commanded.
As soon as the words left his lips, the dark aura vanished. My eyes returned to their normal color, and my body went limp. I collapsed onto the cold stone floor, unconscious, still holding the head of the man who had ruined the empire.
Kai stepped out of the shadows, his face pale as he looked at the mess in the throne room.
"Yes, Master," Kai whispered, picking me up.
The Four Pillars were dead. The Fake King was gone. The empire was officially headless, and the real battle had only just begun.
I woke up in my own bed and stared at the ceiling for a long time. Everything felt sore. I reached out and rang the small bell by my side.
Within seconds, the door burst open. Sebastian was running toward me, his face full of worry.
"Master Erik!" he cried out. He quickly handed me a cup of medicine. "Drink this, please."
"Thank you," I said, giving him a weak smile. The bitter liquid helped clear the fog in my head. "The situation... tell me what happened."
Sebastian stood tall, regaining his professional look. "We already took care of everything. The kids helped a lot with the cleanup. Master Kai has gone to rest; he used a lot of mana to keep the area secure and is exhausted."
He paused to make sure I was listening.
"My Master, your father, has already gone to the castle. He is settling things for the crowning of the true heir. The young prince has retired to his room to rest. He has been studying nonstop to become the King in the shortest time possible. He is working very hard."
The plan was a success.
"Good," I whispered. "Everything is finally where it should be."
But as I closed my eyes, I thought about the "Jaw" and that red-eyed gaze. The war for the throne was over, but a much bigger game had just started.
"We shall discuss this later. I still need to rest," I said, looking up at Sebastian. "You may go now."
Before he left, I reached out and gave him a quick hug. He had worked so hard to keep everything together while I was fighting.
"Yes, Master," he said softly, bowing before he walked back out the door.
I lay back and pulled the blankets up, but my mind wouldn't stop racing. We did it. We won without losing a single person on our side.
But I knew the truth. It was a close call.
If The Jaw hadn't been in a weird mood, if he actually wanted to kill us, he could have ended Kai and Sebastian in a heartbeat. We weren't just fighting corrupt humans anymore; we were dealing with monsters.
I looked at my hands. I was still weak. I needed to get stronger before that psycho decided to come back for "more fun."
I stared out the window at the rising sun. The city was waking up, and for the first time in a long time, the air felt a little lighter. But I wasn't a fool.
The "Jaw" was still out there, and there were many more like him hiding in the dark corners of the world. My father was busy at the castle, Kai was recovering, and a new King was preparing to lead. Everything was moving, but the board was getting bigger.
There is still a long way to go for a safe life, but I will make sure that I win.
In my last life, I lost everything. This time, I'm the one holding the chess pieces. I'll build a wall so high and a power so great that no one, not even that psycho, will ever be able to touch what is mine.
"Just you wait," I whispered to the empty room.
I closed my eyes and finally fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.