Kakarotto was placed in the most protected area of the palace — a section reserved only for the king or the crown prince. But after arriving in the imperial city, he didn’t meet the King, and he didn’t seem to care at all.
The King had only one daughter, but everyone knew she had left long ago and never returned. This meant he had no available successor, making Kakarotto’s placement even more shocking to everyone.
That night, the king sent a messenger to summon Kakarotto. When they finally met again, the monarch seemed in even worse shape, needing much more energy just to open his eyes.
"Did you like my home and the imperial city?" asked the king with a gentle smile, something rare on his hardened face.
Alm and Bruno almost laughed to themselves. They knew King Vulke wasn’t a kind person, but rather a ruthless, bloodthirsty tyrant. Seeing a gentle smile on his face was almost comedic to them. A villain recognizes another villain, making the king’s act even funnier to them.
"Not bad," replied Kakarotto with a casual smile.
"I hope you found the accommodations acceptable." The king acted like an old lady trying to please, which would have scared anyone who knew him well.
"I don’t have much time, and I don’t have any children... I’ll be straight with you..." He took a deep breath, gathering strength. "The empire needs a ruler... do you want to be my heir?"
The servants were left speechless when they heard this. Naming a stranger he’d met just a day ago as his heir? What a completely illogical decision. Many began wondering if the illness was affecting the king’s mind.
Kakarotto laughed in response, his expression still indifferent. "Heir? That would make you my father, then."
"Our meeting is fate. Don’t worry about worldly conventions," the king responded softly.
Kakarotto placed a hand on his chin, thoughtful: "Is being an heir fun? Can I do whatever I want?"
"Without a doubt, you can do whatever you want," replied the king, with a tone that bordered on madness given how quickly he answered. After all, he had only met Kakarotto the day before! The servants could hardly believe what they were hearing.
"Sounds fun. Alright, I’ll be your heir," said Kakarotto, revealing a broad smile.
"Good, good..." murmured the king, almost out of breath.
The servants were stunned by the informality of the scene. Becoming the crown prince of a glorious empire meant gaining unlimited power and authority. But Kakarotto didn’t seem to react appropriately at all.
’Does he even realize the power he just received?’ the servants thought.
After that, they said their goodbyes. But practically minutes later, every word exchanged in that event started spreading among the eight powerful clans.
Soon, heated discussions erupted in all the circles of power. The idea of the king naming a stranger as his heir was absurd. And to top it off, this stranger didn’t seem to care at all, as if it wasn’t a big deal.
It was bizarre and inexplicable. The glorious King Vulke — a calculating and imperious figure who never left anything to chance — was now acting like a senile old man!
The descriptions of the new heir, Kakarotto, also left everyone perplexed. Overall, no one knew what he was thinking, since he simply smiled after receiving the title.
Until, later that same day, someone came to visit Alm and Bruno.
"Your Highness." The person bowed respectfully and said, "I am here to present myself for service under His Majesty’s orders."
He was a man of the Chromaraic race, with an elegant and well-balanced appearance, both in stature and features. He was robust, and his hair shone with various colors. He wore a red tunic, looking both like an experienced sage and a fierce soldier.
He didn’t emanate an oppressive or dominant aura, but around him, the nine laws of that world seemed to bend. Alm and Bruno looked into his eyes and immediately felt an inexplicable familiarity... something strange they couldn’t identify.
"What’s your name?" Kakarotto asked casually.
"This servant’s name is Buman. My previous position was General of the imperial guards. Now, I’m here to serve you as a personal guard, ready for any command."
"You seem extremely loyal to the king," Kakarotto observed, realizing that this man was the type who would die to carry out orders without hesitation.
"Your Highness, His Majesty gave me a second life; my parents gave me the first. I am alive today thanks to him," Buman replied with a slight smile.
Alm and Bruno were still puzzled by that subtle, strange familiarity. They just stared at him, trying to unravel the mystery.
"I’ve come to take you on a tour of the imperial city. I will ensure your safety and be your guide," said Buman.
"Alright, I was getting bored anyway," Kakarotto replied, getting up from his room.
They moved calmly, and Buman began showing him around the imperial city. Alm and Bruno, on the other hand, remained focused on trying to understand that feeling that had been bothering them so much.
"Have you cultivated before, Your Highness?" Buman asked, taking a good look at Kakarotto. He noticed the young man had trained before, but his cultivation was as shallow as someone who had just started recently.
"Just casually," Kakarotto replied, dryly.
Buman quickly followed up, "May I ask what technique you used, and what level you’re at? How about I find you a suitable weapon?"
Bruno, completely unconcerned, answered, "What was the name again? Hmm... I think it was: Mind and Universe Shattering Spinning Blade... at the thirteenth level!"
"Oh..." Buman was surprised before speaking gently, "Your Highness, techniques don’t have thirteen levels, the highest is the ninth."
"I see. Then it must’ve been the third level... but doesn’t the thirteenth level sound much better and cooler?" Bruno said, not really caring.
Buman was left speechless. He had never met anyone so carefree; it seemed like he wasn’t even trying to cultivate seriously or learn a technique.
"Don’t think too much about it. Why bother cultivating when I have you as my personal guard? I’d rather just enjoy life," Bruno said calmly.
Buman smiled wryly but insisted, "Your Highness, please don’t say that. I may not be able to protect you forever. Besides, there are as many dangers in this world as there are stars, and plenty of people stronger than me."
"If there’s an opponent you can’t beat, then my lousy techniques won’t do anything either. They wouldn’t even scare the enemy, so why bother learning?" Bruno retorted, still indifferent.
Even though his response was inappropriate, it had an undeniable logic. Buman’s expression grew serious. Seeing this, Bruno continued:
"I’m only concerned with my duties as heir, to enjoy a life of luxury and extravagance. As for my safety, that’s your responsibility. Otherwise, what’s the point of having you as my guard?"
Buman didn’t know how to respond. He just broke out in a cold sweat... what had he gotten himself into? All he could do now was protect the young man with all his strength.
"Did the king send you to be my guard or my teacher?" Kakarotto asked with a smile.
Buman hurried to answer, "His Majesty sent me to ensure your safety. I come from humble roots, with no education, and I’m not qualified to be a teacher. If Your Highness doesn’t like what I say, I promise to stay quiet."
"It’s all good. Talking is fun. It would be boring if you were just a statue following me around all day," Bruno said casually, before suddenly asking, "When’s the king going to die?"
Buman was startled. He shuddered before answering, "His Majesty has infinite longevity and will be invincible forever!"
"Hahaha, no need to comfort me with those words," Bruno said, dismissing the answer with a smile. "Even an idiot can see it’s just a matter of time. Maybe not today, but it’s not far off. He won’t last much longer."
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on ƒreewebɳovel.com.
Buman’s eyes widened, unsure if the boy was crazy or reckless. Asking that kind of question was suicidal!
"Your Highness, please be careful with what you say. You don’t know who might be listening," Buman warned cautiously.
"It’s fine, getting old and dying are part of life, no one can live forever. I’ll ask the king later when he plans on dying," Bruno responded indifferently.
Buman really didn’t know what to do. Who else would dare say these things? He quickly decided to stay silent, avoiding creating more problems.
Bruno was relieved, thinking that was better. This soldier was certainly someone sent to keep an eye on him; he seemed too rigid, so leaving him quiet and just watching would make it easier to manipulate what he knew or thought.
The journey continued in silence as they enjoyed the scenery along the way. Afterward, they returned to the castle.
In the following days, Kakarotto spent part of his time meditating and the rest enjoying the luxury around him. Alm and Bruno subtly gathered information, while Buman simply watched, unable to understand their somewhat... dubious actions.
As for the servants, they couldn’t have been more respectful, almost to the point of licking their boots.
A week passed, and Buman hurried into the room, bowing, "Your Highness, His Majesty wishes to see you immediately."
"Is he about to die? Time to pass the throne already?" Kakarotto asked, excited.
Buman was speechless. This heir was truly unpredictable. The nearby servants turned pale. That was a serious offense!
"I don’t know, please follow me, Your Highness," Buman replied, pretending not to have heard.
"How boring," Kakarotto shook his head. "Why don’t they just make me king already, instead of wasting time with these complicated, unnecessary ceremonies?"
Buman smiled wryly and could only pray to stay safe with such a crazy master. His duty was just to protect the heir.
They arrived at the King’s residence quickly. He was still lying in bed, visibly ill.
Mermon was always present, lurking in the shadows like a venomous serpent, ready to strike. He was nearly imperceptible, unless he wanted to be noticed—at least to others.
There were also eight elders in the room, each of different heights and races, but they all shared one thing in common: their overwhelming cultivation and power.
"Kid, you’ve arrived. Meet the leaders of the eight great clans," said the King, motioning toward Kakarotto.
He gave the elders a slight smile and, without hesitation, settled into a nearby chair.
"Lord of the Wind, this is the child I spoke of. His name is Kakarotto," the King began, introducing him to one of the elders. "We are bound by fate."
The King’s gaze toward Kakarotto was full of kindness and affection. Anyone who saw them together would easily believe they were father and son, even though they had only met a few days ago.
The eight elders observed Kakarotto carefully, trying to figure him out. However, he seemed completely unaffected by their intense stares, sitting casually with a posture more like a rogue than a crown prince.
This behavior made the elders feel uneasy. At first, they had assumed the King would choose a genius or someone from one of the great clans to be his successor. But none of them had ever heard of this young man before. The way the King treated him with such affection made them think he might be an illegitimate son.
It was a situation similar to an old man who, after years of waiting, finally had a child and spoiled him excessively.
Now, five of the elders were convinced that Kakarotto was indeed the King’s illegitimate son. No one could dispute the possibility. Besides, the King had many enemies. Killing the King himself might be difficult, but what if they targeted the son? Maybe, fearing this, the King had kept the boy hidden from the world.
The elders continued to watch him with piercing eyes. It was clear he had only started cultivating recently, and judging by his aura, both his technique and talent were mediocre. Any of their young clan members would easily surpass him.
After some time, the elders concluded that Kakarotto couldn’t be the King’s hidden son. If that were the case, the King would have invested heavily in his training. Even without talent, with powerful resources and techniques, he wouldn’t be so pitiful.
"Kid, these old folks are the greatest allies of the empire. They’ll help you in the future," murmured the King to Kakarotto.
There were many powerful clans in the empire, but the ones who truly controlled everything were these eight giants. That’s why the King had summoned them. After a long sigh, he continued:
"The future will be challenging, and this child is still ignorant. He will need your guidance."
"Your Majesty, we’ll do our best to take care of the young prince," said one of the elders, bowing respectfully.
They were clearly excited, unable to resist the temptation of power. If the King passed the throne to one of the elders or a genius from a clan, taking control would be difficult. But a weak and unknown junior like Kakarotto? It was a divine opportunity! The eight were already secretly celebrating.
However, they needed to be cautious. If the King wanted to destroy them, none of them would stand a chance. But now, by naming an inept ruler, he had created an opportunity for their clans to take control.
"My time is running out. Before I go, I will arrange marriages for our heirs," the King declared to the eight elders.
One of them immediately replied, "Don’t worry, Your Majesty. The heir may choose any daughter from our clan to be his consort."
Another opportunity was revealed before them. If they could marry their disciple to the crown prince, it would be the best way to manipulate him.
None of them would be the main wife, since only a Primordial Elemental Spirit could bear heirs with him. However, consorts from other races were common.
"It won’t be a selection," the King growled. "I want the main disciples of your clans to become consorts. This will seal an alliance that will lead us to prosperity."
The elders, who had initially planned to send secondary disciples, were taken aback. Now, the King demanded the most talented ones—the ones who carried the hopes of their clans. He aimed to unite the eight sects, securing Kakarotto’s future.
Seeing their alarmed expressions, the King snorted, and a bloodthirsty aura filled the room. Even while dying, the King remained one of the most fearsome forces in the empire, and killing them would be easy.
The eight elders, feeling suffocated, exchanged looks. They knew resistance was futile as long as the King was alive.
"We agree!" they shouted in unison.
They had no choice. Anyone who dared to disagree would face the full wrath of the King.
"Good. Now take the oath," the King commanded sternly.
From the shadows, Mermon emerged, holding a crystal containing eight soul contracts. The elders sighed but stepped forward. Once they signed, there would be no turning back.
With the contracts sealed, Mermon handed the crystal to Kakarotto: "Your Highness, take good care of the marriage contracts."
Alm and Bruno grinned at this interesting turn of events: "Eight is too few. Maybe we should have them bring their pretty sisters too as part of the dowry," Bruno joked.
The elders were shocked by the flippant comment. Someone like him would never be taken seriously by them, but now he might even marry their best disciples. The audacity of asking for more concubines was unthinkable.
If the King weren’t present, they would’ve killed the bastard on the spot.
"Alright. Pick whoever you want later. I’m sure these gentlemen here won’t have any objections," said the King, affectionately.
"Of course, Your Highness, as long as it’s your desire," one of them replied, all of them forcing bitter smiles.
"Great. I’ll take my time visiting your clans to pick out some beauties. But, to be honest... I really prefer married women," Kakarotto said, looking straight at them with a twisted grin. The expressions on the eight elders’ faces turned downright ugly after hearing that.