The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 243: Chapter 239 — Queen

The shrikes belonged to the arachnid order, and each colony was usually led by a singular force; a Queen. She was thrice as large as the rest of the shrikes, her presence far more oppressive and imposing.

The queens of different colonies operated differently, yet their roles were usually the same. As the only ones able to reproduce, they were the absolute rulers of their colonies, determining the laws of their society. However, though they each possessed the same strengths, they also shared the same weaknesses. One was their inability to withstand light, as with many of their kind. And the other...

"Measly. Humans. Trespass. Kill brethren. Now... pay."

The Queen’s wide mouth stretched into an unnatural grin, revealing rows of slick crimson teeth. Whether they were coated in spittle or blood, none of them had any idea. They hoped it was the former.

Behind him, audible gulps rippled through the clearing. Without even turning, Zephyrion could feel the tension gripping the cadets. The Queen’s aura was overwhelming and cold, while her unnatural grin and shrill, disjointed voice only made matters worse.

For most of the cadets, it was the first time they had ever heard a beast speak.

’Not yet.’

The Queen jabbed a hand toward the bonfire behind them.

"That. Accursed light. Soon... snuffed out. Then..."

She slowly traced a claw across her throat, her slithering tongue gliding over her lips.

"Dead. Ripped apart. Blood drained. Eaten alive. Scream. Misery. Agony. Me... not care. Light gone... it over."

The Queen threw her head back and screeched.

A shrill cry pierced the night, sweeping across the clearing and causing the bonfire to flare violently. The next moment, hundreds of shrikes joined in, their screeches tearing through the darkness as one.

This was an academy test, and Zephyrion could bet all his fortune that measures were in place to prevent deaths or even grievous injuries. Yet it did nothing to stop the cadets’ faces from draining of all color.

’At least they didn’t blatantly run.’

The formations he’d devised were still holding, albeit with far less enthusiasm than earlier. But at this point, he was simply glad they still stood with him.

’How annoying.’

He sighed inwardly. It was moments like this that made him miss his past life with the Order. He was given a mission and had only himself to rely on for its completion.

Now, he had no choice but to place a measure of trust in the cadets. It was annoying that the outcome of this test somewhat rested in their hands. But then, it was annoyances like this that reminded him how absurd his goal truly was.

Total world domination.

To achieve it, annoyances like this were something he would have to get used to.

Zephyrion took a step forward, his cold eyes settling on the Queen.

"What makes you think you’re worth enough to do anything to us?"

The screeches ceased.

The clearing fell deathly silent as the Queen fixed all four eyes on him. This was one of the weaknesses of every intelligent being.

Ego.

"We. Strong."

"And yet you hide underground like scared little dogs. You fear the light. The only reason you got a reaction out of us was because you ambushed us, like the cowards you are." Zephyrion smiled. "Your creator got one thing right. Making you big, white, ugly, and creepy. Everything else? Complete failure."

A shockwave burst from the Queen as she screeched. It slammed into him, whipping his hair and clothes violently. Yet Zephyrion remained perfectly still, standing ramrod straight, his expression never changing.

The Queen’s four eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

"You. Dare. Call. Us. Weak?"

"No." Zephyrion slowly shook his head. "Weak implies you’re capable of something. You’re not. You’re dirt. Beneath my feet. Worthless. Your only purpose is to get stomped on."

The shrill grew louder, the blast of air knocking a few cadets off balance and almost snuffing out the bonfire. The army of shrikes roared alongside their Queen.

"Terrible... Terrible! Mock. Us? Terrible!"

The Queen’s white hair defied gravity, seeming to float of its own accord. Her four eyes shone brilliantly, and the hundreds of crimson eyes of the shrikes lit up in unison. A murderous wave engulfed the clearing in an instant, causing the cadets to flinch. But Zephyrion shrugged it off with ease. He had endured far worse.

"You. Must. Pay! Must. Must!"

Ahead, the shrikes, receiving orders from their Queen, surged forward, their attention fixed entirely on them.

The Queen was left alone.

The moment Zephyrion had been waiting for.

"Now."

No one but Zephyrion saw the blur. Not the shrikes, not even the cadets. One moment, the Queen was glaring at him furiously. The next, a blade rested against her throat.

Shrillllllllll!

At the Queen’s cry, the shrikes snapped toward her, every one of them rushing forward.

Lumi’s brown eyes seemed colder than the chilling night as she pressed the blade more firmly against the Queen’s pale neck, drawing a thin line of crimson blood.

As though realizing her intention, the shrikes halted, yet the murderous intent in their eyes only intensified.

"This... plan all along! Coward! Coward!"

The Queen kept screaming in rage, yet was powerless to force Lumi off her.

As with every shrike Queen, this was their true weakness. Every Queen could birth and command her colony, but her power ended there. She possessed no special power of her own and usually hid behind her army.

"H-how did she get there?!"

"She... she took the Queen hostage? That’s insane!"

"I didn’t even see her move..."

The cadets stared in utter amazement, completely shocked by the sudden turn of events.

Exhaling softly, Zephyrion stepped forward.

"I believe I don’t have to explain the situation to you. Clear the path and let us leave... or you die."

The Queen’s face twisted. He could see the ego in her eyes, the pride, yet beneath it all was hesitation.

A weakness shared by all sentient beings.

The primal instinct of self-preservation.

Dying here meant her colony would be without a Queen. The shrikes would either die of old age, unable to produce more offspring, or join another colony. Either way, their little society would come to an end.