The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 244: Chapter 240 — Run

As expected, the Queen’s earlier defiance soon gave way to fear. She swallowed before lowering her eyes.

"Step. Back."

The shrikes’ eyes widened, and they screeched in defiance, yet a single piercing screech from their Queen made them stiffen.

Reluctantly, they began parting, opening a path.

Zephyrion turned toward the cadets.

"In formation."

They snapped out of their shock and hastily nodded.

Soon, they gathered into tight formations of thirty. Kaelion, Kaiden, Fiona, Nedra, Draven, Lucien, and several other Calderalth and capable cadets took the lead of each.

The outer cadets formed large metal shields, encasing their groups, while those behind them forged long metal spears. The inner cadets, meanwhile, formed metal whips and each took several blazing logs from the bonfire.

Like that, they slowly advanced through the path formed by the shrikes. Lumi coldly nudged the Queen forward, and they followed close behind.

Moments later, they reached the edge of the settlement, the shrike army trailing just behind them.

Then Zephyrion looked toward the Queen.

"None of them follow us."

She gritted her teeth but gave a reluctant nod, issuing the order.

They entered the forest, moving for several moments, the flickering logs serving as their only source of light.

Then Kaelion broke away from his group and approached him.

"They’re still following us." He frowned toward their flank.

Zephyrion nodded.

"I know."

It was difficult to make out anything beyond the reach of the light, yet the chill of the shrikes’ glares still burned against their backs.

He had expected something like this.

Despite their Queen’s orders, the colony was fiercely protective. They continued shadowing them beyond the confines of the light, believing they wouldn’t be noticed.

’They’re still thinking.’

Their current light source consisted of nothing more than small burning logs, which would soon burn down to ash. Then darkness would swallow their world.

The shrikes were waiting for that moment to strike.

Unfortunately, every single one of them had greatly underestimated Zephyrion.

"Give the order to toss the burning logs."

Kaelion stared at him in confusion for a moment, then his eyes widened as the implication dawned on him.

The order was quickly passed along.

Though confused at first, the cadets complied. It wasn’t until the forest became a raging inferno that they realized Zephyrion’s intention.

"Run."

Whether it was the finality in his voice or something else, none of them knew, but the more than one hundred cadets bolted through the forest the very next moment.

Painful screeches tore through the forest as the shrike army recoiled, desperately retreating from the light while glaring at them with murderous eyes.

Through the crackling flames, Zephyrion met Lumi’s eyes and drew a finger across his throat.

There was no hesitation in Lumi’s gaze.

Her blade swept through the Queen’s neck, severing her head before the latter could even let out a scream.

As Zephyrion and Lumi tore through the burning forest, the agonizing screams of the shrike colony shook the lands.

...

The room was deathly silent, every eye wide. High General Rathen leaned so far forward it seemed as though he might fall from his seat. The other House Commanders were no different, staring at the screen with stunned expressions.

What they had just witnessed... was it even possible?

Not only had Zephyrion figured out the true purpose of the bonfire, he had taken an approach entirely different from anything any of them had imagined.

The purpose of the bonfire was to give the cadets a chance to regroup and catch their breath. After that, they were expected to take a stand together and fight. Several cadets were expected to be eliminated, yet the purpose of the test would still be fulfilled.

However...

Just what the hell had happened?

Not only had Zephyrion calmed the cadets and brought them together, he had also riled up the Queen, tricked both her and the colony into isolating her, taken her hostage, and used that to escape.

But that wasn’t what shocked them the most. Nor was it setting the forest ablaze; it was Zephyrion’s final move.

Killing the Queen.

At first glance, it seemed like a stupid decision. Killing their only bargaining chip meant there would be nothing stopping the army from attacking them.

So why had he done it?

It took even them several moments to realize why. And when they did... every single one of them shuddered.

There was a saying; the fastest way to conquer a kingdom was to take its head. If the Queen had been left alive, the shrikes would have hunted them down regardless. But they would have done so with a leader. With structure.

Without the Queen... they had no one to lead them. They were nothing more than a swarm without order.

It was so intuitive, so insightful, that they found it hard to believe a cadet, an eighteen-year-old, a supposed infant to war, had accomplished all of this.

"What the hell..." Major Rhydan Sarakhel muttered in disbelief. Even Major Sera Fe Eryndor wore an ugly expression. Dargan sat in silence, yet there was a faint tremor in his eyes.

Of them all, only Ingrid’s eyes held a sharp glint. The corners of her lips trembled as she fought with everything she had to suppress the smile threatening to form.

"Amazing... amazing..." High General Rathen’s eyes shone like twin suns, as though he had just unearthed a sacred treasure.

Never had he imagined there was a cadet like this among them. One so naturally suited for leadership and strategy!

’It’s too bad.’

The next moment, his gaze shifted to the eastern screen, where Arcturus Aur Eryndor was still carving through the army of shrikes like death itself.

If they had belonged to the same House, it would have been a matchup the world had never seen before.

However, they were fated to meet as enemies, and Rathen had fought in enough wars to know there was only so much strategy and insight could accomplish.

Sometimes... power was all that mattered.

And in this case, when it came to power, he had no doubt Arcturus undoubtedly stood above Zephyrion.

Rathen sighed inwardly as he leaned back in his chair. Zephyrion was, without question, an exemplary cadet. One they might never see again.

Unfortunately, it seemed to be his destiny to lose to someone greater.

Rathen could only hope the defeat wouldn’t plunge him into despair, but instead teach him something, allowing him to return stronger.

’Ahh, this job is a tough one. I’m getting too old for this.’