Night fell upon the city, and darkness cast its shroud over the houses and streets. Lord Ayato entered his private chambers in the palace, exhausted from a long day of administration and decision-making. He closed the door behind him, removed his light armor, and set it aside. He headed toward his large, comfortable bed in the center of the room. He lay down slowly, breathed deeply, and prepared for sleep.
But before he could close his eyes completely... he saw something strange in the dark corner of the room. Two glowing blue dots amidst the dense shadows. A faint, steady luminescence, staring directly at him. Ayato froze in his place, and his heartbeat quickened slightly. He wondered to himself in fear, "What is this strange thing?"
Before he could complete his thought or move, he felt something incredibly strange and terrifying. He lost control over his body entirely. He could not move his hand. He could not move his leg. Even his fingers would not respond to his commands. It was as if his body no longer belonged to him. He rose from his bed against his will, his feet moving without his volition, as if someone else were controlling him from the inside.
At the same moment, he felt a massive wave of absolute panic wash over him. He screamed internally with all his might, "Are these ghosts?! Do ghosts want to kill me?!" He tried to scream aloud, to call for help, and to warn the guards. But he could not. His mouth would not move. His voice was completely trapped.
He looked down with terrified eyes and saw the reason. A series of thin blue threads, glowing with a faint light, were wrapped tightly around his mouth, muzzling him completely. And it was not just his mouth. Other threads were wrapped around his hands, his legs, and his torso. Very fine threads, yet strong as steel.
His body continued walking toward the dark corner of the room against his will, step after step, with mechanical movements, like a puppet. His features turned completely pale from intense fear. Cold sweat poured from his forehead. And the closer he got to the dark corner, the more the features of the thing—or the person—standing there became clearly visible.
The glowing blue dots were not small lamps. They were not ghosts. They were eyes. The eyes of the young man standing before him in the shadows. A young man who appeared to be in his early twenties. Dense, sky-blue hair, long and tied tightly in a ponytail behind his head. He wore simple, loose clothing like a martial artist. His facial features were sharp, almost handsome, but very cold. They held no expression. And his blue eyes, glowing in the darkness, carried an overwhelming and crushing sense of absolute power. They were like the eyes of a predator looking at its prey.
Ayato stopped one meter away from the young man, his body frozen in place. Then the young man finally spoke. His voice was calm, cold, and entirely neutral:
"Welcome." He paused for a moment, then continued in the same cold tone: "The circumstances of our meeting were not ideal, but it was you who forced them." He went silent for a bit, looking directly into Ayato's terrified eyes. "You sent a squad of your followers to intrude upon the Forest of the Sacred Dragons." He paused again. "Therefore, your current situation is of your own making. And you must bear the responsibility."
The young man looked at him with those glowing blue eyes, and Ayato felt that they pierced through his entire being, seeing everything inside him—every fear, every weakness, every secret. Then the young man continued in a decisive tone:
"Now, since you have disturbed me and disturbed my family, you have only two choices. There is no third." He raised one finger. "First: that you submit to me completely." He raised a second finger. "Second: that you die."
He went silent, letting the words sink in. "So, what will you choose, My Lord?" He paused a bit, then added in an even colder tone: "And since you cannot speak at the moment... if you agree to the first option, blink your eyes twice. And if you do not agree, blink once." He paused, then added in a tone as if remembering something trivial: "Ah, or forget it. If you do not answer me now within ten seconds, it means you have chosen death."
Ayato's complexion grew paler and paler as he heard the words of the strange youth before him. He spoke of his life as if deciding the fate of an ant, not a human being. And not just any human—but a warlord who ruled an entire region! But... he had no choice. This young man, or whatever he was, controlled his body completely. He could kill him at any moment. Death or submission. It was not a difficult choice, especially for someone who possessed power, money, and rule.
Quickly, Ayato blinked his eyes twice in a clear, deliberate motion. He chose submission. He chose life.
The young man gave a small, cold smile. The glow in his blue eyes dimmed slightly, becoming less intense. He said in a tone of slight irony: "Well done. You are truly wise in your choice." He paused, then added: "Though you chose it out of fear and not true wisdom..." The smile widened slightly. "But it will be a blessing upon you and your lineage after you. Believe me."
Then, suddenly, Dan released all the threads that were controlling the body of the person before him. He withdrew them quickly, and they vanished into the air. Ayato fell immediately to the floor—his knees struck the ground with force. He began to pant heavily, breathing deeply after minutes of being unable to control even his own breath. His hands were shaking. His entire body trembled from the lingering fear.
Dan, with absolute calmness, headed toward a large, luxurious chair placed in the corner of the room—Ayato's private chair where he usually sat. He sat upon it comfortably, as if he owned the place. He leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. Then he looked at the person panting on the floor before him with a cold gaze, studying him in silence.
Before entering this room, he had decided to set a precise and calculated plan to control this man—Lord Ayato. Not to kill him. To control him. Why? Because controlling him meant controlling the entire region. The city, the subordinate villages, the warriors, and the resources. All of this would bring great benefit to his family. Instead of fighting endless patrols, he would control their source. Instead of total isolation, he would have a representative in the outside world—a puppet he could move. Ayato would become a facade. He would rule in his own name, but he would take orders from Dan. And the people would never know. The Walt family would remain hidden and safe. At the same time, they would obtain resources, information, and protection from external interference. An effective, clean plan.
He looked at Ayato, who was slowly beginning to catch his breath.
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