To prepare for the upcoming purge, Adam had dispatched his Shadow Ninjas days earlier to gather evidence of the nobles' crimes.
Just yesterday, the energy within Adam's jade pendant was finally exhausted. The five Zodiac patterns — Tiger, Rabbit, Snake, Horse, and Dog — dimmed, and that mysterious divine feeling faded.
However, the ability to summon the Shadow Army remained intact. All seven Zodiac animals within his grimoire were maintained at the third stage.
Adam had, in truth, turned disaster into fortune. The breaking of the Dragon Pendant had vastly improved his strength — and he felt better than ever.
"Immortal and indestructible… but not all-powerful," he muttered.
Opening his grimoire, Adam glanced at the new section inscribed on the first page — the description of his new summon:
[The Shadow Legion]
The most loyal henchmen of the Night, masters of weapon transformation. Once personal guards of the Queen of the Night, they overcame their weakness to sunlight to protect their master eternally.
Adam unfolded the white paper handed to him by a Shadow Ninja — and his brows lifted.
Wow.
Not a single one of them has a clean record.
"Count Goethe exploited his position as a Magic Knight to shield local thieves in the Aqua Deer's jurisdiction — splitting profits fifty-fifty."
"Baron Tim led a band of disguised retainers into Phuquet Village, slaughtering innocents and committing every crime imaginable."
"Om, chief guard of the Kira clan, traded magical gear with the Diamond Kingdom. He used his status as a royal retainer to bully the weak, even injuring Green Mantis members who tried to stop him."
"Viscount Alma is involved in large-scale smuggling operations…"
The page was filled with names and crimes. Adam and Fana had carefully filtered through the Shadow Corps' reports — selecting the most unforgivable among the Clover Kingdom's elite scum.
After hours of sorting through stacks of reports, they had confirmed thirty key targets.
"I really should thank His Majesty the King," Adam smirked. "Putting justice above personal interest? Who would've thought?"
Most of the evidence had, in fact, come from the King himself. The Shadow Corps only verified it. Now, Adam's assassins lay hidden in the shadows of those very nobles.
A single command from him, and thirty royal heads would roll.
"These bastards will be enough…"
Once the Shadow Legion's existence among the nobles became known, it would hang over them like a Sword of Damocles — a silent, invisible threat ready to strike.
That kind of deterrence was priceless.
But it also painted a massive target on Adam's back.
No one liked having their wealth and power dangled over a blade.
They couldn't attack him openly, but in secret, they would slither like venomous snakes, waiting for him to slip — just once.
"That's where things get interesting…" Adam grinned darkly.
Meanwhile, Asta and Nero, who were busy rescuing civilians, had been lured by agents of the Magic Council to a forced trial at the Judgment Cathedral.
Councilor Damnatio — one of the Kingdom's most corrupt — was moving ahead of schedule, seeking to punish Asta as an example.
He'd even taken little Marie hostage to force a confession.
"What are you planning?"
Adam's Dragon Claw lashed out, grabbing a green-robed man who had been tailing him.
Xiaoshui leapt from Adam's shoulder onto the man's face, while Xiaolan pinned him from behind.
The nearby townsfolk, recognizing Adam's spirits, immediately surrounded the spy.
"I–I'm from the Magic Council! What do you think you're doing?!"
The man panicked, struggling under Xiaolan's weight. The word Magic Council made the civilians falter — but when they saw Xiaoshui and Xiaolan standing firm, they didn't retreat.
"Lord Xiaoshui, please… let him go!" someone pleaded nervously. They didn't understand the Council's politics, but anything tied to nobles meant danger.
If not for Adam and his spirits, the crowd would've fled long ago.
Adam turned around, mildly surprised. He'd planned to leave it be — it wasn't unusual for spies to follow him.
But a Council agent?
The trial wasn't supposed to begin for three more days.
So they wanted to start early, huh?
Fine. He'd show them what a real trial looked like.
Just then, a Shadow Ninja materialized beside him, handing over another slip of paper before vanishing back into the void.
Adam read it — and his eyes narrowed.
Asta and Nero captured. Marie taken.
They really thought they could ignore him?
"Perfect timing. Since they're so eager, let's not keep them waiting."
He crumpled the note.
"Xiaoshui, bring him along. We're going to the Magic Council!"
The group strode off toward the Council Hall, their presence heavy and silent.
The people didn't dare breathe — they knew something monumental was about to erupt.
Magic Council Headquarters
"Filthy commoners. Why won't they just die already?"
"Look at those horns… a devil's mark, surely."
The nobles muttered among themselves, sneering down at Asta. Even the King stood trembling nearby — called in unexpectedly by Damnatio.
Ever since Adam had bound him with the Dragon Contract, the King had tried countless times to contact the Wizard King or others to strike at Adam.
But every time he dared think of betraying that contract, it felt like his body was burning alive while his soul froze solid.
Now, the man could only pray that Adam stayed far from this mess.
"Boy," Damnatio sneered, stepping forward, "you can choose your punishment: the Magic Council's sentence… or death."
"The elves were possessed by devils!" Asta shot back. "Everyone fought under demonic influence — no one acted of their own will! No one's guilty!"
"If there are no devils," Damnatio replied with a twisted smile, "then we'll just punish all of you in their place."
He raised a hand — and servants dragged in a small, terrified girl.
"Marie!" Asta shouted.
"What are you doing?! She's just a child!"
But Damnatio only smirked. "A fitting price for rebellion."
He raised his staff.
"Sanction!"
A beam of green light shot toward the girl—
—but in a flash, a green blur burst through the doors, intercepting the blast. The impact exploded across the hall.
The assailant screamed and collapsed — the attack deflected.
Everyone froze.
And then, through the settling smoke, Adam walked in.
The nobles who'd been sneering seconds ago went pale.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
They had invited Adam's wrath the moment they tried to execute one of his allies.
The King swallowed hard. The courtiers stiffened in place, too afraid to breathe.
The name "Adam" had already spread across the kingdom — once branded a devil, now revered as a savior by the people.
Even Nozel Silva of the Silver Eagles had praised his strength at the Star Festival — the same man who'd once doubted him.
Every noble in the room felt that crushing pressure now.
Adam's voice echoed through the chamber — low, sharp, and calm:
"Don't let the heroes bleed… and cry."
...
Author's Note:
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