The king disliked the unknown.
And zero had become an unknown.
In a smaller room, away from the Council, a single man was summoned.
He entered without announcing his name.
Tall. Silent. Cold gaze.
His coat bore the discreet insignia of the Royal Investigation Division.
"Commander Arven."
The king did not look up.
"You have read the reports."
Arven replied calmly:
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Your conclusion?"
A brief silence.
"This is not an improvised organization."
The king finally raised his head.
"Continue."
"Perfect discipline. No identifiable magical signature. No excessive violence. They deliberately left survivors."
He paused.
"This is not an attack. It is a demonstration." "
A Strategic Decision
"Can you find them?" the king asked.
Arven thought for a few seconds.
"No."
The answer was immediate.
But he added:
"However... I can force them to move."
A silence fell.
The king understood.
"Bait."
Arven nodded.
"If they want to instill fear, they'll intervene where injustice is visible."
"And if you're wrong?"
"Then they don't really exist."
Meanwhile
In an abandoned structure, Blake Shadow listened to a report.
Nyx had just returned from the noble quarters.
"The kingdom has increased surveillance."
Chiyo crossed her arms.
"Quick."
Kaito remained silent.
" Musashi spoke calmly:
"Someone intelligent is directing the response."
Kaito closed his eyes for a moment.
"Yes."
He could feel it.
Not panic.
Not a blind hunt.
An analysis.
The Bait
The next day, an official announcement was broadcast:
A convoy of artifacts seized from the slums would be publicly transferred to the palace for "destruction."
Location: Central Bridge.
Time: Dusk.
Reinforced military presence.
Chiyo smiled.
"Too conspicuous."
Nyx added:
"Too clean."
Kaito opened his eyes.
"No."
He stood up.
"It's a message."
Musashi asked:
"And the response?"
Kaito looked at the city.
"We don't take the bait."
He paused.
"We let them think they have the initiative."
Arven Observes
From a tower, Arven watched the bridge.
Soldiers.
Mages.
Concealed observers.
Everything was ready.
He wasn't looking for a frontal assault.
He was looking for an anomaly.
A glance.
A hesitation.
A shadow.
Dusk fell.
Nothing happened.
The convoy crossed the bridge.
Without incident.
Arven narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Interesting…"
In the Shadows
While everyone watched the bridge…
In another, much more discreet district, a smuggling ring affiliated with a corrupt nobleman was neutralized.
Silently.
Cleanly.
Without any conscious witnesses.
And on a wall, before disappearing…
a mark was left.
A black moon.
With a zero.
End of Chapter 6
Arven received the report in the middle of the night.
He didn't smile.
But his expression changed.
"They saw my move… and chose their own."
For the first time, he understood.
This wasn't an impulsive organization.
This was an organization playing chess.
And the game had just begun.