Chapter 20: The Silent Shadows
Night fell, and the city of Celestia was swallowed by a cold, thick fog. Volt stood atop a high-rise building, staring at the reinforced steel walls of the Royal Palace. The mission was clear but grueling: "Zero Kills." For a Demon King accustomed to incinerating everything in his path, this constraint felt like torture.
"Aki, it's your time," Volt whispered lowly. "Those magical wards on the walls must be neutralized without triggering the alarms."
Aki had shed his bird costume and was now clad in sleek, midnight-black thieving gear. "Don't worry, My Lord. I can untie magical knots that even gods would find complex. But Sai needs to stay quiet; his sword clanks like a dinner bell!"
Sai glared at him and wrapped his blade in soft cloth to dampen the sound. "Just do your job, you thieving bird."
The three of them glided through the air like literal shadows. Volt utilized Shadow Sovereignty to shroud their bodies in darkness, rendering them invisible to the naked eye. They reached a massive window on the palace's upper floor. Aki swiftly reached for the security crystal and severed its flow with a specialized dagger.
"Done. The way is open," Aki whispered.
Once inside, they found themselves in a corridor teeming with guards. Volt's eyes glowed a faint crimson. Whenever a guard approached, Volt simply waved a hand, using a psychic pressure to force them into a deep sleep without shedding a single drop of blood.
Sai noted in a low tone, "My Lord, this is impressively efficient. I didn't expect us to advance this quietly."
Volt remained silent, but within his mind, the system was flashing 'Success' alerts. Only one door remained between them and the Human King, but behind that door, Volt sensed a massive presence waiting for them.