Night fell slowly over the Levicious Empire.
The capital city glittered beneath the moonlight, its countless lanterns illuminating the streets like a sea of golden stars.
But inside Prince Kyle Gray's residence…
The atmosphere was tense.
Unusually tense.
Every servant had been quietly dismissed earlier in the evening.
Only a few trusted palace guards remained outside the residence.
Inside the main hall, four people sat around a low table.
Kyle leaned back in his chair, spinning the wooden training sword between his fingers.
Joshua sat beside him, nervously clutching a cup of tea.
Luis Stark stood near the window, watching the dark gardens outside.
And Marcus—the former assassin—remained near the door, silent and alert.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Kyle finally broke the silence.
"So."
He looked around the table.
"Tonight we fight three elite assassins."
Joshua nodded nervously.
"Yes."
Kyle leaned back further.
"Just confirming."
Luis spoke calmly.
"They will likely attack after midnight."
Marcus nodded.
"That is when Shadow Court assassins prefer to move."
Kyle sighed.
"Of course they do."
Joshua whispered.
"Your Highness… are you afraid?"
Kyle thought about it.
Then he smiled faintly.
"Yes."
Joshua looked surprised.
Kyle shrugged.
"Only idiots aren't afraid of professional killers."
Luis glanced back at him.
"But fear can sharpen the mind."
Kyle nodded.
"That's the plan."
Marcus spoke for the first time in several minutes.
"They will come silently."
Kyle looked at him.
"No dramatic entrances?"
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
Joshua shivered slightly.
Kyle stretched his arms.
"Well."
He stood up.
"Let's review the plan."
Luis stepped forward.
"The guards will patrol the outer grounds."
Marcus continued.
"The assassins will avoid them."
Kyle nodded.
"So they'll enter through the residence."
Marcus pointed toward the ceiling.
"Most likely the roof."
Kyle glanced upward.
"Of course."
Luis turned toward Kyle.
"You remain in this room."
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"And do nothing?"
Luis answered calmly.
"You survive."
Kyle sighed.
"I was hoping for something slightly more heroic."
Joshua smiled softly.
"Surviving is heroic enough."
Kyle chuckled.
"Fair point."
---
Midnight arrived quietly.
The palace grounds were peaceful.
Moonlight covered the gardens like silver dust.
Inside Kyle's residence, the lights had been dimmed.
Luis stood near the center of the room, his sword already unsheathed.
Joshua sat beside Kyle, trying to stay calm.
Marcus remained near the door, listening carefully.
The silence stretched for several long minutes.
Then—
Marcus suddenly spoke.
"They're here."
Kyle froze.
"You're sure?"
Marcus nodded slowly.
"I can feel them."
Luis stepped closer to the window.
His violet eyes scanned the darkness.
At first—
Nothing moved.
But then…
A shadow shifted across the rooftop.
Luis's grip tightened on his sword.
"Three figures."
Marcus nodded.
"Exactly."
Joshua whispered.
"They're already inside the palace grounds…"
Kyle sighed.
"Well."
He stood up slowly.
"Here we go."
The rooftop tiles shifted quietly.
Three dark figures landed silently outside the residence.
Each one wore black armor designed for silent movement.
Each carried a different weapon.
One held twin daggers.
Another carried a thin curved blade.
The third…
Held a long black spear.
Inside the room, Marcus's expression darkened.
"The spear user…"
Luis glanced at him.
"What about him?"
Marcus answered quietly.
"He's the leader."
Kyle muttered.
"That's not good."
The first assassin dropped from the roof.
He landed silently in the garden.
The other two followed.
Like shadows.
Luis moved toward the door.
"They're approaching."
Joshua grabbed Kyle's sleeve.
"Stay behind me."
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"I thought I was protecting you."
Joshua shook his head quickly.
"You are the prince!"
Kyle grinned.
"Good point."
Suddenly—
CRASH!
The window shattered.
The first assassin burst into the room.
Luis moved instantly.
CLANG!
Sword and dagger collided with explosive force.
The assassin twisted his body and attacked again.
Luis blocked effortlessly.
At the same moment—
The second assassin crashed through the door.
Marcus jumped forward to intercept him.
Their blades clashed violently.
The room erupted into chaos.
Joshua grabbed Kyle's arm.
"Stay back!"
Kyle nodded.
"Very reasonable advice."
But the third assassin hadn't entered yet.
The spear user.
Luis pushed the dagger assassin backward.
"Two inside."
Marcus shouted from the doorway.
"The leader is waiting."
Kyle frowned.
"Waiting for what?"
And then—
The ceiling exploded.
Wood shattered as the spear assassin dropped directly into the center of the room.
Kyle's eyes widened.
"That's dramatic."
The assassin moved like lightning.
The spear thrust forward.
Straight toward Kyle.
Joshua screamed.
But Luis moved faster.
His sword deflected the spear at the last second.
CLANG!
The sound echoed like thunder.
Luis's eyes turned ice cold.
"You will not touch him."
The spear assassin tilted his head slightly.
Then he spoke.
His voice was calm.
"So the commander protects the prince personally."
Luis didn't respond.
Their weapons clashed again.
Kyle stepped backward.
The room felt like a battlefield.
Marcus was locked in combat with the second assassin near the door.
Luis fought the spear user in the center.
The first dagger assassin suddenly turned his attention toward Kyle.
Kyle blinked.
"Oh no."
The assassin lunged forward.
Joshua stepped in front of Kyle instinctively.
"Stay back!"
The assassin raised his dagger—
Kyle grabbed the broken leg of the shattered chair from earlier.
"Sorry!"
He swung it wildly.
THUD.
The wooden piece hit the assassin's arm.
The dagger slipped slightly.
Kyle stared.
"…That actually worked?"
The assassin snarled behind his mask.
He attacked again.
Kyle stumbled backward.
But before the blade could strike—
Marcus's knife flashed across the room.
The assassin jumped away to avoid it.
Marcus stood between them now.
"I told you."
His voice was cold.
"I'm not on your side anymore."
The assassin hissed.
"Traitor."
Meanwhile—
Luis and the spear assassin continued their deadly duel.
Their weapons moved so fast they were almost invisible.
CLANG.
CLANG.
CLANG.
Luis pushed forward.
The spear assassin blocked effortlessly.
Then suddenly—
He smiled beneath his mask.
"You're strong."
Luis replied calmly.
"Yes."
The assassin's eyes shifted toward Kyle.
"But the prince…"
His voice turned quiet.
"…is weak."
Luis's sword struck faster.
"Not tonight."
The spear assassin stepped backward.
Then he whistled softly.
The other two assassins immediately disengaged.
Kyle blinked.
"…Wait."
The three attackers regrouped near the shattered window.
The spear leader looked toward Kyle one last time.
"This is not over."
Then—
They vanished into the darkness.
Luis ran to the window.
But the rooftops were empty again.
Joshua collapsed into a chair.
"They escaped…"
Marcus lowered his weapon slowly.
Kyle sat down heavily on the couch.
"Well."
He looked around the destroyed room.
Broken furniture.
Shattered glass.
Sword marks in the walls.
"That was exciting."
Luis returned to the center of the room.
"They retreated."
Marcus nodded.
"That was only the first test."
Kyle groaned.
"Of course it was."
Joshua looked worried.
"They'll come back."
Kyle rubbed his face.
"Yeah."
He looked toward Luis.
"I really need to get stronger."
Luis nodded.
"Yes."
But far away—
On a distant rooftop—
The spear assassin watched the palace quietly.
Then he turned toward his companions.
"The prince survived."
One assassin asked.
"What now?"
The spear leader's eyes gleamed coldly beneath his mask.
"We escalate."
And with that single word…
The war against Prince Kyle Gray had truly begun.