Getting a beetle onto the Ninth Prince's body wasn't easy.
After all, the First Prince's private guards were stationed near him.
With Golden Experience already exposed, any approaching insect would be annihilated on sight—
especially the moment someone opened their En.
But Room 1009 had one exploitable flaw—
its people.
Every guard who shared Prince Tufdi Nich's ideals had acquired Nen through his guardian beast.
But their use of Ten was sloppy, riddled with leaks and gaps.
That mess of leaking aura made them the perfect camouflage.
Joey just needed to discreetly send an insect onto one of those guards attending Nen lessons.
From there, the bug could hitch a ride straight into Room 1009.
To most princes, a single fly or beetle meant nothing.
Even if the First Prince's guard noticed it, they wouldn't dare act.
They weren't welcome in Room 1009.
Touching another prince's guard, or killing a bug on their body?
Could be interpreted as an attack.
And that would give Tufdi Nich reason to retaliate—with lethal force.
The only true risk… was the Ninth Prince's guardian beast.
Would it target the beetle?
Apparently not.
That left Joey with two possible reasons:
The guardian beast judged the insect harmless—
especially given how common such bugs were. Joey hadn't given it a hostile directive either.
The beast was reactive, not proactive.
Unless conditions were met, it wouldn't attack.
Joey favored the latter.
Tufdi Nich didn't need an aggressive beast.
He had already united his followers into the strongest spear.
His beast only needed to be the shield—unshakable, patient, and protective.
Especially if it had memory-related abilities…
The strategic possibilities were endless.
The bug tapped into Joey's earpiece as it entered the Royal Quarters.
At once, static hissed in his ears.
The Royal Army had deployed signal jammers.
Even with resistance tech baked into his bugs, the interference was real.
But still—he could hear the conversation.
The King himself was speaking.
"You're late, gray."
That verbal tic—"gray"—was unmistakable.
Nasubi Hui Guo Rou, the current King of Kakin.
"No, I'm right on time," said Tufdi Nich.
"You agreed to this ceremony ahead of time, gray."
"I was never told we'd be murdering each other."
Joey listened, brows furrowing.
Tufdi Nich truly believed he could opt out.
That the Fourth Prince was someone worth trusting.
But Joey's intel told a different story.
Tufdi Nich and Tsserriednich had barely interacted.
Their values just happened to align on the surface.
Tufdi Nich… really was pure.
Or rather—idealistic to a fault.
"Understanding the truth and adapting to it… that's part of what makes a king, gray."
Nasubi's voice was calm. Almost bemused.
"Then here's my answer," Tufdi Nich growled.
"End this blood ritual… or I'll end you. Choose now."
Joey tensed.
Tufdi Nich had said "suspend", not "terminate".
Still clinging to the idea of stepping out, rather than ending it for all.
Too soft.
Even if he quit, the rest would go on killing each other.
"The process left my control long ago, gray," the King replied.
"I can no longer stop it."
"One word from you would be enough."
"This is your war.
The moment you accepted the egg, it became yours.
Empty righteousness is the ugliest thing in this world, Tufdi Nich."
Joey exhaled slowly.
Tufdi Nich fired.
No hesitation.
He'd aimed to kill.
Three rapid shots—knowing that even a single bullet wasn't enough.
That level of resolve was real.
And yet—
"A beautiful move. Such firm resolve. I underestimated you, gray," Nasubi chuckled.
"But sadly… I won't die. Not yet.
I'm part of the ceremony too. I have my role. Until it ends, I'm unkillable."
"A guardian beast?" Tufdi Nich asked.
Joey's eyes lit up.
There it is.
Confirmation.
Spatial transfer?
Teleportation?
"Correct."
"Even the King has a guardian beast… does that mean you're part of the succession war?"
"Or did you earn it in a previous one?" Tufdi Nich asked.
"You're clever, as always," Nasubi said with amusement.
"I once thought you naive. Now I see your strength."
"Still," Nasubi continued,
"Do you know the Trolley Problem, gray?"
Joey's eyes narrowed.
"I do. But who's on the tracks? Citizens? Princes?
No. It's the nation itself."
"Then think about how to make that nation grow stronger," Nasubi said.
"You must become the man at the lever.
A king must be willing to stain his hands.
Without guilt, there is no throne.
You say Kakin needs no king?
Then become king—and prove it."
"And if you miscalculate?" Tufdi Nich asked.
"You'll take the whole country down with you."
Nasubi didn't reply.
Instead—
"Nugui."
The King summoned his minister.
"This whole event has been framed as a 'military exercise.'
His Majesty will not punish the Ninth Prince or his guards."
With that, it was over.
Tufdi Nich left the chamber.
Joey recalled his bug. He wouldn't risk leaving it behind.
There'd be no more intel—only exposure.
As he processed everything, Joey's mind reeled.
Nasubi was the driver in the trolley problem.
One track held Kakin.
What lay on the other?
The Black Whale.
Twenty thousand civilians.
"This… this ship could be sacrificed," Joey realized.
Nasubi had the resolve.
And Tufdi Nich… might have figured it out too.
The King's last words confirmed it:
"Only with guilt can one rule.
Become king, and then decide."
Joey clenched his fist.
They had to prepare for the worst.
If Kakin truly planned to sink the Black Whale,
then the Hunter Association had to be warned.
That, or Joey would have to…
Kill the King.
But assassination wasn't easy.
Nasubi had a guardian beast, possibly a space-type ability.
Killer Queen wouldn't reach him.
Joey needed another plan.
Destroying all the princes' guardian beasts.
That might work.
Still, it wouldn't be easy.
First Prince: unknown ability.
Second & Third: abilities not revealed.
Fourth: suspected time-related effects.
Fifth: drug-based?
Sixth: cult-based.
Seventh: desire-based.
Fourteenth: jellyfish-like, unknown powers.
Joey could kill the Twelfth Prince's beast any time—
but he needed her alive.
The Tenth and Eleventh?
Their beasts were useful.
In other words—
Joey had a long road ahead.
A rumble broke his thoughts.
The Ninth Prince had returned,
his aura clashing with his supporters in perfect unity.
The very air shivered from their resolve.
If the manga stayed true,
next, the Ninth Prince would strike the First Prince's guards.
The wheels of war had begun to turn.
But not yet.
First, they would lay low—
To understand the full extent of their powers.
Joey smiled coldly.
He had two days.
Two days until the next banquet.