"Damn it! He is incredibly fast!" Arthur hissed, gasping for air as he stared at the empty path ahead.
Ren stood beside him, his expression grim. "Indeed. His speed defies any logic we know."
"He overheard top-secret intelligence," Arthur added, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and fury. "What do we do now?"
"He will keep it to himself for the time being," Ren replied coldly. "He won't risk selling such valuable information to the other kingdoms yet."
Arthur tightened his grip on his weapon, his eyes narrowing. "I am heading to his kingdom immediately. I need to find a way to end this threat before it's too late."
In the city of Yamatsuki, during the silent hours of dawn, Yue Ming sat motionless in his hotel room. Suddenly, his ears caught a faint, rapid movement outside his door. With the predatory grace of a shadow, he vanished from his seat and positioned himself behind the door. The moment it swung open, he lunged with lethal precision, his blade stopping mere millimeters from the intruder's throat.
It was Nao.
"I took you for an enemy," Yue Ming said, his voice as cold as the steel in his hand.
"Save the theatrics," Nao replied flatly, unbothered by the blade. "Today is the day of the mission. We move now."
They boarded a silent carriage, surging through the morning mist toward the Dark Elf Kingdom.
At the headquarters of the Seven Heads of Light, Zetsu burst into the central chamber, breathless. "Hurry! The kingdoms have already deployed their troops to Hell, and Itchi is currently making his way to the Dark Elf Kingdom! We must act now!"
Morgan narrowed his eyes, his mind calculating the risks. (Itchi is walking into a slaughterhouse. Between Yue Ming and Jinoko, he is already a dead man. Going there now is pure suicide).
"We stay put," Morgan commanded, his voice echoing with authority. "Gather the rest of the Seven Heads here. We have our own preparations to attend to."
Inside the cold, stone walls of the Dark Elf fortress, Jinoko spread a map across the heavy oak table. "The objective is simple," he began. "We will lure Itchi into a solitary meeting with Yue Ming in the western district."
"How many generals are escorting him?" Nao asked, checking his equipment.
"Four, by our latest reports," Jinoko replied.
Yue Ming turned his sharp, calculating gaze toward Nao. "And where exactly will your battlefield be, Nao?"
"The eastern district," Jinoko answered for him, pointing to a cluttered section of the map. "Nao will lead the generals away under a false pretense, leaving Itchi completely isolated."
Jinoko then outlined the final signal for the operation:
"Before anything begins, we will all meet atop the City Tower, at its highest peak. The moment Itchi enters the city, Nao will take his rifle and fire a single shot at the giant bell. That chime will be the signal for our inside soldier to commence his task—luring Itchi away from his generals and leading him straight into the jaws of our trap."
"What is the expected time of arrival?" Nao inquired.
"One in the afternoon," Jinoko stated. "Is the plan understood by everyone?"
Yue Ming's eyes flashed with a lethal, silent calm. "Perfectly."