Nioh leaned back slightly, his face radiating quiet satisfaction as he finished his report.

​"The plan is going smoothly. We have successfully built countless help care buildings and hospitals in the whole nations, staffed and supplied. Even sponsored free treatment in all facilities." Nioh's gaze swept over the assembled group.

​"We are also actively uplifting the poor. Those who can't work, or are too old to, are all given enough capital to start a simple business—a tailor's shop, a produce stand, a small repair service." He paused, turning his attention to Sunny.

"Only the Ogre nation is exempted from all this benevolence."

​Hazel shifted in her seat, the strategic brilliance of the entire operation suddenly coalescing into a frightening clarity. "So... the recent, almost revolutionary news in my nation, the sudden eradication of street poverty and the free healthcare... that was your plan? If I may, what is the complete plan, God Wolf?"

​Sunny inhaled slowly, the motion almost imperceptible, yet it drew all eyes.

​"Well," he began, his voice a low, steady rumble that somehow demanded attention, "you are already among us, Hazel. I will explain it." He exhaled.

​"I have the raw strength and the military might to simply take the nations. But if I do this, the people will only see me as a tyrant. That breeds resentment, and resentment is a seed for civil war or, at the very least, makes them easily incitable against me." He lifted a hand, tracing an invisible pattern on the air.

"But building myself in their hearts, helping them with their very lives, taking them out of the generations-old cage of poverty..."

​Hazel's eyes widened, the horrifying genius of it clicking into place. "They will welcome you the moment you take the throne. Not as a conqueror, but as a savior."

​"Correct." A ghost of a smile touched Sunny's lips.

"These people will take me as their god. Just imagine this: I am not yet their king, and I have already done more for them than their current rulers ever dreamed of. What will happen when they officially become my people, my responsibility?"

​Hazel slowly nodded, a chill running down her spine. 'Scary. The most terrifying part is that he has the money, the infrastructure, and the sheer will to do this on a massive scale. God Wolf wants to rule, and with this tactic, no one can stop him when he attacks. Even the enemy's own soldiers, whose families he's just helped, might betray their nation and help him secure victory.'

​She looked up at him, a flicker of genuine confusion replacing the awe. "Then, why the exception? Why are you leaving the Ogre nation out of your grand strategy?"

​Sunny's face hardened, the ambient temperature in the room seemingly dropping several degrees. "I am planning on destroying the Ogre race. I will wipe out each and every one of them." His statement was delivered without hesitation, his gaze cold, final.

​"Oh?" Hazel could only manage the single syllable, the sudden shift to genocidal intent momentarily paralyzing her.

​"Ahem." Jinx cleared her throat. She moved forward, placing a simple scroll on the table.

​"I have the information you asked for, my King." Her voice was low, laced with a tremor of caution she rarely displayed.

"The tenth Elder in the Immortal Council is known as Aiden Wyatt. He is, in fact, the elder brother of the Ogre King."

​She met Sunny's gaze, her expression grave. "If we continue our plan on wiping out the Ogre nation, he will surely intervene. And there is a high—I calculate a 90% chance—that the entire Immortal Council will follow him. We aren't yet strong enough to face them all head-on. Well, you might be, but the rest of us are not."

​"Yes," Nicolas added, his deep voice carrying a note of apprehension. "The First Elder, Leonardo, is said to be truly powerful."

​Sunny was silent. 'Leonardo is someone who always follows his rules. He didn't even mind the death of one of his own Elders because that Elder went against the Council's established code. And wiping out an entire race is a violation of the highest order. He will surely stand beside his rule, his principles, and fight against me.'

​He sighed, the weight of the coming conflict settling upon him:

"The Ogres' barbaric practices—kidnapping, trafficking, and selling people across the nations—cannot be accepted. Most of all, their alliances, their work with the Wendigos," he spat the name as if it were poison. "I cannot accept that."

​He moved his gaze across the ten people in the room. "Leave Leonardo to me."

​The group looked at one another, understanding the seriousness of the commitment he had just made. This was more than a battle; it was a confrontation with the fundamental order of their world. They nodded.

​"Come in." Sunny called out, his attention already shifting to the next vital piece of information.

​The door opened, and everyone turned to see three figures in simple black outfits, their bodies and heads completely enclosed—a uniform of absolute discretion and silent competence.

​Josephine spoke, a maternal concern in her voice: "How is Ellen?"

​The leading figure stepped forward, pausing to bow deeply to Sunny and Josephine. "The Princess is well, cultivating diligently in her room." He removed his mask, revealing the steady, mature face of Denny, the leader of the Ellen's secret guard.

​"Good work, Denny." Sunny said, his voice softening slightly. He looked at the other two, who swiftly removed their own masks. Alexandra and Mia, their eyes held sharp, unwavering discipline, bowed.

​"My King." They greeted, a unified salute.

​Sunny nodded, relaxing visibly into his chair. "Do you know why you three are here?"

​"No, my King," Denny answered.

​"I am planning on expanding your team. In two months, we will be hosting a massive competition. The winners will join your ranks. However, in the last round of this match, five of your chosen members will each face off against the top five competitors, in a one-versus-one battle."

​He snapped his fingers. With a shimmer of golden energy, five simple bags, each filled with twinkling Celestial energy stones, appeared before Denny, Alexandra, and Mia.

​"Get stronger. Before then, you all must enter the Celestial Rank. I don't care how you achieve it—training, resources, or sheer grit—just make sure to enter this rank. My daughter's safety is paramount. She needs the strongest guards available."

​"Yes!" The three saluted instantly, the drive to prove their worth overriding all else. Denny took the bags in his storage.

​"Get going."

​The three nodded, turning to walk out. But Alexandra paused, turning her intense focus back onto Sunny. The young woman's face was still defined by the memory of a minor incident that had threatened Ellen today.

​"My King, I have a question."

​"Go on." Sunny turned to face her, sensing the coiled intensity in her posture.

​"If someone disrespects the Princess," she asked, her voice tight with unexpressed ferocity: "should we kill them on the spot?" The bluntness of her question silenced the room.

​'Geez, she is still holding on to that incident.' Denny thought, a wave of familiar disbelief washing over him.

'She sees every challenge to the Princess as a threat to the Kingdom itself.' he added.

​"Do you know the difference between a civilian and a criminal, Alexandra?" Sunny asked, not judging her, only testing the boundaries of her loyalty.

​"Um... Yes," she affirmed, a brief nod.

​"Good. As for your question: If a civilian disrespects the Princess, let her handle the trouble herself. She must learn to navigate her future court. But if it is a criminal—someone who poses a real threat to her person or the nation's security—then you can take care of him or her."

​Alexandra thought about his words, the distinction between a simple insult and true danger sinking in. Her fierce, uncompromising loyalty needed a clear boundary. Finally, her rigid posture eased, a nod of understanding replacing the tension.

​"Thank you for the answer, My King." She bowed low, the question answered, the duty redefined. She turned, her shadow melting into the hallway as she walked out.

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