The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

He said he was gathering people like me to save the world, to bring back the elemental gods. I believed him... stupid me... I actually believed him. But it was all a lie. Frost... that guy is evil. I saw it myself. Just to find a runeborn, he wiped out the entire Verdan empire!"

Zephyrion’s eyes widened slightly. The sudden destruction of the Verden empire centuries ago, had been caused by... him? The entire continent had believed it to be an internal struggle...

Besides that...

’He was alive?’

Centuries had passed since the fall of the elemental gods, yet he had been alive even then. Zephyrion’s gaze sharpened. For someone to live that long... it wasn’t far-fetched that he had existed even before the fall. He failed to fathom the sheer power required to survive across such time.

Zephyrion pulled himself from his thoughts. This was an information source, one he couldn’t afford to lose.

"...why is he gathering runeborns?"

"Why?" Demorian sneered. "For more power, to build an army—I don’t know. What I do know is, he’s pure evil! That’s why he has to be killed. I’ll see to it. I created this relic for that purpose. Zephyrion..."

He stared straight into Zephyrion’s eyes.

"...you’ve proven yourself worthy of my divine rod. But Frost is a stain we have to get rid of. If we let him go, he’ll destroy the world! You have to succeed where I failed. You have to kill Frost!"

"..."

Zephyrion remained silent, but his mind was anything but. Countless thoughts flickered through it at a rapid pace. For once, he found himself at a loss for words.

The same man he had set his sights on for revenge had been alive millennia before he was even conceived.

The centuries of power, of planning, of embedding himself deep within the affairs of the world... Zephyrion couldn’t begin to fathom it.

Disadvantaged didn’t even begin to describe his position. He was a mere piece stepping into a game already nearing its end. How was he supposed to navigate something like this?

He lifted his gaze, only to find Demorian watching him intently.

"...your... rod, what will it grant me?"

"Power," Demorian answered without hesitation. "Power to kill Frost and end everything once and for all."

"Power..."

For sure, this would help him greatly. For a fleeting moment, Zephyrion considered confiding in Demorian about his current situation, but killed the thought instantly.

’Too risky.’

He could still remember how Ferravry had reacted to his seal. He needed as much help as he could get if he wanted to stand a chance against Frost, he couldn’t afford to have Demorian withdraw his support.

After a moment, Zephyrion gave a small nod.

"...alright. I’ll do it."

"Good!"

Demorian shot to his feet with a wide grin.

"You won’t regret your choice. My divine rod is such that its power would pierce through any hole!"

"..."

Zephyrion gave the man an odd look. Was he incapable of hearing his own words?

Moments later, Demorian led him back to the top of the mountain. They settled down cross-legged a short distance from each other, the cool wind brushing against their bodies.

"Alright, listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you."

Demorian fixed him with a serious gaze.

"During my peak, when I reached the peak of the dominion rank, I couldn’t evolve to the final rank, Embodiment. My body just couldn’t handle it."

’Embodiment.’

Dominion had always been known as the final rank of the world, the level where the Ten Thrones who ruled the world stood. This was the first time he was hearing of something beyond it.

"It’s because of that limitation I lost to that retarded Frost."

Demorian gritted his teeth.

"And it’s exactly why I created this divine rod... to make sure the one after me doesn’t end up the same way."

He extended his hand, and a gleaming rod appeared within his grasp.

"Advancing through the ranks already pushes your body closer to metal, but it’s not enough. Reaching Embodiment needs something more, a body even closer to metal than what normal progression can give.

"I embedded this rod with countless runes that, once activated, will force that change from the ground up. It was harder for me back then since I was already at the peak of Dominion, but you... you’re still in the Vessel rank. Good. This will give you a much better foundation for Embodiment."

Zephyrion ran through everything in his mind, grasping it quickly.

Basically, it would condition his body to become more like metal, preparing it for the Embodiment rank, which he already considered to be above Dominion.

After a moment, he fixed the man with a steady gaze.

"...what are the dangers?"

"Haha... good question, a great one." Demorian nodded with a grin.

"I won’t sugarcoat it—it’s going to hurt. Like hell. Your body’s going to be broken down and rebuilt from scratch. There’s a chance you die. You have to be ready for that kind of pain if you’re going to accept this. But... the reward? It’s worth it."

Zephyrion held his gaze, finding no trace of deceit. The man had been entirely direct.

Even so, with everything he had just learned, refusal was never an option.

’It’s just pain.’

"Alright. Let’s move on."

Demorian’s eyes lit up with excitement, almost like a father seeing his son succeed.

"Alright, listen..."

The explanation of the rod had been fairly straightforward. Basically, it was divided into multiple layers that acted as stages.

Each layer, once reached, would target a specific part of the body, strengthen it, and bring it closer to metal.

Regardless, each of these processes was supposedly excruciatingly painful and draining, and could only be carried out once his body had reached a certain rank and level of strength.

For example, the first layer was bone reforging, and it could only be done after he had reached mark four of the vessel rank, density.

While Zephyrion had already reached this stage, Demorian, to be absolutely certain he was ready, had insisted on another test.

Zephyrion stood calmly, his gaze fixed on Demorian, who was grinning with excitement in the distance.

"Alright! I’ll count to three, and then we punch, okay?"

"...alright."

"One... two..."

Zephyrion settled into a stance, drawing his arms back. He couldn’t actively use metal, only his body’s natural strength.

Every muscle in his body tensed as he locked his gaze onto Demorian. Then...

"Three!"

Zephyrion blurred, appearing before the still-grinning Demorian in an instant. His right foot slammed into the ground as a powerful coil surged through his body, converging into his right arm.

His fist shot forward with such force that the air itself seemed to split in its wake.

His grin unchanged, Demorian drove his own fist forward.

Boom!

Their fists collided in an explosive clash that shattered the ground beneath them and carved a crater into the earth.

Zephyrion felt a violent force surge through his arm. His sleeve tore apart as cracks spread along his arm, bursting open in a spray of crimson blood.

A moment later, his arm dropped limply to his side, trembling uncontrollably even as seconds passed.

As the haze cleared, Demorian stared at Zephyrion’s unfazed expression, then burst into laughter.

"Your bone didn’t break! Good, good... that means you’re ready for the first layer!"