SSS SKILL: DUPLICATE

A month after Edgar returned to the castle, the plan was finalized. The plan is called Thunder Strike. As fast as lightning and as loud as thunder, that will be heard around the world. The plan is secretly communicated to vital allies by agents in various ways. The message needs a code to unlock the message. Only allies know how to unlock the code. The message is "Spring".

A season that signifies what Baynard will give to the two kingdoms and their people.

One month later, spring came.

Three moons above the sky are giving the world beautiful moonlight. A wonderful aurora is flowing in the sky. Tonight might be the last time for some people to see this beautiful scene. In the capital of the Fran kingdom, inside a house in the sleeping quarters of royal guards, the captain of royal guards had just woken up from his sleep. He still seems a little sleepy, but he is hungry. His hair and beard are a mess. His robe is loose, and the hairs on his chest can be seen. He delegated his job to the vice captain and his subordinates because he was drinking a lot earlier.

"Damn, that new alcohol is really strong! I felt like it was burning my throat! But I had never tasted it before. The aftertaste was really good. I was enjoying the aftertaste. I didn't even notice that I passed out! I should ask the vice captain to buy more. When the king dies, we will drink that alcohol to celebrate!"

The royal captain rubs his belly. He seems to think of something and smiles. He is a former captain of the personal guards of the current regent king, the crown prince. The former captain was kicked out, and he became the captain. There were dissatisfied royal guards, but he kicked them out. He is the right arm of the regent king! How dare they look down at him! He replaced them with his friends and the personal guards of the crown prince. He stopped kicking out the royal guards because there is one sensible person who convinced the guards, and that's the vice captain. He even treats him to food and drinks, which is why he likes the vice captain.

Knock! Knock!

"Captain, are you awake? I asked someone to cook food since you missed dinner!" said Carter, the vice captain, from the door. He is wearing a white sleeve with buttons, brown pants, and shoes. His black hair is short and curly. He also has a beard. The captain smiled and went out of the room.

"Hahaha, you are really reliable!" said the captain while patting Carter's shoulder. He his hand around the vice captain's shoulder, acting as if they are close friends. While they're walking, Carter takes out his left hand from his left pocket and raises it behind the captain. He is raising it toward the neck. His left index finger has an attached black ring with a sharp fingernail, The Death Touch. He prepared for this scene for a long time. He showed that he has a habit of putting both his hands into his pocket and putting his hand around the shoulder of his close friends. Even the captain copied it. All those pretending are for this moment.

The runes on the death touch flashed, then he struck it against the captain's neck.

"Eck!" The captain felt something pricked his neck. The area where the death touch struck turned black. The blood vessels around it turned black and started to spread very quickly. The captain is starting to feel weak. The damn vice captain did something to him. This is what crossed the mind of the captain immediately.

Bang! The captain releases his aura. Carter jumped away from the captain. The wooden floor beneath the captain's feet is crushed. His face is very furious. A magic circle formed on his right hand, earth gathered, and then it formed into an earth spear. Runes are forming on the spear. After the runes formed, the spear became smooth and sharp on the captain's right hand.

"Bastard! What did you do?!!" the captain furiosly asked.

"I am doing what I have to do for the people of this kingdom," answered Carter. Under the crown prince's rule, the people of the kingdom live in sorrow, but under the rule of Baynard, the people will live in prosperity. He saw it, and he believes it. He has a family, including a daughter. The unscrupulous style of the crown prince and his cronies might someday reach his daughter. It is better to tear their faces now than tear them later at the expense of his daughter's life.

A royal guard heard the commotion. He is one of the cronies of the captain. He released his aura and drew his sword. He runs to the captain's room. He saw what is happening in the hallway. The captain seems poisoned by the vice captain.

"Trai-!" 

Bang! The guard did not finish his sentence. He was smashed to the ground by a big aura-beast arm. Dan came out from the entrance of the quarter. His right hand is clad with a beast arm. He is wearing white armor and a white cape.

"Traitoooor! I will not let your family die peacefully! I will make them slaves! All the following generations will be slaves! I will make them live in hell!" the captain shouted.

BEAST CHARGE: PIERCING

Woosh! A red blur moves from the entrance of the quarter to the captain's location. Dan appeared in front of the captain in beast form. He can release the beast with ease. His left hand penetrated the captain's left chest. The captain's eyes turned wide, and he coughed out black blood. Dan pulled out his left hand. He jumps to his back as he swings his arm to remove the blood.

Bang! The captain's spear is stabbed on the floor. The captain is supporting himself with the spear. Blood flows to his body and the floor. The captain looks at Carter with eyes full of hatred. He would have been able to defend himself if not for the poison.

Flop! The captain fell to the floor and died with open eyes that are still staring at Carter. The captain's face looks more hideous, with black blood vessels formed on his face.

Only one royal guard responded because the other guards are allies of the vice captain. He deliberately made the captain drunk with the alcohol that Baynard especially made for this moment. He hasn't finished replacing all the guards on the quarter with his allies. One fish slipped through. He can't kill the captain in his sleep because there were other guards earlier. He knocked on the door to test if the captain was still asleep. If he was, he would kill him while he was still sleeping. If not, then use plan B.

The guards in the quarter are already informed of what is going to happen. They have been waiting for it for a long time. The other guards are on patrol in the castle, which is quite far away. The only people that will notice the commotion here are Peak 3rd level aura masters that are currently approaching the quarter.

Three aura masters clad with compact aura on their bodies are jumping on house roofs. One aura master has long black hair tied near its end, a loose blue robe, and a zither. He is the closest to the sleeping quarters. The other two are together: one short, bald old man wearing a red robe and one man who is currently smiling with short white hair wearing a loose purple robe. The white-haired man has a burn scar on his left forehead, near his left eye. The long-haired man looks calm, but the other two's eyes are filled with killing intent.