In the heart of the Dark Elf Kingdom, Jinoko sat upon his obsidian throne, his presence radiating a cold, suffocating pressure. The heavy doors groaned open as Nao entered the throne room.
"May I come in, My Lord?" Nao asked, bowing low.
"Speak," Jinoko replied curtly.
"I bring news. The King of Himiko has discovered the secret meeting between you and Rein, the King of the Fire Kingdom."
Jinoko narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint appearing in them. "What does that fool want now?"
"He demands a meeting with you in his kingdom, immediately."
"Prepare the carriage," Jinoko commanded, standing up. "Let us go."
The Spies' Move
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Seven Heads of Light, Zetsu returned from his mission. He reached into his cloak and pulled out the stolen documents from the Kingdom of Light, tossing them onto the table.
"Here they are," Zetsu said with a smirk.
Morgan scanned the papers, her eyes widening. "These are incredible... highly confidential. We should sell these to the Dark Elf Kingdom. They would pay a fortune for this."
"We'll need to negotiate a steep price," Zetsu added.
"Jinoko is currently in a meeting with Arthur," Morgan noted. "We will wait. Once he returns, we make our move."
The Confrontation: A Brutal Lesson
Inside the meeting hall of the Himiko Kingdom, the tension was thick enough to cut with a blade. Arthur stared down Jinoko with pure hatred.
"What do you want from me?" Jinoko asked, his voice dripping with boredom.
"Why did you betray us?" Arthur spat. "As of today, you are no longer part of the United Kingdoms Alliance!"
Jinoko let out a cold, mocking laugh. "I already left that pathetic alliance long ago, you cursed fool."
"Follow me to the courtyard," Arthur barked, his hand gripping his sword.
Upon reaching the arena, Arthur suddenly lunged forward, swinging his blade in a treacherous attempt to strike Jinoko down. But Jinoko was faster. With a flicker of his eyes, he activated his ability: Toxic Earth Overgrowth.
Thick, thorny vines erupted from the ground with lightning speed, piercing through Arthur's body and pinning him. The vines lifted him high into the air, leaving the king suspended and gasping in agony—wounded, but intentionally left alive.
"Do not ever trifle with me again," Jinoko whispered, staring at the defeated king. "Consider this a small lesson to help you remember your place."
Jinoko turned his back on the humiliated king and returned to his carriage.
The Trade of Secrets
When Jinoko returned to the gates of his castle, he found Zetsu waiting for him.
"What is it you want?" Jinoko asked, still radiating the scent of battle.
"I have something you might find useful," Zetsu said, holding up the scrolls. "Secret documents belonging to the Kingdoms of Light and Fire. Their weaknesses, their treaties... everything."
Jinoko paused. "What is your price?"
"One hundred gold coins."
"Ninety-five," Jinoko countered, his voice firm. "That is a fair price for paper."
Zetsu grinned, "Deal. Here are the documents."
"Go with Nao," Jinoko ordered. "He will provide your payment."