The first disturbance happened shortly after midnight. For most people in the capital, it was nothing more than a brief flicker. Mana lanterns across the eastern district went dark for a few seconds before lighting up again. Most citizens either didn't notice or quickly forgot about it. Inside the palace, however, Kylrus noticed immediately.
He hadn't been sleeping. Documents and reports still covered his desk when he felt the shift in the city's mana flow. It wasn't natural. The disturbance was too controlled. Too deliberate. Rising from his chair, he extended his senses across the palace and into the city beyond.
A few moments later, Cassian entered without waiting for permission.
"You felt it too."
"Of course."
"Eastern district?"
Kylrus nodded.
"That's where it started."
Selene entered immediately afterward.
"Several reports just came in. Mana fluctuations all over the eastern quarter."
"Any damage?"
"None so far."
Kylrus walked over to a map of the capital and activated a crystal projection. Golden threads appeared above the table, representing the city's mana network. Almost immediately, he spotted the anomaly.
Cassian stared at the projection.
"Is that an attack?"
"No."
Kylrus narrowed his eyes.
"It's pulling mana."
Selene stepped closer.
"A siphon?"
"Something similar."
The more he examined it, the clearer the pattern became.
"They're feeding an array."
Silence filled the room.
Cassian frowned.
"Inside the capital?"
"Looks that way."
Selene immediately understood the implications.
"That's bold."
"Very."
Kylrus studied the mana flow for several more seconds before making a decision.
"Send silent squads to the eastern district."
Cassian straightened.
"What are we looking for?"
"An active array."
Selene looked toward the projection.
"Should I alert the city guard?"
"No."
Both siblings looked surprised.
"No?"
Kylrus shook his head.
"If we make too much noise, they'll disappear before we find them."
He pointed toward a lower merchant district near the eastern side of the capital.
"Start there."
After both siblings left to carry out their orders, Kylrus closed his eyes and followed the mana flow himself. The energy moved beneath streets, through foundations, and under abandoned buildings. Eventually, it led him to a single location.
An abandoned warehouse.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"There you are."
A short time later, Kylrus stood on a rooftop overlooking the building. The array hidden beneath it pulsed steadily beneath layers of stone and earth. After observing it for a few moments, he realized something important.
"They aren't trying to blow anything up."
Cassian arrived beside him.
"Then what's the goal?"
Kylrus's eyes remained fixed on the array.
"They want information."
Selene landed on the rooftop moments later.
"The squads are in position."
"Good."
She looked at the warehouse below.
"Can you tell what it does?"
"Mostly."
Kylrus studied the formation one final time.
"They're trying to copy my mana signature."
Cassian stared at him.
"What?"
"The array contains a mirror sigil."
Selene's expression immediately darkened.
"So they're baiting you."
"Exactly."
If he destroyed the formation using overwhelming mana, the array would record his mana structure. Anyone analyzing that information afterward could potentially learn far more than they should.
Cassian folded his arms.
"So what do we do?"
Kylrus smiled slightly.
"We let them think they've succeeded."
Before either sibling could respond, he jumped from the rooftop and landed silently near the warehouse entrance. Inside, several cloaked individuals were maintaining the formation. The moment they saw him, panic flashed across their faces.
He had arrived much sooner than expected.
Kylrus slowly walked toward the center of the warehouse.
One of the cultists took a nervous step back.
"He's here."
"No kidding."
Another glared at him.
"Activate it."
The array immediately began glowing.
Instead of resisting, Kylrus allowed a small amount of mana to flow outward. The mirror sigil reacted instantly, attaching itself to the energy and beginning its work.
Hidden on a distant rooftop, a masked observer watched carefully.
"Perfect."
But the observer didn't know what Kylrus was doing.
As the array copied his mana, Kylrus subtly altered the circulation pattern within his body. The change was so small that nobody outside could notice it. Yet it completely changed the information being collected.
The array began shaking.
One of the cultists looked horrified.
"Something's wrong."
"No, keep it stable!"
Purple light flickered violently.
Kylrus took another step forward.
"You wanted my mana signature."
The formation trembled.
"Now you have one."
The array suddenly collapsed inward. Runes shattered, mana threads snapped, and the entire structure imploded on itself.
The cultists barely had time to react.
Five precise strikes later, all of them were unconscious.
No explosions.
No dramatic battle.
Just five bodies hitting the floor.
A few moments later, Cassian and Selene entered the warehouse.
"You let them activate it."
"Yes."
Cassian looked confused.
"Why?"
"Because they wanted information."
Selene immediately understood.
"And you gave them false information."
Kylrus nodded.
"They now believe my mana core is still unstable."
Cassian stared at him.
"You did that on purpose?"
"Of course."
A small grin spread across Cassian's face.
"That's evil."
Kylrus looked genuinely offended.
"It's strategic."
"Same thing."
Ignoring him, Kylrus examined the destroyed formation.
Whoever built it would receive the results soon. More importantly, they would believe those results.
Exactly as intended.
Later that night, hidden far beneath the capital, a crimson-robed figure examined a crystal containing the stolen mana imprint.
"The fracture remains."
A subordinate bowed.
"It appears so."
The figure nodded slowly.
"Good."
Nearby, an enormous structure continued taking shape. Mana crystals covered the walls while complex runes stretched across the floor.
"Proceed with phase three."
This time, the objective wasn't simply injuring the Crown Prince.
It was something much larger.
Back inside the palace, Kylrus stood alone in his chambers. The crack in his mana core remained exactly where it had always been. Stable. Controlled. Useful.
A few weeks ago, he would've considered it a weakness.
Now he saw it differently.
Weaknesses could be hidden.
Weaknesses could be repaired.
But sometimes, weaknesses could be used.
Looking into the mirror, he allowed a faint smile to appear.
"They're getting confident."
That was exactly what he wanted.
Confident enemies made mistakes.
Careful enemies did not.
Outside, the lights of the capital shone beneath the night sky. Somewhere in the city, hidden forces continued preparing their next move. Somewhere else, nobles continued plotting in secret.
The game was becoming larger with every passing day.
And for the first time since arriving in this world, Kylrus wasn't simply responding to events.
He was starting to shape them.