As darkness settled over the Forest of Ten Thousand Shadows on the third night, Ji-won gathered his squad around their campfire. The flames cast dancing shadows across his face, making his expression even more unreadable than usual.
"Itachi," Ji-won said simply. "It's time."
Itachi stood, his calm demeanor never wavering as he addressed the group. "I have an announcement. Yi Hyeon-seong has placed spies within our squad."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Ji-ho and Sung-min, the two local warriors, shifted uncomfortably but said nothing.
"The reason we haven't discussed any strategic plans until now," Itachi continued, "was to avoid having those plans reported back to our enemies. I needed time to confirm the identities of the traitors before making a move."
His eyes locked onto Ji-ho and Sung-min with surgical precision.
"And now I have."
Fear flooded both men's faces. In that instant, they knew they'd been exposed. Without a word, they bolted—Ji-ho diving left into the trees, Sung-min sprinting right.
Itachi moved.
One moment he was standing by the fire, the next he was gone, disappearing into the darkness with such speed that Laurel barely registered the movement. Laurel instinctively started to follow, but a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.
"Don't," Beto said, his deep voice brooking no argument. "Only Itachi can handle this. Stay put."
Laurel froze, confused but recognizing the certainty in Beto's tone. Carl looked equally uncertain but remained where he was.
Less than thirty seconds later, Itachi emerged from the forest carrying both Ji-ho and Sung-min—one under each arm like they weighed nothing. Both men were unconscious but breathing, their bodies limp.
"Still alive, as requested," Itachi said, dropping them near the fire. He produced rope from his pack and began tying them with practiced efficiency.
With the traitors secured, the remaining six gathered closer to the fire. The atmosphere had shifted—no more uncertainty, no more caution about who might be listening.
Then Marvel stood up.
"I won't be working with you anymore," he announced, his voice flat and emotionless. "I have no interest in the sword. This is where we part ways."
Itachi walked over to him, and the two exchanged a brief look—some silent communication passing between allies who'd worked together for a long time.
"Safe travels," Itachi said.
Marvel nodded and began changing out of his traditional Korean clothing back into modern tactical gear. The others watched in silence. Laurel noticed that everyone except Ji-won was doing the same—switching back to their own preferred equipment now that stealth was less important than combat effectiveness.
Marvel shouldered his leather bag and walked toward the edge of the clearing. He didn't look back, didn't say goodbye to anyone else. He simply stepped into the shadows between two trees and vanished into the darkness—his form dissolving and dispersing as if he'd become shadow itself.
"Projection stage," Itachi explained, seeing the confused looks on Laurel and Carl's faces. "Fourth stage of Vitra mastery. Allows you to separate your physical form and reform elsewhere."
Itachi pulled out a detailed map of the forest, marked with various locations and notes. He spread it on the ground near the firelight.
"Intelligence gathering over the past three days has given us the approximate locations of the other princes," he began. "Yi Seong-ryu is here—" he pointed to a spot on the eastern edge of the forest, "—waiting at a designated location. He needs protection."
"Protection from what?" Carl asked.
"From everyone," Ji-won said quietly. "My brother is fourteen years old and in grave danger. His bodyguards may be compromised—spies or potential assassins. I need people I can trust to eliminate threats around him and keep him safe until the competition ends."
Itachi nodded. "Laurel, Carl—you two will go to Yi Seong-ryu's location. Kill his bodyguards to eliminate witnesses and potential spies. Then protect the young prince. Ji-won has already sent word to him that allies would be coming."
Laurel and Carl exchanged glances, understanding now. This wasn't about eliminating Yi Seong-ryu—it was about protecting him.
"The rest of us," Itachi continued, "will track and engage Yi Hyeon-seong and his group. After that, we focus on Yi Kang-mu."
"One problem," Beto rumbled. "We don't know where Yi Hyeon-seong is exactly."
Itachi turned to look at the bound and unconscious traitors. "I'll get that information from them."
What happened next with the traitors, Laurel and Carl were not invited to witness. As they prepared to leave, they heard Itachi dragging Ji-ho and Sung-min away from the camp. The sounds that followed made it clear why Beto had said only Itachi could "handle" certain things.
Laurel and Carl gathered their equipment and headed east toward Yi Seong-ryu's location, disappearing into the darkness.
After they were gone, Ji-won stood and moved to the edge of the firelight. "I need to get more comfortable," she said to Itachi and Beto, both of whom simply nodded.
She removed her gat—the traditional Korean hat—and let it fall to the ground. Then she loosened the tight bindings around her torso that had concealed her form and let her hair fall free.
Black hair cascaded down, falling all the way to his waist.
Ji-won adjusted her black outfit to be more comfortable now that she wasn't maintaining the rigid masculine appearance required around those who didn't know her secret. Her expression remained just as cold and unreadable as before.
"Better," she said simply.
Itachi and Beto had known for a long time. This was nothing new to them—just Ji-won finally allowing herself some physical comfort now that the outsiders were gone.
When Itachi returned from interrogating the traitors, his hands were clean but his eyes were dark.
"I have the location. Yi Hyeon-seong is camped northwest of here, approximately three hours' travel. He brought only five warriors with him and used his remaining two squad slots to bring women—courtesans. Arrogant."
Ji-won's expression didn't change. "Then let's go."
"No horses," Itachi instructed. "The noise would give away our positions."
The three of them—Ji-won, Itachi, and Beto—disappeared into the northwest darkness, leaving the bound traitors behind in the abandoned camp.
It was late afternoon when the battle began at Yi Hyeon-seong's camp.
What followed was brutal and efficient. Yi Hyeon-seong was the step-uncle to the other three princes, and his arrogance had made him careless. His three remaining warriors were skilled but caught completely off-guard.
The sounds of combat echoed through the forest—steel clashing, shouts of pain, the chaos of close-quarters battle.
And then, silence.
Hours later, as the sun set on the fifth day, Yi Kang-mu and his last remaining warrior passed through the area during their search pattern.
Yi Kang-mu had started with seven warriors. The forest and previous encounters had claimed six of them. Now only one remained by his side—a scarred veteran named Tae-yang who had survived through skill and luck.
"My lord," Tae-yang called out, spotting something ahead. "A camp."
They approached cautiously, weapons ready.
What they found made even Yi Kang-mu's disciplined composure falter.
Bodies. Everywhere.
Yi Hyeon-seong lay dead, his eyes staring sightlessly at the canopy above. His three warriors were scattered around the camp, their bodies bearing fatal wounds. The two women he'd brought lay motionless near the tent.
And among them—Itachi, Beto, and Ji-won. All three unmoving, blood pooling beneath them, their weapons nearby.
"All of them," Tae-yang whispered in disbelief. "Dead."
Yi Kang-mu studied the scene carefully, his tactical mind reconstructing what must have happened. "They killed each other. Ji-won's group attacked Hyeon-seong's camp. Both sides fought to the death. No survivors."
"Two princes fallen," Tae-yang said quietly. "That leaves only you and the youngest, my lord."
Yi Kang-mu was silent for a long moment, processing the implications. His expression shifted—not grief, but cold calculation.
"Change of plans," he announced. "We're not going after the sword's guardian anymore."
"My lord?"
"Think," Yi Kang-mu said. "Yi Seong-ryu is fourteen years old. He's weak, inexperienced, and hiding somewhere in this forest. If I eliminate him, I'm the last prince standing. The throne becomes mine by default—sword or no sword."
Understanding dawned on Tae-yang's face.
"Why risk fighting whatever ancient guardian protects that blade," Yi Kang-mu continued, "when I can simply hunt down a child instead?"
He turned to his warrior. "We find Yi Seong-ryu. We move at first light."
When dawn broke on the sixth day, Yi Kang-mu and Tae-yang were already tracking Yi Seong-ryu's location through the forest.
The clearing came into view, and Yi Kang-mu stopped. There, in the morning light, stood Yi Seong-ryu—sword drawn, looking far less frightened than expected.
And on either side of the young prince stood Laurel and Carl, both armed and ready.
"Cousin," Yi Seong-ryu said, his young voice carrying across the clearing with surprising steadiness. "I've been expecting you."
Yi Kang-mu's eyes narrowed, quickly assessing the situation. Three opponents versus himself and Tae-yang. The young prince's seven bodyguards were nowhere to be seen.
"Where are your bodyguards, Seong-ryu?" Yi Kang-mu asked carefully.
The young prince's expression was sad but determined. "Dead. These two killed them—they were spies and potential threats. But these warriors were sent by my sibling to protect me."
Yi Kang-mu's hand moved to his sword hilt. "Your sibling is dead. I saw the body myself."
"Then perhaps," Laurel said quietly, "you didn't look closely enough."
Yi Kang-mu's eyes flickered with uncertainty for just a moment, then hardened with resolve. "It doesn't matter. Dead or alive, Ji-won isn't here. And you three cannot defeat me."
"We'll see about that," Carl replied, raising his weapon.
The clearing fell silent. Six days into the competition, two princes supposedly dead, one prince cornered with his protectors, and one prince standing between himself and the throne.
Yi Kang-mu drew his sword.
The final battle for the Forest of Ten Thousand Shadows was about to begin.