Excited about my tour with Dia, I woke up earlier than usual.

  As I entered the kitchen, I saw Alex already cooking breakfast. He glanced at me, surprised.

  "It’ll be ready in a few more minutes," he said with a smile.

  "Did you like the omelet rice last night?" he asked.

  "It was great," I replied.

  "Did you make it?"

  "Yui did," Alex answered.

  "I should thank her for the meal," I muttered to myself.

  "Was it good?" a familiar voice whispered.

  I turned to see Yui, who had apparently overheard me.

  "Yes, it was delicious. Thanks for making it for me," I said.

  "I'm glad you liked it," she replied, looking a little flustered.

  I glanced around, searching for Dia. She must still be asleep, I thought.

  "If you're looking for Dia, she'll be here in a few minutes," Alex said, his expression somewhat concerned.

  A few minutes later, he finished preparing breakfast.

  Just as I was about to eat, Dia walked in, with an unexpected guest.

  Beside her stood her grandfather, Old Man Drei, dressed in his formal military uniform.

  She gave me a small smile before quietly sitting beside me, while her grandfather took the seat on my other side.

  "Riel, after breakfast, I need you to accompany me somewhere," Old Man Drei said abruptly.

  "But I’m supposed to spend the day touring with Dia," I responded.

  "The Six Council has requested to meet with you," he replied firmly.

  "Can’t I go with him?" Dia asked suddenly.

  "They specifically asked for him to come alone," Old Man Drei stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

  Dia’s expression darkened in frustration.

  "Can I bring one of my swords?" I asked as Alex handed me my breakfast.

  "You won’t be allowed to carry any weapons," Old Man Drei answered.

  "I see… So what should I wear?" I asked.

  "I've already prepared your attire for today," he said.

  "Thanks," I replied.

  "Looks like our tour will have to wait for another day, Dia," I added.

  Dia, Alex, and Yui exchanged worried glances.

  "I’ll be fine, guys. It’s not like they’re going to harm me," I reassured them.

  "Besides, I have Old Man Drei with me", I added.

  "You still need to be careful, Riel," Old Man Drei warned.

  "Ever since your grandfather passed, some members of the Six Council have started acting differently", he added.

  "Thanks for the heads-up, old man," I said.

  So that’s why they’re all so worried, I thought.

  "But don’t worry, I promise, I’ll keep you safe," he added firmly.

  I couldn’t help but wonder why the Six Council suddenly wanted to meet me.

  "Is this about Black Snow and Tyrfing?" I asked.

  "That’s likely one of the reasons," Old Man Drei admitted.

  "It seems one of their informants witnessed your fight with Black Snow."

  "Makes sense," I said. "The Council probably has spies even inside Genesis."

  "It’s fine, I’ll go. I’ve been meaning to see them anyway.

  "It's been over two years since our last meeting," I said.

  Old Man Drei gave me a surprised look.

  "Of course you knew," he muttered.

  "The other six groups at your grandfather’s funeral were the Six Council."

  "They weren’t interested in you back then since they didn’t know Shiratora had chosen you as his successor," he added.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "Grandpa, why do you think they want to meet Riel?" Dia asked suddenly.

  "Some probably just want to establish good relations with him, while others may have more… questionable intentions," Old Man Drei replied.

  "Then why does Riel have to go?" Dia pressed.

  "Because the Six Council still governs the world, and ignoring their invitation would be seen as an insult," he explained.

  "I get that," she said, "but going there completely unarmed seems reckless."

  "I doubt they’d try anything drastic, after all The Six Council isn’t a monolithic group." Alex reasoned.

  "That’s exactly why it’s dangerous," Yui countered.

  "Because they aren’t unified, Riel can’t afford to be careless", Yui warned.

  By the time their debate continued, I had already finished my breakfast.

  After washing my dishes, Old Man Drei handed me the outfit he had prepared.

  "Thanks, old man," I said, taking it and heading upstairs for a quick shower.

  Five minutes later, I was dressed in the attire.

  It resembled my grandfather’s black battlesuit but had a sleeker, more modern design.

  Surprisingly, Old Man Drei had also included a spare pair of mystic glasses, probably because I had broken mine last time.

  After checking my reflection in the mirror, I headed downstairs.

  "You look great," Dia commented.

  "Yeah, it really suits you," Yui added.

  "Are you sure this is just a meeting and not a full-blown war?" Alex joked.

  "Don’t jinx me, Alex," I shot back.

  Old Man Drei suddenly spoke. "It’s like I’m looking at Tora right now."

  I simply smiled at his remark.

  "I'll be going now, guys," I said, offering them a warm smile.

  "I’ll be back", I added.

  "Make sure you do," Dia said firmly.

  "Take care," Yui added.

  "I’ll have a great meal waiting for you when you return," Alex said with a grin.

  I smiled at them one last time before stepping into the military vehicle Old Man Drei had prepared.

  The ride was silent, and he remained quiet even as we boarded the military plane.

  "Riel, can you defend yourself without your sword?" he finally asked, his tone filled with concern.

  "To some extent," I admitted.

  "But if my life or yours, is in danger, I can’t promise that those who challenge me will walk away unscathed", I stated.

  "I was going to tell you not to harm anyone connected to the Six Council," Old Man Drei said.

  "But if they attempt to kill us, don’t hesitate to eliminate them", he added

  "Understood," I replied.

  He let out a small sigh before speaking again.

  "I’ve already assigned someone to investigate the survivors from Branch Four, to see if any of them have ties to the Six Council."

  "I figured one of them might be a spy," I said.

  "It’s only natural since the Six Council has the highest authority, after all."

  "You don’t seem afraid of them," he observed.

  "Not personally," I admitted.

  "But I do worry about the people I care about", I said.

  The flight lasted a few hours before we finally landed on an unknown island.

  Upon arrival, we were immediately escorted into a black, heavily tinted car.

  The lack of visibility made me uneasy, I had no way of seeing my surroundings.

  Fortunately, the ride was brief, lasting only about ten minutes before we arrived at a massive, ancient castle.

  As soon as the vehicle stopped, an attendant opened the door, and I quickly stepped out.

  The castle was heavily guarded, as expected, after all, the six most powerful figures in the world were gathered here.

  A female attendant approached and led us inside.

  After a few minutes of walking, we entered a grand hall with a towering ceiling.

  The circular chamber was divided into six sections, each representing a different faction, leaving the center empty.

  Seated at each of the six thrones were familiar faces, ones I had seen years ago.

  Each of them was dressed in formal attire, quite a bit contrast to their usual appearance.

  To the right, near the entrance, sat Ryusen, the Dragon Emperor, ruler of the Asian continent.

  Beside him was Nova, the Ice Empress, who governed Europe and Antarctica.

  Next to her sat Aria, the Sky Empress, sovereign of Oceania.

  On the left side of the entrance, I spotted Goliath, the Giant Emperor, ruler of the African continent.

  Seated next to him was Blaze, the Sun Emperor, ruler of North America.

  And finally, Luna, the Moon Empress, who governed South America.

  Each of the Six Emperors was accompanied by one of the renowned Six Knights and a cavalry of elite soldiers.

  Rumors claimed that each knight wielded a weapon capable of rivaling the Black Swords of the Sword Saint.

  As I observed them closely, I could tell the rumors were true.

  "So, it has been more than two years since we last saw you, Asriel Kurokiba,

  the grandson and sole successor of the Sword Saint," Ryusen greeted.

  "It’s been a while, Dragon Emperor.

  Thank you, and the other Emperors, for attending my grandfather’s funeral," I replied.

  "An interesting child indeed, to recognize us so easily," the Ice Empress remarked.

  "It’s only natural," the Giant Emperor added.

  "He is a blessed child and the rightful successor of the Sword Saint."

  "You must be wondering why the Six Emperors have summoned you here," the Sky Empress spoke up.

  "As you know, the authority of the Six Emperors exists only because of the Sword Saint," she continued.

  "To put it simply," the Sun Emperor interjected, "we want to know if you will support us, like your grandfather once did?"

  "My answer is simple," I stated. "My loyalty belongs to no one.

  As the Sword Saint’s successor, my duty is to sever all evil, no matter its form", I added.

  "You truly take after the Sword Saint," the Moon Empress mused.

  "Not even the presence of the six most powerful rulers in the world intimidates you", she added

  A middle-aged man from the Sun Emperor’s faction scoffed.

  "I fail to see why the Six Council would seek the loyalty of a mere child."

  His gaze hardened. "And your response, young man, is practically a crime, it reeks of disrespect toward the Six Council."

  The Sun Emperor, however, remained unfazed, as if he had anticipated the outburst.

  "I apologize if my words seemed rude," I said calmly, "but my principles are unshakable.

  Whether you are a king or a god… if you are evil, my sword will sever you from this world."

  The man simply smirked, as if he had been waiting for me to say exactly that.