Timeless Assassin

Chapter 1101: Mind Games

(Meanwhile, Planet Yu Star, Yu Clan Palace, Yu Kiro’s POV)

Seated upon his throne at the heart of Planet Yu Star, Yu Kiro rested his chin against his knuckles, as his mind drifted towards affairs far into the future.

It was just another day at the Yu Palace for him, when suddenly, he felt a faint disturbance arise on his planet, as though a rival God had suddenly stopped on it.

"Hmm?"

He muttered in confusion, as that presence disappeared almost as soon as it had appeared, which was quite unlike any God he knew.

However, the confusion was soon cleared as the hurried footsteps of a frightened messenger came towards him.

*Step*

*Step*

The frightened panting of the lone messenger broke the calm in the throne room, as he rushed into the chamber with uneven strides, his breathing ragged, his posture unstable, as he stumbled forward before dropping to one knee before the throne.

"My lord..." he began, his voice trembling uncontrollably as though the words themselves resisted leaving his throat, while Yu Kiro’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the sight before him.

Fear radiated from the man in waves, raw and unfiltered, as it clung to him like a suffocating presence, something entirely out of place within a court that had a God protecting it.

"What happened?" Yu Kiro asked, his tone calm and steady, as the messenger visibly struggled to steady himself under the weight of that simple question.

"Lord Mauriss..." the man whispered, as even speaking the name seemed to drain the remaining strength from his body, his throat tightening as his hands began to shake more violently than before.

"He... was here..." he managed to say, as the words landed softly within the chamber, yet echoed in Yu Kiro’s mind with a far greater weight than their volume suggested.

Yu Kiro did not react outwardly, his expression remaining unchanged, yet something within him sharpened instantly, as his attention locked entirely onto the trembling figure before him.

"Explain," he commanded, his voice firm and unwavering, as the messenger swallowed hard before raising his shaking hands.

Within his palm rested a small crystalline orb, its surface faintly shimmering with contained energy, as though it carried something far more significant than its size suggested.

"My lord... he... he left this... for you..." the messenger said, his voice breaking midway as though even recalling the encounter strained his mind beyond its limits.

*Lift*

Yu Kiro raised a single finger, and the orb lifted instantly from the man’s hands, gliding through the air with smooth precision before settling into Yu Kiro’s grasp without resistance.

For a moment, he did not act, choosing instead to observe the object carefully, as though expecting it to react, to trigger, or to reveal some hidden threat upon closer inspection.

However, after a brief analysis, he recognized it for what it was, a memory orb, simple in construction and harmless in nature, a tool meant to relay recorded visions.

And yet, in the hands of someone like Mauriss, even something so ordinary carried an entirely different meaning, as Yu Kiro’s gaze darkened slightly while he poured mana into the crystal.

*Whirrr*

The response came instantly, as the world around him shifted without resistance, the present dissolving into something else entirely as the first recorded memory unfolded before his eyes.

The scene that formed was unmistakable.

It was his throne room.

The same chamber, the same throne, the same grandiose that surrounded him now.

And at the center of it all, he saw himself seated upon the throne, calm and composed, continuing his routine without the slightest awareness of what stood behind him.

For a brief moment, nothing happened, as the scene remained still, frozen in its quiet familiarity, before a faint ripple distorted the space directly behind the throne.

And from that distortion, Mauriss stepped out.

"Hehehehehe—"

The Deceiver chuckled, his posture loose, his expression wild, as his eyes gleamed with a manic delight that felt deeply unsettling.

He did not attack immediately.

Instead, he lingered.

Watching.

Smiling.

As he began to move behind the throne with exaggerated motions, almost dancing in place, his body swaying with a strange rhythm as though he was savoring the moment.

His expressions shifted rapidly, from amusement to anticipation, from excitement to something far darker, as though the act of killing was something he deeply enjoyed preparing for.

And all the while, the version of Yu Kiro within the vision remained unaware, continuing his actions as though nothing was amiss, completely oblivious to the presence behind him.

Then, without warning, Mauriss moved.

His hand shot forward from behind the throne, gripping Yu Kiro’s throat with sudden force, as his other hand brought forth the origin blade in a smooth, practiced motion.

*Slash*

The blade cut cleanly across the throat, blood splattering everywhere, as the Yu Kiro in the vision died a dog’s death.

*Huff*

The real Yu Kiro’s breathing tightened as the scene lingered before him for a fraction longer, as Mauriss leaned closer to the collapsing body, his lips curling into a satisfied smile as he whispered softly.

"That’s one."

Darkness followed instantly, swallowing the scene whole before Yu Kiro could react, as the second memory forced itself into existence without pause.

This time, the setting was different.

Private.

Inside an intimate chamber that almost no-one beside him knew about.

As in this version, it was him alone with Ru Vassa.

*Hitch*

His breathing hitched in the real world, as he realized that Mauriss knew about his darkest secret.....

And, that realization alone made him fear Mauriss even more.

"So the Deceiver knows that I’m Vassa’s lover.... But how?"

He wondered, as the second scene unfolded before him without pause.

The intimacy of the moment was unmistakable, as he and Vassa were locked in coitus that went on for days in general.

When, suddenly—

Mauriss appeared behind them.

The reaction was instant, as both figures within the vision froze, their awareness catching up far too late, as Yu Kiro within the memory moved instinctively to react.

But Mauriss was faster.

His blade moved in a brutal arc, striking downward with savage precision, as blood splattered violently across the chamber, as the cruel Deceiver went for his manhood, right as he pulled it out of Vassa.

*SLASH*

Pain.

Shock.

Panic.

Everything unfolded at once, as Mauriss’s laughter echoed through the space, sharp and unhinged, while the situation spiraled beyond recovery.

Another strike followed.

Then another.

Until finally—

The blade found its way to Yu Kiro’s throat once more.

"That’s two."

The voice came calmly.

Almost playfully.

And once again, darkness swallowed everything without delay, as the third memory forced itself into existence before he could regain any sense of control.

This time, the setting was the alliance council.

The grand chamber.

Filled with power.

With presence.

With the leaders of the Great Clans and Kaelith, as they seemed to be engaged in what appeared to be a normal discussion.

For a moment, everything seemed as it should be.

Voices exchanged, expressions neutral, just another council meeting.

Then—

Silence.

Sudden.

Total.

As in the very next instant, every single figure in the room lay dead, their heads severed cleanly, their bodies collapsing lifelessly where they sat moments before.

Blood pooled across the chamber floor, spreading slowly as the lights dimmed, as it turned the already horrifying scene into something even more unnatural.

Only one figure remained.

Yu Kiro.

Alive.

Standing amidst the carnage.

And before him—

Mauriss.

Alone.

Smiling.

"Without anyone’s support, do you have the balls to fight me?"

The question echoed through the chamber as Mauriss lunged forward instantly, his blade moving in a frenzy of strikes, each one faster and more brutal than the last.

The attack was overwhelming and relentless, as blow after blow, Mauriss butchered him like he were a stabbing doll, the Deceiver’s laughter rising alongside the violence, until the scene became nothing more than a storm of blood and motion.

*Splat* *Splat* *Splat*

As at the end of it, he looked at the screen and said....

"That’s three."

As almost instantly, darkness took over the orb yet again, this time in full, as the recorded visions ended.

*Crush*

*Shatter*

Almost immediately, Yu Kiro shattered the orb, his expression furious, as he found himself unable to regulate his temper.

He understood it immediately.

This was not a threat.

Not in the traditional sense at least, as it was something far worse.

Mauriss had not come to attack him, but rather, he had come to enter his mind..... to plant himself there, as the Deceiver seemed to want to ensure that no matter where Yu Kiro went, whether on his throne, with his lover, or among his allies, he would never feel completely safe again.

*Clench*

*Grit*

Yu Kiro’s jaw tightened slowly, as his fingers curled inward, the faint tremor of anger finally surfacing beneath his otherwise controlled exterior.

"You Filthy Scum, Mauriss..." he muttered, his voice low, filled with restrained fury.

"You bastard..."

His eyes darkened further as the memory lingered.

"You have gone too far this time..."

He said, as he vowed to retaliate against this mind game appropriately.

However, little did he know that he was not alone in receiving such an orb.

As every single one of the Great Clan Gods, seemingly received a similar package today, each one tailored to cause maximum unrest within their minds.