I'm Trapped Inside a Prince as the Most Powerful Entity-Chapter 57: A Shocking New Threat

Deep underground, hidden beneath the Roland Kingdom, was the Syndicate’s main headquarters. It was a huge, secret base. Billy stood in a simple room before a powerful leader known as Master 22.

Master 22 wore dark, fancy robes and sat on a big chair, like a throne. The most noticeable thing about him was the rabbit mask he wore. It hid his whole face except for his eyes, which shone dangerously in the dim light.

Bryan stood a little behind Billy. he was still nervous because of the armed guards he had passed and the tense feeling in the command center. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

Even though Billy was usually calm, he felt a little nervous. He had given a quick report about why they were there, but he still had to share the most important, and terrible, news. He took a breath. His voice was a bit scratchy.

"Master 22," he started, then looked down. "I... I’m sorry to tell you... Master Oliver... he’s... he’s dead."

The room, already quiet, became dead silent. Then, Master 22 slowly stood up. As he did, you could almost feel the pressure coming off him—a feeling of great power. The air seemed to buzz, and the room suddenly felt colder.

Suddenly, Master 22 disappeared from his spot by the throne.

Billy’s eyes widened a tiny bit, but he didn’t move. He knew what was coming.

Faster than Billy could blink, Master 22 was suddenly standing right in front of him, just inches away. He hadn’t made a sound or even a blur; he was just there. Malkor gasped and stumbled back. Bryan flinched and bowed his head lower.

Master 22’s eyes, seen through the mask, stared hard at Billy. Even with the mask and dim light, Billy could feel the cold, sharp anger in his stare. It felt like a heavy weight, a warning of pain to come.

Master 22’s voice was a low, angry growl. "Say that again, Agent Billy."

Before Billy could answer, Master 22’s eyes moved past him to Bryan, who was still bowed low. "And you," Master 22 said, his voice full of disgust, "you must be Bryan."

Bryan didn’t dare lift his head. He felt the Master’s stare like it was actually pushing him down. "Yes, Master," he managed to say, his voice tight. "My name is Bryan." Cold sweat ran down his back. This Master was way more powerful than Oliver.

Billy stayed quiet. He noticed that Bryan might accidentally take some of the heat off him. If Master 22 focused on Bryan, even for a moment, it might give Billy a chance to handle this dangerous conversation. He didn’t try to get the Master’s attention back on himself.

Master 22 slowly turned his masked face fully to Bryan and took a step towards him, away from Billy. The intense pressure shifted, now focused on the terrified Bryan.

"We got some news a little while ago," Master 22 said. His voice was soft and dangerous, scarier than a shout.

"Orders came from the very top of the Royal Family. They think a spy might have gotten into, or is trying to get into, our main headquarters. So, everyone here, even the Masters, is watching every new person very closely and suspiciously."

He began to walk slowly around Bryan, like a wolf checking out its prey. Bryan stayed frozen, head down. "So, Bryan," Master 22 continued, his footsteps silent, "we looked into your background. Quite a record. You’ve been a street thug since you were young, right? Arrested many times, but you always got away."

Bryan was shaking badly now. As Master 22 circled him, Bryan felt an unseen energy tightening around him. It made his skin crawl and his breath catch. It was the Master’s power, pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. It felt like invisible ropes were tightening around his arms and chest.

Master 22 stopped beside Bryan. He put a heavy hand on Bryan’s shoulder. The touch felt light, but it was full of threat. Leaning in close, his masked face inches from Bryan’s ear, he whispered, but his voice was chilling. "Bryan. Tell. Me. What. Happened."

Bryan swallowed hard; his throat was dry. He felt the Master’s grip tighten a little on his shoulder. He took a shaky, deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart, and then started to speak, his voice low and unsteady. "Master 22... our base... our base in Crestport... it was attacked."

Master 22, who had been radiating anger and suspicion, suddenly went still. The crushing pressure around Bryan eased a bit. The hand on his shoulder, which had felt like it was crushing him, lifted. Bryan dared to look up quickly. Even through the mask, he saw surprise in the Master’s eyes.

"What?" Master 22 exclaimed, his voice sharp with disbelief, losing some of its scary calm. "The base was attacked?"

A tiny bit of relief shot through Bryan’s fear. He saw the change in Master 22. This is my chance, he thought, his mind racing.

If he finds out what I was really doing with those rich nobles, I’m dead. They’ll torture me in ways I can’t even imagine. I have to make him believe me, make him see me as a loyal survivor, not a suspect. He was ready to say or do anything to save himself.

He took another deep breath, a little steadier this time, and prepared to deliver the rest of the terrible news. "Master 22," he said, his voice now desperate, "that’s not all. Everyone at the base... they were all killed. Master Oliver... he was one of them."

If Master 22 had been surprised before, he was completely shocked now. He actually took a step back, his rabbit mask tilting a bit as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The powerful feeling around him flickered. "All of them? Killed?" His voice was full of disbelief. "You mean... the Royal Family? Did they know about your base?"

Before Bryan could try to twist the story more, Billy stepped forward, looking serious. "Master 22," Billy said smoothly, "you’re partly right, but not completely. It wasn’t the whole Royal Family that found our base. It seems one specific member of the Royal Family found out where we were. And it was this person who attacked our base all by himself."

Master 22 turned his masked face to Billy. His earlier anger was gone, replaced by a deep, troubled silence. He seemed to be thinking hard.

One member of the Royal Family? he thought. To destroy a whole base, including Oliver... who was strong enough to do that? King Noor IV himself? Probably not; he wouldn’t do it so openly. Maybe their top general, Charles? Or one of the older Princes? Revan with his sword, or Leonard with his magic? This was huge.

Seeing Master 22 silent and thinking, Bryan quickly spoke up again, trying to get control of the story and make himself look good. "Master," he said, his voice clear even though he was still scared, "it was the Third Prince, Master. Prince Eric. He found our base in Crestport. He was the one who attacked us."

The reaction was like an explosion. Master 22 whirled back towards Bryan. His shock turned into pure disbelief and then rage. "The Third Prince?!" he roared, his voice booming through the room.

The pressure in the room shot up again. "Prince Eric? That... weakling? The spoiled kid who faints if he sees blood? Are you trying to make me look like a fool, operative?!" The question hung in the air, heavy with threat.

Billy stepped forward again, looking respectful but firm. "Master 22, with all due respect, what Bryan says is true. We saw it with our own eyes. The power he showed... it was more than anything we expected. Even Master Oliver... even he couldn’t stop the Third Prince’s attack."

Hearing that Oliver had failed seemed to get through to Master 22. He fell silent again, his rabbit mask tilted as if he was thinking deeply. The anger in his eyes faded, replaced by a cold seriousness.

If Oliver, with his special power, Shatter, couldn’t even survive... then this Third Prince is much more dangerous than anyone thought. He looked from Billy to Bryan, his eyes studying them.

"So, Oliver sent you here?" he asked. His voice was no longer angry, but cold and calculating.

"If Oliver sent you straight to the main base, instead of through other channels, it means he must have trusted you a lot. Oliver wasn’t someone who sent people to Headquarters without a very good reason, especially with such important news."

A huge wave of relief washed over Bryan. The immediate danger of being tortured or killed seemed to be over. He had survived the first part of this storm. He managed a shaky nod.

Billy, however, looked truly sorry. His voice was sad.

"Master 22, please forgive us. We... we wanted to fight. We wanted to stand with Master Oliver. But his last order was very clear. He commanded us to come directly to the main base, to deliver this message personally. He said that the Third Prince, Prince Eric, must now be seen as a top-level threat. An S-Rank target – the most dangerous kind."

Master 22 stayed silent for a few long seconds, the eyeholes of his mask looking at Billy, then at Bryan. The importance of Oliver’s final judgment, delivered by these shaken survivors, was clear. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm but firm.

"If Oliver hadn’t sent you here himself, I might have thought you were exaggerating or just bad at your jobs. But Oliver... Oliver didn’t make mistakes when judging threats. If he decided the Prince was S-Rank after fighting him, then we have to believe him. I must take this very seriously." He paused. "You did well to bring this information directly. Don’t worry; you followed orders."

Before Master 22 could say more or give new commands, the heavy doors to the room burst open with a loud clang. A Syndicate worker, his face pale and his uniform messy, stumbled into the room, breathing heavily.

"Master!...Master!" he gasped, his eyes wide with panic.

Bryan, Billy, and even Master 22 turned sharply towards the newcomer, surprised by the sudden, panicked entrance.

Before Master 22 could say a word, the messenger, having finally seen the rabbit-masked leader, blurted out his terrifying news.

"Master! We are under attack! Our base... this headquarters... it’s being attacked!"