Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 233: We’ll see

Thrain half expected the body of his brother not to be there, but they brought it before him and placed it on a table. It was enclosed in a coffin etched with enchanted symbols. Those symbols were meant to preserve him and soak into the body so he wouldn’t be raised as an undead at a later date.

Chief Ryvlan Choxa looked at the body in disgust. "What are you planning, my lord?"

Thrain walked toward it, his right hand on his sword. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at the body. "To see how I now have two brothers."

"Are you talking about the message? It must be a joke, a prank, or something of the sort."

Thrain shook his head. "We’ll see."

Then he stared down at the body. His brother’s face stared back at him. The body had been preserved so well it looked as if he had just closed his eyes to sleep.

He walked around it slowly, and then he came to a decision and unsheathed his sword. It was a long sword, and it grew even longer as he raised it, the edges gaining a golden luster that covered his armor as well.

"What are you doing, my lord?"

Thrain didn’t answer or look away from the body in front of him. He raised his sword, and it was bathed in golden light. Then he brought it down.

Crack!

The sword sliced through the coffin and the head of the body as if everything was made of cake. Metal screeched, and the head and the cut part of the coffin hit the ground with a clank. The head rolled off.

Thrain leaned back and waited. At first, nothing happened, and the only sound was the gasps from the Chief.

Then the image of his brother warped and twisted as if something was overlapping it. With a snapping sound followed by a soft hissing, the image vanished.

What now stood in the coffin was far from his brother. It was a humanoid green monster with a gash on its chest.

Chief Ryvlan Choxa let out a small yelp and leaped away from his place, pointing with his mouth open. "W-what is that?"

Thrain narrowed his eyes, and a satisfied smile spread across his face. "Ah... I was just as surprised when I was told you died. I thought a serpent had finally borne a worm, but you are indeed our father’s son.

"And for you to send me that message. You want us to play? Finally, I will have the opportunity to crush you." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

He turned and walked toward his throne. His hand tapped the edge of his seat. "Why don’t you know about this?" he asked aloud.

Immediately, shadows thickened in front of him, and a figure appeared. They wore an overly large cloak that hid their figure. Their height was exaggerated, and every inch of their body was hidden.

It was the Clan’s Spy Master, and only the Clan leader knew who they were. Even then, they hadn’t revealed themselves to Thrain. But they were working with him. For now.

"The plan was carried out too smoothly, and we are just finding out with you," the voice was distorted, as if a stone had suddenly gained life and was speaking.

"Is that so?" Thrain asked. There was a dangerous edge to his voice that he didn’t care to hide. Now he understood where things were leading. The Spy Master was trying to support the two brothers in some way because Thrain was sure there was no way he wouldn’t know.

’...But come to think of it... Why didn’t my father know about my plan? I’ve set more fake assassination attempts on Father many times to see how he would react, but each time it was almost as if he didn’t receive any warnings... Is this the doing of the Spy Master?...’

Good thing, then, that Thrain had his own way of gathering information.

"Now that you mention it, I found it odd that Vale’s subordinate did not try reaching the capital to take revenge. It’s all clear now that he’s alive," the Spy Master said.

Thrain smiled thinly. "And what else have you missed, Spy Master?"

"Well, there was an incident this week that happened at the eastern army stationed in the south. They said a man with fire magic came and burned three of the four lieutenants."

Thrain stiffened as he heard that, and he felt a wave of panic. The reason he pretended not to care about the eastern army that he sent to the south was because it was a trap to lure his enemies out.

They would seek the army out, and if they did, he would spring the trap since three of the four lieutenants were loyal to him. Somehow, he didn’t think the one that he didn’t have in his pocket was dead as well.

"Is it Vale?" Thrain hissed. Losing the eastern army was a blow he hadn’t planned to take.

"I cannot say because they said he came and vanished like a flickering flame."

Thrain narrowed his eyes. The Spy Master didn’t know? Laughable. And why was he only telling him now, when he had just discovered that his brother’s body was fake?

Two slaps to the face in one day. Thrain gritted his teeth, and he wanted nothing more than to run his sword through the Spy Master.

He wanted to play with his brother but not with armies.

He only wanted to toy with him before he killed him, but now things were getting serious without him even realizing it. And Vale had two Master Knights under him.

But he didn’t let any of that show on his face. He leaned back and waved his hand casually. "I haven’t spent a month as the Clan leader, and people are already rebelling? Such treason."

"Very well, Spy Master. You can leave now."

The figure bowed and disappeared.

Chief Ryvlan Choxa looked at him. "So it won’t be only Rikon we will be fighting."

Thrain smiled. "Seems so. You will begin the mustering of your forces, Chief. Also, the capital will gather its forces as well. We can’t have our army misbehaving."

"What about the second west army?"

"We can’t just withdraw all our presence from the borders. I should not have made Commander Wrt move his army." He took a deep breath.

"Maybe this is also good. I will make the claim on the seat absolute."