The Greatest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Tensura

Laplace, ever the enigmatic jester, materialized in Yuuki Kagurazaka's private chamber with his usual carefree grin. The room, dimly lit and lined with countless books and artifacts of mysterious origin, carried an air of quiet tension. Seated before him were Yuuki, Kigali, each one observing him with measured interest.

Kigali, as always, was stern, his arms crossed, his dark eyes piercing. Footman and Tear's absence was already an unspoken weight in the room. Yuuki, seemingly unbothered, twirled a chess piece between his fingers, a habit he indulged in when deep in thought.

Laplace strolled in with his characteristic nonchalance, letting out a dramatic sigh. "Whew, boss, gotta say, things ain't lookin' too good."

Yuuki flicked his gaze toward him, his expression unreadable. "Oh? What happened?"

Laplace shrugged and plopped onto a nearby chair. "Footman and Tear got jumped. Someone found 'em, caught 'em off guard, and gave 'em a beatdown they won't forget anytime soon."

Yuuki's fingers stopped moving. "Define 'beatdown.'"

Laplace grinned. "I mean they got wrecked, boss. Whoever it was, they weren't playin' around. Didn't kill 'em, though—just gave 'em a little taste of humility. And before leavin', they dropped a little message."

Kigali leaned forward. "What message?"

Laplace smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. "They told 'em, You are being watched."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Yuuki's playful demeanor didn't waver, but behind those sharp eyes, his mind was racing. An unknown force had not only tracked Footman and Tear but had also chosen not to kill them. That was an intentional move. A warning. A power play.

Yuuki placed the chess piece down. "And Clayman?"

Laplace let out a laugh. "That idiot? Still convinced he's the smartest guy in the room. Even after I warned 'im, he thinks he can outmaneuver whoever's watching."

Kigali's frown deepened. "That's a mistake."

Yuuki nodded slightly. "It is."

But deep inside, he felt something unfamiliar—a sense of unease.

Someone was watching from the shadows. Someone strong. Someone deliberate.

And for the first time in a long while…

Yuuki felt like he wasn't the one pulling the strings.

As Yuuki Kagurazaka sat deep in thought, his fingers idly tracing the edge of his chess piece, the air in the room shifted. A heavy presence settled in as Footman and Tear entered, their normally mischievous expressions replaced with frustration and a hint of lingering pain from their recent beatdown.

Laplace, already seated, gave them a knowing smirk. "Well, well, look who finally decided to show up. How's the bruises?"

Footman scowled, adjusting his round body with a grunt. "Not funny, Laplace."

Tear, her usual sadistic grin missing, crossed her arms. "We've got a bigger problem."

Yuuki raised an eyebrow. "Bigger than you two getting your asses handed to you?" His tone was teasing, but his eyes remained sharp, analyzing their every move.

Footman exhaled heavily. "It's Clayman. That dumbass is turning against Frey and Carrion."

A flicker of intrigue passed through Yuuki's gaze. "Oh?"

Tear nodded. "He's convinced himself that they're a threat, that they're working against him. He's planning to act first."

Laplace let out a slow whistle. "That so? Didn't think he had the guts."

Yuuki's smirk deepened, but internally, his mind was racing. Clayman was paranoid, but he wasn't suicidal. Attacking two Demon Lords at once? That wasn't an act of cunning—it was a reckless gamble.

And reckless gambles usually had someone pulling the strings.

Someone was playing Clayman.

Yuuki tapped the chess piece against the table. "Did Clayman say why he suddenly distrusts them?"

Footman shrugged. "Something about secret messages between Frey and Carrion, talking about their 'real intentions' for Jura Forest. He's convinced they're planning to betray him first."

Laplace chuckled. "Lemme guess—he got that intel from a source he 'absolutely trusts,' right?"

Tear and Footman exchanged glances before nodding. "Yeah."

Yuuki leaned back in his chair, his smirk widening. "Hah… Someone's playing him like a damn puppet."

Laplace, catching on, gave a low laugh. "Yeah… and it ain't us."

Yuuki tilted his head, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Which means the real question is… who's the puppeteer?"

Unknown to Them—The True Mastermind

**Far away, in a shadowed chamber, I sat comfortably, watching everything unfold.**My lovers—Velzard, Testarossa, Ultima, and Carrera—stood beside me, their eyes gleaming with satisfaction as we observed Yuuki's little 'revelation.'

The pieces were moving exactly as I intended.

Clayman's paranoia? Planted. The 'secret messages' between Frey and Carrion? Fabricated. His growing mistrust? Carefully nudged in the right direction.

I never needed to lay a hand on him—he was already doomed by his own arrogance.

Carrera let out a small, amused sigh. "Clayman's so easy to manipulate. He truly believes he's in control."

Ultima grinned. "And Yuuki's only just starting to realize that someone else is playing the game. But he doesn't know who."

Velzard chuckled softly. "This is getting interesting. What's next?"

I leaned forward, watching the chaos begin to bloom. "Now? We let them dance a little more. Let Clayman push himself to the edge, let Frey and Carrion react. And when the time is right…"

Carrera's eyes gleamed. "We pull the strings and let everything collapse."

The perfect shadow game had begun.

As tensions escalated between Clayman, Frey, and Carrion, the reverberations of their growing conflict reached the ears of Guy Crimson, the Lord of the Ice Continent and one of the oldest and strongest Demon Lords. Seated atop his icy throne in his grand citadel, Guy lazily swirled a goblet of wine in his hand, his piercing crimson eyes gleaming with amusement as he listened to the report before him.

A lone figure knelt at the base of his throne—Misery, his ever-loyal aide. She had just finished relaying the details of the budding civil war among the Demon Lords.

"So, Clayman's finally lost it," Guy mused, resting his chin on his fist. "He was always a schemer, but turning against Frey and Carrion? That's not just stupid—that's suicidal."

Misery remained silent, awaiting her lord's command. Beside her, Rain, stood with her arms crossed, his expression impassive.

Guy exhaled through his nose, amused but also slightly irritated. He had long maintained a delicate balance among the Ten Great Demon Lords, ensuring that no one among them grew too ambitious or reckless. Clayman, however, seemed determined to test that balance.

"And what's Frey's response?" Guy asked, already suspecting the answer.

Misery replied smoothly. "Frey has not made a move yet, but she is aware of Clayman's suspicions. Carrion, on the other hand, has already begun preparing his forces. If things continue as they are, war is inevitable."

Guy chuckled. "Hah… typical Carrion. That musclehead doesn't waste time with words."

Rain finally spoke, her voice calm but firm. "Shall we intervene, my lord?"

Guy tapped his fingers against the armrest of his throne, considering his options. He didn't particularly care if Clayman got himself killed—he was always the weakest of the Demon Lords. But if this conflict escalated too far, it could disrupt the balance of power. Worse yet, it would be an open invitation for external forces to meddle.

And Guy hated meddling.

"No," he decided after a moment. "Not yet. I want to see how this plays out."

Misery nodded. "And if things spiral out of control?"

A dark smirk spread across Guy's lips, his crimson eyes glowing ominously. "Then I'll step in and remind them why I'm the one who makes the rules."

He lifted his wine glass to his lips, taking a slow sip, his mind already thinking several steps ahead.

Unknown to Him—The True Mastermind

Watching from afar, I smirked as Guy Crimson finally took notice.

Everything was moving exactly as planned.

The seeds of distrust and paranoia I had planted between Clayman, Frey, and Carrion were blooming into full-blown conflict. And now, Guy, the strongest Demon Lord, was watching.

Velzard, standing beside me, chuckled softly. "Now that Guy is involved, things will become even more unpredictable."

Ultima grinned. "Are you sure he won't see through everything?"

I leaned back in my seat, completely at ease. "It doesn't matter if he does. By the time he realizes the real game, the board will already be in my favor."

Carrera smirked. "So what's next?"

I closed my eyes for a brief moment before answering.

"Now? We sit back and enjoy the show."