CHAPTER 6: THE CAPTAIN'S FALL

Morning. The B-Rank Captain, Varok, was angry. Two slaves dead, core missing, mine shaking every hour. The black crystals were cracking, and the main tunnel was already half-collapsed. Upper management would blame him.

He needed someone to punish. To show control.

His eyes landed on Jin, who was working calmly while others panicked. "Property #722! You! You were near the north wall last night! My guards saw you!"

Two C-Rank guards dragged Jin to the Captain's office. It was a small room carved into rock, with a wooden desk, a whip on the wall, and most importantly - a ring with twenty collar keys hanging.

Perfect. Everything Jin needed was here.

Varok was big, two meters tall, scar across face, B-Rank mana like heavy wind. He grabbed Jin's iron collar, lifting the sixteen-year-old body off the ground with one hand.

"Where is core, rat? Where is blue core that was in north chamber? Tell me or I break your neck."

Jin didn't act weak now. For six days he acted weak. Today, no more.

He looked up, and his eyes changed. Slave eyes, empty and tired, became Monarch eyes - cold, ancient, like a King looking at an insect.

"I took it," Jin said calmly, feet dangling in air.

Varok laughed loud. "You? No-core slave? You can't even sense mana, and you took B-Rank core? You..."

He couldn't finish his sentence.

Because behind him, from Jin's own shadow on the floor, a figure rose silently. Igris - Shadow Knight - translucent, blue-black armor, sword already at Varok's neck.

Varok was B-Rank - fast reflexes. He felt killing intent, spun, and punched with B-Rank fist. Igris shattered into smoke, not dead, but dispersed - 1 hour cooldown.

But Fang attacked from other side, the serpent shadow biting Varok's leg, fangs sinking into B-Rank skin.

Varok roared, B-Rank mana exploding like storm, shattering desk. "GUARDS! GUARDS! SLAVE REBELLION!"

Too late. Jin touched the collar keys on the wall with his crown mark on palm. The black crown glowed. Keys melted to liquid metal.

And the collar on Jin's own neck - that cursed slave collar he wore for months - cracked. A line, then shattered.

[COLLAR BROKEN! MANA UNLOCKED 10% - FIRST TIME IN SECOND WORLD]

For first time in this world, mana flowed into his body. Not much, only 10%, but it was his. Pure, blue, Monarch's mana, not slave's.

Varok saw collar break and his eyes widened with fear. "You... you have mana? You lied? You are mage?"

Jin whispered, "Shadow Exchange."

He swapped place with Elder shadow who was waiting outside door. In one blink, Jin was outside, Varok stabbed empty air where Jin was.

Then Jin was behind Varok again, silent, hand on his head, crown mark burning.

"Arise will be too easy for you," Jin whispered into Varok's ear, like death. "Kneel instead."

Varok, bleeding from leg, tried to resist. He blasted B-Rank mana. But then he felt it - Monarch's true pressure. Not B-Rank. Not A-Rank. The pressure of ten thousand shadows from Earth, of Igris true form, of Beru, of Tusk, of a man who commanded an army that killed Dragon King. It leaked through Jin's eyes for one second.

Varok's knees bent. Against his will. Against B-Rank pride. Against everything.

"I... I submit... Please... don't kill me..."

Jin smiled. Monarch's smile. "Good. From today, you are not Captain Varok. You are my Shadow. But I will keep you alive - as my double agent. More useful alive."

He didn't kill Varok. He marked him. He pressed his crown-marked palm to Varok's forehead. Black crown burned into skin - slave seal, but Monarch's seal, higher than any slave collar.

[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: Monarch's Brand - Brand a living being - Keep life, but loyalty absolute - 1/3 Brands used]

Varok collapsed to floor, shaking, but when he looked up, his eyes were loyal. Not mindless shadow, but branded human, 100% loyal.

"Master," Varok knelt.

Jin took the melted collar keys, now reformed into one master key by his shadow, took Captain's sword from wall, and walked out of office.

Two guards outside saw him. "Hey slave! Captain said no one..."

Varok walked behind Jin, alive, forehead burning with crown mark but alive. "This slave is now my assistant. My personal property. Anyone touches him, I kill them myself. Understand?"

No guard questioned B-Rank Captain. They bowed and ran.

Jin had 5 shadows and 1 branded B-Rank human now. And all collar keys in his pocket.

That night, he freed 20 slaves secretly in barracks, branded each with small shadow mark on hand - not as shadows, but as his army.

Collapse in 5 days. But escape plan was ready now.

He would not escape alone. He would escape with an army of shadows and loyal humans.

The mine thought it owned him. Tomorrow, he would own the mine.