Within the Vampire Empire, a giant fist collided with a red staff, neither giving an inch.
Of the three figures high above the Dense Forest, the tallest kept twitching and letting out strange, cackling laughter...
With his Byakugan activated, Tetsuhiro watched everyone below show off their skills, a brilliant, warm smile spreading across his face for the first time in ages.
Dawn couldn't resist commenting, "Your Majesty, you didn't arrange this end-of-month exam just to indulge your twisted sense of fun, did you?"
"Of course not. Careful, or I'll sue you for slander." Tetsuhiro flatly denied it.
Toneri said, "But you look pretty happy to me. Hmm... extremely happy."
"I'm happy because they've grown stronger. Yes, that's it." Tetsuhiro calmly defended himself without a change in expression.
The two stared at Tetsuhiro with suspicion written all over their faces.
But Tetsuhiro had long since developed a thick skin. No matter how they stared, he remained perfectly composed.
Dawn was rather speechless. "Fine, you win. You're the king, anyway. Whatever you say goes."
"Hmm~ That's not quite right."
"What's wrong with it?"
"I'm king because everyone acknowledges me, not because becoming king means everyone has to obey me."
Dawn asked, "Is there a difference?"
Instead of answering, Tetsuhiro asked, "What do you think, Toneri?"
Toneri lowered his head and thought for a moment before answering solemnly, "King is a position that not just anyone can hold. But the reason you can unite those powerful people and win everyone over, Your Majesty, is that your actions earn their trust. You truly give everyone hope for the future and something to look forward to!"
"When you put it that way, it does make some sense." Dawn nodded thoughtfully.
"Toneri is right. It seems you really have been thinking more deeply lately. That's the