After Zane woke up Maria and Gloria, they went to look for a higher vantage point where they could watch the whole battle.
They quickly found the clock tower sitting in the very middle of the city.
"Wow, the air here is cool and refreshing," Gloria said, gazing up into the sky.
"Maybe it’s because it’s early morning and the sun will rise any time soon," Zane replied.
"Huh... Zane, the fight you wanted us to watch... is it that one over there?" Maria asked, pointing toward the direction where Arthur, Kate, and Vance were standing.
"Yeah, is there a problem?" Zane asked, confused.
"Huh!" Maria sighed, hitting her hand against her forehead. "That is the sixth prince, Prince Arthur!" she said, looking straight at Zane.
"Wait... what? That’s my brother?" Zane said, stepping forward to stare at Arthur.
"Hah! Yeah, it seems you two have never met each other, huh?" Maria remarked.
"So, are you going to help him? This is a two-against-one," Gloria chimed in, leaning near the edge of the tower top.
"Don’t worry, he is way too strong to be defeated by those two," Zane said, resting his hands on the balcony bar of the tower.
"Is that so? So if you two were to fight each other, who would win?" Gloria asked with a smile.
"Let me see... I can win, but it will be a close fight based on our aura, mana, and skills," Zane answered, watching the sun begin to rise over the horizon.
’For him to say he’s stronger than the sixth prince... that’s crazy,’ Maria thought to herself.
"I see... it seems they’ve started," Gloria said.
FWOOOSH! BOOOOM!
"Come on, is this all you guys have after that crazy power-up and transformation? So disappointing! Is this how your boss is, too?" Arthur mocked as he darted backward, effortlessly dodging Kate and Vance’s synchronized attacks.
"Don’t be a cocky, cheeky boy!" Vance roared.
"THUNDER DRAGON: ROAR!"
BZZZT!
FWOOOSH!
A massive surge of lightning shaped like a roaring dragon blasted straight toward Arthur.
"That’s more like it! Give me more!" Arthur shouted with a grin.
BOOOM!
The direct hit sent Arthur flying backward. He crashed through the Ashford Mansion, completely demolishing the structure in a cloud of dust.
Citizens all across the district woke up in terror from the deafening noise.
"Is he dead yet?" Vance panted, looking over the wreckage.
"Pfft, dead? You’ve got to be kidding me, demon," Arthur’s voice echoed from within the rising dust. "Do you think our royal family can be defeated by this level of magic?"
Arthur walked out of the rubble, nonchalantly brushing dust off his fine clothes.
"Now let me show you what real magic is," Arthur said, framing his fingers into a circle around his eye.
WOOOOW! FWOOOSH!
In an instant, Vance was blown into pieces. The attack unleashed a concentrated beam of Light Magic that tore straight through the district, leveling buildings in a one-kilometer line.
"Wow... that’s a strong one," Zane complimented casually.
Both Maria and Gloria stood in absolute shock at the sheer destruction.
"No way... you... you just blew Vance away in one shot?!" Kate stuttered, staring in horror at the spot where Vance had been standing moments before.
"What did you expect from me? After all, I am from the royal family."
"That was a hell of an attack..." the head of the Ashford family gasped. He immediately turned to his guards, shouting, "Evacuate the civilians and help the injured, quickly!"
"I knew Prince Arthur was strong, but... not this much!" Clara, the Ashford head’s daughter, stammered in shock.
"Clara, you need to evacuate immediately! This is turning into a large-scale battle!" the Ashford head commanded, grabbing his daughter’s shoulder.
"Okay, Father!" Clara nodded, turning to run toward safety.
Arthur turned his gaze toward Kate with a smirk. "Well, it’s your turn now. Come at me and don’t hold back... because if you do, you’ll die in a disappointing manner."
"Tch... You talk too much!"
FWOOOSH!
Kate vanished from sight and reappeared instantly behind Arthur.
"WIND SWORD: SKY CUTTER!" Kate screamed.
Arthur spun around and blocked the strike with his blade, generating a violent shockwave that rattled the clock tower where Zane was watching.
Arthur bit his lip slightly, feeling the force behind the blade. "That’s a strong one... AAAH!" He flexed his mana, shoving Kate back.
Kate took a few swift steps back to create distance.
"WIND STEP: DANCE OF THE GHOST!"
Kate moved like an apparition, blurring around Arthur at terrifying speeds.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
She landed four clean slashes across his defense.
Arthur let out a soft sigh. "LIGHT MAGIC: LIGHT BEAM!"
PWOOOSH!
Kate dodged by a hair’s breadth, but the surrounding terrain behind her was completely obliterated.
’If I was a split second slower, I would have died... and this guy hasn’t moved a single step from his spot since he stepped out of the dust! What a monster!’ Kate panicked inwardly.
"K A T E..."
A deep, commanding voice echoed directly inside Kate’s head. Her face turned pale as ash the moment she heard it.
’Yes... Yes, Madam! Madam!’ Kate replied in her mind, trembling.
"Why can’t I feel Vance’s aura anymore?"
"Aah...?!"
BOOM!
"AAAAAH! MY HAND!" Kate screamed in agony.
"Next is your head if you continue to space out in front of me," Arthur warned coldly, pointing his golden blade directly at her throat.
Deep beneath the city of Valeria, a woman sat upon an ornate bone throne, surrounded by dark shadows.
"It seems the rumors about the royal family of this kingdom being ridiculously strong were true," she murmured softly. "Number One... push the schedule ahead. Administer my blood to every soldier we have. As for that girl who was supposed to finish her trial tonight, give her this heart to accelerate her blood demon awakening."
"Yes, Madam," a figure in the darkness bowed and obeyed.
"Tch... ’Do you think you can defeat me? Dream on!’" Kate shouted as she pulled out a small glass vial containing blood and drank it.
FWOOOOOOSH!
BOOOOM!
Kate’s aura surged violently outward as her face began to transform, becoming covered in a pitch-black mask that exposed only her glowing eyes as a single, massive horn sprouted from her head.
AND THEN...
FWOOOSH!
Kate charged forward at terrifying speed. Arthur dashed forward to meet her, and their swords collided in mid-air!
BOOOOM!
"That’s more like it! Now you’re actually acting like a demon," Arthur said, leaping backward and taking a few steps in the air.
"LIGHT MAGIC: FLYING SWORDS!"
FWOOOOOOSH!
A massive barrage of golden light swords shot straight toward Kate. But right before the blades hit her, she vanished into thin air and reappeared directly behind Arthur.
Just as she was about to strike him from behind...
SNAP!
SWITCH!
Arthur snapped his fingers, instantaneously swapping places with one of his light swords suspended in mid-air. Appearing right beside her, he drove his blade straight through Kate’s stomach.
"Aaah..!" Kate screamed as light mana tore through her.
Deep underground, the Madam sensed it and looked at her crystal ball.
"Mmm... Kate is dead. Send the soldiers immediately!" the Madam shouted, turning her dark gaze toward the shape-shifting girl who was desperately struggling to awaken her blood demon powers.
’Damn it! This damn prince is ruining my plans now,’ the Madam thought to herself out of panic. ’How am I supposed to be acknowledged as one of his commanders if I can’t even defeat this ant? And why are those three guys on the tower just watching without helping him? What is their purpose?!’ she thought while staring at the ceiling.
"Well, that was easy," Arthur said, glancing down at his hand.
He then turned his head, looking straight toward Zane on the clock tower. "So, how long are you going to keep watching, LITTLE BROTHER?"his voice echoed in Zane’s head.
"Well, I wasn’t planning on visiting you, but it just happened," Zane replied with a calm smile. "And besides, what you just did triggered these guys to come out of hiding. So, do you need my help?" He said looking around the city
"Why are you smiling, Zane?" Maria asked, looking at him in confusion.
"I’m talking to Arthur," he replied playfully.
Author’s Note:
Hey everyone, Millione here!