The Wild Hunt still lurked with predatory intent.
Under normal circumstances, Esdeath wouldn't commit all her strength against a single foe, but… Eblana was different.
This was an opponent she couldn't claim certain victory over, even going all out.
The more they fought, the clearer Eblana's power became—not just raw strength, but a growth rate that matched her own.
If Esdeath faced the Eblana from their last encounter with her current power, she was confident she could leave a mark. But Eblana had grown stronger too during this time.
Nothing excited Esdeath more than meeting such a rival.
In that moment, ice and snow seemed to seep into her very marrow.
Ice Storm Commander-In-Chief—this was the first time Esdeath had ever used this move, yet she was absolutely certain she could pull it off.
Thousands of ice cavalry, born from her power, swiftly dissolved into swirling snow that gathered in the sky. A massive glacial cloud blotted out the sun, making every onlooker swallow hard.
If… that thing were to fall…
"So, releasing all your stored-up power at once," Eblana's voice held a note of understanding, yet remained eerily calm.
It made Esdeath realize her opponent definitely had a way to counter this killing blow.
That didn't frighten her. If Eblana truly had no answer, she'd have been deeply disappointed.
This move, born solely for her, forged to truly crown herself the world's strongest—if it just landed softly, like punching cotton, she could never forgive even Eblana for that.
This technique deserved a proper stage.
Her grin widening with excitement, Esdeath declared, "That's right. This move was born from extreme frustration and pride, all to defeat you. The moment it falls, the outcome between us will be decided."
"So that's why you sought me out so eagerly… Very well. I'll personally shatter that frustration and pride of yours. Let this flame ignite the greatest pyre and illuminate the path ahead completely."
Eblana's response dampened Esdeath's exhilaration with a flicker of displeasure.
It was like two people making love, one pouring out their heart while the other only thinks of procreation.
Though Eblana was fighting her, her gaze never truly focused on their battle itself—it was always fixed on what came after.
'That just makes me want to grab your attention even more!'
Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Esdeath had never pushed her Teigu this hard before; she could feel her body rapidly weakening.
The plain, now empty after the ice cavalry vanished, suddenly birthed ten thousand new Ice Cavalry. As one, they surged upward toward the glacial cloud in the sky.
"I'll treasure those eyes of yours. I'll display them in the most fitting place."
"Is that so."
The flames on the Servants of Lamentation extinguished in an instant.
Aside from the Three Beasts, every Servant of Lamentation on the battlefield collapsed.
Converging violet fire encircled everyone present, forming a tornado of flame hundreds of meters tall and over a kilometer wide.
Of the Wild Hunt, who had initially planned to eliminate both of the Empire's scourges at once, only Syura still held onto that ambition.
The others trusted Syura and were willing to follow him, but at their core, they were just a gang of bullies who preyed on the weak. Actually risking their lives with him…
This battle was far beyond their ability to intervene. The residual shockwaves from the clash alone were enough to kill everyone nearby a hundred times over. Even Teigu users would be no exception.
Syura didn't know this. He was prepared—the moment the two clashed and exhausted each other, he would use Shambhala to transport them both to a sealed pocket dimension.
Yet, when they finally struck simultaneously, heaven and earth seemed to change color.
The descending avalanche of ice and the rising pillar of flame scattered into scalding steam, and a violent shockwave blasted everyone off their feet in an instant.
Sheer, overwhelming power rendered all schemes and calculations laughable.
Forget activating Shambhala at the crucial moment—even maintaining coherent thought, clear vision, or a standing position was tremendously difficult.
An attack capable of blanketing the entire Empire, wiping out every 'small fry' life within it, was now concentrated on a single person. Even Eblana struggled against this level of assault; after all, her flames were never renowned for pure destructive force.
Esdeath had indeed reached her limit. Her proud, upright stance crumbled. Drained of stamina and vitality, she could only kneel on one knee, using her rapier to support her entire weight.
'I've won.' Esdeath was absolutely certain. In that final collision, she had truly emerged victorious.
But… if this was her victory, why did her opponent still stand before her, completely unscathed, as if nothing had happened?
Her vision was blurry, but that figure, and the blue-violet flames wreathing it—she could never mistake them.
"I'll concede this much, Esdeath. That last move was your victory."
Eblana's voice remained soft and low, but for the first time, Esdeath heard genuine emotion in it.
"The extra power you gained through sheer desperation and brute force—that is why you won. That obsession with victory and strength is the absolute factor that lets the weaker overcome the stronger."
Victory?
She was powerless to fight now, on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
Her organs were failing rapidly, yet her opponent stood before her completely unharmed.
How could this be called victory?
She strained to see her rival clearly, to straighten up and wield her sword once more. But her chilling legs and numb fingers spoke of utter helplessness.
'Why? It should be my win. The power I gained by staking everything should have overturned the Teigu compatibility and overcome her.'
Her thoughts grew hazy. Esdeath knew she might never get her answer.
Yet, the next moment, a sensation both icy and blazing rose in her chest, injecting a strange, new vitality into her numb and powerless limbs.
Esdeath yielded to the feeling, straightening up, then looked at the figure standing before her.
It was someone she'd only met twice, yet felt intimately familiar with—just as she suspected, her greatest rival, Eblana.
The draconian woman before her was wreathed in flame, yet it felt different from every time before.
Only when Esdeath realized the difference did the flames slowly fade, restoring the dragon to her usual appearance.
'I lost.' Esdeath chuckled softly, then stood up. Seeing the blue-violet flames now clinging to her own body, she fully understood what had happened.
She had won. With that move, she had beaten Eblana head-on for the first time. But this battle—she had lost.
Not only had she died, she had become one of Eblana's Servants of Lamentation.
"Ah. Though it's not quite as I imagined, the collar I had custom-made for you has been ready for a while."
Eblana tilted her chin up slightly, yet little joy showed on her face, which irked Esdeath.
But she was the defeated party now. The vanquished weak had no right to make demands of the strong.
"Bring all members of the Wild Hunt before me,"Eblana issued her first command.
"As you wish."
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.