Chapter 361
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 361
Chapter Title: I Am the Azure Dragon Princess.
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If the Azure Dragon Clan had been there,
Anyone would have doubted their eyes.
To them, who had only ever seen their gentle princess, the sight of Rose burning with cold fury was utterly alien—something they couldn't even imagine.
However, Hasneti wasn't surprised.
She merely asked in a husky voice.
"You don't believe me?"
"No, I acknowledge there's truth in what you said about the Sword Duke."
Rose replied softly.
She hadn't watched over Rimon as long as Hasneti had, but in exchange, she knew his sense of emptiness.
That was why she could sense it intuitively.
That her words weren't mere speculation.
That Rimon might truly have been craving a battle with a worthy foe.
"And your method might just be one possible 'answer' as well."
Moreover, though it bordered on extremism, Hasneti's words carried an unshakable conviction.
The certainty that humans grew stronger through competition.
In a way, it resembled Rimon's choice to believe in humanity's potential and refrain from interfering with the world.
Even so, Rose fixed Hasneti with a cold gaze and declared firmly.
"But you are wrong."
Rimon might have believed in humanity's potential, but as their guardian, he had chosen to protect and nurture them.
In contrast, Hasneti believed in that potential and was instead trying to drive humanity into brutal competition.
The difference boiled down to one thing.
Affection and respect.
Unlike Rimon, who saw every human as an individual person, Hasneti didn't care how many died as long as humanity grew stronger.
"You say you'll make humans stronger, but that's treating them like livestock."
It was only natural, perhaps.
Hasneti was, after all, a tyrant.
Not a protector, but an oppressor—and survival of the fittest was her creed and way of life.
That was why Rose could declare with certainty.
That she was wrong.
Not just because of differing beliefs, but for a more fundamental reason she couldn't accept Hasneti's words.
"Above all, it's you who doesn't truly understand the Sword Duke."
"Me, not understanding him?"
"Yes."
Whether she felt insulted or not,
Rose met Hasneti's blazing glare with icy calm.
"You said he doesn't end fights quickly because he wants worthy opponents, but to me, that habit stems from his kindness."
Checking if a killing blow is truly necessary.
Giving them time to repent their sins.
A mercy that offers one last chance until the end.
That was what made Rimon try talking to his enemies first instead of cutting them down on the spot.
"Even if he did crave a fierce battle with a strong foe, it would be the same."
"......"
"Suppressing his desires to protect the world means he held onto his convictions no matter the cost."
She, who had already fallen and abandoned her own convictions, knew it well.
That even the most noble soul
Harbors desires deep down.
That resisting those desires is far harder than discarding convictions.
And thus, Rimon's life of suppressing his greed for centuries to uphold his beliefs was, in itself, a matter of pride and honor.
"To you, his conviction to be humanity's guardian might seem like mere self-imposed chains."
"But deciding on your own to 'free' him ignores his pride and denies his life."
"So I say this boldly."
As a woman who affirmed his life,
Acknowledged his convictions,
And vowed to accept all of him.
With blue eyes stormy as a raging sea, Rose glared at Hasneti and said coldly.
"Do not insult him."
Was it because of that piercing gaze?
Hasneti, who had been glaring back with lips pressed tight, finally spoke in a husky voice after a long moment.
"......So you'll just stand by and watch him chain himself with convictions for the rest of his life?"
"I have no intention of standing by."
She shook her head slowly.
And answered.
"I will devote everything to support and sustain him."
"With something as pathetic as—"
"Above all, I will give him happiness beyond just fighting."
"......"
She couldn't fulfill his desire to wield his sword.
But as his lover, she could give him sweetness; as his loyal knight, the satisfaction of a guardian; or as a woman, physical pleasure.
And if that wasn't enough, she'd find other ways to make Rimon happy.
Rose declared with eyes shining even brighter despite her fall.
Evidently caught off guard by the response, Hasneti fell silent, glaring at Rose for a moment
Before growling.
"I don't care what nonsense you spout. I will give him his freedom."
"I cannot allow that."
"And if you won't allow it, you'll try to stop me yourself?"
"Yes."
"You think you can?"
Even if they'd been tied down by the unexpected Stone Soldier Eight Gates Golden Chain Formation, that was it.
The Egyptian forces still held the overwhelming advantage, and breaking the formation would seal their victory.
And now that Rose had revealed herself, Hasneti no longer had to worry about a surprise attack and could focus on dismantling it.
"Alone, it would be impossible."
Rose was well aware of that.
Including the fact that she couldn't face Hasneti, guarded by the Flame Dragon Corps, on her own.
Even so, the reason she'd shown herself wasn't to persuade Hasneti.
Quite the opposite.
"But Hasneti, I am the Azure Dragon Princess."
"......!"
Realizing the implication, Hasneti twitched her brow—just before she could act.
Rose spoke softly.
"All Azure Dragon Corps, assemble."
"All Azure Dragon Corps, assemble."
Bzzz.
At that moment,
Rose's earring vibrated.
The one hanging from only one ear wasn't anything special.
At best, a cheap item that shared the wearer's location and allowed long-range communication—like a transmitter crossed with a phone.
But the result it produced was far from trivial.
Crackle.
Space warped, and a knight in a blue cloak appeared.
That was just the beginning.
Crackle, crackle, crackle!
One by one, and another.
From distant England to Africa.
When the space, rippling like a rain-swept surface, finally settled,
Around thirty knights had already formed a solid formation encircling the pillar where Rose stood.
The Azure Dragon Clan's strongest fighting force.
The Azure Dragon Corps had crossed continents at their revered princess's call.
"What in the—?!"
After Rose appeared,
Nadia, who had been bewildered by the unfolding situation, was horrified.
It was outrageous enough for another clan's princess to invade their territory without permission, but bringing her Seven Dragon Corps too?
Preposterous.
But the truly preposterous thing came next.
A fierce torrent of psionics surged around Rose, beginning to resonate with the Azure Dragon Corps.
"......!!!"
The meaning of that resonance.
What insane act Rose was about to unleash.
As Nadia widened her eyes at the blatantly obvious flow of psionics,
"Nadia."
Hasneti parted her red lips.
Her husky voice echoed through the air.
"—Kill them."
Boom!
At that instant,
Nadia hesitated no longer.
She simply crouched like a beast and kicked off the ground.
With every step, snow-covered earth exploded backward, accelerating her small frame like lightning.
She was a predator incarnate.
A hunting hound charging to tear into its prey.
Even as the Azure Dragon Corps knights around Rose drew their swords, Nadia didn't slow.
She was confident she could break through them in one go, now that they'd started resonating and dulled their movements.
On the flip side, if the Corps halted the resonance to focus on her, she might die.
But that didn't matter.
It was her very purpose.
The will of her revered princess.
Slash!
In that moment,
A sword thrust up before Nadia's eyes like a sprouting blade.
The master-level expert reacted swiftly.
Clenching her fist like a beast's paw, she aimed to rip out the opponent's throat and press on toward the Azure Dragon Corps.
Bam!
The swung fist whistled through the air, the epitome of ferocity.
Fierce enough to shred a high-level player's neck before they could even defend.
But she failed.
Her opponent's armored forearm blocked the blow, then rammed into her small body with his shoulder.
Thud!
"Kyah!"
The impact from the heavy armor was immense.
Nadia bounced back like a rubber ball, scraping the ground with all ten fingers as she slid.
And glared at her foe.
The one who, unhindered by resonance like the Azure Dragon Corps, could fight at full strength.
A single knight in particularly ornate armor.
"Sir Lucas."
To him,
Rose issued a calm order.
"Buy us time."
Clank.
The Azure Dragon Princess's most trusted retainer didn't reply in words.
He simply stood firm, holding his sword upright before his chest—a pledge to defend the order with his life.
"Get out of my way!"
"Stand down."
Whether summoning her feral instincts
Or enraged at failing her revered princess's command,
Nadia drew a pair of scimitars from her backpack and charged again with an uncharacteristically shrill roar.
Lucas raised his sword toward her, eyes gleaming fiercely.
"As long as I draw breath, not a finger shall touch Her Highness."
Nadia, retainer to the Crimson Dragon Princess.
Lucas, retainer to the Azure Dragon Princess.
The two master-level experts representing their clans clashed in fierce combat.
Clang! Scraaape!
As the twin scimitars locked like a hippo's tusks to sever Lucas's neck,
A sword phased through space, aiming for her waist.
Nadia flattened to the ground like a slithering serpent to dodge, then swung her scimitars at his ankles—but the psionic-clad armor repelled the blades.
Thump!
A kick shattered the earth like a trebuchet and struck Nadia.
She blocked with crossed scimitars, but spat blood and soared high—flipping midair like a cat to dissipate the remaining force.
Discarding her broken scimitar,
Assembling a spear from her pack, Nadia plummeted inverted like a hunting eagle.
Lucas phased through space to evade the lightning spear thrust.
But it was a trap.
As if expecting as much,
The girl released the spear midair, spun, and kicked it downward with elephantine force from her falling momentum.
Toward the knight who had just reappeared overhead.
Kaboom!
He barely blocked with his sword,
But the unbelievable power in that spear thrust—from such a small frame—crushed down on Lucas.
Rumble rumble!
The shockwave cratered the ground around him,
And before he could yank his ankles free from the earthquake-split earth,
Nadia charged with a newly drawn axe gripped tight.
Clang, rumble, kaboom!
The duel between the two masters grew ever more intense.
Axes, knives, even guns and grenades.
Every weapon Nadia pulled from her pack exploded the earth like bombs, metal clashing in thunderous roars.
Her movements shifted unpredictably—lithe as a lynx one moment, ferocious as a bear the next.
In contrast, Lucas was steady and weighty.
His armor deflected every assault as he swung his sword with simple, sharp precision—a bastion of stability like a fortress wall.
The battle hung perfectly balanced.
It could rage for ten days and nights without end.
"You uselessly sturdy tin can...!"
Nadia gnashed her teeth.
She felt the psionic flow around Rose swelling with time.
Yet she couldn't underestimate Lucas.
The custom of assigning master-level experts as princesses' retainers existed precisely to guard against such scenarios.
As a retainer herself, she knew rash moves would only expose her own gaps.
But a princess's orders must be obeyed.
She unleashed her final gambit.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
Hundred Beasts Intent Form Style Ultimate Technique
百獸意形流 決戰奧義
Beast King's Body
獸王之體
Crunch!
The moment she pushed her psionics beyond the limit,
Nadia's small body swelled dramatically, her loose military uniform stretching taut.
Hundred Beasts Intent Form Style.
That supreme art granting beastly power had transcended its limits, transforming her very flesh.
And when the change completed,
No small girl remained.
Only a statuesque beauty with beastly ears and tail bared her fangs.