Chapter 366
----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: 8uhl Chapter: 366 Chapter Title: Who Are You? -----------------------------------------------------------------
Right after they fell underground together.
The assault that greeted Rose and Hasneti was a monstrous horde far beyond compare to the ones that had attacked the Azure Dragon Unit and Crimson Dragon Unit.
Their numbers were staggering—thousands upon thousands.
And their levels were overwhelmingly higher than those previous groups.
If these monsters had gone after the Azure and Crimson Dragon Units, even at full strength, they wouldn't have stood a chance.
Of course, that was for anyone else.
Even in their exhausted state, the two princesses fought back fiercely, true to their status as the Seven Dragon Society's elite.
Rose slicing high-level monsters in a single stroke, Hasneti incinerating hordes in an instant.
Their coordinated attacks perfectly complemented each other's weaknesses while maximizing their strengths, sweeping away hundreds of monsters in a spectacular display.
They might have even cleared all thousands if things went well.
The problem was that the enemy wasn't just monsters.
Summon Lord Branga.
One of the mighty Eight Lords was commanding this monster army.
In the heat of the desperate battle, the two princesses realized this too late—after Branga's sudden ambush left Hasneti critically wounded.
"And you call yourself a king of a nation?!"
That only fueled Rose's rage even more.
For her, the one who had challenged Hasneti to a duel...
No, precisely because of that, she couldn't help but burn with fury at this third-party intruder who had barged in before the duel even ended.
"Hm, no idea what you're so worked up about."
But Branga didn't flinch at her shout.
He just tilted his head.
"You lawless miss... Or should I call you Viscount Serpent?"
"...You knew who I was?"
"If I didn't recognize that face, I'd be a moron, wouldn't I?"
Branga grinned.
Unless she was wearing a mask, there was no way.
He had a keen interest in beauties across the world, and Rose was a representative beauty not just of the Great British Empire, but all of Europe.
That was why.
Satisfied with this gift that had fallen into his lap, he paused his monsters and answered her question.
"Anyway, seems like you're clueless, Viscount. Me and this queen here are at war, right? And ambushes are basic in war."
"Utopia Guild has already joined the Continental Alliance and is under my command!"
"That ain't got nothin' to do with me?"
"What do you...!"
"Utopia might've given up fightin' you, Queen, but I sure haven't."
If the guild followed his will, fine—but he had no reason to bend to the guild's will.
So whatever Namin had done.
And whatever happened to the guild now.
Wasn't his problem.
Rose's face hardened as she watched Branga speak so casually.
"So you're saying you're going to kill Hasneti?"
"Hey now, what kinda talk is that? You think I'd do somethin' so crude?"
The death of a peerless beauty like Hasneti would be a loss to the whole world—a sin worthy of hell.
Branga answered with utter sincerity, then grinned.
"Especially to the woman who's about to become my wife."
"...What did you just say?"
"Exactly what I said."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Rose glared at him.
She knew all too well from their duel how deeply Hasneti cared for Rimon.
To her, Branga's words sounded like pure delusion.
"Puhaha! Nonsense! That's a good one."
As if she were the first besides Hasneti and Namin to say that to him.
Mid-laughter.
Branga abruptly stopped.
His eyes gleamed as he fixed them on Rose.
"But don't forget, Viscount. This is Africa."
This Africa was a land of survival of the fittest.
Where the strong took everything.
And right now, he was the strong one.
Rose bit her lip as Branga declared it without a hint of hesitation.
She could sense his utter conviction—no words of hers would sway him.
So she raised her sword coldly.
"No matter where we are or who you are. I won't tolerate treating her like some possession just because you're stronger."
"That so? Then don't tolerate it."
As if it were a joke.
Branga smirked.
Then lightly raised one hand.
"I like women with a bit of bounce anyway."
Kyaaah!
Right then.
The thousands of monsters surrounding them charged at her.
From giants towering to the ceiling, to dwarves not even reaching her waist, to freaks with monster heads on human bodies.
The horde trampling and shoving each other was ferocious and deadly.
Enough to devour an army of a hundred thousand in moments.
But Rose didn't falter at the sight.
She just swung her sword with cold precision.
Bam!
Sword arcing like an iron hammer in the Circular Iron Hammer Style blew the giant away.
By then, a grotesque dwarf had latched onto her slender leg, gnawing at her boot.
Krunch!
She flicked her leg flexibly.
Letting the dwarf climb up.
Then, in the Linked Thrust Horn Style, slammed her arm down, crushing its head like tofu with her knee and elbow in an instant.
Spinning gracefully, she unleashed the Deep Sea Anchor Crush Style with her sword.
A wave of pressure along the blade's path toppled the oncoming monsters in droves.
Facing thousands with just her sword, her figure was noble and elegant, drawing involuntary admiration.
But that was all it amounted to.
No matter how much she swung.
No matter how many she felled.
The enemy waves didn't stop, and her sword grew heavier by the moment.
Dragonization was a double-edged sword, after all.
It granted immense power while active, but left one utterly debilitated afterward.
That was why the Seven Dragon Society's princesses treated it as a last resort and avoided using it lightly.
With the aftereffects still lingering, fighting such an intense battle was grueling even for Rose.
Especially here, where spatial movement was sealed, and after taking internal injuries from the duel with Hasneti.
Still, Rose fought on steadfastly.
Vomiting blood from her wounds.
Against thousands or tens of thousands.
As if she'd cut down every last one.
Boom!!!
But the next moment.
Rose was sent flying like a piece of paper.
Mid-clash with monsters, her injuries flared, shaking her body—just then, a strike like a beam of light slammed into her.
It was the same attack that had pierced Hasneti.
A blow from a level 100 absolute being, hard to block even at full strength.
"Cough!"
Thanks to deploying her protective aura just in time.
Unlike Hasneti with her fatal wound, Rose staggered but tried to rise again.
But it was futile.
Finally spewing a mouthful of blood, she could only lean on her sword stabbed into the ground to barely support her collapsing body.
Her already severe internal injuries had reached their limit.
The writhing monster horde didn't miss the opening.
Rush!
Grabbing her arms.
Clinging to her back.
Sticking to her legs.
Gripping her head.
Against the monsters throwing their whole bodies to bind her limbs, Rose resisted with all her might.
But she was outnumbered.
With no strength left to swing her sword, she was ultimately ensnared when a plant-type freak monster's vines wrapped tightly around her wrists and ankles.
"Heh, I'll treat ya real nice."
Perhaps because she'd resisted to the end.
Branga grinned at her white skin peeking through the tears in her uniform.
"Since you're about to be my second bride."
"...!"
Hearing that, Rose glared at Branga with a venomous ferocity that no one who knew her could imagine.
But the vines binding her limbs harder than steel and gagging her mouth allowed no further resistance.
As Branga smiled contentedly at the sight.
A hoarse voice rang out.
"...Why second?"
"Huh? What, already jealous of the second wife?"
Perhaps from the overlapping internal and external wounds.
She was just leaning against the wall, clutching her abdominal wound.
Even barely able to twitch a finger, she stared at him with her usual cold eyes.
To Hasneti, Branga smirked slyly.
"No need to worry 'bout that. My first wife will be you, Queen."
"Cut the bullshit."
Dismissing the worthless drivel.
Hasneti spoke coldly.
"I'm asking what happened to the over fifty wives you already had."
"Oh, that? I lost my ladies."
"...All dead?"
"Yup."
As if genuinely regretful.
Letting out a heavy sigh.
Branga jumped down from the giant monster.
Then strolled leisurely toward Hasneti, continuing.
"Last time, you blew away all my summons, Queen. Didn't have time to call 'em back."
"...?"
"Then it hit me. Instead of summonin' 'em one by one, maybe breedin' and raisin' 'em myself would be faster."
Bound by vines, Rose's eyes widened.
Hasneti's face hardened too.
The moment they heard Branga's words, an inexplicable instinctive dread and revulsion washed over them.
"...What the hell did you do?"
"Told ya. Bred and raised 'em."
"I asked what you did."
"What? You don't get it?"
Puzzled why she'd ask such an obvious question, but only briefly.
Branga spread his arms wide.
"Lemme introduce ya."
What was so fun?
With a smile plastered on his face.
Pointing at the monsters filling the area with arms outstretched, Branga declared proudly.
"My children."
"...!!!"
The moment she heard it.
Rose swallowed hard.
Only then did she realize.
Giants, dwarves, humanoids, freaks...
All the thousands of wildly varied monsters she'd fought and slain.
But not a single non-humanoid one? Wait, no—none were purely humanoid; they were all hybrids.
And Branga's talk of breeding summons was literal.
"Whaddya think? Impressive, right? Yeah, a bit mixed in, but they're my kids—born from my wives after all that labor."
But the perpetrator of this madness, Branga, continued nonchalantly.
"Guess I rushed 'em too much. They all croaked."
"... ."
"What a shame. If I'd taken better care of their health, they could've kept poppin' out my kids forever."
Rose trembled with rage.
Carl, who plunged London into chaos with his folly; the Crown Prince Edward, who became a Liberation Brigade specter for ambition.
As London's guardian, she'd faced plenty of villains and lunatics. She couldn't empathize, but she could understand their reasons.
She even felt a bit of pity.
Because she was the Azure Dragon Princess.
But for Branga, who forced hundreds of monsters' births and dismissed their deaths as "a shame," even Rose had no mercy left.
"Well, worked out for you two, didn't it?"
Undeterred by her sharp glare, Branga just grinned.
"Opened up spots for my first and second wives."
"...!"
"Don't worry. Once you're my wives, I'll make sure you're both happy."
His other wives were scared at first too.
But soon realized true bliss.
And died smiling, he boasted proudly.
Unlike Rose, who exuded killing intent at his words, Hasneti wiped all emotion from her face.
Then, with blood-red eyes piercing Branga, she asked lowly.
"...Who are you?"
"Huh? What kinda question is that?"
To be clear.
Hasneti didn't like Branga.
No, she hated him enough to want him dead.
His public declarations of making her his wife were enough to incite murder.
But hating someone that much meant knowing them well enough to have reasons.
"The Summon Lord was a horny bastard, but at least he acted like a dog when needed—unlike you."
Branga was a lecher, but he put effort into his women.
He held back against the Martial Duke to avoid embarrassment, leading to a draw; didn't go all-out even against dragonized Hasneti.
He was famous for meticulously handling over fifty wives' events and even their relatives.
So ambushing her and inflicting a mortal wound was already out of character—let alone what he did to his wives.
No Summon Lord she knew would do that.
So Hasneti was certain.
Wearing Branga's face.
Using his absolute skill.
Speaking and acting like him.
This thing before her wasn't Branga.
"I'll ask again."
"... ."
"What the hell are you, mimicking the Summon Lord?"
"...Heh, didn't know you thought so fondly of me, Queen. No misunderstanding. I'm still me."
Caught off-guard by the accusation.
Staring at Hasneti blankly, Branga finally shrugged and spoke.
"Just had a good opportunity and my thinking evolved a tiny bit."
People always change.
He just got the chance to.
"So relax and become my wife, Queen."
Smirking slyly down at her, Branga reached out with a grin to stroke her hair.
No, he tried to.
If Hasneti hadn't spoken lowly before his hand touched.
"Don't touch me."
"Huh?"
"Not now, not ever. Only one person is worthy of touching my body, and it's not scum like you."
"... ."
With her usual icy expression.
But eyes fiercer than ever.
As he blinked at Hasneti.
Clap, clap, clap.
"Kyaha! Still so proud in a situation like this. As expected of the woman I fell for."
Truly moved.
Clapping and laughing, then.
Branga's smile vanished.
"But you're slow on the uptake."
Slap!
Right then.
Hasneti's head snapped sideways as if her neck would break.
How hard was the slap?
A clear handprint bloomed, and blood trickled from her torn lip.
Grabbing her jaw forcefully, forcing her to look up at him, Branga's eyes flashed.
"I won. You're mine now, Queen."
"... ."
"Losers gotta serve the victor properly, right?"
Sure, it hurt that she'd dirtied herself with another man.
But he'd forgive it—it was the past, and he was magnanimous.
But now that she was his, her chastity belonged to him; no more mentioning other men.
Branga snarled.
Hasneti's reply was simple.
Spit.
"...Damn, you really are bouncy, Queen."
Wiping the bloody saliva splattered on his face with one hand, Branga smirked.
Then reached for her still-bleeding abdomen.
Squelch.
"...!"
Forcing her hand away from the wound.
Thrusting inside to rummage freely.
His brutal touch, rough enough to pulverize organs, made Hasneti's limbs tremble violently.
But that was it.
No matter how the wound tore open.
No matter the excruciating pain.
Hasneti neither submitted nor screamed.
She just bit her lip bloody to stifle sound, glaring at him with blood-red eyes gleaming even more eerily.
"Tch, guess trainin' will take time."
Disappointed by her flat reaction.
Tsking once.
Branga pulled his hand from her abdomen with a grin.
"No biggie. Can train ya other ways."
And so, as his blood-soaked hand gripped her uniform—
Riiip!
The front tore open.
Revealing the flesh beneath.
Her body, covered in blood and wounds everywhere including her abdomen, was a mess.
Yet the resilient flesh enduring those injuries stood out more.
Her brown skin glistening bloodily under the faint light swayed seductively in the darkness.
Evoking the beauty of a fierce beast unbowed even in wounds.
"Truly, a fine body."
But Branga's eyes held no proper admiration or awe.
Only one thing.
Utterly grotesque lust.
"Can't wait to see how sturdy kids you and the Viscount can give me."
With a greedy smile.
Licking the blood from his hand, Branga roughly grabbed her heaving breast.
No, he tried to.