Leave a comment ⇐ PreviousNext ⇒

“How could you betray the original host?” Vera 1 asked, her voice full of disbelief. She didn’t know how Number 18—who was supposed to be dead—could possibly be alive again. One thing was certain: a doppelgänger couldn’t survive without the original host’s life energy!

Were they willing to throw their lives away? Vera 2 and 3 stood frozen, equally stunned. They were meant to be loyal, refined doppelgängers. Why would they turn against the original? It simply made no sense.

“You’re both going to die!” Vera 1 snapped. She refused to believe this was a conscious decision. The only explanation was brainwashing—her sisters must’ve been manipulated.

“Sigh…” Vera 17 and 18 exchanged a glance and sighed before speaking in perfect unison. “Number One, Number Two, Number Three—you know nothing of Master’s greatness… or her terror.”

Hearing those words only confirmed their suspicions—Veras 17 and 18 had clearly been brainwashed! After all, with the pride of a Vera, why would they ever call anyone “Master”?

“How dare you brainwash our sisters!” Vera 1 turned and shot a venomous glare at Yaeger, her voice full of fury. Her usual calm, composed demeanor had completely crumbled—replaced by pure, seething rage.

Even if she hadn’t been especially close to Numbers 17 and 18, they were still part of the same whole—cut from the same source. Seeing them live like this—subjugated, corrupted—it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Vera 2 and 3 shared the same uneasy sentiment.

“Brainwashing?” Yaeger blinked in genuine confusion.

Meanwhile, the group of Transcendents behind them remained locked in stunned silence, consumed by confusion and fear. They still had no clue what was happening. At this point, they were looking at Yaeger as if she were a nightmare given form—an elegant yet terrifying demon.

‘How is she just a Pinnacle Master?! She’s a monster!' Kareihira trembled uncontrollably. Sweat drenched his twisted face.

This woman could brainwash, manipulate space, and who knew what else! There was only one option left—escape!

In that same moment, several others felt the exact same instinct—to flee. But as they moved, they quickly noticed something—the arena’s edge was surrounded by a nearly invisible barrier. The moment they tried sensing it, a wave of immense, suffocating pressure pushed down on them.

“This… this is a barrier!” Half-Saint exclaimed, shocked. There had been no such barrier moments ago. When had it appeared?

They looked up—and sure enough, even the ceiling was sealed shut. They were completely encased—trapped within a spherical barrier that sealed the entire arena. Now, they were nothing more than birds trapped in a cage.

“We’ll never forgive you!” Vera 1 ignored the growing panic around her. Like a lioness fixated on her prey, her full attention was locked onto Yaeger. To her, her once-adorable sisters had been twisted by this demon. Their personalities erased, they were already as good as dead.

And yet, beneath the rage, what she truly felt was fear. If this woman could brainwash 17 and 18, then what was stopping her from doing the same to them?

‘I must never fall into this demon’s hands!' The thought of herself, Number 2, and Number 3 becoming Yaeger’s next toys sent a chill down her spine. But she pushed that fear aside, locking her gaze on Yaeger with steely resolve.

Her two sisters behind her understood the gravity of the situation as well. Without hesitation, they dropped into battle stances. There was no choice left. They had to fight!

“So you three refuse to surrender? Fine.” Yaeger’s voice remained calm, even amused. “I’ll give each of you one chance. If any of you can touch any part of me—even just my clothes—you’re free to leave, unharmed.”

Seeing their eyes still burning with fighting spirit, Yaeger knew words alone would never convince them.

The entire arena fell silent in stunned disbelief. She was offering freedom in exchange for just a single touch. It sounded far too easy. Each of them was an AA-ranked Transcendent—battle-hardened and experienced. Some had even gone toe-to-toe with newly promoted S-ranked powerhouses and lived to tell the tale.

“You… You’re serious?” Dark Chariot asked, eyes wide in disbelief. He recalled the time he fought a freshly promoted S-ranked opponent—and managed to survive. Though he’d ended up seriously wounded and bedridden for months, it was still firsthand experience with an S-ranked Transcendent.

That experience might give him an edge here!

“Are you someone who keeps their word?” Kareihira asked sharply.

“You have my word.” Yaeger nodded with a faint smile. “I, Princess, have never lied to anyone in my life.”

The moment she said that, the corners of Vera 1, 2, and 3’s eyes twitched simultaneously. ‘No one in their right mind would believe that!’ they all thought.

And yet, more than a few in the group seemed to believe her. After all, the strong often upheld their pride with their word. And truth be told, Yaeger didn’t seem overwhelmingly stronger than the rest. Even if they couldn’t win, landing a touch might be possible.

There’s nothing more thrilling than spotting a glimmer of hope in a sea of despair. With even the slightest hope, people could summon extraordinary strength to break through any crisis.

Sensing the rising morale among the group, Vera 1 exhaled softly in relief.

‘Good. Everything’s still under control. Let her stay arrogant. While she’s playing around, I’ll end her in one clean strike!'

A coordinated strike from the three of them had enough power to kill a newly ascended S-ranked Transcendent. With the support of ten other AA-ranked Transcendents, even a seasoned S-ranked combatant could fall.

“Everyone, follow the plan—execute now!” Vera 1, 2, and 3 commanded in unison.

As soon as the words left their lips… The ten Transcendents in the rear scattered, simultaneously unleashing their ultimate techniques—each aimed directly at Yaeger.

[Dark Chariot] bulked up instantly, muscles ballooning as he shot forward like a black cannonball. [Passerby Hero] Kareihira leapt into the air, eyes wide. His outstretched hand shimmered with faint spatial energy. He aimed to immobilize Yaeger by warping the space around her. [Scissorhands] transmuted his arms into gleaming metal blades, crossing them like a massive pair of scissors as he charged headlong. [Half-Saint] vaulted upward, releasing a surge of mental energy to disrupt Yaeger’s focus and stall her reaction. [Frost Shooter] summoned a flurry of glacial energy—dozens of razor-sharp ice arrows flew toward her in a deadly barrage. [Flaming Lips] wreathed his hands in fire, hurling two blazing fireballs that streaked through the air.

From each of [Slaughter Bear]’s fingertips, long black claw-blades extended. With a flick, he launched them all toward Yaeger.

[Matchless Tempest] struck out with a flurry of kicks, each generating sharp wind blades that tore through the air. [Batman] soared into the air, baring rows of jagged fangs before unleashing a high-frequency sonic scream. [Smiling Duke] extended his arm, a hidden blade sliding from his sleeve as he thrust it toward Yaeger with lethal precision.

Ten elite Transcendents, ten devastating techniques—each lethal on its own. Even a standard S-ranked Transcendent would buckle under the pressure of this combined assault.

Watching the barrage unfold, Vera 1 finally exhaled in relief. She turned to her sisters. “Now it’s our turn!”

“Yes!” Vera 2 and 3 responded, each placing a hand on Vera 1’s shoulders. Without hesitation, they poured all their energy into her, not holding back in the slightest.

Vera 1’s gaze sharpened. She extended her arms and pressed her palms together, channeling the combined power of all three into a single, concentrated force. A blinding silver glow burst from her palms, radiating a terrifying pressure.

‘Perfect. Everything’s going according to plan. Princess—your death is assured!' With killing intent burning in her eyes, Vera 1 locked onto Yaeger.

But in that very instant— A sickening crack echoed through the arena, like a watermelon bursting under pressure. [Passerby Hero] Kareihira’s head exploded violently, fragments of bone and brain matter splattering across the floor.

⇐ PreviousNext ⇒

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• More

• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window)

Like Loading...

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read