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Moore gazed in stunned silence at the young girl standing before him. She had emerged unscathed from the fiery inferno, smiling and performing a curtsy like a true royal princess.

“You…” Moore tried to speak, but words failed him. He opened and closed his mouth, struggling to articulate his thoughts, much like a fish gasping for air.

The scene unfolding before him defied all logic and expectation.

From the smoke-filled area, Mint’s weak voice called out, “Save… save me…”

The girl, who had just been performing a curtsy, raised her beautiful eyebrow and smiled gracefully as she said, “Ah, such impressive resilience. Not many can withstand my punch.”

Mint staggered from the smoke, looking like he was about to collapse at any given moment. His chest was marred with blood, his hands clutched his broken golden spear—a companion since he was ten.

His eyes were unfocused, fear evident in his gaze when he looked at Lilith.

“Please… f-forgive me. I’ll pay you, my family is very rich!”

Lilith waved her little fist in the air, playfully saying, “Only two more punches to go. Hang in there!”

Mint stiffened, turning to Moore in desperation. “Moore, help me!”

“Come on, you’re not going to die for real here, so why are you so scared?” Lilith shook her head with a hint of feigned regret, her steps towards Mint slow and deliberate, almost as if savoring the moment.

“Captain Moore, help me…” Mint’s eyes were filled with desperation.

This was the first time he had called Moore “captain” since they formed the team.

Moore finally snapped out of his initial shock and yelled, “Stop her!!!”

However, his warning was drowned out by a sudden gust of wind that swept through the area.

“Divine Protect-…” Calvin began, his voice urgent as he attempted to gather his magic power as fast as he could. However, the spell’s invocation was cut short; he couldn’t even complete saying its name.

In a blur of motion, Lilith was already in front of Mint.

Her approach was straightforward, her punch devoid of any unnecessary fancy movements.

Reacting instinctively, Mint raised his arms to block the impending blow.

CRACK…!

The sound of bones fracturing echoed through the room, a chilling note heard by all present, including Mint.

He watched in horror as the force of Lilith’s punch shattered the bones of his arms. The brutal force of the punch did not stop there; it continued downward and slammed into his chest.

Ribs snapped one after the other, their jagged edges piercing muscle and causing excruciating pain. Mint was on the brink of losing consciousness.

His mind raced with confusion and terror.

What kind of creature was this girl?

How could such a monstrous force be part of a tournament, and yet remain unknown until now?

Fame and recognition seemed irrelevant to her, though she could have easily basked in the spotlight.

Mint’s vision darkened as he was sent flying back, crashing against the wall before he collapsed in a heap on the ground.

Coughing up blood and fragments of his own organs, Mint gasped for air. Each breath was a struggle, like a damaged bellows, his punctured lungs wheezing painfully with every inhale.

“I…” he attempted to speak, but his ravaged body denied him even this simple act. All he could do was look at Lilith, his eyes a tumultuous mix of pain, confusion, fear, despair, and hatred.

After a torturous few dozen seconds, a flash of white light enveloped Mint.

The Immaculate Tree Domain had deemed him incapacitated. In other words, his injuries were fatal.

“Oops, looks like I went a bit overboard,” Lilith mused, her cherry lips parting slightly as she watched the white light fade away.

She had not been particularly mindful of the tournament’s rules, and with a playful tap on her head, she expressed mock regret, “I didn’t even get to throw all three punches.”

In the flame-scorched underground space, Moore and his companions gazed at Lilith—the petite, charming, and seemingly harmless girl. Yet, the chill they felt was as if they were standing in the icy wastelands of the far north.

“Well, no matter. We can always save the last punch for later,” Lilith said nonchalantly, dusting her hands as if she had just taken out the trash.

“Besides, our little dance isn’t over yet…” she added, tilting her head playfully as her gaze shifted to the remaining three and finished her sentence, “…Right?”

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Crack.

Cracks as thick as fingers spread across the ice, and the entire lake quivered, as if an erupting volcano lurked beneath.

Luna stood up abruptly, her eyes alight with anticipation.

“Finally… is it time?”

BOOM!

With a thunderous boom, the ice layer shattered. Massive wings unfurled amidst the frosty fog, and a mighty gust of wind swept away the surrounding debris.

The grayish green creature emerged, its gaze locking with Luna’s in silence.

Its body was covered in gray and green scales, which emitted a sound reminiscent of clashing metal with each breath. Hideous bone jutted from its joints, and its sharp claws glinted with a cold, steel-like sheen. Its molten-iron golden eyes, like ancient brass lamps, exuded an intimidating presence, challenging anyone to meet its stare.

“How hideous you are, my dear sister,” Luna remarked, eyeing the transformed creature before her.

The grace and beauty once associated with Princess Estelle were nowhere to be found in this monstrous form. The creature, once a symbol of royal elegance, now stood as a grotesque embodiment of destruction, baring its dagger-like fangs at Luna with a hiss.

Luna’s expression was one of melancholy as she observed the change. “Has your senses been completely overtaken by the dragon’s blood?” she sighed.

“I had hoped for something remarkable from you, but it appears you’ve allowed power to consume your sanity. What a letdown.”

Princess Estelle’s eyes burned with a savage, bloodthirsty light, devoid of any semblance of rational thought. Reacting instinctively to Luna’s words, she lashed out with her long claws.

The sound of slicing wind accompanied her strike, and a grim wound opened on Luna’s shoulder, staining her white garment with blood.

Luna calmly lowered her eyelids, seemingly indifferent to the injury. “What a shame. I was quite fond of this dress.”

ROAR!

With a ferocious roar, Princess Estelle lunged at Luna, her wings beating fiercely. Her claws, sharp as steel, cut through the air, aiming mercilessly at Luna’s neck.

Luna, unarmed, braced herself, intercepting the steel-like claws with her bare hands.

She did not flinch when her palm was accidentally pierced by the sharp claw. Instead, she deftly grasped the claw and counterattacked, striking at Princess Estelle’s abdomen.

Princess Estelle roared in pain as the bloodthirsty glare in her eyes intensified. Her other hand, free and just as lethal, aimed for Luna’s stomach. Luna narrowly dodged, but could not avoid being grazed by the monstrous bone spikes.

In response, Luna delivered a forceful headbutt to Princess Estelle.

They separated momentarily, and Luna, rubbing her forehead, regretted the move slightly.

The scales on Princess Estelle’s forehead were as hard as iron, and the headbutt had left her slightly concussed, though the dizziness was fleeting.

ROAR!

Fortunately, her sacrifice was not in vain. Princess Estelle reacted to the headbutt with a resounding roar. Her grayish-green scales bristled aggressively, while her muscular form expanded.

“Already advancing to the second stage?” Luna remarked, slightly taken aback by the rapid escalation.

In a mere blink, Princess Estelle vanished from her line of sight.

“What?” A shocked look appeared on Luna’s face for the first time.

Before she could fully process the situation, a searing, odorous gust hit her from behind.