Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"Return the weapon to Olivia," Ryuka said, pointing to the 'syringe' in her hand. The tube was large enough to hold Olivia's longsword, but it couldn't be off target. If this strike landed squarely on the Earth Dragon Beast's spine, it should be enough to kill it!

The feat of defeating a Heavenly-Rank magical beast was enough to be recorded in history, but Ryuga unhesitatingly gave it to her, making Olivia's breath catch in her throat. She took the weapon, without the slightest hesitation or affectation, and instantly soared into the sky!

A long trail of flame ripped through the sky, causing the Thunder Fortress soldiers fighting in the distance to look up. Only then did they realize the Earth Dragon Beast was almost upon them! Its enormous size made everyone's teeth chatter! But the rising red flames ignited endless hope within them.

"Is that General?!"

"Wow! How high did they fly?! Is this even possible for a human?!"

"Please! It has to succeed!!!"

As Olivia soared into the sky, she felt an unprecedented sense of ease and exhilaration. Although she had practiced before, the feeling of unleashing her full power was incredibly addictive! Her naturally volatile and easily angered nature was further amplified by the stimulation of the K18 drug!

"Is this what it feels like to be at the Heavenly Realm? So powerful! So exhilarating!"

She looked down, and the once enormous earth dragon beast now resembled a small pebble. If she could just deliver this final blow, the true path to the Heavenly Rank would open before her!

All of this, so dreamlike, was brought to her by the boy she once resented, leaving Olivia with mixed feelings.

She looked at Ryūka, who was now as small as an ant, holding onto the tube, but he still nodded to her, indicating that she should go for it. This made her let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"From now on... I really will have to call him 'master' for the rest of my life..."

Falling like a meteorite! A red trail streaked across the sky! With unparalleled momentum! In the last moment before the potion wore off, Olivia hurled the Crimson Spear down with tremendous force!

Chapter 33 Earth Dragon Beast Extermination

A scorching spark grazed past Liu Xia's cheek. But the boy remained calm, showing no sign of flinching, even as his hands, which were gripping the nozzle, were touched by the intense flames of the fire spear. He showed no fear whatsoever.

That calm gaze seemed to be telling Olivia, 'I absolutely trust you.'

Even in such a chaotic moment, Olivia couldn't help but feel a tightness in her chest. An inexplicable feeling arose within her...

Why? Does he trust himself that much? Does he believe he can make the right bet, or even... believe he would never harm him?

But this complex emotion quickly dissipated as the scene changed. When Olivia's flaming spear struck the Earth Dragon's spine through the tube that Ryūka had carved out behind its neck, even the air was torn apart by the Earth Dragon's violent roar!

"Roar! Ro ...

An astonishing temperature erupted from Otras's neck! Even the witch's attack couldn't withstand this pain and damage! The magic power belonging to a celestial-rank magical beast surged from its thick limbs, forming a huge shockwave that spread in all directions!

Under this magical influence, the earth twisted and turned like dough, struggling and undulating, taking on all sorts of shapes. Stone pillars rose and twisted, the ground sunken, flowed, and rose again! Transforming into all sorts of incredible shapes and postures!

Even reaching the battlefield beneath the mine, the magical fluctuations maintained an astonishing intensity! The once flat ground transformed into a raging sea! Thousands upon thousands of pounds of soil either formed giant waves that crushed the magical beasts that had followed the earth dragons into dust, or exploded without warning beneath the feet of both sides in battle. Soil surged into the sky like fountains, then crashed down, enveloping the monsters and soldiers before quickly sinking into deep trenches! They were then firmly pressed down by the closing layers of soil on both sides!

The world seemed to have lost its order. Under this scene of destruction, neither knights nor mages could do anything with their pitiful abilities. They could only watch helplessly as their comrades and enemies were swallowed up by the raging earth!

Fortunately, this nightmarish scene only lasted for a few moments, but it was enough to leave an indelible shadow in the hearts of the survivors! War is cruel, and those in the rear were even somewhat relieved, because at least most of the damage was done to the rear of the monster army, causing them to be almost completely wiped out, while only a small number of people in Thunder Fortress who were fighting the monsters at the front were affected.

Even so, it was enough to weigh heavily on their hearts. But right after this nightmarish catastrophe, the massive figure of the Earth Dragon Beast in the distance collapsed with a deafening roar!

Boom! The mountain-like body slammed heavily onto the ground. Otto's massive head fell to the ground and remained motionless, with only a pair of still-living eyes staring fixedly ahead!

Olivia, floating in mid-air, stared blankly at everything she had done, trembling uncontrollably...

"me……"

She looked at the devastated Thunder Fortress defenses in the distance, wondering how many had perished there! They hadn't been killed by the sharp fangs and blades of monsters, but rather swallowed up by the twisted earth in an instant! Courage and faith had done nothing to help them. It was then that Olivia remembered a sentence Lady Sophie had once said.

On the battlefield, human lives are just a number, and those who hold the lives of the entire army in their hands sometimes have to be ruthless.

She had once scoffed at her mother's views, which differed from her father's in the frigid north. In that harsh land, the elite Northern Legion placed greater emphasis on cooperation and interpersonal relationships. Naturally, she couldn't accept her mother's ideas when she first arrived at Thunder Keep.

And now...

Looking at the mess she had made, besides guilt, a quiet urge to escape told her that if this attack hadn't wiped out most of the monsters, many more Thunder Fortress soldiers would have perished in the ensuing battles...

Despite it being an act of escapism and comfort, Olivia seemed to understand why her mother could say those words with such a cold and calm expression.

If she hadn't thought that way, Lady Sophie, as the guardian of the South, would probably have collapsed both physically and mentally long ago...

Looking at Olivia, who was floating motionless in the air, Ryuga immediately understood the torment in her heart. But now was not the time; the earth dragon beast beneath her feet was still alive! It had only lost its mobility due to a fatal blow to its spine! The witch's corruption would quickly drain its life force to allow it to recover!

Just like I was back then.

"Olivia! It's still alive! Take care of it quickly!"

This roar quickly brought Olivia back to her senses. Although the attack had left her on the verge of exhaustion, the crucial task was not yet finished!

I must slay this monster! I must cut open its back! I must cut off its demonic core!

Only in that way can this behemoth be truly killed! Otherwise, it's only a matter of time before it stands up again!

*Pfft!* Ryuka retrieved the Order Scepter, which had returned to its original form, and pulled it from the earth dragon's neck. The deep wound was clearly visible, but it was also evident that it was slowly healing under the influence of purplish-black magic. The witch's power was truly incredible; not only flesh and blood, but even vital parts like the spine and nerves could be repaired against all odds!

He glanced at Bell's figure behind him. She was floating there, showing no regret over the fall of the Earth Dragon Beast, but rather observing Ryūka with great interest.

How exactly did Carmela and the Chosen One summon the legendary cruel witch? If her body hadn't been sealed by the fragments of order controlled by Tipalotura, wouldn't this 'divine summoning ritual' have been even more terrifying?

But what is this witch herself thinking?

One day Ryūka will find the answer, but for now, he throws it upwards with all his might, and the golden scepter flies into Olivia's hand.

"End it."

The scepter contained Ryūka's power, which would prevent it from dissipating for a while, and should be enough for Olivia to finish off the Earth Dragon Beast. Not only that, Ryūka immediately contacted Lady Sophie using the communication crystal. Although she hadn't fully recovered her power, since the Earth Dragon Beast had been defeated, Lady Sophie should be able to help Olivia end the beast's life!

After doing all this, Ryuka quickly jumped off the back of the Earth Dragon Beast and sped off towards Gerberi!

The fall of the Earth Dragon Beast doesn't mean the end; the real problem is if Gerberi truly goes berserk! Moreover, if Anjaberg's previous intelligence was correct, Gavin and Monica in Linze Fortress are probably also plotting something…

However, Liu Xia and Lady Sophie had made prior arrangements, taking the risk of using only half of Thunder Fortress's forces while maintaining vigilance in other areas. Furthermore, a considerable number of troops were hidden behind the mine battlefield, ready to respond to any unforeseen circumstances.

Melanie, who never appeared in this campaign, was another safety net arranged by Ryukatsu...

"Things are going even better than expected. I wonder if this will disrupt Gavin's and the Chosen Ones' plans. Well, Melanie should be able to handle it. Once I'm free to deal with things here, everything will be settled..."

Ryusha breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the battle had ended without serious harm, but it had still drained a significant amount of his energy. This wasn't Sochi, where he could quickly recover through the faith of the people, his stamina almost inexhaustible. Far from his territory, replenishing spiritual energy was much slower. And the spiritual energy expended in this battle, even with only Melanie and her few followers by his side, would likely take a long time to recover. He needed to carefully manage his resources, considering the upcoming trip to the Bauhinia.

It seems it's time to cultivate more followers? Ryuka thought to herself, the beautiful figures of Gerberly and Monica flashing through her mind. Since she wanted high-quality followers, she should naturally start with those she was interested in…

At the edge of the battlefield, Lady Sophie slowly opened her eyes on her magical throne. The communication crystal beside her flickered a few times, making no sound, but instead, through a special spell she had set up, sent the message directly to her ear.

Tipalottura, standing to the side, was still tense and uneasy; even Sophie hadn't expected her to be like this. But considering that this was probably related to Tipalottura's special witch identity, Lady Sophie didn't press the matter. She simply sighed softly and comforted Tipalottura:

"Your Highness, Ryūka has defeated the Earth Dragon Beast."

With a shudder, Tipalotura raised her head in disbelief and looked at Lady Sophie:

"Ryuka... alone?"

"Hmm." Mrs. Sophie nodded, revealing a meaningful smile:

"Your Highness, the young man you met is more incredible than we imagined."

Although she could sense that Gerberi's aura was still chaotic, and although that familiar yet unsettling aura was still lingering around the Earth Dragon Beast, Tipalotura breathed a deep sigh of relief upon hearing that Ryusha had defeated the Earth Dragon Beast.

"Is that so... then the problem shouldn't be too big..."

She stood up, her hands hanging at her sides, clenching and unclenching.

"I'm going to owe him another favor, and it's not something a ring can repay. That guy who disrupts the celestial order, in the end... sigh..."

Ultimately, whether that ring truly helped Ryukyu was unclear even to Tipalotura...

Lady Sophie remained silent. She slowly rose and had her servant bring a spare staff.

"Then, Your Highness, I still need to help my good-for-nothing daughter with some cleanup work. Please be careful; the aftermath of the battle is not yet over. Moreover, it seems there is something nearby that you are worried about..."

Tipalotura understood what Lady Sophie was saying. That ominous aura was indeed that of the Cruel Witch, but who released it, whether they were nearby, and what their purpose was were all still unknown.

She dared not release the other witches easily, even though she could use the sealed witch remains as a separate dimension for her sisters to slumber in through the fragments of order. But Bell's consciousness was nearby, making such a move unwise.

"I know the guards outside are enough, I'll be fine..."

-

Meanwhile, in the direction the princess was worried about, Ryuka had already found Gerberi lying in the deep pit with a golden sphere in his hand.

Although her skirt armor was thrown off and mostly burned in the lava below, the golden crystal of order remained intact, and Ryuka found it without much difficulty.

At that moment, Ryuka came to the struggling Gerberly and slapped her across the face, as Gerberly was still reeling from Olivia's fire attack.

"Snapped!"

"Hey! You pervert! Get up and take your medicine!"

written request for leave

Please take one day off.

Chapter 34 Bell's 'Gift'

Gerberi lay there, some of her armor melted away, but fortunately, her strength made her body tough enough that she wasn't seriously injured by Olivia's attack.

However, her face was still flushed, and she was groaning in pain with her eyes closed. Even in the fiery hell filled with the smell of sulfur and gunpowder, Ryuka was still unable to control her gun.

Without a word, Ryuka pried open Gerberi's chin and shoved the crystal of the power of order inside, casually toying with her soft, hot tongue. The thought that this crystal sphere was refined from her own essence tempted Ryuka to shove some fresh energy into her mouth...

"How pitiful, tormented by the curse of the Kranar clan. Even if you suppress her instincts with the power of order, it's just a drop in the ocean."

The sudden, mocking voice made Liu Xia's face darken. He turned around, looked at the dark figure floating behind him, and said irritably:

"Are you still here?"

Bell's figure had mostly dissipated, and it seemed the time he was summoned was about to end. But Ryūka dared not let his guard down against this guy. Although Ryūka wouldn't side with the Ottus royal family, descendants of Kranar, simply because of his cooperation with Tipalotura—after all, he still had his promise to Kania—whether he would be swayed by Bell's influence was another matter entirely…

After all, even Kania believed that the existence of witches was a threat.

"I'm telling you, you want to save her, right? Then why are you suppressing their instincts like that madman Kranar did? Even if you save her now, in a few months, she'll probably be consumed by her own desires."

Bell seemed unconcerned about Ryusha's coldness, and just grinned as he pointed to Gerberi on the ground and said the fact that made Ryusha frown.

A few months? Does this woman only have a few months left to live?

Catching a fleeting hint of doubt in Ryukyu's eyes, Bell floated over with a smile. Her power was almost gone, and she no longer had the ability to make Ryukyu lose her temper. She nestled close to Ryukyu and said:

"How pitiful, my 'children,' possessing such beautiful appearances and powerful abilities, yet only able to exist in this world for a fleeting moment~ Even when the souls of those departed children return to my body, I can still feel their endless sorrowful lament~"

Ryuka narrowed her eyes. It seemed that although Bell's soul was separated from her remains, she could still sense her own body. It was probably the curse of Kranar that prevented her from returning to her body, and Bell's conversation with her was likely just an attempt to sow discord.

Ryūka remained noncommittal; for him, nothing was more important than his own judgment. Regardless of who told what story, Ryūka would make future decisions for himself and those around him.

Bell continued:

"Especially, being forced to conceive the child of someone they don't love, and then destined that their child will follow the same path as them. Even so, they maintain their trained loyalty until death, finally going mad amidst countless complex and intense emotions~ Hehe~ Our evil is merely instinct~ But human evil is far more cruel~"

"Especially this child—her abilities manifest in her physical strength—and her desires are probably several times stronger than those of an ordinary witch, right? But it's precisely because of her immense power that she was specially trained by that little princess, extending her already limited lifespan. Yet, the more she suffers, the more intense her pain becomes compared to that of an ordinary witch."

She smiled at Ryūka with a slightly upturned tone, seemingly hoping that Ryūka would feel a trace of pity. A desire stronger than that of an ordinary witch? More repressed pain? Ryūka couldn't help but glance at Gerberi a few more times. He hadn't expected this grumpy woman to be so pitiful. Could it be that, like Olivia, her prickly personality stemmed from constant physical repression and pain?

The way to alleviate her pain was...

Ryūka was suddenly startled. Although Bell was about to dissipate, his few words still stirred wicked thoughts within her. Ryūka immediately snapped back to reality, snorted twice, and said:

"So what? It has nothing to do with me."

With a cold laugh, Ryuka stood up and said to Bell:

"I don't know what you're up to, but you've come to the wrong person. I'm human too, and I can't possibly pity a witch. Even if satisfying them might temporarily alleviate their suffering, it will only make their death more painful in the end!"

Moreover, Ottus's previous actions are over. All the Ottus witches are now in Tipalotura's hands. Judging from Ruka's perspective, although the princess is mysterious, her feelings for her 'sisters' are genuine. Whatever her ultimate goal may be, it will likely be to bring an end to the witches' fate.

Therefore, despite the fact that Tipalotura's existence contradicted his promise to Kania, he maintained a wait-and-see attitude.

Bell looked at Ryusha's cold attitude and shrugged with a smile: "Hehehe~ You're right~ But what if I have a better solution?"

"I don't believe you."

Ryuka shook her head. She was a cruel witch. The only reason she could speak to her like that was because she had lost her power. Who knew if she were still that terrifying being capable of destroying continents, would she even give her a second glance? Ryuka didn't want to have her mind stolen by a single look and become a sadistic slave.

Regardless of justice or morality, the mere thought of an existence countless times more powerful than herself, capable of arbitrarily controlling the fate of the world, is enough to make Ryuka resolutely resist!

"Don't say that~ There's no risk in trying~ Anyway, there are only a few months left. At worst, you can just kill her with one sword before she goes berserk~"

Belle laughed cruelly and mockingly, repeatedly calling her her 'child,' but her words revealed that she didn't care about Gerberi's life or death at all.

Before Ryūka could refuse, a purplish-black aura suddenly shot into his eyes! Before Ryūka could react, Bell's figure began to slowly dissipate...

"Don't be afraid, this ability is harmless to you, so the power of order within you won't reject it~ Human boy~ You are a special person~ Just consider this a gift from your older sister~"

After saying that, Bell's figure completely disappeared.

When the demonic energy entered his eyes, Liu Xia was initially startled! But then he found that his body did not react abnormally. Not only that, the power of order within him did not show any rejection reaction, which was completely different from when the witch had invaded him before.

Even Ruklati didn't notice any change in Ryusha.

"Hey, Ryuka, are you alright?"