Roooaaar!Just as the blue flames threatened to swallow the land whole, a different, deafening roar shattered the sky. It wasn't a sound produced by organic vocal cords, but rather the violent grinding of immense fluid pressure.Towering entities rose from the blinding veil of white steam. These colossal beasts, forged entirely from churning currents of high-pressure water magic, stepped forward. It was advanced elemental manipulation made physically manifest.The water giants slammed their massive hands into the burning earth. Crash! A torrential shockwave of water instantly snuffed out the lingering blue flames. The scorching, blistering heat was immediately swallowed by a bone-chilling cold.In that brief window of chaos, amidst the obscuring mist, slender shadows darted forward without a sound. A squad of elite elven warriors moved with fluid grace, melting into the fog like phantom assassins.Their target wasn't the armed infantry, but the colossal monsters chained and enslaved a

Moonlight spilled through the stained-glass window in the highest tower of the Barbor Royal Palace.The former first princess sat frozen in elegant stillness on a velvet chair. Her pale fingers held a piece of parchment. Her eyes scanned every line, radiating a chilling indifference."I knew it," she murmured softly, breaking the silence. Her voice was as crisp as cracking ice. "Picking a fight with a kingdom standing tall in the heart of the most dangerous forest... is digging one's own grave."The night breeze swept in, gracefully lifting the ends of her silver hair."If you ask me, the timing couldn't be more perfect," a mysterious voice chimed from the shadows.A maid stepped forward into the moonlight. A strange, crooked smirk played on her lips—an expression of sheer audacity that no servant should ever show King Barbor's favorite concubine. Yet, strangely, the former first princess didn't look bothered in the slightest."Have you heard from our sister?" the former first princes

At that exact moment, hundreds of kilometers away, the air plummeted to freezing.The night wind howled, scattering dry leaves across the rocky terrain. Beneath the shadows of towering cliffs, a cluster of silhouettes blurred past at speeds defying human comprehension.These were the elite warriors of the elven race. They had successfully breached the demarcation line, infiltrating deep into the Barbor Kingdom's territory.'Targets confirmed. Execute the enemy combatants. Leave the civilians alive.'The soundless command flowed telepathically through their ranks. The elves' eyes glinted with lethal intent beneath dark hoods billowing in the wind.They melted into the city like ink dissolving into the pitch-black night. Not a single trace of their presence. Not a single footstep.At a border checkpoint, two Barbor Kingdom guards leaned against their long spears, laughing over a vulgar joke.Shing!A flash of silver light cleaved the silent air. The movement was so fast that the human e

"What?! Niyila!!!"Frantic shouts rippled through the royal guard. Their once-stable formation fractured under immense tension, every soldier crying out in disbelief at the maid's true identity.Hands gripped weapons so tightly the metal groaned. Mana surged wildly, crackling with static to signal their high alert. The elite troops braced themselves, ready for a fight to the death at a moment's notice.In the face of their collective panic, the maid responded with absolute elegance."Ufufu~ so you actually remember me? I'm honored," Niyila mocked. A faint smile graced her impassive face, a minimalist expression that unleashed a suffocating killing intent into every corner of the hall.King Barbor's Adam's apple bobbed. He swallowed hard, his throat completely dry.His gaze darted toward Ichiya, who stood unfazed beside the maid."So, you intend to use this opportunity to exact your revenge on me?" the king asked, his voice dripping with bitterness.Ichiya clasped her hands over her ch

"Did you really think everything would go according to your plan? Not a chance!" Ichiya snapped, her voice cutting through the room like an icy blade striking a stone floor.To an outsider, Ichiya's fate might have seemed far luckier than Niyila's or Sanyuela's.Yet the reality was no less horrific. Every single day, Ichiya had to force a loving smile and act affectionate toward the man who had razed her homeland and slaughtered her entire family.Almost every night, she had to pretend to take joy in serving King Barbor's vile desires.Her soul was torn to shreds, trapped in a suffocating hell of her own making. Had it not been for the deep-seated hatred burning within her soul, Ichiya would have surrendered long ago and submitted to the king.Niyila's fate required no explanation. The former second princess had endured the most tragic suffering among them. Yet not one of the three sisters had known a single moment of peace throughout these dark, agonizing years.Finally, Sanyuela kep