V7 Epilogue: Witness the perfect plan, refined and perfected through countless improvements!

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Translator: Soafp

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At the plaza at the base of the World Tree, elves from across the country had gathered, the air thick with an unusual excitement.

The sun had already set, and in the glow of magical lights, the elves watched the succession war being broadcast live via giant magical orbs.

[Ladies and gentlemen! The succession war, which began this morning, is finally reaching its climax! We're now entering the final wave of the preliminaries! And as always, your host is none other than the legendary magic swordsman who made it to the last three in the succession war a hundred years ago—Salaman of the Red Cavern!]

The elves cheered, holding wine and snacks in their hands.

[While things are quiet, let's go over the current situation. First, the number of participants remaining: including candidates and knights, fifty-nine! The final wave continues until this number drops to thirty! That means twenty-nine will be eliminated in this round!!]

The magical orb displayed the rules and battle situation clearly.

[Let's introduce the surviving candidates along with their achievements. First up, the Conservative Faction, which currently has the most survivors among the three major factions: their representative, Gendoo, and his knight, Ash Gray! Their faction has a total of seventeen members, having survived the indiscriminate attacks of the Mitsugoshi Faction with minimal losses. They're arguably the faction closest to winning! While their battles haven't been flashy, they've steadily racked up kills against unaffiliated participants, with their ace Ash Gray already achieving eight kills! If more than ten members remain from the faction in the final round, they could dominate the finals! Keep an eye on their strategy in the final wave!]

As the highlights of Gendoo and Ash Gray were shown, the plaza echoed with cheers from their supporters.

[Next, the Reform Faction's representative, Shinji, and his knight, Beatrix! Their faction has only fourteen members left, having been reduced by the Mitsugoshi Faction, but Beatrix's defense against Mitsugoshi's assassins using her artifact was one of the top moments of the first half of the battle! Even two of the Mitsugoshi's own were astonished at the power of the artifact, Kusanagi no Tsurugi! Beatrix herself has achieved an impressive thirteen kills! Will her swordsmanship, said to be the best in this tournament, shine in the final wave—!?]

The screen showed Beatrix using the artifact Kusanagi no Tsurugi to blast Betao and Epsilou together.

Although unharmed, the two immediately withdrew, disappearing into the depths of the forest.

[Next, the Mitsugoshi Faction's representative, Sakura, and her knight, Alfred! From Tokiseiryuno, two more candidates and two more knights participated, leaving all six members of the faction still in the game! Alfred's performance has been remarkable, but Betao and Epsilou proved to be quite tricky opponents! No one could have predicted that they would launch such a bold offensive from the start! In fact, some who bet on the outcome may have lost badly!!]

As the footage of Betao and Epsilou's daring maneuvers played, the elves who had lost bets booed loudly.

[For better or worse, it's safe to say that this succession war has been largely driven by the Mitsugoshi Faction! Though only six members, their overwhelming skill has thrown the plans of the three major factions into chaos! As a faction, they have an astounding forty kills, far surpassing the others. In particular, Betao, wielding a bow artifact with unerring accuracy from long range, leads the kill count with eighteen! In the final concentrated phase of the battle, keep a close eye on how this elite, small group will perform!]

As the footage of the Mitsugoshi Faction's exploits played, it became apparent that amidst the boos, there were occasional high-pitched cheers.

“Lord Alfred~~!!”

“Go for it, Epsilou-kun~~!”

The female elves seemed inexplicably taken with them, which only fueled the male elves' boos even more.

[Next up, finally, it's the Prince Faction! Their representative, Otoutorion, and his knight, Sakisa!! As you know, the Prince Faction had a rough start! Before their members could assemble, the Mitsugoshi Faction picked them off, leaving only eleven—the smallest force among the three major factions! Tough going! Even though Sakisa scored eight kills, the shocking event was the defeat of their second-strongest fighter, Secondary! Who defeated him, you ask? Well, everyone probably knows, but we'll get to that later! For now, the Prince Faction is in a critical situation both in terms of numbers and politics! If they go down like this, it'll be a total laughingstock~!]

Even as scenes of Otoutorion and Sakisa's actions were shown, the audience's response was cold. Mocking laughter could be heard from all around. Supporters' faces were stern, and some even left the venue in a hurry.

[Alright, that's all for the three major factions and the Mitsugoshi Faction. Now, let's move on to the other forces. Unfortunately, many of the smaller factions have been wiped out by the major factions or the Mitsugoshi Faction, leaving only a few survivors. But there are two noteworthy groups. First up, a faction that's extremely popular among young elves, perhaps a product of the times—or the new form of magic swordsmen—‘The Four Kings of the Wasteland'!!]

The magical orb displayed four young elves, two male and two female, and the plaza erupted with both massive boos and cheers. This was undoubtedly the most excitement of the day.

[These kids rely on their parents' influence to do whatever they want, streaming their dojo raids live on magic orbs—a reckless, disrespectful bunch with no shred of honor! But despite all that, their defiance and freedom have captured the hearts of the younger elves! Their skill is real: their leader, Black Dragon, has won all seven crowns in the Magic Swordsman Tournament and has already scored six kills in this competition!! An unprecedented feat for such a small faction! Other young magic swordsmen also joined them, making this group of just four a force to be reckoned with! Will this new wave shake up the succession war? Their upcoming actions are highly anticipated!]

The orb showed the Four Kings taunting magic swordsmen from the scattered major factions and finishing them off with flashy, acrobatic moves meant to appeal to their supporters. The cheers and boos were deafening, and scuffles broke out across the plaza.

[Settle down now! Time for the introduction of the final force!]

On the orb, the most talked-about scene of the night was displayed. Ordinary elves facing a massive tornado captured the audience's attention, halting their quarrels as they focused on the orb.

[Finally, let's introduce these two: Lalanoa Hinoizumino and her knight, Nazono Senen!! When we first heard Lalanoa was entering the succession war, it was shocking, but no one could have imagined she'd survive all the way to the final wave! What's going on here? Is it someone's conspiracy? Backed by influential nobles? Yet Lalanoa has defeated four members of the Prince Faction! When the kill log appeared, the Prince supporters nearby fainted from shock! Even I spat out my wine! It was that shocking, but unfortunately, it wasn't filmed. What exactly happened is a mystery, but the subsequent battles of Nazono Senen were captured on camera.”

On the magical orb, Secondary was shown just as he swung his sword at Nazono Senen. The video quality was poor because of the sandstorm, and the sound was barely audible, but the two elves could just barely be distinguished.

[The Prince Faction wouldn't stand idly by after Lalanoa took out four of their members. Leaving this unchecked would surely make their supporters abandon them. So, Otoutorion sent Secondary—once his own knight—equipped with a powerful magical artifact to eliminate Lalanoa. Secondary is the number two of the Prince Faction, and his strength has been proven in countless magic swordsman tournaments. I thought Lalanoa was finished. Everyone else probably did too, right?]

The orb showed Secondary swinging a sword enveloped in a tornado, but astonishingly, Nazono Senen stole the wind from the blade. The two exchanged a few words, and then a massive cloud of sand rose, darkening the screen—followed by the kill log showing that Secondary had been defeated.

[I have no idea what actually happened, but Nazono Senen survived that situation! And he defeated Secondary in the process. I have no clue how he did it. People are going wild with conspiracy theories—claiming the artifact went berserk, or that some enormous organization is backing him. It's no wonder the Prince supporters are screaming about divine wrath or the end of the world! But even the legendary magic swordsman, Salaman of the Red Cave—who made it to the last three in the succession war a hundred years ago—can't be swayed by these conspiracies! I rewound that scene, slow-played it over and over, and finally figured it out—Nazono Senen used some kind of technique!]

What exactly was that technique? The audience held their breath, waiting for the answer.

[What Nazono Senen did… I don't know either! But he definitely did something at that moment! This isn't a conspiracy theory—that's his real skill!]

The plaza erupted with the loudest boos and angry shouts of the day. Elves threw glasses and dishes at the magical orb in frustration.

[Hey, stop! Don't throw things at the orb! I can only explain what I could understand! I said it's not a conspiracy theory! I'm not on drugs! I'm just speaking honestly as a magic swordsman! Look, I get why people are skeptical, but I think this Nazono Senen guy is no ordinary man! He might even have some insane backing… but again, it's not a conspiracy theory! I'm just keeping my eye on him! That's it for the introduction—let's all enjoy the final wave!]

With that, Salaman hurriedly switched the orb feed. But even after that, the boos continued for some time.

---

“‘The ring contraction has begun,'” Lalanoa said. I looked up and saw a red light approaching from behind the trunk of the World Tree.

Stepping outside that light even briefly would result in an automatic loss. Currently, fifty-nine people remained, and the ring would continue to shrink until only thirty were left.

“In the end, we didn't get any useful magical artifacts.”

“Ugh… our luck is just unbelievably bad”

We had searched for powerful magical items according to the original plan, but every treasure chest either contained worthless junk or had already been claimed by someone else.

“What's our move from here?”

“We'll move while staying hidden to avoid combat as much as possible, keeping pace with the ring's contraction. Without any magical artifacts, that's our only option. If we draw attention in such a dense population, we'd get focused fire”

“Understood.”

Our plan was standard for a minor faction: no powerful artifacts, no advantageous position, just moving quietly and praying. In a battle royale's final stage, combat is inevitable eventually. The goal was to conserve our strength and enter engagements with fewer survivors around us.

“Let's go,” Lalanoa said. I stepped out from the tree trunk we had been hiding behind, secretly wishing for a big, flashy battle.

The red light behind us had drawn much closer. We advanced cautiously, keeping hidden while being nudged forward by the light. Although the sun had set, the moonlight and the World Tree's glow provided decent visibility. The area had few cover obstacles.

We were probably being observed by several teams. In this situation, any attack against us would also reveal the attackers' positions. Knowing this, no one made a move.

“For now, let's stop here,” Lalanoa said, taking cover behind a rock. We had a safe distance from the red light.

“A quiet start,” I noted.

“Everyone is being careful. But it's about time for some combat to break out, don't you think?”

“With the ring this narrow, conflict is inevitable”

“Exactly.”

Then, in the distance, we heard the sound of an explosion.

“It's starting,”

“Small scale”

“They're still testing the waters”

From the sounds, it seemed a few people were skirmishing. Soon, the combat log showed one person eliminated, followed immediately by another.

“Both of those eliminated were small factions. The killers were members of the ‘Four Kings of the Wasteland'…”

“‘Four Kings of the Wasteland'…?! What a cool name!”

“They're a rebellious group of young elves. They've won multiple titles in magic sword tournaments, so their skills are real”

“Hmph, spirited and excellent”

“They were marked by the Conservative Faction, and I never thought they'd still be around. Master, we should move soon”

Looking back, the red light had come much closer.

“Understood.” I dashed quietly and swiftly out from behind the rock.

“We'll hide behind that trunk”

Lalanoa pointed. A thick World Tree trunk stood ahead, hollowed out so water flowed through it, forming a small stream, surrounded by moss and colorful flowers. We slipped into the shade of the trunk.

For a brief moment, something flickered in our sight.

“Lalanoa, wait!” I grabbed her hand to hold her back.

“Huh?!”

Almost at the same moment, something transparent passed right in front of her.

“Wha—!?”

Lalanoa drew her sword in alarm.

“…You noticed quickly,” a man's voice said, coming from the empty space.

“That voice… Koban! Where are you?!”

I remembered the elf who had played around during the pre-festival. Lalanoa could recognize him by his voice alone.

“Heh heh heh, you won't find me. This is the invisibility artifact implemented in this tournament”

“An invisibility artifact!? Such a thing exists…?”

“Not just hiding your form, but even concealing your mana. It only works under the blessing of the World Tree, but the Mitsugoshi Company's technical skill is impressive,” Koban said with a look of admiration.

The Mitsugoshi Company… they even made something like this.

“Master, you look serious. Is it difficult for you to deal with that magical artifact?”

“No, it's not that.”

I was just reminded of the optical camouflage talk I had with Alpha and the others from my previous life's sci-fi knowledge.

“So, it really is your condition…?”

“Uh, um…”

Well, let's leave it at that.

Lalanoa frowned with worry.

“I will handle this…!”

“No, we'll do it together.”

“But—!”

“Koban isn't the only one. There's another. If we take too long, the others will come.”

“I understand…”

Lalanoa and I drew our swords and stood side by side.

“Oh? You noticed my knight. I was going to cut him from behind,” Koban said.

His voice moved from the front to the side. Another presence was moving behind us.

“…Can you sense it?” I asked Lalanoa in a small voice.

“If there was no voice, I wouldn't know,” she said. She was struggling to locate Koban and the other.

“You can't see them, can't sense their mana. They move silently.”

“Yes.”

“But… the air moves.”

“The air?”

“When something moves, the air around it always moves. Feel that.”

“Feel the air…”

At that moment, faint footsteps sounded behind us. Lalanoa spun around instantly, but couldn't gauge the distance.

“The air is disturbed. Don't move unnecessarily.”

I said that and closed my eyes.

Softly.

Like brushing over fine hair, the air moved on my left cheek.

Immediately, I slashed with my sword.

“Ngh…!”

A knight, with his spear and one hand cut, appeared there.

“Im-impossible…!”

The knight pressed his wound and stepped back. I stepped forward and thrust my sword.

“Gah…”

The knight, pierced through the abdomen, turned into particles of light and disappeared.

When I turned, Lalanoa also had her eyes closed.

And then, one flash.

“…Magnificent.”

She cut off both of Koban's arms.

“W-why!?”

Koban revealed himself, crawling backward.

“I felt it… the flow of the air”

“Mm, remarkable.”

She sensed it? On her first try? Incredible.

“D-damn, no way, by someone like Lalanoa!”

Koban, on all fours, tried to escape.

“Lalanoa, finish him—”

At that moment, a fireball shot at high speed and hit Koban directly.

“Gyaaahhh!?”

Koban rolled around in flames and disappeared into particles of light.

More fireballs came rushing toward us.

“Run!”

We started running without taking the time to recover the magical artifacts.

Fireballs exploded on trees and the ground, scattering blasts of hot wind.

Additionally, arrows and wind blades rained down, falling like rain.

“They're being targeted by multiple parties!” Lalanoa said from behind a tree.

“Long-range magical artifacts, huh. Quite powerful”

Because magical power is difficult to control once it leaves the user, long-range attacks in this world are hard and limited. Even with the World Tree's blessing, producing this much power is extraordinary.

“This is quite a rare magical artifact. It must belong to one of the three major factions”

“This is a tough situation.”

Fireballs burned the trees, wind blades carved the ground, and arrows rained down.

“We'll move to the next cover!”

We leapt out from the shadow of one tree and took cover behind another.

Immediately after, the tree behind us was carved and shattered by a wind blade.

“We're being cornered. It's only a matter of time.”

There's little cover around us.

The red light is closing in from behind.

Given the restriction on mana, this situation is extremely dangerous. Well, there are ways to bypass the mana limit, but since this is a battle royale game, I want to enjoy it fairly.

Now, what should we do?

Even as I thought, the available cover kept disappearing.

“There's a hollow over there!”

Lalanoa pointed toward a massive trunk of the World Tree. Its majestic form was saturated with mana, and it would likely remain unshaken even by magical artifact attacks.

But to reach it, we'd have to dash across a long, exposed distance.

“There's no way we're ending here. Let's go!”

Determination shone clearly in Lalanoa's eyes.

“I'll deflect any attacks from magical artifacts”

At the same time, we pushed off the ground and ran.

A merciless barrage rained down from above.

We kept low, reading the trajectories as we sprinted through. Not many projectiles could match our speed.

Still, a few were on a direct path.

“Don't stop, keep running!”

I shouted to restrain Lalanoa from turning back to counterattack.

In that instant, I slashed through an arrow heading for her forehead in a single flash. The arrow exploded on impact—another magical artifact, no doubt.

But we were already sprinting past it.

“Keep running through!”

“Understood!”

We swatted away the projectiles that continued to fall and leapt into the hollow of the World Tree.

In the darkness, we strained our eyes.

There was a human presence.

“Wait!”

“Stop!”

Our voices called out almost simultaneously.

I stopped Lalanoa from swinging instinctively, and the other restrained their surrounding guards.

“Couldn't believe we'd meet here”.

There stood Gendoo, the representative of the conservative faction, and his group.

“With the ring shrinking this much, it was inevitable”

“Indeed. Surviving together is impressive”

“The conservative faction has also survived quite well”

From what we could see, there were more than ten of them, mostly untouched.

“So, what now?”

At that, the conservative guards crouched.

Lalanoa beside me also crouched into a half stance.

“Is there any point in fighting here?”

If we do nothing, the conservatives would finish in an advantageous position. There's no need to risk it. Following prior agreements, avoiding battle is the correct approach.

“…Your movements must be visible to magical artifacts”

“I see. So if nothing happens, it won't affect the conservative faction”

“Unfortunately, that's how it is.”

“Shall we fight only enough to avoid injuries? Then we can make a run for it.”

“Fair enough. There's a back exit inside.”

“Then let's proceed that way.”

Both sides drew their weapons.

Gendoo retreated, surrounded by his guards. In turn, the conservative knights, Ash Grey and Ryu, stepped forward.

A precaution in case something went wrong. It seemed neither side would use artifacts.

Ryu initiated the engagement.

Lalanoa received a light strike as a greeting.

Almost simultaneously, Ash Grey stepped in and deflected my sword with his axe-spear.

The rest of the conservatives slowly closed in, tightening the encirclement, but thankfully, the back exit was visible just beyond.

We continued fighting for about a minute.

During that time, Ash Grey's attacks gradually intensified.

At first, his axe-spear only deflected swords, but then the strikes started grazing clothing and changing trajectory toward the body.

“…Still manageable,” Ash Grey muttered softly.

“Your strength is enough to retire anyone hit”

“This level won't hit me”

Ash Grey snorted at my words and increased the force of his attacks.

A sharp strike grazed my cheek and passed by.

With a counter strike, I cut off the front of his hair.

“Shouldn't we ease up a bit? So neither of us gets hurt.”

“Who's getting hurt—me or you?”

“Of course, me.”

“Foolish words.”

Ash Grey grinned and, at this moment, unleashed his fastest strike.

For a moment, my reaction lagged.

I tilted my head and dodged his axe-spear, then drove a front kick into Ash Grey's abdomen.

He grunted but held firm.

Then he stepped back to gauge his side, pressing his hand lightly against his ribs.

“For the first time, you moved”

“I've been moving all along.”

“This is the first time your heart has moved in this battle. Did you enjoy it a little?”

“…Yes, thoroughly.”

There was no lie in her words.

In his spear techniques, one could see the history carved by elves and the blood-stained effort behind it.

It was fascinating and educational.

“It's a shame we can't fight seriously… but the playtime is enough now.”

With those words, Ash Grey cleared the path.

“Lalanoa, let's go.”

I drew my sword and signaled to Lalanoa.

“Understood.”

She drew her sword, lightly catching her breath after the fight nearby.

Ryu, who had been facing Lalanoa, was breathing heavily.

“No way… in such a short time, this much…”

He muttered, frustration spilling from his words.

“To think you'd push me this far.”

Ash Grey, too, looked at Lalanoa with interest.

She smiled faintly.

“I may have been a child without resolve. But I'm serious. I've trained seriously to become stronger.”

Her words were directed toward Gendoo, waiting in the back.

“I see,” Gendou merely nodded.

“Then…”

Lalanoa took my hand and dashed toward the back exit.

“I've become a little stronger,” she said, smiling.

It was then.

I felt a surge of immense magical power and stopped in my tracks.

“Master… huh?”

Lalanoa also glanced around belatedly.

The mana saturating the World Tree swirled upward in a vortex.

“This mana… it's an artifact,” Gendoo muttered.

I had heard from Lalanoa about the magical artifact of overwhelming power in the royal succession war.

Indeed, this was truly incredible.

“It's coming. Prepare yourselves.”

The next moment, a thunderous roar split the sky, lightning crackling violently as the heavens trembled.

A fire-laden storm swept across the battlefield.

With a tremendous shock, we were thrown backward.

“Whoa.”

I caught the unconscious Lalanoa in midair, kicking off burning trees to avoid the lightning.

In the smoke-obscured view, lightning flashed intermittently and flames raged wildly.

With no sense of up or down, I kept kicking off the trees to dodge the lightning and fire.

Many contenders were struck by lightning or burned by the flames, turning into particles of light and vanishing.

When the lightning and fire finally subsided, I could finally put my feet on solid ground.

“Good grief… this is…”

Looking around, the landscape had completely changed.

The large trunk we had been hiding behind was crushed.

Black smoke rose everywhere, and the trees burned with crackling flames.

Immediately, a massive number of kill logs flooded the screen at once—probably close to twenty people.

I wondered if it was acceptable to do such sacrilegious things to the World Tree, sacred to the elves, but the tree still radiated life force.

Then I suppose it's fine.

So this is an artifact. Quite a destructive power. In this environment, it's an extraordinary threat.

“Lalanoa, wake up.”

“…Ugh… Master, what on earth happened…?”

I shook Lalanoa awake and explained the situation.

“What happened to the conservative faction?”

Lalanoa looked around.

“They're not wiped out… but a follow-up attack is coming.”

I could sense multiple presences beyond the black smoke.

The sound of weapons clashing echoed.

It seemed the battle had begun.

“The remnants of the conservatives are being targeted. What do you want to do?”

We could retreat to a safe zone now. Considering what lies ahead, choosing the lower-risk option would be wiser.

“I…”

Lalanoa narrowed her eyes as if glaring into the smoke.

“…Let's go take a look.”

“Got it.”

Of course, I agreed.

It would be a waste to miss such an interesting event.

Suppressing my excitement, I stepped into the smoke.

After passing through it, we hid behind a tree and observed.

It was a battlefield.

Gendoo was there. Protecting him, Ash Grey and Ryu were fighting.

But the conservatives were few in number.

Five in total… no, now four.

As I watched another elf turn into particles of light and disappear, I shifted my gaze to the force attacking them.

Fourteen visible opponents.

The conservatives were desperately trying to help Gendoo escape, but it was a losing battle.

Even if they managed to escape, many others—like us—were watching this fight.

There was no way they would be allowed to get away.

Floating all around were magical devices that looked like broadcast cameras.

This was clearly the hottest battlefield right now.

I couldn't help but feel excited.

“It's only a matter of time.”

Another one fell, leaving the conservatives with just three.

Gendoo, Ash Grey, and Ryu.

Still, they were skilled.

The attackers seemed to struggle somewhat against their coordination.

Then, one man appeared on the battlefield.

“You're holding out well, Gendoo.”

A refined-looking elf, Otoutorion, arrived with his knight.

“Otoutorion… was this your doing?”

Gendoo glared at him.

“I did cooperate, but the mastermind is Shinjy. He had quite an interesting sword.”

“…The Kusanagi no Tsurugi, I presume. No wonder it couldn't be found.”

“Unfortunately, this is where the conservatives end.”

“We won't fall so easily. Artifacts have cooldowns, don't they?”

The three of them fixed Otoutorion with eyes full of fighting spirit.

“Indeed. If this drags on, others may intervene.”

Otoutorion scanned the surroundings, implicitly warning the onlookers.

Surviving factions were gathering one after another. Even for him, this was not a situation to take lightly.

“I have a proposal.”

Otoutorion spoke.

“A proposal?”

“Hand over Lalanoa Hinoizumino and her knight. Do that, and I'll let you go.”

Beside me, Lalanoa tensed as she held her breath.

“Heh… it seems the royal faction has been thoroughly humiliated by her.”

“…So, what will you do?”

“Lalanoa Hinoizumino has nothing to do with us.”

“Hmph. My scouts saw you regroup with them earlier.”

“It's true we had a brief clash with her. But we were scattered by an artifact strike. We have no idea where she is now.”

“If that's the truth, then the conservatives are finished.”

“There's no need to lie.”

“I see.”

Otoutorion signaled his subordinates to ready their weapons.

“Let me offer one piece of advice. You'd be wise not to lay a hand on Lalanoa Hinoizumino and her knight.”

Gendoo said this while facing Otoutorion.

“You presume to instruct me?”

“The fact that they defeated Secondary was no coincidence. If you engage them carelessly, the royal faction will be devoured.”

“Nonsense. Attack.”

At Otoutorion's signal, his subordinates moved all at once.

They activated their artifacts and launched an assault.

Some unleashed fireballs and blades of wind, while others released poisonous mist.

Counterattacks were blocked by invisible shields or absorbed by cloud-like cushions.

It was a flashy battle, completely different from the usual combat of magic swordsmen in this world.

“They're all top-tier artifacts.”

“As expected of the three major factions. In a situation like this, artifacts become everything.”

There were also many attacks that projected magic power—something rarely seen in this world.

It was likely thanks to the World Tree.

With this, even those poor at combat could fight effectively using long-range magical tools.

Amid the countless artifacts raining down, the three conservatives desperately resisted.

They too activated their artifacts, but they were outnumbered.

In this environment where mana is limited, numbers held the advantage.

“…They're being toyed with to death.”

Ryu fell.

He shielded Gendoo with his own body and turned into particles of light as he disappeared.

A bloodstain remained where he vanished. He would likely survive, but it was still dangerous.

Gendoo clenched his teeth and glared at Otoutorion.

“How unsightly, Gendoo.”

Otoutorion looked down at him from a slight distance.

“…You lack the support of the people.”

Gendoo's response was unexpected.

“What did you say?”

“Even if you were to win the royal succession war, no one would follow you.”

“Silence.”

Otoutorion's voice grew colder.

“Everyone knows what you've been doing behind the scenes. They know, yet pretend not to—because you are King Anorion's younger brother.”

“I said silence!!”

The surroundings fell completely silent.

All eyes turned toward Otoutorion.

“I… wouldn't mind if I couldn't become king.”

Gendoo spoke quietly.

“As long as it is someone who cares for this country and can serve it, that is enough. But someone who does not fit that is trying to become king. That is what I cannot accept.”

He looked at Otoutorion with clear eyes.

“You mean me?”

“You are quick to flaunt your talent. Do you wish that badly to prove you are superior to your brother?”

“Wha—!?”

Otoutorion's face flushed red.

“You've always been like that since childhood. You saw King Anorion as a rival and tried to force others to acknowledge your talent. Yes, you were gifted. But the more you displayed that talent, the more people distanced themselves from you.”

“Are you insulting me!?”

“For you, King Anorion was never an enemy. You only needed to support him as his younger brother. You should have used your talent to assist him. If you had, everyone would have acknowledged you as the next king. There would have been no need for a royal succession war.”

“I have the will! My brother acknowledged me!”

“I do not know if that will is genuine. But many believe it is not—because you are the one holding it.”

“That was undoubtedly written by my brother! He entrusted everything to me!”

Otoutorion struck his chest as he insisted.

“Or perhaps… even you were being used, Otoutorion-sama.”

Gendoo stared intently at Otoutorion's flushed face.

Then he exhaled softly and continued.

“In any case, this succession war is filled with those harboring disgraceful intentions. I do not wish to believe that you are rotten to your core. That is why… let us cross swords. If the people see your battle, their hearts may yet be moved.”

“…Very well. Sakisa.”

“Yes.”

Sakisa stepped forward and readied the Thor Hammer.

“Ash Grey, I'm counting on you.”

Called by Gendoo, Ash Grey also raised his artifact.

After a moment of silence, both sides stepped forward at the same time.

At that instant, a mass of black magical power rained down from above.

“!?”

“What is this!?”

All four leapt back at once.

However, the largest amount of that magic poured down directly onto Gendoo.

He tried to defend with his artifact, but it was too late.

“Guh!”

“Gendoo-sama!!”

Ash Grey shoved Gendoo aside and took the black magic upon his right arm.

The black magic clung to his right arm, melting the flesh away.

“Guuuuuh!!”

He clenched his teeth, desperately suppressing his scream, but his right arm dissolved, releasing black steam before dropping to the ground with a thud.

“Ash Grey!! Who did this!?”

Gendoo's furious shout echoed.

From the shadows of the World Tree, illuminated by moonlight, several men and women stepped forward.

At their center stood a slender man with a gentle expression.

“It's been a while, Otoutorion-sama, Gendoo-sama. Mind if we join in?”

His tone was soft, but his eyes were not smiling at all.

“The Four Kings of the Wasteland… Saiga, was this your doing?”

“You've taken good care of me in the past, Gendoo-sama. So, how was the power of that poison fang?”

The elf called Saiga raised a black longsword. Its blade was warped, as if it were melting, forming a strange, rippling shape.

“Heeey! Everyone watching?”

A strangely drawn-out voice echoed.

A sexy elf in revealing clothes writhed around, appealing to the camera.

“How's it look? You seeing my muscles?”

A sweaty male elf flexed proudly.

“Please stop, this is embarrassing…”

A sharp-eyed, beautiful elf sighed at the two.

So these must be the rumored Four Kings of the Wasteland.

“You dare interfere… Are you prepared for the consequences?”

Otoutorion glared, filled with rage.

“Interfere? This is how a royal succession war is supposed to be. Besides, you should better understand the current situation. Just four more eliminations and the preliminaries are over.”

Before I knew it, the numbers had dropped significantly.

“Four more, huh…”

Otoutorion muttered.

Gendoo narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, just four more. And conveniently, there are exactly four people here.”

Saiga pointed as he counted them off.

Gendoo, Ash Grey, Otoutorion, Sakisa.

Exactly four.

“Indeed… exactly four.”

Otoutorion's gaze shifted—to the Four Kings of the Wasteland.

“If we take you down and end it here, it'll make for excellent publicity.”

Saiga smiled, narrowing his already thin eyes even further.

“So that's your aim. No wonder you showed yourselves. The audience must be quite focused on you.”

“Thanks to you.”

“Hey everyone, watch Minmin fight! We're gonna blow all these guys away! Don't forget to cheer for Minmin and the Four Kings of the Wasteland!!”

The sexy elf was loud.

“This wasn't part of the plan, but ending things by taking you down wouldn't be bad.”

Otoutorion spoke, unable to hide his irritation.

The royal faction's subordinates began surrounding the Four Kings. Though they were outnumbered…

“Are you sure about that? We could just take out four weaklings and end this, you know.”

At Saiga's words, Otoutorion's expression twitched.

“I see now. That's why you appeared before us at this timing. Cowards.”

If they were surrounded by the royal faction, they planned to quickly eliminate four weaker opponents and end the preliminaries.

If that happened, the royal faction would gain nothing and only lose strength.

Otoutorion signaled with his eyes, and his subordinates stepped back.

“We're just being cautious. So, what will it be? A three-way battle?”

Here stood Gendoo and Ash Grey of the conservatives, Otoutorion and Sakisa of the royal faction, and the Four Kings of the Wasteland.

The obvious move would be for the two conservatives and two royals to team up against the Four Kings, but Ash Grey had lost an arm, making him unreliable as a combatant.

No matter who teamed up, the Four Kings held the advantage.

“So that's it…”

Otoutorion's voice was bitter.

“We can crush both the conservatives and the royal faction here. So how about a deal?”

“Oh?”

“Unfortunately, the conservatives will have to be eliminated. There's no point in letting them live.”

Gendoo glared sharply at Saiga.

“As for the royal faction, we'll let you go if you hand over the Thor Hammer.”

“So your target is the artifact.”

“Not a bad deal, right?”

“…Do you really think the others will just stand by and watch?”

“Others?”

“The ring is nearly finished shrinking. Around us, all the surviving factions have gathered, watching and waiting.”

Otoutorion scanned the surroundings, and as if drawn by it, Saiga's eyes followed.

“So it's the Reformists and the Mitsugoshi faction, huh.”

“You can't ignore the smaller factions either. Anyone who's made it this far hasn't survived by chance.”

“Did we take too long…?” Saiga muttered with a sigh.

“We gave them time to think—and time to gather. The moment we move, they'll act according to their own agendas… to create a more advantageous situation.”

“We're like a cake, aren't we? Everyone's drooling, thinking about how to carve us up.”

“…So that means the answer is already decided, doesn't it?”

“Exactly.”

As if they had reached an unspoken agreement, they stepped closer.

Then, the Royalist faction stood as if to shield the Four Kings of the Wasteland, and the Four Kings did the same for the Royalists.

“A temporary truce… no, let's call it a joint battle.”

“I'm not thrilled about it, but it's the only option.”

Ohhh, a sudden alliance here, huh.

The disturbance in the surroundings was palpable.

A faint murmur spread through the forces lurking in the darkness.

Thanks to that, I could grasp the positions of every faction.

“Master, what should we do?”

Lalanoa asked in a quiet voice.

“We either get swallowed by the ring, or wait until another faction makes a move.”

“That's the textbook answer.”

Lalanoa agreed. It was more of a confirmation than a question.

The Royalists and the Four Kings had taken position at the center of the ring.

The Conservative faction's Gendoo and Ash Grey cautiously moved away from them.

Ash Grey, now missing an arm, looked close to his limit.

Otoutorion and Saiga watched them from the corner of their eyes but didn't make a move.

Rather than finishing off the Conservatives, they prioritized avoiding openings.

The Royalists gathered their subordinates and fortified their defenses.

Now then… who would make the first move?

The ring crept closer.

Lalanoa and I moved quietly, pushed along by it.

Other factions were also trying to escape the shrinking ring.

Slowly, but steadily—

Everyone was being funneled toward the center.

At any moment, someone could engage.

In that razor-thin tension, it happened.

A single arrow shot into the night sky.

It traced a beautiful arc—

and flew straight toward my heart.

“So that's your move.”

Even if I could hide my presence, Lalanoa still couldn't fully conceal herself from them.

They aimed for that weakness.

“Master!”

“No problem.”

With a single slash, I cut down Beta's arrow.

But the moment my blade touched it, the arrow exploded.

I thought something felt off about that mana.

So it was an artifact after all.

I instantly grabbed Lalanoa and leapt.

A violent shockwave blasted away the surrounding trees.

I landed, bracing myself.

No damage—but this situation…

“That's Lalanoa! That mixed-blood Lalanoa is here!!”

With no cover at the center of the ring, Lalanoa and I were completely exposed.

Words of pity came from Gendoo and Ash Grey.

“We both have it rough, huh.”

Trying not to provoke anyone, Lalanoa and I moved closer to the two from the Conservative faction.

Cold gazes pierced us from Otoutorion and Saiga.

From the darkness of the World Tree as well, multiple killing intents emerged.

“Just four people. Perfect for a sacrifice.”

“Awaaa…”

Lalanoa looked like her soul was about to leave her body, while the two from the Conservative faction seemed to have steeled themselves.

The situation was the worst…

—or rather, the best.

“So this is Mitsugoshi's doing… I don't like playing into their hands.”

“But it's a conclusion everyone can accept.”

Otoutorion and Saiga spoke in turn.

As if pushed by the ring, the forces lurking in the darkness began to move.

“Do it.”

At Otoutorion's signal, countless artifacts targeted us.

From the front, behind, sides—

Above, and even below.

Every participant present had reached the same conclusion:

eliminate us.

The Royalists, the Reformists, the Mitsugoshi faction, the Four Kings of the Wasteland—

Their motives differed, but this outcome suited them all.

“I'll handle this—”

Ash Grey prepared to shield Gendoo with his body.

“Master…”

“Don't struggle.”

“Huh?”

I grabbed Lalanoa by the back of her collar with my left hand.

With my right, I loosely held my sword—

and let a meaningful smile form on my lips.

The feeling behind it was something like:

“Well… can't be helped.”

The next moment—

a barrage dense enough to fill the night sky rained down upon us.

---

Alpha was watching the scene from atop a tree a short distance away.

“Beta, good work.”

As she spoke, the trunk beside her shook, and Beta revealed herself.

“Just as planned.”

Their eyes were fixed on Nazono Senen, who had been blown into the center of the ring by Beta's arrow.

“Nazono Senen… even you and Epsilon together couldn't keep up with him…?”

“That man is dangerous. We should deal with him here.”

Epsilon appeared, his expression grave.

“If his old injury hadn't flared up, Epsilon would have—”

As Beta spoke, the sound of Epsilon grinding his teeth echoed.

“Next time, we aim for that old wound. That'll be the end of him.”

Epsilon growled from deep in his throat.

“When facing him, exercise maximum caution.”

“It's as if he's deliberately erasing his own presence. To possess such strength, yet be completely unknown… Could he really be an assassin from the Diabolos Cult?”

“There's no proof. But the lack of proof itself is what's suspicious. That's one way to look at it.”

Beta and Epsilon followed behind Alpha.

“Who he is… what his objective is… we must uncover it. For the sake of this country—and for Lalanoa…”

Sakura appeared atop the tree as well.

The four of them turned their attention to Nazono Senen at the center of the ring.

Surrounded by countless artifacts aimed at him, he stood there—

gripping Lalanoa by the back of her collar with his left hand,

his sword hanging loosely in his right,

a faint smile on his lips.

Completely natural.

Nothing like Ash Grey, who looked resolved to die.

As if this were just another ordinary day to him.

“My heart lies within those fierce yet fleeting flames of war… huh.”

“Epsilon, that line…?”

“Nazono Senen said it. Maybe… for him, something like this really is just everyday life…”

“…Let's be thorough. Beta.”

“Yes, Alfred-sama.”

Beta raised her bow.

“Use your trump card.”

“Yes… I'll finish him here.”

Narrowing her gaze, Beta nocked a radiant arrow.

---

Everyone was convinced.

That this would be the end of the preliminary round of the Succession War.

The spectators gathered around the giant magic sphere watched intently, their faces flushed with excitement.

“Why the hell is he smiling?”

One elf watching the sphere muttered.

Nazono Senen.

That foolish elf who had become Lalanoa's knight… was definitely smiling.

“He's just bluffing.”

Yeah, that had to be it.

Everyone thought so.

They wanted to believe it.

But… it wasn't.

Their instincts rejected that idea.

That smile wasn't bravado.

Someone swallowed hard.

And then—

overwhelming firepower rained down on Nazono Senen.

There was no way to block it.

Seeing the barrage that filled the night sky, everyone thought the same.

In the Succession War, where mana was restricted, overwhelming force through sheer numbers was far easier to achieve compared to normal conditions.

This situation was the perfect example.

With limited mana, dealing with a barrage like this was absolutely impossible.

Even a complete amateur could see that clearly.

Inside the magic sphere, Nazono Senen moved.

He sliced apart the first shot that reached him.

Immediately spinning around, he cut down three shots approaching from behind at the same time.

Then he leapt into the gap created in the barrage.

It was a magnificent display of movement.

But Ash Grey and Gendoo were capable of the same level of skill.

At this rate, there was no way he could last.

The density of the barrage increased.

Even cutting down five shots at once, there were no openings left.

Every direction was filled with incoming attacks.

“GUOOOHHHHHH!!”

Even Ash Grey, with only one arm, couldn't keep up. He took the hits head-on, reinforcing his body with mana.

To lessen Gendoo's burden even a little, he spread himself wide, becoming a shield for his lord.

“Ash Grey!!”

“Please… don't worry about me!”

Even as he was struck by the barrage, Ash Grey did not fall.

“NUOOOAAAAAAAHHHHH!!”

He simply continued fulfilling his role as a shield.

Only when Ash Grey turned into particles of light did the spectators realize he had been defeated.

“I will never forget your devotion!!”

With Ash Grey gone, Gendoo had reached his limit as well.

He discarded his broken sword and deployed a defensive artifact that automatically blocked the barrage.

It was one of the highest-grade artifacts obtainable in the preliminaries—a trump card of the Conservative faction.

But within a dozen seconds, it shattered.

It couldn't withstand the sheer firepower.

“…So this is as far as I go.”

With those final words, Gendoo disappeared into the storm of attacks.

Even so, he had held out remarkably well against such overwhelming force.

And yet—

amid all of this, Nazono Senen—

and Lalanoa, held by the back of her collar—

were still standing.

With nothing but a single sword, he continued slicing apart the relentless barrage—

and slipping through it with precise, fluid movements.

He was precisely determining which attack would reach him first.

“How can he even tell…?”

Someone muttered.

The way he identified and dealt with over a hundred incoming attacks was beyond comprehension.

As the density of the barrage increased, his movements only accelerated.

“How fast is he going to get…?”

By now, almost no one in the audience could even follow his sword with their eyes.

As the barrage was cut apart, the path of his blade became streaks of light.

And yet, under normal circumstances, no one could sustain such movements without running out of mana.

“He should be out of mana soon…”

But there was not the slightest sign of Nazono Senen running dry.

If anything, his movements were becoming even sharper.

“What the hell is going on…?”

At some point, he should have been hit.

At some point, his mana should have run out.

That was how it was supposed to be.

And yet—

he took no hits, showed no signs of exhaustion, and only grew more precise.

“Is something like this even possible…?”

Salaman's commentary slipped out like a sigh.

Nazono Senen's figure looked as though he were dancing within the storm of attacks.

But not everyone was simply watching in stunned silence.

Saiga of the Four Kings of the Wasteland, the first to regain composure, issued orders for a follow-up attack.

As if prompted by that, Otoutorion also commanded his subordinates, and from the forest, other factions unleashed additional volleys.

The simultaneous barrage was overwhelming.

A few minutes ago, people might have frowned at such excessive firepower.

But now, no one thought it excessive anymore.

Everyone was wary, tense, waiting for the outcome.

Which would come first—

bringing down Nazono Senen…

or—

everyone else running out of mana?

“What… is that…?”

Otoutorion muttered.

“He's barely using any mana. It's incredibly efficient… refined… What is he…?”

Saiga's eyes were wide open,

as if trying to burn this supreme technique into his memory.

“Impossible. It exceeds theoretical limits.”

A beautiful elf with narrow eyes spoke.

“W-wait, wait a second… at this rate, Minmin's gonna run out of mana first!? What even is that guy!?”

The sexy elf Minmin twisted her body anxiously.

At the center of all their gazes, Nazono Senen continued to move.

At this point, it wasn't even a battle anymore.

It was art—

something only he had reached, alone, within the storm of attacks.

Like standing at the eye of a raging tempest,

only his sword traced lines of light.

Each slash.

Each step.

Each motion.

All of it was composed of ultimate efficiency and beauty.

“Too fast…!”

Sakisa realized that Nazono Senen was processing attacks faster than they could even fire them, and her expression hardened.

“N-not yet! Keep firing!!”

“Damn it… my mana…!”

Someone dropped to their knees.

Everyone had reached their limit.

The barrage continued, meant to kill Nazono Senen.

—but it was the opposite.

At this rate, the attackers would collapse first.

“W-wait, seriously… Minmin's got nothing left…!”

The signs of mana exhaustion began to surface.

Fingers trembled, dull headaches warped their vision.

“This can't be… this isn't how it's supposed to go…”

Otoutorion muttered in a daze.

And then—

only one person remained standing calmly at the center of the battlefield.

Nazono Senen.

Every single attack had been dealt with.

The smoke cleared.

The trails of light faded.

Visibility returned.

The quiet darkness of the night came back.

“No way…”

No one knew who said it anymore.

Everyone was in shock.

This man—

had truly handled thousands of attacks with nothing but a single sword.

With nothing more than a dance—

he had ended the battle.

Nazono Senen slowly lowered his sword.

The attackers could do nothing but watch, breathing heavily.

But in the next moment—

he suddenly collapsed.

His foot sank slightly.

The crowd held their breath.

“…Huh?”

Lalanoa, still being held by the back of her collar, widened her eyes.

Nazono Senen had certainly avoided every single attack.

He didn't appear to have a single injury.

And yet—

a dark red liquid began to drip from his lips.

Drip.

“H-hey… Master…? There's… blood…”

Lalanoa's voice trembled.

Drip, drip.

Nazono Senen clutched his chest.

“My old injury…!”

He spoke as his body swayed.

“…Is it really just an old injury…?”

Something felt off.

His face had no color.

Looking closer, his cheeks were sunken, and dark circles lined his eyes.

There had been signs.

Many of them.

“…I'm fine.”

Nazono Senen said that—

with his usual faint smile.

But then—

Thud.

“…Guh…!”

A large amount of blood surged up from deep within his throat.

Unable to hold it back, Nazono Senen dropped to one knee.

The crowd screamed.

Lalanoa stood frozen, eyes wide open.

“…Did I use too much power…? I can't hide it anymore…”

Nazono Senen muttered, as if resigning himself.

“Master…?”

“It was a lie.”

“Master, what are you trying to say…?”

A terrible premonition gripped her.

“This isn't because of an old injury…”

“Stop.”

It felt like everything was about to fall apart.

“I have a terminal illness… Mana Erosion Syndrome.”

A disease that claimed the lives of magic swordsmen who had lived in battle.

No one had expected this ending for him—

“Th-that's… a lie! It has to be a lie!”

Lalanoa shook her head.

Tears spilled freely, glimmering in the darkness.

“That it isn't a lie… you should already understand that.”

“—That's… that's…!”

All of his past words, all of his actions—they finally connected into one clear line.

And his symptoms matched mana fusion disorder perfectly.

Lalanoa already understood.

“This is the price I pay for continuing reckless battles.”

Nazono gave a self-mocking smile.

“When I met you, I was actually searching for a place to die. I wanted my bones to rest in my homeland in the end.”

“No…!”

“But you gave meaning to a life that would have ended as nothing but ashes.”

Nazono stood up and raised his sword.

“I still have something left to do.”

Blood, dark red and black, dripped from his mouth as he spoke.

From ahead, a single arrow was flying toward him.

“Master, I'll—!”

Lalanoa hurriedly stood and tried to ready her sword.

“—Thank you, Lalanoa.”

Nazono gently pushed her aside.

Anyone could tell that the glowing arrow carried tremendous power.

And yet—he did not flinch.

With his usual faint smile.

But within his eyes, there was resolve.

He struck once.

It was beautiful.

No one could believe this was the sword of a man standing at death's door.

This was the sword he had devoted his entire life to.

And the very pinnacle of the sword he had passed on to Lalanoa.

He split the arrow cleanly in two—and sheathed his blade.

Two explosions rang out behind him, and the announcement of the end of the preliminaries echoed.

Lalanoa kept her eyes on him the entire time.

She said nothing, only watched as tears streamed down her face.

Nazono turned back to her.

“My life still has a little time left. So… let me dream just a little longer… of a grand act of defiance imagined by a small, insignificant elf. Of the story that begins from there…”

He held out his hand as he said it.

Lalanoa… could not bring herself to place her hand in his.

---

“Ahhh—finally, I did it!

This is exactly the roleplay I've wanted to do for ages: the shadowy, master-level figure slowly eaten away by illness!

Decades of refinement since the original concept—countless tweaks, improvements, and polishing—and now the plan is perfected!

A character with a mysterious aura, a complicated past, countless foreshadowed threads… and then the climactic coughing-up-blood reveal—pure perfection!

Unleashing restrained power to overwhelm everyone, and then, from a sudden bout of blood to the shocking confession of a terminal illness, there's no doubt this shook the entire world!

This is exactly what I wanted to do!

The entire venue was abuzz with chatter about me. Among the candidates who survived the preliminaries, there wasn't a single elf left who didn't keep a wary eye on me!

Ah, the finals—I can't wait.

I walked through the hall after the preliminaries, feeling almost half as if I were ascending to the heavens.

Lalanoa was undergoing the post-preliminaries medical check. Of course, I also went through the medical exam, perfectly faking the terminal illness.

The disease's name: Mana Fusion Syndrome.

A condition where one's own mana corrodes their cells, melting their organs from within—a sort of magical swordsman's version of cancer. It's said to occur from years of overuse of the magical circuits, and there's no treatment once it progresses.

It was the perfect illness for me right now.

The doctor even said, “It's a miracle you're alive. It wouldn't be strange if you died here and now.” Maybe I overdid the effect a little.

While waiting for Lalanoa, I kept replaying today's highlight over and over in my mind.

Then—

Click. The infirmary door opened, and Lalanoa came out.

She walked toward me, looking down.

“Good work. How was it?”

Since the preliminaries ended, we'd barely exchanged words.

Heh heh heh… I must've left quite the impression.

“I asked the docter”

“Huh?”

“About your illness, Master.”

“…I ended up worrying you, didn't I?”

I said, wearing the perfect mix of sadness and tenderness on my face.

“They said it's the final stage of Mana Fusion Syndrome. It's a wonder you're still alive,” she continued.

“Mm.”

I didn't add anything unnecessary.

“They said you're not in a body that can really fight, and asked me to stop you,” Lalanoa said.

“I can still fight. I showed enough of what I'm capable of.”

“Then why didn't you show that strength from the beginning?”

“That…,” I choked on my voice, giving a performance of genuine struggle.

“If Master had shown that power from the start, the preliminaries would have ended much more easily, much faster,” she said.

“That's… not true,” I muttered, voice hoarse and downcast.

“Please stop lying. I thought you were holding back, saving your full strength to train me, to make me prove myself. But… I was wrong…!”

Lalanoa trembled.

“Master, you didn't hold back—your body simply couldn't give full power anymore! You can't… last…! If only I had realized sooner…!”

Tears she had been holding back began to flow.

“Sure, my body can no longer withstand full power. But that's fine, Lalanoa. All I can do now is burn the last little of my life for your sake…”

“No! Everyone I loved dies—my father, my mother, Master… I asked the docter. Every time Master used his mana, he endured unbearable pain as if his insides were being burned by acid, shaving away the little life he had left… And yet… I…!”

Lalanoa buried her face in my chest, sobbing.

“Master… thank you. Thank you for going that far for me. But I… I don't want that.”

“Lalanoa…?”

“I don't want to win the succession battle at the cost of your life.”

Seeing the determination on her face, I felt a terrible premonition.

“I will withdraw from the succession battle”

Leaving me in stunned disbelief, she ran off.

Everything—everything had collapsed.