The skies above Delhart Territory darkened beneath cold afternoon clouds.
Dust swirled violently across the shattered courtyard while terrified servants and armored soldiers stood frozen around the battlefield unable to fully comprehend what they were witnessing.
At the center of the ruined mansion grounds—
Reina Asheville fought like a silver storm.
CLANG—
Her sword collided against Viscount Delhart's blade once more while four floating aura swords rotated around her body like orbiting stars born from condensed silver light itself.
Every movement looked impossible.
Elegant.
Deadly.
Abnormal.
The watching soldiers could barely follow the battle anymore.
Because Reina no longer attacked from one direction.
The aura swords attacked independently beside her own strikes, creating layered assaults impossible for ordinary swordsmen to defend against fully.
Meanwhile—
Delhart himself had begun breathing heavily.
Sweat covered his forehead while several shallow cuts spread across his armor and shoulders already.
"This cursed technique—!"
CLANG—
Another aura sword struck his defense from behind.
The older viscount staggered violently.
His expression twisted further into disbelief.
Because despite years of battlefield experience—
He had never encountered anything like this.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"She's adapting faster during actual combat."
Kel calmly observed the duel nearby.
"Real battles refine people faster than training ever could."
Meanwhile—
The surrounding Delhart knights finally lost patience.
Their ruler was losing.
Humiliatingly.
And slowly—
Several elite knights stepped forward.
Steel swords emerged from scabbards one after another while killing intent spread heavily throughout the courtyard atmosphere.
The lead knight pointed his blade directly toward Reina.
"We cannot allow this anymore!"
Another knight growled afterward:
"Protect Lord Delhart!"
Instantly—
Nearly twenty elite Delhart knights began advancing toward the duel simultaneously.
The surrounding crowd became alarmed immediately.
Because interference during a ruler's formal duel—
Especially after both sides publicly acknowledged it—
Was disgraceful.
Yet desperation had already overtaken reason.
Meanwhile—
Reina herself noticed the approaching knights.
Her silver eyes narrowed slightly.
Yet before she could react—
Kel finally moved.
The atmosphere itself suddenly changed.
Cold.
Heavy.
Ancient.
BOOOOOOM—
Dark crimson aura erupted silently around Kel afterward like invisible pressure crushing the courtyard itself.
The advancing knights froze instantly.
Then—
Behind Kel—
Aura condensed.
One sword appeared.
Then another.
Then another.
And another.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
Aura swords materialized throughout the air behind him like an army of floating execution blades shimmering beneath the dark skies.
The entire battlefield fell silent.
Even Delhart himself momentarily stopped breathing.
Because compared to Reina's four aura swords—
Kel's manifestation looked monstrous.
An overwhelming storm of death suspended in the sky itself.
Then slowly—
Every floating sword rotated simultaneously.
And pointed directly toward the advancing knights' throats.
Silence consumed the courtyard entirely afterward.
Kel calmly stepped forward beneath the cold winds.
His dark coat moved softly while countless aura swords hovered behind him like silent judgment.
Then quietly—
He spoke.
"This duel…"
His voice echoed clearly across the battlefield.
"…is between two rulers."
Another pause followed.
"Do not interfere."
The pressure around him intensified slightly.
"Otherwise…"
The floating blades sharpened visibly.
"…I will participate as well."
The surrounding knights visibly paled afterward.
Because every instinct inside them screamed the same terrifying truth.
If this man entered the battlefield—
They would die instantly.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly continued:
"You may choose."
Another pause.
"Back away…"
His dark eyes reflected coldly beneath the storm clouds.
"…or choose death."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then slowly—
The Delhart knights backed away.
One step.
Then another.
Fear overwhelmed loyalty completely.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly laughed.
"You really enjoy terrifying people."
Kel ignored her.
Meanwhile—
Not everyone obeyed.
Several hidden archers positioned along upper mansion walls exchanged nervous glances afterward.
Their commander clenched his jaw tightly.
"If Lord Delhart dies…"
Another archer whispered:
"…we're finished anyway."
The commander immediately raised his arm.
"Fire!"
SHHHHK—
Arrows shot across the battlefield instantly.
Dozens of them.
All aimed directly toward Reina.
The surrounding crowd gasped in horror.
Yet—
Kel didn't even turn.
His gaze remained fixed calmly upon the battlefield while one hand lifted slightly.
Then—
Every arrow froze midair.
Complete silence followed.
The archers froze in absolute terror.
Because the arrows simply stopped.
Suspended motionless within the air itself.
Telekinesis.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"You're using too many abilities publicly lately."
Kel calmly replied internally.
"They won't understand what they witnessed anyway."
Then slowly—
Kel's fingers moved sideways.
And instantly—
Every frozen arrow redirected backward.
SHHHHHHK—
The projectiles shot back toward the hidden archers at terrifying speed.
SCREAMS erupted instantly afterward.
Several archers collapsed from the mansion walls while others fled in panic abandoning their positions entirely.
The battlefield descended into stunned silence once more.
Meanwhile—
At the center of it all—
Reina continued fighting.
And now—
The momentum had completely shifted.
Delhart's breathing had become unstable.
His movements slower.
Fear visible.
Meanwhile Reina—
Only became sharper.
Her aura swords rotated around her body flawlessly now while silver aura flowed beautifully through the battlefield like moonlight itself.
Then finally—
She moved.
One sword attacked high.
Another low.
A third rotated behind Delhart's defense.
The fourth pierced directly through his guard opening.
And simultaneously—
Reina herself stepped forward.
SHHHHK—
Her main sword pierced straight through Delhart's chest.
The viscount's eyes widened violently.
Then—
All four floating aura swords struck him simultaneously from different angles.
Blood exploded across the shattered courtyard stones.
Silence.
The older viscount trembled briefly.
Then slowly—
Collapsed beneath Reina's feet.
Dead.
The battlefield froze completely afterward.
Cold winds swept through the ruined courtyard while blood spread slowly beneath the fallen noble body.
Meanwhile—
Reina calmly stood above him.
Silver hair moving beneath the storm winds.
Aura swords floating silently around her like divine judgment itself.
Then slowly—
She raised her blade toward the watching soldiers and citizens.
And declared aloud:
"VISCOUNT DELHART DIED IN A DUEL AGAINST ME!"
Her voice echoed powerfully across the entire city.
"I DEFEATED HIM IN A SCARRED DUEL OF HONOR!"
The surrounding crowd trembled silently.
Then Reina's silver eyes sharpened further.
"FROM THIS DAY FORWARD—"
The aura around her intensified beautifully.
"THIS TERRITORY BELONGS TO HOUSE ASHEVILLE!"
Silence.
Then finally—
She pointed her sword toward the entire courtyard.
"IF ANYONE OBJECTS…"
Another cold gust swept across the battlefield.
"…COME FORWARD AND CHALLENGE ME."
Absolute silence followed.
No knight moved.
No noble spoke.
No soldier dared object.
Because every single person present understood one undeniable truth now.
The silver-haired woman standing above Delhart's corpse—
Had conquered this territory herself.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly stepped forward afterward.
The countless floating aura swords behind him slowly dissolved into shimmering particles beneath the darkening skies.
Then—
His voice echoed loudly across the battlefield.
"BOW."
The atmosphere itself seemed to freeze.
"BEFORE YOUR NEW RULER."
Another pause.
"SWEAR YOUR FEALTY TO REINA ASHEVILLE…"
His dark eyes swept across the kneeling soldiers.
"…MATRIARCH OF HOUSE ASHEVILLE."
Silence lingered briefly.
Then—
One knight slowly knelt.
Then another.
Then another.
And eventually—
The entire courtyard bowed beneath Reina.
"WE SWEAR OUR LOYALTY TO LADY REINA ASHEVILLE!"
The voices echoed powerfully throughout the conquered city.
Meanwhile—
Reina quietly stood there above Delhart's corpse beneath the storm-darkened skies.
And for the first time—
She truly looked like someone capable of ruling through fear, power, and authority alike.
A conqueror born beneath blood and silver light.
And nearby—
Kel quietly watched her.
While somewhere deep within him—
A strange feeling surfaced again.
Not pride.
Not satisfaction.
Something quieter.
Something warmer.
Because the woman standing above that battlefield now—
No longer needed saving