The voice that echoed across the battlefield, filled with audacity and mockery, belonged to none other than the Battle Maiden Sect Master - Aelina. Her appearance was akin to a nightmare descending upon the already desperate Crimson Slayer Sect. Tall and imposing, clad in battle gear that gleamed under the sunlight, Aelina surveyed the battlefield with a cold, predatory smile.
However, from her outfit, it was clear she didn't come here to play around.
Seeing the terrifying figure of Aelina, the higher-ups of the Crimson Slayer Sect felt a chill run down their spines. They didn't even sense her before she was already right in front of them.
Cyrus watched from a distance, with no evident emotion in his visage. However, a devious light shone in his eyes, causing the corner of his lip to curl up.
"Aelina... So, you've come." The voice came from the one known as High Elder Vorgath, a man under Cyrus known for his cunning tactics and ruthless disposition. His expression was calm, but his eyes misrepresented his fear.
"It's about time to end this farce, don't you think?" Aelina responded, her voice laced with barely concealed amusement.
Her eyes fell on the battle between Mira and Zehir, a glint of appreciation flashing in her gaze. "It appears our Mira has grown quite a bit. With her current strength, she should be ready for what's to come."
Suddenly, her attention was brought back to the Crimson Slayer Sect members as they regrouped, their bodies tensing up. Some even began to charge their spells or prepare their weapon skills. But none dared to initiate an attack on her.
Aelina scoffed, her disdain apparent. "Scrambling like rats cornered by a cat, how pathetic. To think my Sect is so weak that you lasted over three months against us… I suppose I'll have to come up with a more rigorous training routine for them when I'm done here."
The calm before the storm seemed to freeze time on the battlefield as Aelina, resplendent and fearsome, took a step forward. Her voice rang out clear and taunting, breaking the eerie silence, "Just look at you all, trembling in fear. Is this the famed Crimson Slayer Sect, the wolves who think they can prey on my Maidens? More like a pack of whimpering pups."
Aelina's harsh words, coupled with her dismissive attitude, ignited the simmering anger and fear in the Crimson Slayer Sect's higher-ups. Several Elders, their pride bruised and their patience worn thin, gritted their teeth and mustered their courage.
"You insolent wench, how dare you belittle us!" Elder Riggs, a bulky man with a scar across his face, roared. "Let's show her, brothers! This woman needs to be taught a lesson in humility! I don't give a shit if this woman is the Sect Master or not! If we work together, there's no way she can hold us all back!"
A group of Elders, whose pride and ego were stoked by Elder Rigg's voice, quickly moved to surround Aelina, their bodies emanating a menacing aura. They drew their weapons, their faces set in grim determination, while their eyes shone with a crimson fury. But before they could initiate an attack, a commanding voice echoed through the field.
"Stop!" Cyrus called out. His eyes were wide with apprehension, his mind clearly comprehending the depth of the disaster about to befall them.
However, his plea was too late. The Elders, too consumed by their rage and humiliation, didn't hear his words. Their attacks, imbued with their peak Mortal Shedding Realm power, converged toward Aelina.
Aelina merely glanced at the incoming attacks and the Elders who dared to strike her. A cold, predatory smile danced on her lips. With an air of nonchalance, she simply snapped her fingers.
At that moment, the world seemed to halt. The next, the battlefield was consumed by a horrifying blood mist. The Elders, once proud and fierce, were reduced to nothingness in an instant.
When the mist cleared, a stunned silence engulfed the battlefield. The remaining Crimson Slayer Sect Elders looked on with abject horror at the spot where their brethren had stood just moments ago.
"That's the problem with you Unorthodox Faction children. All it takes is a gentle nudge, and you crumble like delicate flies in the wind." Aelina commented as she waved her hand and collected the fallen Storage Rings. Looking inside them, Aelina nodded with a slight smile before putting them away and turning her attention to the opposing Sect Master.
Cyrus stood frozen, his countenance finally shifting to reveal a grim expression. He had finally realized the depth of the predicament he was in. Aelina wasn't here to talk or taunt. No, she was here to kill.
But even in the face of such a realization, a spark of defiance ignited within him.
"So, the time has finally come," Cyrus muttered before he burst into maniacal laughter, his voice filled with terrible delight. "Aelina, whether I meet my end today or not, your beloved Sect will crumble! Do you think I didn't anticipate this moment?! Aren't you looking down on me a bit too much?!"
His words hung in the air, eerie and taunting. Aelina's gaze, cold and calculative, met his before a slow smile spread across her face.
"Oh? Are you referring to the Toxic Blade Sect Master knocking on my door as we speak?" she said, her words calm yet startling. Cyrus flinched, his bravado faltering as he wondered how she could possibly know of this. She's literally standing right before him, in the flesh!
'How could she know about that?!' He wondered, feeling a chill run down his spine as his mind spiraled, searching for a solution. He figured that Aelina knew that he had contacted the Toxic Blade Sect Master, Dorian, but the contents of their deal shouldn't have been known.
Before he could regain his composure, Aelina acted. A pair of spiked gauntlets materialized around her hands, glinting ominously in the sunlight. In a blink of an eye, she was in front of Cyrus, her gauntlet burying into his stomach.
Aelina's movement was a blur, a phantom streak of ferocity that sent Cyrus reeling backward. His body shot through the air, a comet trailing smoke and blood, and vanished into the horizon. His agonized scream, a crescendo of disbelief and pain, rang out in the silence.
The ground caved in beneath Aelina's. The lush greenery morphed into a barren, desolate landscape, ripped and torn by her power's overwhelming surge.
Divine Sea Realm masters were often seen as natural disasters for a reason. Even though Aelina controlled her strength well, the shockwave from her punch was enough to ruin the surrounding area.
A moment of shock hung in the air. The onlookers stood frozen, their eyes wide, their hearts pounding, and their minds struggling to comprehend the horrifying display of strength.
However, the shock quickly turned into a surge of fear-induced rage. The remaining Crimson Slayer Elders, fueled by anger and desperation, gritted their teeth and advanced toward Aelina. "For the Sect Master!" one of them roared, rallying his comrades. Their eyes blazed with an incandescent fury that stood stark against their fears.
Yet, before they could take another step, a wall of Battle Maiden Elders materialized before them, standing in front of opponents of similar cultivation. They stood as a bulwark against the tide, a band of steel-eyed women with weapons ready.
"Sorry, but your opponents are us." A beautiful middle-aged woman, Elder Sandra, stepped forward and said. "Be thankful to our Sect Master for allowing you to live your pathetic lives for a few more minutes."
"That's right!" Another Elder, Angella, shouted, "You little worms can't even last a second against our Sect Master! Before you meet your deaths, be sure to wish her a long and fulfilling life for allowing you this opportunity as I'm ripping your throats out!"
Their words only served to fuel their opponents' rage, causing them to jump into action like a bunch of rabid monkeys.
Aelina cast a brief glance over her shoulder towards her Elders. Her voice, calm and resolute, broke through the chaos. "Don't let a single one of them escape."
Her Elders responded in unison, their voices echoing across the battlefield. "Yes, Sect Master!"
As though a switch had been flicked, the Battle Maiden Elders sprang into action. A symphony of power exploded onto the battlefield, their attacks meticulously coordinated, sending their opponents flying away from the battlefield, far from the disciples beneath them.
The clash between the two legends began.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield below, the tide seemed to be turning. Empowered by their Sect Master's display of might, the Battle Maiden disciples' morale skyrocketed. They fought back with renewed vigor, their movements growing more precise, their attacks more potent.
And amidst this chaos, in a corner of the battlefield, the battle between Mira and Zehir reached its climax. The exchange of their power created a dazzling spectacle of lights and sounds, attracting the attention of the surrounding disciples, who couldn't help but watch.
The 3-month long war had reached its peak as they entered the final battle.
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