Chapter 104: [Chapter 104 ● The Bitter Taste of Defeat!]
Unlike him, they remained under constant support from Lightning Vector. Their trajectories shifted repeatedly, their angles changed without warning, and their pursuit patterns adapted in real time.
Within seconds, the battlefield became filled with erratic arcs of frost and lightning as the five execution blades relentlessly chased their target.
For the first time since the spar had begun, even Aphryne could feel the pressure beginning to build. Despite the protection offered by Umbral Slipstream: Zero Veil, avoiding five independently controlled execution blades proved significantly more troublesome than avoiding a single husband.
Aphryne successfully dodged once more, yet in the very next moment, her expression turned solemn.
The frost blade that should have flown harmlessly past her suddenly made an instantaneous right-angle turn and lunged directly toward her heart.
She dodged.
Another descended from above, aiming for her neck; she shifted her position just enough for it to miss.
A third came from behind, intending to cleave her in half; again, she slipped away at the last possible moment. From the front, from the side, from above, and from below—the angles and directions no longer mattered. The winter blades had completely locked onto her.
For twenty straight seconds, the relentless harassment continued.
Then, finally: PIERCE!
One of the blades successfully penetrated her thigh. The attack came from her blind side and drove straight through the muscle before embedding itself into the ground beneath her. The injury wasn’t severe, but it didn’t need to be; it halted her movement for a fraction of a second. And a fraction of a second was enough.
PIERCE!
A second frost blade plunged into her abdomen.
PIERCE!
A third buried itself into her chest, stopping barely an inch away from her heart.
"Augh—!" Aphryne gritted her teeth. For the first time since the battle had begun, her movement completely stalled. She looked forward. Standing there was Aezaleon, his body crackling with violent arcs of purple lightning as the superior concept of Lightning Vector surged around him once more.
The moment the frost blades succeeded, he had immediately shifted the concept back onto himself.
Aphryne’s crimson eyes gleamed. Locked onto a single target, Obsidian Edge—the black greatsword—was already descending toward her neck.
A smirk appeared on Aezaleon’s face. ’Next time, you shouldn’t play around so much, good wife!’ The mental message reached her a moment before the strike itself. Truthfully, he was delighted; defeating Aphryne was not an easy accomplishment.
SWUNG! SPURT!
For a brief instant, Aphryne saw her own body: headless, still standing. A strange disbelief appeared in her eyes. Twice, she had died twice in her life.
THUD.
Her severed head struck the ground. The world darkened, and her consciousness was swallowed by oblivion.
"HAAAH!"
Aphryne’s eyes snapped open. Her real body abruptly sat upright, drawing in a sharp breath as though she had just escaped drowning.
For several seconds, she simply breathed.
Then, her gaze immediately locked onto Aezaleon.
A glare followed.
"You..." She raised a trembling finger and pointed directly at him. "You didn’t even hesitate, husband?!" Her face flushed bright red with embarrassment. Of all the possible ways to lose, she certainly hadn’t expected to be decapitated in front of her entire family.
Aezaleon’s lips curved into a subtle grin.
"That’s your punishment for playing around with your husband, bad wife!" There wasn’t even the slightest trace of guilt in his voice; in fact, he seemed rather pleased with himself. "And now it’s finally clear who’s stronger. Me."
The declaration was delivered with such confidence that Aphryne’s eye twitched. The next instant, she shot to her feet. "I refuse to accept it! I want a rematch! I’m clearly stronger than you!"
Aezaleon merely shrugged, his smile widening. "Not happening, my good wife. I’m not a fool, nor am I particularly interested in experiencing what death feels like." He pointed toward the battlefield—more specifically, toward the headless corpse still lying on the grass.
"Besides, it doesn’t really matter what you say now. Because I already killed you." His expression became even more smug.
Aphryne’s eye twitched again.
"See that body over there? That was you a few moments ago." Aezaleon gestured toward the corpse as though presenting undeniable evidence before a court. "It clearly proves who’s stronger, right?" He turned toward the others, seeking support or perhaps validation, most likely both. The result was immediate.
"Indeed, sister." Auguszta nodded solemnly. "You died approximately a hundred times during those last few moments, so you’re obviously weaker." A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. She folded her arms and adopted the demeanor of a wise elder sister imparting valuable life lessons. "Rather than rejecting reality like a bad girl, you should accept the truth."
Aphryne stared at her in disbelief. Not even a second later, Anastasia joined in. "I completely agree with this outcome. Sister Aphryne is weaker." The statement was delivered with such cold certainty that it almost sounded like an official verdict.
Aphryne slowly turned her head and looked at Clementine. Surely her big sister would be reasonable.
Unfortunately, Clementine was trying very hard not to laugh. The moment their eyes met, the corners of her lips betrayed her. That was enough. Aphryne immediately understood she had been abandoned—completely and utterly—by all three of her sisters.
"Hmph!"
Crossing her arms, she turned her head away and grumbled under her breath, her cheeks remaining puffed up in indignation. ’I will definitely remember this.’ The vow echoed firmly within her mind; sooner or later, she would get her revenge, and when that day came, none of them would be laughing.
Fortunately for everyone present, the conversation naturally drifted away from Aphryne’s tragic defeat before she could begin plotting anything immediately. Several minutes passed as they chatted casually beneath the starlit sky of the Soul Sea. Then suddenly—
"Ah, big sister..." Aphryne spoke up.
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Umbral Slipstream: Zero Veil is a speed-defense hybrid ability that envelops the user in flowing Darkwind, drastically enhancing mobility and evasive capability. By reducing resistance, subtly shifting the user’s position, and interfering with incoming attacks, it allows the user to move with such fluid precision that attacks frequently miss or lose much of their effectiveness. The ability also leaves behind deceptive Darkwind trails that confuse opponents and can retaliate against reckless pursuers. At its highest level, the user’s movements become so precise that attacks appear to pass harmlessly through them.
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Detailed explanation in Author’s Thoughts!
