"Al Fura!"
Carlisle swung his sword, unleashing a sharp Wind Blade. The azure magic sliced through the air with a shrill whistle, flying precisely towards Regulus's left eye. Just as the Wind Blade was about to hit her eyes...
"Snap!"
Like glass hitting steel, the Wind Blade shattered into motes of light in mid-air, less than an inch from her eyeball.
Still no good, huh? Carlisle quickly rolled aside to avoid a counter-attack. His breathing was already somewhat ragged, but his mind was still racing. This was already the seventeenth probing attack. From ankle to nape, from Fingers to eyes, every theoretically possible weakness had been attempted, but the result was... "Bang!"
Another Yin Attribute arrow exploded near Regulus's temple, but it didn't even stir a single strand of her hair.
"Aren't you tired of playing yet? Buzzing around like an annoying mosquito..."
Subaru, standing at the edge of the battlefield, bit her lower lip hard. Her gaze was locked onto Regulus, her fingernails unconsciously digging into her palms.
What in the world is going on?!
Logically, every ability should have a flaw, just like Sloth's "Unseen Hand" requires visual sharing, and the White Whale's mist can be evaporated by fire magic or dispersed by wind magic. But this crazy woman in front of her... she simply cannot be hit! Not even her theoretically most fragile eyeballs... Looking at Regulus's unconcerned demeanor, Subaru felt a cold anger suddenly surge in her heart.
Why... why would such a perverted ability appear on such a piece of trash?!
"I'm telling you!"
Regulus spoke again.
"How many times do I have to tell you before you understand?!" She spread her hands out exaggeratedly. "I am the most perfect and flawless being in this world, from my heart to my body! Weaknesses? Flaws? Those are things only low-level creatures need. How could I possibly have them!"
She stomped her foot, and the ground instantly collapsed. The shockwave kicked up rubble and dust, turning into a powerful impact that rushed towards Carlisle.
"But you!" She pointed at Carlisle, gritting her teeth. "Dodging around like an annoying fly, wasting my precious time! Do you think you can win like this? Do you think you can make me reveal some 'flaw'? Don't make me laugh!"
Carlisle didn't respond, only silently adjusted his breathing. Fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead; each dodge made his movements slower.
No... if this continues... His thoughts raced, but every tactical idea was rejected the moment it formed.
Attack the eyes? Useless.
Magic interference? No effect.
Damn it... how am I supposed to fight this?!
His Fingers were white from over-gripping, the sword hilt almost crushed. A never-before-felt sense of powerlessness washed over him like a tide; facing an enemy that absolutely could not be harmed, even fighting became a futile struggle.
"Alright! Enough!"
Subaru's voice suddenly cut through the battlefield's clamor, making both combatants pause simultaneously. Carlisle quickly retreated, panting as he adjusted his stance, while Regulus sharply turned her head, her entire face filled with displeasure.
"Hey, hey, hey!" She immediately covered her ears exaggeratedly. "Keep it down! Didn't anyone teach you not to make loud noises in public? How did your parents raise you? Didn't your teacher tell you that noise pollution is a very unethical behavior?"
She lowered her hands, then put on a condescending expression of pity, "Ah, but never mind. You won't have a chance to correct it anyway." She spread her hands and smiled, "Don't worry, after I dismantle this impolite blue-haired knight into pieces, I'll come and properly 'educate' you on what etiquette means."
She feigned contemplation. "Or... did you interrupt us suddenly because you want to beg for mercy? What a pity~ Although I'm kind-hearted, you've severely violated my sacred rights! Attacking me! Interrupting me while I'm speaking! And burying me in the dirt!"
"Isn't it only right for me to defend my rights? Isn't it only proper for me to kill you? You wouldn't think an apology would work, would you? You wouldn't think I'd soften up if you cried, would you?"
Subaru ignored her mad ramblings, simply stepping forward to stand firmly in front of Carlisle.
"Subaru!?"
Carlisle's voice held obvious panic, but Subaru just turned back, giving him a faint smile. In her amber eyes, there was no fear, only a certain firm resolve.
She looked back at Regulus, took a deep breath, and spoke calmly.
"I understand. It seems you're the kind of person who values your own rights above all else, right?"
Regulus tilted her head, stunned. "Huh? Why are you suddenly saying that...?" She then put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest. "Of course! My rights are the most sacred and inviolable things in the world! More important than the kingdom's laws! Prioritized over the world's rules! Low-level creatures like you simply wouldn't understand... Wait! You're not trying to curry favor with me now, are you? Too late! It's too late! My rights have been trampled into a thousand pieces by you barbarians!"
She excitedly counted on her fingers, listing them out.
"First! Attacking the perfect me with a dirty trap! Second! Interrupting my carefully prepared speech! Third! Daring to bury me in the dirt!"
"This level of offense has no other way to be appeased except by crushing you into a pulp! Even if you were to kneel down and lick my shoes right now--"
Subaru suddenly interrupted her. "I completely understand your attitude. But before that, I have something to say." Subaru leaned slightly forward. "You'll listen to me finish, right? After all-- 'freedom of speech' is a basic right that even an ant should have, shouldn't it?"
Subaru deliberately paused. "If even this small right is to be stripped away... then wouldn't you become the very kind of 'violator of others' rights' that you despise the most?"
Regulus froze instantly. "Ugh...!" Her facial muscles began to twitch. "You, you, you...! How dare you use my own logic to...!" She tore at her hair in frustration.
"Argh, I'm so annoyed! A mere ant, yet so eloquent! Fine! Speak quickly if you must! But if you dare say anything about begging for mercy, I'll--"
"Let me guess, you decided to deal with Carlisle first before me because Carlisle violated your rights more..."
Regulus furiously interrupted. "Huh?! Isn't that an obvious fact?!" She wildly waved her hands. "That man! First, he attacked me with a dirty trap! Then he interrupted my carefully prepared speech! And finally, he dared to bury me! The noble Regulus-sama! In the dirt like a radish! Is this the kind of nonsense you interrupted my righteous judgment for?!"
"Will you shut up first?!" Subaru suddenly raised her voice.
In Regulus's stunned gaze, she continued. "I haven't finished speaking. By interrupting me now, aren't you infringing on my 'right to speak'? Isn't that a double standard?"
Regulus's body instantly stiffened. Her entire face flushed red at a visible speed... It was from anger. Her fingers twitched nervously. However, she actually didn't make any further moves, but the air around her began to distort unnaturally, and the rubble beneath her feet silently turned to dust.
She actually didn't make a move... A glint flashed in Subaru's eyes. Although her ability was terrifyingly powerful, her logical thinking was surprisingly simple... "If you think about it, there's actually someone here whose actions infringed on your rights even more egregiously."
Regulus's pupils constricted. "Who? Show me the evidence! Is there anyone who could be more than that damn knight--"
"I'm telling you!"
Subaru loudly interrupted her speech, quickly interjecting in the moment of her dazed. "I, ah, finally figured it out."
"Figured out? Figured out what?" Regulus suddenly clapped her hands, self-importantly. "Ah~ Have you finally realized how despicable you are? But I already said begging for mercy is no--"
Subaru interrupted her again. "Your invincible ability, that is." She stared directly into the other's trembling golden pupils. "It's the authority to manipulate time, right? On the surface, it seems unsolvable, but in essence, it's just achieving absolute defense by stopping your own time and that of anything you touch." Subaru chuckled and spread her hands. "Indeed, once the secret is revealed, it's not such a big deal after all."
Carlisle behind her widened his eyes in shock; he didn't understand why she would voluntarily expose such information.
The air suddenly solidified. Regulus's face twisted and deformed like melting wax, her originally proper features squeezed into a jumble. A pressure even more terrifying than before erupted from her body.
"So... so that's how it is..." Her voice suddenly became incredibly soft, yet it made everyone's hair stand on end. "That bastard who is even worse than the knight... it's you... You dare to violate my most important right! To presume to guess at someone else's secrets!!!"
Subaru gazed at the furious, almost distorted Regulus, a calm smile playing on her lips.
"Oh, and one more thing~" She deliberately drew out the end of her sentence, her voice light. "You just said you wanted Carlisle to be your 48th husband, but he refused, right?"
Regulus's entire face flushed crimson, and she shrieked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"That man betrayed me first!!! I generously gave him a chance! I was even willing to condescend and accept a low-level creature like him! Yet he dared, he dared to refuse the perfect me?! This is an absolute desecration of my sacred rights! An insult to my character! It's a--"
Subaru looked at Greed, who clearly wanted to tear her to shreds immediately but still tried to seize the moral high ground with her words, and a glint of cunning flashed in her eyes.
Sure enough... this guy absolutely needs to be on the "righteous" side, no matter what.
"And one more thing~" Subaru suddenly winked playfully, deliberately speaking in a sweet, almost provocative tone:
"Actually, Carlisle refused you... because of me." She reached out and gently straightened Carlisle's collar. "Our relationship was decided long ago~ Although there's also a lovely maid in this relationship..."
"But you know~" She tilted her head, showing a triumphant smile, "On this point, you really lost completely!"
"Also, the trap was actually set by me."
"Die... Die!!!"
Regulus's voice suddenly rose, so sharp it almost tore the air. Her sanity completely snapped, her golden pupils bloodshot with rage, her entire face twisted beyond recognition. Overwhelming killing intent surged like a tide, and even the surrounding air trembled with her fury.
"Subaru! Run!"
Carlisle immediately moved to shield Subaru, the glow of flight magic already coalescing at his Fingers. However--
Subaru suddenly reached out and hugged him.
"Trust me."
Her voice was very soft, yet it carried an undeniable firmness. Carlisle froze. He could feel Subaru's heartbeat pressed against him, steady and strong, without the slightest hint of panic.
"You adulterous couple! Die!!!"
Regulus's shriek even carried a hint of a sob. Immediately after, a deafening roar swept over them. She unleashed her attack without reservation; a terrifying force capable of leveling the entire forest rushed towards Subaru and Carlisle!
Subaru cried out in her heart.
Come out! You arrogant sword!!!
Just as the destructive attack was about to reach Subaru--
"Boom-!!!"
A deafening dragon's roar echoed through the sky, and blazing sacred flames erupted from Subaru's body like a volcanic eruption! In the blinding firelight, a long-unheard, majestic voice suddenly rang out:
[Blaze--Sword!!!]
...
Re@d adv@nce ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.