chapter 30
Near the edge of the collapsing hall—
The King of Stonehaven tried to retreat.
Dragging himself through the chaos, he moved with unsteady steps. His face was twisted—humiliation, fear, and rage all collapsing into one.
King: "This is not how it ends…"
A shadow cut across his path.
The Princess stood in front of him.
Calm.
Unmoving.
Blocking his escape.
King: "You—!"
Before he could finish—
She struck.
Fast. Clean. Precise.
A direct blow to his jaw.
THUD.
The king staggered backward.
Princess (cold): "Stay down."
Another strike followed immediately.
He collapsed.
Unconscious.
The Princess exhaled once, steadying herself.
Then turned away as if he no longer mattered.
Princess (calm): "Take him somewhere safe."
Her gaze shifted toward the King of Lumivale.
Princess: "Stay out of this fight. This is not your battlefield."
A pause.
Princess: "Go."
The King of Lumivale hesitated for only a moment.
Then stepped back under his guards' protection, retreating from the center of the destruction.
---
Meanwhile—
Marco moved through the battlefield with sharp focus.
Controlled. Precise.
Princess: "Marco… civilians first. No exceptions."
Marco nodded once.
Marco: "Understood."
Without hesitation, he redirected his attention—guiding survivors out of the collapsing hall, one group at a time.
---
Back at the center—
The fight had only grown worse.
Chris collided with Bkka again.
BOOM!
A shockwave cracked through the floor.
Chris slid backward, laughing even through the pain.
Chris: "Okay… that one actually hurt!"
John followed immediately.
Precise strikes. Controlled movement.
CLANG! CLANG!
Guinevere joined the rhythm—blue flames clashing violently against yellow fire.
But Bkka adapted.
Faster.
Heavier.
More brutal.
The balance shifted again.
In a sudden burst—
Bkka broke through their formation.
He struck Chris first.
A heavy, crushing blow.
Chris crashed into a broken pillar.
Chris (groaning): "Oof… okay, that was not fun."
Before anyone could recover—
He moved again.
Guinevere was next.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
She blocked at first—but the pressure kept increasing, relentless.
A final strike landed cleanly.
She was thrown across the hall, sliding over fractured stone.
A thin trail of blood marked the corner of her lip.
For a fraction of a second—
Silence.
John's expression changed instantly.
John: "…Guinevere."
Bkka exhaled slowly.
Bkka: "You were strong."
A pause.
Bkka: "But not enough."
The air shifted again.
Cold.
Heavy.
Controlled rage.
The Princess stepped forward.
Slowly.
Her expression unreadable—but her presence changed everything.
Princess: "Enough."
Her voice was not loud.
But it stopped the battlefield for a heartbeat.
Even the flames seemed to hesitate.
Bkka's faint smile faded slightly.
Just a fraction.
Because something had changed.
The real fight was beginning.
---
The Grand Hall was no longer a structure.
It was ruins breathing fire.
Yellow flames tore through the air like storms.
Blue flames clashed against them like crashing waves.
Stone shattered under pressure that felt unnatural—almost impossible.
And at the center of it all—
Bkka stood alone.
Unshaken.
Unmoved.
Like something that didn't belong in the world itself.
The Princess stepped forward.
Calm—but sharp-eyed.
Princess: "You've gone too far."
Bkka tilted his head slightly.
Bkka: "Too far?"
A faint smile returned.
Bkka: "No… I think I've only just started."
Without warning—
He moved.
FAST.
The Princess reacted instantly.
Their clash erupted the moment they met.
BOOM!
Her strike collided with his arm—but the impact barely shifted him.
Princess: "Tch—!"
She twisted mid-motion, attempting to follow up—
But Bkka countered instantly.
A brutal strike sent her sliding backward across shattered stone.
John's eyes narrowed sharply.
John (thinking): Why does this feel… familiar?
Chris pushed himself up.
Chris: "Alright—my turn!"
He charged forward again—wild, aggressive.
But Bkka didn't even fully turn.
A single elbow.
THUD.
Chris crashed into another broken pillar.
Chris (laughing weakly): "…Amazing. That was fast."
He wiped blood from his lip.
Chris: "He's not normal at all…"
---
Bkka suddenly shifted his attention.
A single movement.
He grabbed the Princess mid-recovery.
Princess: "—!"
And without hesitation—
He threw her.
CRASH!
Her body smashed into a shattered pillar. Dust exploded outward.
John's voice sharpened instantly.
John: "Princess!"
Bkka exhaled slowly.
Bkka: "Is this really the strongest resistance you have?"
The Princess tried to rise.
Her hand trembled against the cracked ground.
But her body didn't fully respond.
Too much damage. Too many impacts.
She coughed—blood staining the stone beneath her.
Princess (low voice): "…Not yet…"
Bkka walked closer.
Slow.
Calm.
Like a predator approaching something already broken.
He grabbed her again—
And threw her once more.
CRASH!
This time, she didn't rise immediately.
The battlefield seemed to tighten.
Chris's expression changed.
Chris: "…Okay. That's enough of that."
Guinevere pushed herself up slowly.
Blue flames flickering again—but unstable now.
Heavier.
Angrier.
Guinevere: "You've made a mistake."
Her voice had changed.
Controlled rage.
Bkka glanced at her.
Bkka: "Another one?"
Guinevere: "You shouldn't have touched her."
BOOM.
Her aura exploded outward.
Blue flames surged across her body—arms, shoulders, and blade engulfed in burning light.
John's eyes widened slightly.
John (thinking): She's pushing herself again…
Marco's voice came from afar as he guided civilians:
Marco: "Her output is rising uncontrollably…"
Guinevere moved.
Faster than before.
CLASH!
For the first time—
Bkka was pushed back slightly.
Just a step.
But it was enough.
Guinevere didn't stop.
Strike after strike.
Her speed increased.
Her flames sharpened.
Bkka's faint smile returned.
Bkka: "Better."
They clashed again.
And again.
And again.
But then—
Bkka changed.
No longer defending.
Now dominating.
A single strike broke her guard.
Another followed immediately.
BAM! BAM!
Guinevere staggered.
Blood touched her lips.
But she didn't stop.
Chris suddenly rushed in from the side.
Chris: "Oi! Don't ignore me!"
He aimed for an opening—
But Bkka reacted instantly.
A shift.
A counter coming—
Chris froze.
At the last second—
Guinevere shoved him away.
CRACK!
The strike missed his head by inches.
Chris blinked.
Chris: "…You saved me?"
He looked at her, slightly stunned.
Then smiled faintly.
Chris (soft grin): "You're strong… and kinda pretty too."
Guinevere didn't even turn fully toward him.
Guinevere: "Focus. We're still fighting."
Chris chuckled.
Chris: "Yeah… yeah. Got it."
She turned back immediately.
Blue flames surging once more.
Guinevere: "I won't let you keep standing."
Bkka tilted his head.
Bkka: "Then try harder."
---
The battle escalated again.
Guinevere pushed further.
Her aura stabilizing—then exploding again.
Blue flames reaching new intensity.
John rejoined the pressure, searching for openings.
But Bkka—
Was still stronger.
Still faster.
Still overwhelming.
One final exchange—
BAM!
He broke through her guard.
Another strike followed.
Then another.
Guinevere's movements slowed.
Her body finally gave in.
She staggered.
Then dropped to one knee.
Blood marked her face.
Breathing heavy.
Bkka grabbed her.
And struck.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Her defenses barely held.
Guinevere (weakly): "I… impossible…"
Her vision blurred.
John attempted an attack from behind—
But Bkka reacted instantly and sent him flying back with a single strike.
Then—
He threw Guinevere aside.
CRASH!
Silence fell for a fraction of a second.
John's eyes darkened completely.
Chris stopped moving.
The battlefield had changed again.
Bkka stood at the center.
Still calm.
Still smiling.
Bkka: "Is this all?"
The Grand Hall trembled violently.
And the war continued.
…CHAPTER 30 ENDS…