Aina stood amid a pile of corpses, her slender neck tilted. The slight hints of crimson that dripped from her smooth lips shook the soul, her every action mesmerizing to the extreme.
It was hard for those who witnessed everything from start to finish to reconcile with what had just happened. In one moment, they had been deep within a pit of their own despair. But in the next, the enemies that had had control over their lives were suddenly all dead.
When Aina began to battle City Lord White, it became very obvious very quickly that the latter was completely unable to display her true power. Without a choice, the five White Knights of course forced their way toward their battle, only for them to become lambs to the slaughter.
Whatever hopes White City had to win this war were dashed. As the life drained from their City Lord, they all became aware that there was no longer a path for them to survive.
Aina's body pulsed with an unimaginable amount of power. Her skin flushed with a healthy red hue, a light sigh of satisfaction escaping her lips.
Just the sound alone made those who heard it feel their bones go soft. The way it delicately vibrated their ears made them feel as though all their inhibitions were being knocked down one after another. If she told them to jump to their death at this very moment, not a single one of them would hesitate.
In the skies, Mordred watched this with a slight frown, doing her best to keep control of her mind. Even she had to admit that she had never been so attracted by a woman before. It was taking all of her will not to bow down and kiss at Aina's feet.
'Is this the monster? Why is it so different from last time…?'
Mordred, unlike the others, knew that there would be times where Aina lost her rational mind. It wasn't that she became a different person, it was the very same Aina. It was just that in this state, she no longer filtered her actions. She did as she pleased, when she pleased.
Leonel had met this version of Aina just once before during their entry into the Joan Zone. Back then, Aina dove into a sea of Englishmen without regard for anything. It seemed that her stamina had become endless and her power had increased explosively.
However, Leonel could see the truth. He saw that she was bordering on fatigue and that her body might collapse at any time.
Though Leonel had been curious about what had happened back then, he assumed it had been related to Aina's Lineage Factor. After all, back then, he had sensed that there was something special about Aina's blood as well.
As a person who knew little of the Dimensional Verse, Leonel just assumed that whatever oddities Aina hid in her blood had to be related to her Lineage Factor. And, since a Lineage Factor originated from one's family and considering the fact Leonel knew how much Aina hated her own, he never pressed her for more information.
However, maybe…. Those things hadn't been so simple as they seemed.
Mordred wasn't sure why this time was so different from the last. It could be because of City Lord White's appearance or it could be because Aina had evolved.
But, regardless of what the reason was, Mordred was certain of two things.
The first was that Aina in such a state was absurdly powerful. Though City Lord White seemed to have been suppressed by her presence, she was still a Tier 7 existence. Not only that, but due to her ability being related to blood, her refinement level was far beyond a normal existence at this level.
Yet, Aina had treated her like a toy.
Unfortunately, that still left the second thing Mordred was certain of…
The sound of a heartbeat resounded through the battlefield.
Aina, who had been standing in an alluring posture in one moment, suddenly regained clarity. Her eyes, which had been an emotionless, abyssal pit, flashed with hints of pain. A heavy air of darkness swirl around her.
Before anyone could react, Aina's face burst into a river of foul black blood. The cursed leaches which had not long ago disappeared into her came back in full force and even several times more powerful than before.
Aina began to suffer a suppression worse than even what City Lord White had faced.
The veins all across her body blackened one after another, her face swelling to the point it became unrecognizable.
Her body shrank back to its original size. But, this time, whereas the scars had only been across her face before, they descended to her neck, crawling toward her heart.
Aina convulsed, her eyes rolling back as she collapsed to the ground.
She coughed, more foul black blood leaking from her lips.
"Aina!"
Mordred's eyes widened. She dove down from the skies, flashes of worry crossing her visage.
Even she couldn't put into words why she was so protective of this little girl. But, what she did know was that she couldn't stand seeing anything happen to her.
However, in that instant, Mordred wasn't the only one who moved.
Noah and Jessica had been on the frontlines since the very beginning. Though they didn't manage to have as large of an impact as they would have liked, no one could accuse them of not trying. But, this wasn't a matter that took any sort of precedence at this moment.
Before, Noah was willing to let Aina go for the moment because her strength wasn't something he had to worry about. Unfortunately, it was clear that the situation had changed now.
Aina was so powerful that he knew well that if she entered such a state again, he wouldn't stand a chance. In fact, he felt that beneath her presence, he couldn't even bear to lift a finger in an attempt to harm her. Such a feeling left him stifled as a Prince.
If she was really a member of the Brazinger family, she had to be detained. As for what his grandfather would decide to do after this, it would no longer have anything to do with him.
Without hesitation, Noah shot forward.. As though by tacit agreement, Jessica didn't lag behind a single step.