Chapter 434

Chapter 434: Battle

The hunt of the Stealth Ants did not proceed smoothly either, for among the imperial troops entering the royal capital were some troublesome figures.

“Who are you?! The kingdom’s military commander… You don’t seem like one. Are you meddlesome adventurers?”

Youke, gripping his long spear, fixed a grave gaze upon the two graceful, black-veiled women blocking his path. Though their eyes and figures suggested great beauty, Youke had no mind for such thoughts now.

His eyes flickered sideways.

Three soldiers lay there—one from the earlier group of black-robed mages.

Unbelievable. These women could turn invisible. Had he not sensed that sliver of killing intent, he too might have… A trace of cold sweat beaded on Youke’s forehead.

Their eerie invisibility made Stealth 3000 and Stealth 3001 impose even greater pressure than the kingdom’s former general.

Yet…

Youke glanced behind him once more.

Mage Hanno—who had earlier shattered the city gate with a magical artifact—stood flanked by soldiers and black-robed mages.

Mage Hanno needless to say, though no match for the kingdom’s Chief Mage… no, should he say the former Chief Mage Merleau? While inferior to that one’s power, Hanno remained a formidable Class B high-level mage, adept in wind and lightning magic.

The remaining fifty-plus soldiers and black-robed mages were elites among elites—including several lower Class B mages and warriors. Their strength was undeniable, for this squad had been meant to escape the capital amid the imperial soldiers’ slaughter.

As for himself? A battle-hardened Class B high-level warrior who had recently felled the kingdom’s general.

Victory was certain… Mere women. Just wait—he’d deal with them thoroughly after their defeat. Heh…

Despite lingering unease, Youke charged forward after signaling Mage Hanno, spear leveled.

Time favored their enemies. Though distant, the five Earth Dragons’ emergence had shaken Youke and Hanno—they knew those monsters were beyond them.

…

“He charges. A Class B LV.29 human—quite rare among their race. Your move? Shall I handle this, or will you?”

Stealth 3000 smiled, glancing at Stealth 3001 beside her.

“I alone suffice. Merely extra effort.”

Stealth 3001 replied somewhat irritably.

“Oh? Keeping all the spoils? Earlier you dismissed Mother’s reward as rumor, yet now you scheme to claim it alone? How cunning~”

“…Hmph.”

Knowing herself outmatched in words, Stealth 3001 flushed beneath her veil. With a cold snort, she surged toward spear-wielding Youke.

Though tempted to tease further, Stealth 3000 fell silent as Mage Hanno and the mages behind Youke stirred. In a flicker, she shot toward the mages with speed rivaling Stealth 3001’s.

The mages recoiled, shouting for soldiers to block while swinging their wands toward the onrushing Stealth 3000.

But before spells could form, Stealth 3000 disappeared from her original position—footsteps and scent vanishing simultaneously…

“Gone?! No—invisibility!”

“The footsteps have vanished too. Could it still be in the same place?”

A mage realized this and cast a spell toward the spot where Stealth 3000 had just disappeared.

A burst of flames exploded in the empty air.

The enemy wasn’t there!

The mages’ hearts sank as they realized Stealth 3000 could conceal not only her form but also all sound.

If she hadn’t stayed put, then where…

The thought had barely formed when several wet *thwacks* echoed through the air. Soldiers standing before the mages fell headless to the ground.

“It’s coming! That thing is coming!!”

A soldier shrieked in terror at his companion’s gruesome death, only for his voice to choke off abruptly. His head tumbled from his shoulders with a sickening *thud*.

“Fools! Hold your positions! Cast defensive spells!”

Mage Hanno barked, his hooded face obscured by swirling mist. The remaining black-robed mages snapped to attention, hastily weaving protective magic over the soldiers shielding them.

Yet the low-level mages’ defenses were no match for Stealth 3000, a max-level Class B assassin. The spells merely bought the soldiers fleeting moments of awareness before their inevitable deaths.

“Damned incompetents!”

Hanno spat the curse. Mirroring his actions at the city gate, he drew a pale cyan Magic Crystal pulsing with immense power from his sleeve. After a reluctant glance, he crushed it. Raw magic surged through his arm and into his raised magic wand.

As Hanno began chanting, the magical energy spiking around him made Stealth 3001 and Stealth 3000 exchange alarmed glances. This crystal was extraordinary – they sensed genuine threat emanating from him.

*This power must be temporary,* they realized. *Retreating now is the safest move…*

*But if we fall back… they’ll escape. Tracking them again would waste precious time. Worse, other sisters might claim these kingdom troops first…*

*What’s the play?*

While they hesitated, Hanno completed his incantation. He thrust his magic wand skyward… and countless massive, invisible wind blades materialized above, hurtling outward in a lethal storm.

*Disaster! Area-effect magic!*

Stealth 3000, closer to the mages, gritted her teeth and scrambled backward. Yet the blades were relentless, slicing through every escape path.

Even as the spell unleashed, several kingdom soldiers were caught in the onslaught, severed into chunks where they stood.

Within a hundred-meter radius, wind blades shredded pavement, buildings, vegetation—utter devastation.

Seeing evasion impossible, Stealth 3000 desperately raised her dagger to parry.

The blade held against two impacts, notching deeply. On the third strike, the force ripped the dagger from her grasp.

*Thwack—*

With that wet impact, a woman wearing a black veil materialized in the open. Her bisected body hit the ground with a heavy *thud*, blood spreading across the earth…