Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Hetia's thoughts returned to the battle. She smiled coldly, took out a potion, and plunged it into her own neck without hesitation.

The blue potion shot deep into her body through the syringe, a wave of frenzied sensation washing over her, followed by an overwhelming surge of power! Unparalleled power!

A surge of fighting spirit erupted from Hetia, sweeping across everything within a five-meter radius. The veins beneath her fair skin turned deep purple, forming claw-like lines on her delicate face.

Unable to dodge in time, Liu Xia was heavily struck by the crimson battle aura and sent flying. A sharp pain shot through his chest, his blood and qi stagnated, and the pain felt like being compressed into a paper doll by the Hundred-Ton King...

After landing, it tumbled like a raging tumbleweed, kicking up dirt, and finally crashed hard into a tree.

"Ryusha!!!" Kania exclaimed, rushing over anxiously. "Are you alright?"

Fortunately, the bandits that Kania had arranged arrived, and they were used by Kania as expendable resources to buy time.

In the eyes of a group of bandits, Hetia, who looked like a demon descended to earth, transformed into a delicate beauty. The bewitched bandits shouted, "Line up! Take your time! Everyone gets a share!" and rushed towards Hetia.

Hetia seemed to be in a state of frenzy, unable to recognize who was in front of her, and simply tore them apart one by one based on instinct, but at least she bought Ryukyu some breathing time...

With his head down and buttocks up, his head sandwiched between his legs, Liuxia painfully exhaled a breath of suffocation, followed by two mouthfuls of blood. The unfortunate position caused the blood to flow into his nostrils, making him feel even worse.

"This is not what was agreed upon. How come there is a second stage? This was not mentioned in your intelligence report."

Ryuka looked at Kania's upside-down face and said irritably, "It's like a boss in a game suddenly using a skill that didn't exist before, and its level has also evolved."

"And what about the previous mistakes? Where did you get your intelligence from?"

Although she didn't know what 'phase two' meant, Kania still explained it with a wronged expression.

"A friendly street vendor auntie A in the capital, a loose-lipped student B from the military academy, a kind-hearted noble lady C, and an information broker D with fair prices..."

Yes, what legitimate intelligence channels could a forestry officer's daughter possibly have? Kania only recently awakened as a witch, so it's already quite impressive that she was able to obtain previous intelligence. As for higher royal secrets, who would have thought that a small town like Linhu would be involved in such matters?

"I've gotten on your pirate ship..."

"Ryusha... I'm sorry... How are you feeling?" Kania bit her lip, helping him up with heartache, her eyes filled with apologetic tears and tender affection.

"You really care about me?" Liu Xia looked at her with a 'I don't believe it' expression, seeing how much she cared for her beloved.

"It's fake. If you can't take it anymore, I'm going to run away." Kania's expression instantly returned to a playful smile, and the tears in her eyes were sucked back like snot, which was astonishing.

"You bitch! I knew you were acting!"

Ryuga pinched Kania's bottom hard, making her whimper. But he wasn't really angry; it was her witch blood that made her this way.

This plan was something she wanted herself, driven by her ambition. Ryuka is willing to accept any outcome; she will bear the consequences of her own choices.

Hetia gradually regained her senses from the frenzy of the injection, a surge of power coursing through her body. But she only had five minutes; she couldn't let the two before her escape. (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the preceding sentences.)

Bang! The dirt kicked up from under the metal heel like a wave and was sent flying backward. Hetia charged forward like a cheetah, her crimson battle aura instantly turning the bandits in her path into mincemeat.

Blood, bones, internal organs... were swirled together by red battle aura into a crimson corridor, the firelight refracting like the clouds of a setting sun. In the very center, a girl wielding a sword attacked, just as her family's bloodline name, "Sunset Dancer," suggested.

"Get out of the way!"

Ryuka's pupils contracted, and without hesitation, she pushed Kania away, but she didn't have time to dodge the crimson impact.

*Clang! Clang! Splat!* The two longswords clashed, sparks flying! Their bodies collided, and Ryuka's sword shattered like ice! Hetia's longsword pierced his shoulder, her battle aura instantly pouring in, almost tearing half of his body apart.

The immense pain caused Ryuga's muscles to tense involuntarily. He was almost pressed against Hetia, with only the hilt of the broken sword remaining, and Hetia's cold blade and pupils visible behind it.

The fighting spirit around her stung her nerves like a storm of blades. Ryuka gritted her teeth and kicked Hetia, her entire calf being mangled and bloodied by the fighting spirit. Fortunately, she was physically strong and did not end up like a bandit.

His body was kicked backward, but Hetia appeared beside Ryūka even faster and slashed down heavily on his floating body!

With nowhere else to lean on, Ryuga watched as she raised her longsword high. Time seemed to slow down, as if foreshadowing his impending departure from this world he had only stayed in for a few years!

With a snap, the bowstring snapped! Then came the sound of a crossbow bolt whistling through the air. Hetia merely sneered. This was just another interference from that witch. No need to pay any attention to it…?

Ok?

The immense impact pierced her ribs and penetrated half of her lung. Hetia's body stiffened, and she lost her balance, falling to the ground. The blade grazed Ryūka's body, missing its mark...

Chapter 18 The Cruel Witch's Approval

Many historical events originated from seemingly insignificant individuals, yet they have profoundly influenced the course of history, such as the two gunshots in Sarajevo.

Even centuries from now, when the world talks about this night, there will be the same sighs, and at the same time, a toast will be raised to the emperor and his empresses who still stand atop the world, overlooking the globe...

Not far away, the Viscountess stood dejectedly holding a large, exquisite crossbow, her face streaked with tears.

The other three had all forgotten about this person.

At the bonfire party, the Viscountess had no interest in the roasted meat and cheap beer made by the village girl. She ate some of the snacks she had with her and then went back to her carriage to sleep.

She was overlooked because she was just a middle-aged woman without any fighting skills, someone who could be dealt with at any time.

When she was awakened by the conversation between Liuxia and Hetia, she dared not make a sound. Even when she saw Hetia pierce her son's chest, she covered her mouth tightly, not letting out a single cry, only silent tears.

But when she realized that no matter who won between Ryukyu and Hetia, she wouldn't survive, her fear wasn't so intense anymore.

The Viscountess pulled a box from under the carriage, took out the crossbow that had been prepared for a long time, and slowly and laboriously wound it up with a winch. Then she loaded the special crossbow bolt that had been prepared for Hetia.

She had planned to wait until the Third Prince's men arrived, then personally use this giant crossbow, designed to kill knights, to kill that annoying stepdaughter.

She was just a third-rate socialite, and Hetia's father, a fallen knight, was the best she could manage to seduce. Although his family fortune wasn't large, they lived a decent life, and it would be enough for his son—far better than when she had crawled out of the slums.

But that stepdaughter who had never given him a second glance from day one! had actually awakened the family's bloodline fighting spirit! And even gained the favor of the princess and made meritorious contributions in battle! He absolutely could not let her kick him and his son out of the Tartu family!

Just then, the Third Prince's men contacted her...

But none of that mattered anymore. She looked at Hetia, whom she had shot, and gave a bleak smile.

Within a distance of less than ten meters, that steel crossbow bolt was enough to pierce through an iron plate a finger thick. Even if Hetia was wearing armor, she would not be able to withstand it, not to mention that her equipment had long been stripped off by Ryusha, leaving only her forearms and calves in armor.

However, with the help of the K18 potion, the crossbow bolt that could have taken her life was shattered by the blood-red battle aura protecting her, only managing to pierce half of her lung.

But that was enough for the Viscountess; her revenge was complete. She dropped the giant crossbow, took out a cylinder, and fired it into the sky.

Whoosh! Bang! A bright signal flare exploded in the night sky, visible even from tens of kilometers away. This was her final contribution to the Third Prince's men, telling them that she had encountered an accident, that the target was here, and to come and kill her.

Whether they can see it or not is irrelevant.

Greed knows no bounds; the wicked eventually reap what they sow. Perhaps he shouldn't have gotten involved in the power struggles at the top, coming to Linhu Town to seize the title. Staying in the capital and severing ties with Hetia is better than dying in the wilderness. At least in the capital, Hetia wouldn't dare to kill her legally stepmother brother so easily…

"You filthy bitch!!!"

Hetia's face twisted into a demonic contortion, her furious eyes wide open to their limit. She forcefully pulled out the crossbow bolt, leaped forward, and cleaved her stepmother's body in two from her left shoulder to her right hip!

Her severe injuries slowly healed under the effects of the K18 drug. In a fit of rage, she trampled on her stepmother's corpse until it was a bloody mess...

After she finished venting, Ryukyu and Kania were nowhere to be seen...

Did they escape?

In the shadows of the woods, Kania was lying on top of Ryūka, gesturing for him to be quiet...

Not far away, Hetia was looking around. Kania was using [Charm] to change others' perception of her, lying on Ryusha as 'camouflage', while using [Playwright] to weaken Hetia's senses when Hetia's gaze swept over.

Although Kania's magic power was also nearing its limit, she had to persevere. Now it was a matter of who would give up first, her or Hetia's.

Ryūka and Kania both clearly saw the potion Hetia used, and even a fool could tell that its effects wouldn't last long. As long as they could hold out until the effects wore off, victory would be on their side...

Ryuka understood this as well. Despite the pain feeling like a knife scraping her head, she endured it and dared not make a sound.

Silence has once again become the dominant theme of the night.

“He escaped… No, his injuries prevent him from moving. That witch couldn’t have run that fast while carrying someone.”

Hetia glanced at the bloodstains left by Ryusha, which had disappeared halfway through. Recalling the witch's strange abilities, she smiled.

"They really are two mice; they're quite adept at hiding."

Boom! Boom! Boom! The crimson battle aura began to attack everything around indiscriminately, even the surviving cavalry and warhorses, and even her four subordinates, were devoured by Hetia's sword aura.

She no longer trusted any of her senses, relying solely on reason. Convinced the two were hiding nearby, she decided to destroy everything!

Branches snapped, sand and gravel flew, lake water churned… Two attacks swept past Kania's body, countless fragments of stone and wood piercing her flesh, yet she still held tightly to Ryuxia, her stubborn eyes holding back tears, her teeth clenched so she wouldn't utter a sound. (The last two lines are a nonsensical string of characters and cannot be translated.)

Aren't you coming out yet?

With only five minutes left and her internal energy dwindling, Hetia clicked her tongue and helplessly pulled out a sphere.

Although it was intended to be used as a test weapon at Tianhu Lake in Linhu Town, it was unavoidable at this moment. I will apologize to His Highness later.

Hetia pressed the button on it, throwing the sphere into the air. Intense magic then burst forth, emitting an eerie and dazzling light.

"Um……"

The magic of the explosion had no effect on the surrounding area, but it made Kania feel uncomfortable and she couldn't help but let out a muffled groan. At that moment, the witch's power also failed.

Hetia keenly caught this soft exclamation, and a smug smile appeared on her lips.

"Here they are." Hetia looked in the direction of the voice, and between the two deep ravines, Kania and Ryusha's figures were clearly visible. The witch's limbs were buried under broken stones and wood, and the purple radiance of her hair had faded, turning into a dull flaxen color.

As expected of His Highness, the weapons he made are indeed useful. The magic bombs, which are designed for first and second-level heretics, can also be effective against witches. The seal above Linhu Town must also be effective, which can be considered as verification.

"Die." Hetia casually swung her sword, about to end this boring game. She was also nearing her limit, but the two on the ground had no chance of dodging this attack.

*Thud!* The sound of sword energy slicing through flesh was clearly audible.

In the instant the sword energy struck, Ryuka struggled to roll off Kania, pulled her into his arms, and took the blow with his back.

"Pfft! Cough cough! It hurts so much..."

Ryusha coughed up blood very faintly, then a large spurt of blood sprayed out, splattering onto Kania's terrified and surprised face.

A huge gash ran through his entire back, and in the ripped wound, there were clearly visible cracks on his ribs and spine, and blood gushed all over his body.

Why... even though she keeps saying she won't trust me, even though she knows she's a witch who won't fall in love with anyone, does she always protect my life at crucial moments?

"We're allies, right?"

Seeing Kania's blank expression, Ryuka forced a smile.

This wicked woman could have abandoned me and left, even though she would have died from the torment of lust, she could at least have lived a few more years.

Even though she can't fall in love with him, as an ally, he's been loyal enough, hasn't he?

He's increasingly driven to conquer her heart. One day, Ryuka will make her die for him, not just physically, but also spiritually.

But now...

"Since we're allies, could you acknowledge me as the 'captain' of the two-person team? Even just once would be fine?"

Chapter 19 Reversal, the Power of Tyranny

"You're really competitive; this isn't the time for flirting..."

Kania was about to retort when she suddenly thought of something.

Liu Xia's past flashed through her mind, especially his role as the 'King of the Kids' in Linhu Town. Coupled with his strange fighting abilities and physical attributes, could his heretical power be...?

"Will we win, Captain?"

Kania smiled knowingly, her mind shifting in an instant. Indeed, Ryūka was the main force in the battle, while she was merely a support. Considering Ryūka's combat skills and his protection of her, it wasn't unreasonable to acknowledge him as the captain.

"Who knows? Even if we lose, we can keep each other company on our way to hell."

Ryuu smiled. Just before Kania spoke, a message came from the [Proof of Leadership] in his consciousness.

The massive stone wall surface cracked, forming new texts and murals, and even reliefs emerged. Yellowish-gray rocks peeled away, revealing a shimmering underlying color.

[New follower recruited...]

[New follower quality analysis...Quality surpasses assessment...Rank points surge...]

[Heretical abilities infiltrated... Leader's nature changed...]

In an instant, a large amount of information flooded Liuxia's mind. In his eyes, Kania was surrounded by a dazzling halo.

A UR-level follower who surpasses SSR!

"Hehe~" Liu Xia meditated for a moment and saw the astonishing number of [Superior Points] she had accumulated. Was it really that much just from gaining Kania's 'Captain' approval?

Besides, there seemed to be something wrong with Atina's portrait in the corner; the purple light had a faint golden tinge, but Ryuka couldn't care less about that at the moment.

Without much thought, he put all his points into Kania's skill tree. Although it didn't provide many basic attributes, most of them were special skills, all variations of Kania's witch abilities.

Skills that boost charm, lust, cruelty, etc.

That way, we can win!!!

Ryuka's smile gradually turned manic, and the inhuman pain emanating from his body inexplicably transformed into power and even pleasure! Even with torn muscles and a damaged spine, Ryuka's body twisted and stood up, his exposed blood-red muscles writhing and twisting in the air like a demon.

"Is this the power of a witch, the corruption of demonic desire?"

In Hetia's eyes, Ryusha's posture was like that of a broken doll, looking as if it would shatter at the slightest push, yet it exuded a terrifying sense of oppression.

What's even more chilling is his insane, maniacal laughter.