Chapter 26: The Imperial Will is Defied! II

In the green plains, Noah's hands held on to Annalise tightly as they saw one figure rush towards the dark forest.

The Silver Ranked guard that stayed behind had a wrathful expression on her face as she faced the assailant that had his eyes focused on the running princess. His body began to glimmer with the purple flames once more as the Sword he wielded threatened to go behead the guard that seemed like an impassable bastion even with a missing arm.

"For the Ethereal Realm."

Her words seemed weak as her figure looked like it could be blown away by a breeze, but the Silver Ranked assailant felt a sense of danger as he tried to quickly pull back his Attack.

But…

BOOM!

A flash of deafening Silver blasted the body of Natasha apart, this guard actually choosing to self-destruct and cause an attack more powerful than anything she could cast in her life to take down the assailant!

WAA!

The light died down as Noah observed the assailant's sorry figure, blood being seen dripping from his hands as his body shuddered.

He wasn't dead!

His bloody eyes turned towards the shocked Noah and Annalise not too far away as he debated something, but he then turned towards the dark forest as his heavily injured body bolted towards it!

"..."

THUMP!

Noah felt his heart beating fast as the moment the assassin had turned his eyes towards them, he felt the threat and fear of death he never wanted to come across.

It was like being stared down by a Beast that could devour them at any time!

Annalise grasped onto his hand tightly as she turned towards the forest, her shaking voice ringing out.

"That was the Ethereal Princess...we have to help her!"

Her hands were shaking even as she said these words, being Noah out of his stupor as he shook his head.

"Save her how? A silver Ranked assassin is after her!"

Noah's need to preserve his little life kicked in as he looked around them at the devastated field of green.

"They must have left trails of destruction on their way here, more Silver Blessed will likely come to lend aid, we can even go into the city to let them know."

Noah voiced out hurriedly as he felt Annalise let go of his hand and speak valiantly.

"By that time, she would already be dead. If you won't go, I will!"

The girl that was weakly in the Iron Rank began rushing towards the dark forest without waiting for her brother's reply, Noah looking towards her incredulously before he followed.

'Do Blessed just not value their lives?!'

He shook his head as his stronger body at the Bronze Realm caught up to her, slight shock appearing in her eyes as she continued to run forward.

"Don't worry, I don't plan to lead myself to death. The assassin already looked heavily injured so we might be able to lend some help while more people come."

Annalise's strong voice rang out clearly as Noah merely sighed, the brother and sister duo following the trail of the two Silver Ranked Blessed that just rushed in!

Few actions can decide the direction of someone's life, and few knew at the exact moment of these actions what they truly signified.

At this moment, Noah had no idea his current actions were life-defining ones that would alter the course of history!

---

Within the dark forest, the 5th Ethereal Princess crossed the thickets of trees as her strong face still had tears dripping down.

They were tears of unwillingness, tears of despair, and tears that simply flowed because of the situation she was put in.

But most of all, they were for the dead guard as she felt the aura of the assassin lock onto her again!

As she crossed the vegetation and trees and felt this aura getting near, her face adopted a strong resolve as she turned around.

Her body glowed with a silver luster as a Blue sword appeared in her hands, he face turning serene as she wanted to face death head on. She would not wait for someone to take her out while she ran like a coward!

Even though her strength was only silver on the surface after using the resources of the Imperial Capital and she didn't have battle power anywhere close to the assassin, she could still fight!

BOOM

Her body erupted in silver light as she struck forward to the chasing assassin.

CLANG!

...and she was knocked back right away as the palm that held her Sword ruptured and bled, the force of the strike of the assassin feeling like a mountain smashing towards her.

"It's not personal, Princess."

The voice of the assisting was guttural as he coughed blood, his body having been heavily injured by the suicidal attack of the guard.

Yet his power still remained strong as his sword snaked towards the Princess while talking. He was bleeding internally as he knew he could only keep up this strength for a little while longer. He could not delay the death of this personage!

SHAA!

They crossed swords as the Princess was pushed back each time, her body becoming bloodied more and more each time as her silver hair was soon turning crimson.

With death nearing, she couldn't help but raise her blue eyes to lock onto the assassin as she asked.

"Who?"

A fairly simple question, but one the assassin answered as he stared at the pitiful face of someone about to die. He felt like he still had half a minute of his strength as he furiously bled, his guttural voice ringing out as he swung the sword to chop off the head of the Princess at the same time.

"The Dark King has found out the secret of the great Ethereal Emperor, and he sent us here to confirm."

…!

Shocking words came from the assassin's mouth as his sword swung down, bent on separating the neck of the 5th Ethereal Princess from her body!