Chapter 123 Conqueror and Dominator - I
Lithe and powerful thighs traced an arc in the air, akin to a blade cleaving or a heavy hammer sweeping. The seemingly frail flesh struck the cold, hard armor, emitting a chilling, deep rumble. The man who was sent flying seven or eight meters away by a kick struggled to get up, removed his helmet, and forced a compliment onto his face full of palpitations: "Lord Marlowe, you are becoming stronger and stronger. In my understanding, no one could possess such formidable strength on the Crystal Staircase."
"..."
Seraphina slowly retracted her leg, feeling neither complacency nor joy from the compliment, her gaze even somewhat gloomy. "Seraphina," Marlina, dignified in appearance, appeared at the entrance of the courtyard, "Are you done here?" "... Mm." Seraphina nodded, walked to the man who was ostensibly her sparring partner but had been beaten by her all along, and patted his shoulder: "You've been a great help, thank you."
The man stared blankly at the departing girl, shivering at the thought of her fierce and violent fighting style just now, but also as insightful as a devil's. Where on earth did Lord Hydral find this monster? "How was it?" Marlina turned her head to look at her sister, her tone calm, "Did you find the feeling?" "No." Seraphina gritted her teeth, her face full of the frustration she had not shown earlier: "Not at all! Damn it... what's going on!"
Another victory, a victory that brought Seraphina no feeling at all. She was getting stronger, handling Ansel's tests more and more easily, and she had even defeated most of the Red Frost territory, with no third-stage Throne able to beat her. Whether it was experienced sorcerers or armored warriors, once they were seen through by Seraphina's terrifyingly combat talent, they could only end up defeated.
This thought had popped up in Seraphina's mind more than once. However, her unconditional trust in Ansel and the reality of gradually becoming stronger made Seraphina suppress this thought time and time again. She was sure that the path Ansel pointed out was correct, but she could not find what she needed on this correct path.
Seraphina was extremely upset, the opportunity to become Ansel's pact head was right in front of her, and Seraphina believed that Ansel would never give up on her. But she could not accept that she, who could not even overcome this obstacle... would become a pact head by relying on Ansel's feelings for her, not by her own strength. She stood by Ansel's side to provide him with power, to become an absolute force that could clear obstacles for him, how could she turn around... and seek power from Ansel?
But... But if she continued to be stubborn, refused to seek Ansel's help for her self-esteem, and when the Blazing Ice Viper woke up, she did not have enough power to confront it, then what about the destruction caused by that monster... how should it be counted? Isn't this another mistake she made because of her stubborn self and foolish arrogance? Hasn't she made any progress at all?
Seraphina was thus caught in an increasingly anxious dilemma. As the date Ansel revealed to her, the date of the Blazing Ice Viper's awakening, approached, Seraphina's mood became more and more unstable.
Upon hearing the hastened breath of Seraphina, a result of her anxiety, Marlina was about to offer some words of comfort when she noticed a tall, slender man, dressed in extravagant attire, approaching her with a look of worry. Her expression instantly returned to one of calm indifference as she steadily advanced towards the man. "Miss Marlina," he greeted her first, bowing slightly, then turned to Seraphina, bending his body slightly, "Lord Marlowe, I apologize for the intrusion." The man's respect for Marlina was evident, but his use of a more reverential title for Seraphina seemed peculiar. Marlina raised her hand, signaling him to cease his meaningless chatter. As the young lady made this gesture, an aura of natural authority began to emanate from her. Despite the man towering over her, her demeanor and expression seemed to reverse their roles, effortlessly seizing control of the conversation. In this world, two things can most significantly change a person — knowledge and power. After dedicating herself to serve Ansel of Hydral, the two things Marlina encountered most were precisely these. -->