“The enemy general’s been routed by me! Full counterattack!

You playhouse bastards think you can face the greatest Emperor’s Legion?!

Today is your day of death. All units, hear me!

Kill that berserk hulk and that woman. Titles for the killer, plus a bounty of five hundred coins!

Kill any enemy with pheasant plumes. You’re a baron on the spot, with a manor and twenty servants!”

The Iron Cavalry Legion captain raised his spear and roared, a hell-whisper rolling across the field.

Bloodhand Gang soldiers stiffened like torches rekindled in rain. The near-rout steadied, blood-price heavy, yet a thin edge of counterattack showed.

“Your general was routed by you?” On the wall, “Jade” fit her like a mask; even the person was fake.

The girl wore frost for a face. Bloodsword thrummed. Her short skirt swished. Long legs coiled, then she skimmed for the parapet.

At the far end, Iling and Lina’s squad had just finished mopping up.

They met her, said nothing about Jade’s real body. Three pairs of eyes met, a silent nod like flint striking.

Woooo—thud—

Two Sprites, faces painted with blood-flowers, dropped from the wall carrying a black-haired girl.

The Iron Cavalry Legion captain’s eyes smoked black, narrowing to slits, dread like cold iron.

He’d caught flashes atop the wall. The City Guard Captain wasn’t top of the world, but at least Earthquake-class, mid tier.

Jade cut him down without drawing breath. She had to be Tsunami-class at minimum.

“What do you mean you routed the general? How’d you know that dumb president was the general?

He might’ve been once. Now he’s just a one-armed old man. The real general is me!”

Jade’s rosy lips curled. Her black boots tapped, and she blitzed straight in, a red comet.

“Head-on? Don’t look down on me! You’re still nursing, little girl—”

His gaze flared. A vein of crimson bled from the dark. The Black Spear breathed death-mist.

Its tip pulsed with eerie waves, warping the air like bent glass.

Jade laughed, bright as a blade. “Even your spear can’t stand you. Just like you—soft, hollow, all bark, no bite.”

“Ghh—!” He winced like a nerve struck and clenched the Black Spear with both hands.

“Blood-wind stirs, all withers. The Empire’s radiance, eternal and undying!”

He swept the Black Spear. Jade met him, Bloodsword singing, red lightning to black thunder.

Their blows fell like a storm of knives, dazzling as shattered sun on water.

Jade bared white teeth, savoring a worthy foe. The Black Spear shivered, spawning a forest of phantom tips in the air.

Ting-ting—

Clang—

Their ferocity tore the air to ribbons. The ground couldn’t bear it and split like dry bark.

“Yaa—ha—!”

Jade screamed once, broke through the spear’s gale, and thrust for his heart.

The captain jolted. He yanked the Black Spear back and heaved it up, twisting death aside by brute will.

Even so, a gash bloomed across his chest, bone bright as winter.

“Ha... ha...” He clutched the torn wound on reflex.

Jade’s eyes pinholed. Cold killing intent lanced out like sleet.

Ting—

The last thing he saw was a slash of crimson and a girl’s sword-dance silhouette.

“One-Flash Arcana: Requiem.”

Jade slid Bloodsword into the sheath on her back. The captain, half his head gone, folded forward.

The Black Spear unraveled into black mist and drifted away like ash.

Jade planted both hands on her willowy waist, then teasingly flicked her black hair.

“If this was a duel, maybe we could’ve played a few rounds. Shame... this is a battlefield.

You’re not dumb enough to think I’d wait for you to check your wound and rush me, right?

Hm? Say something!

Oh—sorry. Speak no ill of the dead.”

She stuck out her tongue, impish, then nodded to Iling and the others with easy confidence.

Iling flashed a sun-bright smile, swooped in, and raised the Iron Cavalry Captain’s corpse.

“The enemy general has fallen by our blades! Drop your weapons and surrender!

If you don’t, you’ll end the same as this brute—”