Bronx, 10:20 a.m.
Isabelle points her large blood sword at Levreeshka. She’s in bad shape, pushed to the very edge of the do, which is barely holding together. The wound on her shoulder is still far from fully healed.
"It’s been a long ti, General Levreeshka Dulcar. I’d like to say I’m glad to see you after all these years, but I’m not — not after what you’ve done. Prepare yourself for our last clash — but this won’t be training this ti. Get ready, I’m coming!"
And an instant later... CLANG!
Isabelle’s large blood sword cos crashing down in a violent vertical slash. Levreeshka steps back just in ti, narrowly avoiding being split open. The blade passes a hair’s breadth from her forehead.
The ground beneath their feet splits open into a deep crack as the strike carries through into the ground.
But the blast of air throws Levreeshka off balance, and Isabelle seizes the opening instantly. She lunges at her and drives a flying kick into her stomach.
Isabelle’s face is stained red with her opponent’s blood.
Levreeshka smashes through the do’s wall and is sent flying in a straight line for dozens of ters, slamming into the ground again and again.
She only manages to stop herself by driving her fingers into the scorched ground.
But she doesn’t even have ti to regain her balance before Isabelle is already on top of her.
Once again, Levreeshka anticipates Isabelle’s violent slash. She dodges it with a lightning-fast sidestep, then moves to counterattack.
She throws a powerful high kick at her head, but Isabelle blocks it with ease, grabbing her ankle.
"D-Damn bitch..." Levreeshka snarls. "...why are you so strong?! Why?! Why?! WHY?!"
In desperation, she yanks her leg to break free while throwing a punch at her face, but both fail.
Isabelle’s grip remains firm as she deflects the strike with a simple slap, like swatting a fly.
Then she reaches for her, grabs her long pink hair, and then... SMASH!
She slams her face into the ground.
One, two, three tis. Again and again.
Finally, she releases her grip and lets her drop with a dull thud.
Levreeshka’s pretty face is reduced to a shapeless, bleeding pulp. Her jaw and skull are severely fractured in several places.
And yet, she is still alive and conscious.
With imnse effort, she pushes herself up onto her elbows and tries to crawl away, but Isabelle pins her in place with a violent stomp, keeping her foot firmly pressed on her back.
"Why did you co here?" Isabelle asks coldly.
"W-What kind of question is that...? You know very well why I ca here...!"
"To kill Mia and retrieve the Tear of Azkarith — I already know that. But why you? The Scarlet Army’s job is to defend and expand the kingdom’s borders, not run missions in other worlds — that’s what the special unit Crimson Requiem is for. So why did they send you instead of them? Tell !"
"I-I was the one who asked to co here..." Levreeshka rasps in a faint voice.
"Are you joking?! Why would you ever make such a request?!"
"B-Because I..."
Levreeshka clenches her fists as dirt slips between her fingers.
"...because I hate you! I hate you more than anyone in the world! I’d give my soul to the Sovereign of the Realm of the Dead just to witness the mont you breathe your last breath, damn bitch!"
Isabelle freezes at those words. Of all the things Levreeshka could’ve said, that was the last she expected to hear. It hurts her more than any attack ever has.
"L-Levreeshka... why?! What the fuck do you an you hate ?! How can you say sothing like that after everything between us?! It’s true, we’re enemies now, but enemies with our past should have mutual respect, not hatred! Tell the truth — that bastard Markus Dulcar brainwashed you?!"
"Markus has nothing to do with it! You’re the one who made hate you! You... you knew I wasn’t ready to take your place as general, and you didn’t care! You were so eager to beco queen that you dumped your position on without even thinking that I was still just a little girl!"
Levreeshka’s voice grows more choked with sobs as tears stream down her cheeks, sared with blood and dirt.
"None of my soldiers have ever truly respected as their commander! Let alone the other three generals — they’ve never seen as their equal! But then again, how could they? I took the place of their favorite — the infamous, the irreplaceable, the invincible Platinum Death. You... you took advantage of my naivety and the absolute trust I had in you so you could live your comfortable life as queen, leaving at the rcy of people who don’t have the slightest respect for ! And yet I..."
Levreeshka can’t hold back anymore and breaks down in desperate sobs under Isabelle’s pained gaze.
"...I gave it everything I had to earn their admiration! Everything! Sleepless nights to make sure they all ca back safe and sound after every battle, just like you told ! Do you rember? A general’s greatness isn’t asured only by how many enemies they kill, but by how many of their n they keep alive. That’s all bullshit! Only the strongest are respected, and I learned that the hard way. That’s why I was the one who asked Markus to co here. If I’d recovered the Tear of Azkarith, maybe... they would’ve finally started to respect , and I could’ve stepped out of your shadow! They would’ve praised instead of muttering how much better you were than ! If I go back to Elyndra empty-handed, even the little credibility and respect I have will disappear. And that’s why..."
An intense aura of energy gathers around Levreeshka.
She channels the last traces of Sanguis into a violent explosion that bursts from her body with destructive force, shaking the entire battlefield.
Isabelle backs off in quick steps as Levreeshka gets back on her feet, wrapped in that intense crimson aura.
Chris, still slumped on the ground and paralyzed by pain and exhaustion, stares at her with growing terror. He knows that if she had unleashed all that power against him, not even his resilient Innatus would’ve saved him.
"...and that’s why I’ll kill you, Isabelle Valakis! I’ll return to Mildelar with the divine artifact and your head, and everyone will finally recognize my worth! You’re right, this will be our last clash — but not in the way you an it! Soon, the Platinum Death will be nothing but a mory, I swear!"
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