Yasenia looked at them and lifted an eyebrow charmingly. "Not bad. Can you continue? I still have a lot to give."
The ten harpies felt their hearts sinking.
'Who told us she was acting strong and deceiving our sisters!? She is clearly a monster!'
However, they couldn't give up now, not with their lives on the line. Moreover, at that moment, only Yasenia was facing them. If the others involved themselves, their chances would get thinner than they already were.
Therefore, the ten harpies attacked Yasenia in a barrage of attacks.
Yasenia fought with them without increasing her strength further. At this pace, Yasenia could fight for days if needed.
She only used one domain, two strengthening skills, and her battle dance skill.
However, these proved to be enough to deal with the barrage released by the ten harpies as Yasenia's body weaved between their attacks and counterattacked.
The harpies surrounding them were awed, but some of the strongest ones were confused. They could feel that Yasenia wasn't going all out and doubted why Yasenia would delay a battle that could be finished quickly.
Ghana had tried to intervene more than once. However, Tatyana had stopped her each time.
Ghana knew for a fact that those ten weren't an opponent for Yasenia.
Yasenia was trying something.
She used zero attacking skills besides [Firmament's Battle Dance] to increase her combat perception. The reason was to try and sense the [Sword Intent] inside her.
'Intents are understandings of a specific idea, concept, or law at the most basic level. I have inside me three intents. [Sword Intent], [Monarch Intent], and [Celestial Intent].'
Yasenia saw three swords attacking her from her right and swung [Draconic Heart], focusing her every fiber in the sword's movement.
*CLANG!*
Her sword repelled the three blades, but Yasenia wasn't satisfied. 'What is sword intent? Is it about the control of the sword? The sharpness of the sword? The swiftness of the sword?'
Yasenia continued to parry and counterattack without the intention to kill.
After some time of fighting back and forth, Yasenia was still stuck. 'What is a sword? A weapon? A companion? A tool? A friend?'
Yasenia continued fighting, and her eyes moved quickly, observing all the attacks and dodging, blocking, and counterattacking.
Yasenia made a whole spin and hit all of them, blasting them away. Then, she frowned. 'Sword intent… Is that an intent I want to learn? An intent that suits me?'
Yasenia observed the whole battlefield and shook her head. 'It's not. Sword Intent is something I learned when I considered myself more human than a dragon. I discovered it when I got [Draconic Heart] for the first time and trained in that mountain with master Madeleine.'
Yasenia's battle awareness increased by the second as her golden eyes shone. 'I see. I don't need sword intent. Draheart is not just a sword. It is my heart, a core part of my being.'
The ten harpies lunged forward again, but Yasenia didn't move this time.
'I was too obsessed with the sword.'
Yasenia's [Sword Intent] disappeared from her body.
'My [Monarch Intent] will help me lead my clan. My [Celestial Intent] will help me comprehend my element. The key to my success in battle lies in the mastery of a concept I have honed over the last twenty years.'
Yasenia ignored the approaching harpies and focused on her memories. 'Recall the feeling when you saw the death of your companion. Recall the desperation of ordering your subordinates to die for your objectives. Recall the victory, betrayal, achievement, sacrifice, joys, and anguish you felt.'
When the ten harpies were about to reach Yasenia, the dragoness's breath changed, and the world around her became heavier.
"[War Intent]."
As soon as Yasenia spoke, Tatyana's, Valeria's, and Mirrory's expressions changed.
As if a drop of red ink fell into her eyes, Yasenia's eyes changed from golden to bright crimson bloody color, followed by a monstrous wave of killing intent exploding from her.
*ROAAAR!!*
A dragon cry that almost deafened all the people present exploded from Yasenia, making her black hair dance wildly with the sonic waves.
A single word appeared in Yasenia's mind as the [War Intent] swallowed her body.
'Kill.'
The ten assassin harpies abruptly stopped their charge as their core shouted for them to run, and fear overcame their bodies. The previous charming woman in front of them had changed into a horrific creature. They felt as if she would devour even their souls if they attacked.
The harpy who attacked Yasenia first was locked by the dragoness's cold red-slit eyes and an expressionless face.
Her body exploded with cold sweat as her eyes trembled with pure dread. "Stop-."
However, before she could speak, she saw a blur and three people appearing before her.
*BOOM!*
A shockwave powerful enough to blast away the harpies cracked the reinforced garden soil as Yasenia's sword was stopped by Tatyana, Mirrory, and Valeria.
The spectators were instantly terrified at such a brute strength and speed display.
Even Ghana, with her level two [Prediction Intent], had difficulty following Yasenia's movement.
Yasenia's expressionless face looked at the three women with questioning, wondering why her sword could be stopped, why these people could survive after receiving her attack, and why they didn't let her make that other harpy burst into a gory shower of death.
However, this state lasted briefly. Or, to be precise, it only lasted until Yasenia's eyes met with Tatyana's smiling red eyes.
"Little treasure, don't be mischievous and suddenly activate dangerous things. Stop your [War Intent] and all your skills before I have to spank you."
Yasenia, still expressionless, felt something telling her to obey this person. The feeling in her heart said that following this woman's words would not harm her, no matter what.
It was a feeling engraved deep in her soul that quickly overpowered the thirst for battle and bloodshed that surged inside her heart.
Yasenia made [Draconic Heart] sink back into her dantian and nodded obediently to Tatyana's words. Then, her dress slowly changed back to the seductive and revealing blue [Empyrean Cosmos Dress]. The stars floating around also disappeared, and everything returned to normal.
Tatyana laughed and stepped forward to pat her head. "Good Girl. Now, relax your mind."
Yasenia nodded obediently again.
Then, the red that consumed her iris gradually changed back, returning to the usual warm and beautiful golden color.
Yasenia blinked twice and looked at the three seniors standing before her with confusion. "Huh? What happened? Why are you three here?"
Mirrory snorted. "You went berserk after activating [War Intent]. If we didn't stop you, you would've massacred the ten assassins and who knows what more."
Although Mirrory wanted to say that she would've killed her lovers to annoy Yasenia, she couldn't because the reaction to Tatyana was honestly shocking for her. 'I know she loves them, but how deep can her love for them be to overpower such a strong urge to massacre? Many would've slaughtered their whole family.'
Meanwhile, Valeria sent a wave of soft breeze toward Yasenia.
Yasenia felt it and squinted in comfort. The feeling was similar to the comforting hug Valeria usually gave her while bathing her after dealing with Kali. The breeze felt like a tender and soft embrace from a flower bed.
"Dear Yasenia, be careful next time. We must train you before you use [War Intent] again. I don't want to hurt you. Do you understand?"
Yasenia heard the scolding tone and the pampering undertones, so she nodded and smiled. "Okay, Valeria. I'll listen to you. Don't be angry."
Valeria sighed and nodded.
This conversation was made with their Spiritual Sense, so the other three hundred harpies didn't listen.
The girls also relaxed their tensed nerves after hearing them. 'All it's good if Yasenia ends up safe and unharmed.'
Then, the dragoness turned her head toward the ten harpies.
They all became pale and began trembling. They finally knew how foolish they'd been to fight this woman.
Ghana was shocked after the whole ordeal but reacted quickly and yelled out. "Matriarch, could you forgive them? I can guarantee that none of them should've done this with bad intentions."
Yasenia looked at Ghana and squinted. "They've attacked their Matriarch. Can they still be left alive after such an offense?"
Ghana's lips twitched. "Even if you kill them. You won't gain anything, right? Why not use them in some way?"
Yasenia laughed and began walking toward Ghana. "I will gain something and use them."
The ten harpies felt a bit relaxed until Yasenia's following words landed.
"You see, I've wanted some living test subjects for Kali and Tatyana for a while. After all, not having somewhere to test their poisons, parasites, and torture methods is sad and can stagnate progress. Moreover, one or two are insufficient because a person will eventually break, making them useless."
The ten harpies lying flat on the ground had their eyes widened with pure terror.
One of them finally broke down and exclaimed. "Ghana, my dear sister. Please, I beg you, convince the Matriarch and let us work as double agents for her! I swear I won't betray her. I've been set up!"
Yasenia didn't interrupt and kept a smile on her lips. Then, she looked at Ghana. Her eyes seemed to be asking. "What will you do? Will you listen to them? Will you show them mercy? Will you keep begging?"
Ghana instantly felt a mountain-like pressure on her shoulders. After all, Cecile and Angel had wanted to murder all of these bold creatures for a while now.
Kali and the others were also angry, but they were a bit more restrained.
Even then, after her suggestion, she felt their eyes focusing on her with no kind intentions.
The thing was that two of them were good friends with Ghana, Florrie was one, and the harpy that attacked Yasenia was the other one.
However, she didn't understand why they decided to do this even after all this time.
Ghana thought for a minute, and Yasenia didn't interrupt her thoughts and stopped walking ten meters away from reaching Ghana's position.
After a while, Ghana took a deep breath and spoke with a firm voice. "Matriarch, besides the one who attacked you, the others had yet to do something before you asked them to give their lives in combat. I ask you to evaluate their offer of working as a double agent. If they were instigated, they could become critical pieces."
The harpy that attacked Yasenia was stunned. Knowing that her last escape route was cut, her face became ferocious, and she began snarling. "Ghana! Slut! Traitor! You'll ignore our one hundred years of friendship over this!? Slut! SLUT! SLUT!"
However, the brow-feathered harpy didn't answer and looked at Yasenia.
Yasenia lifted her eyebrow and approached Ghana step by step, completely ignoring the yelling harpy.
The soft sounds of Yasenia walking toward her weighed on her, making her heart pound erratically.
However, even when her body began sweating, she maintained eye contact with those equally beautiful and terrifying golden slit eyes.
Nine meters, eight meters, seven meters.
Step by step, the tall and voluptuous dragoness sashayed her hips, approaching Ghana.
Ghana gulped and had to look up once Yasenia was close enough because of their stature difference.
Yasenia's face was now close enough to feel her breath on her face, and Ghana's heart was about to burst because of the pressure.
Even the other Harpies watching felt they were about to faint because of nervousness and anxiety.
Suddenly, Yasenia smiled and laughed. "You cheeky harpy."
Then, she kissed Ghana on the cheek, petrifying the woman on the spot, and turned around.
"You are lucky that your good friend Ghana is as intelligent as she is. Now, this is your chance to redeem yourselves. Swear that you will never betray me, no matter what happens."
The ten harpies felt resistance against that kind of oath. However, Yasenia was merciless and ordered. "Fast. You must swear that your lives are mine to do as I see fit from today onward. You've betrayed me once. Now you shall be on a leash until I feel otherwise."
Yasenia saw the harpy that attacked her about to speak, but Cecile's voice cut her off mercilessly with a terrifyingly cold voice. "Shut up, and don't dirty her ears with your voice anymore. She is talking to the other nine. Your fate is already sealed."
The harpy was about to shout angrily, but vines tightly tied her mouth and body. "MMPH!"
The nine of them were reluctant about such a restrictive oath, but if you compared a fate worse than death to becoming a slave, seven of them chose the latter.
Yasenia looked at the two that were left and narrowed her eyes. "What about the two of you."
One of them snorted. "As if I'll become a slave. That's a human's place, and I dare not steal it."
The other was indifferent and didn't answer.
Yasenia looked at them and nodded. "If you thought that acting tough would catch my attention or something, you are very wrong."
Before they could speak again, they suddenly felt a piercing pain in their legs and looked down, only to see a purple ivy injecting something in them.
They hastily shook it off and flapped their wings to jump away. However, their bodies became drowsy almost instantly.
They stumbled in the air and finally smashed onto the ground with their eyes closed.
They had been tired after Yasenia's attacks, so their resistance was exhausted when the poison entered their bodies.
The spectators saw the three ivies retracting and finally entering the long and wide sleeves of the Fox Lady.
'She can put to sleep an Ethereal Soul Body realm cultivator instantly!? What kind of monsters live in this group.'