Countless spears, glinting with icy light, flew toward Kaguya like a rain of arrows, covering the sky at a speed that could not be caught by the ear.
Facing the rain of spears, Kaguya remained calm and composed. Her beautiful face showed no panic as she gazed at the incoming spears, and the corner of her mouth lifted slightly as she chuckled softly.
Her white arm slowly rose, her five fingers gradually spread open like jade onions.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Suddenly, a powerful repulsive force burst forth from her snow-white palm, sweeping out like a raging tsunami. It collided forcefully with the incoming spears.
With a thunderous crash, the sea of spears vanished into nothingness. The lances were sent flying backward by the immense force, shattering into splinters and iron shards in mid-air.
"What?"
Prince Seika's pupils contracted in shock. His Imperial Arm's ability had been nullified!
There are forty-eight Imperial Arms in total, and the spear he wielded was one of them. Different Imperial Arms have different abilities; some are for attack, some for defense, and others have strange abilities, such as transforming into someone else.
His spear had powerful offensive capabilities, but unlike other attack Imperial Arms, his also had a special penetration ability. It could pierce through any defense, except for a few special Imperial Arms that could resist it.
The ability he had just used was the special ability of his Imperial Arm, possessing even greater attack power and penetration.
Yet, the silver-haired girl in front of him had easily blocked it. This left him utterly bewildered.
He did not realize that Shinra Tensei was not a defensive jutsu. Although it has defensive capabilities, it essentially manipulates gravitational forces. So, even though the spear's piercing ability was strong, there was nothing for it to pierce; it was repelled by the force instead.
Prince Seika gritted his teeth, gripping his spear tightly. He lunged forward again, determined not to give up. Although he didn't understand what had happened, he could not afford to admit defeat as a prince.
This was about a man's dignity.
Moreover, he had boasted earlier, which made him feel even more humiliated. For some reason, he didn't want to be looked down upon by this stunning silver-haired girl. He had to win. The initial setback only fueled his competitive spirit.
However, the difference in strength between them could not be bridged by mere pride.
Suddenly, the silver-haired girl vanished before his eyes, disappearing without a trace. Alarmed, Seika looked around but could not find her.
At that moment, he felt a gust of wind from behind. Without thinking, he swung his spear behind him, the weapon darting like a serpent.
With a metallic clang, sparks flew as the weapons clashed. Seika saw clearly that it was the silver-haired girl's long sword attacking from behind.
But where was she? He wondered, his mind racing. Just then, another gust came from his side, and he tried to turn to defend himself. Unfortunately, he was mid-air with nothing to leverage, and his old strength had faded while new strength hadn't yet arisen, leaving him powerless.
With a dull thud, a petite foot in a black and red leather shoe kicked him hard in the face.
Under this kick, his handsome face twisted into a comical shape, and a mouthful of bloody spittle spewed out. His body was sent flying, like a kite with a broken string, and he crashed to the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop. His spear flew from his hand, landing on the ground.
What happened?
Prince Seika's head spun, his mind muddled from the blow, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The world seemed to spin around him as darkness closed in on his vision.
Dazed from the kick, Prince Seika ignored the searing pain on his face and tried to scramble up from the ground, using both hands to push himself up. But just as he managed to rise halfway, a foot stepped on his face, pressing him back down.
He finally realized he was being stepped on by the silver-haired girl known as the princess.
His face flushed crimson with humiliation. He struggled fiercely, veins bulging as he fought to rise. Yet, the foot on his face, though dainty, felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. No matter how he thrashed, he couldn't break free, like a dog digging in the dirt.
That little bit of male pride was trampled mercilessly by the silver-haired girl.
"Oh my, is this the special move you mentioned? If so, it's rather disappointing," Kaguya said with a light laugh, her tone full of mockery, showing no regard for his pride.
Seika's face burned with shame, turning a deep purple as steam seemed to rise from him, like a crab being steamed.
"Don't be so arrogant. I will definitely make you—"
Before he could finish, Kaguya's leg tensed, and her foot pressed him deeper into the dirt.
"A loser should act like one," Kaguya said, glancing down at the prince beneath her. She wrinkled her nose and snorted disdainfully. "I'm tired of hearing the threats of defeated dogs."
While Kaguya and Seika fought, the northern tribes' army surged forward like a tide, encircling Kaguya and her guards completely.
All around, as far as the eye could see, a dark mass of enemy soldiers surrounded them like storm clouds, their fierce faces and towering figures sealing off any escape.
Yet, Kaguya seemed unfazed by the encirclement, her expression relaxed. Her clear eyes surveyed the sea of enemy soldiers, and the corner of her mouth lifted in an enigmatic smile.
"The real show is about to begin."