Kaguya's intense gaze locked onto Leone's, and Leone didn't back down, meeting her eyes with equal determination. The tension in the air was palpable, as if time had frozen for a moment.
"Alright, alright," Kaguya sighed, sounding a bit resigned. "Women are so troublesome."
As she spoke, the chilling aura around her gradually dissipated, and she returned to the gentle demeanor that Leone was familiar with.
Noticing the change in Kaguya's aura, Leone also let out a sigh of relief and playfully remarked, "What are you talking about? Aren't you a woman too?" She then gave Kaguya a hearty pat on the shoulder.
Kaguya brushed her hand off her shoulder and shot Leone an annoyed look. She then raised her delicate, jade-like hand, and as her fingers gently curled into a fist, the movements of the vines on the battlefield came to an abrupt halt before slowly retracting.
Most of the soldiers on the battlefield didn't notice this change and continued to flee in terror, as if they were lost dogs. Even those who did notice weren't about to stop; they were too scared out of their wits.
What had once been an army of fifty to sixty thousand was now reduced to barely five or ten thousand, most of whom were so petrified that they were incapable of fighting back and could only think of running.
If they were fighting against other humans, no matter how strong the enemy, they wouldn't have been so terrified. But the events unfolding had surpassed their understanding.
The battlefield had suddenly transformed into a dense forest, a place that seemed like hell itself, with vines that acted as the grim reapers of this underworld, ensuring death to all who touched them. Any area where the vines reached became a dead zone.
Fear of death drove the soldiers into a frenzied retreat, but the crowded roads were completely blocked, making escape impossible. The overwhelming fear and desperate will to survive led them to turn their weapons on each other.
What started as a few isolated incidents soon escalated into a large-scale brawl. Former comrades now saw each other as obstacles to be eliminated.
The number of soldiers killed in this frenzy of mutual slaughter was nearly as high as those killed by the vines. When people are driven to madness, there's no limit to the horrors they can inflict.
Around the base of the gigantic tree at the center, the area had become a ghastly scene of death, with corpses piled high, blood flowing like rivers, and a stench that could make anyone retch.
"Look at how ugly they are," Kaguya remarked coldly, her clear eyes observing the chaos below. "They're willing to kill their own comrades just to survive."
Leone silently watched the carnage below without saying a word. Her concern wasn't for the lives of the people down there but rather for Kaguya, worried that excessive killing might turn her into a cold, heartless person. She had seen this happen too many times during her years with Night Raid—people like Zanku, the executioner, who had become monstrous.
However, Kaguya, standing atop the massive tree, seemed oblivious to this. She turned her head and, with an irritated tone, said to Leone, "Maybe all that nutrition went to your chest instead of your brain. Why else would you be pleading for the enemy?"
"Hey, why do you sound just like Mine?" Leone laughed, snapping out of her reverie and wrapping an arm around Kaguya's rounded shoulders. "Those guys are already scared out of their minds and pose no threat to you anymore. Letting them go wouldn't be a big deal."
"Fine, fine," Kaguya relented. "But I think I heard you say something about me being a good person earlier," she added, tapping her chin with her pale fingers. "Didn't you?"
"Yeah, I did," Leone responded, tilting her head with a puzzled expression. "Is there a problem with that?"
"There's a big problem," Kaguya replied, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "How dare you call me a good person? Time for your punishment!" With that, Kaguya's hands turned into claws, and in the blink of an eye, she pounced on Leone's chest.
Meanwhile, on the edge of the battlefield, a group of people was fleeing in panic. They were drenched in sweat, stumbling over themselves, but none of them dared to stop. The vines chasing them were relentless, and to stop would mean certain death.
This group had originally been over a thousand strong, but most had perished, leaving fewer than a hundred survivors. Each one was covered in dust and blood, a result of the chaotic stampede as people trampled over each other in their desperation to escape. Those who stood in the way were mercilessly cut down.
"Sir, it seems like the vines have stopped," one of the guards suddenly said.
"I don't care if they've stopped or not, keep running! Don't stop!" Bolic shouted, his voice filled with terror. He was so frightened that he could barely move, his legs weak, so a guard had to carry him. Fortunately, the guard was strong enough to bear the weight of this hefty man.
"Wait," the middle-aged man in charge raised his hand, and the group came to a halt. Unlike Bolic, this man was the true leader, and it was likely that these guards were actually Revolutionary Army soldiers in disguise.
"Why are we stopping? Do you want us all to die?" Bolic fumed, his voice trembling. If he hadn't been carried, he might have been jumping up and down in frustration.
"Something's not right," the middle-aged man said gravely, his eyes scanning the distance, unable to shake a sense of impending doom.
"What's wrong?" Bolic asked nervously, seeing the man's serious expression.
"It's not right," the middle-aged man's face suddenly turned pale with fear. "Run! Now!"
In an instant, the man shot forward like a black lightning bolt, covering dozens of meters in the blink of an eye.
The guards didn't know what had spooked their usually composed leader, but seeing his reaction, they didn't hesitate to follow, sprinting in his direction.
Far above, on the crown of the giant tree, Kaguya's beautiful eyes glinted with a strange light as she noticed their actions. Her lips curved into a smile, half-amused, half-mocking.
They've noticed, huh?
No matter. From the moment they set foot on this battlefield, their deaths were inevitable.
Kaguya didn't bother watching the fleeing ants any longer. Instead, she turned her attention back to Leone, who was now in her arms. A flush of embarrassment spread across Leone's cheeks as Kaguya kneaded and rubbed her breast. Gently, Kaguya bent down, and as Leone let out a soft gasp, Kaguya kissed one of her rosy pink nipples, savoring the sweet taste on her tongue.