Dark Moon Third Arc (Fallen Heart) - 197. The Royal Duel (Patreon)

Third Arc (Fallen Heart) - 197. The Royal Duel

"Ivetta! If you hold a grudge against me, come to me! Why do you have to involve other innocent people?" Rose exclaimed, her anger boiling over at the injustice of it all.

But Ivetta merely smirked, relishing in the chaos she had created. "Oh, my dear Rose. Do you really think this is about a grudge? This is about power. And I have all the power here," she said, her voice dripping with venom.

Without a warning, Angel swung his sword at Rose, but she was quick to dodge. She knew that he was only putting on an act, and so she played along. "Angel, what are you doing?" she said, her eyes narrowing as she glared at him.

"I told you, I'm the King of Euphorion," Angel replied, his voice cold and distant, "My main duty is to protect my kingdom, and for that, I can sacrifice anyone, including you."

Rose laughed a bitter, sarcastic laugh as if he had broken her heart. "It seems I have been with you for too long," she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "I forgot who I really am - the princess of Zephyrus Kingdom. Too bad that when I inevitably fall in love with you again, we are placed in such a difficult situation."

Angel's face twisted into a cruel smirk, his eyes glittering with malice. "Yes," he sneered. "Too bad. I haven't had the chance to have fun with you yet, but I have to kill you."

With those words, he lunged forward, his sword glinting in the moonlight. Rose was ready, though - she had been preparing for this moment. She whipped out her own weapon, her whip.

Rose stretched out her whip with both hands, the long leather strands quivering as she held back Angel's attack. Then she kicked out, hoping to throw Angel's sword from his grip. But he was ready for her, and he managed to dodge her attack with ease.

Rose's frustration turned to desperation as she realized that she was running out of options. With a fierce cry, she threw the blade of her whip at Angel, hoping to catch him off guard. But he was too quick - he brushed it aside with a flick of his sword, his eyes never leaving hers.

Undeterred, Rose quickly drew her emergency knife from her belt and threw it at Angel with all her might. The knife whistled through the air, its sharp blade glinting in the dim light. But Angel was ready for it - he caught the knife deftly and threw it back at Rose.

Rose was quick, though. She had been trained for moments like this, and she knew how to think on her feet. With a quick step to the side, she dodged the knife, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that this fight was far from over.

With a fierce determination, Rose slashed her whip repeatedly at Angel, hoping to drive him back. But Angel was relentless. He brushed off all of her attacks with ease, his sword flashing through the air as he moved ever closer.

The two of them danced around each other, each trying to gain the upper hand, clashing with a deafening clang. The sound echoed through the ruins, filling the air with a sense of danger and menace. Angel was a skilled swordsman, but Rose was fast and nimble, and she knew how to use her whip to keep him at bay.

Their fight was brutal and intense. They circled each other, each searching for an opening, each waiting for the other to make a mistake. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed.

As the fight continued, Rose found herself struggling to keep up with Angel's relentless assault. Her arms were starting to ache from the strain of wielding her whip, and she could feel her energy waning.

Ivetta stood up from her velvet seat and sauntered over to the balcony, her crimson gown trailing behind her. She leaned out over the railing, her eyes fixed on the arena below. Ivetta's lips curved into a cruel smile.

"This is amazing!" she exclaimed, her voice carrying across the arena. "I've never seen a sword competition this good before!"