Dancing on the golden ashes

My words of intimidation were met with sneers and laughter, rippling through the city like a wave.

People mocked me openly, their voices dripping with derision, as if I'd just said the most ridiculous thing imaginable. My King's Aura had been canceled out by theirs, and now, emboldened, they reveled in their insults.

Pathetic...

I clenched my fists, a flicker of darkness spreading through my thoughts. This laughter will cost them their lives. I promise. I don't like playing games.

"So, Lee Gaon, huh?" Lee Min-Jae finally broke the mockery with his sharp voice. Adjusting his glasses, which were perpetually slipping down his nose, he continued, "Are you that notorious cheater who shook the entire Korean gaming industry?"

His words hung in the air, their weight undeniable.

There was no point in hiding my name anymore. These people were careful, meticulous, and had clearly scanned me without hesitation.

In this world, it was already an unspoken rule not to scan random people—it had become a cultural faux pas. But clearly, these "kings" thought themselves above such niceties.

Not that I could blame them. I do it all the time, too.

The thought made me chuckle internally, a brief flicker of amusement amidst the rising tension.

"What's so funny?" the teenager asked, her voice sharp and icy. Her crow-like eyes locked onto mine, brimming with deep hatred I couldn't quite understand.

"Nothing," I replied casually, my smirk widening. "Just imagining you dead."

I began preparing to activate Superior Space Distortion, my focus sharp as I watched her reaction.

Her expression darkened, fury flashing in her eyes. She looked ready to pounce, and I had hoped she would—it would make the fight much easier if she attacked first.

But before she could move, the tall woman beside her placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"Calm down," the woman said evenly, her voice steady yet commanding. "We don't know how strong she actually is. And don't forget, our leader holds her in high regard. Killing her would only anger him."

Her words sent a chill down my spine as her piercing gaze examined me carefully. This wasn't just a fight for them—it was strategy.

I shifted to the side, testing their reaction.

But they didn't break their encirclement. They matched my movements perfectly, moving at the same speed.

How curious. Let's see if they can keep up.

My body blurred, and in the next instant, I appeared behind the tall woman. My fist was already charged with soul energy.

Soul Impact! I thought, aiming directly for her neck, my speed—a point of pride—giving me the upper hand. If I could land the first blow, I might turn this fight in my favor.

But before my fist could connect, the man with the longsword appeared between us. His speed was blinding, far beyond what I'd anticipated.

He caught my fist mid-swing, the impact reverberating between us. His strength was immense.

We exchanged a flurry of attacks, the clashing energies crackling in the air. Before I could press further, he grabbed the tall woman and pulled her away, his massive sword slicing through the space between us.

The sheer force of his swing sent me flying, the power behind it staggering.

Thankfully, I managed to block with my left hand just in time, my scythe materializing in an instant to absorb the brunt of the strike.

"You're fast," I said, excitement lacing my tone as I steadied myself.

I couldn't help but notice the wild grin spreading across my face. I wanted to fight him—no, I needed to fight him.

"Weakling..." he snorted, his voice dripping with disdain.

In the next moment, his massive sword began to glow brightly with a vivid violet hue. He raised it high above his head, holding it horizontally as energy crackled around him.

With a swift motion, a ten-meter-tall illusory sword materialized in the sky, its shimmering edges radiating deadly intent.

Before I could react, the enormous blade descended toward me, closing the distance in an instant.

Damn, that's fast! Only my future sight saved me. With a blur of motion, I managed to dodge just as the attack struck, the force of the blade splitting the air and tearing into the ground below.
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That was way too close.

But my relief was short-lived.

A small crow landed on my shoulder, its presence sending alarm bells through my mind. I barely had time to process it before—

BANG!

The crow exploded, a violent blast ripping through my shoulder. I was sent plummeting toward the ground, spinning uncontrollably from the force.

A sharp ringing filled my right ear, drowning out all other sounds. The world felt muffled, as though I'd been dropped into a void of chaos and pain.

Agonizing pain seared through me as I tried to make sense of the damage. My entire arm dangled by only a few threads of skin and muscle tissue, the excruciating pain threatening to overwhelm me.

This is no good. I need to regenerate fast...

My left arm moved swiftly, channeling the Water Aid healing skill. The cool energy surged through me, drastically accelerating my regeneration. The torn tissue knit together at an incredible speed, and within moments, it was as if the injury had never happened.

The attack had broken my focus, causing my fire wings to vanish. But just before I could hit the unforgiving ground, I regained control. My body surged with renewed strength as my fire wings flared to life once more, catching me mid-fall.

This time, I wasn't just annoyed—I was furious.

My eyes locked onto the teenager with the crow wings. She stood there smirking, her expression dripping with condescension, as if I were nothing more than an insect beneath her notice.

That smugness... I'll make her pay for it.

I swore to myself, right then and there, that she would be the first to fall.

Enough playing around.

My aura surged, a blazing inferno of golden flames erupting around me as my true power ignited.

It's time to end this.

Do you want to come out and play with me? I called out to the eerie voice inside me, the one I knew could grant me immense power. I needed its strength now more than ever.

But I also knew the risks. If it went rampant again, things could spiral out of control. I am not hungry this time, so it should be alright... I hoped.

"You're asking for my power? I thought you hated me, hahaha," it mocked, its voice dripping with amusement.

I do hate you, I admitted, keeping my tone steady. But right now, I'm in a bit of a pinch. I need the extra firepower.

There was a pause, followed by a low, sinister chuckle.

"I refuse," it said, its tone almost playful. "You can handle this on your own. You're not as weak as you think. Besides, you clearly hate when I take over."

Great... I was in more of a pinch than I thought.

In the next moment, the man with glasses summoned a glowing book from his soul. The pages turned rapidly, each flip building an ominous tension. Suddenly, a powerful gale swept toward me, each razor-sharp wind slicing into my skin like countless invisible blades.

I moved quickly, activating Superior Space Distortion. My body blurred, and I reappeared right next to the mage, my scythe blazing with pure golden fire.

Fire Slash! I thought, pouring a significant amount of my soul power into the attack, moving so fast that even the man with the longsword couldn't react in time.

Die! I thought fiercely, my focus unrelenting.

But the mage smirked, unfazed by my approach. A barrier of swirling wind surrounded him like a cocoon, and as my fire met it, the resulting explosion ripped through the air with deafening force.

The mage was sent hurtling toward the ground, his smirk wiped clean as his body hit the dirt, scorched and battered. It wasn't a fatal blow, but the burn marks on his body told me one thing—he had clearly underestimated my firepower.

Still, I didn't have time to rest.

A flash of pink caught the corner of my eye. Before I could react, the pink-haired man's sword swung at me from the side, fast and precise.

Where did he come from? His aura had been nonexistent moments ago, but now, he reappeared with a deadly sneak attack.

My scythe solidified back into its black-and-gold form, blocking his blade effortlessly.

Too easy, I thought suspiciously.

In the next moment, five copies of him emerged from thin air, their movements synchronized as they surrounded me, cutting off all escape routes.

To make matters worse, a fiery attack in the shape of a phoenix soared toward me from above. The flames felt alive, their heat intense, and they reminded me of Seong-Hoon's ice dragon.

I am the goddess of fire. This attack will return to you! I thought firmly.

The phoenix veered sharply, reversing its path and slamming into the tall woman who had cast it. She was sent flying, her figure disappearing into the distance amidst a burst of flame.

As for the pink-haired man and his clones, I snorted.

Too weak.

He was most likely an assassin, but that sword of his only made stealth an impossible task.

Shadow Slash Barrage! I thought, letting dark tentacles erupt around me, forming into sharp scythe blades that lashed out in all directions. The clash shattered their attacks, and blood sprayed as one of the figures—the real one—was caught off guard.

He let out a cry of pain as one of the blades severed his arm, the limb falling to the ground in a pool of crimson.

Are these people really kings?