NABC Chapter 654: Chapter 654 - A Shield Against the Crown
Chapter 654: Chapter 654 - A Shield Against the Crown
chapter 654: chapter 654 - a shield against the crown
princess alora sat in her chambers, her gaze steady as she fastened the last pieces of her gleaming invincible paragon armor. the distant sounds of commotion reached her ears-a reminder that the day she had dreaded, yet prepared for, had finally come.
a knock at the door broke her thoughts.
"your highness?" came a familiar voice.
"yes?" alora called. "come in, lionell."
the door creaked open, revealing lionell, the knight, who stepped inside and bowed deeply.
"you don't need to go to war, your highness," he said firmly. "let me handle this. please, you should leave immediately with sir mercy."
alora shook her head. "this is my duty."
lionell straightened, though his expression remained troubled.
"forgive me, your highness, but it is also my duty to ensure your safety. you must leave the city at once. i fear what we've long suspected has come to pass."
"the named demons?"
lionell nodded. "four named demons have already appeared on the battlefield."
alora rose from her seat.
lionell's jaw tightened. "but those four... they're only ranked in the fifties."
"are you certain?"
he nodded again. "which is why i believe this isn't all of them. there must be stronger ones yet to come."
a heavy silence hung between them. finally, alora spoke. "the king will fight alone." lionell bowed his head. "your highness, if the higher-ranked named demons do appear, the king is the only one capable of facing them effectively. with the aid of the imperial knights, perhaps the worst can still be averted."
alora clenched her fists before asking quietly, "where should i go?"
"allow me and sir mercy to escort you to safety, your highness. we must move quickly."
before alora could respond, another figure appeared in the doorway. sir mercy, another knight, strode in and bowed low when alora turned her gaze toward him.
"we have visitors, your highness," mercy reported.
lionell's eyes narrowed. "are they the champions of gluttony?"
"yes," mercy confirmed with a slight nod.
alora stepped out of her chambers, flanked by lionell leading the way and mercy bringing up the rear.
"we don't need to confront them," lionell said firmly as they walked. "the champions of gluttony only gained access to the palace because someone let them in."
mercy frowned but kept his pace steady. "they're just players, sir lionell. their levels are below ours."
on his arm.
"ha ha ha!" the man's laughter echoed within the shimmering barrier.
above his head, glowing letters spelled out his name: speedgang.
speedgang-a champion of gluttony and a member of the horde of hell guild.
"surprised to see me, sir mercy?" he taunted. "oh, don't worry-i'm not here to fight you. my
focus is solely on her." he motioned lazily toward princess alora.
this wasn't the first time speedgang had made waves. he was infamous for his failed attempt to conquer slumdon town, where he was decisively defeated by broken.
but what made him truly feared wasn't just his guild or his ambitions. it was his blessing: an ability that allowed him to create a private domain, a personalized battlefield sealed off from outside interference.
inside the domain, speedgang wielded absolute control. its multiple tiers each came with unique restrictions that he could manipulate to suit his needs, ensuring every encounter
played out on his terms.
the blessing was a weapon designed to break even the most skilled opponents.
speedgang turned his attention fully to alora.
"your highness, princess alora," he began smoothly. "my task is simple: to keep you contained here until the war is over."
he paused, his lips curling into a thin smile.
"but," he added, "if you refuse to cooperate..." his words hung in the air as his gaze
hardened. "i won't hesitate to fight you myself."
the smile returned as he said. "i'd hate for it to come to that, but i can promise you- this
domain is where all resistance meets its end."
at the same moment, princess alora took out her sword-a legendary-grade blade forged by
none other than broken.
alora's lips curved into a faint smile as she leveled her gaze at speedgang.
"thanks," she said calmly. "at least now i have a reason to fight. you've left me no other
choice, after all."
speedgang chuckled, his grip tightening around his massive shield as he shifted into a ready
stance. "i like that confidence, princess," he replied.
"let's see how far it takes you." princess alora responded.