Chapter 102
Carissa pointed her Rose Spear toward the site of her fight with Michael. "If your eyes are still working," she said, "see for yourself why Michael surrendered."
The location was nearby, only seven or eight paces away. Aurora followed Carissa's direction, taking a deep breath. She saw five cracks in the ground, each twisting and winding like a centipede's path. They converged at a single point, roughly where Michael had stood. The cracks appeared to have run beneath his feet. One crack was about the size of a footprint, indicating a lighter impact. It seemed Carissa's inner force had struck Michael's feet, causing this smaller crack.
Had Carissa not carefully controlled her inner force, it could have crippled Michael's legs. This was why he surrendered.
Aurora took a deep breath, realizing she had been thoroughly defeated in Carissa's presence. However, she quickly straightened, clinging to Barrett's arm and leaning against him. She offered the very smile she had previously scorned—a delicate and charming smile.
"Yes, I lost the challenge, and my skills may not match yours. But I secured Victory Pass, and I'm married to General Warren by royal edict. His love for me is undeniable. Even if you achieve great feats on the battlefield and hold a higher rank in the future, I will still have beaten you first. I will always be Starhaven's first female general and Barrett's wife. You'll never claim those positions."
Carissa's smile remained cool and indifferent. "I'm not interested in being General Warren's wife, nor do I covet the title of Starhaven's first female general. Why would I want to replace you? After you said those words that trampled on women's dignity, I've lost all respect for you. No matter what great achievements you make, your character is lacking."
Aurora's smile faltered. "Hah! Now you're attacking my character. It seems you do care, after all. Why else would you be so sharp-tongued?" She raised her chin defiantly.
"And another thing! Do you dare claim you didn't come to the battlefield to overshadow me? Your intentions are unworthy! You entered the battlefield with personal motives and no true loyalty to defend the nation. In that regard, you will never compare to me!"
Carissa held her Rose Spear with casual elegance. She offered Aurora a fleeting smile and departed with a parting shot: "Being overly narcissistic is a sickness. You should see a physician to check for anything wrong with your head."
[+15 BONUS]
"What?!" Aurora, enraged and embarrassed, screamed at Carissa's retreating figure, "Are you"
Carissa didn't turn around or reply. Her silhouette stretched in the firelight as she gracefully leaped into the air, soaring towards the city tower with the swiftness of an eagle. She ascended easily and landed atop it.
She glanced back at the open field, where the cracks were still clearly visible. Indeed; with poor character, one might as well be blind.
Carissa retrieved an arrow from a city wall soldier and shot it with a flick of her wrist. It sliced through the air and landed precisely in the middle of the cracks. Then, she sent a message with her inner force: “[From here, the cracks are still quite clear. Are your eyes failing you?]”
Her effortless Lightfoot Skill and accurate shot left both Barrett and Aurora stunned. When Michael had challenged her, the couple had been standing where she had been, and they hadn't noticed the cracks. They weren't blind—they were simply inferior to Carissa in every aspect.
Aurora trembled, clutching Barrett tightly, tears welling in her eyes. "Barrett, you won't despise me, will you?"
Barrett gazed at the spot where Carissa had disappeared from the city tower but didn't turn away. He forced a bitter smile and tightened his embrace. "No."
Aurora buried her face in his chest, crying softly. "She… she just comes from a better background than I do."
Barrett's arms fell to his sides. He no longer held her; his heart grew cold. Aurora had lost but was unwilling to admit it. Her openness, her straightforwardness, her boldness—they had all been illusions.