“Each Emblem corresponds to a certain Power of Emblem. This is granted to us along with golden blood, and it is the foundation of our strength as Emblem Knights.”
Brownie spoke as she presented the wolf-head Emblem in her palm for Rita to see.
“For example, mine is rather ordinary—just Beastification, nothing special.”
“Isn’t the Power of Emblem supposed to be a secret?” Rita asked.
“In theory, yes, but the ability of my Emblem is no secret. Of course, neither is Xingxian’s.”
“Then what is her Power of Emblem?” Rita wanted to learn about her future opponent.
“Acceleration. That’s all there is to it.” Brownie answered.
Acceleration is anything but a simple ability, isn’t it?
Speed is strength; at a high enough speed, even a bird could bring down a plane. The upper and lower limits of this ability are both absurdly high—if it develops, it shouldn’t be underestimated at all.
“Then what is my Power of Emblem?” Rita asked.
“It’s your Power of Emblem, and you’re asking me?” Brownie shot Rita a look.
“But I really don’t know. I can only feel my strength and speed increasing… and then nothing else.”
“It’s normal for speed and strength to increase.”
“But I can’t have no ability at all, right?”
“Of course not.”
“But I…”
“You won’t.”
Rita had tried several times to unleash her Emblem during practice with Brownie. Although she couldn’t succeed every time, it still boosted her combat ability by a fair amount.
As for whether she could successfully unleash it now, or whether it could compete with Xingxian’s Meteor, Rita had no certainty.
But it was always worth trying.
“What’s that golden thing appearing on Rita?” someone in the audience suddenly cried out.
“If I’m not mistaken, that should be… also… an Emblem?” a Holy Knight said in disbelief, then turned to look at Vanessa. “Vanessa, but when you dueled her, you…”
Vanessa stared at the heart-shaped Emblem emerging before her, swallowing hard.
The Emblem she longed for so desperately had actually appeared on this person.
But she had been defeated fair and square; let alone unleashing her Emblem, Rita hadn’t used even a bit of its power back then.
So even if she was unwilling, she had to admit Rita was stronger than her.
Rita clenched her fist, channeling all the power of the Emblem inside her. Golden mist slowly seeped from her body, weaving into a shape that intertwined a heart and wings.
Xingxian’s expression wasn’t surprised; she’d known long ago that Rita possessed an Emblem.
However, she had no desire to face an Emblem with unknown power.
Just as Rita had stopped her from unleashing her Emblem before, now she would do the same to Rita.
The attack she had prepared all this time was meant for this very moment.
Amid the stars summoned by Xingxian, a single point of light flickered, then fell at extreme speed.
“What was that? Did you see it clearly?” someone else cried out.
“No… I think I only saw a single line…”
Just a single line, linking sky and earth, too fast for the naked eye to catch.
This was the magic arrow, accelerated to the extreme by Xingxian’s Power of Emblem—a gift she had prepared for Rita.
“Rita’s been hit!”
“Oh no, looks like the outcome is decided.”
Everyone saw Rita’s body stagger a few times, her newly revealed Emblem quickly dimming.
“Heheheh.” Lilia couldn’t help but let out a string of laughs.
Rita had been struck; even if this blow didn’t cost her her life, it would be enough to strip her of her ability to fight.
Xingxian frowned. Her attack had indeed landed, but at the last moment, Rita dodged the vital spot, greatly reducing the effect of her strike.
But it didn’t matter—the injury she’d inflicted was serious, and Rita would no longer be able to contend with her under such wounds.
Though not a complete victory, she’d been suppressing her opponent the whole time. The outcome of the battle was as expected.
Xingxian sighed, set a hand on her Giant Bow, glanced at Rita, who was now kneeling on one knee, and placed her fingers on the bowstring.
“Ugh…”
Rita groaned, her body swaying, as if trying to stand.
Xingxian’s fingers twitched but didn’t pull the bowstring—she only kept her posture, watching Rita.
“What are you waiting for! Finish her off!” Lilia’s voice rang out from the stands, making Xingxian frown even deeper.
No helping it—this was an order from Her Highness Lilia. Let Rita live, but end this battle quickly.
Xingxian finally pulled the bowstring, and the gathered Meteors fell from the sky, completely burying Rita.
A series of explosions rang out, thick smoke billowing upward. Many in the audience frowned, and a few even turned away, unwilling to witness the possible carnage in the arena.
“What a pity, she was so close to unleashing her Emblem,” Illya pouted, glancing at Cecilia, who was trying hard to look composed despite her pale face and the way she bit her lip.
“No, she… succeeded… counterattack… yes.”
Within the rolling smoke, a flash of gold could be glimpsed.
“f4…”
If anyone could sense that strange ripple most clearly, it would be Xingxian.
Within the smoke she couldn’t see through, a power that made even her heart race was spreading.
Shuaa—
The entire cloud of smoke parted like a sea being split in two, but Rita was nowhere to be seen.
Gulp.
Xingxian swallowed, her throat brushing against the sharp, silver-white tip of a sword. A drop of blood ran down her fair neck, staining her collar a bright red.
Rita’s silver hair was still fluttering downward from the wind, settling again on her shoulders. Her dark red eyes gave Xingxian a sudden illusion, as if she were facing something not human at all.
The face that was almost pressed against Xingxian’s bore neither the joy of victory nor the anger of having been suppressed. Xingxian could see only one thing.
The desire to defeat her.
“Has Lady Xingxian been subdued?”
“How did Rita get her sword to Xingxian’s neck?”
“Is this the power of the Emblem?”
Clang.
Rita slowly withdrew her sword, jumped back half a step, and took up a ready stance again.
“Rita, what is the meaning of this?”
“When I fell just now, you didn’t finish me off, did you?” Rita lowered her body, not rushing to strike. “So, just now, I was returning the favor.”
Xingxian looked Rita up and down, observing her appearance after unleashing her Emblem.
Just as her own Starwing appeared after unleashing her Emblem, Holy Knights usually underwent significant changes after release.
But Rita’s transformation seemed… a bit too minimal.
Golden patterns, like the branches of a golden tree, spread across Rita’s cheek. On the arm exposed beneath the sleeve that had been destroyed by Xingxian’s attack, a few golden veins extended like blood vessels.
Other than that, there was nothing else.
What drew Xingxian’s attention most was that all the wounds Rita had received during their fight had vanished.
“A Healing-type Power of Emblem?”
“How would I know? But I suppose that’s what it is,” Rita tapped the ground with her silver sword tip. “Can we begin?”
“Of course.”
With those words, the whole sky darkened once again.
At Xingxian’s summons, stars fell one after another, swarming toward Rita like a hive of bees returning home.
Rita’s target was even clearer—she meant to attack Xingxian alone.
The overwhelming momentum surged within the Magical Shield, shattering it several times. Even through several layers of protection, those in the audience felt cold sweat soaking their backs.
They wanted to see a thrilling, dazzling battle—but they did not want to be caught up in its aftermath.
One needed only to casually draw the bowstring and a rain of stars would fall, darkening the heavens and earth.
Yet even so, the other figure moved with agility, the golden mist around her seemingly taking physical form—sometimes transforming into solid screens of light to block attacks, sometimes morphing into sharp arrows to counterstrike.
Just a single, seemingly insignificant figure, yet no one doubted she could stand against the whole illusory starry sky.
The battle was so intense that everyone hardly dared to breathe. Lilia’s previous expression froze on her face, twisted as she watched Rita hold her own and even come close to injuring Xingxian several times.
After all, Xingxian was an archer; once Rita got close, it would mean the end of the battle. But Rita wasn’t someone who would go down from a single arrow.
Unless—she unleashed a blow powerful enough to decide everything.
No choice— for Her Highness Lilia, she could not afford any mistake.
Xingxian thought to herself. The Starwing spread wide behind her, lifting her gently into the air.
A glowing orb the size of an egg formed before her Giant Bow, then she gripped it as if plucking a star from the heavens.
Xingxian’s hand slowly drew back; the star was nocked onto the first bowstring. The taut creaking sounded out, the red glow staining the star the same color.
Rita doubled back to pursue, but the storm above her head slowed her steps.
No time—the attack had to come faster.
Xingxian focused. The bowstring bent even more, and the second string added its power to the star. Two colors merged in her hand, gradually taking the shape of an arrow.
By now, Rita’s sword had already cut down the falling stars and was pressing closer.
A little faster.
Third, fourth—her Meteors were dwindling, and Rita was closing in.
“Can the Magical Shield really withstand the force of this strike?” Claire looked around in panic, noticing that the mages were reinforcing the defenses further.
Fifth, sixth—just a bit more. “At this speed, Rita will get there first,” Helag muttered lowly.
Rita’s figure was already right before Xingxian, sword raised high.
Suddenly, Xingxian’s hand accelerated. The seventh string imparted its color to the dazzling star.
I’ve won—I’d deliberately slowed down before, all for this moment, so you have nowhere to run!
But, even as she finished preparing, why was there no panic in Rita’s eyes? Instead, Rita’s eyes curved into a smile.
Xingxian’s mind felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer, a roar sounding deep within her consciousness.
This was no metaphor—her head felt like it was about to split from the pain. Her movements slowed a beat, almost losing control of the seven-colored light arrow she’d worked so hard to create.
Crack.
Xingxian bit down hard on her lower lip, the intense pain quickly bringing her back to her senses.
She had to shoot—decide the victor…
Before she could raise her Giant Bow, an icy blade was already at her shoulder again. Xingxian looked at Rita’s narrowed eyes, then at the glowing arrow in her own hand, and bit into her lip even deeper.
Snap.
The light arrow was crushed in Xingxian’s hand, multicolored mist scattering through the air.
The next second, thunderous applause erupted.