Evolution begins with an ant colony

The princess continued her assault with her scale-covered arms, attacking Gideon endlessly. However, Gideon matched her speed and, in fact, started to speed up. The dragon princess widened her eyes in disbelief, musing, "I thought I was faster than him, but... He's keeping up with me, and he's starting to get even faster."

As she mused, some of the streaks of Gideon's mana, shaped like blades as he swung his twin short swords, were too fast for her to counter and whistled past, leaving deep cuts in her body. Slowly, the wounds increased, and she started to notice she would be overwhelmed at this rate. The shockwaves created from their attacks shook the ground beneath their feet.

The attacks they dodged or didn't get hit by went behind them, creating massive scars on the landscape, completely clearing the snow and leaving deep gouges and cuts on the Earth—a clear display of the sheer power behind their attacks.

Seeing that his attacks were getting through and leaving her with wounds, Gideon smiled and said, "Are we doing a contest of speed and endurance, princess? Do you think you can win? You aren't looking so good."

The princess, feeling insulted, replied, "How dare you underestimate my abilities! I will bring you to your knees, and then you will beg for your own death." Gideon chuckled and replied, "I would love to see you try."

Inwardly, the princess mused, "But what he is saying is right. If we continue like this, he will eventually defeat me. The only reason I haven't stopped yet is because I'm not sure I'll be able to get far away from him in case he intends to finish me off with one final sword swing. Hence my current predicament.

The only way I can turn the tables now is to create a pause in his attacks and then deal a fatal blow to one of his important organs."

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The princess then mused further, although casting magic in the shape I'm in now will only serve to further weaken me, I will have to do it regardless. I'll create a vial that will momentarily give me the chance I need.

With a plan in mind, the princess's eyes glowed brightly. At once, a bright green magic circle appeared behind Gideon. He noticed it for a moment, but the moment he did, its vines erupted forward and entangled his arms, stopping his counters to the princess's attacks.

As Gideon was suddenly paused in his tracks, the princess's eyes then shone brightly as she yelled, "You're mine; this is over." Gideon wore a smug smirk as he replied, "I couldn't agree more. This battle is over," his purple eyes shining brightly.

In that moment, as the princess decided to initiate the attack to end the battle, she lunged her right scale-covered hand forward, aimed at Gideon's chest, intending to go through his heart. However, as her hand landed on Gideon's chest, he suddenly dissolved into a shadow.

As she gazed at the dissolving shadow figure, her eyes widened with disbelief and confusion. Suddenly, another figure emerged behind her and then swung their sword at the princess's back. Although she noticed this just in time to encase her back in her scales, her scales were already badly damaged, offering little defense against the mana-enhanced blade the figure wielded as they slashed her back

As the blade slashed through her scales, leaving a massive cut on her back, she slowly fell to the floor and bled out. Gritting her teeth, she slowly turned her head behind her to find out who dealt the final blow. To her surprise, there was Gideon, standing and looming over her, wearing a smug smile on his face.

The princess, seeing this, was instantly consumed with confusion and curiosity, prompting her to ask, "How did you attack me from behind? How did you even get behind me in the first place?"

Gideon then mumbled, "Oh, princess, did you really think you would win when you're that bad at using those amazing eyes of yours?"

The princess, slightly serious, then replied, "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or to take it as an insult. Do you care to explain how you appeared behind me suddenly? Or are you the type that doesn't leak his secrets in fear of one day being defeated?"

Gideon then chuckled slightly and mumbled, "You sure do have a way with your words. Well, I'll tell you, simply because I want to rub it in your face."

Gideon then gazed at her wounds, let out a sigh, and said, "What don't I tell you on the way back to my tribe? I can't have you dying before I take you to see my liege."@@novelbin@@

The princess gritted her teeth, still unwilling to accept being captured, but she was in no state to offer resistance.

Gideon looked around and mumbled, "I might have to wrap your body in my cape, though. I don't really like the idea of your blood getting all over my body." His gaze then fell on his cape a few feet away. In the blink of an eye, he sped over there, grabbed it, and brought it to cover the princess. He then said, "There, now we can leave," as he cradled her in his arms.

She felt defeated and continued gritting her teeth.

In that moment, Gideon said, "Hold on tight now; this is gonna be a bumpy ride." His mana surged to his feet, and he leaped forward, even faster than when he and the princess were fighting earlier.

Seeing this happen, the princess couldn't help but muse in awe, "H-he's going even faster. If he was this fast, he could have ended the battle before it even began. What was his motive for wasting so much time when he wields this degree of power? Having all this power and yet deciding to fight on such a low level, it feels like he was just playing with me.

Now I feel even more insulted." She gritted her teeth as she glared at him.