Imprisoned for a Trillion Years, I Was Worshipped by All Gods!

As Beatrice's cold and commanding voice echoed through the air, Alan gripped his staff-sword tightly and charged at her, sword flashing like flowing light.

Facing a powerhouse like Beatrice—the top genius of Lioncrest Academy—his only option was to strike first and seize the initiative in battle.

Whoosh!

Alan's sword slashed forward with incredible speed, but Beatrice only sneered. A cold, deathly aura of dark magic wrapped around her body, making her resemble a black-robed reaper.

When Alan's blade landed on her shadowy form, the [Blade Spirit] within vanished like a stone sinking into water—completely absorbed without even a ripple.

Alan's heart trembled slightly. No wonder she was considered one of Lioncrest Academy's twin prodigies.

She possessed a rare dark-element affinity!

According to legend, dark element was one of the most mysterious and unpredictable elemental types.

Beatrice easily blocked Alan's strike and immediately reached out, attempting to seize his staff-sword and disarm him of his signature weapon.

But Alan twisted his wrist mid-air, spinning the sword to avoid her grasp, then thrust forward again with fierce precision.

Beatrice hadn't expected such combat prowess. Her eyes narrowed in concentration.

The dark element flowed from her palms, transforming into viscous black sludge that gripped Alan's sword like lightning.

Simultaneously, another dark tendril swiftly formed a black spear, stabbing toward Alan's chest.

Alan's sword was immediately suppressed, its power significantly reduced.

Any ordinary staff would have shattered under such pressure.

But Alan's weapon had devoured both an elemental spirit and the Dragonfang Staff. It far surpassed normal staffs.

Just as it was being suppressed, a low dragon's roar echoed from the weapon. It shuddered violently, shaking off the dark element and deflecting the incoming spear.

Immediately after, Alan made a bold move—he abandoned his sword and charged forward, initiating close-quarters combat with Beatrice!

She was caught off guard by his sudden shift in tactics and took a punch to the chest. Though her dark magic absorbed most of the impact, and she suffered no real damage, she was still forced several steps back.

She quickly regained her footing, eyes now visibly serious.

They had only exchanged a few moves, yet Alan's strength clearly exceeded her expectations. Very few could stand toe-to-toe with her—and even fewer had ever forced her back.

Just as she was about to counterattack, the sealed door behind her suddenly burst open. The third princess rushed out.

As soon as she emerged, she spoke:

"Beatrice, your faction may be strong, but with Alan and I joining forces, you're no match. Leave now, and I'll act as if none of this ever happened."

While Alan was indeed powerful, in the third princess's eyes, their earlier clash had only been a warm-up. Beatrice's current strength was not something Alan could handle alone.

Beatrice glanced at her and said coolly, "Third Princess, why cling to a tier-diamond magic skill? You both can't protect it."

The third princess replied coldly, "Even if you defeat us, Beatrice, you'll be severely wounded. Do you think the other faction elites will let you walk away after that?"

Beatrice smirked, "If you were at full strength, I'd take that threat seriously. But now? After the backlash from casting a tier-diamond spell? I doubt you even have a tenth of your power left. You think you can still intimidate me?"

As she spoke, she suddenly charged at the third princess!

Alan reacted instantly, throwing himself in front of her and blocking her path.

At the same moment, the third princess's eyes flashed with cold light. She drew her blade and slashed toward Beatrice with lightning speed!

Boom!

Beatrice's pupils shrank. She quickly formed a dark shield to block the strike—but the energy behind the blow was so fierce that she was still forced back several steps.

The third princess withdrew her blade and stared at Beatrice coldly.

"You're mistaken about something. Yes, the backlash was severe—but do you think the royal family has no healing techniques or elixirs?"

Beatrice felt the sting in her arm. Her expression grew heavier.

Judging by that strike, the third princess had indeed recovered more strength than expected.

But Beatrice narrowed her eyes and said, "So what if you've regained some power? In your condition, you won't be able to hold out for long."

With that, she charged again.

But just then, a wave of bone-chilling cold erupted from the third princess's body. The moisture in the air instantly crystallized into shimmering frost, falling like snow.

Beatrice abruptly halted and backed away, face darkening as she turned and left.

She remembered all too well the power of that tier-diamond spell. If the third princess focused it on her alone, she wasn't confident she could withstand it—especially with Alan nearby, ready to strike at any moment.

Once Beatrice had decisively retreated, the third princess quickly retracted her overwhelming aura.

"Come on, let's talk inside," she said.

Her face was pale as she turned and slowly made her way back into the room.

Alan followed close behind.

But as soon as they entered, Alan's eyes widened in shock—because the third princess coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining her dress crimson.

Alan rushed forward to steady her swaying figure.

"A tier-diamond spell may be valuable… but it's not worth dying for," he said urgently.

But the third princess wiped the blood from her lips and looked at Alan with unwavering determination.

"This spell is too important."

Alan frowned. "Even so… Beatrice won't give up. She'll return, probably with reinforcements from Lioncrest Academy."

"And that's not all. Plenty of other factions are watching this skill closely. Sometimes, letting go is the wiser choice."

He gazed at her pale face, voice steady.

Alan wasn't someone who gave up easily. But the odds were against them. The third princess, despite her immense potential, would one day outgrow the importance of this single skill.

The third princess sighed. "Let go? Easy for you to say. I have no other choice—and neither does the Plantagenet Kingdom."

Her voice rose, growing increasingly emotional. Bloodshot veins surfaced in her eyes.

"The kingdom is already beset on all sides. The surrounding nations see us as a fat piece of meat, and internally we're plagued by countless noble families. On top of that, we have to deal with giants like Lioncrest Academy and the Church of Steam and Magic."

"Plantagenet is like a rotting wooden house, leaking on all sides—but even if it's broken, it cannot be allowed to collapse! If it does, our people will become nothing more than slaves to other nations!"

"The nobles and great families? They're intertwined through marriage and power. No matter who sits on the throne, they always stay at the top. Lioncrest Academy and the Church are the same."

"They don't care about the common people!"

"Do you know my troops—the mages stationed on the border—haven't been paid in three months?"

"The only way to save Plantagenet… is to sell this magic skill. Only then can the kingdom begin to recover."

The third princess stared at Alan with resolute eyes.

"So this… is your true reason for coming here?" Alan asked after a pause.

She nodded firmly. "Yes."

"In this secret realm, this spell is the greatest treasure. If we lose it, the kingdom will descend into chaos."

Alan finally understood her intentions and shook his head.

"You may have your reasons—but it's not worth risking your life."

"This place is too dangerous. You should leave," the third princess said, steadying her breathing, trying to calm her emotions.

Alan stood in silence for a moment… then clenched his fists tightly, as if making a critical decision.

He looked at the third princess and said:

"The tier-diamond magic skill is indeed precious… So hand it over to me."