"No one else is here. Looks like it's him."
At first, Selene had worried that the Revolutionary Army's leader in Patripol City might have fled, but to her surprise, he had actually come out in person to mourn the dead.
Patiently waiting atop a high building in the marketplace district, Selene observed for a while longer. When she was certain that no one else suspicious appeared—that it was truly only him—she decided to make her move.
"Not good—it's a trap!"
At the very moment Selene's killing intent surged, Nal—who stood before the ruined execution platform—suddenly felt a chill run through his body. He turned sharply, his legs exploding with power. Crack! The tiles beneath his feet shattered as he propelled himself toward the inner wall of the market.
As the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army's intelligence department, Nal was no stranger to the battlefield. He possessed extraordinary instincts—an expert not only in combat but also in evasion and counter-surveillance. His expertise made him one of the best in the field of intelligence warfare.
However, his opponent was Selene. As a Herrscher, Selene's control over her presence and Honkai energy was flawless. There was no way someone like Nal could detect her on his own.
It was only because Selene had deliberately released her aura and killing intent that Nal finally sensed it—that bone-piercing chill that made him feel as though he had fallen into an icy abyss.
As a seasoned intelligence officer, Nal knew that even with his own confidence in his combat ability, the best course of action was not to fight head-on but to retreat immediately.
"Do you think you can escape?"
Boom!
In an instant, the inner wall of the marketplace exploded, sending a storm of rubble flying and momentarily halting Nal's movement. When he tried to turn and accelerate again... it was already too late.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Under Selene's gravitational control, the inner walls of the market were torn apart and reshaped into three massive slabs of stone that crashed down around Nal, sealing off his escape.
"A Teigu user!"
Seeing this, Nal's expression darkened. Wariness filled his eyes as he scanned the surroundings. To control matter with such precision—there was no doubt she was a Teigu wielder.
Tap... tap...
The sharp sound of metal boots stepping on stone echoed through the square. Following the sound, Nal turned his gaze toward the center of the market.
Long white hair that reached her waist, crimson diamond-shaped pupils, an exquisite, shapely figure, and a deep-blue short dress accented with silver-white decorative armor pieces—Selene stepped forward, her expression cold and composed, each step deliberate.
That appearance matched perfectly with the intelligence descriptions—the commander of the Empire's 8th Imperial Guard Legion: Selene von Habsburg.
"Selene von Habsburg?!"
Nal's eyes narrowed sharply, his expression growing grim. According to the reports brought back at the cost of their agents' lives, the Revolutionary Army's intelligence network within the Imperial Capital had been completely eradicated—and his close friend Shu Youriang had been killed by none other than Selene.
The report had also stated that Selene was a Teigu user, ranked second among the Empire's most dangerous individuals—second only to Great General Budo himself.
The intelligence division's warning had been clear: If encountered, flee as far and as fast as possible. Abandon the mission if necessary—no punishment will be given.
But now... Nal glanced at the blocked escape routes and then at Selene, who was approaching with calm, predatory steps. He knew that... his life might end here.
"Kneel and beg for mercy now, and perhaps I'll spare your life," Selene said with a mocking smile.
Seeing that condescending expression—like a predator toying with its prey—Nal couldn't help but think of his fallen comrade. He imagined that Shu Youriang must have met his end in much the same way.
For an instant, a memory flashed before his eyes—the image of a small, pink-haired girl with twin tails. When she had learned of Shu Youriang's death, she had wept bitterly. It had taken Nal a long time to console her.
"Mine... looks like I'll be breaking my promise to you, just like that bastard teacher of yours did. I hope... you'll live on well."
With death in his heart, Nal's eyes blazed with fury. He drew the heavy short-handled axe hidden at his waist and growled, "Hmph! Dream on! The will of a Revolutionary soldier isn't something a dog of the Empire could ever understand!"
"Die, Imperial dog!"
Roaring, Nal swung his axe downward with all his strength, striking the ground. He knew escape was impossible—but surrender? Never. Even if it meant his body being torn apart, he would make Selene bleed!
Thud!
Selene felt a tremor beneath her feet as countless fragments of stone erupted from the ground, shattering nearby buildings. Among the debris, a massive boulder—nearly ten meters across—hurtled toward her head with a deafening whoosh.
"A Teigu? Or a Shingu?" Selene's eyes glinted with amusement. With a casual flick of her hand, the enormous boulder disintegrated into fine dust.
The next instant, Nal's figure burst through the cloud of smoke. His movements were swift and precise, his muscles coiled with explosive strength as he leapt high into the air, axe raised. "Ahhhh—!!"
Selene remained expressionless. She raised her hand, placing her palm horizontally before her.
Boom!
Sparks exploded as the axe blade met her armored gauntlet. The impact shook the square—cracks spiderwebbed across the ground for dozens of meters, the tiles sinking inward as rainwater was blown away by the sheer force of the collision.
Then, with a sudden shift, Nal released the axe's handle and threw his arms wide, lunging forward as a wild grin spread across his face. "Come die with me!"
As he shouted, he tore open his coat, revealing rows of high-yield explosives strapped tightly to his body.
"Hah! My worthless life for yours—a noble of the Empire, a general of the Imperial Guard! A fair trade!!"
In that instant, Nal pulled the detonator's cord.
But then—his face froze in horror.
Spatial Stasis!
A violet-red shadow enveloped the world. Within this frozen moment of stopped time, Nal realized with terror that he was suspended midair—unable to move, unable to speak, even the burning fuse of his explosives had halted.
"Well, well," Selene said calmly, her voice echoing faintly through the stillness. "So that was your plan. But without my permission… how could you possibly die?"
Her tone was indifferent as she extended her hand, deftly removing the explosives from Nal's body. With her other hand, she grasped the heavy short-handled axe—still hanging motionless in midair—then her figure vanished in a flash.
Swish!
Selene reappeared behind Nal, her body slightly bent as she rose slowly, swinging the axe in a smooth, deliberate arc. Her crimson eyes gleamed coldly as she murmured, "The game's only just begun. Too bad... you don't have the strength to keep playing."
As her words faded, the stilled time-space dissolved.
Nal's body fell heavily to the ground, his eyes blank. A heartbeat later, several clean cuts appeared across his body. His head tilted—and rolled free from his neck.
His limbs and torso split apart in the next moment, and finally, blood erupted in crimson torrents, staining the shattered stones beneath him.
Originally, Selene had intended to spare Nal's life and hand him over to Esdeath for interrogation. But seeing that look of grim determination in his eyes—his desperate desire for death—she changed her mind.
Ah well... I really am too soft-hearted sometimes, she thought dryly. Fine then, no torture. I'll just cut you to pieces instead.
"Soldiers," Selene commanded coolly, turning away from the mangled corpse, "hang his head on the city gates—as a warning to all."