"That armor is—!?"
In that instant, every gaze in the arena locked onto the platinum-white armor. Shock and disbelief spread across countless faces.
"Loserine…?"
"Is that Knight Loserine?"
"But she was already—"
One after another, people froze in disbelief, unable to accept that Loserine—who had been declared dead for many years—had reappeared before their very eyes.
The radiance of that platinum armor was simply too dazzling.
It was an image burned deeply into their memories.
They could not imagine anyone other than Loserine ever wearing that armor.
In the distant stands, Mero's face drained completely of color the moment he saw her.
"Lo… Loserine?"
His voice trembled as his fingers tapped uncontrollably against the railing, desperately trying to steady the turmoil surging inside him.
"How is this possible?!"
Gritting his teeth, Mero snarled under his breath, "You can't still be alive! That lord himself said you sank to the bottom of the sea!"
He couldn't accept it.
Ten years ago, her death had been officially declared—so why?
Why was she standing here now?!
Fear.
Rage.
A storm of emotions exploded in Mero's mind like fireworks, colliding and intertwining.
Loserine's presence filled him with an indescribable sense of impending doom, as though a razor-sharp blade were hanging directly above his head.
"It's fine… it's fine. There's still a chance," he muttered to himself, his clenched fists betraying the tension gnawing at his heart.
Even if Loserine's appearance had disrupted the plan, his preparations were thorough. With the remains of seven Oathbound Knights under his control, even Loserine wouldn't be able to withstand a coordinated assault.
Besides… was that really Loserine?
Even if the armor matched, it was impossible to immediately conclude that someone long dead had truly returned.
"Aunt…"
In stark contrast to Mero's fear and fury, Roxia stood frozen in a daze when she saw her aunt standing before her—like someone who had just downed a bottle of strong sedatives.
When a deceased loved one suddenly appeared again, the shock was overwhelming. Her mind went blank, her body rooted in place.
But Loserine could not respond to Roxia's call.
As an undead, she had lost her memories.
Even standing face to face with her niece, she could not recognize her.
There was only one voice echoing in Loserine's hollow consciousness—
Complete the task given by Kurose Akira!
Kill.
Her body of jade-like bone lunged forward without hesitation toward the nearest skeletal knight. The Silvermoon Longsword in her hand shimmered with pale white light, swift as a bolt of lightning.
The skeletal knight didn't even have time to react.
Loserine's blade cleaved straight through its cervical vertebrae.
The strike fell like thunder.
The neck snapped instantly.
The sound of shattering bone echoed through the air as the skeleton's body swayed violently.
Loserine didn't pause for even a heartbeat.
She followed through with a downward slash.
Crack!
A sharp, explosive fracture rang out.
The withered skeletal body split apart from the neck downward, fractures racing through the ribcage and spine all the way to the pelvis.
Then—
Bang!
It exploded into fragments, scattering in every direction.
"One strike… an instant kill?"
The sight of Loserine annihilating a skeletal knight in a single blow left the crowd wide-eyed.
That overwhelming strength only further convinced them—
The one inside the platinum armor was none other than the legendary Oathbound Knight of old.
Loserine.
"Damn it!"
The necromancer felt a sharp tearing pain in his soul as one of the skeletons was destroyed.
Pu'er clenched his yellowed teeth and barked in a hoarse voice, "All of you—attack together!"
At his command, the remaining six skeletal knights surged toward Loserine simultaneously.
"I'll help—"
Roxia instinctively stepped forward, but Loserine raised a hand, signaling sharply.
The gesture was firm and unquestionable.
It told Roxia to go—finish the Oathbound Knight selection.
During the brief delay earlier, the other eleven candidates had already cleared the first trial and caught up to Roxia's progress.
If she hesitated any longer, she would lose her qualification.
"I understand."
Roxia nodded without hesitation and sprinted toward the two phantoms guarding the White Rose petal.
Once Roxia left, Loserine's empty gaze shifted toward the six skeletal Oathbound Knights charging at her.
Creak… creak…
She assumed a defensive stance, gemstone-like sounds ringing from her frame as she calmly focused on the incoming enemies.
In the blink of an eye, two skeletal knights reached her, rusted iron swords raised high as they slashed downward.
Loserine countered instantly.
Her blade swept out like moonlight spilling across the night sky, effortlessly dismantling their attacks. Without pause, she launched a counteroffensive—her sword flashing again and again, carving dozens of deep gashes into their bones before they could even react.
The two skeletal knights were forced back repeatedly, utterly unable to defend themselves.
And at that moment—
Loserine's left hand, the one not holding her sword, suddenly flared with platinum light.
A beam of white-gold brilliance erupted outward, striking one of the skeletal knights head-on.
It didn't even have time to scream.
In an instant, it was pulverized into dust.
After eliminating one enemy, Loserine immediately lunged toward the other—
But just as she moved, a massive greatsword over two meters long crashed down from above.
Sensing danger, she halted mid-charge and leapt back.
The blade missed her—but tore a half-meter-wide裂痕 straight through the ground.
She steadied herself and turned her gaze to the right.
The jet-black skeletal knight was advancing toward her with heavy, deliberate steps.
Among the seven Oathbound Knights, it was the strongest.
Its attributes slightly surpassed Loserine's, and in life, it had been a knight of legendary renown a century ago.
Yet Loserine showed no fear.
Sword in hand, she charged straight at it.
Her movement seemed to ignite the black skeleton's battle spirit. It wrenched the greatsword from the ground and met her head-on.
Clang!
The collision of metal thundered across heaven and earth.
Blades flashed.
Sword shadows danced.
Magic burst and scattered through the arena.
The spectacle was so dazzling that the audience stood frozen in awe.
"So cool!"
"It has to be Loserine—I'm sure of it!"
"That platinum armor… that invincible strength! She's definitely Knight Loserine!"
Watching a single knight battle seven Oathbound undead alone, the crowd became utterly convinced—
She was the strongest Oathbound Knight of legend.
Loserine.
"Loserine…"
Tears streamed down Natasha's face as she watched.
"She really is Loserine! Mr. Kurose—you're awful!"
She wiped the tears from her eyes with her fingertips, her gaze shining with excitement as she looked at Akira, unable to hide her joy.
"…?"
Akira froze, completely baffled.
Awful? What did he do?
As Loserine fought seven enemies alone, Ivsha finally brought good news.
"Mr. Kurose," she whispered close to his ear, her voice soft and urgent, "I found the necromancer."