System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)

Chapter 749: Chapter 749: The Display of Loyalty

As Ethan closed the distance toward the hill, the spiritual pressure emanating from the center of the battlefield grew suffocating. A silhouette covered in a majestic aura stood tall amidst the blue flames.

Locking his eyes on her, Ethan felt his heart skip a beat. Princess Isabella was unleashing a colossal force, a power he didn’t remember at all. Within her aura lay not only a terrifying spiritual density, but also a clear and distinct trace of Dao energy. She was at the exact same level as him.

How the hell did she manage to reach this level in the same amount of time as me? Ethan thought, bewildered by the princess’s meteoric growth.

[She is a princess,] Crul’s voice chimed in within his mind, remaining composed. [There are many forbidden methods and resources to obtain the same strength as you in a short time... one only needs to be willing to pay the price.]

Ethan understood the implications instantly.

It seems she really gained massive contributions for the kingdom, Ethan reflected, his eyes burning with intent. If her father is so willing to intervene on her behalf, it means there is a huge opportunity here for me. I cannot hold back now; her right hand must prove to be powerful enough to stand by her side.

Reaching the crest of the hill, Ethan came to a sudden halt before the enemy siege. Without hesitating for a second, he raised his right hand toward the sky and channeled the dark energy of necromancy.

”ARISE!” Ethan shouted.

RHOOOAAR!

The earth cracked violently beneath the invaders’ feet. An army of death emerged from the ground—hundreds of undead warriors shrouded in shadowy, decayed auras that made the entire battlefield tremble.

Ethan raised his sword toward the enemy and roared with all the strength in his lungs, making his voice echo in every corner of the valley so that the princess, the generals, and the soldiers heard him loud and clear:

”MY SUBJECTS, DESTROY THE ENEMIES OF THE PRINCESS!” Ethan bellowed fiercely. ”LEAVE NONE ALIVE! LET THE DEAD RISE!”

Under Crul’s absolute control, the undead horde raised their weathered weapons and roared in a chilling unison that froze the Blue Phoenix’s blood:

”FOR THE PRINCESS!” the undead cried as one, launching themselves like a destructive plague against the enemy lines.

Ethan was sparing no effort. He was putting on an absolute show before everyone’s eyes, demonstrating a fierce and unwavering loyalty toward Isabella.

The tide of the undead charged like a relentless torrent, unleashing a bloody massacre that carved a massive rift directly through the Blue Phoenix army.

At the crest of the hill, Princess Isabella and the powerful young warrior she was clashing with halted their blades for a brief moment. Both watched in utter astonishment as the legion of shadows devoured the enemy ranks, all while roaring the princess’s name.

Who are they? Isabella wondered, her brow slightly furrowed. Where did these subjects even come from?

However, as her golden eyes scanned the chaotic battlefield, they locked onto a solitary figure. A young man was advancing relentlessly, carving a path through flesh and steel with a black, almost decayed sword. He looked every bit like a supreme general commanding an army of darkness, marching with steady steps toward her.

At that precise moment, Isabella’s vision shifted. A flash of light pierced her pupils, and her golden eyes revealed a fine, glowing thread extending from her chest, connecting directly to Ethan’s heart.

It was her greatest secret. The ancestral inheritance passed down by her mother: the Vision of the Destined. A mystical ability that revealed the person chosen to be her husband.

For that very reason, the first time their paths had crossed, she had trusted him without hesitation and granted him her absolute protection. Her eyes had foretold her destiny from the very first second. Her mother had told her before passing: that golden thread would bring the man who would save her from her suffering; that thread would shatter the heavy chains of the arranged marriage her family sought to impose on her; and when she met him, she ought to approach him with complete trust, because her lineage’s divine gift never failed.

Watching Ethan press forward through the fire and death, Isabella let out a subtle smile, feeling the weight of her chains begin to crack.

Isabella couldn’t believe her own eyes. Less than fifteen years had passed since she watched him leave. She had given her destined one the most ruthless, absurd task she could think of: destroy two southeastern sects and bring back their heads. For a young nobody without absolute power, being sent into the heart of the most formidable sects in the south was, by all accounts, a one-way mission. She had only given him a hundred-year deadline to push him, hoping destiny would do its work... and here he was, back, dominating the battlefield.

At that precise moment, the sky above the hill darkened. Hundreds of warships emerged over the horizon, advancing at a breathtaking speed. It was the Crimson Fleet.

Without breaking stride, the battleships fanned out into a flawless attack formation, opening crossfire with their runic cannons onto the Blue Phoenix troops. The offensive was no mere skirmish; it was total annihilation. The explosions wiped out entire ranks in a matter of seconds, turning the enemy advance to ash.

In the middle of the frozen air, the Venerable Blue Phoenix Elder roared uncontrollably, his face contorted in rage as he pointed at the leader of the Soaring Dragon Kingdom:

”Damn you, Southern General!” the old man bellowed in contained fury. ”To use such a dirty, dishonest tactic in a battle reserved for the younger generation! You have no shame!”

The Southern General didn’t even flinch. Holding his trident firmly, he glanced out of the corner of his eye at Ethan’s figure advancing through the smoke, replying in a serene, mocking tone:

”The one commanding all of them is the youngest of the younger generation.”