“I can’t believe it!”

 

Prakaka, the Seventh Throne of the Eternal Throne, who had once clashed with Violet, knew well the incredible strength of this black-haired girl. 

 

When they had crossed paths before, she had effortlessly deflected his claw strikes and turned the force against him, leaving him reeling for quite some time.

 

So, seeing Violet swinging that seemingly thin and fragile staff again, even though it appeared less intimidating, the cautious Seventh Throne wisely chose not to confront it directly. He used his clawed hand to spring back, landing next to the twin mummies.

 

“Hey! Bark and Buckle, this woman is incredibly dangerous, we can’t underestimate her. Let’s deal with her together!”

 

He shouted loudly while quickly retreating behind the twin mummies, using them as makeshift shields.

 

This reaction was quite normal. Just because they had titles like 【Eternal Throne】 didn’t mean they were all that remarkable. Those who joined the Eternal Thrones were generally individuals who feared or rejected death. Prakaka, in particular, was exceptionally cautious, to the point of being death-averse.

 

Prakaka was a warrior from a mouse-folk tribe in the southern region of the Beast Kingdom two hundred years ago.

 

Mouse-folk, as a race, were already among the weaker members of the beastly communities. While they were known for their speed, their physical abilities and strength were average at best. They excelled in digging, escaping, lock picking, arson, and poisoning. Even if they were skilled, they were typically assassins.

 

Prakaka was one such mouse-folk, but he was a fortunate mouse. He possessed a unique innate talent: “Presence Erasure.” This ability was perfectly suited to his role as an assassin.

 

Thanks to this extraordinary gift, Prakaka could conceal his killing intent and aura to the point of near invisibility. Coupled with a powerful magical item he obtained during a fortuitous encounter—the “Cloak of Invisibility”—he achieved an almost insurmountable level of stealth.

 

While Prakaka’s attack power was ordinary, a single strike from his sharp claws was enough to be fatal when his target was completely defenseless. Through a continuous process of killing, looting, and honing his skills, Prakaka gradually became a legendary assassin.

 

Due to his innate talent, “Presence Erasure,” and his deliberate efforts to remain hidden, the vast majority of the world remained unaware of the terrifying assassin within the Beast Kingdom. In his prime, Prakaka believed himself to be invincible.

 

However, during an activity inside the Human United Kingdom’s territory, he finally ran into trouble.

 

It was a vampire.

 

Vampires, also known as bloodsuckers or blood kin, are a highly intelligent species categorized by titles that denote their ranks. Those above the rank of Duke were even considered mythical beings.

 

Vampires were rare and discreet, scattered throughout the world. They had virtually disappeared from public view for centuries.

 

To put it simply, Prakaka was extremely unlucky.

 

Vampires had the ability to sense the flow of blood in their vicinity, allowing them to easily detect Prakaka’s treasured invisibility. His once-proud stealth was exposed, and he was nearly beaten to death, escaping at the last moment.

 

Then, he encountered the Eternal Thrones.

 

So, what Prakaka feared most were entities capable of seeing through his invisibility, and apart from the female vampire from before and the first member of the Eternal Throne, the black-haired girl was the third person to possess this ability.

 

Furthermore, she appeared to be even more formidable than the previous two. At the very least, the methods the two of them used to detect Prakaka’s invisibility could be traced, but she seemed to effortlessly “see” the mouse-folk assassin with her naked eyes.

 

Originally, based on the Foxfolk High Priest Saharit’s speculation, there might be an extraordinarily powerful figure by Princess Lilya’s side. That’s why the 【Eternal Throne】 temporarily assigned Prakaka, the most skilled assassin among the 【Eternal Throne】, to deal with the situation.

 

Now, the Seventh Throne could only express how he felt like a complete fool. What kind of “extraordinary” power was this? If this woman was only “extraordinary,” he would gladly take her head and kick it around like a football for those scoundrels.

 

Have you seen what she’s holding in her hand? A staff! This person didn’t even cast a proper spell, and they almost beat themselves to death just swinging it. Is she even human?

 

Could it be that this woman is actually a giant dragon in disguise?

 

In fact, after feeling the extent of Violet’s power, Prakaka himself had been ready to flee. Who knew that this woman would suddenly use some bizarre red light to pull him and his two accomplices into this inexplicable place? So, he had to gather the strength around him and resist it, even though his companions didn’t seem to have their heads screwed on straight.

 

“What is this…”

 

“…place?”

 

“Woman…”

 

“…what have you done!”

 

Listening to the two mummies singing in harmony, Violet nonchalantly twirled her staff and burst into laughter.

 

“I have no interest in explaining things to the dead, so you’d better go back to your coffins quickly.”

 

“You jerk!”

 

“Go to hell!”

 

“Pathetic priest!” (x2)

 

The two mummies seemed quite angry. To show their displeasure, the white bandages on their bodies fluttered as if caught in a strong wind. Simultaneously, they raised their hands and sent two streams of bandages twisting towards Violet.

 

Within the 【Iron Blood Arena】, no offensive abilities could be used. This restriction included skills, equipment-based effects, and all sorts of miscellaneous items. It was an absolute rule. Thus, Violet presumed that these two mummies should be subject to the same restriction.

 

In other words, these white bandages are an extension of their bodies, belonging to purely physical attacks.

 

“Ew, just the thought of it being cloth wrapped around a dead person makes me feel so disgusted…”

 

As she muttered “phew” to herself, Violet leaped effortlessly several meters into the air, avoiding those two things. But to her surprise, the white cloth missed her and rolled up, continuing to chase her in the air!

 

“【Divine Feather】!”

 

Her pure and magnificent wings spread out, carrying Violet higher into the air. She gracefully spun at the top of the arena, evading the pursuing mummy bandages and diving down towards the two mummy beings!

 

“Ridiculous!”

 

Both Bark and Buckle shouted simultaneously, not dodging or evading. The white cloth layers swelled and they seemed intent on taking this hit head-on.

 

They weren’t truly undead. Instead, they were special entities with souls inhabiting objects.

 

In simple terms, these white bandages were the true forms of Bark and Buckle, and the condition of their inner bodies didn’t matter at all.

 

Even if they were attacked, damaged, they could simply abandon their current forms and choose new ones to wrap and attach to. They had been around much longer than Prakaka, and their bodies had been replaced countless times.

 

In fact, Bark and Buckle themselves don’t possess any remarkable offensive abilities. Their fighting style is simple and brutal, relying on their superlative defense and undead nature to withstand attacks.

 

As soon as the white cloth comes into contact with an enemy’s body, it rapidly proliferates, wrapping them up, consuming their inner soul, and transforming their flesh into unconscious puppets for Bark and Buckle to control.

 

Alternatively, it can directly transfer their consciousness over.

 

These two can also be considered a parasitic type of monster.

 

At the moment, they have set their sights on Violet’s body. Not only is she young and beautiful, but she also possesses remarkable reflexes, strength, and speed. If they were to devour her soul and transfer their consciousness, their strength would undoubtedly skyrocket.

 

Unfortunately, there’s only one person available. However, the redhead woman from earlier seems like a viable option too. After dealing with this situation, they plan to go and seize her body as well.

 

In reality, Bark and Buckle are one entity, or more precisely, one soul. It’s just that when they resurrect with the help of the Shroud of the Deceased, which is the white cloth, they split into two separate yet interconnected beings.

 

Their original name from when they were alive is lost to history, and now they are only known as the fourth throne of the 【Eternal Throne】 – Bark and Buckle, the “Soul-Stealing Twin Specters.”

 

“Hey! Idiots, you can’t just take the hit, you need to dodge!” Prakaka exclaimed in alarm, seeing these two stubbornly resisting.

 

It certainly knew that these ghastly beings had astonishing defense, and even if they were beaten to a pulp, they wouldn’t truly die, but that didn’t mean they were invincible, or couldn’t be killed.

 

For example, a powerful holy attribute attack or a burst of power exceeding the limit that the “Shroud of the Deceased” could withstand.

 

So, what would happen if both of these conditions were met?

 

The golden priest’s staff easily shattered the countless layers of white cloth forming their defense, passing through them like striking a bowling pin, creating an elegant arc in the air.

 

At the end of that trajectory, the heads of Bark and Buckle, wrapped in white cloth, were directly blown into two exploding watermelons.

 

Plop.

 

There was no blood and brain matter inside. Instead, it was a substantial black, gaseous energy.

 

Upon contact with this substance, the peculiar staff seemed to react like an allergic reaction, bursting into a blinding golden light that instantly obliterated the black energy clusters.

 

Then, under the wide-eyed, despairing gaze of Prakaka, the two headless mummy bodies wrapped in white cloth shattered and turned into a pool of black slime.

 

The fourth throne of the 【Eternal Throne】 – the “Soul-Stealing Twin Specters,” Bark and Buckle, were annihilated in an instant.