While Violet was fiercely beating the three legendary seats in the 【Iron Blood Arena】, and the Princess was leading her troops to exterminate the eerie undead, destroying teleportation arrays and supply lines, on the other side of the battlefield, things were just as intense.

 

In the woodlands surrounding the basin, two agile figures seemed to disregard collision volumes and gravity. They maneuvered through the complex terrain of trees, continually shooting swift and powerful arrows at each other. In moments of proximity, they would engage in lightning-fast duels with their short knives, only to separate again.

 

The sturdy branches and trunks of the trees were as fragile as paper, offering no resistance whatsoever. Once they came into contact with the arrows or the swirling force generated during their combat, they were immediately pierced through, torn apart, and the sound of trees crashing down was constant.

 

Most arrows were avoided using their agility, and attacks that couldn’t be dodged were deflected by another arrow in mid-air.

 

The real damage came when the two engaged in close combat.

 

Flora’s advantage lay in the magical armor she wore called the 【Veil of Roses】. This excellent equipment absorbed most of the combat shockwaves and had yet to sustain any real damage.

 

Anthony Stevenson, on the other hand, while slightly inferior in armament, benefited from the undead nature, which allowed him to ignore most common injuries during combat. His wounds would heal slowly, typically within a matter of seconds.

 

Both were evenly matched, with no clear distinction in terms of strength, speed, combat awareness, or mastery of archery. Despite the intense appearance of their battle, an eerie balance had been struck.

 

However, the standoff between the archers was not destined to last for long.

 

At a certain moment, both Flora and Anthony simultaneously stopped. The girl crouched on a sturdy tree branch, resembling a dangerous hunter perched high above, while the latter returned to the clearing within the woods, bow in hand.

 

“Heh… hah… hah…”

 

Flora’s breath was somewhat labored as she exhaled the accumulated stale air from her lungs. The continuous high-intensity movement, observation, and shooting over the past several minutes, even for a top-tier legendary archer and ranger like her, had imposed a significant burden.

 

In contrast, Anthony, despite his old age, maintained a steady breath after the intense battle. Except for minor cuts and the muscles regenerating from the internal movements, he appeared to be unaffected by the skirmish.

 

But Flora knew better. In the years he had served as her mentor, Anthony’s physical condition was far less impressive than hers. He rarely initiated combat, and ordinary enemies were typically taken care of by his disciple, Flora, to conserve his energy.

 

Undead bodies don’t tire out, as long as they’re not completely shattered or destroyed, their legs can keep running and their hands can still draw bows and shoot arrows. Even if they’re severely damaged, as long as the brain remains intact and the will isn’t dispersed, they can return to a specially designed altar and use necromantic magic to repair their bodies.

 

This was why Anthony willingly gave up his human identity and joined the shadowy and sinister underground organization known as the 【Eternal Throne】. He refused to accept the aging of his body and the inevitability of death. He wanted to enhance his archery skills and truly master the legendary “Six Forms.”

 

The arrow technique left behind by the gods – the Red Lotus Six Forms.

 

It’s a common misconception that Anthony Stevenson created the Red Lotus archery. In reality, the old man never acknowledged Red Lotus as his own creation. He was simply the first known practitioner.

 

The six forms are as follows:
1. Crimson Flame
2. Sky Blaze
3. Inferno
4. Flowing Light
5. Cataclysm
6. Red Lotus

 

These six forms were buried underground for thousands of years until, during one of his explorations as a young man, Anthony accidentally fell into a deep valley and obtained the hand scroll that had been placed on an altar inside a ruined temple.

 

In addition to the most potent form, the Red Lotus Six Forms, the hand scroll contained detailed information about a magical archery technique that Antonio had never heard of before, encompassing four aspects: Shoot, Step, Observe, and Cultivate. This later became known as the world-famous Red Lotus Archery.

 

Unfortunately, mortal strength has its limits, and Anthony, despite dedicating his entire life, only managed to grasp the basic Red Lotus Archery. He couldn’t fully employ the three supreme forms.

 

Originally, Anthony’s intention was to pass on this extraordinary skill to future generations. He hoped that some exceptional individuals would come along who could truly comprehend the power of the last three forms, comparable to that of the gods. This was why he chose Flora, who was exceptionally gifted in archery and had a pure and resilient character.

 

However, who could resist the temptation of “immortality”? The incomplete six forms remained Anthony’s greatest inner struggle.

 

“Little Flora, don’t be stubborn. I have no intention of being your enemy. But now that I’ve joined the 【Eternal Throne】, along with the gifts, I must fulfill the cost and duty.”

 

“Step aside. My target is a princess named Lilya.”

 

Anthony’s expression was casual, as if he were suggesting having fried noodles for dinner, as though killing a kingdom’s princess were a trivial matter.

 

“…Gifts? Don’t make me laugh, Anthony Stevenson. Haven’t you realized that the so-called undead, the so-called immortality, are nothing but a complete hoax?”

 

Flora leaped forward, landing beside the old man, about a dozen meters away, and faced him. Her expression was icy.

 

“You’ve been corrupted. All the people of the 【Eternal Throne】 are cursed monsters! You might remember who you are, remember me, but how much of your past, your joys and sorrows, can you recall?”

 

“Don’t answer me. For so many years, I’ve been tirelessly investigating this so-called 【Eternal Throne】, this so-called ‘Eternal Magic.’ Haha… forcibly reversing the laws of life and death with mortal strength, do you really think there’s no price to pay?”

 

“…Enough. Stop with these meaningless words.”

 

Anthony suddenly interrupted the girl, and although his expression remained cold, it appeared somewhat stiff.

 

Flora paid him no attention and continued to reveal the secrets that she had uncovered after years of investigation and buried deep within her heart.

 

“The so-called ‘Eternal Magic’ is essentially a curse that drives the body with a strong obsession, mixed with the memories left behind by the deceased.”

 

“I’ve said it before, the real Anthony Stevenson died five years ago. This is not an exaggeration. People can’t come back to life. The one standing here now is just a false puppet, a product of the strong obsession my teacher had with the ‘Red Lotus Six Forms’ under the influence of necromantic magic!”

 

“The proof is that the memories of the undead gradually fade over time until only the initial obsession remains, turning them into true walking corpses… Do you still want to deceive yourself? A counterfeit!”

 

“…”

 

The entity once known as Anthony Stevenson fell into a long silence.

 

Perhaps he had already noticed it long ago, but he didn’t care. As Flora said, Anthony’s continued existence as an undead was only for the sake of pursuing the “Red Lotus Six Forms.” Everything else was unimportant.

 

“Is that so… Maybe it is indeed true…”

 

The old man slowly raised the longbow in his hand, his gaze unwavering.

 

“The Red Lotus Archery is everything to me. To witness the pinnacle of that power, I can give up anything, even you, my dearest disciple, Little Flora…”

 

“No, let’s call you Crimson Flame Flora. Perhaps I no longer have the right to be your teacher. If that’s the case, let’s settle everything with this final arrow.”

 

“This time, I won’t hold back anymore.”

 

Anthony reached for the quiver on his back, which held the only remaining arrow.

 

Crimson Flame Flora did the same.

 

“Yes, let strength speak for itself forever. In that, I’m just like you.”

 

The red-haired ranger pulled the arrow from the pouch at her waist.

 

“The brilliance of the Red Lotus doesn’t need to rely on the sins of desecrating the deceased. This time, I won’t lose.”

 

Red Lotus Six Forms.

 

“Third Form…”

 

Intense dark flames billowed, and in the hands of the ancient undead, a fire dragon of annihilation was unleashed.

 

“Inferno.”

 

Flora closed her eyes, feeling an unprecedented calm within herself.

 

The Red Lotus Third Form, Inferno, she could use it, but it wasn’t enough.

 

Using the same technique, she couldn’t deal a deadly blow to an undead opponent, and she would lose, just like in that battle five years ago.

 

Suddenly, the girl remembered the colossal beam of light she had seen that day at the Wanhe Fortress, a divine gift far beyond human capability, a realm she could never reach.

 

The last three forms of the Red Lotus required not only strength but, more importantly, a higher level of insight. The visions of the divine had brought about waves of enlightenment.

 

So that’s how it is.

 

She didn’t need to become the vast radiant light, but capturing a single wisp of dawn was enough.

 

The girl with crimson short hair opened her eyes, facing the dark fire dragon roaring toward her. She drew her bow, nocked an arrow, and recited softly.

 

“Forth Form, Flowing Light.”