The girls finally resolved their differences.
A warm hug smoothed over the conflict.
Cliché, boring, but heartwarming.
The moment Anna-veil ran into Torina’s arms, many in the audience were already getting ready to stand and applaud.
Morai also thought this farce was finally over and was about to accept reality and stand up to announce Milora as the winner.
Then Anna-veil suddenly drove a spear straight through Torina.
“Ah…” Torina’s mouth fell open, her body skewered like a kebab on the tip of the spear.
“Wha…?” Anna-veil’s eyes widened in shock.
She had no idea what just happened—her left hand didn’t feel like her own anymore.
And her left hand—
【I’ve finally waited long enough for this chance】
Her left hand completely disobeyed her will.
Not only did it not let go, it gripped the spear even tighter, slamming Torina hard into the ground!
It all happened in a flash! The Deville family’s guards reacted instantly, shooting toward the arena like cannonballs.
However—
(Now! Go!!!!)
From the shadows, Oroi, who had been lurking for so long, finally seized the moment.
At his command, dozens of elves in dark red robes emerged from the shadows! Their appearance was so sudden and fast, and everyone’s attention was focused on the arena.
An enraged Morai pointed at the field, shouting something, just as she was about to draw her sword and cast a spell—
(Take her down!!)
A flash of blood—Blood Elf Oroi had already bypassed Old Butler and blinked behind Morai.
In his hand, a dagger as vicious as a beast’s fang slashed silently—
CRACK!!!
———————
“Torina!? Wha—my hand???”
Anna-veil frantically tried to let go of the spear, but her left hand only drove it deeper into Torina’s body.
Torina’s eyes had already rolled back!
Not just her hand—her entire left side was no longer under her control!
【Die, Torina Deville.
Your very existence is a threat】
The system’s voice snapped Anna-veil back to her senses! The system—what!?
“What the hell did you do!?!?”
【I did the right thing.
Eliminated a dangerous individual at the lowest cost】
“She’s not dangerous!”
【But she is! And I should thank you, Anna-veil! Thanks to your magic nourishing me, I’ve finally repaired myself enough to use the Puppet System!】
“‘Puppet’…? You’re controlling me???”
【It’s for your own good.
You humans are always swayed by meaningless things!】
With a boom, the star sigil on her left hand activated on its own.
The burst of starlight forced back all the approaching guards! Layer upon layer of star maps covered the arena, turning it into a death zone no one could enter!
【Out of my way, all of you.
This time, she dies】
“Stop!!!!”
【Shut up and watch】
Stellar power surged into the spear.
The system was going to use Anna-veil’s hand to obliterate Torina completely!
Maybe it was a final burst of strength before death, but Torina, eyes rolled back and foaming at the mouth, used her last ounce of energy—her left hand gripped the spear desperately, and her right hand reached for her Swift Sword—
“St…op… please… I don’t… want to die…”
【But you’re already dead】
The system twisted the spear with her left hand, shredding Torina’s insides! Her hand slipped off the spear, and the sword she had just raised fell to the ground!
“Please…”
【Die!!】
At that moment—
“STOP!!!!”
Anna-veil did something insane.
With her right hand—still not fully under the system’s control—she picked up the sword Torina had dropped.
Then,
In a frenzy,
With ruthless resolve,
Without hesitation,
【Huh? What are you doing—】
She slashed at her own left arm!
With a sickening crack, blood sprayed everywhere.
Everything below her left elbow was severed by the blade!
【WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOINGGGGGGGGGG?!?!?!】
The system let out a scream rivaling Milora’s when she cut off her own finger! Anna-veil collapsed, clutching the stump, and the system and her left hand instantly became ownerless! Without a host, the star sigil stopped functioning, and Torina—
“Huh? That was kinda intense.”
—sat up like nothing had happened.
She even pulled the spear out of her body.
The spot where she was impaled… only had a red mark.
The gruesome wound everyone expected wasn’t there.
【…Huh?】
The system was completely dumbfounded.
“My corporate slave meter is even longer than before.
I’m super tanky now… By the way, I was actually planning to twist off Anna-veil’s left arm the moment you popped the champagne, but she went ahead and did it herself.
Saved me the trouble.”
【………………Huh?】
“I figured out you were attached to Anna-veil a while ago.
I also knew you turned yourself into a bracelet to avoid another finger-cutting incident.
I’ve been waiting for a chance to rip her arm off ever since… Next time, maybe try being a necklace.
Even the craziest person won’t chop off their own head.”
【……………………Huh?】
“But there won’t be a next time.
Since I happened to be home this time, I asked my brother to smash you with Odin’s Spear.
I’m guessing even an ancient relic can’t withstand a guardian beast’s attack.”
【…………………………Huh?】
“If we stabbed Anna-veil’s left hand directly with Odin’s Spear, it would’ve vaporized her whole body.
So we had to sever the arm first.
Consider it punishment for her stupid betrayal… Anyway, you’re definitely dead this time~”
【………………………………Huh?”】
“Stop saying ‘huh,’ it’s dumb.”
Torina picked up the severed arm with the bracelet still on it, then helped the unconscious Anna-veil and started stopping the bleeding.
At the same time, she looked up toward the VIP box in the audience—
——————
Flashback to the night before.
“Torina, you said there were two things you needed to tell me? What’s the second one? Another escape plan?”
“Not really a big deal.
Just that… someone might try to assassinate my sister during the finals of the Battle Festival.”
“That’s absolutely a big deal! Did you tell her?”
“Nope.
According to the original story, this is your moment to shine.”
“What do you mean…”
“After you finish your match with that Wilt guy, go straight back to the audience and keep your eyes on Morai—just Morai.
Don’t worry about what’s happening to me.”
“Something’s going to happen to you…?”
“I might die—wait, wait, don’t freak out.
I’ve got an invincibility shield.
I’m not that easy to kill.
Just make sure you stay alert tomorrow.”
Then Torina briefly explained the effect of “Corporate Slaves Don’t Die from Overtime.” After Milora confirmed it several times, she finally agreed.
——————
Back to the present—
Oroi’s dagger, vicious like a beast’s fang, slashed silently—
CRACK!!!
At the critical moment, Milora dropped from the sky and blocked the dagger with her greatsword!
“Stop!”
“Wha—!?”
Milora was knocked back by the sheer force of the blow, nearly breaking her wrist, but she still shielded the stunned Morai immediately! Oroi, seeing his strike had failed, tried to activate some skill to finish the job—
“Assassin!!!!”
Butler Sebas used shadow runes to grab his body, and the guards snapped out of it, all rushing over!
“An assassin is attacking Lady Morai!” “Protect her!!!”
“Tch…”
Oroi’s eyes darted.
He had planned to take Morai down—ideally kill her—and then strip off her panties, but now there was no chance!
“…Everyone, retreat!”
He gave the retreat order, and his body turned into a thick stream of blood that flowed into the shadows.
Sebas immediately expanded the shadows into an impenetrable cage—but caught nothing.
Oroi had already escaped using that bizarre skill, and the other elves causing chaos also used similar abilities to flee.
“Don’t let them get away! After them!!!!”
At Sebas’s command, all the guards—and even guests with tracking skills—joined the pursuit.
Patty was among them.
“…Phew, looks like everything’s fine now.”
Torina let out a breath of relief.
Everything had gone just as she predicted.
All thanks to the brilliant mind of Lady Torina!
