Broken watched as Polly, Blaze, and Pawpaw darted forward, taking their places to shield the Princess.
“Don’t worry about me, Broken! I’ve got this-do what you need to. We don’t have much time!” Alora called out to him.
Three Eternal Flame beasts, each over level 200. Should he summon Gaia too? No, he had to trust her. She was built for this. Alora could handle it, especially with Pawpaw at her side.
“Roar, you lowly beasts! Don’t you dare lay a finger on the Princess! I, the mighty Hell Lord, will bring judgment upon you!” Pawpaw’s voice rang out.
In that moment, the Vermilion Dusk element surged from Pawpaw, wrapping itself around the kitten. He leapt back, landing on Alora’s shoulder just as a fierce, dark-red flame cocooned the Princess in its protective heat.
Alora, her sword glowing with a blazing red aura, stood ready, her stance fierce and steady. Pawpaw’s Vermilion Dusk energy pulsed alongside her, merging into a powerful shield.
“Broken, I’m ready!” Alora called out.
Damn, Broken shook his head in awe, watching as Princess Alora transformed, embodying a figure that was both graceful and fierce-a breathtaking sight to behold.
He nodded, placing his full trust in her.
Alora dashed forward with incredible precision, striking her foes with swift, calculated movements. She combined agility and raw power in a way that was both graceful and devastating. Each leap and stomp shook the ground, and every swing of her sword sent her opponents flying back with astonishing force.
Her focus was razor-sharp as she engaged all three of her enemies, staying keenly aware of threats from every angle-even her blind spots.
Polly quickly spread out to draw other beasts’ attention, while Pawpaw darted around with unmatched speed, channeling his Vermilion Dusk energy to keep their foes occupied. This strategy bought them precious time, giving the Princess the opening she needed to take each enemy down, one by one.
“Damn,” Broken murmured, awestruck as he watched her fight.
She truly lived up to her formidable reputation. Alora was not only a princess and the sole heir to the kingdom-she was also a master in combat.
“She’s even better with a sword than Livelywood,” he mused quietly.
Livelywood’s fighting style was fluid, almost dance-like, while Alora’s was built on precision and raw power. Every movement she made was perfectly calculated, striking with a force that was both graceful and unyielding.
It wasn’t the first time he’d seen Alora fight; they’d even battled demons side by side. But watching from the outside was an entirely different experience than being in the thick of it with her.
Quickly, he opened his console and issued a command: “Activate recording.”
A transparent frame appeared, and Broken aimed it at Alora. A small red circle at the corner flashed, signaling that it was now recording.
Broken shifted his attention back to Elaine, frantically searching for a way to strengthen their bond, which was now hanging by only a few fragile threads. Time was running out.
“Elaine, what can I do to earn even more of your respect and trust? Please, tell me.”
“Broken…” Elaine’s voice trembled with hesitation. “I do trust you. I trust you with all my heart.”
“We need more than this.”
“I’m trying to trust you with all of my being…”
“It’s still not enough.” Broken muttered under his breath, realizing this approach wasn’t going to work.
His gaze shifted to the iron bars that held Elaine captive.
He gripped his spear, trying desperately to break the lock, but it wouldn’t budge.
Wait-he had the Puzzle Smacker skill from his Unique-grade Rift Digger class. He could use it to shatter the lock on this cage.
But no. This cage was specifically crafted to restrain Elaine if she transformed. Breaking it could destroy his only way to control her if things took a dark turn.
If Elaine transformed, the cage would be his only way to restrain her, and end her life if it came to that. He couldn’t risk breaking it now.
But he’d already been away too long. The others were likely out there fighting for their lives against the beasts. He had to find a way to help them… and fast.
Killing Elaine wasn’t the solution. There had to be another way to lift this curse. But if every Fae had already turned into a beast, would breaking the curse even make a difference? Maybe he didn’t need to form a contract with Elaine after all.
But no! There was still Cedric and Cecilia. There was still hope. They could be brought back to who they once were. He couldn’t give up on them yet.
Broken sent a desperate message to everyone on his friend list, hoping they could help him figure this out.
[Broken: “I need to raise my affinity with Elaine to 80%. I’m still 8% short. Please, what can I do to earn her trust faster? How do you make a woman trust you deeply?”]
The replies flooded in almost instantly.
[Elincia: “Women value genuine connections and emotional bonds. Honestly, a loving kiss might be the best way to show her how much she means to you.”]
A kiss? Seriously?
Freya read the message and laughed. “Kiss her with passion, Broken,” she added. “That’s how you’ll make any woman happy.”
Another suggestion for a kiss? This was getting awkward.
Booba, too. “Women are a mystery, my friend,” he typed with a laugh, “but from what I know, they’re into, you know, close physical contact. So yeah, maybe a kiss… or even a bit more, if you get my drift! Hahaha!”
This was absurd. Did no one have a serious suggestion?
[Charmelyn: “Um, Broken… why don’t you try a deep conversation with her? Talk through things honestly from both sides?”]
No, there wasn’t time to sit down for heart-to-heart talks right now.
[Goldrich: “If you’re talking about relationships. My advice is that nothing strengthens a connection like a good, healthy dose of… y’know, Segss. Khi khi khi.”]
Broken sighed. Was Goldrich seriously suggesting he do that here, of all places?