Chapter 460: The Dust Settles

Chapter 460: Dust Settles

"I lost."

Kuris said in a hoarse whisper.

Alice picked up the black crystal and crushed it with force—this magical crystal that had sealed away the power of the Hundred Blossoms Goddess.

Crack!

The crystal shattered, and the power of the Hundred Blossoms Goddess returned to Alice.

Though the crystal possessed formidable sealing strength from within, its exterior was not particularly sturdy or resilient.

Alice effortlessly broke the seal of the black crystal from outside and reclaimed the power of the Hundred Blossoms Goddess.

She pointed her hand at Kuris, cold and piercing like the bitter wind howling through the harsh winter.

"Strip him of the power of the Hundred Blossoms' chosen."

Kuris felt that familiar force within his body being drawn out, leaving him feeling hollow and empty.

Instinctively, he raised his right hand, trying to grasp that departing power, but his palm could only clutch at air as he watched helplessly while that strength drained completely from his body.

Alice stripped Kuris entirely of the power belonging to the Hundred Blossoms Goddess.

His strength instantly dropped to high tier three.

Ever since obtaining the power of the Hundred Blossoms Goddess, Kuris had rarely trained or improved his own abilities.

As a result, once this power was taken away, he became even weaker than before he had ever received the title of the Hundred Blossoms' chosen.

Having done all this, Alice no longer looked at Kuris. She turned her head toward Gila, who knelt on one knee.

Gila struggled to stand up. Even though he had lost, he refused to kneel before Alice.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

To fulfill Gila's wish, several thick vines rapidly sprouted from the earth around him, binding his limbs and lifting his body into the air, making him look like a criminal awaiting execution.

Clang!

His sword fell to the ground.

Gila stared fixedly at Levi beside Alice for a moment, then turned to Alice and said in a raspy voice, "Kill me."

Even death was preferable to accepting defeat.

He had succeeded once; he had been glorious, honored.

He would rather take those past glories and honors into the grave with him than face Alice's judgment or endure the criticism and blame of the people of Flying Petals City.

He was a man of extreme temperament.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have risked everything to overthrow Alice's rule and obtain the power of the Hundred Blossoms Goddess by conspiring treacherously with the Black Cultists against her.

Gila knew that when he lost to Alice, he had already become useless to the Kingdom of Marchel.

He didn't expect the Kingdom of Marchel to come to his rescue.

The king of the Kingdom of Marchel would only try every means to distance himself from Gila, then go out of his way to curry favor with Alice and establish good relations with her.

Even if they couldn't become allies, he certainly wouldn't want Alice to side with the Northern Mystery Kingdom.

Gila would inevitably be discarded like a pawn.

Looking at Gila, Alice spoke coldly without expression, "Although you plotted to seize power, after I left Flying Petals City, under your governance, the city did indeed grow and develop somewhat, so I will not judge you alone."

"The judgment of you belongs to all the citizens of Flying Petals City, and to those people whose deaths occurred during your reign over the city."

Gila struggled desperately, roaring hoarsely, "Kill me! Kill me..."

Gurgle, gurgle.

Vines grew leaves that covered Gila's mouth, preventing him from speaking further.

Alice looked at Levi and said, "Thank you."

Levi smiled slightly, hummed in acknowledgment, and dispelled the fire wall that had separated the battlefield.

Once the fire wall dispersed, people outside stretched their necks to peer inside, eager to see the outcome of the battle within.

Seeing Gila captured by Alice, everyone fell silent.

Gila's subordinates exchanged glances. After a moment, the first among them dropped his weapon.

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang...

A wave of clattering sounds echoed as people laid down their weapons en masse—all choosing surrender.

Gila had already lost.

What more was there to fight for? Even those die-hard loyalists of Gila, having witnessed both the might of Alice empowered by the Hundred Blossoms Goddess and the formidable power of that mysterious mage standing beside her, dared not provoke further challenges.

Rumble, rumble!

Not long after everyone laid down their arms, thunder rumbled across the sky.

A bolt of lightning split the heavens, and Bella charged furiously toward Kuris, blue electric light crackling around her fist as she swung violently at him.

"Ku! Ri! S!"

Bella expressed her fury in this manner.

Seeing Bella's fist approaching, Kuris showed terror and sensed the breath of death.

Her full-powered strike fueled by rage was something he could absolutely not withstand in his current state.

Even at his peak, he would never have been her match.

At best, he could only use the power of the Hundred Blossoms' chosen to restrain her momentarily.

Swish, swish, swish!

Flowers bloomed before Kuris, blocking Bella's punch.

Boom!

Terrifying force and thunderous energy obliterated the flowers, leaving Kuris sitting dazedly on the ground behind where they had been.

A puddle formed beneath him.

After Alice deflected Bella's enraged attack, Bella's pent-up fury found temporary release, allowing her to calm down somewhat.

She looked at Alice and asked, "Alice, what happened?"

Seeing Levi beside Alice, she revealed surprise.

"Levi, why are you here?"

Alice glanced at the surrounding soldiers and said, "Things are complicated. We'll talk later. Let's return to Flying Petals City first."

She waved her hand, and a moon-white Clear Spirit Flower bloomed, releasing a fragrant aroma that neutralized the poison of the Soul-Stealing Flower affecting those collapsed on the ground.

"My lord mayor, this is my negligence. Please punish me accordingly,"

Fox, who had continuously supported her, bowed respectfully.

Alice swept her gaze over Fox and shook her head. "It's not your fault. Come, let's return to Flying Petals City first."

Fox immediately arranged for everyone to spring into action.

He had always been the chieftain of a nomadic tribe in the wilderness before this.

When Alice returned to Flying Petals City with nowhere to stand, Fox handed over his tribe's base to Alice as a stronghold.

He supported her wholeheartedly in her counterattack against Gila.

Alice naturally couldn't blame Fox for Kuris's betrayal.

On the contrary, she was deeply grateful for Fox's assistance.

She intended to hire Fox as her butler in the future.

To help manage the governance of Flying Petals City.

Alice led her army back to Flying Petals City, while Evelyn was still locked in stalemate with the men under Abak's command.

When Abak received the news, his face instantly turned the color of liver.

He nearly fainted from fright.

He didn't even bother with the few people besieging Evelyn, quietly slipped out of the magical formation's range, and hurriedly ran home to pack his belongings and prepare to flee.

Alice had won.

He couldn't stay here anymore.

Just as Abak finished packing and was preparing to escape, he encountered another vice president of the Magic Association at his door.

"Abak, where do you think you're going?"

"George, don't block my way," Abak said anxiously.

George laughed coldly and said in a harsh voice, "You've been using the Magic Association's name to do things that violate association regulations. Did you think you could just run away like this?"

In the past, with Abak backed by Gila, he could only turn a blind eye.

Now, Abak had to bear the consequences. It was also meant to give Mayor Alice some satisfaction.

To prevent Alice from implicating the Magic Association.

(End of chapter)