Damn, I Have to Marry the Strongest Antagonist at the Start? - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Chapter49-How Long Can You Last?
Facing Chelsea’s questioning, Leslie did not respond directly. She glanced at Chelsea and Austin and shook her head slightly, saying, “I never imagined that the genius girl of the Council of Elders would end up marrying a man like this. I can’t tell if it’s tragic or lucky.”

Although Austin was the crown prince, his talent and character were nothing special. He was merely a puppet of the Council of Elders, benefiting only from his birthright.

Chelsea’s talent and beauty had long been recognized among the upper echelons of the Azure Kingdom, shining like the brightest gem. Austin was simply not worthy of her. Despite being enemies, Leslie couldn’t help but feel a bit of regret.

Humiliated by Leslie’s words, Austin, who had never been insulted in such a manner, felt his anger surge, veins bulging on his forehead.

“You, a traitor, dare to spout nonsense here! Kneel before me and bow your head!”

“Otherwise, not only you but the entire House Ravenwood will be annihilated!”

Despite feeling Leslie’s formidable power, Austin was the crown prince, the future heir of the Azure Kingdom. Any woman who married him would be marrying up. Leslie, this wayward woman, dared to disrespect the royal authority and criticize him!

Seeing Austin speak, Chelsea, though internally disdaining him, could not bear to see Leslie humiliate her husband.

Taking a deep breath, she summoned light blue water elements within her, forming a person-sized water bubble that gradually repelled the oppressive force pressing down on her. She spoke furiously:

“Leslie, if you have the guts, stop using secret techniques and fight me to the death. Let’s see if I can’t tear that foul mouth of yours apart!”

As she spoke, the water elements around her body seemed to react, suddenly surging.

The mana in the entire Kingdom Vault gathered into streams of water, like thousands of poisonous snakes in the air, attacking Leslie.

These mana-formed streams of water were highly penetrative, looking like thousands of water arrows densely filling the space.

As they whistled forward, they created a continuous sound of rushing water.

Each arrow, resembling a water-saw, twisted the air as it moved.

Standing beside Leslie, Owen felt the penetrating power emanating from the water arrows from all directions.

Even he narrowed his eyes slightly at the intensity.

### Chapter 49 – How Long Can You Last?

Chelsea, a top-tier genius from the Council of Elders, indeed lived up to her reputation. Even Owen could sense the danger from her attack.

Facing this move, even an early platinum-tier mage would likely feel instant despair and helplessness.

He glanced at Leslie beside him.

Her expression remained as calm as ever, as if these formidable water arrows didn’t concern her at all.

In the next moment, just as the water arrows were about a meter away from her, she took a step forward, and a white mist of cold air emanated from her body like a dense fog.

The cold air spread and rolled out, covering the ground with a layer of transparent ice crystals as thick as a thumb. Snowflakes fell from the air like drifting willow catkins.

The piercing water arrows froze into icicles the moment they passed through the mist, their forward momentum halting as if embedded in an invisible ice wall.

Simultaneously, the temperature in the air plummeted.

Chelsea shivered, feeling as if she had lost control of her body, her mind becoming hazy.

She forced herself to focus but found that all the water arrows she had conjured were frozen. The cold air, freezing the ground, mist, and mirrors, continued to spread as Leslie approached.

Even the surrounding mana seemed frozen, unable to be manipulated.

Chelsea’s face turned pale, her lips quivering from the cold as she instinctively stepped back, trying to distance herself from Leslie, the source of the chilling air.

Her fighting spirit gradually faded, replaced by fear and dread.

She had always thought that even if Leslie’s tier was higher than hers, it couldn’t be by much.

After all, she had been rigorously training for years, supported by various rare and precious resources. Her tier advancement, if not the fastest, was certainly among the best.

But the techniques Leslie now displayed were beyond her comprehension, and the terrifying cold made her feel an overwhelming sense of despair!

Leslie’s tier and strength were at least one major tier above her own!

Although Chelsea was reluctant to admit it, her instincts told her that her suspicions were correct!

With her fighting spirit completely extinguished, Chelsea quickly changed her strategy. She spun around and leaped into the air, attempting to escape as quickly as possible.

But as soon as she turned, a wave of cold air enveloped her, making her feel as if she had stepped into an ice cellar. The cold permeated every part of her body, freezing her skin, flesh, muscles, bones, and mana in an instant!

Already panicked, Chelsea felt her thoughts becoming sluggish under the weight of a thousand pounds. Her eyes widened in terror and disbelief.

Why?

Why was she so helpless in front of Leslie?

Why was it so difficult to even summon her mana?

As horror etched across her face, Leslie had already approached from behind, lifting Chelsea like a small chick.

Chelsea felt a surge of intense humiliation. As a prodigy, when had she ever experienced such helplessness and disgrace?

Despair soon followed.

She could clearly sense that her entire magical circuit was suppressed as if frozen.

She couldn’t feel any mana. No matter how hard she struggled, it was useless. She was like a fish on a chopping board, ready to be slaughtered, and a frozen one at that!

Fear!

Terror!

Despair!

Pleading!

All these emotions flashed across her face.

But her throat was full of ice crystals, making it impossible to speak.

Leslie glanced at her, her snow-white hand emanating cold air that crystallized the moisture in the air into an ice blade. She held it tightly in her slender fingers.

“Rest in peace. The elders of the Council of Elders will join you soon.”

Leslie said calmly, then slowly cut Chelsea’s throat. As the wound opened, blood infused with ice crystals gushed out like a fountain, splattering everywhere.

The crown prince, standing nearby, was already staring in stunned silence.

Chelsea, his wife, with strength comparable to a platinum-tier mage, was not only dominant among the younger generation but also held a significant position among the older mages.

Yet, in front of Leslie, she couldn’t put up any resistance!

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

But Chelsea’s blood splattering on his face felt all too real, and the overpowering stench of blood overwhelmed his senses, causing his already strained mind to collapse completely.

His eyes lost focus, and he looked dazed and defeated.

After eliminating Chelsea, Leslie acted as if she had done something trivial. She turned to Owen and handed him the ice dagger.

“Do things thoroughly. Kill someone for me, without leaving traces with your Godslayer Staff. Finish it quickly, and then we can leave.”

Before Leslie had finished speaking, Owen took the ice dagger and decisively slashed, beheading the crown prince.

As the prince’s head flew and then hit the ground, the family crest on his chest shattered.

At the same time, the ancient clock atop the palace seemed to sense something and suddenly began to chime.

Hearing the distant chimes, Leslie looked at Owen and smiled slightly. “Let’s go. This place is about to become a battleground.”

Owen nodded, understanding that after killing the crown prince, Leslie’s recognition of him had noticeably increased. He also realized that there was no turning back for him now.

…

Meanwhile.

A mage squad consisting of twelve battle-hardened gold-tier mages formed a circular formation, encircling two figures in the middle.

One of the two wore a black robe and held a baby, while the other, dressed in white robes, stood protectively beside him. Both wore masks that completely concealed their faces.

Although they were surrounded, their expressions remained calm. In contrast, the encircling mages looked weary, drenched in sweat, and their formation seemed precariously unstable.

“The Twelve!”

As the standoff continued, it became increasingly unfavorable for the mage squad. The twelve exchanged glances and nodded slightly, their eyes filled with determination.

These two were too strong. Prolonging the fight would only make things worse for them.

It was better to risk everything and launch a combined spell attack!

If they could injure the two, reinforcements from the empire would soon arrive, and then there would be no escape for them.