Location- Sky Blossom City, D-rank Silver Beach gate dungeon
"Bestowal card 'Southern Emperor.'" With Anna's chanted, her aura turned divine and immeasurable. And an overawing intent covered the entire Bloody spring forest and everyone within it. As if the domineering intent could differentiate between friend and foe, it provided an assuring warmth to the allies wandering in the Bloody spring forest aimlessly searching for their enemies and bone-chilling fright to the enemies hiding within the giant blood blossom tree.
"Now, do you understand what I meant when I said that your leverage is insufficient? If not, I don't mind giving you a demonstration." Anna's piercing gaze looked at the demon cult card emperor as if looking at an ant. Be it the devil or outer god, here in the southern region. She was the unparalleled one.
"Demi… Demigod. How can this be?..." The demon worshiper stuttered. He felt overwhelming dread surrounded by Anna's overbearing intent. No amount of high-grade cards, rules, and runes can overcome the difference between a card demigod and a card emperor. After all, demigods are near-immortal half-divine beings.
"I hate to repeat myself, but if it's to prove my point, I can make an exception. Now, do you believe that I can punch faster than you think?" Thoughts excel light in terms of speed. While light travels at 300,000 kilometers per second, thoughts virtually travel in no time. Therefore claiming that a person can be faster than thought will be incorrect. But what if the said person is stunned and rendered incapable of thoughts. In the face of a demigod's punch, a mortal would barely have time to think before being sent to the afterlife.
"You broke through the demigod realm? The information we had on you said you didn't even start to forge your divinity yet. So, how did you break through to the demigod realm? This mission is a bust." The demon cult card emperor finally understood why Anna was not worried the whole time. Her carefree and calm approach to him stalling for time as he prepared his trap finally started to make sense. As a demigod, Anna did not have to worry about a mere card emperor and his traps. She could escape it all with a thought. At this moment, the Demon worshiper realized that he was the cornered rat the whole time. He was so full of himself that he never considered this possibility, even when Anna made it evident by not playing by the script.
But then he thought about the cult's information on Anna. It clearly stated that she had not started forging her divinity, yet she could take on semi-demigods by herself. Ethier Anna had stepped a foot in divinity long ago and was hiding it, or Anna's current show of power was just bravado. Then the demon cult card emperor remembered the Southern royal family's heirloom passed down to the next generation heir for self-protection. And couldn't help but blurt out, "Unless…. He gave you the key! The next heir of the southern royal family and southern region has already been selected. Does that mean he is retiring? This is big—"
A King never voluntarily steps down from his throne in his prime unless he is on his deathbed. Even if that's not the case, still the enemies will consider it a sign of weakness. It will be like declaring that the king is about to die.
Prematurely choosing an heir can lead to conflict, which leads to conspiracies, the formation of factions, and internal struggle. That could prompt a coup, rebellion, and even civil wars. During the change of King, these things are unavoidable, but it will be hastened if the king shows favor to an individual. Therefore, most of the time, an heir is only chosen when it is indispensable, that is, when the king is on his deathbed.
Hence the information that they have already selected Anna as the heir to the southern region was a big and juicy news. Anna's grandfather is basically a war god whose mere presence is keeping a lot of the royal family's enemies at bay. But the news that he chose his heir would only make these enemies jumpy. Therefore, Anna never used the family heirloom unless she knew there would be no witnesses left to spread the gossip.
Under the oppression of Anna's overbearingly domineering intent, the flying demon worshiper crashed into the ground. Stuck to the ground, the demon cult card emperor couldn't move a muscle and felt his bone fracture under the intent. Knowing he spoke carelessly, throwing away his dignity and pride, he hurriedly begged for mercy mentally, 'Your highness, forgive this lowly one. Please show mercy.'
"I thought you were a smart dude for a demon worshiper. Now, why did you have to go and disrespect my grandfather? I shall claim two of your limbs for this. Give me a hand and a leg." Anna commanded.
Soon the demon cult card emperor felt the overbearing intent oppressing him loosen slightly. Knowing what he had to do next, he jumped up on his feet and mercilessly cut off his left hand and right leg. And then yelled, "As the world as my witness, I commit to hit highness Anna that I will never regrow my left hand and right leg."
"Now that's the smart dude I saw earlier. Now, how should I deal with you for ambushing my military base?" Anna was impressed by the demon cult card emperor's ruthlessness. Had he not made the oath with the world as a witness, gruesome torture by Anna would be awaiting him.
"Your Highness, please show mercy. I beg you to spare this lowly one and my minion's lives. I will be eternally grateful for your generosity." The demon worshiper knew that Anna would not spare him or his minions, yet he was begging relentlessly. While keenly observing Anna. One moment of carelessness on Anna's part, and he would detonate the entire bloody spring forest. With this aim, he was buying time even if he had to forego his pride and grovel at his executioner's feet.