The Ashen Dominion
Chapter 74 - Hardwork [4]

Chapter 74: 74 - Hardwork [4]

Rose and Zor continued their fierce clash.

BAM! SWOOSH! BAM!

Zor unleashed a barrage of heavy swings—each one powerful enough to break bones if it landed clean.

"Grgh...!"

Rose gritted her teeth and did her best to deflect them with her shield.

CLANG! THUD! SHRR—!

The force slamming into her left forearm had lessened compared to before, thanks to how she angled her shield.

But still, it was building up. The more time passed, the heavier her arm felt.

SWISH—!

She counterattacked whenever she found a chance, but—

CLANK!

Zor just blocked them with ease using his thick club.

Sometimes, he wouldn’t even bother dodging—he’d just tilt his body slightly, taking the hit with a grin on his face.

"That barely tickles!"

He sneered as small cuts formed on his side.

But in exchange for those light wounds—

FWOOOSH—!

Zor got to swing his club even harder.

"Gh—!"

And Rose would barely have time to react—she had just finished attacking after all.

The attack was too fast to dodge.

And it was too strong to just deflect it off.

B A M—!

"URGH...!"

Rose took the blow head-on with her shield. Her whole forearm rattled, she felt like it was going to crack!

Swoosh~

She jumped back, trying to soften the impact and put some distance between them—

But Zor wasn’t having it.

"NO YOU DON’T!"

BAM—!

He dashed forward like a beast, a twisted grin on his face.

He already had his club raised high... So when he got to her—

SWOOSH!!

He swung it down vertically!

THUK—

B O O M!

But Rose had already seen it coming!

She raised her shield just in time, angled slightly to the left. The club struck and slid off the surface, smashing into the ground instead!

"...!"

Zor’s eyes widened.

And before he could even process what happened—

SWISH—!

Rose twisted her body and launched a quick upward slash from below!

Zor was caught in an awkward stance, he also can’t retrieve his club fast enough to block. So in the end—

Slash-

"GRRGH...!!"

Rose’s blade tore through his jaw, slicing up to just beneath his left eye!

"Guh...!"

He jerked his head to the right just in time, barely saving his eye from being destroyed.

Tap- tap—

This time, it was Zor who stepped back to create distance.

Blood trickled down the side of his left cheek, he left it.

"..."

He frowned as he turned his attention back in front of him—

Rose just stood there... calm, composed, staring back at him with cold, unwavering eyes.

"Tch..."

Zor wiped the blood with the back of his hand, then flashed a crooked smile.

"That was a good one."

He said smugly.

"A real shame you couldn’t land it clean. You might’ve taken my eye if you weren’t so weak."

Then he added, sounding really arrogant.

But—

"..."

Rose didn’t respond to his words.

And instead, with a straight face—

"You’ve been talking a lot since our fight started... Don’t you know when to shut up?"

She asked him that.

"..."

Zor became silent after hearing Rose’s words.

Twitch-

A vein bulged on his temple. Though he forced a smile, and while looking straight at her—

"THEN MAKE ME SHUT UP IF YOU CAN!!!"

FWOOSH!

He rushed at Rose again, clearly annoyed!

SWOOSH—

He swung his big club horizontally.

TWHACK!

Rose deflected it with her shield, and immediately—

FWISH!

She slashed her sword sideways!

Zor leaned back just in time and avoided it, then retaliated with another heavy swing.

BAM!

Rose blocked it once more, her left arm flinching from the numbing pain in her forearm... But she pushed through it.

And without losing a beat—

SHIISH—!

She thrust her sword straight at him!

TAK!

Zor quickly retrieved his club to block it, and as he did—

BAM!

He slammed his left foot forward with a solid kick to her stomach!

"KEUK...!"

Rose grunted in pain, her breath caught from the blow. She staggered back, clearly not expecting the sudden move—

But even as she was flung backward—

FWISH—!

She gritted her teeth and swung her sword in a low arc!

SLASH—!

A clean cut tore across Zor’s left calf!

"GHAA—!!"

He cried out, his face twisting in pain as blood sprayed.

"...!"

"Wha?!"

"!!!"

The crowd erupted in gasps and shouting once more.

"I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

BAM!

Zor kicked off with his right foot and charged straight at Rose. Then immediately—

TWHACK!

He swung his club at her with brutal force. Rose managed to block it just in time.

But Zor wasn’t done yet, not even close—

"DIEEEE!!!"

BAM! TWHACK! TOK—!

He unleashed a vicious barrage of heavy strikes! He swung his club over and over like a madman!

And Rose—

WHACK—!

"GRRRGH...!!"

She bit down hard on her lower lip, groaning as she desperately blocked the relentless attacks!

Fwip—

She even stopped using her sword hand to attack, focusing both arms just to hold up her shield— because the force behind each swing was too much for her left arm alone!

Now... Rose couldn’t even launch a counter!

And Zor, realizing this—

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

He laughed maniacally, wild and crazed! Then his strikes became even more brutal!

WHACK! CRACK! TWHACK! TAK—!

He swung and swung like his club weighed nothing—each strike powerful, wild, and overwhelming!

But as the seconds passed... he still couldn’t land a clean hit on Rose!

His grin faded, replaced with a scowl. He was getting frustrated. Annoyed.

WHOOSH!

His swings got wider, stronger—he was starting to lose control. And even if he tried to stay focused, his body acted on instinct, rushing toward what he thought was victory.

And not long—

"WHY DON’T YOU FIGHT BACK NOW, HUH?!!"

S W O O O O S H—!!!

Zor roared as he unleashed a massive vertical down-swing! He poured every ounce of his strength into this one attack!

If Rose blocked this head-on, her bones would shatter—or worse, she’d die even with her shield!

...But that’s only if it hit.

B O O O O M—!!!

Rose sidestepped at the very last second, avoiding the attack entirely!

Zor had expected her to block it... but she wasn’t as stupid as he was.

His club struck the ground with terrifying force. The earth beneath them cracked and trembled, the sound exploded through the arena like thunder, echoing all the way to the crowd!

But ignoring that, Rose didn’t waste that moment—

BAM!

She slammed her shield down onto the head of Zor’s club! She used both her arms—right and left—locking his weapon in place!

"...!"

Zor’s eyes widened in shock. His right hand tingled violently after slamming into solid ground. He froze for a second.

And not missing such opportunity, from below—

SWISH—!

Rose extended her right hand, her sword flashing upward!

She performed a clean horizontal crescent slash—aiming straight for Zor’s neck.

And in doing so...

SLASH—!

Her blade tore through his throat.

Zor wasn’t able to mive in time... His body was frozen, still recovering from the reckless swing he just made.

"...!"

His eyes widened. His face went pale as he realized what happened. He stumbled back—

Bam!

He released his grip on his club and jumped backward in panic, both hands flying to his neck, trying to stop the blood gushing from his throat.

"YOU BITCH—!!!"

He roared, staggering in rage.

But as soon as he looked up... Mouth open in fury—

"Shut up."

PHUCK—!

Rose stabbed her sword forward—right into his mouth!

The blade burst out through the back of Zor’s head!

"GHAK—?!"

His eyes rolled back.

Then his body went still in seconds.

SHIIIK—

And when Rose retrieved the blade of her sword...

THUD!

Zor’s body fell forward, collapsing onto the blood-stained ground.

"..."

He didn’t move... He didn’t speak...

A dark pool of blood slowly spread beneath him.

Swoosh~

The entire coliseum fell into complete silence because of shock.

And the one who finally broke it—

"W-WHAT A TURN OF EVENT!!!"

"ZOR, WHO WAS EXPECTED TO WIN—LOST HIS LIFE AGAINST ROSE...!"

Was the announcer. His voice cracked with disbelief—he wasn’t expecting this outcome either.

"ROSE WON!!!"

He finally declared.

And right after that—

Tap— tap— tap—

Rose turned and began walking back toward the waiting room... not even glancing at Zor’s lifeless body.

Her footsteps echoed across the still silent arena.

"..."

Halfway back, Rose slowed down and turned her head to the crowd—the nobles who had jeered at her, mocked her, and the ones who cheered for Zor.

Her face was expressionless. Cold. Blank.

But even without words, that silent gaze said everything.

They all understood what she was telling them.

She was telling them all to shut the fuck up.

"...!"

"YOU ARROGANT SLAVE!!!"

"YOU JUST GOT LUCKY!!!"

"YOU’LL DIE IN YOUR NEXT FIGHT!!!"

Of course the nobles and rich merchants didn’t like that.

"..."

But Rose didn’t give a fuck and just continued on her way.

A satisfied smile crept up on her face as she still heard the angry shoutings around her.

She was rage-baiting every single one of them, and looked like it worked.

This was her payback to them for annoying her.