Chapter 362
The moment the beastmen closed in around them, Odian and the others immediately moved into position around Nina, forming a protective circle while watching the encroaching crowd with cold vigilance.
Yian pulled Yuna behind him without hesitation.
Nearby, Bran reached for Maya.
After a brief moment of uncertainty, she allowed him to guide her away.
Together, they moved toward the side occupied by Blazing Flame City’s warriors.
The elders noticed their arrival but offered no comment.
Setan tightened his grip around Nina’s hand.
“Nina, I’m feeling much better now p>
His voice was still weak, but determination burned in his eyes.
Before anything else, he needed to deal with the warriors of Blazing Flame City.
Nina glanced around at the massive force surrounding them.
Under these circumstances, there was no way she could continue healing him in peace.
Reluctantly, she halted the treatment and helped him to his feet.
Setan refused to let go of her hand.
Drawing in a breath, he faced the crowd and shouted,
“Everyone, stand down and return to the city immediately p>
The effort cost him dearly.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he began breathing heavily.
His body was still far too weak.
He quickly steadied himself and forced his breathing under control.
Nina looked at him with concern.
“Are you alright p>
Setan shook his head lightly and offered her a reassuring smile.
“I’m fine p>
Across the battlefield, the warriors of Blazing Flame City exchanged bewildered looks.
Why was their City Lord standing among the supposed enemies?
They had rushed here after receiving an emergency signal calling them to defend the city. Seeing Nina’s unfamiliar group, they had naturally assumed these outsiders were the threat and surrounded them without hesitation.
None of them had expected Setan to be standing at the center of it all.
Because the details of his punishment had never been publicly announced, most of Blazing Flame City’s residents remained completely unaware of what had happened.
Confusion spread through the ranks.
The alarm had summoned them here, yet now their City Lord was ordering them to leave.
What exactly was going on?
Although they didn’t understand the situation, Setan’s authority carried enormous weight.
Many were already preparing to obey.
“Do not retreat p>
Freen’s furious roar cut through the crowd.
“Capture them immediately p>
He pointed directly at Setan.
“Setan is no longer the City Lord of Blazing Flame City. Arrest him as well p>
The declaration stunned everyone.
The warriors stared in disbelief.
Why was Elder Freen claiming that their City Lord had been removed from power?
Unsure what to believe, they looked from Setan to Freen and back again.
“Ask the other elders if you doubt me,” Freen continued loudly. “Setan abused his authority, stole our sacred relic, and handed it over to an outsider. He no longer has the right to lead this city p>
Shock rippled through the crowd.
Their City Lord had done what?
Most of them found the accusation impossible to believe.
Immediately, they turned toward the other elders for confirmation.
One elder stepped forward.
“Setan did indeed misuse his position to take the sacred relic and give it to the outsider female standing beside him p>
“He is no longer our City Lord p>
“Arrest him along with the others p>
The elders’ expressions were cold.
As far as they were concerned, Setan had chosen an outsider over his own people.
A leader who sided with foreigners against his tribe was not someone they could continue following.
The beastmen of Blazing Flame City stood frozen.
Disbelief and disappointment filled their eyes.
“City Lord p>
One of them stepped forward.
“Is it true p>
The entire crowd waited.
Setan remained silent.
That silence was answer enough.
The hope in many eyes faded.
“Enough hesitation,” Freen barked. “Capture them and retrieve the sacred relic p>
The warriors exchanged uncertain glances.
Eventually, duty won over confusion.
They began advancing toward Nina and her companions.
“Wait p>
Nina’s calm voice suddenly rang out.
Freen’s expression twisted with malice.
“Trying to surrender now?” He sneered. “Too late p>
His arm slashed downward.
“Take them p>
At the command, hundreds of warriors surged forward.
Odian and the others immediately stepped into battle stances, their expressions turning icy as they prepared to fight.
A sharp glint flashed through Nina’s eyes.
In the next instant, the earth trembled.
Massive vines erupted from the ground around her group like towering emerald serpents.
They lashed outward with overwhelming force.
The impact sounded like thunder.
Dozens of charging beastmen were struck before they could react.
Bodies were hurled backward through the air.
Others were swept off their feet and slammed into the ground.
The terrifying shockwave forced the entire front line to retreat several meters.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
The warriors of Blazing Flame City stared at the shattered earth and fallen fighters in horror.
Their faces drained of color.
The power contained within those vines was beyond anything they had imagined.
The warriors of Blazing Flame City stood frozen in shock.
None of them could believe that such overwhelming power had come from a female.
Fear crept into their eyes as they stared at Nina.
Her gaze swept across the crowd.
“You are Setan’s people,” she said coldly. “I have no desire to slaughter innocent warriors. But if anyone takes another step forward, don’t blame me for showing no mercy p>
Her voice was calm, yet the warning carried enough weight to silence the entire battlefield.
The beastmen instinctively retreated.
Not a single warrior dared advance.
Freen’s expression darkened.
A city full of warriors, frightened into submission by one female.
To him, it was utterly humiliating.
Useless cowards.
Ignoring the surrounding warriors, Nina turned her attention toward the elders.
“The reason you’re targeting us is because of the sacred relic, correct p>
“Yes p>
One of the elders forced himself to remain composed.
“The relic belongs to us. Return it, and we’ll allow you to leave peacefully p>
The others offered no objection.
Despite their efforts to appear calm, caution and unease filled their eyes.
Nina was far stronger than they had anticipated.
The males standing beside her were equally intimidating.
If a battle truly broke out, Blazing Flame City would likely suffer devastating losses.
A peaceful resolution was by far the preferable outcome.
Nina met their gazes calmly.
“As far as I know, you’re merely the relic’s guardians p>
Her voice remained steady.
“Strictly speaking, it never belonged to you p>
“What nonsense are you talking about p>
Freen immediately snapped.
“We’ve protected the relic for thousands of years. Of course it belongs to Blazing Flame City p>
A mocking smile twisted his lips.
“You claim it isn’t ours. What, don’t tell me it belongs to you p>
“That’s right p>
Several elders voiced their agreement.
“The sacred relic belongs to Blazing Flame City p>
Nina raised an eyebrow.
“No p>
Her eyes swept over the crowd.
“It belongs to me now p>
A faint smile touched her lips.
She glanced briefly at Freen.
The man was tougher than she had expected.
She had honestly thought that earlier strike would have killed him.
“How shameless p>
Freen let out a scornful laugh.
“You’re just a female, yet you dare claim ownership of a sacred relic p>
“Return it immediately p>
The elders’ expressions darkened as well.
If Nina refused to hand over the relic, they would fight for it no matter the cost.
Nina tilted her head slightly.
“What if I told you the relic has already acknowledged me as its master p>
“Impossible p>
Freen rejected the claim instantly.
“There is no chance the relic would recognize a female p>
For countless years, powerful warriors had attempted to earn the relic’s recognition.
Not one of them had succeeded.
Why would it choose her?
The other elders clearly shared the same disbelief.
The Blazing Flame Stone acknowledging a female master was simply unimaginable.
Faced with their skepticism, Nina merely smiled.
Then she lifted her hand.
A brilliant crimson crystal appeared in her palm.
The moment the Blazing Flame Stone emerged, every eye on the battlefield locked onto it.
Nina held it up for all to see.
“Take a closer look p>
Her voice echoed across the silent clearing.
“The contract mark is right here p>
“The Blazing Flame Stone has already formed a bond with me p>
The elders hurried forward.
Their eyes widened as they examined the crystal.
There, etched upon its surface, was an unmistakable contract mark.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The elders stared blankly at the stone, struggling to accept what they were seeing.
The Blazing Flame Stone had truly acknowledged a master.
A female master.
Their entire worldview seemed to crumble before their eyes.
Freen’s face grew increasingly grim.
His gaze remained fixed on the mark.
No. It couldn’t be true.
The relic would never choose a female.
She had to be lying.
“There is no proof that contract mark belongs to you p>
His voice dripped with malice.
“For all we know, it’s some trick you’ve fabricated p>
Several elders immediately turned toward Nina.
Compared to accepting the impossible, many preferred believing Freen’s explanation.
A trace of ridicule appeared in Nina’s eyes.
Without another word, she activated the Blazing Flame Stone.
Instantly, a vast ocean of fire energy erupted from the crystal.
The air trembled.
A suffocating pressure swept across the battlefield like a tidal wave.
The flames did not harm anyone.
Nina controlled the power perfectly.
Even so, every beastman present could feel the terrifying force contained within it.
The warriors of Blazing Flame City stared in stunned silence.
Their bodies trembled.
The Blazing Flame Stone had truly accepted a master.
There was no other explanation.
Only a recognized master could unleash such overwhelming power.
Many of them had absorbed traces of the relic’s energy before.
Only now did they realize how insignificant those fragments had been.
What they had received in the past was less than a drop from an endless sea.
The elders’ shoulders slumped.
Defeat filled their expressions.
The truth was undeniable.
The Blazing Flame Stone had chosen its master.
Meanwhile, Freen clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
His eyes burned with unwillingness.
No.
He would never accept this outcome.
Even if the relic had already bonded with Nina, he refused to let her keep it.
If necessary, he would seize it by force.
No matter the price.