Merciless Rejection

In the realm of Terramyr, while the young knight princess was being crushed with effortless ease by the Demon King, the scene was being publicly broadcast to every corner of the world, reaching even the most remote areas.

"..."

Among those distant regions, in the small kingdom of Ironholm, a hooded silhouette stood watching the projection, analyzing every single detail in absolute, unyielding silence.

"Ugh..."

On the image displayed by the massive, magically created screen, following his initial snap of the fingers, the Demon King made no further move; instead, he simply sat upon his throne, watching with amusement as the young knight princess struggled and crawled in the dirt at his feet before the entire realm, desperately trying to stand.

"...It's no use. It seems that young woman has lost."

Watching the battle alongside the hooded figure, the voice of an exhausted elf spoke with resignation as she stood respectfully a step behind the silhouette to whom she owed her life.

"...As much as I hate to admit it... that monster... his power is on a completely different level..."

The elf in question was a red-haired beauty with her hair tied in a ponytail. In the past, she had been widely renowned for her fast, precise striking through kicks that, combined with her flames, earned her the feared title of the "Fierce Crimson Leg" among her enemies, though her true name was Kaikarjukka.

"...You are mistaken."

Following the liberation of the elves from the brutal control of the "Factory," they had received constant support from the hooded figure, who introduced herself under the alias "Silvia."

"The battle is not over yet."

The mysterious entity supported them until they regained their strength, even summoning a powerful elemental earth spirit before their eyes—whom she introduced as Eldora-Gideon—to bolster the sanctuary's defenses after their rescue.

"What do you mean...?"

As a result of this aid and being freed from their endless torment, the liberated elves expressed their profound gratitude and asked if she was human, harboring suspicion partly due to the sheer magnitude of her power.

"Her eyes... She hasn't given up yet..."

Back then, the hooded figure had flatly denied it, clarifying that she was not human. Far from raising the elves' guard, this admission caused them to open up even faster, swearing an eternal debt of gratitude to her.

"...The way things are going, I don't see how it's possible for this not to be over... After all... hasn't she remained motionless in that exact same position for the last few hours...?"

Thus, when Silvia's calm voice asserted that the battle—which to outside observers appeared to be nothing more than a humiliating execution—was not yet finished, the sheer weight of her influence made the elf reconsider the situation, unable to dismiss her words.

"...Look. She has already adapted."

Before Kaikarjukka could ask anything further, Silvia's voice echoed with firm certainty.

"—...I have analyzed this technique."

Simultaneously, within the projected image, as if answering those words, the young knight princess slowly began to rise from the ground.

"Now I can see straight through your pressure!"

Against all odds, after breaking free from the crushing weight that had immobilized her, the young woman stood tall and raised her sword through the broadcast, pointing it straight at the Demon King.

"Admirable."

Faced with such a feat, the Demon King offered a moment of genuine praise.

"So you've learned to move despite the difference between our existences?"

The fearless light that had once shone in the young woman's eyes before crashing to the ground flared up once more, this time with an even greater, destructive intensity.

"This is my revenge for leaving my sister, my master... for leaving everyone in such a miserable state!"

Glaring directly at the conqueror, a dense aura heavy with pure, sword-like killing intent wrapped around her body as she readied her weapon with both hands.

"Take this!"

Instantly, she launched herself off the ground at a speed that vastly outstripped her initial attack at the start of the duel.

(Whoosh—!!!)

It was a dizzying blitz that tracked the residual trail of the Demon King's magical energy, exploiting every inch of the surrounding space to counter any attempt at evasion.

"Aaaaaah!!"

With every powerful step, her generous G-cup breasts pressed tightly against her leather armor, bouncing violently with the momentum and converting even that weight into forward propulsion as she leaped straight toward the Demon King's arm.

"I'll return all the pain you've caused, multiplied tenfold!"

Wielding her magic sword, she unleashed an invisible slash created through the precise copying of the exact same magic the Demon King had used in the past to subjugate countless magic-swordswomen, integrating it flawlessly into her swordsmanship.

"Humph..."

In response to the assault, the Demon King let out a quiet scoff as he stood up from his throne for the very first time.

(Slash!)

Yet at the same time, his jet-black robes were sliced open in a blinding flash of light.

(I can do this...! This feeling, this power... If it's the Demon Lord's own technique, it will work against the Demon Lord!)

Seeing that result, a surge of pure euphoria rushed through her entire body, making her heart pound wildly.

"What's the matter, Demon King?!"

Her chest rose and fell with ragged breaths as her sweaty skin grew warm from the intense magic concentration.

(I can win, I can win...! Sister, I'm going to free you right now!)

In that instant, she felt her royal pride and her determination as the most talented magic-swordswoman beginning to overwhelm the enemy's composure.

"What happened to all that confidence from a moment ago?! Kneel now! It's your turn to lick the dirt, not mine!"

Unfortunately, all the confidence, euphoria, and resolve swelling within her...

"Mmm... Royal blood and pure determination, hmm? As a one-percent imitation of my power, it is a truly exceptional achievement."

...were just a single second away from being utterly obliterated.

"Allow me to show you... three percent."

A faint, sinister light flickered deep within the Demon King's eyes.

"...What...?"

Before the young knight princess could launch her next strike, there was no sound, no impact, not even pain.

(Snap!!)

Her vision simply inverted in an instant as an intense "gravity"—so absolute it negated her very existence—crashed down upon her.

"...Gah... h-huh...?!"

Before she could comprehend what was happening, what met her eyes was no longer the luxurious carpet of the throne room, but the cold, hard cobblestone floor.

"Ah, ugh... w-what... what is this...?"

Just as before, her body was completely immobilized.

"..."

Not a single muscle obeyed her commands.

"It is over."

Her figure was forced into a thoroughly submissive posture, her knees slamming violently against the stone floor, her arms pinned flat against the ground, and her forehead pressed painfully against the cold surface in absolute prostration.

"Ah, ah... ahh..."

Her generous breasts, still warm from the exertion of battle, pressed tightly against her forcibly bent knees, choking her breath as the overwhelming weight rapidly flushed out the euphoria she had felt moments earlier.

"Do you understand now?"

Behind her, the presence of absolute death towered implacably.

"You never stood the slightest chance of winning."

The Demon King approached slowly, looking down at the warrior kneeling at his feet.

(Tap... tap... tap...)

The echo of his footsteps sounded cold and methodical in the dead silence of the great hall.

"...Three... percent...?"

Incredulous, the young woman's view was restricted to the frozen stone floor and the tears beginning to splatter across it.

"What... what did you just say...?"

No matter how hard she tried to replicate the analytical method she had used earlier to escape that invisible pressure, the weight crushing her now was absolute. Her will to resist sank deeper into the abyss with every passing second as her body utterly failed her.

"I mean exactly what I said. That power you tried so hard to imitate, that power you mistakenly believed gave you a chance at victory... is nothing more than three times the one percent of power I normally suppress."

The Demon King's words shattered the young woman's soul into a thousand pieces.

"That's a lie... That's a lie... My body got so hot, I thought I could break everything..."

The fact that the blow into which she had poured all her effort, her soul, and her resolve was merely a three-percent tickle to her opponent was a devastating reality.

"B-But... it was only three percent...?!"

Watching the tragic scene through the magical projection in Ironholm, the hooded figure of Silvia briefly closed her eyes, aware that the fighting spirit that had once burned in the young woman's gaze had been ruthlessly extinguished.

"Ignorance is a blessing, isn't it?"

The Demon King merely sneered...

"You mistook your own limitations for your maximum potential. As a consequence, you are now licking the same mud as your sister... How does it feel?"

In that instant, the young princess suffered a complete mental collapse.

"...Ugh... ah... aaaaaahhh!!"

Her scream choked in the back of her throat, escaping only as a weak, agonized gasp. The grim fate and the visceral disgust she felt at finding herself turned into the exact same thing as her sister—the very person she had so desperately sought to save—corroded her like pure poison. Now she too was a mere ornament, crawling on the stone, her breasts squeezed painfully against her knees, stripped of even the basic freedom to lift her head.

(No, I don't want this...! I came here to save my sister. But now, both she and I... are we going to have to keep begging for forgiveness in that plaza for the rest of our lives? All the passersby and monsters will laugh at us day after day...! Oh... did my sister... suffer this terror too? Your mind is completely lucid, yet someone manipulates your body from within, leaving you helpless... like a simple living doll...)

She experienced true despair before an unimaginable future.

"...Ah... e-eh...?"

The image of the women lined up in the plaza, their eyes empty like dead fish staring into nothingness, flashed through her mind as a presage of the horror she was about to become.

"Wait...! Please, wait, Demon King! Please... reconsider!"

Her voice lost every trace of the royal dignity with which she had been raised, transforming into the terrified plea of a little girl desperately begging for her life.

"I was wrong...! I'm sorry for saying something so arrogant! Please, let my sister and my master go! Or... make me your loyal subordinate! I'll do anything! I'll become your sword and kill all your enemies! Just please, don't do something as cruel as lining us up in the plaza...!"

Desperate, the young woman pleaded with the monster she had hated so deeply, licking the floor in the hope of being taken in as at least a slave.

"I can copy your techniques with my unique magic! I can actually be useful to you! So please... I don't want to be in the plaza, not there..."

Yet every attempt at negotiation was in vain.

"I'll work hard! I swear my loyalty! I'll do any task, even... even indecent things... I'll never disobey you! So please...!"

And instead, the only response that descended from above was a single word colder than ice...

"Rejected."

...A ruthless, merciless rejection.