Cursed Heir System: Revenge Against the Gods

The steady drum of rain on the roof was overwhelmed by Zoe's oppressive presence.

Anna stepped back as her crimson eyes widened. The mercenary leader's ashes still strewn all over the floor, Zoe stood like a storm building.

Despite her pain, Marlene stood between Anna and Zoe while holding onto her bloodied shoulder, "Lady Anna, she's after you too."

Alan's eyes narrowed as he gripped his sword more tightly. Her strength was huge, maybe a rare blessing, even more stronger than any rare blessed, far stronger than anything he faced.

She is too strong. His chest tightened as he thought, She could destroy this place in one minute if she wanted to.

Zoe held up her hand, pointing her gloved hand at Anna.

Moriko moved first. Her body shifted mid-leap with a savage roar, dark fur sprouting and her claws gleaming as her beast form surged with raw power. Her eyes were blazing with gold. She aimed for Zoe's throat, saying, "Not on my watch!"

Zoe jumped to another table in a blur of shadow, and Moriko's claws broke the wood where she had been standing, sending splinters flying. Alan took advantage of the crash.

Alan summoned his new blessing, the fire whip, coiling it around her wrist. He shouted, "Let's see you dodge this!"

Zoe didn't flinch as the fire whip seared her wrist. Ignoring the flames, her hand grabbed the coil and pulled Alan towards her, smashing her fist into his jaw with a loud crack, sending him crashing through two tables in a spray of splinters. Blood trickled from his temple, as he slammed into the far wall.

With terrifying speed, Zoe turned and grabbed Moriko's second charge by the throat.

Moriko growled, protesting, kicking and clawing, her sharp nails making useless scrapes against Zoe's steel-hard arm. "Leave me, you bitch," she rasped.

Zoe took out a sharp knife from her long sleeve and was ready to kill Moriko.

A blue mana arrow shot through the air, sharp and swift. Zoe dodged at the last moment, the arrow grazing her mask with a metallic ping, splintering the wooden beam behind her.

Moriko fell to the floor, her golden eyes wide as she gasped, her hand clutching her bruised throat.

Zoe turned to see who shot that arrow and saw Anna standing defiantly, summoned her mana bow which is glowing in blue. Her crimson eyes blazed, though her pale face showed her fear. "Stay away," she warned in a fierce yet low voice. "Or I'll show you what a monarch's candidate can do."

Marlene grabbed Anna's arm with a panicked voice. "Your mana's unstable, Lady Anna! You'll burn yourself out!"

Anna jerked off her hand and drew the string. "Better that than letting her win," she snapped.

Yulder stumbled forward, blood dripping from his lips as his sword flickered with dim flames. With every step, his cracked ribs were painful, but his green eyes remained steady. He raised his blade and rasped, "She's right. It would be better for her if we fought together."

Alan got up from the wreckage, stepping forward while wiping off blood from his forehead. He raised his sword and looked directly at Zoe, murmuring, "Let's see how much it takes to stop you."

A faint hum of dark energy rippled around Zoe as she tilted her head. It was heavy and suffocating, pressing into the room in the shape of a dome. While the battered guards raised their weapons knowing they were outnumbered but refusing to give up, the remaining customers hid behind the counter and tables.

Moriko rose beside Alan, flexing her claws. "You're not touching him, mask," she growled.

Anna's mana arrow flickered wildly, her bow glowing with intense blue light. Shadows danced sharply as Yulder's sword blazed with flames. Alan gripped his hilt tightly. As the tension built like an approaching storm, the tavern seemed to hold its breath.

"Ohhh, you're all ganging up on her?"

A bright, cheerful voice cut through the silence, startling even Zoe. Every head turned to the corner table where Alan and Moriko had been eating moments ago.

A woman sat there, her slightly brown skin glowing softly in the candlelight, her striking presence hard to miss. Her long silver-pink hair was tied back in a ponytail.

Her athletic figure was embraced by a black leather jacket top and fitted white shirt, and her strong legs were flaunted by high-cut black leather shorts with belts.

She mumbled, "Just so you know, she can kill everyone here in five seconds and walk away," as she idly stabbed a meatball with a fork and put it in her mouth. "You're all are wasting your time."

Alan's mind was racing as his blue eyes narrowed. Another one? he thought, feeling chilly. How could I have missed her? Was she here the entire time?

More than Zoe's physical strength, her presence frightened him because it felt like a shadow he had missed.

"Hey! Don't eat my food!" Moriko's tail lashed angrily as she shouted. "Anyway, who the hell are you?"

Anna's face brightened as her red eyes gleamed with relief and happiness. "Janine!" she cried, her voice full of relief. "finally, you're here!"

When Marlene and the soldiers noticed her, their weary expressions softened by relief. The guards relaxed as quiet mutterings of relief spread among them.

"Janine?" As the name hit him, Alan's eyes widened and he muttered under his breath. *The Earth God's Champion?* His heart skipped a beat. As a child, he had heard of her.

She was born as a commoner and the world shook as she was announced as earth god's champion which no one expected. She was taken by Nocelle Dukedom as their weapon.

Moriko's ears perked up in curiosity as she looked at him. She hissed softly, "Who is that supposed to be?"

The tanned beauty smiled confidently as she smoothly climbed onto the table, her boots thumping lightly on the wood. Her violet eyes locked onto Zoe's black mask, her presence outmatching the masked woman's.

"Yulder, I leave Anna with you for one day, and you let it turn into this?" she said with a teasing tone

Yulder, holding his cracked ribs, gave a pained chuckle. "Sorry, madam. Things got… complicated," he rasped.

Janine waved a hand as she spoke to the room. "Alright, everyone, take a breath. I've got this little pest who dared to mess with my favorite girl."

The ground trembled beneath her as she stretched her arm. In her hand, a piece of rock formed and then bursted revealing a heavy sword that glowed with an earthy aura. Zoe mirrored her, who raised her hand as a blade appeared, covered in black fire that created unsettling shadows throughout the tavern.

"This is going to be a mess," Alan whispered while grabbing Moriko's hand and dragging her to safety behind a toppled table. His blue eyes looked back and forth between the two women.

A fight between two crazy freaks? This place will be torn apart by them.

Zoe vanished in a blur and reappeared before Janine, her black-flamed sword swinging in an arc.

The tavern shuddered as Janine met the blow with her own blade. Glasses shattered, tables splintered, and a gust of wind sent debris flying. Anna reacted quickly, creating a transparent blue mana shield to protect Marlene and a few soldiers.

Two civilians weren't so lucky; the force sent them back, slammed into the walls.

With her claws digging into the wood, Moriko stayed down. With her tail slapping the ground, she snarled, "This is why you don't pick fights with crazy masked ladies."

"Preaching to the choir, kitty," Alan muttered, his mind thinking of a plan. He needed to stay alive long enough to figure out Zoe's goal and why Janine, a champion of the Earth God, was so fiercely protective of Anna.