Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 197: The Ambush (Part-5)

After finishing her battle, Zora then swept her gaze across the battlefield. Reesa and Baldwin were holding steady. Alaric Von Seraph and the others could manage their opponents for now.

Finally, her eyes settled on Sylvandria.

At this moment, Sylvandria was struggling against a late-stage Sky Realm mercenary, each exchange pushing her closer to her limits. Observing this, Zora couldn’t help but acknowledge the truth.

The Black Vulture Mercenary Group truly lived up to its reputation.

Although these mercenaries were older and their future potential limited, reaching such cultivation levels through blood-soaked battles was no small feat. It was precisely this hard-earned strength that allowed the Black Vulture Mercenary Group to rise so quickly and secure its place among the top three mercenary groups.

They had earned that status with real, brutal power.

Seeing Sylvandria’s predicament, Zora couldn’t help but shake her head inwardly.

Logically speaking, Sylvandria’s opponent should have the same strength as hers. Even if Sylvandria’s real combat experience fell short of her opponent’s, with her cultivation level and the martial techniques she possessed, she should not have been driven into such a passive state. At the very least, she ought to have had the ability to counterattack.

Yet the reality unfolding before her eyes was stark. Sylvandria was being forced back step by step, barely able to mount any effective resistance against him.

Zora sighed softly in her heart.

Compared to walking the bloody path of a warrior, Sylvandria’s temperament was far more suited to the road of an alchemist.

Between spirit warriors and Alchemists, Sylvandria clearly had greater potential in the latter. Her mental resilience simply wasn’t built for prolonged, high-pressure combat.

With that thought, Zora’s figure flickered, and she appeared at Sylvandria’s side.

The moment she saw Zora arrive, Sylvandria finally let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Relief washed over her, but it was quickly followed by embarrassment.

Last time, when Julian and the others had attacked, it had also been Zora who stepped in after dealing with her own opponent. Now, history was repeating itself.

In terms of cultivation alone, Sylvandria was actually a minor stage higher than Zora. Yet here she was again, needing Zora’s help. The sting to her pride was impossible to ignore.

If she had a choice, she truly did not want to rely on Zora. She had her own arrogance, her own dignity. But reality offered no mercy. Even she couldn’t understand why, once she stood on the battlefield, everything seemed to fall apart.

Korrin, who had been pressing Sylvandria relentlessly, suddenly noticed Zora’s arrival. His gaze lingered on her, a glint of lust flashing through his eyes.

"Well now," Korrin chuckled, licking his lips. "My luck today isn’t bad at all. One beauty wasn’t enough, and now another one comes knocking."

The moment those words left his mouth, a layer of frost settled over Zora’s exquisite face. Of all people, she despised men like this the most. "A trash like you want to covet us? Are you sick of living?"

Sylvandria looked at Zora helplessly. Korrin’s words had already made her uncomfortable enough; she hadn’t expected him to be this shameless.

Korrin, however, didn’t seem offended at all.

On the contrary, his smile widened with indulgent arrogance. He had always enjoyed toying with beautiful women. Whether it was Sylvandria or the dazzling woman now standing before him, both were rare sights, far superior to the rough mercenary women he was used to.

Zora’s red lips curved into a radiant, captivating smile. For a brief instant, even Korrin was stunned by her beauty. But the next words she spoke shattered that illusion completely.

"Take a good look at yourself," she said, her voice dripping with disdain as she saw that lustful gaze from him. "With your looks and your behavior, I feel sick just seeing you."

Korrin’s expression twisted, anger flashing across his face. But almost immediately, he laughed again, eyes filled with a perverse glint. "Feisty little pepper. I like that too."

"Idiot."

Zora couldn’t be bothered to waste another word on him. Against trash like this, strength was the only language worth using.

Without hesitation, she raised her sword and lunged straight at Korrin.

"So bold," Korrin laughed, still relaxed, clearly underestimating her. "Daring to attack me first?"

He had no idea that this very carelessness was the prelude to disaster. Had he witnessed how a late-stage Sky Realm spirit warrior had just died by Zora’s hand, he would never have been this casual.

Zora welcomed his arrogance. An enemy who underestimated her was an enemy who made things easier.

"Storm Breaker!"

With a cold shout, mana surged violently from her body. Her martial technique erupted like a raging tempest, crashing straight toward Korrin in an overwhelming wave.

Sensing the violent surge of energy within the storm, Korrin’s expression finally shifted. From the fluctuations alone, he could tell that this martial technique was clearly not an ordinary Yellow-tier art.

"Cracking Clouds!"

Korrin reacted instantly.

His figure shot forward, mana roaring as he unleashed his own martial technique.

The moment the Cracking Clouds strike collided with the raging storm, a deafening explosion echoed through the forest. Smoke and dust billowed upward, swallowing the battlefield and obscuring everyone’s vision.

As his attack landed, a glimmer of confidence flashed through Korrin’s eyes.

His Cracking Clouds was a Yellow-tier martial art, but he had cultivated it for many years, polishing it to near perfection. In contrast, although Zora’s martial technique was of a higher grade, her cultivation was still lower than his.

In his mind, this exchange already had a clear outcome.

"With your strength, you’re not my match!"

Korrin sneered arrogantly, casting a smug glance toward Sylvandria, who stood pale and tense nearby. A surge of pride welled up in his chest, as if victory were already within his grasp.

Sylvandria’s face drained of color. Had Zora been seriously injured in that clash? Or worse... had she fallen?

Just as panic crept into her heart, Korrin stepped toward her with a leering grin.

"Little beauty, no one’s coming to save you now," he said lazily. "Beg me properly, and maybe I’ll show you some mercy."

"You... you’re dreaming!" Sylvandria retorted, though the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her unease.

Suddenly, her expression changed.

Through the thinning smoke, a slender figure emerged. Zora’s silhouette became clearer and clearer, standing silently behind Korrin.

"Eh?"

A soft sound escaped Korrin’s lips. Before he could react, horror flooded his eyes.

He slowly lowered his gaze to his chest, where the tip of a sword protruded, stained red with blood. A sharp, searing pain spread through his body in the next instant.

Slash!

Zora withdrew her sword cleanly and decisively, not granting him even a second of hesitation.

It was far too early for him to celebrate.

Korrin turned his head stiffly. When his eyes met Zora’s calm, indifferent face, his mind went completely blank.

"You should accept your fate earlier," Zora said coldly. "That way, you won’t harm others any further."

She spared him no more than a single glance before turning away, her movements crisp and merciless, as though even looking at him was an affront.

Watching her retreating figure, Sylvandria felt her heart shake violently. At that moment, she finally understood why the two tutors had been so determined to recruit Zora, even after being rejected by her.

Her strength truly lived up to her reputation.