Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 222: Battle against the Abyssal Crocodile (Part-4)
Guinvere had always been confident in herself. If she wished, she could have executed a similar tactic. But watching everyone’s attention fixed on Zora now made her feel inexplicably unsettled. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
Boom!
The massive tail of the Abyssal Crocodile swept across the ground, carving deep trenches with each strike.
Zora’s situation grew increasingly dangerous. Several times, she narrowly avoided being crushed or flung away, escaping by the slimmest margin.
At last, unable to endure the relentless agony tearing through its back, the Abyssal Crocodile let out a furious roar—and its massive body rolled violently to one side.
The Abyssal Crocodile flipped with terrifying speed, almost without any warning, its massive body crashing heavily onto the ground.
Its intention was obvious. It wanted to crush the hateful intruder on its back into pulp.
Zora reacted instantly.
At the very moment the crocodile rolled over, her figure sprang away like a startled swallow, landing cleanly on the ground without the slightest hesitation.
Before anyone could even process her movement, a pale-gold figure had already streaked forward like lightning.
Prince Kael rushed straight toward the exposed belly of the Abyssal Crocodile.
Everyone’s pupils shrank.
The abdomen was the crocodile’s greatest weakness. Unlike the thick, impenetrable scales covering its body, the pale skin there had almost no defense at all.
And now, it was completely exposed.
Slash!
A sharp sword light flashed.
The sound of flesh tearing echoed through the air.
The Abyssal Crocodile let out a deafening roar, its entire body convulsing violently as terrifying yellow light erupted outward in a frenzy.
Seeing this, Prince Kael and the others did not hesitate in the slightest. They retreated at once.
The crocodile’s eyes had turned blood-red. In its madness, it regarded everyone present as an enemy, launching a final, desperate counterattack.
"This is the Abyssal Crocodile’s last stand! Everyone, scatter and retreat!"
Someone shouted loudly, snapping everyone out of their daze.
In an instant, the crowd fled in all directions.
The enraged crocodile charged after them, its massive body smashing through trees and rocks alike. Wherever it passed, towering trees fell one after another, leaving destruction in its wake.
"Damn it, this thing is truly terrifying when it goes berserk!" Sigmund cursed as he ran.
From the moment Zora leapt off the crocodile’s back, Prince Kael had already grabbed her hand and pulled her into retreat. His strike had dealt a fatal wound.
Against a beast of this level, there was no second chance. One strike. Hit or miss. Retreat immediately.
Fortunately, he had succeeded.
As they rushed away together, Prince Kael laughed lightly, his tone relaxed despite the danger. "My lady is truly sharp-minded. Your courage and strength are far beyond those of ordinary spirit warriors."
Zora’s earlier move looked simple, but in truth, it was extremely dangerous. One misstep, and she would have been crushed on the spot.
Yet she had shown not a trace of panic. Calm, precise, decisive. Even he found it admirable.
"And your timing was impeccable," Zora replied, lips curving slightly into a smile as she glanced at him.
Their first cooperation had been unexpectedly seamless.
"The Abyssal Crocodile won’t last much longer," Prince Kael said after they had retreated a safe distance. He brushed off his sleeve, looking unhurried. "Let’s rest for now."
Zora nodded. From afar, the violent movements of the crocodile were already slowing. Its strength was clearly reaching its limit.
"Hey, it’s not moving anymore. Is it dead?" Reesa asked, eyes glittering with curiosity.
Just moments ago, the ground had been shaking so violently that it felt like an earthquake.
"It should be close," Alaric Von Seraph replied solemnly. "But don’t go near it yet. High-level demonic beasts are cunning. It might still be alive."
After all, once monsters reached a certain level of cultivation, their intelligence was no longer something to underestimate. Caution, at times like this, was the only safe choice.
"I really underestimated Zora before," Sigmund said, shaking his head with open admiration. "Having that kind of nerve at the Sky Realm... that’s rare."
Earlier, he had only thought her bold in the way she confronted Fiona. He never expected her to be just as decisive on the battlefield, risking her life without the slightest hesitation.
Hearing his praise, Fiona’s expression darkened. A trace of sourness crept into her voice.
"What’s so amazing about that?" she snorted. "It’s just recklessness. We simply think that kind of thing isn’t worth risking our lives over."
As children of great families, their lives were precious. If others could do the dirty work, why should they step forward themselves?
Elowen laughed softly, her words sharp and unrestrained. "That’s just saying like grapes are sour because you can’t taste them. If you really went up there, I’m afraid you wouldn’t do half as well as Miss Zora."
She had no intention of sparing Fiona’s pride. Unlike others, she had never been afraid of offending her.
Fiona’s face stiffened. "Elowen, what do you mean by that?"
She took a step forward, her expression turning ugly. Since yesterday, Elowen had been praising Zora again and again. It was obvious she was using the opportunity to mock her.
"What do I mean?" Elowen replied calmly. "I’m just stating the facts. Forget about facing it, you were completely filled with fright when it appeared. And all you had loud mouth to berate others because they weren’t born in a great family like you."
Her tone remained gentle, but her words were as sharp as a dagger that pierced Fiona with every accusation.
"You..." As Fiona turned beet red in anger, Elowen added, "Fiona, you should remember who I am. Others might fear you and your family. I don’t."
Even Guinvere, watching from the side, felt a subtle ripple in her heart. Beneath Elowen’s quiet exterior was a surprisingly firm backbone.
Fiona clearly hadn’t expected such a direct confrontation. Her expression turned even uglier. "I don’t have time to argue with you. After this ancient ruin is over, we’ll settle this properly!"
"I’ll be waiting," Elowen replied, lifting her brows lightly, utterly unconcerned.
Just then, Shihtzu’s excited voice rang out in Zora’s mind.
"Master, the Abyssal Crocodile is dead!"
Zora’s eyes sharpened. "Then we can go over now."
"Master..." Shihtzu hesitated, then its small eyes sparkled eagerly. "I want its demon crystal."
She paused.
Of course. She had almost forgotten that she was raising a little beast who couldn’t take a single step when demon crystals were involved.
The Abyssal Crocodile was a Yellow Realm demonic beast. Its demon crystal contained extremely rich energy, far superior to the ones Shihtzu usually consumed. To it, this was nothing short of a feast.
Looking at the unmistakable eagerness shimmering in the little fellow’s eyes, Zora found it impossible to refuse.
"I’m going to take the demon crystal," she said decisively.
Prince Kael glanced at her sudden shift in focus, momentarily puzzled. "Darling, is something wrong?"
She shook her head, then pointed at the little creature in her arms. "This one wants the Abyssal Crocodile’s demon crystal."
Understanding dawned on Prince Kael’s face, and he chuckled softly. "That makes sense. Beastmasters do tend to feed their companions with demon crystals."
Shihtzu’s tail swished with delight. For it, this ruin had just become a lot more worthwhile.
"Shihtzu is still young. The Abyssal Crocodile’s demon crystal will be extremely beneficial to its growth," Zora said calmly. "We’re taking that demon crystal."
Her tone was light, almost casual, but there was not the slightest room for negotiation. Anything that helped Shihtzu, she would never let go of.
Without hesitation, Zora and Prince Kael moved at once, flying straight back toward the ruins.
"Master, that demon crystal is very valuable," Black reminded her worriedly. "Those people won’t give it up so easily."
After all, even if the Abyssal Crocodile had fallen because of their efforts, the strength of the academy side was still far weaker than that of the great families. Taking the demon crystal from them would not be easy.
Zora’s eyes narrowed slightly. A cold, decisive glint flashed through them like lightning.
"Since it’s something I want," she said coolly, "there’s no reason for anyone else to take it."
Her voice carried the same arrogance and certainty as ever. Once something was in her sights, it would not be taken from her so easily.
Black and White immediately grew excited. If those people were willing to hand it over, fine. If not, they would simply make them understand what regret meant.
Before long, Zora and Prince Kael returned to the ruins.
The ground that had once been intact was now in utter chaos. Deep pits of varying sizes covered the area, clear proof of how terrifying the Abyssal Crocodile’s final rampage had been.
At that moment, Leofric was standing over the massive corpse, his blade already cutting into the crocodile’s head, clearly intending to extract the demon crystal.
Seeing this, Zora stepped forward and spoke directly, "That demon crystal is of use to me. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to give it to me."
The atmosphere instantly shifted.
Several spirit warriors’ expressions changed at once. Leofric paused and looked at Zora, hesitation flickering across his face.
The Abyssal Crocodile’s demon crystal was indeed valuable, but for a family as large as the House Ravens, it wasn’t irreplaceable. Moreover, the truth was obvious: without Zora and Prince Kael, this beast would never have fallen so quickly.
Leofric’s gaze shifted to Prince Kael. After a brief moment, his decision was made.
Offending Prince Kael over a single demon crystal was simply not worth it.
Just as he was about to nod in agreement, a sharp, displeased voice cut in.
"No." Fiona stepped forward, her chin lifted arrogantly. "This Abyssal Crocodile belongs to our House Ravens. Why should we give its demon crystal to you?"
Her eyes locked onto Zora, provocation written plainly across her face.
