Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 65: Royal Hunting grounds (Part-5)

Originally, Zora hadn’t intended to deal with Luna here.

But since Luna had practically delivered herself...

Well—why waste such a lovely opportunity?

Black and White exchanged glances, their fluffy eyes sparkling. Their master was about to put on a show.

Zora," Luna finally called out, dropping all pretenses, voice soaked in arrogance. "Let’s see who protects you now!"

She couldn’t hide her glee. She couldn’t contain it.

The thought of Zora kneeling before her in terror sent a thrill down her spine.

Zora turned slowly. Graceful and Unhurried.

A smile, cold and curved like a knife, blossomed across her face.

"My life," she said lightly, "has never needed anyone’s protection."

Luna’s smirk faltered.

For a brief second—just a breath—she scanned the treeline.

Was someone there? Hidden? Watching?

But no matter how she searched, she found nothing.

"Hmph! Still pretending even now? You’re a dead woman yelling bravado!" Luna snapped. Certain she was alone, confidence flooded her again.

Zora crossed her arms, lounging as if enjoying a scenic stroll rather than an assassination attempt.

"All you ever do is talk nonsense," she said lazily. "Boring."

Her eyes sharpened, slicing through the air like cold steel.

"You came to kill me? Then stop wasting time."

For a heartbeat, Luna simply stared.

This wasn’t fear.

This wasn’t panic.

This was... Zora is treating her like someone she looks down on?

"You want death?" Luna snarled, raising her hand. "I’ll gladly give it to you!"

In the next moment, the aura of a freshly advanced Sky realm early-stage cultivator exploded from her body, shaking leaves from the branches above.

She could barely contain her excitement.

All her cultivation, all her secret resources, all her mother’s help—everything had pushed her to this breakthrough.

And she had told no one.

Because today, here in the hunting grounds, she would shine.

She would dominate.

"You’re lucky," she hissed. "You’ll be the first to witness my power."

To her, Zora was nothing but a powerless lamb waiting for the butcher.

"Incompetent," Zora, however, replied with a blank face as if she were looking at a fool.

Zora had long expected Luna to break through to the early stage of the Sky realm

With the General’s Manor pouring every resource into that girl, a breakthrough was the inevitable result, not a miracle.

"You... what did you just say?" Luna’s voice pitched upward, eyes widening. Zora calling her sick?

Zora lazily lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "So you broke through. Must you strut like a rooster all day because of it?"

Luna’s entire body trembled. Zora’s utter lack of alarm unnerved her more than any threat.

Why wasn’t she panicking? Why wasn’t she begging for mercy?

"You—!" Luna’s fury surged, her breath quivering with rage. "I’ll smash your teeth down your throat, and let’s see if you still act so arrogant!"

"Sorry, but you are..." Zora tilted her chin, eyes narrowing with chilly contempt. She lifted a single finger and wagged it. "Not qualified."

"You bitch..." Luna’s vision went crimson. She lunged, spiritual force roaring to life, her desire to tear Zora apart filling her entire being.

Zora’s gaze sharpened; she was ready. She had tolerated Luna long enough.

Today, she intended to settle the debt.

But then—

A second presence flickered at the edge of her senses.

"Master, Philip is coming," Black warned.

Zora frowned. Of all the moments, he had to appear now?

Philip had entered the hunting grounds later than the others, eyes sweeping frantically in search of her.

He didn’t understand why he needed to see her—whether it was pride, guilt, or the resentment locked in his heart.

But when he heard voices ahead—voices he knew too well—he quickened his pace.

Then he froze.

Before him, Luna’s killing strike was aimed directly at Zora.

"Luna, what are you doing!" Philip’s voice cut through the forest, sharp as a whip.

Luna jerked by a startle. Her strike veered wildly, the unstable power rebounding and stinging her own palm.

She hissed, pain flashing across her face.

Philip stepped between them instantly. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Luna spun toward him, panic flooding her delicate features. "Your Highness, I—"

"Zora, even at a time like this, you would try to harm your own sister?" Philip’s tone was cold.

Luna’s jaw dropped. He... reprimanded her?

All because of that woman?

Her gaze darted to Zora, eyes burning with hatred. "This is your doing! You planned this!"

She had never understood Zora’s composure earlier.

Now she thought she did—Zora had lured her here to perform in front of Philip!

Zora could only stare.

This woman’s imagination was truly a tragedy.

She had been following Zora like a noisy shadow the entire time. How could Zora possibly have arranged Philip’s arrival?

If anything, Philip’s appearance ruined both of their plans.

"What you think," Zora replied blandly, "is none of my concern."

Philip turned his attention to her again, voice dropping. "Are you hurt?"

A thin, cutting smile curled Zora’s lips. "So I should thank Your Highness for the concern?"

At the very beginning, Philip had never truly struck her, but the original Zora’s death was undeniably tied to him.

So when her words carried that soft edge of mockery, Philip’s composure cracked. He felt the sting of it.

Back then, he had humiliated her just as coldly as Luna had.

For him to "care" now... it was laughable, and he knew it.

"Your Highness, what happened just now wasn’t what it looked like!" Luna blurted, panic climbing her throat.

Even knowing she could never truly stand beside Philip again, she still clung to the last scraps of hope. She could not let him despise her.

Philip’s brow tightened, voice cool. "I saw everything clearly. What exactly do you think you’re explaining?"

"No—no, it’s not what you think!"

Luna grabbed his sleeve, desperation overriding dignity. Her only thought was to salvage his opinion of her.

Inside the Chaos Ring, White sighed. "Master, more enemies are approaching."

There went the chance for a clean execution.

This spectacle had been loud enough to draw half the mountain.

A sliver of cold light flashed in Zora’s eyes.

The timing was ruined. Staying here was meaningless.

Black groaned dramatically. "A perfect chance wasted. I was so ready to ruin that woman’s face even more."

Zora’s lips curved. "There are still three days. We won’t have a lack of opportunities."

Luna would come for her again.

And Zora intended to settle this feud sooner rather than later.

Without sparing another glance, she turned and walked deeper into Mt. Philanos. Let Luna and Philip stew under the gaze of the gathering crowd.

She wanted no entanglement with either of them.

Philip instinctively took a step after her, but Luna’s hand clamped onto his sleeve.

She couldn’t let him go. If she didn’t explain now, she would never get another chance.

He looked down at her, helpless irritation flickering in his eyes. He wanted to shake her off—yet with competitors approaching, he couldn’t drag her through the dirt publicly.

So he could only watch Zora’s figure grow smaller... then vanish between the trees.

Meanwhile, Zora pushed deeper into the mountain, adjusting her route to avoid letting Philip catch up.

But after going far enough away, a sudden bestial roar ripped through the stillness.

Her expression sharpened.

A monster.

Boom!

A streak of crimson light tore through the forest canopy—hurtling straight at her.

Her senses flared. She shifted her weight, body flickering aside in a clean, precise step.

The attack smashed into the earth where she’d just stood.

The beast spun, startled that its ambush had missed.

Zora recognized it immediately at first glance. "A flame raccoon?"