Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 95: Life and Death Duel (Part-4)

No matter what, he could not allow his daughter to be killed!

Zora’s eyes narrowed slightly. She glanced at General Ronald’s enraged face, the frost in her gaze deepening further.

She ignored him completely.

Her fist did not slow in the slightest. Instead, it accelerated, slamming straight into Serestia’s heart!

General Ronald had thought his shout would make her hesitate.

Instead, she moved faster.

By the time he rushed forward, it was already too late.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion echoed across the arena.

Serestia was blasted off her feet, her body crashing heavily onto the ground, dust and smoke billowing into the air.

Lying on the cold stone, Serestia stared blankly at the white figure standing proudly on the stage. For the first time in her life, regret flooded her heart.

She never believed she would die at the hands of Zora.

puff!

A mouthful of blood spilled from her lips, staining the ground a deep crimson. The strength in her body drained away rapidly as the breath of death closed in.

General Ronald and Silvan rushed to her side, panic and disbelief written all over their faces.

"Sera! Sera!"

General Ronald lifted her up, his voice trembling.

Serestia struggled to open her eyes. Her lips quivered as she whispered hoarsely, "Father... avenge me..."

The next instant, her head tilted to the side.

There was no more breath.

The world went silent.

General Ronald froze, staring at his daughter’s lifeless face. When he slowly raised his head again, his eyes were already bloodshot, filled with murderous rage.

"Zora!" he roared. "You dared to kill my daughter!"

His voice shook the entire arena.

Zora laughed coldly.

"Life-and-death combat means life and death," she replied calmly. "Since Serestia stepped onto this stage, this ending was only natural. What is there to question?"

"I gave you a choice. You ignored it. Now you blame me?"

She flicked her sleeve, standing tall and unyielding, her aura sharp and domineering.

Many in the crowd nodded subconsciously.

Indeed, Zora had warned them. It was Serestia and General Ronald who had dismissed everything with arrogance.

"This outcome..." Zora said icily, "was earned."

General Ronald’s voice dropped to a frigid growl. "Even if there were grudges... You should never have killed her."

Zora’s gaze hardened, cold as steel, as she looked straight at him.

Zora raised her brows slightly, her expression calm yet cutting.

"Now that Serestia is dead, you say I should not have killed her." Her lips curved faintly. "Then let me ask you something. If the one who lost today had been me, would you have told Serestia to show mercy?"

General Ronald’s expression stiffened.

He had never even considered that possibility.

Whether Zora lived or died meant nothing to him. What mattered was that Serestia was dead, and that alone was unforgivable.

From the subtle change in General Ronald’s face, the crowd instantly understood the truth.

Before the battle had even begun, Serestia had openly threatened to kill Zora. If the outcome had been reversed, this fight would have ended long ago, and mercy would never have been given.

Now, to speak of restraint and compassion was nothing short of laughable.

Seeing that General Ronald had nothing to say, Zora’s eyes flashed with sharp killing intent. She lifted her chin proudly, her voice cold and resolute.

"Since you have nothing to say, then don’t say it. Anyone who provokes me must be prepared to pay the price."

Her words carried an overwhelming momentum. Even facing General Ronald, she showed not the slightest fear.

"Zora!" General Ronald growled, his face dark as storm clouds. "Are you not afraid of my revenge?"

"I have never feared trouble," she replied coolly. "I’m not some random woman on the street that you think you can bully with your identity. If you poke me with a needle, then I will slash your skin with a sword. I’m not the type to go for an eye for an eye. So, General Ronald, if you dare to come after me, you are welcome to try, but be prepared to have your entire house destroyed.

Her gaze locked onto his, sharp and merciless.

"I mean every word."

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Not only had Zora killed Serestia, but she had now openly threatened General Ronald himself!

For a brief moment, General Ronald was shaken. Staring into those cold, abyss-like eyes, he felt a pressure that made his heart tremble.

This was not empty bravado.

This was confidence forged by real strength.

How could this be?

How could a 16-year-old girl possess such a terrifying presence?

Zora paid him no further attention. She turned and walked slowly down the stage. Each step seemed to strike directly against the hearts of those watching.

The crowd fell into silence as her white figure gradually receded.

For a long time, no one spoke.

With a single statement, she had forced even General Ronald into silence.

General Ronald’s face darkened further, as though water could drip from it. He burned with the desire to kill Zora, yet he knew he could not act now.

The life-and-death stage had rules.

If he made a move here, he would be branded as shameless, destroying his reputation and disgracing his entire household.

And moreover, attacking an Imperial Princess Consort in front of so many witnesses with no proper justification will result in a crime that brings only execution to him.

This hatred would have to be repaid later. The General thought, clenching his fists.

"When did Zora become so terrifying?" Prince Damien murmured, disbelief written across his face. "Every time I thought she was weaker and she would fall, she ended up only stronger and exceeded our expectations."

Prince Philip shook his head silently, his expression complicated.

Seeing his brother’s reaction, Prince Damien said nothing more. As his younger brother, he understood.

Philip was truly wary of Zora now.

And between the two of them, there was no longer any possibility left.

"Useless trash!" Icarus cursed under his breath, fury boiling within him. He never imagined that Serestia couldn’t even defeat Zora.

That very day, another storm swept through the Imperial City.

The news of Zora defeating a stronger opponent and killing Serestia spread like wildfire.

At the royal hunting grounds, many had only heard rumors.

But today’s battle...

Everyone had seen it with their own eyes.

Princess Consort’s prestige spread through the Imperial City like wildfire. Among the younger generation of cultivators, Zora had become a figure of awe, admiration written openly on countless faces.

In contrast, General Ronald’s Residence fell into bleak silence.

What was supposed to be a battle with no suspense had ended in utter defeat. Serestia not only lost, but she also died in front of his eyes, and he couldn’t do anything, leaving behind nothing but shock and humiliation.

As for the center of the storm, Zora herself remained calm.

Defeating Serestia was never something worth boasting about in her eyes.

After returning to the Prince’s Residence, she handed Shihtzu to Black and White, then resumed cultivation as if nothing extraordinary had happened.

Imperial Academy was no ordinary place. From its reputation alone, she knew that true experts gathered there. If she wanted to stand firmly among them, her current strength was far from sufficient.

She had to grow stronger. Quickly.

Night descended quietly, draping the Imperial City in a veil of darkness. The world grew still.

Suddenly, Zora opened her eyes.

Her gaze snapped toward the roof.

Someone was there.

"Master," Black’s voice rang out at the same time, low and vigilant. "Someone’s coming. And they’re hostile."

Zora nodded faintly.