Middle Princess's legs were sculpted perfection, the white dress teasingly brushing her thighs.
As the skirt climbed, Illustrious told herself she only studied the enemy's body to ensure victory.
At last she glimpsed the secret garden—and groaned: white... boxer shorts? A safety short? The universe's cruelest invention!
"Disappointed?" Middle Princess let the hem fall, delighted by Illustrious's crushed hopes.
"Hmph! Not at all!" Illustrious pouted, turning away.
"Don't sulk. Become my vassal and you may look, touch—whatever you wish."
Look and touch as I please? Illustrious wavered—then caught herself. Accept and she'd turn Abyssal; the vixen was scheming.
"Stubborn, aren't you? The more you resist, the more I want you," Middle Princess cooed.
Illustrious shook off temptation, reached into the void, and silver sword flared into her grip. "What did you just do? Answer, or I'll cut you down."
"Only a Saint-grade seduction Ship Skill. Epic Ship Girls rarely last a minute before obeying my every whim."
"Three minutes of effect—yet you're still standing."
Middle Princess asked curiously, "But you're different—not only did you surpass everyone else, you lasted a full three minutes. I'm really curious how you managed it."
"A charm-type Ship Skill. No wonder I lost my composure. As for why—sorry, not telling." Illustrious had felt something was off. So what if Middle Princess was beautiful? There were plenty more stunning women back home—Azuma, Shokaku, Zuikaku—any of them outshone her. Why fixate on one tree and abandon the whole forest?
"Enough tricks. I'll never serve under you, Middle Princess. Let's fight! Today only one of us leaves this place alive." Illustrious's voice turned to ice.
"Oh my, won't you think it over? Miss this chance and there won't be another." Middle Princess flashed a smile.
"Less chatter—die!" Illustrious refused to waste more words; she would strike first.
She tightened her grip on the hilt, surged her power, and shot forward—whoosh—becoming a streak of light that blasted straight at Middle Princess.
"Hmph! Stubborn Illustrious, you'll regret today's choice!" Sensing the incoming rush, Middle Princess erupted with terrifying force. Ship Qi cloaked her body; with a whoosh she vanished from the spot and streaked toward Illustrious.
Bang-bang-bang…
Their bodies slammed together again and again, the clash fierce beyond measure. Neither could gain the upper hand—first Middle Princess edged ahead, then Illustrious, both roaring between blows, a sound that set hearts racing.
"Sky-Cleaving Sword!"
Illustrious barked. A three-zhang sword-qi burst from her silver sword and thundered toward the fist-clenched Middle Princess.
Watching the lightning-fast slash, Middle Princess stayed calm. Power gathered in her right hand; only when the blade was half a foot from her face did she move.
She smashed the center of the sword-qi—boom!—shattering it outright. One force to break all arts; Middle Princess's fists were certainly hard enough.
"Nice, very nice! Worthy opponent. Your turn's over—now it's mine. Try not to die in one hit!" Middle Princess laughed in delight.
"Bring it! Otherwise I'm afraid you'll run out of chances." Illustrious snarled.
Middle Princess soared sky-high, halting a kilometer above Illustrious. Boom—her aura rocketed to its peak, then she dived. "Behold a deep-sea fist that falls from the heavens. Be careful—not like Dido, beaten in seconds. Though caution won't help; this strike is unbeatable."
"The move that crushed Dido? Hehe, I have to see it." Illustrious looked relaxed, but worry stirred within—if it had floored Dido, this was the decider.
"Sky-Fifth Fist!"
"Earth-Law Fist!"
"Living-Thunder Fist!"
"Myriad-Righteous Fist!"
"Form-Unity Fist!"
"Fist upon fist, five as one—Ship-Sinking Fist completed!"
As she descended, Middle Princess hurled a five-zhang energy fist. Its might pierced the sky, darkening everything in its path, its unstoppable terror seeming ready to shatter the ground.
Watching that sky-falling blow, Illustrious's face turned grave. She drew a cool breath. So this was the strike that had beaten Dido—utterly terrifying.
Could she really stop it? Such power—only the move her master had taught her stood any chance.
Remembering it, Illustrious still shivered. Fifteen years ago the scene remained vivid.
Back then she had trained under her master. Under that strict tutelage—cough, education—her strength had soared at staggering speed; she had learned every technique except the final secret, the Momentary Slash.
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