Chapter 390: The Beasts’ Retreat

The Serpent Queen stepped forward and struck the ground with her spear.

"Thank you for giving me time to recover, boy," said the Serpent Queen. "That’s enough. I’ll handle this."

Without waiting for a reply, she shot forward like a green flash. The speed of her charge forced the Spider Queen to cross her mechanical legs to block the blow. The impact shattered nearby rocks, blasting the spider sovereign back dozens of meters.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Alexander lunged at Big Black. He combined the speed of his [Storm Steel Claws] with the pressure of his [Shadow Vampire Summon]. Slashes struck Big Black’s torso while shadows smothered his line of sight.

Big Black tried to counter using his [Explosive Muscles], but the Serpent Queen whipped a strand of energy that deflected his punch, leaving him open.

"Damn it!" roared Big Black, taking a swipe from Alexander that hurled him into the mountain base.

Seeing her ally bleeding and realizing the tide had turned, the Spider Queen whistled.

"Retreat!" ordered the spider sovereign, firing a cloud of poisonous smoke and explosive threads to cover their escape.

Big Black emerged from the rubble spitting blood. He shot a glare of hatred at Alexander before leaping into the heights of the canyon, following the Spider Queen into the night.

"Pests always know when to run," said Alexander, stowing his wings and dismissing his claws.

Liora leaped down from the rocky ledge and ran toward them, stopping beside Alexander to catch her breath.

The Serpent Queen drove her spear into the dirt and adjusted her armor. She fixed a gaze on Alexander, examining him from head to toe with intrigue before offering a nod.

"I am the Serpent Queen, sovereign of the Poisonous Shadow Clan," said the Serpent Queen. "Your intervention was timely, young man. It is not common to see a Vampiric Emperor fighting on behalf of our lands. Who are you?"

"This is Alexander, Your Majesty," Liora chimed in, stepping forward. "He is the one who saved me in that other world when I was kidnapped. If I managed to escape the clutches of my captors and return to my clan, it was thanks to his help."

The Serpent Queen narrowed her eyes, surprised by the revelation, and locked her gaze on the hybrid.

"So you are the human from that world the Fox Queen spoke about..." whispered the Serpent Queen, a faint smile touching her lips. "It seems the fate of our kingdom is tied to you."

"Don’t get used to miraculous appearances, Your Majesty," said Alexander with a smirk. "I only came to settle a few debts and make sure this brat didn’t end up dead."

The Serpent Queen raised an eyebrow and let out a chuckle, watching as a blush crept up Liora’s cheeks.

"Brat?" repeated the Serpent Queen, crossing her arms with a smirk. "What a lack of grace toward the princess. In our kingdom, Liora is considered the most stunning beauty across all tribes. Many young nobles would lay down their lives for one of her smiles."

Liora looked away, crossing her arms to hide her embarrassment.

"Serpent Queen, please! This is hardly the time for jokes!" protested the fox princess, her voice pitching higher than usual.

Alexander glanced down at Liora and let out an amused huff.

"To me, she’s still the same noisy kid I rescued in a ruined cabin," said Alexander, reaching out to mess up her hair. "Beauty or not, she still throws the exact same tantrums."

"Hey! Let go!" whined Liora, swatting his arm away while trying to fix her hair, though a small smile slipped out.

The Serpent Queen watched them in silence before her expression turned serious to focus on the war.

The Serpent Queen stepped toward the center of the hollow and gazed into the night, letting the breeze clear the aftermath of the battle.

"The threat doesn’t end with the Spider Queen or her advisor," said the Serpent Queen. "The fall of the capital left our borders exposed. Foreign threats from neighboring kingdoms are mobilizing. Worse still, vampire factions have begun snapping at the edges of our territory."

Liora clenched her fists and looked at the sovereign with concern.

"If those kingdoms invade us now while the Fox Clan is fractured, our territory will be carved up as war booty," warned Liora.

The Serpent Queen turned her head and locked her slitted eyes onto Alexander, assessing him.

"Which is why I need to know where your loyalties lie, Vampiric Emperor," said the Serpent Queen. "With your status and strength, you could keep those dark factions at bay. Would you be willing to help us protect this kingdom?"

Alexander flashed an arrogant smirk as he adjusted his gloves.

"I don’t care about your kingdom’s politics or border games," said Alexander in a decisive voice. "But if those vampires or any other kingdom try to cross my path or lay a hand on what belongs to me, I’ll show them who’s in charge."

The Serpent Queen smiled with satisfaction, offering a nod.

"That’s enough for me. Let me return to the camp, rally the remaining troops, and prepare our march toward the capital."

"And who said I was going to your capital?" asked Alexander, turning on his heel to walk away.

The Serpent Queen stopped in her tracks and narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" asked the sovereign.

"It’s simple," said Alexander, glancing back with a mocking smirk. "If I stick my head into your capital, it won’t be easy to get out again. I’d be under your control, Your Highness, and that’s not a situation I want to get wrapped up in."

The atmosphere turned dense in an instant. The Serpent Queen straightened her posture, emanating an icy authority that made Liora take a step back, alarmed by the shift.

"Brat..." said the Serpent Queen in a firm voice. "Your skills are good, and with your vampiric bloodline you are useful to our cause, but do not overestimate yourself. Do not make this queen angry. My niece might like you, but to me, the kingdom comes first."

Alexander showed no hint of intimidation. He kept his relaxed posture and let out a laugh before replying:

"And to me, my freedom comes first, Your Majesty. I don’t work for anyone. If you want my help smashing that spider and her allies, it will be on my own terms."