Chapter 53: Never Surrender
With a crisp sound, the dagger fell to the ground.
Irene’s face was dark. She had planned to humiliate Tillisa while hiding her true strength, but now she had failed to hide her strength and nearly capsized in the gutter.
Looking at Tillisa, whose arms were bound by pitch-black vines, Irene’s anger surged.
Of course she knew that with her full strength, her opponent would have absolutely no chance to fight back.
This dishonorable bitch had taken advantage of her overconfidence, causing her to lose face in front of so many classmates and instructors.
A legitimate divine maiden nearly losing to a wild divine maiden without even a domain—if this rumor spread, how could she maintain her reputation in the future?!
It was all this wild divine maiden’s fault for constantly opposing her!
When had a young lady from a legitimate divine maiden family ever suffered such humiliation?? In her worldview, Tillisa had no right to resist her. When she bullied you, you had to take it. Who told you to be a wild divine maiden without parents or status??
Irene cracked her long whip, making sharp sounds, smiling without warmth, fury flashing in her eyes.
“Good, very good, Tillisa. You successfully forced me to use my divine authority. I have to say, you’re even more obstinate than I imagined.”
“You’ve made me lose face in front of my classmates……… But that’s fine. I like stubborn, iron-headed types like you. If you had surrendered easily, it wouldn’t have been any fun.” Irene spoke these words almost through gritted teeth.
“Next, you’d better grit your teeth and endure like before. Don’t call for surrender, or the one who’ll lose all face will be you, understand?”
“………..” Bound Tillisa remained silent, her olive-gem eyes still like a calm lake.
Just seeing Tillisa’s serene expression made Irene furious.
It was as if this ant didn’t consider her a threat at all.
She was clearly far stronger than her—why did this ant still dare to look at her like that?!
Won’t speak? I’ll beat you in front of everyone until you beg for mercy!
“Crack!” Irene raised her long whip and struck Tillisa’s shoulder hard.
The whip fell, leaving a burning red mark on Tillisa’s pristine shoulder.
Tillisa’s expression contorted.
“Heh, what’s wrong? Can’t handle it already? The show has just begun!” With that, Irene raised her whip again, swinging it back and forth. The sound of flesh being torn rang out across Tillisa’s flawless, delicate body.
Tillisa bit her teeth tightly, eyes closed, showing pain, but didn’t make a sound.
“Good, very good! You’d better stay just like this and not say a word!” I want to see how long you can maintain that arrogant expression!
Tillisa’s stubborn appearance completely enraged Irene. The whipping came down like a sudden storm, the barbed whip falling on the girl’s body like a hurricane.
The whip struck her ‘cushioning pads,’ making the elastic ‘cushioning pads’ bounce several times. The white, bouncing sight caught Irene’s eye, making her even more furious.
Damn bitch, still being seductive even while being beaten!
The whipping grew faster and more forceful, the crackling sounds continuous, chilling to hear.
More and more whip marks appeared on Tillisa’s body. The wounds repeatedly pierced by barbs grew thicker, bruises becoming black-and-red wounds………..
The intense, unending pain made it impossible for her to think. Every part of her body blazed with burning agony, as if chili water had been poured into these torn wounds, the opened flesh being constantly gnawed by a thousand fire ants.
She couldn’t break free from her bonds. Before divine authority, she was as weak as dust.
This maddening pain had no end, no finish.
Every minute, every second, the girl accumulated new hideous scars and whip marks. The only constant was her lips, bitten tightly shut.
Not a sound, not a word, not even a whimper.
“Tsk, this wild divine maiden is way too harsh on herself!?”
“If she just surrendered, she wouldn’t have to suffer so much. She won’t even make a sound—just watching hurts………”
“It’s just a practice match. Is it worth it?”
“This Miss Cadifin has quite a vicious personality. She can bring herself to do this to such a young child, and from their conversation, they seem to be classmates.”
“This Tillisa has real backbone………..”
Irene had thought that publicly whipping Tillisa would humiliate her, but it had had the opposite effect.
After this horrifying beating, most spectators praised Tillisa’s backbone and perseverance, and her never-give-up spirit. Even the instructors couldn’t help but admire that while this child named Tillisa lacked divine maiden qualifications, she had more pride as a divine maiden than most actual divine maidens.
In comparison, Irene became a vicious, petty woman who used her position to settle personal grudges over minor slights.
Damn it, was this part of your plan too?!
Irene glared viciously at Tillisa, covered in wounds.
Great, now she hadn’t regained face or status, her image had gotten darker, and she was in a difficult position.
Tillisa hadn’t called for surrender, so if she stopped now, wouldn’t that be like admitting defeat??
Surrender! Why won’t you surrender?!
Looking at Tillisa, who wouldn’t utter a word, Irene was going crazy. At first, she had hoped Tillisa wouldn’t surrender, but now she was begging Tillisa to surrender.
Irene’s mindset had changed.
If Tillisa didn’t surrender, wouldn’t that leave her without a way out?!
Besides, the other party was still Coleman’s student. If she actually beat her to death, Irene would at least be expelled and banned from enrollment for life.
Irene now understood—Tillisa was going for a mutual destruction!
At this moment, she couldn’t help but think: was it really worth sacrificing her future for a wild divine maiden??
Reason told her she should stop now, but young and hot-blooded Irene’s stubbornness and viciousness had also flared up.
Beat her to death then! Who told this blind wild divine maiden to constantly oppose her? Now she wanted to threaten her by dragging her down with mutual destruction? Might as well beat her to death………..
“Whoosh whoosh!” The whipping stopped abruptly.
Irene suddenly felt her whip had become much lighter. Raising it, she could no longer reach Tillisa.
Only then did she discover her whip had been broken in two.
The whip was broken?………No, that wasn’t it.
This whip was specially made—it couldn’t be broken so easily.
Irene looked sideways and saw the upper half of her whip on the ground at her feet, along with an arrow not far away.
Everyone belatedly looked toward the spectator stands.
In the stands, a silver-haired elf stood straight on the platform, holding a longbow, still maintaining her drawing stance.
This arrow had undoubtedly been shot by her. To hit a swaying, dancing whip during rapid strikes—only elven archery could accomplish such a feat.
The entire venue fell silent.
“The match is decided. I believe you should announce the result, referee.” Wind stirred her silver hair as Astrid spoke expressionlessly, her voice not loud but audible to everyone present.
“…….Irene Cadifin wins. The match is over!” The referee, who had wanted to announce the result but lacked the opportunity, quickly declared.
After all, if this had continued, something terrible really would have happened.
“Miss Cadifin, the match is over. Could you please release your divine authority?” At this moment, the amber-haired Princess Bai Li also stepped forward, looking at the blonde girl bound by divine authority with added respect in her eyes.
Irene stared blankly at Tillisa, who had been beaten to near death by her but never gave in until the very end, and had no choice but to release [Torturer].
The entire venue fell silent.
In this match, the victor was Irene, but no one cheered for her.
Tillisa’s backbone had earned the respect of most spectators.
Irene’s intended personal showcase had been completely upstaged by Tillisa.