Panda_Novel

In the mystical city of Yūrei-no-Machi, where destiny is dictated by enchanted playing cards, the legendary Kagura Mei reigns as the Scarlet Queen. Gifted with the power to alter fate with a single draw, Mei is both feared and worshiped, her decisions shaping the rise and fall of empires. But when the exiled prince Ryūji Takeda seeks her aid to reclaim his lost throne, Mei finds herself caught in a dangerous game against unseen forces who seek to control fate itself. As treachery weaves through the shadows and the boundary between destiny and free will blurs, Mei must wager everything—including her own heart—to uncover the truth behind the cursed deck that holds the world’s future.

Scarlet Queen Of Fate

The battlefield reeked of blood and steel, but Yue Rin had no time to falter. The Crown Prince stood before her, a predator basking in his own supremacy, while her allies fought desperately against the tide of elite guards.

She tightened her grip on her sword, her breath steady despite the storm around her. She couldn't overpower him. But she could outmaneuver him.

Testing the Predator

Yue Rin lunged forward, her blade flashing as she aimed for his exposed throat.

The Crown Prince deflected the strike with ease, twisting his blade in a perfect counter. Fast. Too fast. He stepped in close, delivering a brutal kick to her ribs.

She staggered, pain ripping through her side, but she rolled with the impact, twisting mid-air to land lightly on her feet.

Yue Rin wiped the blood from her lip. "You talk too much."

She lunged again—but this time, she wasn't attacking.

Setting the TrapShe faked a downward slash, forcing him to raise his sword. At the last second, she twisted her body and vanished into the shadows of the battlefield.

The Crown Prince blinked. Where—?

A flicker of movement—behind him.

He turned, barely in time to block a strike aimed at his back. Yue Rin's speed had increased. She wasn't fighting head-on anymore—she was hunting.

The next moment, she was gone again.

Then—another strike. From the side.

Then—from the left.

The Crown Prince's smirk faded as he parried strike after strike, forced onto the defensive for the first time.

Meanwhile: The Battle Below

Jiang Yun fought like a demon, his daggers moving too fast for the eye to follow. He stabbed a guard in the throat, spun, and used the corpse as a shield against incoming spears.

Zhen Xiu carved through his enemies with brutal efficiency, shattering blades and armor alike. Blood sprayed his face, but he never slowed.

Liang Wei's twin swords were a blur, cutting down multiple foes in a single movement. He dodged a halberd by mere inches before slicing the wielder's arm clean off.

But their numbers were dwindling. They had to end this soon.

The Final StrikeYue Rin saw her moment. The Crown Prince had grown accustomed to her pattern—predicting where she'd strike next.

She feinted an attack from the left—but instead of vanishing, she charged straight at him.

Her blade plunged deep—through his side.

The Crown Prince coughed, his eyes widening in shock. She had won.

The Turning PointA sinister smile spread across his face.

"Not bad…" he whispered, blood dripping from his lips.

Then—he grabbed her wrist.

"But not good enough."

Pain erupted through her body. A force—cold, suffocating—exploded from his wound. It wasn't normal. It was dark, pulsing, unnatural.

Her vision blurred. Her strength faded.

Dance of Shadows