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

A suffocating darkness spread across the battlefield, swallowing the dying embers of Yue Rin's fire. The sky above twisted, black tendrils creeping through the air like living nightmares. It was as if the world itself was being consumed by the abyss.

Yue Rin steadied herself, feeling the cold grip of the Crown Prince's energy press against her skin. It was different from before—he wasn't holding back anymore.

From within the abyss, his voice echoed, smooth and amused.

"Still standing? Good. It would be disappointing if you died too quickly."

Yue Rin ignored the taunt. She had no time for games. Flames erupted around her, illuminating the darkness for mere moments before the shadows devoured them.

She frowned. He was suppressing her fire.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. If her flames alone weren't enough—then she would burn even hotter.

A golden inferno erupted from her body, forcing the shadows back. The battlefield lit up once more, and within the flames, Yue Rin vanished.

The Crown Prince barely had time to react before—

A searing cut appeared across his chest, his armor sizzling as Yue Rin reappeared behind him.

His eyes widened. "Faster than before—"

A second strike landed before he could finish, sending him crashing into the scorched ground.

Yue Rin didn't relent. She launched forward, her sword spinning as she rained down blow after blow. Each strike blazed like a meteor, crashing into his dark defenses.

The abyss lashed out, forming tendrils that shot toward her from all directions. She twisted mid-air, dodging with inhuman precision, but the darkness was relentless.

One tendril coiled around her ankle—

She was yanked down, her body smashing into the ground.

Pain exploded through her back, but she didn't have a second to recover before another tendril wrapped around her throat, lifting her into the air.

The Crown Prince emerged from the shadows, blood dripping from his lips. His smirk had vanished.

"You're becoming a nuisance," he murmured, tightening his grip. "Time to end this."

Yue Rin choked, her vision darkening.

Before he could react, her flames surged, not outward—but inward.

A fiery explosion erupted within the tendril itself.

The darkness screamed as it was incinerated from the inside, and in that moment of weakness—

She twisted, forcing her entire body into a single, devastating slash.

The sound of metal slicing through flesh echoed through the battlefield.

For the first time—the Crown Prince staggered.

Yue Rin landed gracefully, watching as blood poured from his shoulder, his abyssal energy flickering wildly.

The two warriors stared at each other—both wounded, both breathing heavily.

But for the first time—the Crown Prince's smile was gone.

Dance of Fire and Shadow