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 night was thick with tension as Yue Rin faced the masked assassins of the Shadow Order. Their presence confirmed what she already feared—word of the unknown warrior's power had spread, and those who thrived in the darkness wanted to claim his strength for themselves.

The lead assassin took a slow step forward, his black robes shifting like liquid shadow. "You are wasting time, Yue Rin. You saw what happened. You were there." His voice was calm, almost amused. "Tell us where he went, and we will let you walk away."

Yue Rin's fingers tightened around her golden spear. Surrender? To them?

A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "And here I thought the Shadow Order was full of ghosts. But you seem all too real."

A flicker of irritation crossed the man's hidden face. "So be it."

The battle erupted.

The first assassin lunged with lightning speed, a pair of curved daggers aimed at Yue Rin's throat. She twisted her body, narrowly dodging the deadly arc, and countered with a swift thrust of her spear. The golden blade sliced through the air, but the assassin moved like mist, vanishing from her sight.

A second attacker appeared from the shadows behind her, his sword descending in a deadly arc. Yue Rin's instincts flared—she spun on her heel, raising her spear just in time to parry the strike. Sparks danced between their weapons as the force of the impact sent her skidding back.

She barely had time to recover before three more assassins attacked simultaneously.

Fast. Precise. Merciless.

Yue Rin dropped low, dodging a razor-thin wire aimed at her neck. She swung her spear in a wide arc, forcing them back, then leaped onto the ruins of a broken wall. From her elevated position, she could see them circling her like predators.

The lead assassin remained motionless, watching. Waiting.

"You're better than the reports suggested," he mused. "But you won't last forever."

Yue Rin exhaled sharply. They were testing her.

A bead of sweat trailed down her cheek. She was outnumbered, and their coordination was near flawless. She needed to change the tide before they overwhelmed her.

Her grip tightened on her spear. Time to stop playing defense.

She launched herself forward.

Her spear ignited with golden energy, becoming a blur of destruction. She targeted the closest assassin, striking with such force that the ground beneath them cracked upon impact. He barely managed to parry, but the sheer power behind her attack shattered his blade, sending him flying into a nearby wall.

The others reacted instantly. Two daggers whistled through the air, aimed for her heart. She twisted mid-air, narrowly dodging, and landed in a crouch. Another assassin came at her from the side, his sword glinting under the moonlight.

Yue Rin's golden spear hummed as she redirected her momentum—ducking low and sweeping his legs out from under him. As he fell, she drove her knee into his chest, knocking the breath from his lungs.

The remaining assassins hesitated, reassessing the situation. Yue Rin smirked, her breath coming in steady rhythms. "Not as easy as you thought, is it?"

With a mere flicker of his hand, dark energy exploded from his fingertips, sending a wave of black chains rushing toward her.

The Dance of Blades