The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 197

**A Symphony of Shadows by Evelyn Hart**

**Chapter 197**

In the past, the training regimen had relied on obstacles as mere barriers, designed to test the mettle of its participants. The rules were simple: if they remained stationary, they would avoid the lurking threat of the masked men, their sinister presence a distant shadow.

Maxwell and his team could have stayed where they were, tucked away in their corner of the forest, and felt relatively safe from harm. But now, everything had changed. Lionel had unilaterally rewritten the rules, transforming the exercise into a merciless hunt—a slaughter that would pit them against merciless killers who would scour the woods for any signs of life.

The implication was clear: anyone who failed to escape the forest would pay with their lives. These masked men were no ordinary foes; they were a terrifying breed, far beyond even the elite mercenaries of the Blood Doll Corps.

Maxwell, Hannah, and their companions were woefully outmatched.

Nova’s heart raced as she thought, ‘They’re coming for me.’ She turned her gaze toward the depths of the forest, her high ponytail swaying gently in the breeze, lifting as if beckoned by an unseen force. The wind tousled her hair, and the soft luminescence of her skin cast an otherworldly glow across her features—she looked like a vision pulled straight from a painter’s canvas.

When she had first arrived at this training ground, all Nova had envisioned was leading her newly formed Bloodblade Mercenary Corps into the fray, gaining invaluable experience, and etching their names into the annals of legendary mercenaries. But the reality was far more complex than her naive expectations had suggested.

‘Maybe…’ she pondered, her thoughts spiraling into darker territories. As a woman who had claimed the title of Mercenary King for years, she had not merely ruffled feathers within her own ranks; she had drawn the ire of every mercenary in existence.

She was a figure of disdain in a world that had never been kind to women, especially one who dared to crush the pride of men beneath her heel and ascend to the pinnacle of power. Much like the emperors of old, who inspired both fear and a twisted desire for destruction among men, she was a target. A target wanted by nations, marked as the number one fugitive from Devil’s Isle.

In the underbelly of society, she had become the bane of every shadowy figure, the one they longed to erase from existence.

She had unwittingly transformed into the world’s sworn enemy.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy in this life was not the relentless struggle to become the strongest, but rather the realization that after clawing through the darkness, fighting tooth and nail to reach the top, she found herself in a world where no place truly welcomed her.

“Boss?” Eder’s voice broke through her thoughts, breathless as he turned to her.

“She’s strong enough to handle herself, right?” he asked, referring to Yellowcat, who had ventured into the fray.

Nova remained silent, her focus unwavering as she strode purposefully toward the clearing where the masked men were busy working on a helicopter.

“Boss, are you really going to—?” Eder began, but Nova’s determination was palpable, compelling him and over twenty others, including Sham, to follow her.

Sham raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched on his face.

With a deft motion, Nova drew a Mauser M2 from her waist, spinning it with practiced ease, chambering a round, and unleashing six bullets in rapid succession. Each shot was a headshot, taking down the masked guards surrounding the helicopter with ruthless efficiency.

There was no room for hesitation. Nova ascended onto the helicopter’s platform, yanking the door open with a fierce determination.

“Bang! Bang!” The pilot retaliated, firing two shots in her direction.

With a swift tilt of her head, she dodged the bullets as if they were mere raindrops. In an instant, she lunged, her muscles coiling with strength as she wrapped her arm around the pilot’s neck. With a brutal twist, she ended his life before he could even comprehend the danger.

She discarded the lifeless body and commandeered the helicopter, leaning casually against the door, her expression one of calm defiance as she faced Eder, Sham, and the others.

“I’m heading back. Whether you choose to follow is entirely up to you,” she declared, her voice steady.

A chill swept through the group as they processed her words.

“Go back? Are you serious? That’s a death sentence!” Sham exclaimed, instinctively taking a step back.

“Boss, I’m coming with you!” Eder shot Sham a fierce glare, slinging his rifle over his shoulder as he moved toward Nova.

Only a handful of mercenaries joined him, while most hesitated, uncertainty clouding their judgment.

Deep within the forest, an oppressive tension filled the air.

The relentless gunfire had ignited a wildfire, flames licking hungrily at the trees.

At Lionel’s signal, a wave of masked men surged forward, weapons drawn, intent on hunting down anyone left behind.

Bodies lay strewn across the ground, a grim testament to the chaos, their numbers multiplying with every passing second.

Yellowcat was alone. If she wanted to escape, she could slip away unnoticed.

But to confront the masked killers—who were a cut above even the elite mercenaries—while trying to protect others? That was a harrowing challenge.

“It’s you! Did Nova send you to protect us?” Maxwell called out, his voice tinged with relief.

Maxwell, Hannah, and Ethan had trained under Natasha, Ghost-Hammer, and Yellowcat, and they recognized her instantly.

Hope surged through Maxwell as he spoke, buoyed by their shared experiences.

After their rigorous training, they had evolved into formidable fighters, far beyond the capabilities of ordinary students.

In that moment, as they faced Zane, the contrast in their skills became apparent.

“Did you guys really get this strong?” Zane asked, incredulity lacing his tone.

He had assumed that his time in the underworld had significantly improved his abilities, but here were Maxwell, Hannah, and Ethan, holding their ground against the masked men with surprising resilience.

Meanwhile, Zane had narrowly escaped the grasp of those same killers, his luck running thin.

“Bang!”

Reality set in—they were still just students, woefully outmatched and unaware of where the next threat would emerge.

A bomb was hurled into their midst.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Yellowcat sprang into action, grabbing Maxwell and Hannah, shoving them out of harm’s way.

But fate was not kind to the others.

Christopher and John found themselves at the epicenter of the explosion, blood streaming from their injuries as they collapsed, unconscious.

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