"No!" Trevor shouted, lunging after him.

But before Alex’s sword could graze Caroline’s neck, a new figure exploded into the hall from a side entrance.

Mrs. Sylvia.

She moved like lightning, appearing from nowhere with lethal grace. Her blade flashed, aiming straight for Alex’s neck in a surprise strike. The entire room seemed to drop dead silent for a split second as everyone registered the new threat.

Alex twisted at the last moment, dodging by sheer luck. The force of Sylvia’s attack sent her spinning past him. She recovered instantly, turning to engage him in a furious exchange. Their blades clashed rapidly — Sylvia’s style elegant and precise, Alex’s aggressive and unpredictable.

For a moment, she had the upper hand, landing a cut across his arm.

But Alex’s reinforcements swarmed her. Multiple elite guards attacked at once. Despite her skill, the sheer numbers overwhelmed her. One guard landed a brutal strike to her side, another kicked her legs out from under her. Alex himself delivered the final blow — a heavy strike to her head that sent her crashing into the far wall. Mrs. Sylvia slumped unconscious, blood trickling from her temple.

Mia appeared moments later, bursting through the same entrance with fury in her eyes. She charged straight at Alex, her blade flashing

"You bastard!"

The hall descended into a raging multi-person battle. Mia and Alex clashed fiercely in the center, their swords ringing loudly. Roseman fought beside his daughter, protecting her while taking on several guards. Vespera drained enemies left and right, creating openings for Trevor.

But Alex was cunning. In the chaos of the melee, he slipped past the main fight and charged at Caroline again. She was still on the floor, trying to stand.

Alex’s blade slashed down — not a killing blow, but a precise cut across her side. A dark, poisonous energy flared from the wound.

Caroline cried out, collapsing as the toxin spread rapidly through her system.

Trevor saw it happen.

Rage exploded inside him like a supernova.

"ALEX!" he roared, voice filled with primal fury.

He attacked with everything he had — brute force backed by pure anger. His strikes became heavier, faster, more savage.

Vespera, sensing his rage, grew agitated as well. Her power surged, violet energy lashing out to drain multiple guards at once while she supported Trevor.

Together, they overwhelmed Alex.

Trevor’s blade crashed against Alex’s in a final, thunderous clash. With Vespera draining Alex’s strength from the side, Trevor found the opening. His sword flashed in a perfect arc.

Alex’s head flew from his shoulders, tumbling across the blood-slick floor with a shocked expression frozen on his face.

The remaining guards faltered at the sight of their leader’s decapitated body.

Trevor didn’t stop to celebrate. He rushed straight to Caroline, dropping to his knees beside her. She was unconscious, breathing shallowly, the dark poison spreading rapidly through her veins. Roseman staggered over, face pale with horror and regret as he looked at his daughter and the carnage around them.

"What have I done..." Roseman whispered, voice breaking as he fell to his knees beside them.

The hall fell into heavy, stunned silence as the battle ended. Trevor cradled Caroline’s unconscious form, his heart pounding with fear and grief.

The coup had been stopped.

But at what cost?

*******

Trevor sat beside Caroline’s bed in the dimly lit medical wing of the mansion, his hand gently holding hers. The room smelled of herbs and medicine, but the poison’s dark energy still lingered in the air like a curse. Caroline’s face was flushed with high fever, her skin pale and clammy, dark veins spreading slowly from the wound on her side. She tossed and turned restlessly, murmuring in pain even in her unconscious state.

The healers had done what they could, but the poison was ancient and powerful — a specialized essence designed to slowly shut down both body and soul. Trevor’s heart clenched with guilt and fear. He had saved her life by stopping Alex, but the damage was already done.

"I won’t lose you," he whispered, brushing damp hair from her forehead. "Not after everything."

He opened his system interface, scanning for solutions. Standard antidotes wouldn’t work. The only viable option was a rare herb rumored to exist in one of the most dangerous labyrinth-type dungeons in China — the Labyrinth of Eternal Thorns. It was infamous for claiming the lives of countless high-level explorers who sought the same legendary cure. The dungeon was a living maze of shifting walls, deadly traps, and corrupted guardians that fed on desire and regret.

Trevor’s jaw tightened. He had grown significantly stronger after satisfying the succubuses and the Dwarf Goddess. He believed he could handle it.

But he wouldn’t go alone.

He focused and summoned his bonded allies.

Violet mist swirled first. Vespera materialized gracefully beside him, her silver hair cascading like moonlight, her elegant hourglass figure barely contained by sheer black lace that clung to her full breasts and wide hips. Her piercing violet eyes softened when she saw Caroline, but her posture remained cold and dominant, exuding an aura of icy seduction.

Next came golden light. Lisa, the Dwarf Goddess, appeared with a warm, powerful presence. Her blonde hair fell in shimmering waves down her back, framing a face of cinematic beauty. Her body was a perfect, voluptuous hourglass — thin waist flaring into generous hips and thick thighs, her full, heavy breasts straining against a simple yet regal gown. She radiated maternal warmth mixed with deep, lingering lust, her eyes glowing with ancient power.

Both women looked incredibly enticing. Vespera’s cold, sharp beauty promised delicious domination and teasing denial. Lisa’s soft, fertile curves and gentle yet hungry smile promised endless, nurturing pleasure and breeding passion.

"I need your help," Trevor said quietly, explaining the situation and the dungeon in China. "Caroline doesn’t have much time. The Labyrinth of Eternal Thorns is our best shot at a cure."

Vespera’s lips curved into a predatory smile. "A dangerous place. Good. I’ve been bored."

Lisa placed a gentle hand on Caroline’s forehead, her expression softening with concern. "The poison is deep. We must move quickly. I will accompany you."

As they discussed strategy, a heavy presence suddenly filled the room.

A man in a perfectly tailored black suit and a black fedora hat stood in the corner shadows, as if he had always been there. His face was hidden, but his posture radiated absolute authority. He looked down at a kneeling messenger in front of him.

The messenger trembled. "Lord... Alex failed. The coup collapsed. Trevor intervened and—"

The man in black raised a single finger.

The messenger’s head exploded in a spray of blood and bone without any visible attack. The body crumpled lifelessly to the floor.

"No excuses," the man said calmly, voice devoid of any emotion. "I invested too much in that fool. Failure is unacceptable."

He turned his hidden gaze toward the direction of Trevor’s location, as if sensing something across the distance.

Back in the mansion, Trevor felt a chill run down his spine. Something far more dangerous than Alex was now watching.

Lisa’s eyes widened. She suddenly straightened, a spark of realization in her expression.

"I have an idea," she said urgently. "But we must act fast—"