My Yandere Empress

Enzo stepped out from the ring, his ninth match ending in his favour.

However, his legs now felt like they were about to give up. He had been dominating most of the ninth match but by the end, his opponent had started to overwhelm him.

The difference in points however ensured Enzo won the match but he wasn’t sure anymore about winning his tenth match.

And as if his exhaustion wasn’t enough, she was now here.

’For whatever reason, she even asked me to not say my name to anyone.’ He found that quite strange but since the match had been about to start, he couldn’t give it much thought.

During the match though, she had been staring at him with an unsettling intensity. It made him feel rather uncomfortable.

Even now when he was walking towards his group, her gaze was focussed on his back. He didn’t need to turn back and confirm it himself. The prickling sensation on his neck and the goosebumps spreading across his back were enough evidences.

And combined with his previous thoughts — of her enslaving him and him putting on a bravado in her DMs— for the first time, he genuinely felt fear of her.

Dissecting her character, he couldn’t help but feel she was acting rather strangely than how she had in the novel.

Yes, she hardly "showed" emotions on her face.

Yes, she was as ruthless as depicted in the novel.

And yes, she still did whatever she wanted to.

But standing there under the heat, Enzo realised the novel never talked about her having a creepy personality, almost bordering on psychotic behaviour.

"One more to go..." Enzo spoke with an exasperated tone as Shen patted his back.

"We shall do just fine."

Enzo nodded before turning to the girl standing beside him with a smile on her face.

"Congratulations, Alyssa on winning all ten matches. Although you hardly look like you have fought."

"That’s a prodigy for you." Shen laughed at my words. "I have seen her with the clan elders. They talked about her bright future...before all this." His tone turned low and bitter.

"Let’s just hope Smut wins his last match." Enzo said with an optimistic approach.

Right then, he felt a sharp pain at his back as if something was piercing it. His face scrunched in trepidition as he felt something enter inside his skin.

Then before he could react at all, the pain and the sensation vanished. Almost making him question his senses.

"Is everything fine brother? Your wounds hurt?" Alyssa, ever the vigilant girl, stepped towards him, her voice laced with concern.

Enzo subconsciously took a step back. The uncomfortableness he had been feeling increased all of a sudden and his instinct said he take a step back.

He briefly closed his eyes and muttered, "It’s just the heat..."

Enzo couldn’t let them notice his spiked heartbeat.

He was really terrified...

First the transmigration. Then this enslavement. Then the Goddess of Time. And he was damn sure the princess had just done something with him...

He felt like a puppet whose strings were pulled from multiple angles, by multiple people. It was truly ironic for someone like him, who had been an ex-puppet.

He used Mana Vision for a spilt second to check upon himself. But he found nothing different in him, which was more terrifying than actually finding something.

He glanced at Princess Valerie, who sat atop her horse and watched him with an eerie stillness. It was as if she had all the time in the world.

A few minutes later, Smut stumbled their way, a grin splitting his face as he fell on his knees upon reaching them. Then throwing one fist high up in the air, he shouted in ecstacy.

"I won! I fucking won ten matches!"

"Didn’t you hear the old man from before? He said even then you might not be chosen. And besides, you didn’t show anything impressive. Enzo today was better than you by the way." Shen countered with a feigned seriousness.

Enzo almost choked in laughter as he clutched his stomach, seeing the smile drop from Smut’s face.

But then his own smile turned wry amd his laughter ceased as he felt the chill at his back intensifying.

’Is she against me having fun? Or does she think she owns me?’ Enzo thought bitterly.

Im the next round, Shen was called in for his final match. The three of them wished him luck as Shen took a deep breath before entering the ring.

Alyssa, Enzo smd Smut watched intensely as an equally intense duel took place inside the ring.

In the end though, Shen won by just three points. Smut instantly started cheering loudly, not caring once about the disgusted stares the people around them gave him.

"Candidates nine hundred ninety nine and sixty seven! To the third ring."

As Shen reached them, Enzo’s number was called. For the final time.

"Well I guess only I am left among us." He spoke as he stretched himself.

Shen placed one hand on his shoulder and tried to cheer him.

"Don’t worry, you got this. With you winning, we shall all be able to go to this Isikolo or wherever they want to send us. We are in it together!"

Enzo offered a small smile as he nodded. "Yes, together!"

"Umm guys..." Smut spoke behind them in a nervous voice.

They all looked at him as he pointed at the rings.

"Candidate sixty seven is that guy..."

"No, no, no, no, no!’ Dread rose in Enzo as a strong suspicion took hold over him.

He turned towards the third ring where his opponent— candidate sixty seven, was already waiting.

And it was none other than the hulk with a greatsword. And a huge shield on his other arm.

The weapons he yielded were heavy but having seen his matches, Enzo knew he still moved and struck faster than most of the participants.

And now Enzo had been asked to fight him.

Shen turned serious. But before he could say anything, the host shouted in an impatient voice.

"Candidate nine hundred ninety nine! To the rings!"

Enzo sighed and glanced at his group once before walking towards the stack of weapon. There he picked a new shortsword since the last one had been chipped at the edges from the clashes.

He carried a shield on the other hand and after some thought, placed a helmet on his head.

And then he stepped inside.

His opponent sized him up and then pointed the blade of his greatsword at him.

"My tenth victim." His voice was deceptively calm and deep enough to resonate with Enzo’s heart.

He took another mouthful of breath and took a stance.

"Readyyy?"

Enzo glanced out of the corner of his eye, one last time, at the Princess. And found her leaning on the horse, looking even more interested than before. The chilling gaze she gave off from beneath the hood hadn’t cooled off either.

"Start the fight!"

This time, Enzo took the initiative. He ran bare foot on the ground, raised his shield and jabbed at his opponent’s torso.

His sword clanged uselessly against the man’s huge shield. His bored gaze bore down on him as he raised his greatsword in a lateral arc.

And then he struck Enzo, who placed his shield to absorb the impact from the blow.

The moment the weapons struck each other, it was clearly visible who was the one dominating.

Enzo felt like something in his elbow cracked as he was thrown back uncontrollably. He somehow stopped from crossing out the ring at the last second as he let the tremor pass through his body.

He looked up at his opponent who was already raising his sword in yet another strike. He jumped forward, crossing the distance and slashing his greatsword in one single swipe.

Enzo watched the incredible speed with wide eyes.

"I am fucked up, ain’t I?"