Chapter 304 - 304: The Wild Queen Appears

The beach was slowly emptying out. People gathered their towels, flip-flops, and kids, chatting in low, tired voices as they headed toward the paths that led back to town or the hotels. Some were still laughing about the fight, others complaining about sand in their shoes or how they needed a shower.

Then a guy in swim trunks stopped dead in his tracks. He lifted one hand to his eyes, staring out at the dark water.

"Hey… something is coming," he said, voice rising a little.

A woman next to him turned too. She squinted, then pointed.

"Yeah… lots of people. Boats and ships are heading toward here."

More heads turned. Small speedboats cut through the waves first, white foam trailing behind them. Behind those came bigger vessels—coast guard-style ships with flags flapping, and even a couple of sleek yachts that looked way too fancy for emergency response. They were moving fast, straight toward the island.

"Don't tell me it's more monsters. I can't have more of this now… arghh…" A man nearby scratched his head hard, looking stressed all over again.

I felt the shift in the air before I even looked. The faint hum of engines carried over the water, mixed with the low rumble of powerful motors. I turned my head slowly toward the sea.

And I saw them. A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth under the hood.

Alpha stepped forward one pace, eyes narrowing as she scanned the approaching fleet.

"It's the Queen and the knights…" she said in that calm, commanding tone she used when things were about to get serious.

"Come after everything is over. So hopeful protectors," Gamma said, voice dripping with mockery. She crossed her arms and snorted.

Beta bounced on her toes beside me, tail flicking nervously back and forth. Her ears flattened a little.

"What should we do now, Master?" she asked, voice higher than usual. "We are practically vigilantes. They'll arrest us." She looked up at me with big, worried eyes.

I stared out at the boats getting closer—dark shapes against the dark water, figures already visible on the decks. Flags with the royal crest snapped in the wind.

"They surely will," I said quietly. "That's why we can't stay here for long."

I looked down at my feet, sand still stuck to my boots, and let out a slow exhale.

"Master…" Epsilon said softly. She nodded toward the lead ship. "The Queen has seen us from far. They're approaching fast."

I could see her now—standing at the front of the biggest vessel, white dress flowing, hair catching the light. Even from this distance, her posture screamed authority. Knights in polished armor lined the rails beside her.

No time. I straightened up and turned to face my girls.

"Disperse," I said, voice low but firm. "Let's meet at my apartment in a few days. This island is illegal anyways. There will be mass arrest and we can't stay here any longer."

I tapped my foot gently on the ground—once, twice. A faint pulse of dark energy rippled out under the sand, invisible to anyone who wasn't looking for it.

The royal fleet cut through the waves like knives, engines growling low as the lead ship slowed near the shore. The deck was lined with knights in polished silver armor, capes snapping in the sea breeze.

One knight leaned against the railing, yawning so wide his helmet visor flipped up. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his gauntlet.

"Is that the illegal island we got the tip about? Illegal drug trade and immoral secrets and all that crap?" he asked, voice thick with sleep.

"Yeah. Because of these people, I have to lose my sleep." Another knight farther back snorted, arms crossed over his chest plate.

The first one took a long sip from his water flask, then pulled his sword halfway out of its sheath just to check the blade.

"Yeah, it's night anyway," he muttered. "Might as well swing this thing around while I'm grumpy."

"Hey… is that…?" A younger knight at the very front suddenly straightened up. He pointed toward the beach with one armored finger.

Everyone followed his gaze. There we were—me standing in the open sand with my hood up, hands folded across my chest. The seven Shadow Mystics fanned out behind me in a loose half-circle, still glowing faintly from the fight. The crowd had thinned but not completely cleared; a few dozen people lingered, whispering and pointing.

On the deck of the lead ship, the Queen stepped forward.

Her long red hair whipped behind her like fire in the wind. Gold armor hugged her shoulders and chest, engraved with the royal crest. Her eyes—locked straight onto mine across the water. Even from this distance, I could see the fury flash in them.

"ZERO!!!" she yelled, voice cracking across the waves like thunder.

She yanked her sword free from its sheath with a metallic *shing*. The blade caught the sunlight and flashed red.

"This time I won't let you get away…!"

She gritted her teeth so hard I swear I heard it from here.

I stood there, hands still folded, and let a slow smirk crawl across my face under the hood.

"Tch… she's like a wild animal," I muttered to myself. "Always following me."

Alpha stepped half a pace closer to my side, voice low and steady.

"Should we leave now, Master?"

I didn't take my eyes off the Queen.

"Yes. Please. Disperse right away." The command was quiet, but it hit like an order carved in stone.

In the blink of an eye, the seven girls vanished—shadows folding around them like smoke, gone before the crowd could even gasp. No sound. No trace. Just empty sand where they'd been standing a second ago.

The Queen saw it happen. Her face twisted with rage.

*THUD!*

She launched herself off the front of the ship.

Red aura exploded around her body like flames—bright, angry, crackling. The force of her jump rocked the whole vessel; water sprayed up in white sheets behind her. She flew straight toward the beach, sword raised high, red hair streaming like a comet tail.

"ZERO!! YOU ARE DEAD!"

Her voice boomed louder the closer she got. I didn't move. Just stood there—hands still folded, hood shadowing most of my face—and watched her come.

The smirk never left my lips. She was fast. Too fast for most people. But I'd seen this show before.

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