Damn, I Have to Marry the Strongest Antagonist at the Start?-Chapter 535 531-The Elder Playing Chess
The two sat opposite each other across the chessboard, neither speaking a word.
They simply stared at one another, an endless exchange of power radiating from their beings, clashing invisibly at the center.
Above them, waves of energy collided and intertwined, forming surging tides in the void.
This intense confrontation persisted for an indeterminate amount of time until, at last, both forces settled into an eerie calm.
"Leslie, your old mentor was truly fortunate to have students as remarkable as you. Now, if you were the one facing this chessboard, how would you proceed?"
The elder scratched his head and suddenly posed the question.
His tone was calm, like that of a kind and wise teacher sharing experiences with a promising student.
Hearing his inquiry, Leslie remained silent for a moment.
She knew that while he referred to the chessboard before them, he was truly asking about her perspective on the current situation.
She glanced at the board, which had already reached an intense deadlock, and spoke slowly.
"If it were me playing this game..."
A faintly cold smile crept onto her lips, and then, she shook her head.
"This game is meaningless. If my goal is not achieved, then regardless of the board's state, regardless of how the situation unfolds—I will overturn it all and start anew."
Her voice carried an air of dominance.
Hearing this, the elder shook his head at her.
"The outcome is not yet decided, yet you are already so eager to restart. Do you foresee a result that does not favor you?"
"No," Leslie replied. "I am simply telling you that even if unexpected situations arise, the final outcome will not change."
She had already made up her mind.
Regardless of how events unfolded, if they did not align with her desired outcome, she would stop at nothing to reset the board—even if that meant breaking it apart entirely.
Seeing the unwavering determination in her expression, the elder merely observed her silently before slowly moving a piece on the board.
At this moment, Leslie and the elder were akin to the "kings" of the game.
Now that they had met face to face, the remaining pieces had begun their final struggles, escalating to an all-consuming conflict.
With every move the elder made, the entire Plane seemed to shift accordingly.
Like a chaotic game of chess, the entire Plane was now in turmoil.
Most of the top-tier beings were gathered here, locked in fierce combat.
The resulting shockwaves were so intense that even distant realms could perceive them clearly.
Meanwhile, under Leslie's sharp gaze, the chessboard's disorder had reached its critical climax.
Only a few moves remained—moves that would determine victory, defeat, and even life and death!
At this juncture, even the elder refrained from making a hasty decision.
He stopped moving his pieces and instead looked up at Leslie.
"The final moment is upon us. If you were me, what would you do?"
Leslie did not look at the board.
Instead, she fixed her gaze upon the radiant throne beneath the elder.
"If you cannot hold onto that throne, then give it to me. I will grant you your final dignity."
Her tone was serious and unwavering.
The faint smile that had lingered on the elder's face suddenly froze.
A cold glint flickered in his aged eyes.
He had long known that Leslie had come for the Plane's Authority.
But he would never relinquish it!
"Leslie, you are the most exceptional individual I have ever seen. Your bloodline and level of power indeed qualify you to wield the Plane's Authority. However, such power does not come without its cost—one you may not be able to bear!"
His voice was cold and resolute.
To wear the crown, one must bear its weight.
The same was true for the throne.
In his eyes, Leslie had the potential, but she could not withstand the burden it entailed.
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Yet Leslie simply shook her head.
"It does not matter what the price is. Whether I can bear it or not is not your concern. Besides, you have never truly controlled this throne. Don't you find it laughable to lecture me as if you had?"
Her icy mockery made the elder's expression darken, his killing intent flickering.
No one had ever dared to speak so brazenly before him!
Leslie was the first.
And she would be the last.
Even so, he still held a degree of admiration for her, which kept his anger in check as he spoke again.
"Leslie, your old mentor must have told you that once you ascend to the throne, you will lose all emotions. Though you will command the entire Plane, you will no longer be yourself."
"If you truly understand the price, then why should I hesitate to grant you the throne?"
His words, laced with both mockery and temptation, echoed through the timeless void, lingering in the air.
Leslie had indeed learned of this from her mentor.
And now, hearing it again, she knew the truth was undeniable.
If she became the Plane's ruler, the Leslie of today would cease to exist.
Owen. Young Leslie.
The ones she held dear would vanish from her memory.
She cared little for others.
But those two…
They felt like parts of her very soul.
If she lost them, then even ruling the Plane would be a torment.
As she wavered in silent contemplation, the elder smirked.
"So, Leslie, if you cannot forget them, then leave. The throne is not for you. You belong in the world of love and emotions."
"The Plane's Authority would be wasted on you. It would be nothing but a burden—pure agony."
"You will never claim it!"
His voice grew sharper, colder, each word carrying the weight of an unshakable decree.
But at that moment—
Leslie suddenly threw her head back and laughed.
Her laughter was filled with an inexplicable mockery.
The elder frowned.
He did not understand what had changed.
A moment ago, Leslie had been silent, even hesitant.
Now, her unrestrained laughter and ease felt entirely out of place!
Seeing his confusion, Leslie narrowed her eyes and asked,
"What's wrong? Even you feel uncertain now?"
She smirked, her expression growing colder, more arrogant.
Then, slowly, she raised her hand.
In her palm, a unique power of dominion swirled—an entire universe seemed to flow within it, radiating an overwhelming force.
With a decisive motion, she slammed her palm down onto the chessboard.
A terrifying shockwave erupted, shattering the board into countless fragments.
The pieces. The table.
Everything was reduced to dust, swept away by the void.
The elder's pupils constricted.
He had never expected Leslie to be this reckless!
"Leslie, what have you done?"
This chessboard was no ordinary relic—it represented the origin and end of fate itself.
Within it, one could glimpse and manipulate destiny.
All beings were pieces upon this board.
It was a vital artifact of the Primordial Gods.
And now, Leslie had destroyed it!
Without the board, the fate of all life in the Plane would be thrown into chaos, leading to massive upheaval.
Even fragile pockets of space began collapsing, countless minor worlds around the Plane crumbling into ruin.
The elder's eyes grew icier, his killing intent boundless.
Leslie had shattered the chessboard, ruining all of his carefully laid plans!
With fate now in disarray, the Plane itself had become unstable.
Like countless spheres crashing into one another, everything became unpredictable.
Natural disasters erupted.
The most powerful factions began to wage war, greed and ambition rising unchecked.
They had all sensed the shift in fate—this was their chance to seize power!
As the Plane spiraled further into chaos, Leslie gazed at the elder, whose emotions had finally erupted.
Her expression remained calm.
"I told you," she said coldly.
"If this is not the result I desire, then I will make it the result I desire."
"Even if I have to destroy everything—so be it."
She would not accept fate as immutable.
She refused to believe she would lose herself.
The outcome she sought—she would ensure it came to pass.
