Chapter 36: Chapter 36 : How to break a woman

Isabella froze in shock beyond belief—as for a moment her mind refused to acknowledge what had just happened, the icy air thickening around her like a suffocating shroud, every shallow breath echoing in her ringing ears.

But understanding immediately dawned on her as she realized Jordan’s intention, the basement’s dim torchlight flickering ominously across jagged walls, casting elongated shadows that danced like mocking specters.

A chill ran down her spine, colder than the frost still clinging to shattered stones.

GASP!

Hands flying up to shield her chest, fingers trembling over soft swells, nails scraping futilely against sweat-dampened skin. Her face flushed deep crimson, a mix of humiliated fury and unwanted heat burning her cheeks, veins pulsing hot beneath the surface.

Jordan licked his lips slowly, eyes devouring the sight with hungry intensity, his shadow looming larger as distant drips echoed from unseen cracks.

“In the end, you’re just a woman after all. And to break a woman… it’s the easiest way.”

His gaze shifted as several red goblins entered from the basement entrance, their guttural rasps blending with the creak of settling ice, claws clicking rhythmically on frozen floors.

A slow smile spread across his face, teeth gleaming yellow in the low light.

“Or, to complete the quest faster, I have a more sure-fire way.”

“I can just order them to defile you.”

Isabella’s blood ran cold as she heard that, her heart hammering like a trapped bird’s wings, as she dragged her body backward, heels scraping painfully over razor-sharp debris.

A translucent window appeared before Jordan, its ethereal glow pulsing faintly amid swirling dust motes.

[ Quest: Path of the Dark Overlord

Completion Progress: 50% ]

’Perfect, it’s working,’ he thought, a smug satisfaction curling through his veins like dark wine.

Despair began creeping into Isabella’s heart, tendrils of dread coiling tighter with each ragged inhale.

’No… no, it can’t be… not like this…’

For the first time in her life, she felt true despair—a deep, bone-chilling fear that clawed at her soul, memories of proud battles flashing mockingly before her blurring vision.

The gauge rose again, numbers ticking upward with merciless precision.

60%.

Then—

70%.

Jordan’s smile widened as hopelessness settled over the silent basement, the air heavy with the metallic tang of blood and melting frost.

Nothing came to Isabella’s mind—only raw, animal panic, her pulse thundering in her temples.

She started crawling backward desperately, hands scraping over jagged ice that bit into her palms like tiny knives, legs kicking weakly to put distance between her and the nightmare, muscles burning with futile effort.

The wolf monster roared deafeningly—RRRAAAWRRR!—lunging forward to block her path, its massive bulk slamming down like a living wall, hot breath washing over her in foul waves laced with the stench of decay.

“No… get away from me, let me go…” Isabella whimpered, voice breaking, tears streaking her flushed cheeks, carving hot paths through grime and frost.

Seeing this, Jordan threw his head back and laughed maniacally, the sound echoing off frozen walls like shattering glass, reverberating through her bones.

“Yeah! Just a little more… yes!”

Isabella shook like a leaf now, body quivering uncontrollably, hands clutching futilely at her exposed chest, goosebumps rippling across chilled skin.

But Jordan glanced at the gauge—stuck at 70%, its glow mocking him amid the haze.

He clicked his tongue sharply.

“Tch.”

“Looks like I have to get into the action myself…”

He glanced around the icy ruin with distaste, shards crunching underfoot, vapors rising lazily from thawed patches.

“I’m not a fan of doing it in a place like this… but whatever.”

He grabbed Isabella’s waist tightly—

SQUEEZE! —fingers digging into her breasts hard enough to bruise, nails pressing white crescents into yielding flesh, as he yanked her limp form against him, her heartbeat slamming against his chest.

“If you resist, I’ll let the goblins do it instead,” Jordan growled low in her ear, hot breath on her neck sending involuntary shivers racing down her spine.

She was too shattered to resist, mind blank with terror, thoughts fragmenting like cracking ice.

She still weakly pawed at his chest, trying to push him away—when Jordan’s hand moved, palm cutting through stale air.

SLAP!

His hand cracked across her cheek—

WHACK!

Her head snapped to the side, a red welt blooming instantly, stars exploding behind her eyelids.

“AHH!”

He held her waist vise-like now, pulling her curves flush against him, her heaving chest pressing into his, fabrics rasping softly with each tremor.

Leaning in slow and predatory, his lips hovered inches from hers—Isabella unable to resist at all, eyes wide in frozen dread, the world narrowing to his looming face—

When suddenly—

BOOMMM!

The entrance to the basement exploded inward in a fireball of debris and snow, stone chunks flying like shrapnel, acrid smoke billowing thick and choking.

A hooded figure strode through the smoke, dusting off his cloak casually, embers flickering on his sleeves.

“Geez, I almost died—crazy monster bastards nearly bit my ass off.”

Arthur walked forward as he kept cursing the monsters, when suddenly his eyes landed on the scene, boots crunching over smoldering rubble.

Jordan had Isabella pinned to the ground. Her torn outfit barely clung to her, her body trembling as she fought uselessly beneath him, panic written across every strained breath, faint whimpers escaping her lips.

Arthur immediately looked away, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Oh. Uh… wow. Didn’t realize I walked into something… personal. Sorry for the disturbance guys.”

He turned halfway around.

“I can come back in ten minutes—actually, no, scratch that. The monsters are literally just outside. So you guys have to, you know—don’t worry, I’ll look the other way. Eyes and ears closed.”

Isabella’s eyes snapped toward him, pupils dilating in the haze.

For a heartbeat, they were empty, reflecting the flickering flames.

Then a tear slipped down her cheek, glistening like a diamond in hell.

“Help me,” she choked, voice breaking into a scream. “Help me, you bastard!”

Arthur’s gaze shifted back.

The ignorance vanishing from his posture. His eyes locked onto Jordan and then hers, sharpening like drawn blades.

A slow, crooked smile pulled at his lips.

“Well,” he said lightly, rolling his shoulders as he stepped closer, “only if you make sure your father hears exactly who saved you.”

His grin sharpened.

“Hero work isn’t cheap, my lady. And I am a villain by nature, just for your kind information.

So it’s gonna cost you several times more.”

Suddenly, Jordan shot to his feet, shoving Isabella aside—as she crashed hard on the floor.

THUD!

She crumpled, gasping, air whooshing from her lungs in a pained wheeze.

He started laughing coldly.

“So you did make it alive… huh Arthur.”

Arthur grinned wider, cracking his knuckles with deliberate pops.

“Yes… yes I did, you exhibitionist bastard. You broke my heart after I gave you my body and soul and considered you my idol.”

Jordan’s mouth twitched.

“You’re acting, you bitch. You’re not fooling anyone now.”

Killing intent flooded the room from both men—a crimson red aura erupting from Arthur like blood mist, clashing violently against Jordan’s surging golden one, sparks flying where they met.

The air crackled.

Ice began melting under the pressure, puddles steaming as heat warped the frozen chamber.

The two forces collided in a standoff that shook the entire basement, dust sifting from the ceiling like grim snowfall.

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