Miss Witch Doesn't Want to Become a Songstress-Chapter 260

“The third and final stage... the one that will decide everything.”

After the first two rounds of the match, the current lineup stood at:

Hive Dominion Academy — 6 base + 12 extra = 18 combatants

Edess Academy — 6 base + 10 extra = 16 combatants

Although Hive Dominion Academy had the advantage in numbers, Edess Academy held three Resonance Crystals, which could significantly amplify the songstress’s power.

“How’s your condition? Can you still fight?”

On the bridge, Serena helped steady Xiakui, who had just finished treatment, checking her condition.

“Still a bit weak, but I can manage.”

The wound on Xiakui’s neck had already healed, though her face was pale. Even with today’s advanced medical tech, full recovery wasn’t something that could be achieved in just thirty minutes.

“You’ll stand behind and protect Princoco. That’ll conserve your strength, and we’ll also need someone with quick reflexes in case of sudden attacks.”

Serena had taken over tactical command for the time being. Xiakui’s body wasn’t in shape, and Princoco needed to focus on her performance—plus, she didn’t care much for battlefield command.

“Got it.”

Xiakui nodded. She wasn’t the type to fuss about positions—she understood the situation.

“If we need a breakthrough, I’ll handle it.”

Danko walked over. Though her injuries were similar to Xiakui’s, her Dragon Sequence recovery was incredibly fast. On top of that, over an hour had passed since her first match—she was mostly healed.

“Then we’ll leave it to you.”

While Hive Dominion Academy was finalizing its formation, Edess Academy had also finished arranging their own.

“Here’s the plan: Bennett, Casey, and Stacia lead a surprise assault on Hive Dominion’s rear; Suìqin, Toklay, and Yanhou hold the center to prevent breaches; two remaining members protect the band.”

In contrast, Hive Dominion Academy assigned four members to protect the backline musicians, and eight members to push forward with full strength—relying on overwhelming force.

When both sides were ready, the tall, split bridge began to lower. With the clanking of gears and chains, the thousand-ton platforms slowly descended and locked into place.

Now, the wide bridge connecting both sides lay open—unobstructed.

It was about to begin.

Everyone, from participants on stage to the spectators on the riverbanks, held their breath, eyes locked on the center of the field.

“Now then—I declare the final battle stage... begun!”

The host struck the gavel. A metallic bell rang—and the silence shattered.

Hive Dominion’s frontliners exchanged glances, gave each other a nod, and began their advance. Princoco, meanwhile, chuckled, rubbing her nose. She pulled a flaming red guitar from beneath the amp—and began to play.

Here at the final showdown, she wasn’t rushing at all.

Because deep down, this was how it should be—this kind of match, this kind of night... was meant to be enjoyed. If she performed only for victory, she would be caging herself in.

With the surging sounds of guitar and bass, her mood swelled until she laughed out loud.

“Watch closely, Thilan. A songstress’s performance isn’t child’s play.”

She whispered under her breath—and sang the familiar first line.

I can’t see, cause it’s burning deep inside.

As the first lyric dropped, translucent flames surged from beneath Princoco’s feet, sweeping outward. Every ally touched by it gained a light crimson glow.

Like gasoline, a fire running wild.

On cue, scarlet flames lit in the eyes of every Hive Dominion student—fueling their magic, making it boil.

No more fear, cause I’m getting closer now.

So unreal, but I like it anyhow.

Bees buzzed into the air from both bridge flanks—each one wreathed in flame. The night sky behind Princoco lit up as if painted in burning sunset.

I go faster and faster and faster...

As her strumming hand swung down, hundreds of flaming bees shot forward—like countless crimson comets streaking through the sky.

The song repeated and spiraled, emotion building until it erupted—her vocals almost a howl, sending shivers through the soul.

I can’t live in a fairytale of lies.

Each streaking flame felt like a blazing meteor. The students of Hive Dominion were now like the lead stars in that meteor shower—radiant and scalding.

As the crimson blaze surged forward, even the distant spectators on the riverbanks felt a suffocating heat blow toward them.

The massive steel bridge, built from reinforced alloy, groaned slightly—structures warped by the heat, its black and metallic hues turned red by firelight reflected in water and sky. frёewebηovel.cѳm

“This is Princoco...”

Thilan watched the blazing crimson engulf the bridge, heatwaves brushing her cheeks and lifting her hair.

“This... is Princoco. Just like that night when she first felt the songstress’s power—That flame-drenched voice falling in the rain, that absolute freedom and defiance, that blazing will burning in her soul...”

Even she—Thilan—was ignited by it.

And so, she would no longer run.

And so, she would face this challenge straight on.

And so, she would give it her all—because that... was how she would honor Princoco.

The sheet music she’d been playing suddenly changed, shifting into a new, fiery rhythm. It was as if a second blaze ignited atop the bridge.

“Thilan...?”

The teammates behind her, including Evony, looked at her in surprise. But as Thilan continued to play and her music stirred the air, their emotions were infected by her tempo—they unconsciously fell into harmony, backing her melody and voice.

And I can’t live in a fairytale of lies—

She was playing the exact same song as Princoco. The same fire, the same searing intensity.

I feel that you’ve mesmerized my heart—

The song gradually entered its stride. Pale blue translucent flames spread out from beneath her feet like ripples, expanding across her entire team. The wave of blue fire collided with the incoming crimson heat wave from the opposite side, forming a translucent hemispherical dome in the night.

I feel so free—

Beneath windswept black bangs, her blue eyes opened, burning with a clear azure fire. The flame stretched into a long, elegant tail in the wind, mesmerizing and ethereal.

I won’t give in, ’cause I’m proud of all my scars—

The song continued. Behind her, the Edess band was now fully in sync—basslines surged upward, drums pounded steadily. Beneath the fire-lit sky, they burned with rhythm and resolve.

And I see I’ve been wasting too much time—

Though the red flames still dominated, those cloaked in Thilan’s blue blaze felt no heat or pain. Like meteor streaks, they surged upward and into the sky, launching toward the incoming firestorm.

“And I go faster and faster and faster and faster for life—

A slender, pale wrist lifted from a black sleeve. As the girl raised her arm, the flowing river surface beneath them shimmered—countless ice crystals began rising into the sky behind her. These crystalline fragments reflected the flames ahead, scattering like mirrored fish scales.

And faster and faster and faster and faster—

Her pale arm swept forward, sending the sparkling ice crystals into motion like thousands of returning swallows. They pierced through the fire-lit night, colliding with the flaming bees—neutralizing each other in blinding bursts.

Above the bridge and along its span, students enveloped in crimson fire clashed violently against those wrapped in serene blue flame. Stray sparks and shockwaves lanced into the night and across the water, stirring up sprays and shards of ice.

Blistering crimson heat versus icy azure flame—their clash intertwined across the dark, unyielding. It was the same melody, the same rhythm, yet conveyed vastly different emotions. These two blazing forces—equal in intensity, opposite in nature—resonated like twin stars, circling and colliding, creating something even more powerful and unforgettable.

Rather than canceling each other out, the duel between the two songstresses only amplified their power. The intensity and drama of their confrontation gripped every soul present, drawing them in as emotional fuel for their flames.

I can’t live in a fairytale of lies—

One collision after another—clashes of swords, blasts of energy—it had entered full-blown, searing combat from the very first second.

I feel that you’ve mesmerized my heart—

The rhythm surged again. In the high night sky, Danko—the Dragon Sequence combatant—breathed deeply. The crimson flames engulfing the heavens flowed into her body like a leviathan inhaling the sea, igniting her form until she blazed like a fiery nova.

“ROAARR—!!”

A long dragon’s cry echoed as a massive red-scaled dragon unfurled its wings. Under the full support of the songstress’s power, Danko—originally Sequence 5—temporarily ascended into Sequence 6: Furyflame Crimson Dragon (Outstanding Coral-Grade).

The giant beast’s wingbeats stirred violent winds, shaking the flaming bees beside it. The dragon landed on the bridge, its sheer weight bending the steel deck and producing a wrenching metallic screech. Raising its head, it inhaled, drawing in massive magical energy and flames.

FWOOOOOSH—

A torrent of golden-red fire roared forth, hammering down upon the blue flame barrier of the Edess side, nearly overwhelming it entirely.

The ground beneath grew hotter, the air thick with heat. Thilan instinctively closed her eyes to shield herself from the blinding brilliance. Then—someone stepped before her, blocking the flames so she could breathe and continue to play.

“Keep going, Thilan.”

Evony stood tall in the firelight, her golden hair burning like a halo, sparks dancing around her.

Though only Sequence 4, her talents were deeply tied to flame. That affinity made her uniquely resilient against heat and fire damage.

Moved by her companion’s full support, Thilan nodded, inhaled deeply—and sang with renewed force:

And I can’t hide from the feeling ’cause it’s right—

And I can’t live in a fairytale of lies—

A fairytale of lies...

Her long black hair billowed like a black swan’s wings—nearly swallowed by the inferno. Yet in that blazing crucible, her soaring voice rang out—resolute, unyielding.

And within that scalding heat, a spark of undying azure began to rise—growing, igniting, until it too began to burn fiercely once more.

“Now!” Bennett roared from above.

Suddenly, that rising blue flame exploded—blasting back Hive Dominion’s aerial fighters. In its wake, several Edess students dived, streaking like silver-blue comets across the night toward the rear where Princoco’s band was stationed under the dragon’s guard.

Meteoric trails of blue flame converged—narrow blades flashing with silver-blue brilliance, both breathtaking and deadly. The blades tore through defenders with deadly precision.

“I’ll stop you here!” shouted a Hive Dominion defender with a massive shield.

Crystalline plates emerged from the shield’s face and spread outward—just as Bennett’s blade crashed into them, showering the bridge in sparks and shards.

“Go!!” Bennett roared again. He knew the timing was razor-thin—fail here, and everything was lost.

At his side, two teammates silently surged forward. Their blades glowed blood-red, piercing through the crystalline shield—and straight into the defender behind it.

With the shield broken and the defenders down, Bennett lunged toward the band.

From the flank, a black triangular blade suddenly thrust out—he barely raised his left arm to block it, pushing forward again.

Xiakui’s black bee-stinger sword severed his arm—but it wasn’t enough to stop him.

Now only meters away from Princoco, the band members had already discarded their instruments and readied firearms—defending their core with deadly precision.

Time seemed to slow. Gunfire erupted. Xiakui’s sword was at his back. One hesitation, and it would pierce his spine.

“Charge—!!”

With what felt like the last ounce of strength, Bennett deflected the bullets by instinct, eyes glowing faintly with azure clock hands—an ephemeral blessing. His silver-blue blade flew—

—and struck the fiery red guitar.

CLANG—!!

With a resounding echo, the music stopped.

Then Xiakui’s black blade pierced through his back, right through the chest.

On the bridge, beneath the fire-streaked sky, the crimson flames scattered like falling ashes.

Only the azure flame remained—burning.

The black-haired, black-dressed girl stood quietly on the bridge like a figure out of a dream. That image would forever etch itself into countless hearts.

Hestia Thilan, the 408th songstress in the history of the Rose Federation, first appeared on stage like a black swan. Since then, she had been known as—

"The Pitch-Black Songstress."