In the spiritual world, she tightly held the key changing hand for only a short while before being torn apart by that violent force.

In reality, her body also jerked violently, letting go of the sub-key as if shocked, while her eyes boiled with intense pain, forcing the hero to close her eyelids.

'Tsk, did the persuasion attempt fail?'

This pain came quickly and went quickly, and the depraved hero immediately realized it, clicking her tongue in dissatisfaction in her heart.

'This is troublesome, prepare to get shot in the head.'

The key changing has already become an enemy - they both knew that once the puppet rhyme activated, it was almost an irreversible fact.

The power of beast spirit embodiment was ready, and the hero subconsciously prepared for the worst-case scenario.

But the attack she was ready to face never came, instead, a soft touch was felt on her chest.

The hero barely opened her eyes and looked at the key changer in front of her, only to see those gray-white pupils now exceptionally clear.

The sub-key gave her a faint smile.

"Thank you."

The next moment, her right hand transformed into a sharp light claw, directly aiming at the hero's vital point.

But at the same time, the left hand she placed on the hero's chest suddenly exerted force, pushing the hero backward with considerable strength.

[Key Changer's kindness critical success]

[Hero's skill activation: Gale Power]

[Hero's agility set to maximum (134), greater than key changer's agility (105), attack evasion successful]

"Hero!" warned the Winged People Clan Leader nearby, his expression changing slightly as he was about to assist, only to see the hero's figure vanish.

The light claw mark shredded the hero's afterimage left in place, but she herself had withdrawn dozens of meters away embraced by the strong wind, making the clan leader face the sub-key whose hands had both turned into light claws.

The Winged People Clan Leader's expression tensed but immediately reacted, retreating two steps, watching the key changer's movements intently.

"Clan Leader, Father's command has come."

The sub-key's voice was calm, the clarity and emotion from a moment ago completely vanished, replaced by a mechanical indifference.

Not perturbed by her failed strike, she retracted the light claw and, like an emotionless puppet, conveyed the instructions from the Black Gate to the Winged People Clan Leader with a voice devoid of fluctuations.

"What do you mean? You obviously revealed the new sacrificial child's identity yourself, and now you want us winged to serve the Black Gate?" The Winged People Clan Leader snorted coldly, showing strong dissatisfaction and anger.

"You lost to the hero and are aware of the king's plan. I know you are harboring thoughts of rebellion, but at this point, apart from continuing to assist us, you have no other path to tread."

"...What makes you say that?" The Winged People Clan Leader's eyes filled with fury, raising his heavy sword lightly.

Despite being badly beaten by the hero, with lingering pain around him, he remained the Demon King of the Winged People, not shaken by mere threats.

"—Father has decided to initiate the final exchange ceremony." Yet the sub-key seemed to have expected his reaction, answering in an off-topic manner.

The Winged People Clan Leader's pupils contracted, his face turning dark instantly.

Although not fully trusted by the Black Gate, as one of the major partners in this war, the intelligence he held was sufficient to make him understand the significance of the final exchange ceremony.

Hearing the key changer's reply, he realized that matters were shifting rapidly towards an uncontrollable direction.

"The situation in the capital is at a deadlock," continued the key changer, her tone still flat, "Father and his associates can no longer advance further. And the power of the winged is already stretched to maintain the current occupied areas.

"The kingdom, though slow like a giant, is starting to react after such a prolonged stalemate, and the forces they can mobilize are still not to be underestimated.

"Once reinforcements arrive, Father might escape alive, but your kindred will certainly be utterly annihilated."

The Winged People Clan Leader's expression grew more severe. He knew that what the key changer said was not baseless.

"It is too late to withdraw the troops now, the exchange ceremony is nearing completion, even if you immediately move to the capital, you cannot consolidate all the winged nor safely retreat under the kingdom's army's encirclement.

"You indeed had an agreement with the hero, but that was under the premise that we True Saint Disciples had the upper hand, only then you had a chance to withdraw the winged rapidly before the kingdom could react.

"But now, the situation has changed."

The sub-key's voice was calm, yet each sentence pierced like a sharp needle into the Winged People Clan Leader's vulnerable spot.

"Unless you are willing to abandon all the winged warriors in the capital and flee with only the remnant winged, the extinction knife of humankind will soon descend upon you again."

She directly faced the Winged People Clan Leader, gray-white pupils devoid of any emotional fluctuation:

"So, only by obeying our orders, completing the final exchange ceremony, transferring all the winged to the capital, and under the protection of the Four-winged King, do you have a chance to survive and make the next choice."

[Key Changer's persuasion (Charm 114, Puppet Rhyme base 1/2)]

D57+57=d57(39)+57=96

[Winged People Clan Leader's charm (53) lower than fixed value, automatically fails]

[Priority of the command]

1. Stability♛

2. Speed

D2=d2(1)=1

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