Damn, I Have to Marry the Strongest Antagonist at the Start?

"The one I desire is never beyond my reach!" The Dark Elf Queen sneered, resolutely staring down Leslie despite her icy killing intent.

Leslie narrowed her eyes and slapped the Dark Elf Queen across the face. Leslie's strike was swift and sudden, catching everyone off guard.

Even the Dark Elf Queen, locked in by the move, hadn't time to react and could only watch as the slap landed on her face.

Slap!

The crisp sound echoed, filling everyone's ears.

The atmosphere turned deathly still as countless onlookers widened their eyes in disbelief, gasping in shock.

The Dark Elf Queen, one of The Celestial's top warriors and a distinguished celestial god, was someone people barely dared to address sternly, let alone strike—especially in front of such a crowd.

"Way to go, sister!" Madelyn's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed excitedly.

Though Leslie was strict with her, she was clearly even more ruthless with enemies.

This display of bravery filled Madelyn with exhilaration.

"As expected of the Empress!" Rachel marveled.

Though she hadn't known Leslie long, her imposing and domineering personality left a deep impression. Now, that aura was even more unrestrained!

"Two wicked women fighting! Fight! I hope they both lose, then no one will take my master away!" Seraphina huffed, egging them on from the side.

She hadn't been able to spend time with Owen because of Leslie, and now another woman wanted to take her place. She was thrilled by the chaos.

Stanley and the others watched in awe. Gaining the affection of either Leslie or the Dark Elf Queen was a dream for any man.

Yet here was Owen, with both of these unparalleled women openly vying for his attention. The crowd's envy and admiration toward Owen surged.

They recognized the astounding potential and matchless strength that earned him his reputation as someone beyond fate, as described by the Lord of Stars.

Stanley and the others grew solemn. The relationship between Leslie and Owen was well-known throughout the Azure Kingdom—they loved each other deeply.

Now, the Dark Elf Queen's interference was a death wish. They all remembered the Empress's relentless determination.

Yet, Owen felt no particular excitement; instead, he was perplexed.

Why had the Dark Elf Queen set her sights on him?

A figure of her status surely had her reasons. He was unaware that many top-tier saints already had their eyes on him.

…

At that moment, the Dark Elf Queen finally reacted to Leslie's slap, her lips parted in shock as she stared incredulously at her.

As one of The Celestial's elite and the Queen of the dark elves, she was accustomed to admiration and reverence. But Leslie had dared to strike her!

Feeling the stinging pain on her cheek, a violent and unbridled killing intent erupted from her.

The sheer force of it caused the heavens to tremble, and a dark shadow covered the once-bright sky.

Furious winds howled, their shrill cries echoing across the land.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines, as if the wrath of a celestial god was upon them.

"Leslie, you and your Azure Kingdom will be reduced to ashes today!"

Her voice, like the judgment of a deity, reverberated through the heavens, filling everyone with a deep dread, as if one foot was already in the grave.

"You think you can destroy my kingdom? Keep dreaming!"

As the Dark Elf Queen unleashed her crushing mana tide, Leslie stepped forward, standing like an immovable wall and holding back the overwhelming force.

Meanwhile, an icy aura radiated from her, spreading from her feet across the ground.

Crystals of ice formed in the air, resembling silver snowflakes that sliced through the void, leaving cold trails of white.

Under this freezing aura, the Queen's mana tide quickly froze, as though the entire world had transformed into an icebound realm.

The bitter cold seeped into the Queen's skin, like countless blades cutting into her.

The Dark Elf Queen's brows furrowed as she conjured a mystical hand seal, creating a portal in front of her.

As she poured her power into it, the portal expanded until it stretched tens of thousands of meters into the sky, a gateway bridging heaven and earth.

Once the portal stabilized, everyone felt a surge of volatile mana, as if flames were dancing within it, along with a growing, murderous aura.

The once-bright sky turned a sinister black.

Swoosh!

One by one, dark elves began emerging from the portal, their shadows filling the sky as they stared down at the Azure Kingdom below.

Initially only dozens appeared, but within moments, their numbers swelled into thousands, then tens of thousands, then hundreds of thousands.

The Azure Kingdom forces, observing the dark elf army, felt an immense pressure.

Each dark elf exuded a powerful aura, and their numbers were staggering.

Within seconds, they had multiplied into a force large enough to rival even the Azure Kingdom's armies.

Rachel and the others wore grim expressions, shocked by the Dark Elf Queen's thorough preparation.

These dark elves had been battle-ready, their aura vibrant, and their fighting spirit high.

The dark elves were a powerful bloodline with a storied history, and with such an overwhelming force, they posed a real threat of annihilation to the Azure Kingdom.

Standing among her army of dark elves, the Dark Elf Queen raised her head proudly, looking down at Leslie.

"Surrender to me, and I'll grant you a swift end!"

Her voice carried a commanding, godlike authority, intimidating all who heard it.

The dark elves behind her turned their gaze upon Leslie as well, the overwhelming focus suffocating.

Yet, despite this pressure, Leslie remained unfazed. She stared at the Queen and glanced over the mass of dark elves, responding with a calm voice.

"This is the extent of your strength?"

"If this is all you have, it would be better for you to surrender to me today."

With that, she looked over at Owen. He nodded knowingly and turned to Charlotte.

"Is everything ready?"

Charlotte nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Lord Emperor. The allied forces have assembled and are ready to act at your command!"

Owen smiled with satisfaction. "Leave the Dark Elf Queen to Leslie. The rest of the dark elves… they're mine."

Targeting the dark elves had been part of Owen's plan.

Though they weren't his original objective, since they had chosen to emerge, he was more than willing to deal with them first.