episode_0245

Yuria’s Struggle

Entrusting Rikarin to Uncle Gid, we continued to run. Currently, Camilla is drawing her power from the otherworld through a dimensional path to regain it. But if Dio V Runner’s words are true, if Camilla is drawing her power in an unstable way, this dimension will collapse… We must stop Camilla before that happens. Even if not, Camilla has already accumulated so much karma…!!!

“Alright… we’ll reach Camilla soon…!! Aria!! Let’s release all our power!! Now, we pour everything out!!!”

“Understood, Zeke-nim!! I’ll gather divine power from my entire body…!! Watch out, Zeke-nim!!”

As we were about to reach Camilla’s location, we gathered power from our entire bodies, preparing to fight her. Just as Aria was about to gather divine power, she witnessed a light leaking out from the ground beneath Camilla’s feet. Feeling something eerie, Aria urgently embraced me and leaped sideways. At that moment, a ray of light burst forth from beneath Camilla, sweeping through the spot where I had been. I was greatly astonished that there were still believers who could unleash such powerful rays of light.

“W-what is that…?! Could it be hidden Children of Light…?! Or what in the world…”

“…This… the Saintess I wanted to shatter the most has appeared… The irritating Saintess who shamed me twice…”

“Shamed you twice…? C-could it be… Saintess Krischa…?!”

Aria felt a divine power from the ray of light that had just passed, and her face flushed with annoyance as she spoke about the Saintess who had shamed her twice. I immediately realized it was Saintess Krischa and turned my head towards where the ray had burst from. Krischa was visible, walking towards us with a smile from beneath Camilla. Aria, as if her grudge against Krischa was still strong, gripped her staff with trembling hands and called out loudly to the distant Krischa.

“Saintess Krischa….!! I already wanted to kill you with these hands…!! The Saintess who greatly shamed me in front of Zeke-nim…!!”

“Oh my? Didn’t you say before that you no longer held a grudge against me, Saintess Aria-nim? Or… should I just call you Aria-nim now? Puhuhu…”

“Ugh… that annoying smile…. It’s truly infuriating…!! And you… aren’t you appearing before us now to stop us from reaching Camilla!!”

“That’s right, Saintess Aria. But… oh my. I didn’t expect reinforcements to arrive like this…. Oh holy light of mine. Protect me.”

“Reinforcements? What do you m— Uwaaak?!”

Krischa noticed something, then suddenly chanted a prayer and unfurled a barrier, surprising us. At that moment, flames suddenly erupted from above us, engulfing Krischa who was on the ground. We were taken aback by the sudden appearance of the flames. Then, we soon realized something and exchanged smiles. Because these flames were definitely…

“Dio V Runner!!!”

“Zeke!! Aria!! I’m glad you’re safe…!!”

They were definitely Dio V Runner’s. And as we expected, Dio V Runner, who had been attacking Krischa by spewing flames from the sky, landed beside us and was relieved to see that we were safe. At that moment, as Dio V Runner’s flames ceased, Krischa dispelled her barrier, looked at Dio V Runner, and said with a smile.

“Ah… Otherworlder, Dio V Runner. I’ve heard tales. It seems you were the one who guided Zeke and Aria to the Revarude facility… If you had come earlier, our plans would have suffered a great setback, wouldn’t they… Hahahaha, are you perhaps disappointed?”

“Ahaha… I might be a little disappointed, but I’m still glad we met like this. Because if I burn you to ashes right here, all my regrets will disappear…!!”

As Krischa provoked him, Dio V Runner inserted a new orb into his flamethrower, grinning widely and agreeing with Krischa’s words. Just as Dio V Runner was about to unleash flames from his flamethrower, Yuria, who was beside him, reached out and stopped him, then glared at Krischa and spoke.

“Launcher. You should focus on Camilla. I’ll take care of that Saintess Krischa.”

“What…? But aren’t you still in a difficult situation because of that injury earlier, Yuria…? For you to handle a High Saintess alone when your energy is almost depleted…”

“Launcher. You also have barely any energy left from the long battle, and your orbs are almost depleted. Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“…”

When Yuria pointed out that his own energy was also nearly depleted from the continuous battle and that he had few orbs left, Dio V Runner could not retort and fell silent. Yuria then recalled Dio V Runner’s concern for her and chuckled, saying:

“I feel really good, Dio V Runner. Even in this situation, I feel truly good. To experience someone worrying about me… thanks to you, I’ve experienced it a lot, and it feels really good, you know? I might be able to understand Aria’s feelings a little…?”

“Oh my….!! In that case, do you perhaps… like him?”

“Huh? What are you suddenly talking about, Aria…?”

As Yuria recalled Dio V Runner’s past concerns for her and said she might be able to understand Aria’s feelings, Aria seemed to deduce something and was greatly surprised. Dio V Runner and I, unable to understand Aria’s reaction, were bewildered. W-what was that? Is it something only women understand…? As Dio V Runner and I stood confused, Yuria spread her arms and shouted at us.

“Everyone, quickly go confront Camilla!! Leave that Saintess to me!!”

“Damn it…!! Alright!! We’ll trust you, Yuria!! Aria!! Zeke!! We’ll focus on Camilla!!”

“Yu-Yuria!! Will you be okay?!”

“Don’t worry about me, you’d better worry about your lover instead! Otherwise, Aria will get jealous of me or you again. Go on, hurry!!”

As I worried about her, just like Dio V Runner had, Yuria even joked around, shouting for us to go quickly. Aria, Dio V Runner, and I then bypassed Yuria and began running towards Camilla. Krischa, seeing us run towards Camilla, tilted her head and said:

“Oh my. But when did I say I’d fight that Snow Woman? I came here to fight *you* people…?”

Krischa gathered divine power in her hand, then was about to unleash a ray towards us. However, Yuria erupted cold energy, creating a massive ice wall around Krischa, obstructing the attack. As the ice wall formed around her, Krischa seemed somewhat intrigued by Yuria, smiling faintly and turning her head to Yuria, she said:

“Oh my. You still have the power to summon ice constructs like this… No… more accurately, constructs made of cold energy… To be able to create them. I’m a little surprised.”

“Hahahaha… If you underestimate my struggle, you’ll be in big trouble…? Even though I look like this, I’m a Snow Woman who has lived for a long time… so my power has accumulated, and accumulated…!!”

“Oh my! What a coincidence! Because I’ve been assisting Goddess Camilla-nim and crossing dimensions, I’m also over 800 years old.”

“W-what…?!”

When Krischa revealed that she was also over 800 years old, Yuria was greatly astonished by Krischa’s age, which was older than her own. At that moment, Krischa shot a ray from her fingertip. Yuria urgently twisted her body sideways to dodge the ray, and Krischa, realizing Yuria was quite fast, became even more intrigued.

“What incredible movement! I’ve barely seen anyone dodge a ray by twisting their body like that… Most people just block or take the hit, but dodging it is…”

“W-what was that just now…? The ray’s power seemed strong enough to rival that of the Children of Light…?!”

“Ahaha~! I am a High Saintess, after all! Of course, my power is a bit weaker compared to the Children of Light, but… I’ve lived for 800 years, so wouldn’t you say my power has accumulated too?”

“…. She’s a rather difficult opponent… This… I need to stay sharp…! Freeze Field!!!”

Yuria, realizing that Krischa was also a formidable opponent, immediately put both hands on the ground to use her full power and began to freeze the earth. Krischa then looked at the earth, rapidly frozen by Yuria, and said with great surprise.

“Oh my. To freeze the earth so quickly. What astonishing power! So much so that one wouldn’t say your energy has depleted from continuous battle!”

“You can judge that after you’ve taken all my attacks, Saintess Krischa…!! Icicle Shoot…!!”

As Saintess Krischa even showed the leisure of being greatly surprised, Yuria summoned icicles around her and launched them at Krischa. Krischa then emitted multiple rays of light from her palms, shooting down all of Yuria’s icicles. Seeing this, Yuria wore a troubled expression and muttered.

“Ugh… As expected, she still had powerful energy remaining… No… it seems her energy is intact because she hasn’t fought at all to begin with… On the contrary, we, who were outnumbered, had no choice but to continuously face the believers…”

“Oh my! Did your energy reach its limit just by shooting those icicles? This… it seems I can win without much effort! Hahahaha!!”

“That… to act so leisurely, claiming she still has all her power… Now I understand why Aria hated her so much…!! Seeing her act so carefree makes me so incredibly annoyed…!!”

Yuria realized that the reason Aria disliked Krischa was precisely because her leisurely provocation was so irritating, and she herself began to dislike Krischa for the same reason. At that moment, Krischa giggled, gathered divine power in both hands, and said:

“Oh my. But this isn’t the end, is it? By the way, you seem to know Saintess Aria well… So, is fighting like this somewhat familiar to you?”

“…?! A-a staff…!!! Uwaak!!!”

As a golden staff was summoned in Krischa’s hands, Yuria was astonished to realize that Krischa could also fight in the same manner as Aria. Then, as Krischa shot a ray from her staff, Yuria urgently dodged sideways, avoiding Krischa’s ray. Krischa was still surprised that Yuria could evade the ray.

“Truly amazing, Snow Woman! To be able to continuously dodge my rays… But how will you… dodge this?”

“…?! Th-this is bad!!”

As Krischa attacked her by shooting multiple rays from her staff, Yuria instinctively knew she couldn’t dodge this and urgently formed an ice wall in front of herself to block the rays. However, some of the rays pierced through the ice wall and directly impaled Yuria’s left leg and right shoulder. Yuria cried out in pain and desperately tried to quickly heal her wounds with cold energy.

“Gah…. Th-those rays have incredible power…. If I don’t heal quickly…”

“Oh my. Do you think I’d give you that luxury, Snow Woman? I’m a Saintess without mercy, just like Saintess Aria…”

“….!!!”

As Krischa shot multiple rays again towards her, who was healing her wounds, Yuria urgently formed an ice wall in front of herself. But this time too, some of Krischa’s splintered rays pierced through the ice wall, and Yuria was hit in the abdomen and right foot.

“Kyaaaak….!!! It… it hurts….!!”

“Oh my!! Don’t you think I’m incredibly good at aiming, though? To hit your leg and foot so precisely… Puhuhuhu!!”

“Haa… haaah… Don’t mess with me, you damned Saintess!!! Ice Cannon!!”

As Krischa began to boast again, Yuria, provoked, spread both hands and fired a powerful ice cannon. Krischa then smirked upon seeing the ice chunks flying towards her, dodged sideways with ease, and said to Yuria:

“I can also dodge attacks well, just like you, Snow Woman! This is a bit disappointing for you!!”

“It’s not over yet…!!! Ice Cannon!! Ice Cannon!!!”

As Krischa provoked her again, Yuria, seemingly provoked, began to barrage ice cannons from both hands. Krischa then giggled, dodging sideways again or batting away the ice chunks with her staff to counter Yuria’s attacks. When Yuria, exhausted to the point where she could no longer shoot ice chunks, finally lowered her arms, Krischa giggled again and, batting away an ice chunk in front of her with her staff, said:

“Puhuhu…!! Still, you were quite good, Snow Woman! If you had caught Goddess Camilla-nim’s eye and become a Saintess… you would have exerted even greater power than now, wouldn’t you? But it’s truly regrettable that Goddess Camilla-nim decided it would be better for you to instill fear in this world rather than become a Saintess!”

“Haa… haaah… So… my past was also… manipulated by you…?”

“Oh, right. Before you collapse, I should tell you one thing, shouldn’t I? I once heard about your past, so I know about it~! It was none other than our Goddess Camilla-nim who amplified the suspicions of the villagers you lived among~! And previously, the Demon War? It was also Goddess Camilla-nim who created and nurtured hatred and aversion towards demons among the living beings here, making demons truly demonic!”

“…Our anger was created by you…”

As Krischa testified that what they had suspected all along was true, Yuria was indignant, recalling the great suffering they had endured from people who harbored negative emotions cultivated by Camilla. Krischa then chuckled as if mocking Yuria, and said:

“Don’t worry~! Such resentful feelings… will be as if they never happened once Goddess Camilla-nim transforms all beings in this world into divine power. But you will die by my staff and forget first!!”

“Forget first…? That… that’s a statement for *you*, Saintess Krischa…!!”

“….!!!”

Krischa was striding towards Yuria, about to strike her with her staff. At that moment, Yuria spread both arms, and ice began to erupt and rise from the surrounding earth. Krischa then lost her balance and fell due to the vibrations caused by the rising ice. Krischa took a deep breath and began to gather cold energy in both hands. Then, a gigantic ice castle began to form, centered around Krischa and Yuria’s location. Trapped inside the ice castle, Krischa was greatly bewildered, muttering as she looked around the audience hall corridor she was in.

“W-what in the world… is this…?”

“You… you thought I was just randomly shooting ice chunks earlier, didn’t you? Honestly… your biggest weakness is your immense arrogance. Aria was like that too, but you lot don’t even have the skill to back up that arrogance, you just show off your haughtiness…”

“I-ice chunks…? What do you mean by that…?”

“I’ve been shooting ice chunks since earlier to form ice constructs underground… I kept barraging them so that cold energy could spread around…!!”

“….!!!”

Krischa finally understood Yuria’s words. The reason Yuria had barraged ice chunks earlier wasn’t to attack her, but to spread cold energy and ice to form this ice castle. Yuria then finally saw Krischa’s bewildered face and grinned, saying:

“Welcome to my castle, Saintess Krischa. Now… you’re ready to receive your punishment, aren’t you?”