Elyar, add the Wind King Barrier, now!
Sensing the archangel’s spear swell to the peak of mid-tier Divine Realm energy, Yumigawa Senki snapped her head toward Elyar.
Mm. I know.
Elyar nodded and stretched out her pale, soft hand toward the air. Wind King Barrier!
whoosh—whoosh—
A teal breeze coiled like silk and wrapped Yumigawa Senki in a whirling cocoon.
That should do it!
At once, Yumigawa Senki felt light as a feather, quick as a dart. Her speed doubled and then some.
Hmph. A barrier changes nothing. Futile. Go—Lance of Radiance!
Once the spear had drawn in the domain’s governing force like a tide, the archangel hurled it hard toward Yumigawa Senki.
!!!
The moment it left his hand, the spear flew at her at eye-blurring speed. Space around it buckled and collapsed in sheets, like glass under pressure.
Looks like I only have that move left.
Watching the spear streak in, Yumigawa Senki’s cool, beautiful face tightened, grave as a storm sky.
She drew a few deep breaths. She closed her eyes, raised her hand, and opened her palm, calm as still water.
At once, a half-ethereal magic array bloomed before her palm like a ghostly sigil. Its pattern mirrored a clock—twelve numbers in a ring, with hour, minute, and second hands.
tick… tick…
Inside the array, the second hand crawled, each tick heavy as falling dew.
Time Sword—Eternal Flow!
She spoke and snapped her eyes open. Her rapier flashed up and stabbed through the array’s center, pinning the heart of the clock.
What—what is this?!
In the field around Yumigawa Senki and the archangel, time thickened like syrup. The spear that had been a blur now crawled like a snail.
As for the archangel, even a twitch felt like pushing through stone.
But the moment she cast it, Yumigawa Senki’s face bleached, bloodless as paper. The drain was brutal.
Impossible! Time law? How could a mere human wield the law of time?!
The archangel’s face twisted in terror. He shouted, disbelief cracking like thunder.
You came to challenge me without even knowing who I am? Laughable.
Worn to the bone, Yumigawa Senki still let a thin smile curve like moonlight.
Enough. This fight ends here.
Breath steadying, Yumigawa Senki slid her rapier to her waist, held flat like a line of wind.
Wind Sword—Sever!
Her form vanished like a gust. In less than half a heartbeat, she was before the archangel.
No—spatial transfer!
Seeing her, the archangel flared all his strength. He split open a rift in space and turned to dive in.
Ah!!
Too late. Before he could slip through, Yumigawa Senki’s strike arrived like a cutting gale and severed one of his arms.
Remember this, human. The God King will never let you go!
He left the threat hanging like smoke and vanished into the rift.
Tch. If I hadn’t drained my strength, I could’ve kept him here.
She watched the closing rift. The thought sighed through her like wind through reeds.
Ugh…
Then her body went slack, and even standing felt like balancing on water.
Qianji Sister, are you okay?!
As Yumigawa Senki was about to drop from the void, Yumigawa Nozomi rushed the Aerucia Bird to her side and caught her mid-fall.
Yumigawa Senki, art thou unharmed?
Holding her, Elyar asked, worry fluttering like a small bird.
I’m fine. I haven’t fought at full power in ages. I’m just tired. A nap will do…
With that, Yumigawa Senki closed her noble, blood-red eyes like two garnets, and drifted into sleep.
Xiaoya, is Qianji Sister really okay?!
Even with her words, Yumigawa Nozomi’s worry clung like mist.
No major issue. Yumigawa Senki simply burned through her stamina.
Elyar checked her condition and gave Nozomi a calming smile. We’re not far from the Eastern Moon Continent. Let the Aerucia Bird carry us over.
Mm. Aer, fly us to the Eastern Moon Continent, quick!
The Aerucia Bird let out a bright chirp.
It spread its wings like fans and surged toward the Eastern Moon Continent at full flight.
…
Divine Realm.
Why did you fuse into an Archangel? And end up this bedraggled?
On a vast square, as the archangel stepped out of the rift, Gabrielle asked, displeasure like frost on her voice.
Cough, cough. Lady Gabrielle, we had no choice. This opponent was terrifyingly strong.
He coughed a few times, then laid out the battle in full, each detail like a stone.
…
Gabrielle fell silent, her thoughts pooling like still water.
After a moment.
Go recover. I’ll report this to the God King.
With that, Gabrielle vanished like a candle snuffed out.
Inside the palace.
God King, I have the measure of our opponent.
Gabrielle kneeled on one knee before Nalettea and spoke, respectful as a bowed reed.
Oh? So fast. Tell me.
Nalettea, seated on the throne, glanced at her, interest flickering like a candle flame.
Yes. Two came from the Mizumi Clan of the Central Continent. One is a magic Sword Wielder; the other is an Elf User.
She paused, then went on. The Elf User’s strength is unclear. We only know she has two contracted spirits—one high-tier elemental spirit, and one Spirit King.
High-tier elemental and a Spirit King? As expected of the Mizumi Clan. Most Elf Users are lucky to bond with a mid-tier spirit. Their clan signs with high-tier spirits and Spirit Kings.
Nalettea sighed, a sound like wind across old stone. Whatever the path, a good lineage matters. Continue, Gabrielle.
Mm. But the focus is the Sword Wielder.
Gabrielle nodded and drew a slow breath. The angel squad I sent was forced to fuse into an Archangel, and still lost.
An Archangel sits in the Divine Realm, does it not? Since when can a Sword Wielder reach that height?
No, God King. That Sword Wielder hasn’t reached the Divine Realm—she hasn’t even reached the Sacred Realm. Her magic level is only at SSS peak.
Gabrielle shook her head at Nalettea’s words.
Impossible!
Nalettea surged to his feet, voice ringing like struck bronze. Gabrielle, are you jesting? A mere SSS-peak Sword Wielder beating a Divine Realm Archangel?
No, God King. It’s real.
Even she disliked the truth. But denying what lay before them would be self-deception.
That Sword Wielder commands all attributes—wind, fire, light, dark, and the special ones of space and time. Yet her strongest edge is swordcraft. They say her blade and magic are one.
I see. Then defeating a Divine Realm Archangel is no miracle.
Nalettea sank back to the throne, head bowed, thoughts folding like wings.
Withdraw for now, Gabrielle. I need to consider our next move.
As you command, God King.
…
