Awakening Eyes.
Gem-like pink eyes gleamed with piercing luster.
Verlith struggled to control the warm current surging within her—a power beyond human, or rather, a force of nature itself. Its origin remained as mysterious as the reason for her transformation.
Yet battles between Elven Sorcerers were familiar territory. She suspected this energy might be the source of Tree Spirits’ power: Nature Energy.
No—she was certain. No other force on the continent could compare.
Elven Sorcerers wielded terrifying might. Calling it "world-shattering" might be an exaggeration, but summoning storms and moving mountains? Entirely possible. And it all hinged on Nature Energy. A powerful sorcerer could stir tempests with a mere flick of the wrist.
Why a human had become this strange winged maiden—and gained Nature Energy—remained unclear. Yet even without formal training in Elven Alchemy or Command Tokens, Verlith instinctively knew how to wield it.
To hold Nature Energy was to become an Elven Sorcerer.
Her past self had abandoned dreams of becoming one after learning she could never bond with a Tree Spirit. Only she knew the bitterness beneath that choice—watching others reach heights with ease that demanded ten, twenty times her effort. The exhaustion defied words.
Though she’d risen to great heights as a swords master, the inability to bond with a Tree Spirit meant her path had ended. No matter how peerless her swordsmanship, human limits paled against nature’s might.
Now, Verlith couldn’t accept this bizarre transformation. But every shadow had light: she’d unexpectedly gained Nature Energy—an ancient power older than history itself.
This was her confidence, even weaponless.
*"Netherborn corruption is sin incarnate. I shall purge it with judgment!"*
An overwhelming aura radiated from Verlith—like a blazing summer bloom, scorching and fierce. Behemoth froze, its dull eyes flickering with something like fear.
A cold smile touched the Silverhaired Maiden’s lips.
Her arm, trapped inside the water shield, surged with strange power. CRACK! The shield shattered. Water sprayed into the air.
Verlith glanced at her arm with satisfaction. She stepped swiftly to Behemoth’s right flank, fist sheathed in transparent energy. She drove it hard into the beast’s smooth flank, unleashing every ounce of force.
But the expected scene—Behemoth flying backward from a blow that never touched it—didn’t happen.
Her fist arced dramatically. Yet from that delicate knuckle came only a soft *pfft*. The energy fizzled out.
*"...Huh? What’s this?"*
She tried again. Unlike true Elven Sorcerers, she couldn’t project Nature Energy outward. Worse—it held no elemental attribute. Where was the natural essence it should carry?
None at all.
Pale Nature Energy coated her fist, mocking her, then scattered like mist on the wind.
She’d proven she *could* use it—shattering the water shield without Command Tokens. That strike had been an experiment, one she’d been certain would succeed.
But the results were... disappointing.
*"Must I strike physically to channel it?"*
As doubt flickered, Behemoth launched water spears. Verlith sidestepped calmly. Instantly, the beast’s slick body became a living cannon, charging like a meteor. One hit would nullify her Divine Wind Dance Steps!
She glided aside like a breeze, reappearing behind Behemoth.
Not done yet. She sprinted after the skidding beast, clenched her fist, and slammed it squarely between its shoulder blades.
**BOOM!**
The colossal Behemoth roared, crashing face-first to the earth. It slid dozens of meters before stopping.
Verlith landed lightly, rebounding from the impact.
Success—again.
She analyzed it: her Nature Energy only flowed *on contact*. Miss your target, and the power was useless. Worse, the energy she could unleash was a mere fraction of what surged within her—perhaps one percent per punch.
The difference from an ordinary strike was negligible. Slightly stronger, yes—but barely.
She confirmed one truth: no Command Token was needed. Only two beings in this world wielded Nature Energy so freely—Netherborn Elves and Tree Spirits.
Deep down, Verlith suspected she’d become one of them. Yet hope lingered. Until proven otherwise, she remained human. No self-loathing. No confusion.
The thought of not being human chilled her. Worse—being a *woman*. Marriage? Children? No man would dare wed a non-human. And after years of preferring women... the image of being pinned beneath a man made her shudder.
*If I’m not human... could I even survive that truth?* But unfinished business anchored her. She wouldn’t lose herself—not yet.
Now wasn’t the time for such thoughts.
Black, murky water erupted from Behemoth’s back. The flooded ground suddenly exploded upward—countless water spikes spearing toward Verlith from all directions!
*"Danger!"*
Her battle instincts screamed.
She didn’t retreat.
Instead, she charged forward.
