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As the golden light of Sophia’s Light Power surged from her body, the demon, who had been speaking through the head of the dead witch, sneered and said:

{Indeed, that light is quite threatening. Was the light of the great master from years past like yours? But it is meaningless. I am now in a place you cannot reach.}

“You think I can’t find you just because you’re in a place I can’t reach?”

{Of course you can’t! This body is currently beyond the event horizon of the domain.}

Thus, the demon explained that it was only after the witch, who had made a contract with it, finally turned into a demon and was slaughtered by the Nun Knight that it could grasp the situation.

{Wait, beyond the event horizon? How can a being with flesh and blood go there?}

Esras-Hermes, who had been silent until then, expressed his doubt.

{Hoh, a spirit from the Silver Age? Your observation is valid. But consider this. Sentient beings can walk on the moon’s surface through dreams and return to this land upon waking. If one can manipulate physical distance through the laws of nature, wouldn’t crossing the conceptual barrier also be a marvelous feat of spellcraft?}

{That’s impossible! To achieve something like that with a spell, you’d need an absurdly vast and pure amount of main strength! Only after infinitely layering spell waves originating from a single domain without a trace of impurity could you even attempt such a thing!}

Cutting off Esras-Hermes, who was getting more excited than expected, Hildegard stepped forward, her Light Power surging like Sophia’s, and asked:

“So, what brings you here? Did you come to avenge your servant since I killed them?”

{Hmm, your light is much more violent and sharp compared to this golden light. Truly, the power of light is an amusing force.}

“Enough with the nonsense.”

{But because of that, it seems you are not yet qualified to speak with me.}

As soon as the words were spoken, a terrifyingly evil and oppressive main strength erupted from the lower jaw that served as the demon’s medium. Unlike the somewhat sticky and gloomy main strength of the witch, this was an astonishingly oppressive and precise exercise of power.

In an instant, the Light Power moved like a blade to protect Hildegard, but she was still forced to step back several steps due to the pressure.

“Kuh!”

{The exercise of main strength is unnecessarily precise. To use it so extravagantly. Conra, pay close attention to the main strength exercise just now. Even if nothing else, there’s something to learn from that precision.}

While Hildegard was grinding her teeth in frustration, Esras-Hermes advised Conra, using the demon’s main strength exercise as a teaching tool for spellcasting. Meanwhile, Sophia stepped forward.

“Just now, you mocked my comrade with a pointless show of pride, but I must ask again the question Hilde asked. Now that your servant is dead, why have you revealed yourself?”

{The reason is simple. It was out of curiosity.}

“What?”

As Sophia twitched an eyebrow, seemingly caught off guard, the demon smirked and elaborated.

{Your church’s priests have been passing down the power of light to destroy demons, but I never cared. I never thought the light you spoke of could have the power to influence ideology. However, the golden light that enveloped you when you broke my contractor’s dream spell reached beyond the event horizon of this domain through my connection with the contractor.}

The demon confessed that without the trajectory of that light, it would have been impossible to reveal itself from beyond the event horizon, even with the contract.

{And I became certain. The final adversary who will stand in my way after I achieve my goal here will be none other than you. So this is both a confirmation and a declaration of war.}

“Declaration of war?”

{When I set foot on the Old Continent, the Old Continent will experience a despair unlike anything before. At that time, the only one who can stop me will undoubtedly be you. I will defeat you then and finally fulfill the long-held dream of our demon clan. And as proof, I will send you a sign.}

As the lower jaw twisted its lips to convey its message, Sophia suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

Rumble. In an instant, the lower jaw exploded, and from it, an evil energy began to spread across the sky like a thick cloud. Seeing this, Sophia immediately shouted:

“Conra, evacuate the citizens immediately!”

“Understood, Master!”

“Hilde, I’ll need your Light Power. Help Conra!”

“Damn it, fine.”

Conra and Hildegard, sensing the abnormality, immediately sprang into action, rushing toward the citizens left in the square. The citizens, who had been under the witch’s control and were still unresponsive even after her death, needed both Conra and Hildegard’s help.

After sending Conra and Hildegard off, Sophia stretched out her palms toward the sky.

Continuously manifesting the Immovable King Wisdom Technique was not easy for Sophia, but it had to be done. Fortunately, she could still do it while the remnants of the technique lingered.

Unlike before, when she had realized the Immovable King Wisdom Technique solely with Light Power and the technique itself, this time she had no choice but to use a slightly different method.

From Sophia’s lower dantian, internal energy surged, and from her chakras, kundalini rose. Throughout her body, the Gias of “I will not turn a blind eye to the innocent” and “I will not ignore evil” activated, and from her crown, the mark of the anointed one shone.

Through the “Chivalry Legacy” engraved in her soul, the legacy of saints who had defeated demons and heretics was invoked, and similarly, through the “Hero’s Trial Legacy,” the legacy of “those who saved cities” and “those who defeated monsters” supported her.

Her ethereal muscles, tempered by the Reverse Muscle Technique, began to bulk up, and her ethereal brain, tempered by the Reverse Brain Method, reacted nimbly, gradually imbuing itself with a mysterious light. The spells stored in her spell sockets beforehand were none other than “Intense Light” and “Mystic Palm.”

As her mind entered the realm of emptiness once more due to the Immovable King Wisdom Technique, the golden light emanating from her body grew even more intense. Soon, the spirit Gabrielle flew in and embraced Sophia from behind.

[……!]

[Om (ॐ)!]

With a short mantra, the golden light extending from Sophia’s palms condensed, forming a massive golden palm. The palm slowly extended, beginning to burn away the evil energy filling the sky. The sight was as majestic as a divine hand sweeping away the evil and darkness from the heavens.

However…

{It’s a bit lacking. I won’t be able to stop it.}

With a mind as tranquil as ever due to the technique, Sophia thought. The golden palm was burning away the ominous and evil energy in the sky as Sophia intended, but it was slightly insufficient to completely eradicate the energy filling the sky.

To be precise, the power was more than enough, but the range was lacking. If she were to explode the palm, she might be able to cover the lacking range, but that would result in a loss of precision, allowing some energy to leak out.

Thus, some of the energy Sophia couldn’t handle in time spread aimlessly across the continent, while the rest spread uniformly across Agnon. Fortunately, thanks to the barrier Conra and Hildegard had completed earlier, the area where the citizens were located was spared, but Sophia still couldn’t smile.

Soon after, an undeniable anomaly occurred.

The corpses of monsters and the monsters that had been incapacitated while still alive began to move, transforming like jelly.

Having just expended a massive amount of energy, Sophia couldn’t immediately react. While she could recover her condition in just a few breaths given her level, those few breaths now acted as a barrier preventing her from moving.

And in those few breaths while Sophia was immobilized, the jelly-like monsters finally began to gather in one place.

The sight of them clumping together like clay proceeded at a surreal speed. By the time Sophia recovered her strength and drew her longsword, ready to fight, they had already formed a massive and concrete shape.

“Another giant monster battle?”

Hildegard muttered weakly as she watched from within the barrier. Conra also nodded unconsciously. Having faced the Bronze Giant in the dungeon and now this, it seemed they were about to engage in their second giant monster battle in less than a month.

Still, having some experience, it might be a bit easier, right? Conra thought so, but upon comparing the Bronze Giant they had faced before with the giant monster now revealed, it was clear that the Bronze Giant was much smaller in size.

The fully revealed form resembled a massive dragon. It had two pairs of membranous wings, a body covered in armor-like scales, and cracks in its skin resembling plowed fields, from which the cold of the abyss and the heat of lava alternately seeped. Twisted metal plates, chains, and screws held its body together, and each of its three heads had a hundred eyes.

From its jaw, tentacles resembling those of an octopus or squid grew like whiskers, writhing. Its head had bumpy protrusions and a plate resembling a triceratops, and each head had eight horns resembling those of a rhinoceros, aurochs, impala, and mountain goat. From the edges of its dragonfly-like beak, massive tusks reminiscent of a mammoth protruded.

Sulfur gas leaked from its mouth, and acidic drool dripped, making its repulsive appearance even more disgusting.

Its upper body resembled that of a human. It had three pairs of arms, each holding an Elemental corrupted by the demon’s impure magic, glowing seductively and writhing as if about to explode. Each arm tightly gripped the Elementals, ready to hurl them like bombs at any moment.

Its lower body resembled that of a dragon. Four short but sturdy forelegs and a pair of strong, elastic hind legs supported its massive body.

Lightning flashed above its head, storms gathered beneath its wings, and earthquakes rumbled beneath its feet. Seeing this being before her, Sophia spoke:

[Sorry, but you two need to evacuate the survivors first. This place is about to become a real danger zone.]

“What about you!?”

“That’s right! Master, you should evacuate too!”

In response to Hildegard and Conra’s shocked reactions, Sophia smiled serenely and replied:

[I need to hold that thing back. Once the survivors are evacuated, come help immediately. Hurry. If you’re late, I might end up dealing with it myself.]

Despite facing a difficult opponent, Sophia’s lips curled confidently. She couldn’t help it.

This kind of battle was exactly what she had longed for since her past life.

 

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