Volume 6, Chapter 77 – A Splendid Fire That Forgot Fear

Hmm?

Just when Ruth thought she was about to be harmed by Absolute Evil, she suddenly discovered that the blazing white sun in the distance had stopped abruptly, seemingly saying something to another light spot beside it.

What is this…?

Although filled with doubts, Ruth breathed a sigh of relief. Absolute Evil’s mental magic could only last for less than two minutes. As long as that sun in the distance talked a bit more, she would be able to regain control of her body in two minutes. By then, not to mention slipping away, showing friendliness would definitely be no problem. As for whether the other party would pay attention to her, it could only be left to fate, but no matter what, it was better than provoking this sun. She didn’t feel she could escape in front of someone of this level at all. One must know, even Absolute Evil said that delaying too long might mean not being able to leave.

Then there is only one question left: who exactly is this person?

Boom!

Just as question marks popped up above Ruth’s head, a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering loud noise made her shudder. She hurriedly canceled the detection magic to look in the direction of the sun, and then her mouth opened wide enough to stuff an egg in an instant—because the control of her body wasn’t in her hands, she could only imagine opening her mouth wide.

What entered her eyes was a pitch-black rift that forcefully tore the earth apart. The space was like a shattered glass window revealing a huge gap. Following that, everything in the world was attracted by the rift, from sand and stones to shrubs, then ancient trees tens of meters high, and finally even the Chaos wave with overwhelming momentum poured backward into the rift. Standing from Ruth’s perspective, the scene before her eyes was simply like gravity reversed. Chaos flowed from the earth to the sky, and then was completely swallowed by the giant mouth in the air.

What magic is this again?

Ruth guessed the other party stopped to deal with the Chaos. Now, not only using magic that tore space to swallow Chaos, but also creating deep gullies on the earth to block the advance of the Chaos wave. This was undoubtedly a good thing, showing the other party knew the evil of Chaos. However, she couldn’t be happy. There were very few magics in this world she didn’t know, let alone people on the World Tree Continent stronger than her mother that she didn’t know about. Now that the two characteristics coincided in one person, she couldn’t help but feel terrified in her heart.

But now, it’s better to release more of this kind of unknown powerful magic. That way I will have more time to wait for the mental magic to disappear—Hah?

Just as the thought surfaced, Ruth discovered her body began to fly toward those two light spots in the distance. The action was simply like a fierce beast pouncing on food. Not only that, that sun also discovered her. She no longer focused her attention on dealing with Chaos, but flew straight toward Ruth.

Not good.

Very not good.

Ruth tried her best to concentrate, attempting to make her limbs move, at least not to rush toward Fia. But the Chaos Seed still pervaded her whole body; she couldn’t control her body at all. She even felt another evil Ruth in her body influencing her in turn. Thoughts full of desire for destruction and sadism constantly came, making her nauseous and terrified.

This evil Ruth’s brain definitely has problems.

Just as Ruth was gritting her teeth and cursing in her thoughts, she finally saw clearly the appearance of those two light spots—one was an elf with black twin-tails whom she had never met, and the other was the idiot Fire Cat whom she treated as an adopted daughter.

Leaving the black-haired elf aside, why is Nola here too!

If Ruth could move, she would have clawed her face hard with ten fingers, pulling her facial features out of shape. The reason she always hid behind the golden light screen was that she didn’t want her unthreatening girlish figure to be seen by Nola. She understood Nola respected her exceptionally, so she didn’t want this pink-haired, pink-eyed body full of girlishness to be seen by Nola. That way, it would be hard for her to use the identity of a Goddess to teach Nola in a tone full of maternity. Just thinking about it was full of incongruity.

No, as long as I don’t admit I’m Nola’s Goddess, my identity won’t be exposed. Anyway, Nola doesn’t know what I look like.

Comforting herself like this in her heart, Ruth tremblingly looked at herself and Nola from a bystander’s perspective. Now the distance between the two sides was less than ten meters. She saw the black-haired elf’s face clearly.

Except for the lack of development in the chest, the black-haired elf was exquisitely impeccable everywhere else. Elegance and coldness merged perfectly together. Even if she stood in front of her, she would feel ashamed of her inferiority. If her mother was the Queen commanding the undead, then the black-haired, black-skirted girl in front of her was the Grim Reaper bringing death.

“Another undead. Did you release this Chaos?”

Without asking for a name, Fia narrowed her eyes slightly. The amount of Chaos filling the Weeping Mountains was too huge; even using [Spatial Rift] was hard to stop the Chaos from advancing.

It’s Absolute Evil, Absolute Evil released it!

Ruth shouted in her heart, but her body didn’t listen to her command. Not only did she not defend herself, but she also arrogantly put her right hand on her chest, raised her chin, and looked at Fia with her nostrils.

“It is exactly me.” Then, Ruth turned her gaze to Nola at the side, her eyes full of mockery. “Only haven’t seen you for a few months, and you bring an outsider to crusade against me. Well done, Nola.”

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“Are you… Lady Goddess?”

Nola’s expression immediately became complicated.

“Exactly so.”

Exactly your head!

Ruth cursed loudly, but pity she had no way to deal with this stupid self.

Originally she could still muddle through, but now she couldn’t even muddle through.

Wait, admitting might not be a bad thing. Thinking positively, admitting I’m Nola’s Goddess means Nola and I are people on the same boat. The black-haired elf might be lenient to me. Wait until Absolute Evil’s magic ends, I can jump out and explain clearly.

No.

Ruth suddenly realized a fatal thing.

With Nola’s attachment to me, if Nola thinks I am on the evil side and have been “using” her all along, Nola will definitely have a mental breakdown and never recover—

Just as the thought surfaced, Nola’s murmur gave Ruth a blow to the head. The former looked complicated, her gaze gradually becoming firm.

“Is it really like this… Although not Helian, I had already thought of this possibility. I started to suspect your purpose from when the Flame Greatsword’s reaction was the same as before. Lady Goddess, I am very grateful that you saved my life, but I cannot accept you associating with Chaos, nor can I approve of you summoning Chaos to the World Tree Continent. Such a quantity of Chaos is tricky even for Fia to deal with, let alone ordinary people outside the forest! Please forgive my rudeness, I cannot sit by and watch this.”

Nola gripped the Flame Greatsword with both hands, the sword tip pointing at Ruth. There was both pain and determination in her purple eyes.

Evil Ruth smiled frivolously.

“You want to be my enemy? Without me, you are nothing.”

“I have found the person most important to me. She won’t abandon me; I believe in her.”

Huh?

Although Ruth hated herself for speaking rudely more, Nola’s change also left her dumbfounded. With her understanding of Nola, Nola had long regarded her as a spiritual pillar, a second mother. Now knowing “mother rebelled,” she should be in unbearable pain, even to the point of a mental breakdown. How could she suddenly defect on the battlefield? The process of change could even be described as flowing clouds and moving water. Nola clearly wasn’t such a person who betrayed easily. Shouldn’t she beg the black-haired elf for mercy?!

It must be said that the surprised person wasn’t just Ruth. Fia also looked at Nola with astonishment. If not for Nola saying words like “liking me is better off dead,” she would definitely think this was Nola confessing in a disguised form, saying shameful words with eyes full of determination, leaving people full of question marks.

Evil Ruth grinned hideously, her gaze shifting to Fia.

“Having a new lover and forgetting the old love, huh? In that case, let you die together with your lover!”

The aura of death gathered into a gray long spear in Evil Ruth’s hand. She turned into a meteor rushing straight at Nola. Nola subconsciously used the blade of the Flame Greatsword to block the spear tip. However, what she got was being instantly sent flying due to the difference in strength. If not for Fia going down to catch Nola at the critical moment, Nola would undoubtedly have fallen into the Chaos wave.

The pleasure of a successful strike filled Evil Ruth’s chest with joy. She looked at Nola and Fia falling behind her below, opening her arms toward the sky.

“This sense of liberation, and the power filling the whole body—!”

“Hey, what did you mean by that sentence just now?”

Before Evil Ruth could finish speaking, Ruth heard the conversation between Fia and Nola below. It seemed compared to fighting, Fia cared more about Nola’s confession.

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This leisureliness made even normal Ruth annoyed. I am performing shamefully here, yet the two people below are talking about love unhurriedly, completely not putting me, the Princess of the Kingdom of Death, in their eyes. Am I so unbearable?

Nola, pulled back by Fia with the Spatial Hand, blushed.

“Wh… What, what do you mean.”

“Just ‘I have found the person most important to me’. Do you really like…”

“What time is it now? Dealing with the strong enemy is important! There are countless Chaos waiting for us below!”

My daughter, you really don’t understand romance.

At this time you should say openly “That’s right, it’s just as you think, I like you!”, and then explode with the power of love to defeat the boss, instead of changing the topic stiffly.

That said, in the end, Nola actually hasn’t changed her sexual orientation, changing from liking a silver-haired human to liking this black-haired elf. Although Ruth is an undead and has no requirements for gender or even race, she knows clearly that beastmen don’t welcome same-sex marriage.

Really a stubborn daughter.

“These things count for nothing at all. You answer my question first.”

Because Nola’s performance was too weird, even Fia could detect something wrong. She pulled Nola toward herself with the Spatial Hand until there was less than a foot distance between their nose tips. Nola’s cheeks were red as a ripe apple, her eyes closed tightly. Fia could even see Nola’s eyelashes trembling constantly due to fear.

Oh oh, this expression is really nice. Worthy of being my daughter, stupid to the core. Isn’t it good to admit it honestly? Kiss her in one go!

The trapped Ruth constantly cheered for Nola, but the Evil Ruth outside was angry enough to spew fire from her eyes.

“Facing me and still daring to be distracted—Uh?”

As soon as Evil Ruth’s voice fell, she felt her hair and fine hairs standing on end. Followed by a numbness traveling on her skin and a fear that tightened her heart. She subconsciously observed the surroundings, and then discovered the sky-covering lightning spears flashing with blue-purple electric light behind Fia. These lightning spears grew rapidly as if they didn’t need to consume mana, quickly reaching a number comparable to her [Butterfly of Death Beyond the Shore]. Although [Butterfly of Death Beyond the Shore] was a high-tier magic, the power of a single butterfly wasn’t satisfactory. In contrast, every lightning spear appearing in front of her now had terrifying power. Even she, whose heart was filled with madness, couldn’t help but feel she might be shot into a hedgehog at any time.

Revealing obvious impatience in her eyes, Fia glanced sideways to warn Ruth.

“Shut up for me. Parasitized by a Chaos Seed yet completely unaware, and still daring to call yourself a Goddess like this.”

Ugh.

Ruth couldn’t help blushing. Fia spoke the truth; she couldn’t refute it at all. However, Evil Ruth didn’t think so. She became angry as if she didn’t see the sky full of lightning spears.

“What right do you have to talk about me!”

Not only that, Evil Ruth threw the gray long spear at Fia from afar. The speed faster than a meteor would pierce a large hole even if it were a dragon. However, Fia just raised her hand and blocked the gray long spear with [Celestial Guardian]. She frowned, even more displeased. From seeing the patterns on Ruth’s body and the Chaos Seed in her chest, she knew Ruth was controlled by the Chaos Seed just like Radric back then, so she didn’t want to haggle with Ruth. But now Ruth constantly disturbed her, really annoying.

She glanced at Nola who still closed her eyes as if going to the execution ground, and had an idea in her heart.

Knock this undead unconscious first, then take her back and use whipping.

While Fia was thinking, Evil Ruth raised the gray long spear condensed from the aura of death again.

“Then what about this!”

“[Mind Blast].”

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“You—!”

The terrifying air vibration arrived in front of Ruth. Before Ruth could react, her brain exploded with a loud bang as if a bomb had been thrown in. She opened her mouth wide, staring at Fia wanting to say something, but her consciousness disconnected instantly like a machine with the power pulled. Finally, her whole person fell straight toward the Chaos wave below.

Of course, before that, Fia scooped up this pink-haired, pink-eyed young miss with [Telekinesis]. The aura of death on Ruth was too thick, making Fia exceptionally dislike it. More accurately described, Fia felt Ruth had a subtle stench. She held her breath and threw Ruth, who was soft as if boneless, to Nola.

“Stop spacing out. There’s still Chaos below.”

“What… What did you do to Lady Goddess?”

“Just knocked unconscious. She was controlled by the Chaos Seed. Those words just now shouldn’t be her true thoughts. Also, the aura of death on her is too thick. You’d better use a rope to hang her up; don’t touch with your hands.”

“Controlled? Hang up with a rope? That’s too impolite! No, I’m completely fine with this level. The key is the Chaos below. Lady Goddess has already lost combat capability; why are they still advancing? Better go back and notify the people in the city to flee—”

When Nola turned around anxiously, Fia grabbed Nola and sighed with a helpless face.

“I have a question. Is Nola certain this undead is your Goddess?”

“Mm, the aura is exactly the same as before. More like Lady Goddess than that Darkborn claiming to be Helian.”

“Then no problem. This place is very far from Brinkat City…”

“What is Fia going to do?”

Nola widened her eyes slightly. She instinctively felt something big and bad was about to happen. This was the first time she saw Fia with an expression as if measuring something.

Fia coughed seriously twice, her expression becoming solemn.

“Cleaning up Chaos slowly, I don’t know when it will be finished. Maybe there will be fish slipping through the net. Rather than cleaning up step by step, it is better to eliminate future trouble once and for all.”

“Solve once and for all? There’s so much Chaos, are you talking nonsense?!”

Nola, holding Ruth with one hand, became anxious. She pointed to the earth below. Chaos had already spread five or six kilometers to the periphery of the forest. The distance in the left and right directions even exceeded the end of the field of vision. The earth was completely covered by black slime. She simply couldn’t imagine what kind of magic could solve so much Chaos at once. Even Fia couldn’t do it.

However, Fia just took out the Witch Badge from her pocket. As if showing it off, she pointed to the mushroom cloud on it.

“Do you know why I am called the Witch of Calamity Flame?”

“Eh?!”

This sentence again!

Almost instantly, Nola widened her eyes, and her heart followed suit, thumping non-stop. She associated it with the dream not long ago. Fia, who picked her up from the ground back then, also asked her this way. The only difference was that Fia back then had a cold face, while Fia now was smiling. She had a premonition that this confident smile would be engraved into her soul.

Am I dreaming…

Although Fia in the dream was very dashing, the current Fia is more charming.

I have already loved her to the point of being incurably ill.

“Now is not the time to space out, right?” Looking at the dumbfounded Nola, the bad premonition in Fia’s heart became stronger. She pinched Nola’s cat ears. “Originally I should have shown it to Claire too, but time is urgent, I can’t care about that much. Be careful not to be too far from me.”

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Not waiting for Nola to answer, Fia took a deep breath. She turned around and raised her right hand toward the direction of the abyss.

With the abyss as the center, the light radius should be able to clear the Chaos in the Weeping Mountains.

Then, let’s start.

[ Orbital Beacon Bombardment ]

Chanting that taboo code name in her heart, a white nebula slightly larger than usual appeared over the abyss.

Clearly the mana I put in is exactly the same as before, yet [Orbital Beacon Bombardment] is a size bigger than before? But even if it is a bit bigger, this level won’t affect Brinkat City.

“Fia, I’m a little uncomfortable, almost can’t breathe…”

Out of fear, Nola swallowed saliva looking at the white nebula with a radius exceeding one kilometer, subconsciously pinching Fia’s skirt hem.

“Just watch. Leaving now might make the magic fail.”

The nebula emitted an ear-piercing hum, and the silver spiral arms spun faster and faster. Later, the air even made a scorched smell appear on Nola and Fia’s clothes. Nola, sweating profusely, looked painful, her hand changing from pinching Fia’s skirt hem to gripping Fia’s wrist tightly.

Almost time.

“Nola, hold on to me tight.”

Looking solemn, Fia put her right arm around Nola’s waist, and her left hand took Ruth, whom Nola was still hugging tightly, holding one on each side while casting [Celestial Guardian].

Three seconds later, resounding through the sky, a blazing and splendid giant pillar of fire rose from the earth. No fireball was more dazzling than this. The heatwave and shockwave generated by the explosion swept through the Chaos instantly, destroying them in the blink of an eye with crushing momentum.

Although because of the high-speed galloping, Nola could only bury her head in Fia’s chest, just the aftermath brought by the magic made her understand what terrifying magic this was.

This is the true fire! Grand and blazing, making people tremble!

Clearly it was the fire she had always feared, yet Nola’s heart was only filled with joy and excitement. Even if it wasn’t cast by her, she was heartily happy. It seemed Fia’s strength was her strength. She completely forgot the fear of fire; filling her chest was only ecstasy. She raised her head, looking at Fia’s face with eyes full of excitement, even carrying admiration. Then, like a child discovering a new toy, she stretched her neck to look at the explosion.

“You… You are the Tenth—”

“Hey! Don’t look!”

“Ugh aaahhhhh! So painful! My eyes!”

“Told you not to look, idiot. I’ll heal you when we get back.”

If not for her hands not being free now, Fia would definitely pinch the cheeks of this stupid cat who buried her face in her chest with force.

And if she guessed correctly, this stupid cat probably fell for her.

Being charming is also a trouble… But the original love rival, now niece, falling in love with me, what on earth is this situation?

Invisible black lines covered Fia’s head. With a weird expression and one person in each hand, she left the boiling sound of wind far behind.