The moment Yuki's proclamation fell, under the watchful eyes of Lilis and the others, the entire horde of goblins in the cave vanished into nothingness, as if they had never existed at all.
The massive army of goblins, with numbers rivaling a nation's military, was swept away in an instant. It felt as if they had never been part of this world. If not for the tools, weapons, and other traces of goblin life left behind, everyone would have believed goblins never existed in the first place.
"Th-those goblins... are they really gone?!"
"It's similar to what happened earlier!"
"So... is our mission complete?"
They whispered among themselves.
Beside them, Lilis gazed at Yuki with utter adoration, her sapphire-blue eyes sparkling like stars. That proclamation from Yuki moments ago was no less than a divine decree.
In her eyes, it carried more majesty than any god, more deserving of being called an oracle than the Supreme God she once believed in.
The Elf Ranger watched Yuki, her eyes filled with a probing light. That proclamation had made her feel as if she were standing before a deity, leading her to certain speculations.
With the goblins dealt with, Yuki quickly dispelled the spatial transposition, returning everyone to the normal world.
As they reappeared in the cavern, the dozens of broken, tortured women seemed to sense something. They began calling out to Yuki's group.
But their pleas were not for rescue. They were pleas for release.
"Please... help us find peace!"
"Help us, we beg you!"
"Sniff... after hearing that divine voice just now, the hatred I felt for the goblins vanished. It seems even the gods couldn't bear our suffering and destroyed those beasts! Sniff... that's wonderful!"
"We have no will to live anymore. Please..."
Faced with these pleas, Lilis and the others fell into a heavy silence.
"Isn't it better to be alive? Why seek death?"
"That's right, we can save you now. Your injuries just need..." the Warrior leader and the Wizard began, but were quickly cut off.
"You don't understand!"
"You have no idea what we've been through!"
"The psychological torment those beasts inflicted is far worse than the physical!"
"Every day, they would..."
Through the women's heart-wrenching sobs and broken words, the adventurers pieced together fragments of the horrors they had endured.
Everyone who listened trembled, their faces flushed with rage.
"Damned beasts!" The Warrior leader smashed a fist into the stone wall. The others' faces were also filled with fury towards the goblins and a profound sympathy and helplessness for the victims.
Such victims... it was impossible to imagine how many existed throughout the world. The physical wounds were one thing, but the psychological trauma was far deeper. It wasn't something a simple healing spell could fix.
Women like these, who had lost the will to live, would forever be trapped in the shadows of their trauma, even if they physically survived. For them, that wasn't necessarily a blessing.
"Is there really no other way?" The Elf Ranger's typically stoic face showed a flicker of pity, her voice full of compassion. Her eyes turned towards Yuki, as if silently asking him.
Noticing her gaze, Yuki's lips curved into a slight smile. "There is, of course, a way. It depends on how strong their desire to live truly is."
He then looked at the dozens of women and sighed softly. "I can heal your bodies and permanently erase these memories. I can grant you a painless release. Or, I can simply heal your bodies and let you continue living with these memories. So, which will you choose?"
Yuki offered three choices, respecting whatever decision they made.
Upon hearing his voice, several of the women suddenly found it familiar.
"It's you!"
"That voice that judged those beasts... it was you!!!"
"You avenged us! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
They recognized him immediately by his voice.
It was no wonder they could identify him so quickly. Throughout their captivity, that proclamation had been a heavenly melody, a sound they would never forget—the voice that had made them witness the extinction of their tormentors and brought them vengeance.
"No need for that," Yuki said, gesturing for them to rise. "Just make your final choice."
"Our choice has always been the same."
"Yes, only that can bring us peace."
The women exchanged glances, their eyes filled with unwavering resolve as they looked at Yuki.
"I understand. In that case, I shall grant your wish."
Yuki nodded gently and raised a hand. As he did so, a soft light enveloped each of the women.
The light was incredibly warm, bringing an unparalleled sense of peace and calm. For the first time in a long while, a serene smile graced the faces of the women. As one, they bowed deeply to Yuki in silent gratitude, thanking him for allowing their final moments to be filled not with agony, but with tranquility and warmth.
Though Lilis and the others felt a pang of sorrow at their choice, they understood. Having endured such horrors and lost the will to live, choosing peace was their final refuge. They stood in respectful silence, witnessing the scene.
"Rest assured, I have eliminated every single goblin in this world."
As Yuki's words fell, the pitiful women, enveloped in the gentle light, dissolved into shimmering motes of luminescence, fading from sight before everyone.
With this done, Yuki snapped his fingers, transporting the entire group of adventurers back to the city. After a brief conversation, they parted ways with Yuki to report the completed mission at the Adventurer's Guild.
Seizing this moment, Yuki opened the chat group interface.
The group chat was still buzzing, but the topic of discussion had shifted to another new member—the one called "Sealed Maiden." Since joining the chat, she hadn't uttered a single word, which had piqued everyone's curiosity. They were all trying to get her attention, but she remained as unresponsive as her name suggested, seemingly sealed away.
Lilis, who had stayed with Yuki instead of going to the Guild, looked at him curiously. "Is it possible this new member who joined with me is actually in a state of being sealed?"
"Most likely. I'll need to check the specifics." Yuki nodded and opened her member information.
[Name: March 7th] [Alias: Sealed Maiden] [World: Honkai: Star Rail] [Status: Sealed in Six-Phased Ice]
Seeing the world listed next to her name, Yuki paused in surprise.
The world of Honkai: Star Rail?
He truly hadn't expected another character from a miHoYo world to join.