"The final match of the Lindvolus Festa… officially begins!"
…
Just like in all her previous matches, Orphelia Landlufen stood perfectly still. Elise did the same. The two finalists simply faced one another in silence.
Even though the host had already announced the start of the match, neither of them made a move. What was going on?
That was what most of the audience was wondering. But there was a reason. After all, the vast majority of people in this world were still ordinary humans—without the ability to sense Prana, they couldn't perceive the energy swirling onstage.
Only the Genestella could feel it.
A power that could tear the world asunder—was clashing on that stage.
Crack—
At last, a sharp, brittle sound rang out, drawing the attention of the spectators.
It was the sound of something shattering—clear and piercing.
The source of the sound: the protective barrier around the stage, the very shield meant to keep the audience safe.
Boom—!
The barrier shattered from the sheer pressure of the Prana collision between the two contestants. Even some of the Genestella in the audience were awestruck—this was their first time witnessing the true scale of an "out-of-spec" battle.
They were just standing there. And yet they were already capable of annihilating everything around them.
"Can you overturn my fate?"
A girl's voice rang out. It was the first time Orphelia had spoken since entering the Lindvolus Festa.
"I don't know," Elise replied with complete honesty. Having only read parts of the original storyline, she had no idea what Orphelia's so-called "fate" entailed. Recklessly answering might cause trouble. But one thing was certain—
There was something the Saintess had to do now.
"Your eyes carry sorrow. Your heart cries in silence. That's why… I will save you."
The words sounded familiar. Someone close to her had once said the same to her. But this was different.
Orphelia could feel the overwhelming strength in the girl before her—far beyond anything her old friend could compare to.
This was true power.
"I see..."
For the first time ever, a smile broke across Orphelia's perpetually mournful face. Though the energy surrounding her remained terrifying, her smile was genuine.
The audience was stunned. Orphelia… can smile?
Elsewhere, a red-haired girl watching the match bit her lip, feeling like something had just been taken from her. Meanwhile, Dirk Eberwein, chairman of Rewolf Black Institute, furrowed his brow.
"Elise Holiness… the Saintess, is it?" he murmured quietly.
Then, Orphelia looked at Elise with new seriousness. "Shall we begin, then?"
"Yes. Let's."
Their exchange didn't feel like two enemies at odds. Instead, it was calm—like two longtime friends. But the protective barrier around them cracked again, sending a clear signal:
The battle had begun!
Dozens of giant, purple hands erupted around Orphelia, thrashing violently in the air. At the same time, a poisonous miasma began to spread outward.
The sheer scale of her opening move was terrifying. But Elise wasn't standing still either.
Blindfolded, the Saintess dropped to her knees, pressed her hands together, and began to pray. Many spectators were confused—until the next moment.
Countless golden lights burst forth from Elise's body, gathering into a storm of radiant blades that rotated in the air.
And then, as if by agreement, both moved at once.
Boom!
Light blades and giant hands clashed wildly onstage. For a time, their powers were evenly matched.
...
Elise had opened the fight with "Ultra Instinct," but in truth, that was just a feint.
In truth, Elise's actual combat technique wasn't all that strong. In a Festa filled with powerhouses, her technique could even be considered subpar.
Without her faith, Elise was weak.
But this was intentional. It created a misconception in her opponents.
She's strong in close combat—don't get near her!
Of course, there were always a few hotheads who charged in just because someone looked strong, but Elise had done her research. The reckless brutes from Jie Long weren't facing her in this bracket.
Overall, the strategy was highly effective. Most opponents stayed at range unless they specialized in melee combat.
Orphelia was no exception.
In the early stages of Rewolf Black's ranking battles, Orphelia's Prana had been unstable. Her poisonous miasma occasionally left openings, allowing opponents to get close—she nearly lost a match because of it.
This exposed her weakness: Orphelia was vulnerable in close quarters. Get close, and you could defeat her.
This became common knowledge at Rewolf Black.
Eventually, Orphelia grew stronger—strong enough to disregard those weaknesses altogether.
But now, Elise had re-exposed that problem.
Could Orphelia truly defend herself against a skilled hand-to-hand fighter?
Even she wasn't sure. So she had come prepared.
She now gripped a scythe-shaped Lux in her hands. It didn't seem especially useful in Elise's eyes, but perhaps holding it gave the girl a sense of security.
That was why Elise didn't use "Ultra Instinct" now. Instead, she chose to engage Orphelia directly!
Back on the battlefield—
Light blades and venomous mist clashed midair. Countless eyes were glued to the spectacle, afraid to blink.
"Still standing? That's wonderful!"
Seeing Elise resist where others had fallen, Orphelia genuinely felt happy for her.
Whenever she used her powers, the poison leaked uncontrollably. Most of her past opponents had succumbed to it. Fortunately, there were never serious injuries.
But Elise had endured for this long? Or perhaps…
"She can neutralize the miasma?"
Each time the golden blades struck the poison, they seemed to dispel the gas. On top of that, Elise had conjured a glowing gold barrier around herself—the miasma couldn't touch her.
"But… that's still not enough. Not enough to overturn fate!"
Orphelia's expression grew serious. Her poison thickened drastically, overwhelming the golden blades in seconds and rushing toward Elise.
Boom—!
Dozens of purple hands lunged toward Elise's prayer circle—landing their strikes simultaneously.
The crowd erupted in screams. But Orphelia didn't even look. Her gaze turned upward.
There, an "angel" flapped its pure white wings.
Sacred Speech!
"Simulate: Angel!"
It granted a temporary boost to her light-based power—and granted her flight through those wings.
Golden blades reappeared, once again clashing with the miasma.
But this time, something was different.
There was no longer a balance.
Darkness overwhelmed the light!
What was going on?
Even the host looked completely baffled. But sitting beside her, Tracy understood.
And yet, even he found it hard to believe.
Orphelia had grown stronger—right in the middle of her battle with Elise!
And the extent of that growth… was astonishing.