Orphelia had grown stronger! Her Prana surged once more, overwhelming Elise!
The venomous mist spread wildly, like a demon trying to drag an angel down into hell.
Of course, all of this assumed one thing—Elise had yet to get serious.
Right now, she was pondering something important…
How should I win?
It wasn't because she was at a disadvantage. Rather, she was wondering what kind of victory would have the most dramatic impact!
It had to be dazzling!
It had to be stunning!
It had to be unforgettable!
An ordinary win wouldn't satisfy the audience. Though it would still generate considerable faith energy, it wouldn't achieve the effect Elise truly desired!
"If she had to struggle that much to win, maybe they were about equal in strength?" If the audience thought that, then all her effort would go to waste.
So she needed to win differently.
In short, she needed to put on a show!
The flashier, the better!
But she also couldn't compromise her image as a saintess.
Suddenly, an idea flashed through Elise's mind, and the corners of her lips curled into a charming smile.
She had figured out how to win!
...
Orphelia stood still, watching as the "angel" in the sky was engulfed by her poison. A hint of disappointment appeared on her face.
"Even someone this strong… can't change my fate?"
She had seen that Elise was far beyond ordinary strength—and part of her had hoped that fate could be rewritten.
But now, things had returned to how they'd always been.
Her overwhelming strength crushed everyone.
Even opponents who seemed evenly matched would soon be trampled beneath her. That was how she grew—again and again.
Fate hadn't disappeared—it had only grown stronger.
So in the end… should I choose that path after all?
Even if this body no longer matters… I still want to do something…
BOOM—!
A golden pillar of light pierced through the miasma, causing the crowd—who had lost faith in Elise—to cry out in astonishment.
And Orphelia's gaze returned to her once more.
"Don't make that face. It really doesn't suit you!" declared the Saintess floating in the air. The Prana surrounding her grew even stronger!
"..." Orphelia stared in a daze. "I'm just following fate."
Elise seemed to notice the flicker of sorrow in Orphelia's eyes, and her aura surged.
"If that's how you truly feel… then let me be the one to break—no, save—your fate!"
Sacred Speech!
"Answer me, Elysia!"
Elise flared her wings wide—and in an instant, they scattered into countless motes of light, gathering into radiant spears.
At the same time, Orphelia's poison exploded upward, forming a massive purple hand that lunged toward the airborne Saintess.
"Go!"
With her command, the light-spears launched. The moment they collided with the purple hand, they forced it back—then drove it down into the earth, pinning the entire area Orphelia stood in!
"What is this…?"
Sensing something was wrong with her body, Orphelia tried to move—but no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't budge!
Above, the Saintess was already making her next move!
She raised her right hand—countless streams of Prana and faith gathered into a single energy sphere. When she clenched her palm, it burst apart—but instead of causing any visible destruction…
A massive image appeared!
It captivated every viewer, whether in the arena or watching through the broadcast—even the commentators fell silent.
At the center of the glowing mural was Elise in her saintess robes, hands together in a devout prayer.
It looked exactly like the kind of painting one would find in a cathedral!
In an instant, the image shattered like glass—revealing a colossal figure before everyone's eyes. It was a person everyone recognized: Elise herself! And the attire she wore matched the one from the mural exactly!
A giant Elise?!
Some in the audience could only see her massive form; others were just stunned silent.
As for the real Elise, she floated before her towering avatar, arms raised in the posture of drawing a bow. Her enormous double mirrored her perfectly. Golden energy gathered at their fingertips, forming an immense bow and arrow.
"With this, you'll have a brand-new future, Orphelia!"
As the words left her lips—the arrow was released!
And Elise's real body launched alongside it!
Target: Orphelia!
But in that moment, Orphelia didn't seem to hear a word. She simply stared blankly at the massive avatar of Elise and the light bathing the entire stage. Then… she reached out her hands.
At that moment, she looked like a devout believer witnessing a goddess, her cheeks flushed unnaturally red.
"Saintess… Saintess…"
"Elise Holiness…"
"If it's you… you can definitely save the world, can't you?"
In the next instant, the enormous golden arrow struck her. A massive shockwave burst out from the impact point, centered on Orphelia. The blinding light made it impossible to even look at the stage—everyone had to wait for the announcer to reveal the results.
...
In a world where nothing existed but pure white, Elise sat on her knees while Orphelia lay with her head in Elise's lap, staring dazedly at the scene.
"Your future is no longer bound. Your fate is no longer shrouded in darkness."
The blindfolded Saintess gently stroked Orphelia's soft white hair, speaking in a quiet tone.
Orphelia, lying in her lap, couldn't move. All she could do was listen—accepting whatever the Saintess said or did.
If it were some random male transmigrator, perhaps this would've turned into a lewd scene.
Orphelia didn't resist. Her eyes were hazy, her body unmoving—this truly was the perfect ecchi setting.
Not to mention… Orphelia had white hair and red eyes. White hair and red eyes! Tell me that's not a turn-on!
But Elise was different. She had desires, yes—but she could restrain them.
Sometimes, she would even steel herself to do things she detested.
Now, as Orphelia stared up at her with dazed eyes, the Saintess leaned down and gently kissed her on the forehead.
"This is my blessing to you… Orphelia."
At that moment, the space began to fade. Orphelia was finally able to move again. She hurriedly reached out, trying to touch the Saintess.
But the space collapsed faster than she expected, and just before her hand could reach Elise—she was pulled away.
When she came to, Elise was setting her down in a princess carry.
Feeling the softness of the body that had held her, Orphelia's expression completely fell apart—shyness radiated from her face.
…Which caused a certain red-haired girl watching from the sidelines to grind her teeth in frustration.