[It's the Holy Maiden, the holy maiden is here!]
"Charge! Break everything that blocks our way!"
Shouts instantly filled the quiet holy region. The paladins resisted with their shields and spears, but they struggled to defend, even in this place where their holy power was amplified.
Na YuNa looked at the invaders and the paladins who were doing their best to protect the holy region, the holy maiden, and the pope. She couldn't bear to lift her foot off the ground.
"...I can't leave."
"You cannot throw away your limitless potential here. Run away with HaJin. He will protect you well."
"I can't do that. I'm the holy maiden. As long as the people try to protect me, I must never be the first to abandon them!"
"No."
Perhaps the pope gave him a signal? Kang HaJin left the ranks of paladins and approached her.
"The church will only be able to survive if you live on. Her Holiness is saying that. And we all want that to happen."
"Oppa....!"
Na YuNa's voice shook. However, her words could not continue. A giant monster that flew from afar had clashed with the ranks of paladins.
[Kwhaaaaaaaaaah!]
[It's blood! Hihih, it's the blood of the strong!]
"Kill and trample them all! Break that contemptible symbol of the goddess!"
"The beautiful holy maiden is in front of us! I shall allow a night with the maiden to the one that proves his bravery!"
"Uooooooh!"
The army that became stronger than when they fought before pushed themselves into the holy region. There were three that were easily over level 250!
The paladins tried their best to fight back, but it was impossible. Even with Na YuNa's blessing, there was a massive gap between them and the paladins.
"YuNa, go before it's too late!" The pope shouted while making her holy powers go wild. Moreover, Kang HaJin ran at her as if he would use force if it came down to it. However, if she left here, the ranks of paladins would crumble instantly. She couldn't retreat while knowing that.
"No, I don't want to...! I'll live my own!"
"Don't you want to see Mr. Yu IlHan!? You need to survive in order to meet him or do anything!"
At that time, Kang HaJin's voice finally made Na YuNa burst into tears. He had basically slapped her face when she wanted to cry.
"I do. I want to see him....! Isn't that obvious!"
She was holding onto the communication device as she spoke. Even though she knew that nothing would be solved. She still pressed the button.
[Kgwaaaaaaaaah!]
"Destroy everything! This is the reality of the religion that ruled over you all! It's utterly, tragically weak and cowardly! The one that led you all is but a scarecrow!"
"Eeeeek, protect the holy region! Exterminate that felon!"
"YuNa!"
"Then hurry, we have no time to waste!"
"But....!"
In the past 3 years, she had wanted to see him a lot. However, with the communication device he had given her, she could neither see his face nor hear his voice.
Would he be in any better situation than she is right now? 1 It was a world that made Yu IlHan as strong as he is. He would have a harder time than her if anything! Na YuNa didn't want to worry him, so she didn't even turn the communication device on until now.
"I want to see him badly, but even so!"
Wouldn't it be fine to call him for one last time?
Shouldn't it be fine to tell him the fact that the woman called Na YuNa remembered and longed for him until her death? Wouldn't Yu IlHan find this much selfishness cute?
"But even so, I!"
"Na YuNa!"
Yu IlHan would definitely do that. Even while acting as if it were annoying, he would wordlessly harbour her memories in one corner of his heart.
Na YuNa decided to believe so. If not, she wouldn't be able to close her eyes in relief.
Believing that, Na YuNa stepped forward and shouted, as if to shake off all her hesitation.
"I'm the holy maiden of Leytna~!"
The moment her voice echoed in the region, the pope's crown glowed brightly as if it had found its owner after a long wait.
With the temple as the center, the entire holy region trembled as if to answer her.
[Krrrrrrr?]
[Resistance, uncomfortable power...!]
That, combined with Na YuNa's overwhelming holy power, amplified each other's strength and filled the region. And eventually, the entire holy region was filled with pink aura.
"How? You're still 3rd class though…..!'
"Lady, Leytna...?"
Kang HaJin and the pope became speechless at that sight. The army that intruded into the holy region was no exception.
"Lady Leytna has..."
"Aah, just what was I doing until now?"
In the face of the enormous amount of holy power that was nigh-impossible for a single person to emit, everyone lost their will to fight.
Even the monsters retreated, so what else was needed to say? The current Na YuNa, emitting an aura while resonating with the entire temple at the center of the holy region, was no different from a god.
[You have mastered the skill, High-class Holy power control. The skill may evolve if you satisfy the evolution criteria.]
[You have mastered the skill, High-class blessing. The skill may evolve if you satisfy the evolution criteria.]
[You have acquired the title, 'Master of Miracles'. All holy-power-class skills get a 30% boost in effectiveness.]
With enough levels, she would have already become 4th class. The one with the talent to become the hope of Earth if you exclude Yu IlHan – her talent had already blossomed plenty already.
"THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT STILL BELIEVE IN ME. I CAN'T POSSIBLY RUN AWAY!"
Na YuNa's voice thundered across the holy region, carrying a surge of holy power that helped her allies recover while weakening her enemies.
"THIS IS THE LIFE I'VE DECIDED ON! I WON'T RETREAT, I WON'T RUN!"
The light intensified. The paladins felt as if their bodies had evolved by a tier. And on the other hand, the enemies were weakened. They did not miss this opportunity to exact revenge on those who tried to taint the holy region.
"Lady Leytna is watching over us!"
"The voice of the maiden is wrapping us warmly. What do we have to fear? We are protecting true beauty!"
That light definitely would not last forever. Even while knowing that, the paladins raised their morale and defeated the enemies. Right now, everyone was shining brightly. They would also shine brightly until the very moment they die.
"Aaah, aaaaah."
"Na YuNa, you idiot..."
Yes, who could stop her stubbornness? They should've realized that things would turn out like this from the very beginning.
Kang HaJin turned around with a bitter smile. She was always like this; a princess who would only be satisfied when things went her way. A stubborn kid who had to do what she decided, even if it meant she'd die.
That was why Kang HaJin liked her a lot. To speak the truth, he almost fell in love with her for real several times.
"Mr. Yu IlHan, what are you going to do about this?"
You'll regret it if you let such a woman die.
Kang HaJin muttered those words, which no one would hear, as he turned around. Then he called for the pope, who was crying as he looked at Na YuNa, who was resonating with the entire holy region after acquiring the pope's crown.
"Your Holiness."
"...Yes. Since things came to this, we don't have any choice. We'll leave behind the church in our deaths."
"I'm sorry that the holy maiden is so stubborn."
"No, that is why I find her more lovely. Fufu, yes. We also need to burn magnificently for one last time!
When the pope stepped forward with her staff, Kang HaJin also raised his sword and shield to protect Na YuNa.
He would not let Na YuNa die at least before he did. Although he was always the dunce with everyone else, at least he had to show a cool side to the holy maiden before his death, like a paladin!
[Whoa, they are all so weak!]
However, it seemed like fate would not let him look cool after all.
[I'll feel bad about bringing out the mirrors... Since it came to this… Go, master! I choose master!]
"You do it, duh. Do I really have to take my spear out against these weaklings?"
"Oh my, the arrogant IlHan is so cool too!"
Amid the pink holy region, a giant castle appeared as if it had just been born.
The castle cast an enormous shadow on the ground. It was enough to catch everyone's attention, and when it did, something popped out.
[Tch, master has a lovey-dovey time with a woman while I clean up mobs...! I ! hate! you!]
"Is that a mirror...? But why would a mirror be in the sky?"
The imperial soldier with the best eyesight realized it was a large mirror but did not understand its uses.
Even up to the moment a portion of the army was wiped out, including himself, by the high-density energy shot from it.
"...What was that?"
"What happened just now?"
This was a very unrealistic scene, so they could only have had a hard time processing it. A mirror? Shot a beam? And vaporized hundreds of people? Even 4th-class mages couldn't accomplish something like that!
[Ei, eih!]
However, the fact that whenever they heard a playful woman's voice, the mirror changed its trajectory to shoot more beams was also true. The beam only erased the people from the imperial army! The imperial army only came to themselves after losing tens of thousands of men.
"H, how can this be?"
"Retreat! Announce the retreat of the army!"
[Kwoaaaaaaah!]
The battlefield instantly fell into chaos. The imperial army's ranks scattered as if their forcefulness in proceeding to Elforce up to that point had been a lie. They ran with only the thought that they had to dodge those mirrors.
[I get works like these even in other worlds.]
However, that was not the end. That was because Mystic had retracted all the mirrors after seeing that a massacre was no longer possible.
"Kugh!"
"Kaghk!"
The plants, attractions, and other tools that composed the garden of the Flying fortress seemed to split into suitable sizes before sharpening their edges as they fell to the ground. Although they looked like they were falling everywhere, each and every one of them was aiming for one imperial soldier. This was practically a large-scale sniping operation.
"Ju, just what is….."
"It's only attacking the imperial army. Is that the blessing of Lady Leytna…..!?'
"Lady Leytna is protecting us!"
The Elforce army, like the imperial army at the beginning, fell into a panic. But when they saw that the Flying fortress was pinpoint-killing only the imperial soldiers, they recovered their calm and morale. Moreover, there was still Na YuNa's holy power! They would believe it if someone said that Leytna had descended in the form of a castle!
"This can't happen!"
"Retreat the army first! We need to report to His Majesty first!"
"No, then, my merits will….. Eeek, we need to bring that castle down somehow!"
"Monsters! It's your turn, move!"
When the unexpected situation had occurred, there were conflicts in the upper echelons of the army as well. Some said they had to preserve the army; some were blinded by merit; and some thought of using the monsters they had received from the Destruction Demon Army! Even as they were meeting, the imperial army's numbers were decreasing at a frightening rate.
[Kuhaaaaaah!]
[Do not block the sun, do not block our path!]
[Energy, I can feel a lustrous energy from there!]
The monsters over level 250 all started moving. These had made the Elforce army shudder in fear just by their mere existence! The paladins, enhanced by holy powers, tried to block them, clenching their teeth, but these monsters did not even try to face them.
[Get out.... get lost, from my vision!]
[Kuooooooooooh!]
The monsters leaped up high. The flying fortress's altitude was not that high right now. They say the ignorant were brave – they did not doubt for a second that they could make the flying fortress fall with their powers.
[Critical Hit!]
However, their bodies simultaneously burst into bits the next moment. Without any signs, they were covered by a brilliant white flame!
"Whew, that much is easy now."
"I don't really mind, but isn't it a little off to swing THAT like you would a toy hammer?"
In the place where the monsters exploded to their deaths, a man stood. Na YuNa, who had been watching the Flying Fortress since it appeared, could immediately recognize his figure.
The man was tall, had metallic wings on his back, and held a huge hammer that even one thousand burly men couldn't lift with one hand. The white flame burning at the tip of the hammer was proof that he had just killed the monsters.
[Master, why did you cancel your concealment?]
"The rest of these guys are one-hit kills even without it."
[How haughty.]
Na YuNa confirmed the man's face and voice. After that, she checked that she wasn't under any visual or auditory status ailment and shouted at the loudest voice she could manage.
"Mr. ILHANNN!"
The man who leapt through dimensions to look for her. The moment he heard that, Yu IlHan turned his head around to meet her eyes. His voice, neither loud nor small, could be heard in Na YuNa's ears.
"I'm here. Miss YuNa."
Na YuNa's heart thumped. Why was it? He looked much more handsome when she wasn't there. There were a lot of things she wanted to say if she got to meet him again, but she had forgotten them the moment she saw his face.
Originally, she shouldn't have been such a character; she should have reacted calmly, as if she knew he'd come to find her... but she couldn't even flinch, as if she were stunned.
"And since you've already waited for a long time, wait a little more, alright?"
Yu IlHan gave a cool reply to Na YuNa, who froze stiff on the spot, and lifted up his hammer. The hammer of disaster was over 100m in diameter. Both the imperial and Elfroce armies couldn't move under the sheer pressure of the hammer.
"Let's talk after I clean these guys up."
A white flame, more magnificent than before, once again burned at the hammer's tip.
Disaster descended upon the land.