Chapter 42: A Spark of Hope Amidst the Ice
One of the exorcists said coldly, "That's just a mask. She carries the blood of the impure fallen—it's a demon!"
But Ji Lin stepped forward, his eyes shining with unwavering resolve. "So what? Blood doesn't make someone evil. She hasn't done anything wrong."
The girl froze in place, staring at Ji Lin—the stranger who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere to protect her life.
For a moment… she couldn't move. She couldn't speak.
Why is he helping her? Why risk himself for someone he doesn't even know?
A spark of hope ignited in her heart, a feeling she thought the world had crushed long ago.
Perhaps… she wasn't completely alone. Perhaps someone still cared about her.
Bitterness mingled with gratitude in her small chest, yet she had long learned not to cry.
All she did was stare at Ji Lin's back, imprinting his features deeply into her heart.
…
Here's a faithful English translation in the light novel/manhwa style, keeping all drama, tension, and original wording intact:
The leader of the exorcists said sternly, "That's just a mask. She carries the blood of the impure fallen—it's a demon!"
Ji Lin replied firmly, his eyes blazing, "So what? Blood doesn't make someone evil. She hasn't done anything wrong."
The girl stared at Ji Lin—the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere to protect her life. For a moment, she couldn't move. She couldn't speak.
Why is he helping her? Why risk himself for someone he doesn't even know?
A spark of hope ignited in her chest—a feeling she thought the world had long since crushed.
Perhaps she wasn't completely abandoned. Perhaps someone still cared about her.
Bitterness mixed with gratitude in her heart, yet she had learned not to cry. All she did was stare at Ji Lin's back, memorizing his silhouette carefully.
One of the exorcists spoke, "Boy, step aside. You're no match for us. Don't obstruct the path of justice."
Ji Lin squared his shoulders and raised his hand in readiness. "I know I can't defeat you. But… I won't let you pass."
The exorcist leader's eyes narrowed, his voice dropping to a deadly coldness. "Do you really think you can stop us?"
Ji Lin replied with a deadly smile, "Well… I'm just joking. But if you don't leave, I'll erase you and the Himijima family from this world and all parallel universes."
At those words, the fighting spirit of the Ice Jade Scorpion Empress surged behind him—a terrifying, overwhelming force sweeping through the area.
From beneath his feet, absolute ice began spreading across the ground, freezing everything in its path.
At the same time, without hesitation, Ji Lin activated his first spiritual ring skill: Claw of the Ice Jade Scorpion Empress.
His hands and forearms transformed into the claws of the Ice Jade Scorpion Empress, his power increasing dramatically.
Then he activated his second skill: Shield of the Ice Empress—a purely defensive ability, covering his entire body with incredibly solid ice crystals.
Now… Ji Lin stood there, a majestic red aura rising from his rings, firmly positioned between the girl and the exorcists, like an unbreakable wall of ice.
The exorcists trembled in shock, while the girl gasped, hands covering her mouth, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Boy… are you human, or… a monster?"
The leader's voice trembled, taut with doubt.
"Alright… shall we begin?
Whoever doesn't want their life… step forward."
Silence fell—thick, suffocating. Beads of sweat slid down the exorcists' backs.
Time seemed to stretch… until finally, the exorcist leader spoke.
"Leave."
He turned and walked away.
"Our lord!"
The others protested, but none dared to defy him. They cast poisoned glares at Ji Lin and the girl, then followed their leader into the depths of the night.
Ji Lin exhaled in long, ragged breaths.
He had risked his life—and won. He didn't know why the exorcists had backed down, but he had seized the only opportunity he had.
At that moment, Ji Lin spoke. His voice soft:
"This is my name. What's yours?"
He turned to the girl, gentle in tone.
She stared at him, lips trembling, before finally managing to speak:
"A… Akino. Akino Himijima…"
Akino Himijima. That was her name.
The daughter of a fallen and a human—destined to become the Thunder Priestess, the Queen alongside the crimson-haired Rias Grimoire. But now… she was just a lost girl, orphaned by hatred,shunned by the Himijima clan, wandering the world with no direction and no hope.
Ji Lin watched her silently, astonished.
"I am a master of a battle spirit," he said softly. "I roam the world to infinity."
He paused for a moment before asking, "And you? Do you have a goal? A place you want to go?"
He already knew the answer—but he wanted to hear it from her.
"I… I don't know."
Akino hugged her wounded spirit, shaking her head repeatedly.
Her mother's death had left a deep wound that would never heal. She didn't know what she wanted, or where she belonged. She drifted in aimless confusion, empty and lost.
Ji Lin studied her for a moment, then smiled.
"If you don't know… come with me. Let's see the cosmos and the infinite world together."
Akino lifted her gaze, astonishment written across her face.
"You… you don't hate me?"
"Hate you? Why would I do that?" he laughed, as if the very idea were absurd.
"Because… because I'm the daughter of a fallen and human. My blood… is impure."
Her voice trembled with self-loathing. She despised her wings, despised her lineage—they were the source of all her suffering.
Ji Lin knelt beside her, looking straight into her eyes.
"You're the daughter of a fallen and a human. That's no reason for a kind girl like you to hate herself."
He lightly tapped her forehead, smiling.
"Don't you think… this is fate, Akino?"
Shock registered across her face. The boy who had saved her… did not hate her.
Ji Lin extended his hand toward her.
"So, Akino—will you come with me? Will you be my companion?"
Akino stared at him, lost in the sincerity of his gaze. For the first time in a long while, something warm sparked in her cold, dark world—a beam of light piercing through the darkness.