"I’m surprised that Sage Nyau had such an interesting little secret hidden away. Regardless, it is impossible for the likes of you to defeat me."
With that, Elsie snapped her fingers.
In that instant, the left side of Ryune’s body shattered like torn paper. A spray of crimson droplets struck my cheek.
"You’ve got to be kidding..."
The words slipped out before I could stop them. I was reminded once again of the word she had used: God. There was no way to win against a being like this.
Despair began to seize my mind—but only for a second.
A thick black mist rose from Ryune’s form. Right before my eyes, her ruined left side began to knit back together. Flesh swelled, bones lengthened, and skin sealed over the wounds.
"...Oh?"
Elsie’s voice sounded foolishly small. Her eyes went wide, unable to mask her obvious agitation. Ryune’s physical body, which should have suffered a fatal blow, had regenerated in a heartbeat.
"Second Tier: Shadow Claw: Claw."
Ryune’s voice was low and heavy. Black claws sprouted from her hands as she lunged at Elsie like a predatory beast.
"I told you, it’s useless!"
Elsie screamed as a portion of Ryune's body erupted in an explosion. Yet, Ryune reconstructed herself in the blink of an eye and pressed the assault.
"Third Tier: Dark Array: Shadow Ring."
"Fourth Tier: Shadow Spear: Shadow Spear."
Ryune unleashed magic in a relentless stream. In response, Elsie barked, "Shut up!" as she tried to nullify the spells with counter-explosions.
No matter what damage Ryune took, she reconstructed herself instantly and continued to fire. It was a manic, relentless barrage. Elsie countered every strike with an explosion of her own, but the sheer volume was so immense that she couldn't block it all.
"Why? Why must I, a God, struggle this much against someone like you?!" Elsie shrieked.
A black blade finally grazed her face, drawing blood. She erased the wound instantly, possessing her own power to make light of any injury.
"That’s why you can’t win! Not in this space!"
In the next moment, Ryune's body was blown to smithereens by Elsie's counterattack. But she returned through the black mist with even more ferocity, her magic mounting in intensity. Before Elsie could recover her defense, a spear of shadow skewered her chest.
"Urgh...!"
Elsie tried to close the wound, but Ryune wouldn't give her a second to breathe. As if refusing to grant her even a moment of time, spell after spell poured down. The blood of both combatants danced in the air, staining the floor red. The duel was no longer a mere exchange of magic; it had devolved into a raw, visceral brawl between monstrous entities.
"How?! Why, why, why?! This is my space! You shouldn't be allowed to defy my will!"
Elsie’s shout sounded more like a death rattle. The last traces of composure had vanished from her eyes. In its place dwelt pure madness and—terror.
"Tenth Tier: Magic Annihilation: Magicide."
Ryune’s voice sounded as if it were echoing from the bottom of an abyss. It carried a deep resonance I had never heard before. Suddenly, the space around her warped into a dark vacuum. The mana pouring out of her reached a realm that transcended human comprehension.
"Tenth Tier?! You shouldn't be able to cast such a...!"
Elsie’s voice shook. The arrogance was gone, replaced by pure, unadulterated fear. As the space around Ryune distorted, jet-black waves overflowed. Every time Elsie desperately moved her hands, the black waves split and multiplied, attacking faster and more violently than before.
"What... what on earth are you...?"
Elsie’s final words vanished into the air. The self-proclaimed God was powerless before this overwhelming mana. The black waves eroded her very existence, consuming her as if she were mere prey.
Elsie melted away like the flame of a candle, her entire presence erased by the magic Ryune had unleashed.
When the dust settled, I realized that my heart had returned to my chest, and my crushed legs were whole again. I didn't understand the causality behind it, but it was clear that Ryune’s victory had restored me.
However, my relief froze in an instant.
Ryune was slowly turning around.
The being that had once been Ryune looked down at me with cold, detached eyes. Jet-black horns grew from her forehead, and her pupils had transformed into thin, reptilian slits. Her maid outfit was in tatters from the battle, revealing glimpses of her skin, but there was no human warmth left in her. The look she directed at me was that of a complete stranger.
"Ryune? It's you, right?"
I called out, clinging to a sliver of hope. Her appearance was far from human, but her heart had to be the same. She had fought to protect me, hadn't she?
"Dark Magic, First Tier: Shadow Blade: Blade."
She spoke the words flatly.
I realized then that my hopes were crumbling in vain. Her golden eyes flashed a predatory red, and in the next heartbeat, she lunged. The jet-black blade swung down toward me.