As the Flame Spear exploded along with the giant, the entire dreamlike battlefield vanished. Light and shadow shifted before Helene's eyes, and she soon found herself still standing on the beach late at night. Before her was Tracy, struggling incessantly with all four limbs bound, and Shermane, who wore a cold expression as she pressed a dagger firmly against Tracy's neck, drawing a thin line of blood.
Helene herself was drenched in sweat, her whole body burning hot. The heat even evaporated her sweat, sending up thick vapor that shrouded the surrounding area in mist.
As the mist dispersed in the sea breeze and her body temperature returned to normal, Helene felt her scattered spirituality slowly return to her body, calming the madness and ferocity in her emerald eyes.
Even so, the furious cries of both sides as they clashed in a desperate battle still echoed in her ears. The exhilaration of transforming into a Flame Spear and piercing the giant that represented Tracy's fear and hatred of her still lingered in her body.
Now, I've become a Reaper...
Helene slowly exhaled a breath of scorching air. Looking at Tracy, whose face still bore tear stains and whose eyes were stretched almost to bursting as she glared at her, she said:
"I did use you to complete my Promotion Ritual. Consider it revenge for what you did before. Besides, you should have digested your Affliction potion through this too... Have you ever wondered why your mother told you Miss Angelica was away, reassuring you enough to come to the Southern Continent and intercept my Red Haired Woman?"
After advancing, Helene's powers of insight as a Conspirer had improved considerably. A brief review of the night's events was enough for her to identify the key reason her opponent had been so