"Thank me?"
"Yeah." The Blaze-haired Girl nodded. "This chick form is when my Combat Power is at its weakest, completely focused on healing and protecting others. Yet even in this form, I could defeat a true god's apostle at Sigma-rank (18). Looks like the power of path fusion really is strong."
"...Lord Lioz, you're not quite the same as before."
"Am I?" The girl shrugged. "Is it because I turned into a chick? Once I change back later, you'll recognize me again."
"No, Lord Lioz. Honestly, you've surprised me. Not because of your strength—your current power really is formidable—but compared to the agent who casually wiped out dragon civilization and faced Gaia head-on back then, you're still far behind."
Arthur leaned against the rock wall, no longer having the will to resist. The cloak on his body scattered in the wind, revealing a ruined face covered in burns and charred scars.
There were not many traces of porcelain on his body. Most of him looked exactly like a burned corpse.
Ordinary. Plain. Ugly.
It was hard to imagine that this was the apostle Xia Er Guiniya, the Goddess of Truth renowned for her beauty and elegance, had accepted—her strongest and most favored First Apostle.
The Blaze-haired Girl glanced at Arthur and smiled knowingly. "I thought you were just a simp. Looks like Xia Er Guiniya really was your savior."
"When I was born, when I died, and when I ascended to godhood, I went through three fires. In the end, I became this ugly. Yet Xia Er Guiniya never despised my ugliness. She believed in me. Even when she was still mortal, she ignored everyone's objections and kept ugly, helpless me by her side. We fought together. She washed my body and healed my wounds."
Arthur raised his head, his