Overwhelming Battle
In that one in ten thousandth of a second.
Theresa's competent warrior spirit saved her; she didn't panic or waste time trying to figure out why the other person was alive.
The Judas's Oath once again withstood the attack.
If it weren't for the Soul Steel chains still remaining on the ground, Theresa would have had a hard time escaping this fate.
But the lingering shock didn't dispel the fear in her chest, and the girl forced herself to calm down.
We must keep our distance.
My current physical condition is constantly approaching that of an ordinary person, and an ordinary person's physical condition would be insufficient to survive normally in the current rising temperatures.
When Theresa chose to retreat swiftly and put it into action, Hiyori's state completely changed.
Crimson flames enveloped its shell, their vibrant color obscuring the view within.
This is bad.
My intuition is warning me.
Unable to endure this passive situation any longer, the girl conjured multiple Spear of Light, which pierced the enormous flame.
However, the extreme temperature was a natural barrier, and the high temperature easily melted the light spear, whose color was much dimmer than before.
Theresa watched this scene silently, realizing that the situation was spiraling out of control.
Just as she had concluded, when her strength began to wane while her opponent was still alive, her chances of winning became infinitely slim.
The scene before them changed in just a few breaths; the flowing fire, which had previously surged forth like a river, now seemed to have been completely absorbed by a whirlpool.
The girl saw the source.
That was the gaping maw of Demon Fox.
The flames that had obscured their vision dissipated, and Hiyori reappeared in this world in a completely new form.
The Demon Fox's once pure white fur was no longer pure; its four hind legs were replaced by a dark crimson, and the area around its eyes was also stained with the same color.
The crimson outlines a strange pattern adorning its brow, adding a touch of eeriness.
In that instant, it truly died once.
Even within the Stigmata Space, which was its primary domain, that death was undeniably real.
If it weren't for Yae Sakura, Hiyori would have truly died.
Its current posture and fully recovered injuries are the result of absorbing some of Yae Sakura's power.
If the ratio of the two in the Stigmata Space was previously 7:3, it is now 8:2.
As time goes on, this number will get closer and closer to 10 to 0.
At that time, Yae Sakura's soul will be completely annihilated.
The defeat of the Stigmata Space will become inevitable.
Theresa didn't understand the specific reasons and circumstances, but there was one thing she did understand.
That means there's absolutely no way to achieve your goal without defeating your opponent.
So even if the chances are slim, the girl will not give up the struggle.
This was no longer just a matter of her personal life and death; standing behind this nun were the St. Freya Academy she had always loved and those lovely students.
Therefore, she had to push herself beyond her limits.
Here, one must exert all one's wisdom, strength, will, and everything that Theresa Apocalypse had gained in her more than forty years of life.
She cannot lose.
Beneath the crescent moon hanging high in the sky.
The enormous Demon Fox and the young girl stared at each other.
Theresa gripped her spear, staring into the Demon Fox demon's icy red eyes, and said:
"Although I don't know how you were resurrected, if I can kill you once, I will do it again."
"Prepare yourself, monster."
The Demon Fox spirit lowered its head, and the breeze it stirred with each breath ruffled the nun's white hair.
Looking into the nun's resolute gaze, Hiyori whispered:
"Remember my name, the nameless nun."
"My name Hiyori."
"Your life ends here."
The nun smiled and gave the same brief reply:
"Theresa Apocalypse."
Without further ado, the battle resumed.
The Demon Fox has become stronger than before, while Theresa has become the opposite.
Under these circumstances, the gap between the two sides widened again, and the battle became almost one-sided.
To be precise, Theresa was simply on the run.
The Demon Fox's opening move made it difficult for the girl to deal with.
[Skyfire Barrier]
Dense Honkai Energy filled the entire shrine grounds, transforming into terrifying heat, and the air was distorted into a bizarre and fantastical illusion.
Humans cannot breathe normally in such a space; their skin would be burned instantly.
If Theresa hadn't quickly identified a solution, she wouldn't be qualified to fight Hiyori now.
The soul steel inside Judah was sculpted into extremely fine and soft chains that wrapped around the girl's body in circles. It was an extremely disheveled and unsightly posture, but it made good use of Judah's properties to resist the high temperature generated by Honkai Energy.
Even so, in order not to affect the battle, the joints and eyes could not be protected by chains.
Therefore, the only option is to retreat, and keep retreating.
Theresa could barely survive the drop in temperature only when she retreated almost to the steps of the shrine.
The Demon Fox demon remained motionless, much quieter than before; its previously habitually violent attacks and irrational roars had completely subsided.
That death finally made it realize that engaging in close combat with the nun was definitely not a wise decision.
The Demon Fox's eyes reflected the nun's disheveled escape; it seemed to have no intention of pursuing her personally.
But Theresa knew that Hiyori's attack was imminent.
The ground beneath the girl's feet and around her was melted by the scorching flames, leaving streaks of lava-like marks. If it weren't for the soul steel chains wrapped around her feet, which insulated most of the heat, her mobility would have been completely ruined.
Honkai Energy is still gathering?!
"Oops!"
Theresa slammed the Golden Cross onto the ground, solidifying the ends of the cross with solid and liquid lava. She then gracefully stepped onto the top of the cross, her natural movements exuding a fluid beauty.
The girl held a spear in each hand, focusing intently on sensing the restless Honkai Energy. The Soul Steel wrapped around her body flowed into Judah at her will.
Theresa made a remarkably decisive decision at a critical moment, abandoning all defenses against the environment and focusing instead on addressing the current crisis.
Judah's power had already begun to weaken, and his half-baked defense was no match for this attack. Compared to a clean defeat and death, being burned all over his body was the gentlest price to pay.
Her pale and beautiful face was solemn as she held twin long spears and gazed at the distant Demon Fox, still without fear.
A gentle breeze stirred, causing the girl's crimson skirt to sway slightly.
In the next instant, the Honkai Energy erupted completely.
Pillars of fire rose up, engulfing the entire area around the girl; this was an attack that spared no effort.
But this was merely the prelude to the Demon Fox's attack. Streams of fire, shaped like Magatama, swirled in mid-air, their invisible gravity drawing in the shattered rocks from the ground, shaping them into a gigantic Magatama- shaped meteorite...