"Aaaah!"
Joan roared as she struggled to her feet. Fighting through the searing pain in her abdomen, she snatched the Iron Sword from her vomit and charged at Aili again.
But blind rage was no use in a fight. Aili easily blocked the wild swings of her sword. In his hands, the heavy Axe moved more nimbly than her blade.
Apparently tired of the game, Aili knocked Joan's sword aside once more. He gripped the Axe with both hands, twisted his body, and brought it down with a roar.
What little sense Joan had left made her raise her sword across her chest. It saved her life. The heavy Axe struck, snapping the Iron Sword in an instant before slamming into her Leather Armor.
Joan flew backward. Her Leather Armor and chest caved in, and she coughed up mouthfuls of blood mixed with fragments of her organs.
Aili strode up to her. "You're too weak... Go join Rama in death!"
Just as the two Empire officials watching were about to intervene, a fierce wind sprang up from nowhere in the Mine Tunnel. Then a terrifying Dragon Might descended, freezing them where they stood.
Gripped by fear, Aili could only move his eyes. He watched, wide-eyed, as a blue-dressed girl walked to Joan's side and placed a pale, soft hand on her chest.
Joan's fractured ribs and shattered organs began to heal. Though she had been close to death, she recovered rapidly.
Her sunken chest returned to normal. Through the torn Leather Armor, healthy wheat-colored skin showed, rising and falling with her breath.
"Illymoyas...?"
Joan regained her senses. The first thing she did was cry out anxiously, "Forget about me! Hurry and save Harold and the others!"
"They're dead."
Joan opened her mouth. "...Why did you come so late?"
Beautiful azure