章節 106: An Apple Buys You an Inch of Time
His surge of mana was breached.
With a sigh, the holy king of the Noldor elves accepted the turn of events—overcome by an unorthodox, baffling method.
Behind Kurumi lay shattered fragments of green solvent bottles, with a small amount of the dark green liquid spilled on the ground.
—Mana Solvent.
Cheap to the point of being nearly worthless, she had packed hundreds of thousands of these in her warehouse, and now, finally, they had shown their worth.
An overwhelming quantity stacked upon itself, forcing her into Fëanor's range.
The divine sword hung, poised to strike, seemingly unstoppable.
The petite girl had closed in on Fëanor, her unique fragrance—a blend of lily and rose with a faint bitterness—drifting over him.
By elven standards, Kurumi was not very tall; even with her platform boots, she barely topped 160 centimeters. Her doll-like, perfectly symmetrical features, accentuated by her exotic Eastern allure, lent her an almost ethereal charm.
Unlike the original Tokisaki Kurumi, whose figure seemed a bit lacking, as if she had missed out on some essential "nutrients," the current Kurumi was endowed with a captivating, perfectly balanced physique. Her curves—from her full bust to her slender waist, shapely thighs, and elegant legs—were flawless, giving her a figure that would overshadow ninety percent of the elven race. Her presence radiated a magnetic allure, both graceful and striking.
"Hey~~~ Hello there," Kurumi greeted Fëanor.
The razor-sharp edge of his divine sword came down, its glow bright enough to pierce the night. Fueled by his inner rage, Fëanor swung with absolute force.
With the residents within several kilometers now successfully evacuated, there was little chance of further casualties. But for the local mage associations , another strike of this magnitude would leave a significant scar on their reputations…
Especially with the gathering of gods this time around… including Kurumi herself.
Though she had been absent from the previous clash, now that she was here, she would not let this sword fall again.
With her head lifted, Kurumi's face was illuminated by the blade's searing light, a beacon in the night.
How to stop it…?
Facing Fëanor, Kurumi stretched out her right foot, tripping his ankle as if in a child's game.
The innocent move seemed as harmless as a child's prank, giving Fëanor a fleeting feeling, almost as if he were dealing with one of his own children, who were only a few decades old.
Then Fëanor saw it… the mischievous smile on Kurumi's lips.
Bam—
Fëanor was tripped and fell to the ground. The mighty sword attack stopped, his treasured sword clattering to the ground.
Lying there, utterly bewildered, he wondered, What… just happened?
Such an inexplicable occurrence struck Fëanor as some kind of "Law."
A "Law" that stated: when you're told to fall, you must fall, with no room for debate.
—Kickdown.
The thick-soled black boot pressed against Fëanor's broad back as Kurumi leaned forward, her voice soft yet merciless as she spoke.
"Well then, please… return to your legend."
She aimed her flintlock down, pressing it to Fëanor's head.
"Zayin—Seventh Bullet."
Bang—
One shot fired, and Fëanor's body was enveloped in a misty black-red aura, his entire being frozen in time.
Bang, bang, bang—
A series of shots followed, and Kurumi sent bullets into Fëanor's vital points.
Bending down, she picked up Fëanor's sword, forged by Aulë—a weapon radiating a gleaming silver.
"I hear… elves are immortal, capable of living through ten thousand ages until the world's end," Kurumi murmured to herself as she grasped the long sword with both hands, raising it high.
The sword's hilt, adorned with colorless gemstones, ignited under the starlight, casting a blaze of silver and blue like a torch held to the sky.
"I hear… only three things in this world can kill an elf."
"Fire, a blade… and boundless sorrow."
With a flaming sword, she struck, the crescent arc sweeping across the night sky.
"Farewell."
A golden-red pillar of light shot into the sky with a crisp, resounding clang. A golden-red magic circle unfolded beneath Kurumi's feet.
Bound in gray chains, the holy king of the Noldor elves was returned to the hall of his soul's dominion.
Left behind on the ground was a small, flickering ember.
[Fëanor's Wrathful Valor · Fury]
It could not yet be imprinted, but it was only a matter of time.
The night deepened, and thick clouds blanketed the sky.
The BMW's heavy engine rumbled in the distance. Paolo and the others had seen that towering white light from afar, and the sheer power of its destructive capabilities left the knight with a sense of unease.
Anxious to reach their destination, Arianna floored the gas pedal.
After countless twists and turns, the black SUV came to a stop at the edge of the coastal highway along the Gulf of Salerno.
Inside this SUV sat some of the world's most elite.
Great Knight Paolo… Saint Incarnate Doni… the youngest Godslayer, the world's sixth Campione—Liliana… the oldest of the Heretic Gods—Athena, and Milan's youngest prodigy—Erica.
But now, they all staggered out of the car, unsteady, each of them wearing expressions of a person who had narrowly escaped death.
"This car is really strange, you know. Besides the brakes and accelerator… it actually has a third pedal."
A soft smile played on the maid's lips as she pressed down on her skirt with a puzzled look, her words enough to plunge the group into despair.
With her driving abilities now elevated to a level rivaling Sanae's bread or Akiko's infamous jams, Arianna had transformed an unassuming exterior into a near-deadly skill.
If she ever ascended to Heroic Spirit status, her Noble Phantasm's description would likely read something akin to Highway of Death.
"Just who on earth granted Arianna her license?" Erica lamented inwardly, recalling the hairpin turns and brain-jarring speed that had left them all feeling as though they'd skirted death itself.
"Let me drive us back instead," Arianna offered with a reassuring smile, stepping forward.
"No… anything but that!" Erica nearly cried out, clutching Arianna's legs in a desperate plea.
At the road's end, the group saw the terrifying chasm, where two massive hands had seemingly ripped the Apennine Peninsula asunder.
Athena recognized the spot.
This was the place where she'd been defeated before fleeing north.
She also recognized the patchwork of scars and fractured edges, and the rows of abandoned vehicles lining the roadside, their glass shattered.
Under the looming clouds, gray "snowflakes" drifted gently from the sky, resembling pieces of paper.
At the edge of the world, Kurumi sat on the rocks, her legs swaying gracefully as she gazed at the distant sea.
The dark rocks beneath her bore a smooth cleft, a remnant of Fëanor's last-ditch attempt to fend off her assault.
A gentle breeze drifted by.
With her head lowered, Kurumi seemed to listen to the silent cacophony of the world, her legs gently swaying at the cliff's edge. Her clockwork-like golden eyes reflected the scene in front of her.
"Is he… gone?" Athena asked in disbelief, her divine powers trickling back into her, returning her body to its youthful form as the borrowed power began to recede.
"Ah…" Kurumi's voice was soft. "He's returned to myth."
Athena found herself more frightened than ever, the delicate figure of Kurumi exuding a pressure as immovable as a mountain.
Kurumi disliked the word "dead"—it was too stark, too final, severing reality entirely.
Beside her, a small, slender figure settled down silently, watching Kurumi lost in thought.
It was Liliana.
Liliana could not see the virtual screen before Kurumi, a familiar display showing her endgame stats. She only assumed her goddess was lost in her own musings.
[Ding—]
[Campione/Divine Prelude—Mission Cleared]
Blue ripples washed outward, displaying a golden "A" on the loot chest.
[Deaths: 0 Completion Time: 451:23:11]
A familiar material list appeared, while a small portrait on the screen glinted with an almost gleeful look of madness.
As the radiant golden card continued to flicker, Kurumi merely held her gaze steady, hands propped on the cliffside, her gaze unwavering as though piercing beyond the interface.
Eyes as crimson as blood met those as clear as azure skies.
"Erica…" Kurumi's voice was soft as she addressed the girl behind her, "remember not to bully Liliana too often."
"What?" Erica murmured, dropping into a crouch beside her. "But she's the Campione now, isn't she? Destined to become the ruler of all Eastern Europe!"
Kurumi simply smiled, perfectly aware of Erica's mischievous nature.
"Oh, that reminds me. Here." Kurumi reached back with her left hand, handing over the ancient slab that served as the pact tome.
Athena eyed the artifact with both desire and trepidation.
"Liliana…" Kurumi murmured as she gently patted the girl's head. Words danced on her lips, but what came forth were only the simplest parting words. "Take good care of yourself."
"…Are you leaving us, Lady Kurumi?" Liliana's fingers clutched tightly at the hem of Kurumi's clothes, her voice wavering.
"Hmm… it seems so," Kurumi replied with a serene smile. Three more bosses remained, after all.
"But… I'll come back."
"You will… you have to!" Liliana's voice rose, filled with hopeful determination.
"I am, after all, the servant to a goddess… Without a goddess, even a shrine maiden finds herself quite lost."
"Oh… indeed."
With the gentlest breeze, the fabric in her hands faded to nothingness.
Liliana sobbed, burying her face in her hands, her ears ringing with that last, gentle whisper.
"Liliana, you've already become a worthy Campione."
Bound by her oath, Athena held the radiant apple tightly in her hand.
—To the fairest of all goddesses.
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