Why wake up in tears? A feeling of emptiness, like something was missing. Adele opened her eyes. The ceiling wasn’t white, but a dull gray. Darkness seeped in from the window. It was daytime, but the sun hadn’t set.
A suffocating silence amplified the sound of her own heartbeat, a strange loneliness filling her. “...Shirley,” she murmured, but this time, there was no reply.
“She’s not here~” A chilling voice startled Adele awake. She turned and saw the silver-haired girl, Jing Yan, sitting in the corner like a zashiki-warashi, hands folded demurely in her lap, a tilted smile on her face. “You!” Adele shouted angrily at the girl who looked just like her.
Jing Yan feigned innocence, tears welling in her cherry-blossom eyes. Even the hardest heart would soften at such a sight. Adele realized the power of her own cuteness, her anger dissolving into a stammer. “Y-You... what are you doing? What secrets are you hiding? I-I’m not afraid of you!”
Putting on a brave face, Adele tried to appear imposing, but Jing Yan just giggled, as if amused. “W-What are you laughing at!” Adele’s face burned, frustrated by Jing Yan’s nonchalant attitude.
“It’s just... amusing. My foolish little sister is so cute.” Jing Yan stood, her height identical to Adele’s. They were eye to eye, neither holding an advantage.
“I’ve waited so long, and you don’t even apologize,” Jing Yan continued, a hint of playful reproach in her voice. “Waking up and being so rude to your older sister. You’ll make me sad.” Jing Yan’s attitude was unreadable. Not quite hostile, but not friendly either. Adele didn’t let her guard down. But Jing Yan had a point. If she had ill intentions, she could have acted while Adele was vulnerable. But she hadn’t. And even Shirley had said some cryptic things...
Adele was confused. Was Jing Yan friend or foe? Or... both? Adele wasn’t good at these complex thoughts! Jing Yan approached, stopping just short of Adele’s personal space, a smile playing on her lips. “Aren’t you going to try it~?”
Try? Try what...? Adele’s pupils quivered.
Seeing her hesitation, Jing Yan sighed lightly. “Your new power, silly. Do you need me to teach you?”
“That would be too much!”
From an enemy’s perspective, Adele was indeed being unreasonable. Jing Yan had been more than fair, patiently waiting, not taking advantage of Adele’s vulnerability, even allowing her to master her inherited power first. Like a knight waiting for a late opponent and even letting them practice with their weapon.
Adele blushed, ashamed. “I-I know!” she retorted, maintaining a semblance of defiance. Perhaps it was an illusion, but Adele felt... Jing Yan was like a playful older sister who secretly carried burdens, hoping her younger siblings would succeed, even surpass her, her love expressed through silent actions.
“Aw~ You’re making me blush~”
“...!”
Adele felt like she had swallowed a fly. Damn it! She almost forgot Jing Yan could hear her thoughts! Not fair! Rematch! Why couldn’t she hear Jing Yan’s thoughts now that she was stronger? Was “Heaven’s Way,” the Creation God’s soul fragment, still suppressing her, just less so than before? Or... was Jing Yan simply stronger?
Adele pushed these thoughts aside and focused on the power within her, the will of an entire mythical era. The girl took a deep breath, closed her eyes. She had felt lost after losing her magic circuits, but now she was determined to find power within herself.
Gradually, from nothingness, a faint light flickered in the darkness, small, like a single spark against the vast darkness, but unwavering, persistent. This spark spread, a wildfire in the endless night. In reality, Adele’s body glowed faintly. From afar, it was as if... she was burning! Not as dramatic as a Super Saiyan, but her hair floated around her like silk threads. Adele opened her eyes, extending her hand. The faint light rose from her palm, drifting towards the darkness outside the window, a tiny star in the vast sky. Dim, perhaps, but a beacon of hope in the despair, a reason to persevere. Adele thought silently: Let there be light.
And there was light. This power, capable of rewriting the rules of the world, transcended the magic refinement levels. Adele had surpassed the Legendary Mage, surpassed the True Ancestor. She had ascended to the legendary realm... of demigod.
Jing Yan watched the lone star from afar, a faint smile playing on her lips. Meanwhile, before the world barrier, the great battle raged on. The three demigods—the Philosopher King, the Black Emperor, and the Hell Queen—formed an unbreakable defense against the Lord of Heaven. Without them, the others wouldn’t stand a chance. But it meant they couldn’t attack. The others’ attacks were too weak to affect Yawei, creating a stalemate. Perhaps even the Lord of Heaven was surprised by the ants’ combined might.
But in the long run, the Lord of Heaven would win. Her divine power was near infinite, and her inability to break through the defense was simply because she was also fighting against the world barrier. The barrier, without will of its own, simply followed the Creation God’s rules, repelling all outsiders. Like an invisible shell or membrane. Though once part of this world, the Lord of Heaven had abandoned Her authority to leave. Otherwise, She wouldn’t be hindered by the barrier, or held back by three mere demigods.
Normally, the barrier’s power was evenly distributed, protecting the world. Only two things could allow an otherworldly evil god entry: a sacrifice of flesh, blood, and soul within the world, creating a passage and a spiritual anchor, bypassing the barrier – like with the evil god Ain, summoned by a Vampire True Ancestor – or a forced entry, like the Lord of Heaven’s, concentrating power on a single point to break through. The barrier, reacting, would fight back, but its power, though vast, was dispersed, unable to focus on Yawei. Still, it hindered the Lord of Heaven, aiding the world’s defenders.
Then, a star ignited in the sky behind them, catching everyone’s attention, including the Lord of Heaven’s. The Black Emperor and the others were shocked and delighted. A new demigod had been born! Her beacon signaled her arrival, a light of hope for the world. Even in the deepest darkness, someone would always steal fire back to the mortal realm!
The Lord of Heaven’s eyes turned cold. She wouldn’t let that star shine for long. The pressure on the three demigods surged. But they held firm, enduring Yawei’s escalating might, waiting for the new demigod’s aid, hoping to break the stalemate. Perhaps the Lord of Heaven, realizing this, was becoming desperate.
The divine war intensified!
Back in Adele’s room, she looked at the light in her palm, feeling the power flowing from an unknown source within her. Was this the realm of a demigod...? She felt she could move mountains and seas, defy the laws of physics. Create something from nothing, make nothing from something. Create elements, create space.
But new to this power, Adele’s control was limited, a far cry from the world-shattering might of a true god, let alone the Creation God. Still, Adele was satisfied. She turned to Jing Yan, a challenging glint in her eyes. Everything was ready. All that remained was dealing with Jing Yan.
According to Shirley, the superego reigned supreme over the id; Heaven’s Way would always suppress Nature. Adele had no chance. She hated such discouraging words, but Shirley, with her millennia of planning, must have known something she didn’t.
Adele wouldn’t let Shirley’s efforts and final gift be in vain. Jing Yan saw Adele muttering about “feelings,” “bonds,” and “future” before charging forward.
“Take this, Kitty Paw Strike!”
If First Snow knew Adele was using her simple technique even as a demigod, would she be honored or amused? First Snow wouldn’t be ashamed, she’d probably just think she was amazing! Cat-Birds were like that, unflappable even with the sky falling.
Jing Yan chuckled, not moving an inch. Adele’s fist, moving at incredible speed, was diverted at the last moment by an unseen force. Adele stumbled, almost losing her balance. She was now behind Jing Yan.
Jing Yan was unharmed, only a light breeze ruffling her silver hair.
Spatial manipulation... but not on herself, she’d redirected Adele’s attack.
“...”
Adele’s first strike failed. More importantly, she realized Jing Yan’s power, a drop of cold sweat trickling down her cheek.
“If Kitty Paw Strike won’t work, then try ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) this!”
Adele abandoned physical attacks, turning to magic. Her elemental magic was powerful, her most familiar weapon.
A faint light flickered beneath Jing Yan’s skirt.
Jing Yan gasped, covering her skirt with her knees, confused.
Shining a light under her skirt, what kind of trick was that?
But Jing Yan misunderstood. Although Adele was the Lewd Witch, she wasn’t lewd with everyone. With Jing Yan, she only wanted to eliminate her. Shirley had made it clear: it was either Adele or Jing Yan, only one soul could prevail. Cruel, but unavoidable. Adele couldn’t sense Shirley in her spiritual realm anymore, but Shirley had entrusted everything to her. Adele couldn’t lose, not just for Shirley, but also for...
Images of the girls, their smiling faces, flashed through Adele’s mind. Suddenly, the light beneath Jing Yan’s skirt bloomed. Jing Yan saw it: a seed! The seed burst open, a magnificent tree sprouting, identical to the one in the Fairy Forest! Celeste, the Elf True Ancestor, had taught Adele everything about elven elemental magic. Now, as a demigod, Adele’s power was even greater.
Jing Yan, abandoning her composure, dodged the tree’s attack, but found herself trapped within its domain. Calmly, gracefully, she landed on a shimmering branch, looking down at Adele, who was now also within the domain. A playful smile, but also a glint of seriousness, appeared in Jing Yan’s eyes.
