……
Ash realized she could no longer become faster.
—If only she were faster, she could have blocked the spear that severely injured Maggie.
—If only she were faster, she could have forced the Demon Slayer back before Elena's claws.
—If only she were faster, she could have intercepted every attack from the Mad Demons.
Magic coursed wildly through her body, strengthening every muscle and bone while searing her nerves. The pain did not weaken her will; instead, it sharpened her focus.
If only she were faster—!
Ash had already entered the new realm she experienced during her first encounter with the Demon Slayer, and even further beyond. The flow of time seemed to slow down in her eyes. She could clearly see every detail of the battlefield, such as the worn cracks on the thrown bone spears, a puddle of water beneath a devil's feet, Maggie's faint chest rising and falling, Zoe's flowing blood, and react to each one. Either by striking enemies with her sword or offering assistance.
She felt external magic continuously pouring into her body, condensing within various parts—perhaps this was the advancement Agatha had mentioned, she thought, maybe she had already reached that stage. The condensed magic not only provided her with immense power but also brought acute senses, allowing her to face two high-ranking devils without falling behind.
But that was all.
“Clang!”
The greatsword clashed with the Demon Slayer's descending arm, sparking a series of fire.
“What's wrong, is this your fastest speed?” Before Ash could retract her sword, Ersiluke had already flashed back, revealing a mocking smile, “If this is all you've got, your companions will die here sooner or later. Or are you deliberately trying to abandon them?”
Ash paid no heed and turned to slash down a spear that was shooting towards her at an angle.
“Don't listen to its crap, that damned monster wants to provoke you and make you lose your mind!” Zoe panted as she pressed the remaining bullets into the cylinder. It was evident that she had very little ammunition left. “If you impulsively chase after it, then we've truly lost.”
“I know.” Ash nodded calmly.
The opponent's intentions were very clear—it always sought gaps in the formation to launch surprise attacks, and the scattered devils would follow up with cover fire or strong attacks. Their coordination was almost instantaneous. Even when facing the bombardment of hand cannons, the charging Mad Demons showed no hesitation. As long as she was slightly distracted, the enemy might tear open their defenses.
The hundred-plus subordinates it had hidden were likely the most elite troops of the Taqila garrison. If the Taqila witches weren't also experienced warriors, they wouldn't have lasted this long.
However, the Demon Slayer was right about one thing.
This was indeed her fastest speed.
Fighting to this point, every inch of her skin felt like it was burning, which was a sign of magical backlash—for a Transcendent who constantly honed herself, Ash had never encountered such a situation before. If she stopped now, turned around to break through the enemy's encirclement, and recuperated for a while, waiting for her body to fully adapt to the new intensity of magic, then she would undoubtedly reach a new level.
However, that would be meaningless for the predicament they were in.
She wouldn't be able to save anyone, at most, she could only save herself.
To turn the tide, it wasn't something that could be accomplished by speed alone.
Perhaps even if it were the Witch Queen Akalys, there wouldn't be a better solution?
“You are a Transcendent, born with unimaginable potential, but to truly cross that threshold, you must have a tangible goal and unwavering will.” Phyllis's words echoed in her ears, “The Transcendents recorded in the Union all welcomed advancement during battle, while those who failed to cross this threshold all fell at the hands of devils. I hope you can become the former.”
Only when this moment truly arrived did Ash realize that the threshold she had to face was completely different from what she had been told.
The two paths before her, one was to survive and reunite with Tilly, and the other was to go a step further, reaching a new realm that no one had ever reached before.
The price was to burn herself.
“If we crave to use magic to achieve a certain goal, it will guide us in that direction.” The voice became chaotic and distant, as if coming from the sky—both like a whisper from the darkness and like distant thunder.
“What is it that you truly want?”
“Look here, fire, awoo!”
“Boom—!”
The long-silent explosion suddenly erupted again, accompanied by the screams of devils!
Ash followed the sound and discovered that Lightning had cut into the battlefield from behind the encirclement!
The enemy, distracted by Maggie and completely unprepared, took a grenade head-on. The Mad Demon at the front was immediately blown away, half its body gone. The two standing closer were pierced by the shrapnel and instantly lost their ability to fight.
“Awoo awoo awoo————!” Then, Lin emerged from the forest with an astonishingly large Terror Beast, crushing and biting the devils that turned to aim at Lightning, carving out a path.
With their cooperation, the encirclement was in chaos for a moment, and the remaining twenty-odd Mad Demons were reduced by five or six in the blink of an eye.
“Hold on, we're here to help, awoo!”
“Annoying flies,” the Demon Slayer frowned, abandoning his confrontation with Ash, and flew straight towards Lightning and Maggie.
The other high-ranking devil raised a giant tree and threw it at Ash.
In addition, two bone spears were already halfway there, one aimed at the barely standing Zoe, and the other pointed directly at Andrea, who had fallen to the ground.
It was the same situation again.
If she stayed, Lightning would be in danger. If she intercepted the Demon Slayer, everyone would be in danger.
Since faster speed was no longer enough, then the only thing that could change all of this was a power that surpassed speed.
Seeing the two of them returning, Ash made her decision.
Perhaps this decision had already been made, in every day and night spent with the Neverwinter witches, on that night of conversation with Phyllis, or when Tilly said, "Instead of an avenger, I prefer to see you as you are now," the thought had already existed.
“Sorry, Tilly.”
Ash whispered, then took that step.
“What is it that you truly want?”
I want to protect them.
In an instant, she "saw" a surging sea of magic, the澎湃power it contained was indescribable, but beneath the torrent, it seemed as if countless whispers and gazes were hidden.
Ash released the restriction and fully embraced it.
……
Ersiluke, who was flying, suddenly felt a warning in his heart.
He abruptly turned his head and discovered that the Transcendent had raised her greatsword, pointing it directly at the sky—and the blade seemed to have golden light flowing over it.
The moment he saw that stream of light, he felt his body become inexplicably slow and sluggish, as if he were trapped in a swamp.
It wasn't just him.
Even the movement of the surrounding air became viscous.
Ersiluke had seen such a scene before, but its occurrence at this moment gave him an incredible feeling.
—How is this possible?
That wasn't power induced by a magic stone, but coming from her own self!
He tried his best to lift his head, hoping that he had thought in the wrong direction, but the golden lightning that rolled across the dome shattered his last bit of luck. Judging from the intensity of the magic gathering, the power of this strike was even above that of the red-haired witch.
There was no possibility of dodging.
If he couldn't block it, he would die.
Realizing this, Ersiluke used all his strength and unleashed his interference field!
At the same time, the opponent swung down her greatsword—
The dazzling lightning instantly pierced the sky, illuminating the entire earth.
……
In a deathly silence, Lan suddenly opened her eyes.
She rose from her seat, avoiding the motionless people, and walked step by step to the window.
This world had not yet awakened. Everything was still in the moment of time freezing, whether it was champagne pouring out of a bottle or raindrops falling outside the window. They hung in the air, like a stroke that decorated the background of a banquet painting.
In a place where even time had stopped, there should be no sound.
But in the dark night, there was a faint sound of thunder.
She opened the window and gazed absently at the distant horizon, speechless for a long time.
……
When Lightning recovered from the dazzling light, she was surprised to find that the open space where they had been fighting fiercely had now become a scorched earth. The surrounding trees were only smoldering trunks, and the air was filled with a pungent burnt smell.
What on earth just happened?
She only remembered that a Mad Demon hidden behind a tree suddenly pounced at her, and she had focused all her attention on the Demon Slayer, noticing it only when it was close at hand. In desperation, she had to throw the launcher at the opponent, hoping to stop the enemy, and then a golden light instantly enveloped her.
But now, apart from the two high-ranking devils, all the other enemies had disappeared from the opposite side of the open space.
The big guy who had been transformed from a hell lord was趴着on the ground, his whole body seemed to have been scorched by high temperatures, and the rough surface was cracked inch by inch, and it seemed as if he only had one breath left.
The Demon Slayer didn't look much better. Half of its body had completely disappeared, and a dark black light wriggled at the wound, standing still in place. But for some reason, Lightning still felt a sense of irrepressible fear.
That's right... Ash!
She quickly looked towards the center of the open space, then couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
That familiar figure was still standing upright with her sword, blocking everyone behind her.
“Are you alright—” Lightning flew to Ash's side, but was interrupted by her low shout before she could finish speaking.
“Quickly take everyone away from here, the farther the better!”
“Eh?”
“Listen to me, leave this to me—before I can control my power!”
Ash's tone unknowingly carried an unquestionable authority, causing Lightning to swallow the words she wanted to ask. So that was it, they would only hinder her here—looking at the other party's golden eyes that seemed to be burning, at least at this moment, she vaguely understood the meaning of the heavenly lightning.
Lightning had Maggie transform back into her Terror Beast form and placed everyone on her back—although she couldn't fly with so many people on her back, she could run with them.
A moment later, the two left the open space and plunged into the woods.
After running for hundreds of meters, Maggie couldn't help but open her mouth and said, "Why can Ash trigger Divine Will, awoo? We didn't carry a Divine Will Sigil..."
“I don't know why either, but one thing is certain.” Lightning paused and clenched her fists excitedly. “She has become a Transcendent!”