Chapter 495

Chapter 495

‘Hrrngh—!’

Brielle’s eyes flew open wide.

She wanted to scream—just let the pain rip out of her in one sharp cry—but she couldn’t.

The darkness mana pressed down on her throat and lips, choking any sound before it could escape.

If she opened her mouth, that darkness mana would pour straight into her body. So Brielle clenched her teeth and endured the pain.

Bark’s Prison was a holy relic made for one purpose only: to torture Bark’s enemies.

And Bark’s “enemies” were not mortals—they were other gods, or beings on par with gods.

There was no way an ordinary high elf could endure a relic forged to torment such beings.

Let alone someone as young and fragile as Brielle.

The only reason she still hadn’t lost consciousness was because of Riri.

—Stay strong!

The newborn spirit was pouring her strength into Brielle.

Thanks to that, even inside such excruciating agony, Brielle managed to cling to consciousness.

But she had reached almost the limit of what she could withstand.

Her awareness began to fade.

—Brielle… please…!

Riri looked at her with aching worry.

If she simply surrendered herself, Brielle wouldn’t have to feel this pain. But Brielle was stubbornly refusing to give in.

It made Riri grateful… and it made her heart hurt.

—I’m sorry I’m so weak. If I were just a little stronger, you wouldn’t have to suffer like this…

It isn’t your fault, Riri!

—But Brielle…

You’re my friend. I won’t abandon you. Don’t ever say that.

—But you’re hurting so much…

I can endure it. So you endure too.

Brielle forced a smile toward Riri.

Seeing her push through the pain like that only made Riri’s heart ache deeper.

—I want to help you, Brielle. I want to help you, no matter how…

For the first time since her birth, Riri wished—truly wished—for something.

She wished for the strength to help Brielle.

She wished for the power to protect her.

Thump.

At that moment, Brielle’s heart rang with a heavy beat.

Riri’s desperate prayer reached her.

Brielle looked at the spirit.

Tears clung to Riri’s eyes.

The thought that she had made Riri cry stabbed through Brielle’s chest.

Thump. Thump.

Her heart hurt—not from her own suffering, but because she had caused this newborn spirit to cry.

A child who should have seen only gentle and happy things at this early stage of her existence—yet Brielle had made her witness her pain.

She felt so sorry.

Both of them only wanted to protect each other. Both felt sorry for the other. That shared feeling grew into a single, fierce wish.

Riri!

—Brielle!

Fwooom!

A burst of brilliant light exploded between them.

Their deep bond had sparked a change.

Brielle stared blankly at Riri.

It wasn’t happening in the physical world.

It was happening inside Brielle’s heart.

So she wasn’t sure if what she saw was real.

But when the light faded, she realized it was not an illusion.

Riri’s form had changed.

She was no longer a tiny, fist-sized childlike sprite—now she had grown to the length of Brielle’s forearm.

She’d taken on the figure of a girl resembling Brielle.

Brielle’s eyes widened.

Riri… you evolved!

—Mm! I had to get stronger if I wanted to protect you!

Riri nodded firmly.

Their shared desperation had accelerated her growth.

From a low-ranked sylph, Riri had ascended into the mid-rank.

A spirit growing this fast was unheard of.

But between their powerful bond, the extreme circumstances, and the unique environment, a miracle had happened.

Neither of them understood that—they just felt happy.

Brielle because Riri was stronger.

Riri because she could finally protect Brielle.

—I’ll protect you, Brielle!

Riri’s newfound strength shielded Brielle.

Haa…!

Breathing became easier.

And the pain tearing at her soul began to recede.

Riri’s mid-grade power thinned the darkness mana assaulting Brielle.

But that didn’t free her completely.

She was still trapped inside Bark’s Prison, unable to move even an inch.

Then—

“Brielle!”

Levin’s voice rang clearly from outside.

Normally, she wouldn’t have been able to hear anything through the layers of darkness mana.

But now that Riri had ascended, their connection to the outside had strengthened.

Riri! Can you pass my words to Levin?

—I’ll try!

Please!

—Mm!

Riri nodded hard.

To break this prison, we need Levin’s power. Tell him to attack Bark’s Prison with everything he has.

—But Brielle… you’ll get hurt too. Are you sure?

I can endure it. And when Levin attacks, you must attack at the same time.

—Me too?

This prison was forged with divine power. Ordinary attacks won’t leave a scratch. We have to strike from inside and outside together.

—Got it. I’ll do it.

Thank you!

—If it helps you, I’ll do anything.

With all her strength, Riri pushed Brielle’s thoughts outward.

Cutting through darkness mana wasn’t easy, even for her.

But the power she’d gained by ascending allowed her to reach Levin.

“Riri! I hear you. I’ll do it!”

Levin nodded.

Up until now, he’d hesitated—afraid his power might hurt Brielle.

But now that he knew there was no other choice, he held nothing back.

“Hooo…”

He braced himself and pulled his mana upward.

To match Riri’s timing, he counted down.

“Three, two, one—now!”

Crack!

Lightning thick as pillars slammed into Bark’s Prison from outside, while inside, Riri unleashed a stormwind slash.

The two massive energies collided against the prison’s surface.

Krrrshhh!

The simultaneous impact carved a fracture across Bark’s Prison.

Through the new fissure, Brielle’s tightly shut eyes appeared.

Without hesitation, Levin thrust his hand forward.

“Take my hand, Brielle!”

Brielle reached toward the voice.

Clack!

Their hands locked together.

“Ghhhhh—!”

Levin pulled with all his might.

But the darkness mana clung to Brielle’s body like glue, refusing to release her.

Worse, the prison was rapidly repairing itself.

If it sealed again, Brielle would be trapped once more.

Levin took a gamble.

He ghosted—slipped his body through the crack—entering Bark’s Prison himself.

Shock rippled through Brielle’s emotions, but there was no time to explain.

Levin shouted to Riri:

“Riri! Together!”

—Okay, Levin!

“Three, two, one—now!”

Their combined power exploded inside Bark’s Prison.

KABOOOM!

Levin’s Giga Lightning, fused with a mid-rank spirit’s force, ripped through the darkness mana from within.

The mana binding Brielle burned away and shattered.

Levin grabbed her tight and blasted straight out of Bark’s Prison.

The moment they escaped, the relic snapped shut again, restoring its darkness mana.

If they had been even a heartbeat slower, Brielle would’ve been pulled back in.

Holding her close, Levin panted:

“Are you okay, Brielle?!”

“Mm! I think so. Thank you… for saving me.”

Brielle opened her eyes.

Seeing her unharmed, Levin finally let out a long breath.

“Haaah… thank goodness.”

“Thank you, Levin.”

“You little brat… always making people worry. Ugh…”

He sighed again.

Brielle looked at him with a small smile, then called:

“Riri!”

—Brielle!

Riri appeared—not in Brielle’s heart, but physically manifesting before them.

Her sudden growth left Levin staring, stunned.

“What the—? You got bigger! You evolved?!”

“She did. To protect me.”

Brielle reached out her hand.

Riri twirled around her arm with delighted laughter.

She was simply happy—happy that Brielle was safe, happy that the pain was gone.

“That’s good,” Levin said.

“Mm!” Brielle nodded brightly.

And then—

“Brielle!”

A mature high elf woman rushed toward them.

Brielle’s eyes widened.

“Mom!”

The elf running toward her was none other than her mother—Latrisha.

Like the wind, Latrisha swept Brielle into her arms.

“My daughter! You’re safe… thank the heavens…”

“Mom!”

“It was my fault. All of it. My fault…”

“No! You didn’t do anything wrong. It was my fault—I snuck out.”

“I couldn’t even hold you because of Lady Tamulana…”

“Wait—where is Lady Tamulana?”

BOOOOM!

A distant explosion tore through the air.

“That’s my brother,” Levin said.

Zeon hovered above the air, unleashing a burning Fire Rain.

Across from him, Tamulana hurled darkness mana like a raging storm.

BOOOM! BOOOM!

Their clash shook the entirety of the high elf village.

Nearby, sand soldiers and black soldiers were locked in brutal combat.

At first glance, the battle seemed even—but Brielle instinctively sensed Zeon was at a disadvantage.

Even with the Overheat Gauntlet, Tamulana’s strength was overwhelming.

She had her own innate power—and on top of that, the darkness mana injected through Bark’s relic had multiplied her strength many times over.

Meanwhile, Zeon couldn’t exert his full power.

He couldn’t fully control the black sand, and the entire area had become Bark’s domain.

The high elf village was drowning in Bark’s mana.

Zeon simply couldn’t unleash his true abilities in such a place.

Even bringing out sand from the subspace wasn’t enough to counter divinity.

The battlefield was stacked entirely against him.

If things continued, Zeon might win—but he would suffer terrible wounds.

“We have to destroy the relic generating the barrier,” Latrisha said. “We must dispel Bark’s domain.”

“But we can’t destroy a relic,” Brielle replied. “Our strength isn’t enough.”

Relics were infused with divine power.

High elves alone couldn’t break one.

Then Latrisha’s eyes fell on the necklace around Brielle’s neck. It had been hidden beneath her clothes until now.

“Brielle! That necklace—what is it?”

“I think it’s related to Lady Ciela, but… I don’t know how it works.”

The necklace was the one Zeon had found in the goblin black market’s secret vault.

It looked like something connected to the elves, so he’d given it to Brielle.

She tried to uncover its secret but failed—so she simply wore it like ordinary jewelry.

“For Ciela’s relic to return now… this too must be fate. Brielle, may I have it?”

“Mm!”

Without hesitation, Brielle placed the necklace into her mother’s hands.

Latrisha put it on and pressed her palms together.

Immediately, a beam of pure white light burst from Ciela’s necklace.

The holy radiance clashed against the darkness covering the high elf village—then began to push it back.

BOOOOM!

With a thunderous crack, the barrier smothering the village shattered.

Ciela’s relic had destroyed Bark’s relic.

And with the barrier gone, the desert sky blazed bright overhead.

The burning sunlight washed over the dunes in warm orange light.

A faint smile touched Zeon’s lips.

“Good. Now I can fight properly.”

Fwoooooosh—!

The desert’s orange sand began gathering toward him as if pulled by a magnet.

Sand massive enough to blanket the entire high elf village.