Vol. 4 Ch. 65.2

“So, you dodged my attack with nothing but physical skills…

Kid, you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve, I’ll give you that.”

Adam slowly turned around, his massive war hammer swinging in his hands.

“But it’s all just a futile struggle. The Nine Infernos technique—I’ve heard of it before.

I must say, I’m surprised you’re capable of using it at your age.”

“However, I also know the toll it takes on the body.”

“Especially on a weak little body like yours.”

“Your legs must be trembling by now, aren’t they? Burning, aching?”

Noa turned her head slightly, her eyes calm and unreadable.

Adam couldn’t tell if she was pretending to stay composed or genuinely fearless in the face of danger.

Ignoring his mocking words, Noa turned forward again, clutching Helena tightly,

and dashed at full speed in the direction they had been heading.

“Interesting. Fine, I’ll play with you for a bit longer.”

As he spoke, Adam’s hammer spun on its chain, whistling through the air.

In the harrowing game of cat and mouse, where the difference in power was overwhelming,

Noa gradually shed the fear that had gripped her at the start.

Dodging his earlier lethal strike by the narrowest margin had ignited a spark of confidence within her.

“He’s definitely an odd opponent. But that doesn’t mean escaping him is impossible.”

Her father’s advice echoed in her mind:

*"In battle, if you hold on to even the faintest hope, it could be the key to turning the tides."*

Noa didn’t know what kind of situations someone as powerful as her father would need to “turn the tides,”

but she remembered his words nonetheless.

Noa traded a few more rounds with the hammer-wielding monster,

darting and weaving through the forest with Helena. Finally, they slipped into a spot where the sound of rushing water masked their hurried breaths and concealed their scent.

Setting Helena down carefully, Noa leaned against a damp rock,

her chest heaving as she gasped for air.

“The Nine Infernos… Just as Adam said,

this technique is taking a massive toll on my body,” she thought.

It was the first time Noa had pushed herself to use the Nine Infernos for so long.

She typically used it for brief bursts, combining it with her “Lightning Rush” to deliver a decisive strike.

But it was obvious now—this hammer-wielding monster wasn’t someone she could take down with a single move.

Engaging him in close combat would be nothing short of suicide.

“Noa… are you okay?” Helena asked, her voice trembling with concern.

Noa shook her head slightly. “I just need a moment to rest.”

She focused on calming her breathing, trying to recover as quickly as possible.

At the same time, she reminded herself of their goal.

“We’re only a few hundred meters away from the inner circle. Just a little further, and we’ll be out of here.”

A few hundred meters. It didn’t sound like much,

but getting here had already cost them so much energy and time.

Could they really make it?

Helena understood the situation.

She sat on the ground, hugging her knees,

watching Noa quietly.

Though Noa tried to maintain her usual cool and detached demeanor,

Helena could see through her—she was exhausted.

Biting her lip, Helena seemed to come to a decision. Finally, she spoke.

“Noa… what if… what if you go on without me?”

Noa’s brows furrowed instantly. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“I’m not joking, Noa. I’m just slowing you down.

Just now, you almost got caught several times because you were carrying me.”

“If it weren’t for me, you could have escaped already…

So, I could stay back and buy you some time. Or…

I could take another path out of the forest. We can meet at the entrance.”

Helena wasn’t just trying to be self-sacrificing.

She truly believed she was holding Noa back, and that guilt drove her words.

From the moment they entered the forest, Noa had been using the Nine Infernos technique.

Seeing Noa’s incredible speed earlier made it clear to Helena—

if Noa didn’t have to carry her, she could escape with ease.

One of them had to survive.

“Noa, I said—”

“Helena.”

Helena’s soft voice interrupted her.

Adjusting her posture, she knelt properly in front of Noa.

Noa blinked, confused. “What are you doing…?”

“Do you remember what I said earlier?

That I had something to tell you if we didn’t make it out?”

Noa’s pupils trembled slightly, but she nodded. “Yes, I remember.”

Helena smiled faintly. Slowly, she reached out and took Noa’s small hand in hers.

Her fingers were soft, like silk threads.

“Do you know why I wanted to be your friend?”

Noa shook her head.

“Because in you, I see the person I want to be.”

“I… don’t understand,” Noa said hesitantly.

Helena chuckled softly, lifting her gaze.

“I grew up in a strict dragon family. Every day, under my mother’s watchful eyes,

I studied magic, etiquette, and everything else she deemed important.”

“Eventually, I became a bland, obedient girl.

When people mentioned me, they never used my name.

I was always ‘Claudia’s daughter.’”

“Before I met you, it felt like I was trapped in a cage, unable to see the future.”

“Then, one afternoon, you came to me and asked if I’d team up with you for practice.”

“You said no one else wanted to team up with you. I understood why—

no one could beat you.”

“And no one wanted to team up with me either,

because I was always gloomy and withdrawn.”

Helena’s voice softened, her eyes misting with memories.

“But when I said yes, everything changed.

We became best friends.”

“You’re different, Noa. You’re free, resilient, unyielding.”

“You’re like a star, shining brightly in the night sky.

I couldn’t help but want to stay near you.”

“I’ve never regretted anything we’ve done together, including now.”

“So, please… let me fight for you this time. I can’t drag you down anymore.”

“I can’t… I won’t…”

Slap—

Before Helena could finish, Noa’s hand left hers and gently slapped her cheek.

Noa stood, cupping Helena’s face between her hands.

With Helena kneeling and Noa standing, the positions had shifted, Noa now gazing down at her.

“Helena…”

Soft droplets of water cascaded onto Noa’s shoulders,

light breaking through the spray and scattering like jewels.

Looking into Helena’s eyes, Noa spoke firmly.

“I hope all that nonsense you just said ends up in your next essay competition.”

“W-what…?”

“I’m taking you out of here, Helena.

We’re not separating. Not now, not ever.”

“But—”

Boom!

“Ah, there you are, little princesses. You’ve made me work so hard to find you!”

Adam’s massive hammer shattered the waterfall, sending boulders tumbling down.

One hurtled straight toward Noa.

“Noa, look out!!”

Helena threw herself at Noa, knocking her out of the way. They rolled across the ground,

just barely escaping the crushing boulder.

“Are you hurt, Noa?”

“No… I’m fine…”

“Good… ah…”

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Noa’s gaze fell on Helena’s ankle, where blood flowed freely from a deep wound.

“Go, Noa! You have to go!” Helena urged, gripping Noa’s shoulders tightly.

“I’m not leaving you!”

“You stubborn idiot! If you stay, we’ll both die!”

“I told you—we’re leaving together.”

Adam’s footsteps grew closer, his voice chilling.

“Such touching sisterly love. Don’t worry—I’ll make sure you die together.”

Helena pushed Noa away, standing in front of Adam defiantly.

“Run, Noa. No matter what happens, don’t look back!”

Adam raised his hammer with a cruel grin.

“Time to crush you like a bug!”

A brilliant white flame suddenly ignited, filling the forest.

Noa’s voice echoed powerfully.

“We strike, Noa!”

Adam’s hammer descended with terrifying force, shaking the ground and causing the surrounding forest to tremble. His eyes gleamed with the triumph of a predator, certain of his victory.

"Hah… finally crushed you into dust, you little brat—" His laughter stopped abruptly.

Something was wrong. The sensation in his hands was off.

A voice, layered with a mature and commanding tone, called out behind him.

"It's been a while since I’ve stretched my muscles… let’s fix that."

Adam turned slowly, his expression darkening. Emerging from the dissipating mist was Noa, her aura radiant and otherworldly. A silhouette, shining with soft light, revealed itself amidst the gloom.

Adam’s gaze sharpened. His instincts screamed at him—something had changed.

People often say the hardest thing to understand is true emotion," the layered voice spoke again.

“I believe I just witnessed it. And yet, I still don’t fully grasp it.”

The figure stepped forward. "There’s one more thing I need to ask this little one."

“She can’t die yet.”

As the mist cleared further, sunlight pierced through the canopy, breaking through the darkness and illuminating Noa’s form. Her hands, small yet steady, opened slightly before clenching into tight fists. A ripple of white energy burst outward from her body, sending shockwaves through the area.

Adam’s grip on his hammer tightened, his smirk fading into a grimace.

"I have a piece of advice for you, hammer-wielding fool," Noa said, her voice carrying a regal weight.

"Never corner your opponent."

Her piercing gaze locked onto Adam’s. "Because someone pushed to the edge will destroy everything in their path."

With a clap of her hands, an explosion of pure, white flames erupted around her, stretching into the sky. The air itself felt sanctified, her presence like that of an avenging angel descending upon the battlefield.

Adam stepped back instinctively, for the first time in the fight, feeling true unease.

Noa stood tall, her aura burning brighter than ever.

"Now, let’s finish this, Noa!"

The light of her flames intensified, and the battlefield was consumed by blinding brilliance.