189. F*cked (Part 3)

“Darkness do you want some pie? Just as I thought, Light was hiding two from us!”

“Wait! Eldest Sister NOOOO! My treasures! Don’t take them away! Hmmm? Darkness? You do know Mina and Colt ain’t here so you don’t have to act like one so uptight, right?”

Amidst the cries of the Goddess Light and Goddess Root’s chaotic shenanigans, one of the three Goddess was currently having a hard time as she watched an event unfold before her.

“I’m not acting uptight, I’m just — sigh!” an exasperated sigh, “Something major happened, look at this.”

With a snap of her finger, a flat mirror-like panel appeared in front of Root and Light. Upon witnessing what was happening, Light looked at Root, asking, “What do we do?”

“…we can’t do anything; you know that already. With the Sky Ruler’s Awakening the world is currently being filled with Divinity, if we intervene now it will only make things chaotic for the world. We already spent so much just hastening the Water Ruler’s Awakening, and with the Hero already making move after all this year means he knows that we can no longer interfere with the world to stop him ourselves.” Root became despondent.

Darkness nodded, “I tried waking up Colt but it seems like he hit his head rather hard, I can’t even communicate with him. He’ll wake up sooner or later, let’s just hope Mina doesn’t kill the Valkyries or Vice-Versa… sigh, and here I thought with Colt’s presence, it would be smooth sailing, this Era’s Saintess really is a troublemaker.”

Without the ability to interfere, the three Goddesses just prayed for the best while stress eating their way to hope…

===

“Hoooh, the two Valkyries have appeared.” Lucille raised her brows with a smirk.

“Valkyries? What’s that?” Filla and Lyra asked.

Lucille saw Darius hesitating to tell her not to tell the two children, the existences of Valkyries were, after all, a closely guarded secret. But considering they were the ones who showed themselves in the public, Lucille couldn’t give them two fucks.

‘This is my job as an educator.’ She thought to herself. Showing a cheeky smile, information proceeded to escape her, “Valkyries are basically people who protect the Dracian Fate’s existence and cause. The Valkyries are blessed by the Seven Divine Weapons that are passed down to each generation with the name it carries. Gunnr wields the element of Healing and Helvor the element of Water, both are Sorcerers so you two best watch them.”

Filla tugged on Lucille’s clothes, “Isn’t Mama in danger? Aren’t you going to help her?”

Ruffling the worried child’s hair, Lucille smile laughed, “In danger? Mina? She’s someone who can hold off the Elders of the Magic Tower despite not being a Sorceress  — just watch, she’ll show you something good.”

All the while speaking in such a confident manner, Lucille motioned to Darius, “Get ready to interfere, Mina just became Sorcerer, moderation is not in her vocabulary. Oh yeah, try any lethal force and I’ll go on a rampage.”

A threat was given so softly.

===

“Female pest, I will give you another chance to—”

“Gunnr — Gunnr, look, I found him, the one who can lead the Fate with me, I found him, I found the Pope!” The Saintess said with joy apparent in her voice. She ignored Mina.

Gunnr looked at the Saintess then back to Mina, she sighed and motioned to Helvor, the wielder of Water, ‘So, what do you think we should do about this?’

‘I don’t know, but I really want to come back, The Queen had just returned, I really miss the Queen. But what’s important 5right now is the Saintess, I want to end this by giving back the man and apologizing but I think the Saintess is right, we might have found a Pope with him.’

Gunnr looked over at the Saintess and at the unconscious Colt, ‘Do you really think so?’

‘His presence radiates divinity — it’s even stronger than the Saintess’.’

‘Oh, is that so?’

BAM!

All of a sudden, a fist landed squarely on Gunnr’s face sending her flying.

Standing at the place where Gunnr used to stand, Mina radiated with Green Mana, “That’s good ignore me some more.”

Green light appeared surrounding the area like beautiful fireflies.

Helvor raised a brow, she was surprised at Mina’s capabilities as a Sorceress, “You’re quite good at controlling Mana, but you must be new to this thing, brute force won’t let you win against a Sorcerer.”

Soon after Helvor uttered those words she moved her hand and water chains sprouted from the ground binding Mina’s wrists. From the amount of mana and how there was a flash of nine Magic Circles, Mina determined these

Mina tugged at the chains but all it did was splash water all over her. It would deform and quickly reform to bind her arm and from what she could tell, the chains would reform stronger than before.

Helvor smiled, “I understand your frustration, we have let you attack one of our own so could you please calm down and let us talk this through?”

Mina did not listen, with her eyes locked at the existence of the one they called Saintess, her anger could hardly be contained. She laughingly stared at Gunnr, “Take these off.”

“From your Mana circulation, I can tell that you have yet to properly control mana. This may just be a 9th Tier Spell but it can bind even a Minor-Master Warrior. It will reform itself every time it is destroyed, and I can adjust its strength too, you can say this is the strongest binding magic of the Water Element. I know we are in the wrong but I have to do this… it is my job after all.”

Mina did not say anything, instead of blabbing her mouth she just stared behind Helvor. She kept her silence and with her standing still, Helvor thought Mina had kept her silence only to feel see a blur coming her way!

“You talk too much!”

“That’s not possible…” Helvor looked beyond Mina’s figure and saw the liquid chains that were supposed to hold Mina floated in the air on the place where she original stood, only a split second later.

‘She moved so fast the water couldn’t reform quickly enough!?’ even she didn’t think was possible.

BAM!

Mina delivered a punch with all that she had straight on Helvor’s face, though all of a sudden a hand appeared to get between her and Helvor.

“You really like sneak attacks, huh, little princess.”

Gunnr that had been knocked down tried intercepting what’s about to come, but… Mina did not care.

Gunnr already activated her Healing Mana, but even that was not enough to stop the fist of an angered Wife!

“What the fuck are you! A MONSTER!?” With Gunnr’s hands acting as a cushion, Mina’s strike reached Helvor sending her flying meters away!

The water spell going to hold onto Mina’s wrists and ankles stopped midflight and turned to ordinary water.

Noticing this, Gunnr knew something went wrong with Helvor, ‘Was the impact that strong? For Helvor to lose consciousness!’

Gunnr, a Healing Mage for more than two decades quickly sent out Seven Magic Circles over to Helvor to administer Healing Magic.

Helvor regained her consciousness and stood back up.

Her face that should have been disfigured returned to normal… almost.

PTOO!

Helvor spat out a tooth, “That little piece of shit!”

Helvor, the Valkyrie of Water had always been known to be calm and collected. But being struck by this Young Sorceress without regard to her words was enough to set her off.

Though this Valkyrie’s hair was black at this very moment it began to change in terms of hue, its color shifted to a deep color of blue as her mana began to spike!

Lucille watched with raised brows, ‘Elemental Manifestation? Oh right, I never taught that to Mina… should I teach her now?’

While Lucille was contemplating whether to teach Mina about the secrets of Sorcery, another voice echoed, “Helvor! STOP!” it was Gunnr’s.

“Gunnr?” Helvor’s transformation stopped.

With her eyes locked on Mina, Gunnr was also getting serious, “Take the Saintess and go to the Cathedral.”

“What!?”

“Our job is to protect the Saintess, though this is all her fault I don’t this little princess will let us go so easily if we don’t make the Saintess get her clutches off the husband! And the Saintess—”

“He’s the future of the Dracian Fate!” The Saintess seem adamant about keeping Colt to herself.

“You heard her, now, take the Saintess and the boy away, I’ll take care of “persuading” the wife to calm down.”

She was hesitant, but Helvor knew what Gunnr was doing was for the best and so, she escaped.

Seeing this, Lucille looked over at Sera and Mary, “Follow her, and don’t let Colt out of your sight. If anyone stops you just use my name, no that may not be enough, here, use this as proof.” Lucille passed Sera a black medallion.

When Helvor disappeared, so did the other two.

Lucille then turned to Butler Go and Captain Darius, “Change of plans, Sir Captain, go and secure the citizens so no one gets hurt. Butler Go you are now in charge of intervening with the two, Zara Manifestation is allowed… Vyra, Lyra, Risa, and Filla will stay here with me to watch something good.”

“What about you? What would you do?” Asked Darius to Lucille.

“Hmm? Me? I’m going to stay here and ensure no one dies and watch this thing until the end.”

===

“Why aren’t you going after them? I thought you would do anything to get back your husband.” Gunnr asked Mina as she brought out a pair of Golden Knuckles. She then took off her flat shoes.

“I know you’ll use that opening, I’ll take care of you before I go after them.” Mina began tying her hair to a neat ponytail and then ripped apart her dress, showing her fair skin, ‘I’m sorry my husband for showing my skin in public, but I have to do this in order to save you from the clutches of that witch.’ Mina steeled her heart.

Gunnr laughed, as she cracked her neck, she could still the pain of Mina’s sneak attack, “I thought you’d be blinded by rage, seems like you still have your head screwed on right. So why don’t we talk this through?”

“All I had been doing since before you arrived here is talk, and that woman ignored my every word. I don’t know what you did to make such a spoiled and greedy brat, but I won’t be satisfied until I can teach her a lesson. I would warn you to stand aside and let me do what I want, but I don’t think you’ll do it so… let’s just finish this.”

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Mina executed a spell and made herself move at the speed of lightning.

A fist came from above, also executing the spell on her right arm, Mina delivered her unstoppable fist, “Sleep for now.”

The fist was fast, that it shouldn’t have been stopped by anyone, not even a master would be able to stop this, but Gunnr simply raised her left hand and caught it with an arm that had turned glowed with an evergreen light!

BAM!

“Ahhhhh, my bones are shaking, this kind of power, is really insane. Thankfully, I’m stronger than you.” Pulling Mina to her, Gunnr’s other fist that had just finished transforming like that other delivered a punch to Mina’s face!

BAM!

It was a direct hit! Mina was sent flying a total of twenty meters away before regaining her posture. Blood flowed from her nose and the corner of her mouth, but she didn’t really care, it will heal sooner or later.

Before Mina was Gunnr whose form had completely changed.

With a body glowing an iridescent evergreen light, Gunnr radiated healing mana. Her body was energized and her very existence seemed to be the focal point of life energy, and behind her was a massive Magic Circle acting as if it was a halo.

“Elemental Manifestation? I expected as much... this is going to be tough.”

If Warriors had Zara Manifestation, Mages have Elemental Manifestation. Gaining complete domain over the element would grant you this evolution of your being, it takes a lot of stamina and a fine-tuning of mana control but once it is achieved one could be said to have mastered one’s craft and the gates to the next level would be opened.

Gunnr was of the Healing Element which increases one's strength the more mana efficient they use mana and how potent it is. With Elemental Manifestation, their strength increases multiple times over and with their existence becoming mana incarnate, they would then be referred to as monsters.

From the tips of toes to the last strand of her hair, Gunnr radiated Healing Mana!

“Seeing how you’re not responding with a Manifestation of your own means you don’t know how to do it, right? That’s a shame—”

BOOM!

Gunnr made her move, crossing the distance between her and Mina, “I’ll fight seriously now, don’t die on me.”

A flurry of blows landed on Mina’s body; she threw a punch but none of hem landed on her enemy. Her face, abdomen, arms, legs, every hit struck her body with the intent to make her go down.

Though Mina’s body was still healing, she couldn’t keep up with the amount of injury that’s happening.

BOOM! Mina retaliated with a fist, but it completely missed Gunnr.

Gunnr just laughed after witnessing her defiant act, “So, you’re actually stacking up Six Magic Circles with each punch to deliver such a thing. That should be impossible if any other Sorcerer did that no matter how strong they may be, will result in their limbs to break, wait, oh so that’s it — are you continuously using a Supreme Spell to heal your body right now?

“Impressive yes, but you can’t beat me with such a thing, without Elemental Manifestation, you won’t be able to beat me! Now fall already!”

A show of blood followed her announcement of victory!

It was painful, yes. Tiring? Absolutely.  But Mina held on, she didn’t really need to fight here, but she’s just really angered by the fact that Colt was taken away from her.

But why was she angered in the first place?

It was because of fear — fear that this family of hers would be broken, it was always that, her desire had always been that, to create a family, and now, what she had created was being threatened.

Her blood was flying all over the place and those who she knew was crying out her name, Mina could see it, her daughters were crying, she could see it, her sister-in-law and friends were worried, but worst of all, her daughters were crying.

‘My husband is too great for me… he’s hailed as the hero and is revered by many, while me… I am nothing but a beauty with the Vera name behind me. But never I worry about my position, I know he’s loyal, he won’t leave me, I don’t have anything to do other than raise our children and stay the same but at this moment someone is threatening my peace, someone is trying to destroy my desires, someone wants to destroy my family. Someone is trying to take away my family.’

She was angered — she was pissed — she was enraged!

‘… if my darling’s job is to protect the people, then it is my job as his wife to protect our family, and you’re getting in the way of me protect this family.’

Her thoughts aligned she watched her enemy from her half-opened eyes.

She questioned herself why she was losing and after a few seconds she understood why, ‘So, how do you do it?’ a simple question then appeared in her mind.

Watching, observing, and learning, Mina just looked at Gunnr. A few moments later, Mina’s flow of mana changed and now she managed to avoid most of Gunnr’s fist.

Noticing this, Gunnr’s brows twitched, ‘Something’s wrong.’

Lucille watched this with absolute silence the children and others who stayed by her side were all worried, they knew of this form, they knew of the legends that it held, and knew of the danger Mina was in.

Her words before were arrogant, but now all of it seemed flimsy boasts. Even Darius and the rest were getting worried. They knew what would happen if Mina dies! They need to stop this, but when he looked over at Lucille all he saw was a wide smile!

‘Why?’ that was his question to Lucille that he failed to utter.

And at that same instant, silence suddenly appeared. The sound of punches stopped and when Darius looked over at Mina and Gunnr, what he saw made him question his eyes.

BOOM!

A fist landed squarely on Gunnr’s face sending her staggering.

Gunnr then felt Mina’s intent and eyes — Gunnr’s trembled from fear.

‘She’s dangerous… I need to finish this!’ she had been trying just that, but Mina refuses to fall. Gunnr now sees Mina as an actual threat to the Saintess, ‘I don’t know what will happen if she gets to the Saintess. I need to make her fall here, or else.’

Gunnr grew worried, ‘The time for Elemental Manifestation is also showing… tch, I could have stayed in this form longer if not for healing Helvor and taking that sneak attack.’

She gathered her strength and went in to finish all of it. Grasping the Knuckle’s grip, Gunnr was prepared to end this.

Fwu!

She dashed forth with the fastest she had been today and threw a punch towards Mina’s temple. Gunnr was now faster than Mina ever had been, she was sure it would land, nothing else would interfere.

Even Butler Go in the shadows were prepared to intervene, when, all of a sudden, Mina simply leaned backward and let Gunnr’s fist pass by her.

She and Gunnr exchanged gazes, “I understand everything now… thank you.”

Mina then quickly grabbed Gunnr by the neck. Gunnr tried to escape but Mina’s fingers were like vices, and her arm like steel.

Gunnr couldn’t go against Mina, ‘What the hell is this power?’

Mina looked at the struggling Gunnr and made a weak smile, “So this is how you do it… use the Supreme Magic Circle as the funnel and accept the mana to your veins, let them mutate and evolve, and then… let it all out of your body… accept its desires to eat at you, and then… devour it like a hungry beast… I get it now… so this is how you do it — Elemental Manifestation is fairly easy.”

Mina’s body began to change, from her arms, it then spread to her body.

Mina looked directly in Gunnr’s eyes, “It’s not that special after all… like I said earlier, thank you for actually showing me this technique and for your mercy as well. I wouldn’t be standing now if you didn’t pull your punches… I won’t kill you too.”

Mina raised Gunnr up and with a roar, she threw him on the ground!

Lucille saw this and shouted, “Butler Go!”

BOOM!

Butler Go went and caught Gunnr before she could touch the ground! Butler Go felt his bones breaking from the sheer pressure, he didn’t even have the chance to initiate Zara Manifestation when it happened.

‘Damn… I’m getting too old for things like this… let me keep my job in espionage!’

While he was busy complaining Butler Go felt his body become lighter than before, her bones also regained their form and as he looked at Mina what he saw was her entering complete Elemental Manifestation.

“I’m sorry Butler Go, I didn’t think it would be that strong, it appears that I still can’t control my strength… I’ll leave the rest to you guys; I’ll take my husband back.”

BOOM! She then left leaving the ground beneath her soles to cave.

In this world, no one was as brilliant in the path of Magic as Mina Vera. She was a prodigy amongst prodigy and was even hailed as the Queen of the Academy at some point for being so strong despite her age.

The Magic Tower Elder fears her not only because of her ruthlessness and strength but also because of her genius.

In the original plot of the Sword of Heaven, Mina was only a Ninth-Circle Mage, but that’s only because she couldn’t be bothered to train. She already knew she was the strongest of her peer, now, in this timeline where she had a reason to become stronger, Mina Vera’s future, if nothing else, was endless.

With her learning Elemental Manifestation in the span of minutes because she wanted to gain more strength was proof of this.

The Queen’s unquestionable strength has now shown itself to the world.

However, at this very moment, this powered Mina Vera has become unhinged in her desire to retrieve Colt.

With steady steps, the entire Cathedral could feel her pure and unfiltered Killing Intent.

The Entire Cavalry of the Cathedral stands before Mina.