The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

It was a very urgent situation, yet Tatia remained remarkably calm. She didn't know why, but as long as she held this sword in her hand, she no longer considered these troublesome wolf demons as any noteworthy enemies. She reached for the red gem embedded in the sword and gently touched it. A fiery red vortex condensed on the greatsword.

Tatia recognized the flames enveloping her sword. Yet, despite being so close, she wasn't burned, nor did she feel any heat. This flame wasn't her enemy, but her friend. She raised her greatsword high, uttering the name of a technique she shouldn't have known.

"Red Lotus Ichimonji"

The moment the sword appeared, an unknown force surged into Tatsia's mind. She knew how to use the sword, and what skills it could unleash. It was almost instinctive.

He laid the sword flat and, with a spin of his body, swung it forward with force. A massive flaming scythe flew from the greatsword. Wherever it touched, all the wolf demons were instantly sliced ​​into pieces. Even those that weren't directly hit were instantly engulfed by the raging flames. More than twenty wolf demons were reduced to ashes by this single attack.

"Wow, that's amazing..."

Looking at the greatsword that was unleashing terrifying power, Tatia couldn't hide her surprise. The sword possessed wondrous power, but she hadn't expected it to be this strong.

Having lost all its minions, the green wolf seemed unable to maintain its composure. It roared and charged at Taqia like lightning. Taqia, however, calmly reached for the blue gem again. With a gentle touch, a blue whirlwind formed around her like a protective shield. The green wolf swung its claws, but the blue whirlwind sliced ​​its arm open, leaving it gaping and raw. It quickly withdrew its claws.

"drink!"

Seeing her opponent show hesitation, Tatsia swung her greatsword in a horizontal slash. At that moment, the blue whirlwind around Tatsia concentrated on the blade again. Even though Green Wolf managed to retreat three or four meters using his superior physical abilities to dodge the greatsword's attack, he was still slashed in the abdomen by an invisible blade, bleeding profusely.

"Azure Aura...this move is a skill that can be used for both offense and defense..."

Taqia examined the sword thoughtfully, repeatedly. She didn't know why she knew the names of these skills. But she vaguely felt it would be strange if she didn't. Even though it was the first time she'd seen it, it didn't feel unfamiliar to her. It was a state that was truly hard to describe.

With its attacks repeatedly thwarted, the green wolf was completely consumed by anxiety. It opened its mouth again, gathering dark green magic within.

"That magic light blast again... but this time it won't be so simple!"

There was still one yellow gem's power left to test, but Tatsia decided to finish quickly. Although she had recovered, Naka still needed immediate medical attention. There was no need to waste even a second on this guy. She pressed the red, blue, and yellow gems in quick succession. The three gems flashed simultaneously, and a tremendous power that Tatsia had never felt before gradually formed.

Flames, whirlwinds, and the power of light intertwined and converged upon the greatsword. Finally, the entire sword emitted a pale green light. That vibrant color evoked a profound sense of familiarity in Tatsia, as if she were back in her once beautiful homeland. The scattered specks of light seemed to transform into butterflies fluttering in the air. It was incredibly warm and comforting. The elven kingdom, reduced to scorched earth three years ago, had not perished; now, it resided in Tatsia's sword and within her heart.

As the green wolf's energy blast was completed and fired at Tatia, Tatia also prepared her sword, neither dodging nor evading, and charged straight at the energy blast.

"Take this, Fairy Paradise...!"

Faced with the greatsword's most powerful attack, Green Wolf's light bullet was utterly vulnerable. The green light blade sliced ​​through the bullet as easily as cutting pudding. Green Wolf's true form was now completely exposed to Tatia. Green Wolf seemed completely unprepared for his ultimate attack to be neutralized so easily, and was unable to react at all.

"Ughhhhhhh!"

Despite the deafening explosion behind her, Taqia aimed at the magic circle on the green wolf's chest and unleashed her Elf Paradise attack squarely at it.

This attack didn't just pierce the green wolf's skin; it sliced ​​it in two along the chest. The upper part of its body fell backward, while the lower half lay sprawled on the ground. The magic circle that served as the life source for the modified monster had been destroyed, and the green wolf was utterly dead.

Bathed in the blood of the green wolf, the hero roared in victory.

"It worked!!!!!!!!!"

the truth

Standing was a small girl, while lying on the ground was a gigantic monster. The girl's body was stained with the monster's blood, proof of her victory. This little victor was named Tatia.

She raised her greatsword high and roared to the sky, releasing all the anger, sorrow, excitement, and joy hidden within her. After banishing the negative emotions, she felt only an indescribable sense of liberation.

Looking again at the greatsword in her hand, it still shone with a dazzling light. That light was the ray of hope that had allowed Tatya to reverse her fate.

Tatsia didn't know why the sword her mother had left her had suddenly turned into this state. But it was with it that Tatsia broke the deadlock. Although she wouldn't completely forgive her for abandoning her and her father to research monsters, Tatsia was very grateful to her mother for giving it to her.

"Oh, right... Sister Naka!"

Victory was certainly something to celebrate, but Tatsia had something far more important to do right now. She had to get Naka to the doctor as soon as possible. Tatsia quickly snapped out of her elation and turned to run towards Naka's location.

"Huh...?"

Unsure whether to be happy or surprised, Naka, who should have been on the verge of death from her severe injuries, sat up as if nothing had happened, opening her eyes to look at Tatsia. Although the blood was still wet, her multiple fatal wounds had inexplicably healed completely. Naka's recovery was a good thing, but the speed of her recovery seemed a little too fast. Tatsia stopped running and slowly approached her, tentatively asking in a questioning voice...

"Is...is that Sister Naka?"

"Who else could it be but me?"

The tone and manner of her reply confirmed it was indeed Naka. Her fluent speech indicated she was also out of danger. This relieved Tatsia. But she still had to ask...

"Sister Naka, what's wrong...?"

Are you asking me why I recovered?

Before Tatiya could even ask, Naka asked the second half of the question for her. Tatiya could only nod.

"Uh-huh..."

As for how Naka knew what Tatia wanted to ask, it was because she herself harbored the same doubts. After casting a mid-level healing spell on Tatia with her last strength, Naka completely lost consciousness. As her consciousness teetered on the edge of death, she suddenly felt herself being forcefully pulled back to reality. She quickly awoke. Her wounds healed at an astonishing speed. Even mid-level healing magic couldn't turn a dying person back into a lively, healthy individual in such a short time. Naka had no idea why.

However, if she had to put it into words, Naka did have a clue. Or rather, for now, that was the only direction she could be heading.

"It's probably because of this thing you're holding."

The sword Naka was referring to was the greatsword in Tatsia's hand. Tatsia examined it repeatedly in surprise.

"Huh? This? Does this thing have healing properties?"

When Naka regained consciousness, she saw Naka charging towards the green wolf, holding aloft something that emitted a vibrant green light. As the beams of light shone on her, Naka felt an incredibly soothing sensation. All her pain vanished instantly. This was probably what had healed her wounds.

Now Naka could see clearly that Tatsia was holding a greatsword longer than her own height. But she didn't remember Tatsia ever possessing this weapon. So she asked...

"By the way, what is this thing? Where did you find it?"

"This is the sword my mother forged for me. I don't know why it turned out like this... but it's really powerful! It wiped out all those monsters in one go!"

Tatia was as excited as a child showing off a new toy to her parents, waving her arms and legs. She even drew out the word "all".

When Naka awoke, she also witnessed Tatsia's final attack. It emanated an unusual power that Naka had never seen before. It was indeed no ordinary thing.

Recalling the first time she did a mission with Tatsia, Naka had told her to either throw away the sword or keep it at home. If Tatsia had actually done as she was told, she, a demon lord, would probably have already stumbled and lost her life in such a trivial matter. Naka felt extremely ashamed about this.

She gently stroked Tatsia's head. This little girl, who just a month ago could do nothing, now displayed a power far beyond her years. Naka felt a deep sense of pride and joy for her, a feeling she shared.

"You've become amazing, Tatia."

"Hehehe..."

Tatia blushed and responded with an embarrassed smile.

Naka surveyed her surroundings; the entire laboratory was practically reduced to ruins. The torsos of wolf demons lay scattered across the ground, some still ablaze. In the distance, the green wolf's body was severed in two, the cuts clean and sharp. Naka had witnessed Tatsia slicing through the green wolf's energy blast. The green wolf had been utterly defeated by this greatsword, offering virtually no resistance. The difference in their strength was like heaven and earth.

Tatya had said that the sword was forged by her mother and given to her by her own hand. Connecting this to the description in the report found in the mansion, Naka had an idea.

The idea was somewhat absurd, but it was the only way to explain everything before her. After some internal struggle, Naka finally voiced it.

"Takia, maybe you and I are both wrong, who knows?"

"A mistake?"

"The most perfect work your mother spoke of might not be that green wolf."

Naka extended her index finger and pointed at the greatsword in Tatia's hand.

"It should be this thing instead."

"Huh? Is that so?"

This sword also belonged to her mother. And it defeated Green Wolf. That means her mother's most perfect creation wouldn't be Green Wolf, but this greatsword. This theory seems plausible at first glance. However, it leads to a more complex problem. The more Tatsia thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.

"No, that can't be right, Naka... If Mom's report said to experiment on the most perfect creation, and she meant this thing, then... then did Mom already foresee me coming here? And she already foresaw it would turn out like this?"

If Naka hadn't accepted the mission, Tatsia would never have come to a place like this. It would be perfectly normal for her to never even approach this place in her entire life. Unless her mother was absolutely certain she would come here, she wouldn't have been so adamant about experimenting with this sword.

Even assuming her mother somehow knew she would come, how could she guarantee the sword would awaken its true power? Normally, this sword was just a broken piece of wood, barely enough to chop wood. Tatia didn't understand why it had become like this. Even after Nakat's training, Tatia couldn't contend with the green wolf. Not to mention her pre-training self; even the wolf demon at the gate could easily kill her. So how could she test the sword's hidden power? So many uncertainties made it impossible to plan everything in advance. The possibility of it being implemented was practically zero.

"...I don't know. I was just saying it casually."

Naka couldn't answer the questions Tatsia posed. She had considered these questions before speaking, and could only arrive at a conclusion bordering on conspiracy theory. However, she didn't intend to change her mind. In any case, the sword was from Tatsia's mother. She couldn't possibly be unaware of the power hidden within it.

Tatia had also considered this. The power emanating from the greatest skill, which required the simultaneous activation of three powers, undoubtedly originated from the power of the elves. Entrusting it to her mother was certainly related to this greatsword.

If this is indeed the case, there is an unimaginable secret hidden behind this matter... Thinking of this, when Tatia looked at the sword again, the greatsword no longer seemed so hopeful, but rather so terrifying.

"babble!!"

She released her grip in fear, and the greatsword clattered to the ground. Then another flash of light appeared. The enormous, ornate sword transformed back into the unremarkable, broken blade. Staring at the new sword, Tatsia was at a loss.

"Sister Naka, I..."

"Take it with you."

Naka picked it up and handed it to Tatsia.

"No matter what, it's an undeniable fact that this sword saved our lives. Without it, we would have been food for those monsters long ago. Moreover, this sword is also an important piece of evidence connecting you and your mother. As for its secrets, we can study them later, or you can ask your mother directly after you find her."

"Okay, sure..."

Although still somewhat hesitant, Tatia finally accepted her old friend who had been with her for many years and put it back in its sheath.

"Um, Sister Naka..."

However, Tatia didn't believe the victory was solely due to the sword. It only changed at the moment her fighting spirit ignited. What truly enabled Tatia to rise again and bravely face her formidable foe was the saintess before her. She was the one Tatia was most grateful to.

"Sister Naka, if it weren't for your final healing magic, I would have given up long ago... Thank you, Sister Naka. Because of you, I can fight with my head held high."

Tatsia took Naka's hands and gave her benefactor her most radiant smile.

"It's so good to have you with me, Naka."

"...You flatter me."

Naka loved Tatsia's smile. But her smile was so dazzling that Naka had to look away. She hadn't forgotten that she was the least deserving person to accept Tatsia's gratitude.

"By the way, let's give this sword a name. Since it has such special abilities, it wouldn't be good to call it a rotten sword."

To change the subject, Naka suddenly proposed the rather strange idea of ​​naming the sword. After some thought, Tatia offered what she considered the most suitable name.

Let's call it Fairy Paradise.

"...The same as its skill name?"

Naka had regained consciousness during Tatia's final confrontation with the Green Wolf. She heard Tatia shout out her attack. Tatia had named it after its strongest skill, a decision made with her own considerations.

"Because... the true power of this sword is the power of the Elf Kingdom."

This sword from the Elf Kingdom possesses the greatest power of the elves. Naturally, there's no better option than naming it after an elf. That's what Tatia believes.

This sword also contained the power of the elven kingdom that should have been destroyed, which made Naka very concerned. However, since Tatsia was willing to call it that, Naka naturally had no objection.

"Alright... well, Tatia, although it's still unclear under what circumstances it changes, I hope you can use the power of this Fairy Paradise flexibly and freely in the future, completely transforming it into your own power."

"Of course!"

While Tatia is already quite strong, she's not yet a fully-fledged adventurer. However, if she can steadily improve her personal skills while fully unlocking the power of this extraordinary weapon, she will undoubtedly become a towering hero, a rare master in the world. Tatia nodded vigorously. She was determined to become that kind of being. Because her ultimate goal wasn't a monster like the Green Wolf, but to defeat the strongest monster who had taken everything from her: the Demon King.

After saying those words, a shadow fell over Naka's heart. The words came from her own mouth, but she immediately regretted them. Because she was the strongest demon who had taken everything from Tatia: the Demon King.

If Tatsia truly becomes a powerful hero, she will inevitably become an obstacle to Naka's future. This is because Naka's purpose in this journey is to eliminate the hero prophesied to kill her before it's too late.

Based on her previous performance, Naka had never considered that Tatia might be the hero. But now, Tatia has unleashed abilities that Naka hadn't anticipated. Even with the Fairy Paradise, she's far from being a match for the Demon King, Nama Kalena. But how far Tatia can go in the future, Naka can't predict.

Naka's previous words to Tatsia's father, Osider, were merely a bluff. As long as Tatsia wasn't a potential threat to her, Naka felt it was reasonable to spare her life. She planned to disband the party after Tatsia met her mother and embark on her own journey. But now, the situation is different.

Tatsia's mother was no saint. It was still unclear how much of the elven kingdom's remaining power she still held. As a mother, she would undoubtedly try every means to pass that power to her daughter, Tatsia. This experiment was one example of her deep cunning. Elves possessed abilities unpredictable by demons, especially now that their homeland had been destroyed; it wouldn't be surprising if they did anything for revenge. Tatsia had now become someone Naka had to be wary of.

Naka had a list of "heroes who should be excluded" in her mind, and Tatya's name was prominently on it. In that instant, the way she looked at Tatya underwent a fundamental change.

"There are still many suspicious points surrounding her mother, so it's best not to act rashly now. Once she finds her mother, she should kill her. Otherwise, the consequences could be dire..."

The murderous intent that Naka had not felt towards Tatia for a long time is now beginning to sprout again in her heart.

Of course, Tatya was completely unaware of the terrifying plan Naka was plotting. She still held Naka's hand tightly, smiling as she spoke.

"So, the mission was successfully completed? Can we go back and turn it in now?"

"Yes, yes..."

"Then, Sister Naka, you should rest for a bit. I'll go find some spoils to prove our mission was a success."

Taqia released her hand and ran towards where the green wolf had fallen. The best proof of their mission's success was the corpse of their wolf demon leader. Once confirmed with the soldiers of Naku Village, the mission would be a complete success.

However, just as Tatia was about to approach, a cloud of dark green gas began to emanate from the green wolf's corpse. This sudden change caused Tatia to stop.

"W-what happened? I should have hit that magic circle-like thing..."

Having also noticed this, Naka took a quick step forward and stood in front of Tatia, shielding her behind her.

"Stay vigilant"

"Um"

While keeping an eye on the changes before her, Tatia drew her sword again.

However, the green wolf's corpse only gradually shrank; it didn't come back to life. It seemed to be just a false alarm. Eventually, the green wolf grew to the size of a human.

Just moments ago it was a colossal creature several times her size, but suddenly it has transformed into this form. Tasia asked in bewilderment.