The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

Naka didn't say anything to him. Instead, she turned and walked to Tatya, who was lying on the ground. At that moment, the necklace on Naka's chest emitted the most dazzling light she had seen on the journey, shimmering like a mother worried about her child.

Naka reached her hand under Tatsia's nose. Though faint, she was still breathing. She immediately activated "Disguise," reverting to her saintly identity, and used her magic to cast a mid-level healing spell on her.

A basic intermediate healing spell was enough to quickly restore Tatsia's spirit from her numerous fractures. After months of training, Naka's magic power had also increased significantly. Even the same healing spell was now far more effective. Tatsia's body began to heal at a visible speed. Numerous horrifying wounds began to close. Naka had managed to save Tatsia's life at the last moment. This brought Naka a deep sense of relief.

During her treatment, she said to Nubren behind her.

"Fortunately, this child can be saved. You've also been given a second chance at life. If she had really died, I was planning to have you buried with her."

"Your Majesty, I simply..."

"I know you were just following Fan's orders without any choice. That's why I barely managed to suppress my urge to kill you and ultimately let you go. You couldn't disobey Fan's orders, and I don't blame you for that. But listen carefully now."

Naka turned her head and, in her capacity as the Demon King, issued her command to him.

"I order you to abort this mission. If Fan dares to blame you, let him come find me. But I was planning to have a proper talk with him anyway."

"...Your subordinate obeys."

The Demon King's orders are supreme. Having given his word, even Nu Brown dared not continue carrying out the tasks assigned to him by Farn.

"You'd better leave here quickly. I'll explain things to the child later. You just continue playing the role of Rai and stay there obediently until graduation. After graduation, return to the Demon King's Castle and tell Fan that I forbade you from carrying out the mission. He naturally won't dare to blame you. If you dare to disobey and continue to do as you please, then I don't need to say more about the consequences, do I?"

"Yes! I'll do it right away..."

If Nubulang had left at that point, the case would have been closed. However, neither Nubulang nor Naka anticipated that a very unfortunate accident would occur.

"Hmm... Sister Naka?"

Before Naka could finish explaining the aftermath, Tatsia spoke first. In her unconscious state, she vaguely heard a voice she had longed for, a voice that seemed to guide her to a bright future. To chase after it, to grasp that light, Tatsia struggled to regain consciousness from her deep coma, sitting up sooner than Naka had expected. Although she hadn't heard the conversation clearly, Tatsia's eyes clearly saw Naka beside her, and Rei, the creature possessed by Nubron, standing to the side.

At this moment, intense anger and hatred completely consumed all of Tatia's emotions.

"Reti!!!!"

She quickly grabbed her sword and scrambled to her feet. Her eyes were filled with bloodshot rage as she stared intently at the middle-aged man before her.

If one were to behead oneself in battle, it would merely be a matter of inferior skill. But Raeti deliberately prolonged the fight, subjecting her to the most inhumane and agonizing torture, akin to wishing for death but unable to. This was not an equal battle between heroes, but rather the wanton destruction of herself like a toy. In her fading consciousness, Tatia had already made a silent vow: she would never forgive this bastard!

"Takia, you..."

"Naka! Get out of the way! This guy is the enemy! He's going to kill me! So I'm going to kill him too!"

Tatsia's unexpected awakening threw Naka into disarray. Just as she was about to say something, Tatsia shoved Naka aside and raised her sword to strike Retti. Retti, who had already lost the will to fight, could only raise her sword to parry in desperation.

"Demon... Tch! You, you still want to fight?"

The Demon King had ordered him not to harm Tatsia again. But Tatsia launched an attack. Just as Retti was about to ask, he remembered he shouldn't mention Naka being the Demon King in front of anyone. He had to swallow his words. Faced with Tatsia's furious onslaught, he merely parried, offering no counterattack. But Tatsia had long since disregarded that. Her attacks grew increasingly brutal, and she continued to curse.

"Die! Die! I'll kill you so you can experience the pain I just endured!"

"cut..."

Since his opponent was determined to fight to the death, Retti couldn't just sit idly by. Originally, there was a significant difference in their strength, but now, due to their differing mindsets, Retti was finding it increasingly difficult. He could only retreat step by step.

Naka, meanwhile, stared blankly at the battle between the two. Retti had just tormented Tatya to the brink of death, and Naka couldn't very well intervene. Nor could she, as the Demon King, order Retti to stop. That would only give Tatya something she shouldn't hear. If they continued fighting, one of them would inevitably die. The one who would die would either be Retti, who dared not disobey orders and therefore dared not fight with his full strength, or Tatya, whose strength was ultimately inferior to Retti's.

Just as Naka hesitated, the necklace on her chest emitted light again. It became exceptionally bright and intensely hot, like the sun right in front of her. Naka instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes.

"What... what is this?"

The beam of light was no longer directed in a single direction, but seemed to be consciously aimed at the moving Tatia, flying straight towards the broken sword in her hand. It shone upon it.

At this moment, the miracle that had once occurred in the mansion was born once again.

As the necklace's light merged with Tatsia's sword, Tatsia's sword emitted a dark green glow. Noticing this change, both Tatsia and Retti stopped what they were doing and created distance between them.

"Could it be...?!"

Taqia gazed at the sword with excitement; its ever-increasing weight proved that the sword was undergoing a remarkable transformation. And this was precisely the reason Taqia had come here to participate in the assessment.

No matter how many experiments Tatsia had conducted or what methods she had tried, she had been unable to restore that sign of hope. Now, it had been reborn in her hands. After the light faded, the broken sword had transformed into a greatsword inlaid with colorful gems. An immeasurable power surged through Tatsia's entire body.

"Ha, hahahahahahaha! This is it! This is what I've been waiting for! With this, neither Oz, nor you, nor anyone else... will be a match for me!"

The scene she had longed for had reappeared, and Tatia laughed heartily. She hadn't felt this joy in a long time. The regret of losing to Oz and the anger at being abused by Rhett were now replaced by unparalleled confidence and exhilaration. Nothing could compare to the joy of regaining the "Elf Paradise."

After laughing, she lowered her head and looked at Ratti, whose face was filled with disbelief at the unexpected phenomenon. That look of surprise, fear, and even inability to think was exactly what Tatia wanted to see.

"Sorry to keep you waiting... Come on, let me show you my true power, and then... die!"

Tatia placed her hand on the red gem. A burst of crimson flames instantly enveloped the greatsword. The surrounding air became scorching hot. Naka, as a saintess, had to immediately retreat and create distance; otherwise, given her current power levels, she might have been engulfed by the flames.

Rai Ti, facing this skill head-on, was completely at a loss.

"She...she actually has such power? What is this? Magic? She shouldn't know magic, right? Oh no, if I get hit, I'll die! Not just my body, but even my original self, who's residing within that body, will be doomed..."

His biological instincts told Retti to run for his life. But his body was paralyzed. He tried to take a step, but his legs felt like lead. Not to mention the walls of the barrier behind and to his sides, and Tatsia in front of him. And the wall Naka had just broken was behind Tatsia. Even if he could move, Retti had nowhere to escape. His only fate was to be burned to ashes...

"No... wait...! I still have that trick up my sleeve..."

In this life-or-death moment, Rhett suddenly smiled. Having lived in this school for so long, he had almost forgotten one thing: he wasn't Rhett, but the parasitic creature, Slaven Brown.

"You can still laugh when you're about to die? Don't worry, I won't torture others like you did... I'll send you to your grave in an instant!"

Retti's smile was interpreted by Taqia as nothing more than the madness of someone facing imminent death. At this moment, her power had accumulated sufficiently. She raised her greatsword high and shouted the name of this skill.

"Crimson Lotus Ichimonji!"

"Hey! Tatia! Stop!"

Naka, watching from the sidelines, understood that this attack would surely kill Retti. She wasn't concerned for her subordinate; rather, this attack was enough to obliterate even Retti's physical body. Retti, after all, was nominally a student at this school. The loss of a freshman would definitely attract the school's attention. In any case, Tatsia couldn't bear the blame for murder. Thinking this, Naka quickly tried to stop her. But it was too late. The enormous flaming scythe was already hovering in mid-air, heading straight for Retti.

Suddenly, Rhaeti opened his mouth wide. Then, a worm-like thing crawled out of his mouth and quickly moved behind a nearby rock.

"not good!"

Naka, being the Demon King, could tell. This was a "golden cicada shedding its shell" technique unique to parasitic organisms. Abandoning their host and fleeing the scene immediately when faced with danger was their most common survival tactic. In this way, Tatia had truly killed an innocent middle-aged man who knew nothing of what was happening.

"Huh? What's this...?"

Having lost all consciousness since being parasitized, Rhaeti rubbed his eyes in a daze. He only saw a bright red, scalding substance rushing towards him. His memory stopped at eating with a strange man in Rhaeti town. What happened after that? How much time had passed? The poor man knew nothing. Therefore, completely unaware of the situation, he had no idea that he was about to die. He remained motionless in the face of the giant flint.

"Damn it, is there really no other way?!"

As a saint, Naka was powerless to stop Tatiya's indiscriminate slaughter of innocents. Naka gritted her teeth and made a very difficult decision.

"No matter the cost, we must not let Tatsia bear the blame!"

If the Holy Maiden can't stop it, then it's better if she's not the Holy Maiden. Naka simply removed her "disguise" in front of Tatya. As the Demon King, she swiftly rushed between Rhetti and Fire Scythe, spreading her arms to use her own body to block "Crimson Lotus Ichimonji."

No matter how strong Crimson Ichimonji is, it's impossible for it to cause any harm to Naka, the Demon Lord. However, this would mean that the fact that "Naka ​​is not the Saintess" would be exposed to Tatiya. The phenomenon of the Saintess taking such a powerful attack unscathed is absolutely impossible and inexplicable. Tatiya would also learn of the Demon Lord's identity. Their relationship and destiny would thus come to an end.

But Naka was prepared for the worst. She didn't care if Tatsia found out she was the Demon Lord. She didn't care if Tatsia hated her and she became her target. Even so, Naka was determined to prevent Tatsia from becoming a murderer. Naka didn't know why she was doing this. But she understood it was the only way to save Tatsia. So she did it.

Unfortunately, Tatsia's eyes were fixed on the enemy before her. She wanted to witness the entire process of the despicable assassin being burned to death. But suddenly, Naka appeared in front of her. Tatsia was terrified and cried out.

"Naka!? Don't come any closer! Get out of the way!"

Taqia didn't understand why Naka had taken the blow for Retti. In her eyes, Naka was nothing more than a saint. This attack could easily have severed Naka, burned her, and then killed Retti behind her. Her selfless act of blocking the way wouldn't save anyone; instead, it would have cost Naka her own life in vain.

After killing her mother, Tatia was determined to stop the thought of killing her greatest benefactor—a fate that would utterly destroy her will to live. She didn't attempt to forcibly retract the attack from "Elf Paradise." But she could only do her best to withdraw the power.

The effect was quite noticeable. The fire striker instantly shrank to half its original size. But it was too late. By then, Crimson Ichimonji had already reached Naka. And the remaining half was beyond retrieving.

"boom!"

A deafening roar, unheard by anyone outside, exploded within the barrier.

Because of hope, we believe.

Thousands of miles away from Sunflower Town lies a kingdom perpetually shrouded in eerie, dark clouds, where even the sun appears as a black fireball. This is the paradise of monsters, ruled by the most powerful being in the world: Nama Kalena. Within its borders stands a colossal castle, guarded by countless elite soldiers. This is the Demon King's stronghold: Demon King's Castle. However, Nama, the ruler, is not currently here. Only high-ranking officials and servants remain within the castle.

During Naka's absence, the Demon King's duties were handled by her most trusted subordinate, an undead demon named Fan, who had adopted Naka before she became Demon King. Now, kneeling before Fan was a demon dressed as a butler, his brow beaded with sweat. He repeatedly kowtowed and apologized to Fan.

"What... what did you say...?"

The butler had his reasons for doing so. After hearing his report, Farn's eyes widened in surprise, and he involuntarily took a step back.

"When...when did this happen?"

"I discovered it last night..."

"Then why are you only reporting this now!"

"Because I dared not inform Lord Faen of this matter, I took it upon myself to handle it... But now I am at my wit's end. This matter will inevitably be exposed to you sooner or later, so I have no choice but to report to you before the situation becomes too serious..."

"If that's truly what you think, you should have reported it to me immediately last night!...Get out of here!"

"Yes, yes..."

The butler's negligence should have warranted a severe punishment. However, Farn ultimately only dismissed him. His primary objective was to devise a solution immediately, rather than punish him. Farn swiftly issued orders to the surrounding staff.

"General Sze! You lead one hundred demons to seal off the east gate! General Heide! You lead one hundred demons to seal off the west gate! One hundred demons, follow me to seal off the main gate. The rest of the demons, go to the area surrounding the Demon King's castle and search every house carefully! Don't miss a single corner! Once you find anything, bring it back to me immediately! Also, remember, this matter must not be known to His Majesty the Demon King! You must keep this a secret!"

"clear!!"

The various officials led their forces and swiftly headed to the location designated by Fan. Fan himself, dragging his faltering steps, gritted his teeth and made his way to the gates of the Demon King's castle. Because he couldn't walk fast, he ordered the demons to ignore him and go ahead to the gates. He arrived shortly after.

After the monsters had all left and the Demon King was alone, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground. The incident was so shocking; just imagining the consequences if Naka found out made Fan feel utterly exhausted.

"Sigh... How... How could this happen..."

He helplessly scratched at his dwindling hair and let out a deep sigh. Even though Naka had sent him several communications at this moment, he hadn't noticed.

Such a momentous event occurred within the Demon King's castle.

"Sister Naka!"

The effort to pull back was ultimately a step too late. In her final moments, Tatia cried out her benefactor's name in anguish, watching helplessly as the flaming scythe exploded on his frail body. The flames of the explosion instantly engulfed her.

Even as the flames continued to rage, Tatsia immediately dropped her sword and charged straight into the fire without hesitation. She didn't care if her own attacks burned her, leaving her charred. Naka's safety was the only thing Tatsia cared about more than anything else.

"No...no! What will I do if you die..."

She was fully aware of the immense power of her attack. Even with most of it reduced, it was still an attack that no ordinary saintess could withstand. Though unwilling to believe it, she could only imagine Naka's mangled, charred corpse lying on the ground.

Instantly, Tatya burst into tears. She still had so much to say to Naka. She hadn't apologized for her rude behavior that day. She hadn't truly conveyed her feelings to her. And she hadn't repaid the many kindnesses she felt she could never fully repay.

Not only did she accidentally kill her mother, but she also accidentally killed her benefactor. If this were to actually happen, Tatia's next target would undoubtedly be herself...

Fortunately, this did not happen.

Tatsia rushed into the flames, but before she could take two steps, she crashed into something small but sturdy. She looked closely and saw that Naka, who should have been severed and burned, stood there unharmed. Her calm expression suggested that nothing had happened.

This was exactly what Tatia had deemed impossible, yet it was also the scene she most wanted to see. But it was so unexpected that Tatia was initially stunned. When she came to her senses, and her mind believed her eyes, realizing that Naka was indeed alive, she burst into tears and threw herself into Naka's arms.

"Waaaaaah! Naka-nee! You're alright... I'm so glad you're alright!!!"

"..."

Naka simply looked at her, offering neither a hug nor saying a word. She was no longer a saintess, but a demon lord. Tatya was only so happy now because she hadn't died. Once Tatya calmed down, she would understand the significance of Naka's survival unscathed from such an attack. Naka believed that at that point, Tatya would only unleash boundless hatred and murderous intent upon her. And in that state, Naka would no longer have the right or the standing to embrace her.

"Who are you?! Where am I?! And what was that just now?!"

A sudden burst of flames, a girl rushing towards him, a violent explosion... this series of events, completely without cause or effect, inexplicably unfolded before his eyes, leaving Ratty utterly panicked. All he knew was that he had almost left this world. In extreme terror, he collapsed to the ground, losing control of his body, and yellow fluid uncontrollably leaked from his genitals.

"You! You bastard, I'll kill you!"

Upon hearing Retti's voice, Tatsia remembered that the assassin had also survived. Unarmed, she rolled up her sleeves, intending to continue her attack on Retti. However, Naka reached out and stopped her.

"Don't do this. He's innocent."

"How can you say I'm innocent? He was sent by the Demon King's army! His goal was to take my head, the head of this elven survivor! I heard everything clearly, and I was indeed wounded by him! It was you, Sister Naka, who healed me, right? You should know that!"

"babble!!!"

A stranger, radiating murderous intent, lunged at him. Letting out a mournful cry, Retti, unable to stand, scrambled to the side, trembling uncontrollably. He covered his head with his hands, unable to meet Tatsia's gaze.

"I understand... but calm down."

Naka placed a hand on Tatya's shoulder. No matter what, they absolutely couldn't let Tatya clash with someone who knew nothing about this matter, or even about the school. She explained softly to Tatya...

"The person who attacked you wasn't this man, but a monster parasitizing him. It was that monster that wanted to kill you. This man knows nothing about it."

"A parasitic monster?"

"Yes. I saw it clearly from the side. The parasitic monster broke free from the man's body and escaped before your attack hit. If your attack had hit, you wouldn't have killed the monster that was after you, but this innocent guy who was controlled by the monster. That's why I stepped in to shield him from your attack."

"Yes, that's how it is... I was wondering why you were protecting him, Naka, there's such a hidden story..."

Tatya had never heard of parasitic monsters before. But since Naka said so, she immediately accepted it.

Looking at the trembling Raiti, she realized he was indeed completely different from the Raiti she knew in class and the Raiti who had attacked her earlier. Tatiana slightly turned her body away.

"You can leave now... and don't tell anyone about what happened earlier, understand?"

"Yes, yes, yes, I know, I know..."