Tina’s eyes had long since lost the light of humanity.
Rather than looking at her own kind, she stared at them like enemies, her gaze devoid of mercy.
Everyone present knew who she was.
And they all understood what it meant for her to emerge from the shadows.
Morphis’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Though Tina was not an Oracle Envoy, she was still one of the Four Saints — a newly risen knight blessed with exceptional talent and formidable strength.
She remembered Tina’s fanatic devotion to following Gabriella.
It seemed that obsession had ultimately caused her to sink into the shadows.
The Tina before them now had likely been deceived by the Evil God, trapped in her past guilt, her emotions manipulated and controlled.
A sharp pang of sorrow struck her heart.
Elsa’s delicate body trembled as well.
Her lips parted, as if she wanted to say something, yet no sound came out.
Everyone knew that the enemy they now faced had once been human…
A former companion.
“The Evil God really has a twisted sense of humor,” Gabriella’s voice cut through the darkness like a ray of light.
A sword condensed from pure power appeared in her hand as she walked toward Tina.
In that instant, her figure became the most dazzling presence in their eyes.
Only then did the others react.
Shadowy vines surged upward from all directions, attempting to bind their ankles and stop their advance.
The ground beneath Gabriella stretched instantly, as if space itself had warped.
The shadow-covered stone floor expanded in mere moments.
What had once been a narrow space became vast and open.
The ground seemed to extend for thousands of meters, while the ceiling vanished entirely.
Above them was a pitch-black sky filled with miasma, as if no light could ever pierce through it.
The energy released from Morphis’s [Prayer] was the only source of light here.
[Dispel] [Burst] [Protection] [Resistance]
Several spells were cast in an instant.
Different-colored magical lights blossomed around her body one after another.
Protective barriers immediately formed around all four of them, and blazing beams of sunlight shot toward the sky, forcing back the tide of shadows slightly.
Philina gathered magic in her hand, forming it into an arrow.
Drawing her bow, she released it toward Tina.
At that very moment, massive wings of ice unfurled behind the Ice Saint as she soared into the air.
The arrow exploded violently behind her, yet the spreading energy vanished, as if it had been completely devoured by the shadows.
Tina raised her hand.
A massive deep-blue ice wall, like a crystalline barrier, blocked the blazing beams aimed at dispersing the shadows.
Then, the shadows began to boil once more, and countless shadowy vines surged from all directions within the room.
Fighting here placed the Oracle Envoys at a natural disadvantage.
Elsa’s body transformed into a streak of silver-white light.
Her astonishing speed brought her to Tina’s side in the blink of an eye.
Tina hastily summoned an ice wall in front of her.
Shadowy vines wrapped around Elsa’s ankles just as her sword struck, splitting the ice wall in two.
But Tina retaliated instantly, conjuring a long whip of ice that lashed out and coiled around Elsa’s arm.
“Mm…”
Elsa let out a soft groan.
Though she had already broken free from the shadows, she suddenly froze in place as if she had lost the ability to move.
She stared blankly at Tina, her eyes filled with apology.
She was hesitating.
“Miss Elsa!” Philina drew her bow again, power surging through her body.
This time, she was determined to seize the opportunity and subdue the fallen Ice Saint.
At the same time, a golden light flashed in Morphis’s eyes.
A massive bell descended from the sky, as if to seal Tina within golden runic energy.
Suddenly, the shadows beneath Tina’s feet boiled violently.
A pitch-black greatsword burst out from the ground, shattering the golden bell instantly.
Morphis’s expression tightened.
Only then did they realize — their enemy in this battle was not just Tina, but also the Evil God behind her… and countless puppets under its control.
Philina’s arrow collided with the black blade, yet it remained completely unharmed.
However, Elsa seized that brief opening to break free.
The black sword pursued relentlessly, connected to nine vines as it swept toward her.
At the critical moment, a flash of silver cut through the air, severing the dangerous black blade.
Gabriella’s figure had already appeared before Tina — her speed even surpassing that of her younger sister, Elsa.
BOOM—!
The clash between shadow and silver-white power erupted.
The figures of the fallen Ice Saint Tina and Gabriella disappeared into a chaotic storm.
Everyone was stunned.
“Big Sister…!”
Elsa rushed forward, only to be immediately grabbed by the sleeve and pulled back by Morphis.
“Elsa, trust in the Divine Lady.”
“Mm… I…”
“Have you been affected by the shadows? How could this…” Seeing Elsa’s poor condition, Morphis felt both worry and confusion.
She had already cast magic to resist mental interference on everyone.
Could it be that the corruption within Elsa still lingered?
“I’m… fine.” Elsa shook her head, avoiding a direct answer.
Her emotions were in turmoil.
From beginning to end, she had not truly fought with all her strength.
She could barely even grip the sword in her hand.
She and Tina had once made a promise — to honor each other’s feelings.
They had even spoken of marriage.
They would fall together and become demons.
And yet now, because of her wavering heart, she had betrayed Tina.
During their clash, she could clearly feel that Tina had not struck at her with lethal intent.
Even though she had already accepted the darkness deep in her heart, now she still…
She was being far too willful.
What must Tina think of me?
Betrayal? Disappointment?
She’ll hate me. She’ll question everything I’ve done.
Elsa didn’t want to hurt Tina.
Just moments ago, she had had many choices.
She could have betrayed the two Oracle Envoys, stood side by side with Tina, mocked the Envoys’ ignorance…
And then let her sister turn them both into maids…
Elsa’s mind grew hazy.
She knew she had done something wrong.
But at that moment, another sudden change occurred.
Perhaps due to the Divine Lady’s temporary disappearance, the demons lurking within the darkness seemed to rejoice.
Just like the Ice Saint Tina, she rose from the shadows — as if she were the Evil God’s second chess piece against the Oracle Envoys.
Behind the girls appeared a second demon…
A genuine demon.
She wore a maid outfit, her long purple hair flowing beautifully.
That teasing gaze made Elsa feel an overwhelming urge to kneel and confess her sins.
It was the Head Maid — Liya.
“Long time no see, dear Oracle Envoys~?”
Her gentle voice sounded… like either a blessing, or a curse.