99~ Just Don’t Let Me Hold You Back!
Wenfu directed her gaze towards the silent Tillysha, feeling a strong sense of helplessness wash over her.
Even for someone like Tillysha, who breezed effortlessly into the top five, facing an absolute genius like Princess Filisia must be a losing battle.
But there’s no need to feel too down about it; losing to Filisia is nothing to sneer at. Just the fact that Tillysha got them into the top five was a pleasant surprise. Top three? She didn’t even dare to think about that.
“Boom boom boom!” Just as one wave of chaos settled, another crashed over them, the sound of tremors echoing through the earth, accompanied by raging winds and pelting rain.
The second wave of attacks had arrived.
Though a thorny barrier blocked her view, Tillysha spotted the danger with her keen hearing and immediately turned around, grabbing Wenfu and leaping into action.
In the next moment, countless shards of crystal tore through the thorny barrier like it was made of paper, leaving it riddled with holes before it finally collapsed completely.
These crystal fragments embedded themselves into the stone wall behind them, which sprouted clusters of translucent yellow crystals as a result.
Wenfu watched in horror; if those crystal fragments hit them, those crystals would grow right through her skin…
Just thinking about it sent chills down her spine, causing goosebumps all over.
Although a token offered some protection, she couldn’t help but let her imagination wander to the worst scenario.
In a moment of panic, Wenfu curled up in Tillysha’s arms, her ears and tail trembling like a frightened kitten seeking protection.
After leaping atop a boulder, Tillysha set Wenfu down, drew her longbow, and spread its golden wings. Countless glimmers gathered upon it, making the light arrow atop shine ever more vibrantly.
She couldn’t keep hiding; otherwise, they’d be on the defensive forever. Even if it seemed pointless, she had to strike back.
Seeing this, Filisia summoned the crystal wall again and shattered it into pieces that shot toward Tillysha.
Tillysha released the bowstring, unleashing a massive light arrow filled to the brim with her divine authority.
The rain of crystals collided with the light arrows, the brilliance refracting off the crystal surfaces, dazzling to the eyes.
After a brief struggle, the light arrow began to dim.
There was simply too great a gap in divine authority and realm between them; Tillysha had no chance of winning an authority showdown.
If she lost this clash of powers, there would be no way for Tillysha to dodge while holding the bow.
Wenfu, still shaken, cast blessings and enhancements, closing her eyes and holding her hands in prayer. Her furry tail swayed as she tried to steady her mind, and a pink halo enveloped the dimming light arrow.
In an instant, the light arrow burst forth, and the crystal shards were reduced to mere dust by the dazzling brilliance.
Filisia blinked in surprise, quickly raising her hand to block as she saw the light arrow, fueled by Wenfu’s blessings, rushing toward her.
“Boom!”
“Wow, Miss Wenfu’s blessing multiplier is truly outrageous,” Filisia remarked nonchalantly, brushing off the explosion and tossing away the light arrow in her hand with a hint of amazement.
“Indeed, she’s one of the most anticipated priestesses in this competition,” the male divine son added knowingly.
“But it won’t help; between Miss Anna and Princess Filisia, their divine authority compatibility is like a perfectly sewn suit—against the divine resistance of nine stars, any multiplier just falls short.”
“Yalin, can you discern the exact multiplier of her divine authority?”
“Sorry, my Divine Analysis Technique isn’t that advanced yet. In fact, being able to see the rough effects of a foe’s divine authority and realm is already quite impressive. The more details you want, the higher the requirements for the Divine Analysis Technique. But it’s not just that; the mental barriers of the subject and any shielding magical items they carry are also crucial factors.”
“Is that so?”
“Huff, huff…” Wenfu sat pale-faced on the boulder, watching as Filisia effortlessly handled the divine attack she had enhanced, feeling hopeless.
Even in the most dangerous moments, Tillysha never abandoned her, but…
The rain of crystals fell again, and with no strength left to fight back, Tillysha could only hold onto Wenfu and keep running.
However, because it took a moment to hold Wenfu, Tillysha’s evasion was slightly delayed.
A shard of crystal grazed her arm.
A small, nearly invisible crystal had sprouted from the longbow on her back.
“Huh?” Yalin observed everything, noting that Tillysha had been grazed by the crystal but remained uninjured and unmorphed. She quickly realized what was behind her bow.
For Filisia, the best choice when dealing with a sluggish opponent was to stick close to her teammates, especially facing a bow-wielding rogue goddess who excelled at ambushes; ranged attacks were definitely the best option.
Her onslaught continued, and Tillysha couldn’t find a moment to counterattack, dodging this way and that while being grazed by shards multiple times, the crystals on her longbow becoming increasingly pronounced…
“I think I’ve become a burden to Miss Tillysha,” Wenfu said with a bitter smile.
“Not at all,” Tillysha replied, dodging as she spoke.
“Sorry, Miss Tillysha, you worked so hard to get me into the top three, and yet I can’t help you at all,” Wenfu continued, as if she hadn’t heard.
“The top three is where you belong based on your own abilities; it’s not really about me,” Tillysha replied in her usual gentle voice, as warm as spring, but this only made Wenfu feel guiltier.
“Miss Tillysha, my power is almost depleted; I can’t help you any further.”
“That’s fine; just take a break.”
“How can I just take a break with a clear conscience?” Wenfu shook her head. “I can’t just accept your kindness and not help in return. At the very least, don’t let me hold you back.”
“You…”
Before Tillysha could say more, she suddenly felt a surge of power wash over her, making her body feel light.
Then Wenfu shoved her away.
“Wenfu?!”
“Tillysha, thank you for helping me into the top five, but this is where I stop. That’s enough,” Wenfu smiled. “That was my last bit of power, so good luck!”
Before the echoes of her words faded, Wenfu was consumed by the rain of crystals, followed by a cold announcement.
“Team 77 has been entirely eliminated, leaving only three teams standing. The top three matches officially begin.”
Tillysha landed gracefully on one foot, remaining silent.
“Guess it was a bit too much of a challenge to take on Princess Filisia, right? I told you, among this batch of newcomers, only Aistride can rival her,” she sighed.
“Limitations, I suppose.”
“Come on, making it to the top three is already quite impressive, right? Getting into an A-grade academy and receiving the White Rose Medal, that’s quite something.”
“What kind of nonsense is that? Didn’t you notice that Tillysha only has one teammate who doesn’t count? If her divine son wasn’t so terrible, with a full team, would they be losing this badly?”
“Right, it’s all that guy Dillin’s fault! Who knows when he got eliminated, he’s as useless as a soggy potato!”
The crowd in the square buzzed with chatter, but they unanimously agreed that Tillysha had lost. Some had even started discussing the next match between Filisia and Aistride.
