101~Realm of the Collective Forest Authority
“I finally know why she’s not getting hurt!” Yalin stared intently at Tillysha, her face exuding pure confidence.
Then, pointing at Tillysha’s grand bow resting on her back, she explained, “Technically, it’s not that she isn’t getting hurt; her bow is taking the damage for her. That’s her Realm effect—transferring harm that would’ve been hers to the wooden bow instead.”
“The proof?” Yalin gestured dramatically. “There are clear signs of damage and crystallization on her bow, but not a scratch on her person.”
“Wow, so there are Realms like this?” Anna’s wide eyes blinked rapidly. It was her first time hearing about such an unconventional Realm.
“I reckon once her bow breaks, her Realm effect will fail too,” Yalin continued her deduction.
“Tillysha has two bows on her back, but I suspect the second one won’t be of any help either in the short run. From what I’ve gleaned from books, similar Realms have been recorded. When destroyed, there’s a cooldown period before they can be reactivated. Switching out the bow mid-fight won’t do her any good,” Yalin added with a knowing nod.
“Excellent work, Yalin,” Princess Filisia smiled, watching Tillysha.
“It’s just the normal observation skills of a Divine Child,” Yalin adjusted her glasses. “Even without the Divine Analysis Technique, I’m still a Divine Child.”
Tillysha remained silent, unfazed. Given that the other party was openly unveiling the secrets of her Realm without any form of mental telepathy, it was clear they were confident in their impending victory.
Knowing her chances in close combat against Princess Filisia were slim, Tillysha discarded her dual swords and drew the long bow from her back, fully exposing it to onlookers.
“Indeed.” Yalin’s lips curled into a subtle smirk. “Miss Tillysha, it seems I’ve fortuitously guessed the secret of your Realm?”
“Miss Yalin is indeed clever, I am impressed,” Tillysha replied with a radiant smile. “However, I’m afraid you didn’t quite uncover all of it.”
“Oh? Didn’t guess all of it? Was it the Divine Authority you missed, or the full extent of the Realm?” Yalin inquired, intrigued.
“Unfortunately for you, you didn’t guess either,” Tillysha replied with serenity, her elegant smile free of any panic over her secrets being revealed.
Is it a mind game? I don’t fall for that.
“I guess even if you didn’t uncover everything, you still managed to hit most of it, right?” Yalin observed Tillysha closely for any telltale signs of reaction. To her surprise, her words had no effect on the other girl’s composure.
“Most of it?” Tillysha echoed her words lightly. “No, I’m afraid there’s still a little more you’re missing.”
She playfully gestured with her fingertips and offered a caution: “Miss Yalin, you’ve only guessed half of the Realm’s capabilities. Acting rashly now might not be the best idea.”
“Are you trying to buy time, Tillysha? Sorry, but no one’s falling for that bluff,” Yalin retorted with a snicker.
“Your tactics won’t save you here. You’re doomed.”
“Your Realm is interesting Tillysha, but it doesn’t excite me.” Princess Filisia licked her lips suggestively, like a teasing kitten playing with its prey, clutching her massive sword. “Your skills definitely could use some refinement. Still, good luck! Let’s not rush your exit just yet. We’ll likely cross paths often in the Academy. No need to rush now.”
And with that, the princess took a weighty step forward, dragging her giant sword along the ground. The ominous sound of its scrape carved deep into the earth, leaving a jagged crack as if the whole mountain trembled in response.
But Tillysha didn’t budge.
Was she giving up?
Princess Filisia frowned slightly, a tinge of dissatisfaction marring her face. In her eyes, every opponent should fight their hardest and never give up until the bitter end. That’s where the true excitement lies—fighting till the last breath with fiery passion!
What she didn’t know was that Tillysha wasn’t conceding. She simply thought her first form wasn’t doing the trick—it wasn’t touching the Princess. Time for a new approach…
The princess’s giant sword gleamed with pointed platinum crystals and she poured all her strength into the swing, a devastating blow that could only mean elimination upon contact.
The audience, other students, and even Yalin and Anna, all believed at this moment that Tillysha’s fate was sealed.
“Crack!” The bow snapped in half under the heavy strike enhanced by Divine Authority, and with the shattering of the bow, visible signs of damage appeared on Tillysha’s Realm.
Her long sleeve disintegrated, revealing delicate wrists; her stockings were torn to shreds, almost like a laced pair of socks, exposing her smooth, white legs. One leg’s covering was largely intact, though barely hanging on. Above, her chest bindings hung precariously, showing off her assets in an increasingly precarious manner.
Princess Filisia glanced away, embarrassed. “I was aiming at the bow, how did her clothes end up like that??” This wasn’t knightly conduct, leaving the princess rather flustered and unsure where to fix her gaze.
Tillysha paid no attention to these nuances. In her estimation, they were all girls—so who cares if they see?
And then, of course, there was the live-stream audience…
“Aaaaahhhh!” The plaza audience erupted in sorrowful cries, male students wailing as though they’d lost something precious. Their hopes dashed when everything they eagerly wanted to see disappeared behind a cruel mosaic screen.
“That’s outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!” High school seniors, eyes bugging out, quickly corrected themselves once they realized the implications of their complaints.
The excitement was palpable, though not without its awkward moments.
Compared to the hormone-ridden students, the mentor’s attention was entirely different.
They had already deduced that Tillysha’s Divine Authority was tied to her bow, knowing fully well once it broke, her chances crumbled away.
Yet…
“Is that…??” The bearded mentor’s eyes widened.
Everyone watched as Tillysha’s bow shattered, but then the broken halves dissolved into pure wood energy, coalescing in her hands.
A surge of deep green energy blasted free from her, piercing Princess Filisia’s chest.
“Eh??” Even Princess Filisia was initially caught off guard.
A Divine Authority attack? Hiding a second move?
Didn’t matter too much anyway—her Divine Resistance was at an impressive level of nine stars, meaning normal Divine Authority wouldn’t harm her.
She was wrong. The attack wasn’t aimed at her. Once the verdant green vines erupted through her body, they split into two strands, growing out her back and striking behind her to hit Yalin and Anna!
Tillysha’s gaze lifted, her emerald-like eyes shimmering.
The Third Divine Authority: The Realm of the Collective Forest Authority.
