"I can see it now—the train station!"Momoka exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with joy, a big smile stretching across her face.Ayumi, slightly out of breath but smiling too, nodded. "When we arrive, there should be shrine maidens waiting for us. They’re probably already here."Reaching the station felt like a tremendous victory, even though it was only the beginning. This was their first stop on what promised to be a long, dangerous journey. Elsewhere, Amber was locked in combat with Robin, while most of the other maidens were still engaged in battles against a scattered group of ruthless bandits.Now, only four people remained in Ayumi’s group. It was a painful reduction from the number they had started with. The cost of this journey had already been steep.As they stepped onto the station platform, Lynn let out a long, tired sigh. She finally dropped to one knee, carefully letting down the three people she had been carrying across he

"This must be his final form... It's terrifying to think that someone could even possess this kind of ability," Yuna muttered, her eyes locked on the massive red dragon that Ryuga had become. The beast towered above them all, its crimson scales glowing like molten lava, and every breath it exhaled sent waves of heat across the battlefield. She turned her gaze toward Ayumi and Mina, and both of them wore the same anxious expression—wide-eyed, tense, fully aware of the monster standing before them.Suddenly, the eerie sound of clanking metal echoed from the train station behind them. It was the unmistakable noise of train cars being disconnected from one another. Thick black smoke puffed upward from the head of the train, and despite the pool of blood still staining its steps, the masked man had returned to the engine room and was now starting the train.“Choo! Choooooo!”"Cough! Cough! What now?! What's that masked man planning?" Mina asked, covering her mouth from the thick smoke.Noah

Blood dripped onto Ayumi’s stomach, warm and wet, slowly soaking into her robes. Behind her, the girl holding the spear—Pela—stood frozen. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her lips trembling with the weight of guilt.“I told myself I wouldn’t cry…” Pela whispered, her voice cracking beneath the pressure of her conscience. “But I had to do this, Ayumi… I didn’t have a choice…”Ayumi’s breath hitched, not just from the pain of the wound, but from the overwhelming sting of betrayal. Her eyes widened in disbelief, her heart throbbing with confusion. Why? Why would Pela, of all people, do this?Her mind flooded with questions she couldn’t answer. The pain was sharp, not just physical, but emotional. A wound deeper than any blade could inflict. Yet, even in this grim moment, Ayumi forced herself to smile. Her voice was soft, almost motherly.“I understand, Pela… I understand,” she said gently, her tone filled with a strange calmness. “You’re merely following orders, aren’t you?”Pela broke.

Now, everyone was looking at Ayumi as if she were the worst kind of traitor.“Everyone… please… can you all just listen to me?”Ayumi pleaded, her voice shaking as she struggled to be heard through the rising tension in the air.“Shut up and die already, traitor of God.”Mirai’s eyes burned with hatred as she glared at Ayumi, her words like blades cutting through any hope of mercy.Ayumi trembled, collapsing to her knees in fear, tears welling up in her eyes. The weight of everyone’s judgment pressed down on her like a curse.But then—“Don’t worry, Ayumi… I’ll protect you, no matter what.”That’s right. I’ve been training every single day, pushing myself past my limits. Not to become some glorified hero—but to protect. To protect someone like her. To use my power not for destruction, but to shield others from it.Just like how Saint White used her twisted ideals to destroy, I will reject all of you if I must.I stood firm.“If you want Ayumi… you’ll have to take me down first.”“Time

The smell of something delicious wafted into my nose, slowly pulling me out of sleep.I blinked my eyes open, stretched my arms, and sat up with a big yawn. My whole body still felt a little sore, but the aroma of breakfast cooking overrode any thoughts of discomfort.Wait… where was I?Looking around, I realized I was inside a cave—definitely not my room or anywhere I’d slept before. The rocky walls curved gently overhead, and the warm morning light spilled through the entrance, revealing a vast desert just beyond.Near the mouth of the cave, I spotted Amber and Ayumi. The two of them were setting up a small table and cooking over a campfire like it was just another ordinary morning.It took me a moment, but then everything came rushing back—last night’s chaos. Ayumi being attacked by her own friends, Sister Yuna revealing herself as an enemy, and that terrifying spell that wiped everything out in a flash of light. It all felt like a dream now… or maybe a nightmare.Still dazed, I st