— — — — — —
The boar was massive, every step a crushing weight that caved the ground and sent waves exploding against the shore.
And that wasn't even the terrifying part—what truly made it dreadful was the divine power surging through its body, a force so overwhelming that to anyone lacking strength, it was untouchable.
Yet Erica still clung to the faintest sliver of hope.
Such immense size came with a drawback: lack of agility. If she focused on dodging and waiting for the right moment, she might just find a weakness.
She drew a sharp breath, barely slipping past one earth-shattering stomp, and chanted her spell.
"Eli Eli lama sabachthani? Oh Lord, why hast thou forsaken me?....."
—Golgotha.
The curse sung by the dying Son of God, a dirge of despair and hatred that bound itself to her blade.
"She… she actually learned the incantation of Golgotha?!"
Watching from the sidelines, Diana couldn't hide her amazement.
"For someone who's only sixteen—that talent is already straying into the realm of miracles."
"Talent?" Athena tilted her head, giving Diana a sidelong glance.
"Miracle?" Ryo also turned to look at her.
Diana's throat locked up. Suddenly, she couldn't say another word.
On the other side, Liliana bit her lip hard, her chest tight as she watched what she thought might be her best friend's final stand.
She could see it clearly—Erica wasn't holding back. She was gambling her life.
It was reckless. Foolish, even. But at the same time, Liliana understood. Ryo had given Erica a chance. She could have begged for mercy, but instead, she chose to fight.
Die with pride rather than live in shame. That was Erica.
"Goodbye, Erica…" Liliana's teeth dug into her lip as her vision blurred. She nearly chuckled just to stop herself from crying, but tears still welled in her eyes.
...
At that moment, Erica forced the cursed words to bend to her will. She slipped past another crashing stomp, ignoring her shredded dress, and launched herself upward.
"Leap, Sandles of Hermes!"
Magic circles unfolded in the air, platforms for her to leap from.
Ryo's brows furrowed slightly at the incantation, but he said nothing—he only watched as Erica soared and drove her sword into the boar's massive snout.
The blade sank deep, hilt and all.
"She really found a weak spot?" Liliana was stunned.
"Crude technique," Athena said, clapping lightly, "but that curse really can wound a god."
It was more the incantation's power than Erica's own, but still—at her age, at her level, to even brush the threshold of humanity's peak was something she could be proud of.
"She actually pulled it off!" Liliana's heart lurched. She didn't know if she should cheer or cry.
Dangling from her embedded sword, Erica panted hard, chest heaving. She turned her head, hair plastered to her sweat-slicked face, and smiled brightly at Ryo.
She didn't even know why she did it. But in that instant, pride swelled in her chest, and the smile came naturally.
Ryo slipped one hand into his pocket, smiling back.
"To be fair, if it's just about killing a god, with luck, this little girl might actually manage it."
And it was true—given the right stroke of luck, Erica did have a slim chance. A chance perhaps only attainable with the blessing of a Little Garden Athena.
But this compliment was just the setup.
Because when Erica's pride lit her face, Ryo's own expression cooled. His voice turned flat, indifferent.
"But tell me, when did you get the idea that a divine beast was only at this level?"
Her smile froze. Slowly, stiffly, Erica turned back toward the enormous snout in front of her. Rage boiled off the beast, thick and suffocating.
The fury of a god.
The boar bellowed, a sound that split the air, and whipped its massive head. Then, with terrifying force, it leapt and slammed itself downward.
In that split second, Erica abandoned her weapon and threw herself aside.
The impact came with an earth-shattering crash. Pavement exploded, chunks of concrete flying like shrapnel.
Her defensive spell flickered into place just in time, but it wasn't enough—debris slammed into her, hurling her helplessly through the air before she crashed into the ground.
For a moment she just blinked, dazed, staring at the upside-down sky.
What…?
Her body was a wreck, her back torn with wounds, her stomach pierced. She barely had time to comprehend it when she realized someone was holding her—dangling her upside down by the leg.
Ryo's calm, lecturing voice reached her ears. "A sword isn't meant to be used like that."
She stared dumbly at his pants, mind blank.
And then she felt it—an overwhelming, limitless power cloaking her body, like invisible armor wrapping her in its embrace.
"Telekinesis? Impossible… at this scale… this is…"
She barely had time to process the truth before she realized what he was doing.
He was wielding her.
Literally. From her legs, like she was a sword.
Erica flailed in disbelief. She felt like a wooden stick in his grip, her body swung and slashed with practiced precision. It wasn't random—every motion was a clean, refined strike.
But… but I'm not a fucking sword!
Her mind spun, unable to keep up.
Ryo's voice thundered in her ears.
"Watch closely. This is how a sword is meant to be used."
"No, wait, don't—don't you dare! I'm a human, not a damn sword. Don't do— AHHHH!"
Her scream cut the air as Ryo lifted her high overhead and, with one smooth motion, brought her down like a blade.
SLASH—
The sky split.
As if someone had drawn a perfect parting line down the heavens, the air itself tore apart.
On the ground, the colossal boar froze mid-leap. Then came the sound—wet and final.
A spray of blood, the rain of entrails.
The beast fell in two neat halves, crashing down on either side of the road. One chunk even rolled onto the beach, staining the sand crimson.
Silence followed.
Erica's eyes were wide, her vision unfocused. Dangling upside down, she whispered with the last threads of consciousness:
"Mom… I promise… I'll never misbehave again…"
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