Raspun’s blazing iron fist shattered the great rock shield and sent Fiona’s body flying away.
Lily confirmed at the edge of her vision that Chrono caught Fiona’s body soaring through the air.
She wanted to complain about the delicious situation right away, but the crimson monster standing in front of her wouldn’t allow it.
Her gem-like emerald eyes crossed paths with the ominous red and black eyes that resembled a cursed item.
Lily understood that the target had once again returned to her.
“Daaah!!”
She unleashed a light orb focused on explosive power, hitting the monster’s massive body one after another with a series of loud bangs, but the creature’s advance didn’t slow down.
Weaving through the flood of light and sound, the furious Raspun thrust both arms forward, advancing towards Lily.
Just in time, she dodged into the air.
Lily could fly through the sky freely enough to toy with the Pegasus Knight, but unless she could land an attack at close range, she couldn’t even slightly impede Raspun’s movements, which made the aerial maneuvering advantage significantly low.
Even so, compared to Chrono, who could only run on the ground, Lily had the upper hand since she could escape into the air if necessary.
However, that advantage would only last a short while longer.
(This is bad, I’m already past the limit time…)
Currently, Lily was drawing out the magical power of the Red Crystal Ball to regain her original form.
In fact, there was still a dragon skin parchment scroll inscribed with “Life Absorption,” but this monster would never allow even a slight opening to use it.
Therefore, the only way to return to her original form in this situation was to use the Red Crystal Ball, which could be activated at will.
Lily could sense that the activation of the abilities from the Red Crystal Ball was reaching its limit.
She had explained to Chrono that the effect duration was 30 minutes, but it was possible to extend it a little if it was just about maintaining the effect.
In other words, it didn’t mean she would lose the effect exactly after 30 minutes and be forcibly returned to her child form.
After about 30 minutes, her body would no longer bear the magical power flowing in from the Red Crystal Ball, and symptoms resembling fatigue would start to appear.
Using the Red Crystal Ball felt akin to running at her maximum pace.
It was manageable for a while, but after a certain period, the burden became too much.
“Hah… hah…”
As she flew around in the air, dodging Raspun’s attacks while firing lasers and light orbs, Lily was beginning to breathe heavily, and that was due to such reasons.
(No, I can’t return to being a child yet)
While clearly feeling the increasing physical strain, Lily continued using the Red Crystal Ball.
Challenging such a powerful monster while in a child state was far too dangerous; she wanted to end the fight while she could still reliably avoid attacks.
(Is there anything we can do, Chrono—)
Looking over, Chrono and Fiona hadn’t immediately returned to the front lines; a rock wall emerged to hide the two.
From just that glance, it looked as if they had sacrificed one of their comrades to escape.
Abandoning a team member is a common occurrence in the adventurer’s profession.
Even if they usually got along well, when pushed to the brink of life and death, people could easily betray each other.
That’s why those who trust and cooperate with one another, fighting with everything they have until the very end, become known as top-tier adventurer parties.
And even though they still held a rank of 2, Lily believed they were the same.
She hadn’t trusted anyone in over 30 years of her life, but now she placed her full trust in Chrono.
Additionally, she also trusted Fiona, whom she had calculatedly brought into their group, albeit just a little.
(But if you’re going to do something, hurry up; I can’t hold on much longer alone—)
The burden of magical power began to increasingly dominate her body.
The fatigue she felt was akin to running endlessly through an impenetrable darkness, weighing heavily on her small frame.
“Hah… haah…”
For a brief moment—just a flicker—an opening was created.
“—Kuaah!?”
Lily, gasping for breath, couldn’t respond to Raspun’s actions, which came at her with super-speed as if teleporting.
By the time she realized it, it was too late; she was caught along with the glowing green fairy barrier in the giant hands.
“Ugh, let go!”
Normally, enemies that touched the fairy barrier would be incinerated by high heat from the light.
However, Raspun, boasting incredible heat resistance, couldn’t even be scorched by a layer of skin on its palm.
Taking advantage of the fact that it wouldn’t suffer damage from the heat, Raspun pressed down with tremendous force to crush the barrier that protected Lily.
“Guh, ah—”
Intense pressure was applied, making creaking sounds as the fairy barrier flickered violently.
“—‘Light Blade’!”
In this state, Lily had no choice but to activate the “Light Blade,” a close-range attack she rarely used as a long-range attacker.
If the opponent were somewhat sturdy, the two blades of light could burn through with their high heat.
However, the worst compatibility was, of course, with Raspun.
She struck the “Light Blade” directly beneath the palm grasping the barrier, but the particles of light leaked through the fingers like they were holding back a jet of water, failing to cut the hand or fingers.
(No, I can’t escape!)
The fairy barrier was fully deployed, but it couldn’t completely repel the light defense, allowing the monster’s invasion little by little.
Desperately, she sprayed primary-colored magical power outward to push back, yet Raspun’s right hand was gradually getting closer to Lily’s body.
And finally, that vicious fingertip reached her.
“Ah—”
It grabbed the endpoint of her larger upper wing, which could be called the trademark of a fairy, glistening in rainbow colors.
In the next moment, those fingers began to tear the wing tip apart with brute force.
Like a child plucking a butterfly’s wings, cruelly and without mercy, her beautifully shining wings were ripped away.
“Gyaaahhh!!”
Cruelly, the captured left upper wing was easily torn off from the middle.
The intense pain of having part of her body torn away while still alive and the horrifying sensation twisted Lily’s unparalleled beauty as she cried out.
Yet, even so, Lily continued to maintain the fairy barrier, protecting herself.
With tears welling up, she gritted her teeth, refusing to give up until the very last moment, even if she didn’t know how many seconds she had left.
(Chrono will save me)
Because she believed it.
(Chrono will definitely come to save me!)
And what Lily believed in was not a merciless god who wouldn’t stretch out a helping hand.
It was her one and only partner, her most loved person, who lived and fought alongside her.
That’s why,
“Let go of Lilyyy!!”
She would be saved.
By none other than a human hand.
(See, Chrono really came for me)
Today, we will be delivering two episodes in a row.