"Disappear."
In the dark night sky, the dazzling stars responded to the calm command, and their bright light suddenly intensified.
"....!!"
The seeds of purification, meant to suppress a blasphemous being, erupted in a grand cosmic display within the small confines of the temple. It was like the calm before a storm, a peaceful night that would soon give way to a catastrophic upheaval.
As Abne's tranquility passed, a massive roar followed.
Countless beams of light, faster than the eye could see, shot out, aimed to erase the existence of the black dragon.
"Ugh!"
Mir instinctively reacted to the attack, managing to block it just in time.
Swoosh!
Her sharp claws sliced through the beams of light, splitting them into two. The attacks, misdirected, ended up destroying the temple walls instead.
Mir had successfully defended against the first strike, but she looked at her weapon and armor with discontent. The parts that had come into contact with the flashes were indented and frayed, and she bit her lip as a delayed pain hit her.
The claws of the dragon, which had never been scratched or damaged despite enduring countless impacts, were easily marred by Abne's strike.
"Surprised that I'm stronger than you expected?"
While Mir tried to hide it, her confusion was clear, in contrast to the still composed and confident goddess, who took a step forward. It was as if to say her previous attack was just the tip of the iceberg.
"That was an unexpected accident due to my underestimation last time... But now, it's different. I won’t leave any openings."
Her face brimming with confidence, Abne gestured towards Mir.
Rumble!
The stars once again prepared their judgment against Mir. This time, not just one, but several blinding beams, far too many to handle, surged towards her.
"I can handle this...!!"
The onslaught was like a relentless wave, incomparable to the previous attack. Yet Mir stood undaunted, her red eyes intensifying in color. Swoosh! Crack! Boom!
Drawing on her experience from numerous battles, Mir efficiently countered the onslaught of attacks. She deflected the light, splitting it and using it to intercept other beams, neutralizing each of Goddess Abne's flashes with her extraordinary reflexes that no ordinary being could replicate.
"Remarkable... deflecting an attack to block another. That’s unimaginable for a normal being."
Abne expressed her admiration, somewhat impressed by Mir's actions. After all, a mere touch of her light beams could melt flesh, and confronting them head-on was unthinkable.
"Brave or reckless... Still, I must commend you for neutralizing all my attacks."
Abne's attitude was arrogantly self-assured, fitting her stature and power.
"I still don't like you..."
Mir, in response, pulled out her own claws, worn down from slicing through countless beams of light.
"Your condescending look... it's unbearable."
Focusing her energy, she manifested...
"Your presumption of superiority is revolting."
...even sharper and sturdier claws than before, craving to draw blood on the tips of her newfound weapons.
"Your attacks were always a nuisance, but they've never been more than that. This time, I'll break that haughty nose of yours..."
Undaunted by Abne's threatening attacks, Mir leaped off the ground, determined to close the distance between them.
"How dare you!"
But Abne, different from before, was confident that her magical firepower could bring down even the most resilient beings under the brilliance of her stars.
Once again, the ceiling lit up dazzlingly, Abne's vast cosmos emanating a scorching heat.
"Ugh...!!"
Mir, facing countless more beams of light, thrust forward towards Abne.
Despite her offensive moves, defending simultaneously proved challenging, causing her to grimace in brief pain. "Damn you...!"
Despite the searing pain, Mir managed to reach Abne, aiming a precise blow at her heart. However, her claws couldn't make the final contact.
"Aaagh?!"
Just as Mir seemed to make a successful strike through the heat of countless stars, another spell struck her side.
"I'm not limited to just one trick, you know?"
Already struggling against a naturally unfavorable matchup, Mir found it difficult to approach Abne. This time, Abne not only flawlessly defended herself but also seized control of the fight by exploiting Mir's vulnerabilities.
"Tch..."
Mir was repelled back to her original position, no closer than before.
"In this temple, you're no match for me. After all, a deity is strongest in their own sanctuary..."
Abne remained calm and confident, almost smug, in contrast to Mir's growing desperation.
"I hate to admit it, but I must... As long as this temple stands, it's too much of a disadvantage for me..."
Mir, acknowledging her situation, slumped her shoulders in defeat.
"Are you conceding defeat? That would be most welcome..."
Was Mir really retreating as Abne suggested? No, that wasn't the case...
"Then let's ensure Harold doesn't get involved..."
Mir prepared to push even harder.
"If I destroy this temple, then..."
As she spoke, Mir's shadow began to grow immensely.
"What? What are you...!!"
For the first time, Abne's calmness faltered, feeling an unexpected panic at the dragon's reckless plan.
"Grrrrr...!!"
Mir's true form emerged, swelling in size.
Crash! Crash!
Even the grand temple couldn't withstand her transformation. The ceiling, filled with countless stars, shattered into pieces.
"Craaaahhh!!"
The black dragon burst through the building, her threatening roar echoing as she soared into the sky. "You're insane...!"
Knowing she was at a disadvantage on the ground, Abne finally soared into the air, leaving her advantageous position in the temple.
"Craaaahhh!! Haahhh—!!"
As Abne leaped towards the real sky, Mir unleashed a breath as fiery as the sun.
"Ugh...!"
Losing all her composure, Abne frantically defended against the overwhelming blaze, her expression filled with discontent. Her protective shield, capable of withstanding even a big bang, began to disintegrate rapidly under the dragon's fiery onslaught.
"?! "
Abne struggled through the inferno, thinking she had successfully defended, but it was her misjudgment. Once the curtain of fire lifted, Mir launched a swift counterattack.
"Ugh, what?!"
Cleverly using the brief obscuration caused by her breath, Mir had seized the opportunity to attack. It all happened too quickly for Abne to react, and she lost control of the battle.
Mir, with her massive form, charged at the goddess. Abne, now helplessly caught in the dragon's maw, was overwhelmed.
"Krrrghhh!"
The dragon's bite was immensely powerful, capable of instantly killing ordinary beings, but a deity wasn't so easily subdued. However, once firmly bitten, not even a god of strength could easily escape.
"You...!"
Mir, having caught Abne, was about to unleash another breath. If Abne were engulfed in flames in her current state, even as a deity, she would suffer fatal injuries. It seemed Abne was on the verge of tasting defeat again.
"Then I'll give it my all!"
Finally abandoning her pride, Abne decided to pour everything she had into the fight. Her face, usually serene, now looked fierce as she placed her hands into Mir's mouth.
"I am a being of enlightenment... Understanding even the mysteries of the galaxy, my knowledge is my power... And thus, my magic shakes the heavens and the earth."
As she began chanting, light reflecting the vastness of the universe flowed from her fingertips... "Pierce the stars."
As Abne uttered the final phrase, a surreal flash erupted.
Boom!
The heavens seemed to split apart.
"Kyaahh?!!"
The cosmic whirlwind pierced through the dragon's body, and Mir let out a painful roar that echoed through the sky.
"?! "
Caught off guard by Abne's secret technique, the dragon sustained a critical hit. Overwhelmed by the immense pain, Mir released Abne, her body writhing from the deep wounds. She struggled to stay airborne.
But Abne, the goddess, was no better off. Expending all her energy had left her visibly devastated.
"It's not... over yet..."
With a weak voice, Abne gathered her hands again, attempting to cast the same spell.
"Craaah!"
Mir, however, was not going to be caught off guard again.
From the dragon's mouth came something otherworldly, not just her breath, but a laser of dark and pure white light.
"Pierce the stars..!!"
"Aaahhh—!!"
Their final blows, a swirling vortex tearing through stars and the void of everything and nothingness, collided.
Boom!
A massive explosion followed, a force felt across the world, engulfing the sky.
"O..."
Regaining consciousness brought a wave of dizziness, an unpleasant sensation.
"Why did I fall asleep...?"
The last memory wasn't clear... Abne had offered her a fine tea, and she had drunk it...
"...?"
But that wasn't the important part now.
"What happened...?!"
The sight before her was unbelievable, as if she had been in an illusion. All that remained was ruins... The once comfortable and beautiful temple was now almost completely destroyed...
"...?"
But that wasn't all...
"Mir and Goddess Abne...?"
In a corner of her vision... Mir and Abne lay unconscious amidst the debris. "What on earth happened here...?"
What could have possibly occurred while I was unconscious?
"And why does the sky look like that now...?"
The sky's strange colors... a mix of purple, along with white and black hues, blanketing the entire sky...
Did some significant event take place while I wasn't watching?
"No... What exactly happened?"
The screams of people outside only deepened my confusion.