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The first to make a move was the golden Great Demon, Rupifer.

“{Stars, behold! And tremble in fear! At this very moment, the world is being reshaped by my prophecy! This is the pinnacle of destiny that I have reached!}”

The foresight that had reached its peak, by someone who had sacrificed themselves to restore destiny to their kin, now flickered between the hands of existence with a tremendous gravitational pull.

Matter gathers, and heat forges it. Within the flow of the tangible and intangible, objects emit their unique light, and mass generates its own gravity. Amidst this, dark matter quietly envelops the surroundings, and an unprecedented repulsive force bursts forth in sync.

Thus, light illuminates, darkness conceals, gravity pulls, and repulsion pushes, reshaping destiny. This is what astrology refers to as the foresight of the stars.

“{Star Creation: Eternal Epoch – Destructive Compliance}”

In an instant, within the grasp of the golden Great Demon, and simultaneously somewhere in the boundless sky, a destiny leading all creation to ruin and death emerged. Sophia, whose perception had touched the supernatural realm, could keenly sense this.

At this very moment, the world’s destiny would assist in all the spellcasting related to the Great Demon’s ‘destruction’ and ‘death.’

And just as Sophia realized this, Rupifer was already preparing his next move.

*Snap.*

With the sound of a finger flick, a loud *bang* echoed as something exploded.

At that moment, Sophia felt a chill run down her spine and unleashed her energy in all directions.

The problem was, that alone wasn’t enough.

A mysterious explosion. The first spell learned when laying the foundation of dimensional magic, it was a spell that shook the surrounding spell waves through the pure explosion of untainted main strength, free from specific concepts and attributes.

While it was known for its unpredictability due to its ability to disrupt spell waves, the shockwave generated by the explosion was merely a side effect of the main strength’s disturbance, making its physical explosive power somewhat lacking.

However, Rupifer’s mysterious explosion, having mastered the domain and delved into the extremes of magic, was entirely different from the conventional impression. The scale of the explosion was immense, and it encompassed all attributes across dimensions and phases, possessing a penetrating power that transcended them.

Yet, this mysterious explosion spell wasn’t some grand incantation but a basic spell that could be cast instantly with a mere flick of a finger. Thus, under the premise that the user was a master of spell explosions with sufficient practice, it could be chained into countless combinations of rhythm and angles.

At this very moment, under the guidance of destiny, the tributaries of the explosion, transcending causality and timelines, endlessly targeted Sophia from all directions.

“Tch, what a vicious technique…”

The explosions didn’t stop. Not only did they persist, but they also assaulted from all directions, phases, dimensions, causality, and timelines like assassins.

Faced with this, Sophia had to make a decision.

‘Evading is a bad move. The same goes for a battle of wits. The moment I evade or match his pace, the outcome is already decided.’

She couldn’t evade, nor could she engage in a battle of wits. No matter what she did, she would be drawn into the gravitational pull of destiny, leading to her defeat or collapse.

‘So, I won’t confront it head-on. I’ll endure and look for an opening.’

In Go, when the opponent sets up a one-sided board, the counter is not to confront but to solidify defense, leave room, and exploit an opening elsewhere.

‘Then, how will I endure?’

The idea of enduring bare-handed was out of the question from the start. Doing so would cause her to explode in an instant.

Fortunately, she had two doctrines suitable for such a situation.

One was to confront it head-on.

Sophia immediately awakened the legacy of the ‘Anointed One’ and began to manifest it. The legacy of the one who proved victorious over all worldly powers through atonement for original sin and resurrection from death. The spiritual principles of suffering, atonement, and ultimate victory awakened the inner Sephirot in sequence.

The next moment, stigmata resembling the marks of a crown of thorns, nails, and a spear appeared on her forehead, wrists, feet, and side. Whip marks also appeared all over her body.

The owner of this legacy, the ‘Anointed One,’ was the fulfiller of holy prophecy, who faced all worldly powers and malice without evasion. As one who endured and overcame the powers of others, there was no greater legacy.

In this state, Sophia drew her sword and simultaneously unfolded thirty-six directions of defense, confronting the waves of main strength explosions surging in under the guidance of destiny. With the central plains within the sword’s guard, the defense covering all thirty-six directions began to draw the celestial map of the Purple Forbidden Enclosure.

The other was to let it flow.

Awakening the legacy of the ‘Anointed One,’ Sophia also awakened the legacy of the ‘Enlightened One.’ The ‘Enlightened One’ was one who mastered the Eightfold Path, observed the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, and transcended greed, anger, and delusion, calmly passing through all worldly sufferings.

Upon awakening the legacy, the spiritual principles corresponding to the thirty-two marks generated a mandala within, rotating the chakras and harmonizing the resulting rhythms. An energy, imperceptible to those not initiated into transcendence, began to emanate from her body.

In this state, she began to wield the most tenacious and gentle sword she knew.

The principle of the Taiji Sword was the ultimate harmony of yielding and advancing, not opposing external force but utilizing it, controlling the opponent with a firm center. It was a sword of compliance and harmony, capable of realizing retribution.

If a scholar of martial arts had been present to witness Sophia’s response, they would have been astonished, calling it impossible and outrageous. Simultaneously embodying two conflicting doctrines was a profound feat. Doing two different actions at once with a single body was something only possible with multiple bodies.

But for Sophia, this was something she could do as a matter of course.

In the realm of the Heart Sword, a swordsman learns to transcend the limits set by providence with a single sword. In the realm of Wu Xin Dong, a martial artist masters the optimal mechanics of movement within the tight constraints of providence.

Moreover, with her Spirit Entity already honed close to perfection, the idea of being unable to handle this situation never crossed her mind.

In any case, by simultaneously realizing the two options of confrontation and compliance, her defense reached an extreme level of stability and solidity. Confronting what needed to be confronted and complying with what needed to be complied with, Sophia’s movements, endlessly chaining the two paths, solidified her core, making it unshakable even by the gravitational pull of destiny.

Furthermore, the two principles, initially somewhat separate, began to intertwine with each repetition, eventually merging as if they were one.

With enlightenment within and the authority of the victor externally, at the center of the celestial map spanning thirty-six directions, the Taiji resided, restructuring the three origins and twenty-seven divisions according to the lunar and solar cycles from the Purple Forbidden Enclosure.

“{This…}”

“{Star Creation and Destiny Guidance – Creating stars to draw destiny, luring stars to change fortune. Did you think only you could use such techniques?}”

With a cold smirk, the Nun Knight looked at the Great Demon, who wore a frustrated expression.

The celestial map, artificially created in a foreign land, began to exert its own gravitational and repulsive forces.

When destiny, seeking to determine victory or defeat, and destiny, calmly enduring by any means necessary, began to clash in gravitational and repulsive forces, it was always the former that would eventually collapse.

As more advanced and refined means were employed to achieve the goal, the waste of strength and foresight accumulated with each delay.

And Sophia was a fighter who knew how to seize and tear apart even the slightest cracks in such accumulation.

*Click!*

Between gravity and gravity, repulsion and repulsion, sometimes gravity and repulsion, repulsion and gravity, there was a perfect gap. A single sword thrust pierced through that gap in an instant.

*Thud*, a sword naturally pierced the Great Demon’s side.

“{Hmm…}”

As Rupifer reflexively groaned and retreated, swinging his staff, Sophia stopped her pursuit and smirked.

“That’s a technique called the Lone Nine Swords. How does it taste?”

“{That last move, at least four, no, five techniques were unleashed in a single sword stroke.}”

“Oh, you noticed? Indeed, you seem to have some expertise in combat.”

Even as she spoke, Sophia inwardly clicked her tongue. She knew that the last move was half necessity and half luck.

‘The inevitable collapse due to the compatibility between offensive and defensive destinies, and the legacy of ultimate victory from the two legacies I manifested, allowed me to land that strike. And even then, it was only a grazing blow, not a fatal wound. Clearly, the difference in scale can’t be taken lightly.’

A single sword thrust, containing the principles of Shattering, Splintering, Crushing, Piercing, and Dispelling, supported by the legacy of ‘ultimate victory’ from the ‘Anointed One’ and the ‘Enlightened One.’

The legacy of the holy beings who descend on the final day to punish all sins, sever all afflictions, and achieve ultimate salvation. The moment this victorious narrative was manifested, the entire area touched by Sophia’s will became a state where countless restrictions were layered upon the enemy for the legacy’s manifestation.

Yet, Sophia’s single sword stroke failed to sever the Great Demon’s breath, ending with merely grazing his side, not even a fatal wound.

The reason was simple. She simply couldn’t overcome the gravitational and repulsive forces exerted by the destiny the Great Demon had created. Even though she didn’t directly oppose the force of destiny, but struck through a gap created by the clash of destinies.

‘I must admit. At least in handling destiny, he’s above me.’

Just as Sophia was clearly recognizing this reality, Rupifer, who had been struck by the unexpected sword thrust causing him to bleed, slowly opened his mouth.

“{Indeed, the foresight is unerring. There is no one but you who could obstruct our grand ambition.}”

“Quit babbling during a fight. What are you trying to say?”

Despite Sophia’s somewhat sarcastic response, the Great Demon merely curled his lips into a slow, sinister smile. Sensing an ominous premonition, Sophia tensed her back.

“{I have already achieved my intended purpose, so today’s battle ends here.}”

“What?”

Cutting off her instinctive unease, Sophia questioned, but Rupifer continued with a chuckle.

“{Our decisive battle should not take place on such a hastily prepared battlefield, but on a grand stage meticulously prepared.}”

“Wait, hold on…!”

“{Prepare the stage. If you seek battle, come find me. I will be waiting there.}”

As he finished speaking, the golden silhouette of the Great Demon began to blur.

Realizing her opponent had already prepared to retreat, Sophia hastily shot out an instant Heart Sword.

“Running away, are you!”

But neither the Heart Sword nor her shout had any effect. The golden Great Demon, Rupifer, had already vanished without a trace.

Now, Sophia couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of worry.

‘Damn it. I needed to kill him here.’

Even with the grace of the land of Hiberia, thanks to Maria, the Duke of Asturias, she couldn’t gain the upper hand. If they were to face off on his home ground, fully prepared, what would happen?

As the Nun Knight harbored this unease, it was then.

“Master…!”

“Master…!”

Seeing their master standing, gazing at the empty space left by the Great Demon, her disciples called out and ran towards her. Confirming their approach with her spread-out perception, Sophia turned around with a smile, leaving her worries behind.

“Heh. Then, I’ll leave the worries to my future self. For now, let’s enjoy this rare reunion. You rascals, stop running around recklessly! What will others think?”

On the Nun Knight’s face, the shadow of concern was no longer visible.

 

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