(Is this a dream...?)

　Is this an illusion that my desires have shown me in the face of death?

　But.

Irna...?
Sister Irna?

　Illtimina-san is standing there, and it seems that I'm not the only one who can see her, but also Kilt-san, Solstice, and everyone else.

　She walks over to me, using her white spear as a staff.

　Hyoko, Hyoko.

　Her movements were jerky due to her regenerated legs.

　And under the circumstances, her beauty was surprisingly calm.

(?????)

　The expression on his face is uncomfortable.

　It looks like Illtimina-san, without a doubt.

　But the 'something' is different.

　Although the person there was Iltimina Wong, there was something more 'something' than that.

　Is it because of that?

　The 'black hands' growing around them had stopped moving.

　As if they were turning their faces, they were turning their jet black palms towards Illtimina-san, who was approaching.

　............

　I don't know what's happening.

　I'm confused.

Miss Illtimina?

　I called her name just one more time.

　The crimson eyes in her beauty slowly lifted in response to that.

(!)

　They're unfocused eyes, as if I'm dreaming.

　It looks at me.

　At that moment, Illtimina-san's beautiful face smiled like a bud bursting open.

''Ah........Marle, there you are.

　A soft voice.

　It was a really happy smile.

　Boom.

　His charming smile made me flutter, oblivious to the situation.

(No, this isn't the time, me!)

　Hurriedly, I scolded myself.

　As it is, her steps are pointed straight in my direction.

　Stepping on the soil of the wilderness, one step at a time, she slowly approaches.

　Yurari.

　At that time, as if to intercept its steps, two 'black hands' stirred and extended to the approaching Illtimina-san.

　Not good!

Miss Illtimina, run!

　I shouted.

　But Illtimina-san moved forward with a strange look on her face.

　It's as if she can't see the "black hand".

　And as soon as the two jet-black hands, which contained the "power of the devil," were about to touch Ms. Illtimina, they were about to do so.

　Boju. Boju-woo.

　About one mead in front of her, the 'black hand' flared up.

　........eh?

　The two 'black hands' that attacked Ms. Illtimina were somehow surrounded by 'pure white flames' and raged as if they were suffering.

　Then they evaporated and disappeared.

　None of us were able to speak.

　Only Illtimina-san remained the same, continuing to walk towards me.

　The space around it flickered like a shimmer.

(What is that...?)

　That flicker gradually took shape and became visible to all eyes.

　That flickering was a flame.

　A 'pure white flame' was erupting from the body of Illtimina-san who was walking.

　She herself did not seem to be burning.

　And she didn't seem to feel the heat either.

''Yi, Iltimina sister...?''

　Solstice muttered in a daze.

　Even such a muttering of her sister didn't seem to be heard by Illtimina-san.

　With a smile on her face, she walks.

　Staring at that 'pure white flame', I remembered that I had seen 'it' before.

(No way........)

　That fact makes my heart tremble.

　Once, in the temple deep in the deep forest where Illtimina-san and I met, she was indeed given a 'blessing'.

''It's okay.''

　Dreamily, Illtimina said.

　Then she laughed softly.

'My little Marle, you are my own person to protect.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　zawacky

　The moment I saw that, all the 'black hands' that grew there reacted.

　As if they sensed her threat through instinct, more than 100 'black hands' attacked Iltimina-san one after another.

　Bojssh, joooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

　But before it could reach her body, it was burned by the 'pure white flame' and all of it was vaporized.

　Illtimina-san's progress never stops.　

　Zazaaaa.

　Then suddenly, the remaining 'black hands' turned into 'black water' and were sucked into the wilderness earth.

''Huh?''
Huh?
What?　What's going on?

　We looked around at the land around us in amazement.

　There was not a single black hand, and a peaceful wilderness world was spreading out.

　The other 'Toluga Warriors' and pioneer group members are also confused.

(.........escaped?)

　Could it be that the 'devil's piece' has escaped out of fear of Mr. Illtimina?

　That was when I thought that.

　For the first time, Illtimina-san's gaze turned not to me, but to the direction behind her.

　Almost simultaneously, I felt an unpleasant feeling at my back.

(!?!)

　I turned around in a hurry to see the Demertus Mountains.

''Ah.....

　The 'Black Death Flower' that was blooming on that mountaintop gathered into one, expanding greatly, trying to form some kind of shape.

　And there it was born.

　--the 'Black Giant'.

　This may not be the real Black Giant that appeared 400 years ago.

　But the Black Water that was formed by the gathering of the Black Water, even if it was an imposter, it was a Black Giant that exerted such a terrifying pressure that it could be mistaken for the real thing.

　It could be as tall as 200 meters in length.

　Even the Tolga warriors who were around it were stunned by its intimidation. Some dropped their weapons and fell to their knees on the spot.

　What was there was 'despair' itself.

I'm sure you'll be reminded of the fact that the 'black hand' is just a part of that 'despair'.

　The reason why the Black Hand, the Black Water, was brought back from all of the surrounding land was so that the Devil's Piece could express its true power.

(............)

　Staring at the figure, I was unable to move.

　Geez.

　That man" hugged me from the back side.

'It's okay.'

　The same words as before, again.

　His arms, his body, were all wrapped in 'pure white fire', and his long hair was floating up into the air with great power.

　Sacred fire sparks scattered.

　That figure was truly the 'hope' of humanity.

　Its brilliance grew even stronger as it held me in its arms.

　The 'Black Giant' at the top of the distant Demertas Mountains roared as if to threaten us.

　With its huge hands pointed forward, it

　GOOOOO!

　In the next moment, those jet-black arms stretched out like rubber, and the two huge 'black hands' attacked us.

　I had a feeling of "death" from the pressure.

　But.

"Let every being who hurts my mahr be white ashes.

　She muttered softly.

　At that moment, with her at the center, a 'pure white flame' was released as a circular wave.

　''Juboaah!''

　As soon as they touched the pure white flame, the two huge black hands that were approaching evaporated and disappeared.

　As it was, the pure white flames ran across the land, burning both of its jet-black arms and eventually reaching the Demertus Mountains, where it also reached the main body of the Black Giant.

　''Juboaaaah!''

　The figure of the Despair was enveloped in white flames.

The Black Giant writhed and writhed in agony and raged, before collapsing into black water that flowed into the Demertus Mountains.

The pure white flame spread even to the black water.

　In the midst of this white, shining fire, a black hand grows in and out of the black water as if seeking salvation, and then all of it disappears while evaporating.

　.............

　It was like a 'divine flame' that consumed the world.

　None of us were able to speak.



　Then, Iltimina exhales heavily as she hugs me.

　I twisted my neck and looked at her.

　The 'pure white flame' had disappeared from Ms. Illtimina's entire body.

　She smiled.

'Thank God, Marle.'

　There was already a hint of the only person there that I knew of, Ms. Illtimina.

　She closes her eyelids.

　Gulp.

　Instantly, it seemed to have fainted, and its entire body relaxed and fell to me.

(Wow?)

　I tried to catch it in a hurry, but I was too exhausted to take it, and my knees couldn't take it either.

　Together, we fall to the ground.

　Dotan.

　He held her head in his arms, desperately trying not to bump her head.

''..........''

　When I looked at her, she was breathing peacefully in her sleep.

　I gave a small smile.

　Then I slowly stroked her hair with a soft hand, as if I was working on her hair.

　I looked up and saw the blue sky in front of me.

　It's a peaceful sky.

　This is how we succeeded in defeating the fifth "Devil's Piece" that had been sealed in the Dark Continent.