"My name is Moana Tempest, daughter of Veldora-sama."
The instant those words left her mouth, an almost suffocating silence descended over the area. Velzard and Veldora froze where they stood, their eyes locked onto the bluish-blond-haired girl as expressions of utter shock spread across their faces. For a brief moment, neither of them said a single word as their minds struggled to process what they had just heard.
"It's an honor to meet you," Moana added, giving them a small, awkward wave along with a nervous smile.
Her words finally snapped the dragon siblings out of their daze.
"You damn brat!" Velzard roared as she spun around, grabbed Veldora by the throat with frightening speed, and immediately began shaking him so violently that his entire body flailed back and forth like a rag doll. "Since when did you have a daughter!? And why the hell didn't I know about her!?" she demanded, baring her teeth at him.
"I swear, I don't know anything about this!" Veldora desperately protested between violent shakes, his eyes spinning wildly as his head was whipped from side to side. "This is the first I'm hearing about it too!"
"You are as useless as ever." Velzard clicked her tongue in annoyance before releasing Veldora, letting him stumble back as he coughed and rubbed his abused throat. She then turned her sharp gaze toward Rimuru, narrowing her icy blue eyes. "You, explain what's going on," she demanded, folding her arms across her chest.
"Well, it's not that complicated." Rimuru scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "You know that old monster Charybdis, right?" he asked.
"I've heard of it." Velzard gave a small nod. "It's some monster that appears from time to time in the Cardinal World," she replied in a thoroughly unimpressed tone.
'Some monster, she says. Frey would probably burst into tears if she heard that.' Rimuru couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, remembering how terrified Frey had been when that very same monster had threatened to descend upon her nation. "That's right, that very monster. But have you ever stopped to wonder how something that powerful came into existence in the first place?" he asked with a knowing smile creeping across his face.
Velzard fell silent for a moment, briefly glancing at Veldora before turning her attention back to Rimuru. "Ah, I get it now. This careless idiot must be the reason for it," she said, immediately understanding what Rimuru was implying as she shot Veldora a look of utter disappointment before looking back at Rimuru. "Even so, that still doesn't explain where this girl came from," she added, pointing her thumb at Moana.
"Isn't that obvious?" Rimuru replied, raising an eyebrow. "A while back, someone tried to use Charybdis to attack Fulbrosia, and I stopped them. So while I was at it, I recovered Charybdis's core, purified it, awakened sentience, emotions, and intelligence within it, and then..." he spread both hands toward Moana with a proud grin, "I brought this cute and beautiful girl into existence!"
"So... let me get this straight. You're created life," Velzard stared at him in stunned silence for a moment before finally speaking, "not just any life, but an existence that's already approaching the threshold of a True Dragon..." Her voice trailed off as a wave of dizziness suddenly washed over her. She lifted a hand to her forehead, her eyes widening in utter disbelief as she looked at Rimuru. "Are you fucking insane!? Who the hell do you think you are? My brother!?" she shouted.
"I mean, I did it because I could, you know." Rimuru shrugged before looking back at Velzard and tilting his head in confusion. "Besides, why are you getting so worked up? Is there some particular reason you're this angry?"
"I don't know, okay!?" Velzard snapped, throwing both hands into the air before dropping onto a nearby rock with a heavy sigh. She buried her face in one hand and sat there in silence for a few moments, trying to collect herself. "Every single time I meet you, you somehow manage to hit me with another reality-breaking shock that shouldn't even be possible! I'm Veldanava's sister, for fuck's sake! I shouldn't be getting blindsided like this!" she vented in frustration. Then, after taking a few deep breaths, she finally let out a long sigh and straightened her posture. "Sorry for the outburst. I'm fine now," she said, returning to her usual calm and composed demeanor.
"Good," Rimuru said, rolling his eyes, knowing Velzard's psychotic tendencies all too well. Satisfied that she had calmed down, he continued. "Anyway, as I was saying, that's how Moana came into existence, and since her core is made up of Veldora's magicules, I've officially recognized her as his daughter."
"Hey! Hold on a minute!" Veldora suddenly interrupted with panic written all over his face. "Don't I get any say in this?" he demanded, pointing an accusing finger at Rimuru.
"Of course you do, buddy." Rimuru smiled innocently before gesturing toward Moana, who was quietly watching the exchange with a curious expression. "Just look at her! Are you really going to say no to being the father of such an adorable little angel?" He paused for a moment before adding, "Besides, I genuinely think it'd be good for your personal growth to have some real responsibility for once. Having someone who looks up to you and expects you to set a good example might actually help you mature a little. Don't you think?"
"No, no, no! What the hell are you talking about!?" Veldora frantically shook his head so hard it looked like it might fly off his shoulders. "I don't need that kind of pressure right now! I'm perfectly happy spending my days lounging around, stuffing my face with snacks, and reading manga! I'm not ready to raise a child! I'm barely responsible enough to take care of myself, and now you want me to take care of a child!?"
As soon as Veldora finished speaking, the unmistakable sound of someone quietly sniffling echoed through the cave, instantly drawing everyone's attention. Turning toward the source, they found Moana wiping fake tears from her eyes as she stared at the ground. "If Father-sama doesn't want me... then I won't force him," she murmured in a soft, trembling voice before letting out another pitiful sniffle and gently nudging the dirt beneath her feet with the tip of her shoe.
'Where the hell did she learn that?' Rimuru's eye twitched as he wondered to himself. Even so, he had to admit her performance was frighteningly convincing, because the very next moment, a certain pink menace immediately came to her defense.
"Veldora, you bastard! How dare you make my sister cry!?" Milim shouted, glaring daggers at the blond man as a large red anger mark popped onto her forehead.
"Hey, wait a minute! I didn't do anything!" Veldora hurriedly took several steps back, throwing both hands into the air in surrender. "I just said I don't-" he tried to explain, but the words caught in his throat as an overwhelming chill suddenly crawled down his spine.
"Veldora." Velzard's calm voice sent another shiver racing down his spine. "Did I just hear you say that you'd rather spend your days loafing around and doing nothing than take responsibility for your own daughter?" she asked with a gentle smile that never quite reached her eyes. Then, before he could respond, however, she placed an ice-cold hand on his shoulder. "My dear little brother, it seems that even after spending three hundred years imprisoned, you're still hopelessly immature. Perhaps the two of us should spend some quality time together. A little sibling bonding might finally knock some sense into you, don't you think?" she asked before slowly tightening her fingers around his shoulder in a crushing grip, making even a True Dragon like Veldora wince in pain as a look of pure terror spread across his face.
"No! That won't be necessary at all!" Veldora blurted out before letting out a sigh of relief as Velzard finally released his shoulder. "Don't worry, Sis! I'll become the best father in the world!" he declared, proudly thumping a fist against his chest despite the bead of cold sweat slowly running down the side of his face. At that moment, he decided that accepting responsibility for a daughter he had never known existed was infinitely preferable to spending another minute dealing with his terrifying older sister, who regularly haunted his nightmares.
"Yay! Thank you, Father-sama!" Moana exclaimed, her expression instantly doing a complete one-eighty as every trace of her earlier gloom vanished, replaced by pure joy that lit up her face. Then, without a second thought, she threw herself into Veldora's arms and happily buried her face against his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
Veldora, on the other hand, stiffened for a brief moment before awkwardly returning the embrace, gently patting Moana's back. He had no idea how to comfort a child, let alone raise one. This was completely uncharted territory for him. Even so, there was one thing he couldn't deny. From the very first moment he laid eyes on Moana, he had felt a bond he couldn't put into words, an inexplicable connection that seemed to resonate deep within his very soul. Even now, hearing her call him Father-sama filled him with a warmth he had never experienced before, while an overwhelming instinct to protect her rose from the depths of his being as she clung to him.
Meanwhile, after remaining in Veldora's embrace for a little while longer, Moana finally stepped back and turned toward Velzard. "Aunt Velzard, thank you for your help as well," she said with a polite bow.
Velzard studied her in silence for several long seconds before casually reaching out and flicking her on the forehead. "You did well, but not well enough to fool me," she scoffed at her before shaking her head with a smile. There was never any chance that Moana's tearful little performance would deceive her. In fact, she had seen through the act from the very beginning. Still, the only reason she had played along was because it gave her the perfect excuse to teach Veldora a lesson. Then her gaze softened slightly as she looked at Moana before placing her hand on the girl's head. "It's good to see you've inherited more sense than your idiot father," she continued, earning an offended look from Veldora. "But don't try tricks like that on me again. I don't enjoy mind games. If you want something from me, ask me directly. Are we clear?"
"Understood, Aunt Velzard. I'll keep that in mind," Moana replied solemnly, immediately dropping her cutesy act.
"Good." Velzard smiled and gently patted Moana on the head once more, a sight that looked rather amusing since her current form didn't make her appear any older or more mature than Moana. In fact, if no one present knew Velzard's true identity, it would have been impossible to guess that they were aunt and niece.
After that, Moana spent some time chatting with everyone before Rimuru spoke up again. "Well, now that everyone's properly acquainted with her, we can move on to the next objective." As he spoke, an intricate magic circle slowly spread across the ground in front of him. "I still need to run a few more tests on her, but since I'm the fun uncle, instead of dragging you into a lab, how about this? Velzard, Moana, what do you two think about having a friendly spar?"
"Huh? Me?" Velzard asked, raising an eyebrow as she pointed at herself in mild surprise.
"Why not?" Rimuru replied with a casual shrug. "Wouldn't it make for a nice bonding exercise between an aunt and her niece?" he said with a smile. "Besides, I would've asked Veldora or Milim to spar with her, but you know how trigger-happy those two are. This fight is meant to help Moana get a feel for her new body and learn what she's capable of. It wouldn't exactly be productive if either of those battle maniacs got carried away before she even has a chance to understand her own abilities."
"You're not wrong." Velzard gave a small nod of agreement. She knew Veldora better than anyone. After all, she had practically raised him before he left to wander the world on his own, and she understood just how easily he became intoxicated in the thrill of battle. As for Milim... well, there was no need for an explanation. Her title, The Destroyer, wasn't just for show, and the entire Cardinal World knew exactly how devastating she could be.
"Well then, if that's the case, I don't mind playing around with Moana for a bit," Velzard said, folding her arms beneath her chest. "But you'll owe me one. Keep that in mind."
"Sure, whatever." Rimuru shrugged dismissively before turning toward the azure-eyed girl with an encouraging smile. "So, Moana, what do you think? Up for a spar with your aunt?"
"Yes, Uncle Rimuru." Moana nodded without the slightest hint of hesitation. "I'm curious to see the extent of my own strength as well." Her smile grew a little brighter as anticipation flickered in her eyes. "Besides, I don't want to miss the opportunity to learn from the eldest and strongest of the True Dragons," she added, clenching her fist with quiet determination.
"Flatterer..." Velzard scoffed, but the faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips completely betrayed her true feelings. Of course, she would never admit it out loud, but the sincere and childlike praise from her newly acknowledged niece really made her feel warm from inside... a feeling that she hadn't felt in a very long time.
Meanwhile, Veldora was drenched in cold sweat as he frantically shook his head and waved his arms, desperately trying to signal Moana to reconsider before she experienced firsthand just how terrifying Velzard could be. Unfortunately for him, Velzard happened to glance in his direction at that exact moment, and the proud smile she'd been wearing instantly disappeared, replaced by an irritated frown. A moment later, a loud smacking sound echoed through the cave as Veldora's frantic antics earned him another swift smack from his older sister.
Rimuru, meanwhile, simply pretended he hadn't heard a thing and extended one hand toward the glowing magic circle and said, "Well then, if you're both ready, go ahead and enter the arena I've prepared for you."
******
When the light in front of them finally faded, a cool breeze washed over them, carrying the scent of salt through the air as Moana and Velzard found themselves standing on a vast island surrounded by an endless sea.
"Well then, Moana," Velzard smirked before casually strolling over to a nearby rock and sitting down with one leg crossed over the other. Resting her chin against one hand, she looked at her niece with relaxed confidence. "I'll be waiting right here, so come at me with everything you've got. Let's see if you can make me stand up."
Hearing those casually arrogant words, Moana slowly lowered her head until her bangs cast a shadow over her eyes. For a brief moment, she remained completely still. Then, when she finally looked back up, the warm, polite smile she had worn until now had vanished without a trace. In its place was a wide, almost manic grin that perfectly reflected the battle-loving instincts inherited from Veldora. Velzard's blatant dismissal hadn't discouraged her in the slightest. If anything, it had poured fuel onto an already burning fire. She felt both infuriated by the challenge and exhilarated by the opportunity to prove her aunt wrong.
"Here I come, Aunt Velzard!" Moana declared, her voice echoing across the empty island as she activated her [Drizzle] ability. In an instant, dark storm clouds rolled in overhead, swallowing the bright blue sky beneath a blanket of black. A heartbeat later, torrential rain came crashing down across the entire island, drenching the landscape within seconds as the once peaceful surroundings were consumed by a raging storm. "I hope I won't disappoint you!"
As though responding to her fighting spirit, the sea surrounding the island became increasingly violent. Towering waves surged upward before crashing against the rocky coastline, while the rain pouring from the darkened sky became even wilder with every passing second.
Meanwhile, Velzard observed the unfolding spectacle from atop her rock without the slightest trace of concern. In fact, despite the torrential rain, she remained as perfectly dry as when she had first sat down. Not a single raindrop ever reached her. Living up to her title as the Frost Dragon, every droplet that drifted within a meter of her body silently froze into delicate snowflakes before they could touch her skin. Those tiny crystals lazily drifted to the ground, creating the illusion of a gentle snowfall that existed only around her, forming an invisible boundary between the Queen of Ice and the furious storm engulfing the rest of the island.
"You've already begun reshaping the battlefield to suit your advantage," Velzard remarked casually as she extended a finger and caught one of the falling snowflakes with effortless grace. Inwardly, however, she couldn't help but admire her niece's handiwork. In the span of a few moments, Moana had transformed the once peaceful island into a scene that looked as though the apocalypse itself had descended upon it. Of course, she and her two siblings could effortlessly create a spectacle on the same scale with their own respective elements if they wished, but anyone foolish enough to challenge a True Dragon was unlikely to care about a little bad weather.
Moana's grin widened at her aunt's remark. "Then I'll take that as a compliment," she replied, and the next instant, she kicked off the ground with explosive speed and charged straight at Velzard with a beautifully crafted sword of compressed water forming in her hand, unleashing a relentless barrage of slashes at the Frost Dragon. In response, Velzard remained completely unfazed, lazily parrying every strike using nothing but the tips of her fingernails, even letting out the occasional yawn, looking utterly bored by the exchange.
Annoyed by Velzard's infuriatingly indifferent attitude, Moana immediately switched tactics. Activating [Fluid Body], her entire body dissolved into countless droplets that blended seamlessly with the torrential rain before disappearing from sight. An instant later, she reappeared directly behind her aunt. "Aqua Javelin!" she shouted, thrusting both hands forward as an enormous spear of compressed water materialized above her head. Then, with a powerful swing, she launched it straight at Velzard, who merely tilted her head ever so slightly, allowing the massive projectile to whistle harmlessly past her face. Before it could even strike the ground, however, the water instantly crystallized, transforming into a gigantic spear of ice that buried itself deep into the earth beside her.
"If that doesn't work, then I'll just go even bigger!" Moana declared before her body burst apart into water once more before scattering into the storm. A heartbeat later, countless ripples appeared throughout the rain, and multiple identical copies of her materialized all around Velzard through the water magic spell [Mirage]. Surrounding the Frost Dragon from every direction, each clone raised a hand toward the stormy sky.
In the next instant, Moana's [Hydrokinesis] displayed its overwhelming power, as the surrounding ocean erupted into motion, and several towering pillars of seawater burst high into the sky before converging overhead, twisting together into the colossal head of a sea dragon. Its massive form loomed over the island like a force of nature, with torrents of water constantly flowing through its body. "Sea Dragon's Roar!" all of Moana's clones shouted in perfect unison. In response, the colossal watery beast unleashed a deafening roar, spread its enormous jaws wide, and lunged toward Velzard's position at astonishing speed.
Velzard, meanwhile, didn't even bother looking up at the approaching dragon. Instead, she casually raised one hand and snapped her fingers. The instant the sound echoed across the battlefield, the charging sea dragon froze in place directly above her, its enormous jaws only moments away from swallowing both her and the rock beneath her. A heartbeat later, an intense wave of frost spread across its massive body with terrifying speed. The roaring torrent of water was instantly silenced as every drop crystallized into flawless blue ice. Within seconds, the once fearsome dragon had become nothing more than a magnificent ice sculpture suspended in midair. Velzard then gave another casual snap of her fingers, and the frozen dragon exploded into countless glittering shards that sparkled like diamonds before drifting harmlessly across the island.
"Too straightforward," Velzard remarked, casually blowing imaginary dust from her fingertips before shifting her gaze toward one of the many Moanas surrounding her, making it abundantly clear that her little trick hadn't fooled her for even a second.
"I figured as much." Moana clicked her tongue as every remaining illusion dissolved into the falling rain, leaving only her true body standing before her opponent. Even though she'd expected the attack to fail, watching her aunt erase it without so much as lifting her gaze still stung her pride. 'She isn't wrong, though. Attacking her head-on is just asking to get swatted away like a fly. I need to come up with a plan...' she thought to herself before her eyes suddenly lit up with realization. 'Wait a minute! I don't need to win. I just need to make her get up from that rock!'
The moment that realization struck her, a grin slowly spread across Moana's face as a new plan rapidly took shape in her mind. Once again, her body dissolved into the endless rain, becoming one with the storm itself. A heartbeat later, the sea surrounding the island erupted into motion. The ocean churned violently as colossal waves, each one towering high enough to dwarf the island itself, surged up from every direction before crashing toward the land, swallowing everything in their path.
"Well, that's something new." Velzard glanced at the incoming waves without the slightest intention of leaving her seat. Just then, however, her perception noticed another movement, prompting her to look up, where, high in the air, she saw Moana hovering with a pair of shimmering azure dragonic wings beating steadily behind her. Yet what truly caught Velzard's attention wasn't the wings, but the slingshot in Moana's hands, especially when she realized that, instead of using her water magic as ammunition, Moana was compressing raw magicules into an impossibly dense projectile.
"I see." Velzard's lips curled into a faint smile as she pieced everything together. "So those massive waves weren't your real attack. You created them to cut off my escape routes and make sure this one lands." She looked up at her niece with a raised eyebrow before letting out a quiet sigh. "Come now, darling. I expected something better from you." She slowly shook her head, sounding almost disappointed. "I'll admit, the amount of power you've compressed into that little sphere is quite impressive, but after our earlier exchanges, you should already know that an attack like that won't even be enough to scratch me," she smirked confidently at her.
However, the smirk on her face quickly disappeared when the entire island suddenly began to tremble, sending violent shockwaves through the ground as the earth beneath her started to crack apart. "What the..." Velzard muttered before looking back at her niece, only to find Moana grinning at her with an insufferably smug smile that reminded her far too much of Veldora.
"Aunt Velzard, did you know that deep beneath the ocean, there are hydrothermal vents called geysers that blast out scalding-hot water and minerals?" Moana asked with an excited grin as she continued pouring more and more magicules into the sphere drawn back in her slingshot. "And guess what? I got lucky and found a huge one right beneath this island!" she exclaimed, and the next instant, released the slingshot's band, launching the condensed sphere like a meteor toward the island below. At the very same moment, she combined [Universal Perception] with [Hydrokinesis], reaching deep beneath the seabed to seize control of the massive hydrothermal vent hidden beneath the island and forced the unstable geyser into a violent eruption.
Velzard, meanwhile, calmly watched the sphere streak through the air and immediately realized it wasn't aimed at her. Instead, it was on course to strike the ground some distance away. Even so, she made no attempt to stop it. Instead, she simply rested her chin against her hand, wearing a small, amused smile as she remained comfortably seated on the same rock, completely at ease.
After all, if she had truly wanted to, Velzard had countless ways to ruin whatever scheme her niece was trying to pull off. She could have used her own [Thought Acceleration], which far surpassed Moana's, allowing her to intercept the projectile long before it ever reached the ground. She could have unleashed her True Dragon Magic, Frost Magic, to instantly freeze everything for thousands of kilometers, effortlessly stopping the raging sea, the incoming waves, the hydrothermal eruption, and every other trick Moana had prepared in a single move. If she truly wished to be unfair, she could have even stepped into the Suspended World and ended the battle before Moana was capable of perceiving that anything had happened at all.
But she did none of those things. Instead, she waited patiently, curious to see how Moana's plan would unfold.
Fortunately for Velzard, she didn't have to wait long. The very next instant, the condensed sphere slammed into the island with explosive force. A blinding flash swallowed the battlefield as a chain of devastating explosions erupted across the surface. At the same time, the supercharged hydrothermal geyser burst through the island from below, unleashing a colossal pillar of scalding water and steam that tore the landmass apart from its very foundation. As if that weren't enough, the enormous waves Moana had summoned crashed together from every direction, grinding what remained of the island beneath an overwhelming wall of water.
The sea roared violently for several long minutes before the chaos gradually subsided. By the time the dust, steam, and mist had finally cleared, the island had completely vanished. Nothing remained except a turbulent stretch of open ocean, still churning violently from the unimaginable destruction.
"Did I get her?" Moana wondered aloud as she slowly descended toward the restless sea, carefully scanning the surrounding waters for any sign of her aunt. Just then, a calm, familiar voice drifted through the air from directly behind her.
"Yes, indeed, darling. You did get me."
At the sound of that voice, Moana's eyes widened in surprise as she immediately spun around and saw Velzard hovering behind her, her white draconic wings gently beating through the air. Aside from now being airborne instead of sitting on her rock, she looked exactly the same as before, without so much as a scratch on her body or even a wrinkle in her clothes. "Well, you did destroy the entire island along with the rock I was sitting on," Velzard said with an amused smile. "So I suppose you won on a technicality. Still, a win is a win, and I have no intention of being a sore loser." Her smile softened ever so slightly as she looked at her niece with unmistakable pride. "Congratulations, Moana. You passed my test."
"Yes!" Moana cheered, pumping a fist triumphantly into the air as a bright smile spread across her face. Her excitement, however, lasted only a moment since the very next instant, an overwhelming wave of freezing aura swept over the battlefield, causing the temperature to plummet so violently that even a Dragonoid like her instinctively shivered from the cold. Confused by the sudden shift, Moana slowly lifted her head to look at Velzard, only for her to freeze in stunned silence.
Because at that very moment, standing before her was no longer the sweet, youthful girl she had been sparring with until moments ago. In her place hovered a breathtakingly beautiful woman with a mature, strikingly voluptuous figure. Her sapphire-blue eyes had transformed into brilliant golden orbs that seemed to stare directly into Moana's soul, while the cute white-and-blue dress she had worn before had been replaced by an elegant, form-fitting two-toned black and white dress that only further emphasized her regal presence.
"Aunt... Velzard?" Moana asked cautiously, unable to hide the confusion and growing unease in her voice. After all, even if the woman before her looked familiar, the overwhelming pressure she radiated made her feel like an entirely different person.
"My darling niece..." Velzard began, her voice now deep, rich, and irresistibly alluring, with none of the sweet, youthful tone she'd used in her smaller form. "I congratulated you on passing my little test, but that doesn't mean I'm finished playing with you, now does it?" A graceful smile spread across her lips as she covered them with one hand and let out a soft, elegant laugh. The very next moment, she released her aura without restraint, instantly freezing the raging sea as far as the eye could see while completely overwhelming Moana's rainfall, replacing it with a relentless storm of hail.
'Damn it! What the hell is going on!? Wasn't Aunt Velzard supposed to be the calmest, most composed, and most sane out of all the dragon siblings?' Moana wondered as she shivered in the freezing, merciless cold. 'No! I can't give up now! If I still have one card left to play, then I'm going to use it! Even if there's a chance it won't work at all!' Having steeled her resolve, Moana immediately activated her skill, [Primordial Sea], and the next moment, her irises began to glow, and an intricate pattern appeared within her eyes.
On the other side, Velzard immediately noticed the subtle change in Moana's eyes and, a split second later, felt an invisible force trying to seize her body and drag her somewhere beyond the physical world. This time, however, she had no intention of indulging her niece's curiosity any further. So, before Moana could drag her into her own dimension, Velzard spoke, "Time for games is over," and the instant those words left her lips, she activated her Ultimate Skill, [Lord of Patience, Gabriel].
In that moment, everything came to a complete standstill. Moana, her skill, the falling hail, and even time itself froze in place. Only Velzard remained untouched, calmly gazing at the bluish-blond-haired girl with cold, emotionless eyes. "Let this be your lesson," she said quietly as she slowly raised one elegant hand. Above the tip of her finger, frost magic gathered in absolute silence, condensing into a tiny sphere of shimmering ice that radiated terrifying power despite its modest size. "A lesson that teaches you the true distance separating you from those who stand at the pinnacle of this world." With those icy words, she calmly brought her hand down toward Moana.
However, just as Velzard was about to bring her hand down, another hand suddenly reached out from behind and gently caught her wrist.
"Honestly, everything was going so well, and then you just had to go and lose it," a disappointed voice whispered into Velzard's ear. However, before she could even turn to see who it was, the voice continued, "Still, there's no point in lecturing you while you're like this. We'll have that conversation after you've come back to your senses. But for now..." There was a brief pause before the final words were spoken. "Goodbye. [Nihility Collapse]."
The instant those words echoed through the frozen world, Velzard's body went completely rigid. Every ounce of strength drained from her limbs as though it had never existed. Unable to move or even resist, she could only watch helplessly as the frozen world around her dissolved into an endless sea of darkness.
To be continued...
******
Illustration: Velzard vs Moana