The Elysion Pedion wasn't truly an offensive technique.
Its greatest, and only, purpose was to amplify Judah's unique properties to their absolute limit, completely neutralizing all Honkai energy within a certain range while severely weakening all other forms of energy.
This world had no Honkai energy, so the barrier's power was entirely redirected toward mana.
Within this golden realm, no magical being could feel at ease—not even Theresa herself.
Suddenly, a searing pain wracked Ilulu's entire body as she plummeted uncontrollably from the sky.
For a dragon whose very blood flowed with immense mana, whose every breath filled her being with power, mana was life itself.
To have this vital element, this companion since birth, abruptly stripped away felt like having every inch of her flesh scraped raw with a knife.
The fireballs in the sky vanished into thin air.
At the same moment, all technological devices on the people below ceased to function.
Yet, no one noticed the equipment failure immediately, their attention utterly captured by the spectacle unfolding before them.
The once-azure sky was now dominated by black and gold.
Countless gears, large and small, whirled through the heavens, casting the world in an aura of sacred mystery.
This scene of world-altering magnitude was like the descent of a god, compelling the faithful to drop to their knees in prayer.
"What… is this?"
Even the Valkyries and the scout team, not just the natives, found it hard to believe their eyes.
What kind of power was this? Why did that dragon just fall out of the sky? Where did the fireballs go? Wait…
The more perceptive Valkyries, feeling an unusual heaviness in their limbs, belatedly glanced at the Valkyrie Battlesuits concealed beneath their uniforms.
What's going on? Battlesuit malfunction?
If it had been just one or two, it might have gone unnoticed.
But seeing their comrades all looking down with similar confusion, they began to understand—this wasn't a simple glitch.
It was caused by this sudden, overwhelming phenomenon.
"Bishop Theresa!?"
Just as Tifa was about to praise her illustrious Bishop, who could solve even a dragon crisis with such apparent ease, she caught sight of Theresa's expression. It was dreadful.
Though Theresa's face was universally acknowledged as adorable and fair, her skin pale in a way that added to her charm, the unhealthy, bloodless pallor now was glaring.
Her entire face seemed drained of color.
"I… I'm fine. The toll for using this technique is just… significant."
Theresa was internally seething at her so-called allies.
Every part of her ached, her condition scarcely better than Ilulu's. Her only advantage was her mental preparation and a high tolerance for pain.
Yet, beneath the agony, her mind worked coldly, perfectly understanding the chain of events these idiots had triggered.
It wasn't hard to grasp.
In fact, it was a hallmark of this Magical Girl world: adults easily falling into darkness, becoming pawns for some evil organization, only to be talked back to the light by a Magical Girl's impassioned speech.
Too bad I'm no Magical Girl. Screw me over like this? Don't expect any mercy.
"But! The way you look now…!"
You look anything but 'fine.'
Tifa bit back the rest of her sentence, emotions running high. Theresa was their pillar.
Maintaining an image of strength and inviolability was crucial. Yet… even unsaid, anyone with eyes could see Theresa was in a bad state.
"This… is the Elysion Pedion. One of Schicksal's trump cards. It purges all mana within its range and severely weakens other energies. My condition isn't great, but that dragon over there is undoubtedly worse off."
"Then I'll go—"
"Without your armor and heavy weaponry, you can't easily pierce a dragon's scales to finish her."
"Rather than you trying to execute her, it's faster for you to evacuate this area immediately. I will deliver the final blow."
"This…"
Tifa couldn't argue. She desperately wanted Theresa to rest, but the Bishop was right.
By the time they managed to breach the dragon's defenses and kill it, Theresa—even in her weakened state—could likely end the fight quicker.
Deactivating the barrier? That would just give the dragon another chance to catch its breath.
While it would relieve Theresa's burden, the dragon would also revert to its previous state. Letting it stay airborne was the worst possible move.
But… looking at it this way, were the Valkyries once again utterly useless? They were supposed to protect the Sister, yet every time trouble arose, all they could do was avoid becoming a burden and run away?
Tifa's face twisted with bitter frustration.
"Temporary command goes to Lainer. Any problems with that?"
Without waiting for Tifa's response, Theresa turned to the man beside her.
"Understood."
Lainer felt a flicker of satisfaction. This was an excellent opportunity.
He wouldn't tolerate those with dubious motives—the ones likely to defect to the evil organization on the spot—remaining in their ranks.
But he also knew that both the Valkyries and Theresa were bound by their strict rules and sense of justice.
Even if those individuals had acted treasonously, they wouldn't be judged immediately. They'd be sent back for a military tribunal.
In Lainer's view, that was far too late.
Those damned parasites needed to be dealt with. Now.
And this was precisely the outcome Theresa wanted.
Though in the eyes of Lainer and Tifa, her order was simply about preventing emotional Valkyries from jeopardizing the mission.
"I… understand…"
Tifa's voice was heavy, her tone subdued. Regardless of her feelings, a Valkyrie could not disobey a direct command from her Sister.
Watching their figures retreat into the distance, Theresa turned her gaze toward the tree-covered area where Ilulu had fallen.
Though her true strength as 'Dark Amber' far exceeded the capabilities of this Theresa character card, it was a double-edged sword.
When she was weak, using a card could elevate her immensely.
When she was strong, using a card could make her weaker—unless the card itself granted a power-up.
The only other way to enhance a character card was through her own personal skills and knowledge, like techniques such as the 'Taixu Sword Qi' which didn't rely on the body's condition.
But in this current situation, such skills were of little help. As long as she was in Theresa's form, she was bound to suffer.
In other words, the pain she felt was utterly real.
So real that she fiercely wanted to take those fools, torture them thoroughly, and then end them. She even found herself wishing she had activated a Mobius card instead.
Her heart as dark as storm clouds, Theresa stepped slowly toward the spot where Ilulu lay, the dragon dazed but clinging to a shred of awareness.
Ilulu was completely collapsed on the ground, the agony coursing through her body rendering her nearly immobile.
Watching Theresa approach step by step, the golden spear in her hand, Ilulu thought of her father's tragic end. Raw, unadulterated terror surged into her heart.
Am I… am I going to die?
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.