Seventh Thread

Derrick moved instantly, scattering five Beam orbs.

Joy followed suit, her tome already out, blue flaming orbs flying towards the direction of the voice.

The red lasers and blue fireballs zipped past the woman’s head, smashing into the crucified shaman behind.

She did not even flinch at all.

“Wow. What a warm greeting you have prepared for me.”

She calmly walked forward.

Derrick and Joy kept launching attacks at her, but none of them hit their target.

Voidborn narrowed his eyes and took a good look at her.

“It’s you,” Voidborn said.

Derrick stopped his attack and realised.

“You’re the one who gave us the charm!” Jimin exclaimed.

The woman smiled warmly.

She was wearing the same elegant white dress, adorned with intricate floral designs that were sewn across the fabric. On one of her elbows hung a small white satchel, decorated with many similar charms that hung off its handle.

They were the same charms that the woman gave the group.

“So, it was you that screwed our team up?!” Chaewon growled, eyes blazing with anger.

The sea of red that had calmed started to shake, waves of her rage crashing around at the realisation.

“Perhaps.”

The woman gave a small bow.

“Now, I’ve come to collect my prize.”

A red spear formed in the air above her and shot downwards.

“Flame Spear.”

The woman simply smiled.

The spear pierced through the air with a deafening scream, but right before it stabbed into her head, it completely stopped its motion and redirected into a hut nearby.

Boom.

The hut exploded into flames.

“Why the hell aren’t my spells hitting?” Joy frowned.

The woman simply pulled an umbrella out from inside her small satchel and opened it, blocking her fair skin from the blazing sun’s rays.

It was as though the bag held a pocket dimension.

“Why?” the woman said, holding on to the umbrella’s handle and tilted her head in confusion.

“Why would you attack someone you revere?”

Voidborn focused his eyes and looked around.

A brimming white radiance of reverence was bursting out of every single person’s chest.

Every single time the two tried to shoot the woman down, a wave of pure white emotion flooded their bodies.

Respect.
Reverence.
Devotion.

The thought harming her suddenly felt wrong.

Joy and Derrick frowned.

They realised that nothing they tried worked, so they stopped attacking. After all, there was no point in wasting their mental energy. However, their orbs and tomes continued hovering in the air, ready to take down their enemy at any opening.

“I don’t think you should be rude to someone you admire,” the woman giggled. “How about a bow?”

Voidborn saw everyone resisting, but they ultimately offered a sincere bow of admiration.

Somehow, he didn’t feel compelled to follow her instructions.

But he decided to lower his upper body and mimic the rest’s actions.

It was better to play along with what she desired, considering that she managed to force even Derrick and Joy to her bidding willingly. Recklessly defying a stronger one would likely lead to detrimental results.

“Great!”

The woman hopped in excitement, before turning towards Chaewon.

“Now that the formalities are out of the way, would you kindly hand me the stones?”

Chaewon glared at her with a sincere smile.

“Why the fu—I apologise for my rudeness. Please, if I may ask, why would I give you the stones?”

The woman chuckled.

“How polite.” She simply held out her hand and opened her palm.

“Why? Because the one you revere asked for it. Don’t you have someone you respect? Wouldn’t you obey what they ask for?”