Ethereal Ascendance: A Journey of Transformation

"How did you find us?"

The other party was a bit surprised that I wanted to ask this.

I was really curious. With so many trees in the woods covering our tracks, how could she have found us in such a short time? Her methods were amazing.

And Michelle really seemed to want to know who killed Claudia. This gave me a chance. She would most likely agree to my insignificant condition.

"It's not that impressive. Telling you doesn't matter."

As expected, Michelle thought about it and answered.

"The Galadra Eye can see through any object. You were able to sneak in and escape earlier just because my useless subordinates don't know how to use it. Did you think that hiding in the woods would make it so I couldn't find you all? To my eyes, these trees and vegetation are as insubstantial as the Dark Continent. There's no difference."

Isn't the Galadra Eye a teleportation device? How does it have these extra functions? So the device in the tower was truly a part of the legendary celestial weapon?

"What do you think? Are you ready to tell the truth now?"

After she finished speaking, Michelle glanced at me and said.

"This is..."

My forehead started sweating. The storyline felt off. After all this time, there really hadn't been any turn of events. No rescue came, and nothing happened to the other side either.

I looked ahead, the only good thing was that Alfreed's injuries had basically been healed by Eleanora. He was just still unconscious.

But even if he woke up now, I didn't think it would make much difference.

Now Eleanora had gone to help Selene. With two people working together, Adrian's injuries would naturally recover faster. This finally let me breathe a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong? Still don't want to tell the truth?"

Michelle gave a cold laugh and raised her right hand. A flame ignited in her palm. It seemed she was growing impatient.

"It was me!"

Nicola suddenly spoke up to answer for me.

"You..."

I looked at Nicola, not knowing what to say. Why was she taking the fall for me?

"What are you doing? Do you want to go with her?"

"Don't listen to her, actually..."

I was about to turn my head and explain to Michelle. But Nicola grabbed me and blocked me, saying,

"You've got it wrong. I would never go with her!"

As she spoke, she also raised her right hand and summoned her Condensation Sword.

"I've decided to fight her! Anyway, we'll have to fight eventually. You shouldn't have stopped me earlier!"

"An angel with only six wings is this hot-tempered? Even Elara was just a brat before me..."

At first, Michelle looked at us wanting to resist with a disdainful expression. But seeing Nicola's Condensation Sword appear, her expression instantly changed greatly.

"That sword of yours..."

"That's right! This is the sword I used to heavily injure Claudia earlier. Now I'll chop up you too, you annoying little brat!"

Nicola didn't want to waste words with her. She directly flew into the air with her sword, swung at the other side.

"You...you're Liana?! Why do you look like this?"

Although Michelle looked doubtful and extremely shocked, she didn't seem that panicked when the Condensation Sword chopped at her. She lightly lifted a hand, blocking Nicola's attack from midair.

"This feeling...there's no doubt. You really are Liana!"

"What Liana! My name is Nicola!"

Nicola was a bit confused. She didn't understand why Michelle kept calling her Liana. For a moment, she even wondered if the other side was afraid of her sword. Without hesitation, she continued swinging at the opponent.

"You suddenly disappeared before! How did you suddenly show up here?"

Seeing this, Michelle swiftly retreated several meters back. Nicola's series of attacks didn't harm her one bit. On the contrary, it made her discover even more inconsistencies.

"Why do you only use these meaningless attacks? Where are your signature time manipulation skills? Don't tell me you're injured...no, you reincarnated too! You went to Galadra?"

"What the hell?"

Now it wasn't just Nicola. Even I, spectating to the side, was totally confused about the situation. What exactly was Michelle saying?

"You're saying I can control time? What does that mean?"

Hearing the other's words, Nicola suddenly stopped, extremely puzzled as she asked.

When Claudia touched the Condensation Sword earlier, she had also mentioned something about time. Although Nicola didn't understand what exactly it had to do with time, hearing it from two different people made her feel this was unlikely to be a coincidence or mistake.

Moreover, even if she was stupid, she could see that after all that, she had absolutely no effect at all. The other side was just temporarily evading and not actually afraid of her.

"You don't even remember this?"

Michelle looked at Nicola with great surprise. She said in a complex tone,

"Time manipulation is your talent! That Chronos Sword is proof of it. It's a product you created from condensed wind elements. It can also be called the hands of time."

"Chronos Sword?"

So the Condensation Sword had another name from the other side. Hearing this, Nicola seemed to recall something. She looked at the weapon in her hand somewhat blankly.

"No way..."

I felt a bit anxious for Nicola. She couldn't have believed what the other side said right? We clearly know our own origins. Even if reincarnation really existed in this world, it likely had nothing to do with us.

In my view, her situation was more likely similar to mine - that there was actually another powerful being hidden in her body, and the Condensation Sword was just the ability of that being at work.

Just as I was wildly speculating what exactly was going on, seeing Nicola's reaction, Michelle calmed down and solemnly said to her:

"I didn't expect reincarnation to have such a huge impact. It looks like you've forgotten everything..."

"No! That can only mean I know nothing at all!"

But Nicola suddenly cut her off, glancing at me.

"I can't deny you know a lot about my Condensation Sword. But that doesn't prove I must be this Liana you speak of. And from the current perspective, we're still enemies. Who can say clearly this isn't your scheme?"

I nodded approvingly. As expected, Nicola didn't disappoint me. We were finally on the same wavelength.

But she was ultimately still too rash. We still weren't a match for Michelle right now. There was no need to outright state our position.

If there was a chance, we could have taken advantage of this to catch the opponent off guard, and then deliver a fatal blow.

"It looks like I overestimated you. I thought you might remember something."

Hearing Nicola's words, Michelle gave a cold laugh.

"What a twist of fate. To think you reincarnated as an angel but are still just as stupid as before!"

Seeing her disappointed expression, I suddenly felt somewhat relieved.

She probably couldn't guess even if she racked her brains that Nicola and I had crossed over from Earth right? They were completely different worlds after all. If not for that point, I probably would have considered believing her words.

"What, backing out already? Not continuing the act?

Seeing the flame rising from the opponent's palm, Nicola hurriedly put the Condensation Sword in front of her chest, but she still mocked,

"Weren't you saying I was your old acquaintance? Yet you still bear to attack me ruthlessly..."

"It looks like you misunderstood one thing. We were never on good terms from the start..."

As Michelle spoke, she suddenly flashed forward. In the next moment, without any warning, she abruptly appeared right in front of Nicola's eyes. She slapped the fireball in her hand onto Nicola...

"Nicola!"

With a loud "bang", seeing the violent explosion happening midair, I couldn't help but scream out.

But that wasn't the end. Seeing Nicola falling rapidly due to the blast, Michelle sent out several more gigantic fireballs, continuously bombarding Nicola's landing spot.

The loud rumbles of explosions were endless. The shaking forced all of us present, including me, to vigorously cover our ears. We couldn't even take half a step forward.

"...moreover, you're too weak now. You're not my match at all."

Only after a good half a minute did Michelle finally stop her hand and finish her sentence. Seeing me fly toward where Nicola fell, she didn't continue attacking either. She just stayed hovering in place without moving.

"I...I'm fine!"

With my support, Nicola arduously got up from the ground. It seemed she truly wasn't severely injured.

Although she fell from high altitude to the ground, with her clothes practically blown to bits, her body didn't seem to have suffered much explosive impact. Most of her injuries were from the crash.

"Lady Nicola..."

At this time, Selene also came over. She hurriedly took out clothes for Nicola to change into.

As for Adrian, only Eleanora was left by his side healing him now. But the progress should be mostly done. Seeing Adrian's condition greatly improve finally let me breathe easy.

"That's the annoying thing about angels. Elemental attacks are too ineffective..."

Hovering in midair, seeing Nicola's state, Michelle frowned, seemingly not very surprised.

"Since your attacks have no effect, why not just give up? Let's call it off like this then?"

Supporting Nicola, I took the initiative to admit defeat, wanting to make peace.

Although I didn't understand the reason from the other side's few words, this was undoubtedly terrific news, giving me a thread of hope.

"Call it off?"

But the other side didn't agree to stop there.

"Have you forgotten what I said earlier? I have to take away the person who killed Claudia. But Liana doesn't want to go. It looks like she still wants to resist. In that case, don't blame me for getting ruthless. And none of you here can escape either!"

"...Are you certain the one who killed Claudia is her?"

Because many things happened in between, if she didn't mention it again, I almost forgot her original goal.