"Guh!?"
――Woosh!
Even as she avoided the 'Fist' Saintess's roundhouse kick, Ryugu's mind was mired in confusion
It was only natural.
Despite the many deadly blows she had delivered, this saintess named Tirna kept coming at her as if nothing had happened.
No, 'nothing' was a slightly wrong way to put it.
As one thing had indeed happened.
It was after Ryugu had broken her neck at the beginning.
When she had stood back up, a flame-like aura gushed out from her body, enveloping her.
Ryugu had wondered if it was some kind of healing magic, but not only the goddess of earth, even the other saintess didn't seem to have done anything.
What in the world was the identity of this immortal-like power?
Wasn't the Savior the only one immortal?
――WHACK!
"Gh…"
I've got no clue… the confused Ryugu's punch landed straight on Tirna's face, but—
――Grab.
"Now you won't be able to dodge…"
"Wha!?"
It seemed that Tirna had got into close range with trading injuries in mind from the very start, she was firmly grasping Ryugu's belt.
"!"
And at that moment, Ryugu saw.
The cheek that should have received the blow that she had filled with a considerable amount of strength just a moment ago had no trace of having been hit on it.
It was like—yes, it was like 'the hit never happened from the start'.
"Grand—Eclair Blow!"
――BOOM!
"Gaha!?"
The ultra-high-speed body blow released at the same time as her arms pulled bent Ryugu's body into the shape of the letter く.
Unable to withstand it, Ryugu almost lost consciousness, but fortunately, her body was tough on account of being a demon, and she barely managed to grasp on to her consciousness.
However, the impact was terrible, to say the least. She was blown away, bounced on the snowy grounds many a time, and rolled before coming to a stop.
"Cough, cough…!?"
As she coughed violently, Ryugu shook her head, "No," and spoke as though to spill out all her frustrations, "That power of yours, it's not immortality nor super-high-speed regeneration…!? My attack never landed on you, to begin with…!? Am I correct…!?"
Tirna gave a big nod to her and replied, "Yes, you're correct. All your attacks are taken over by the person I dearly love. Regardless of the pain, he continues to protect me. That's why I can keep on fighting you, and that's why I can defeat you."
◇ ◇
"...'Substitute', you say?"
At the question of the solemnly squinting Eden, the 'Spear' Saintess Arcadia, who wore a flame-like aura nodded, "Yes," as she approached him.
Eden had tried several ranged attacks such as palm strikes, but despite the resulting shockwaves, he hadn't been able to inflict any injuries on her whatsoever.
Thus, Eden had proceeded to try to crush her with even greater force, but Arcadia dismissed him with "It's futile," and told him that she was protected by the 'Substitute' of the Savior.
"I heard it from him before. That his skill was originally"Substitute", which has the effect of taking damage on someone else's behalf. It one day sublimated into "Immortality", became"Phoenix"when he gained the power of Igniver-sama, and finally settled on the current"Divine Phoenix"."
"So, you mean to say that he's using that"Substitute"to help you?"
"Yeah, that's right. He's a kind man, after all. He probably couldn't stand his wives getting hurt," Arcadia showed a fearless expression.
"Ridiculous," Eden scoffed, "To begin with, where is the Savior, who is supposedly substituting for you?"
"Who knows. I mean, it doesn't matter where he is, right? Because he is always by our side no matter where he is."
"Nonsense. There is no way someone who is not here can perform such a miracle. Are you trying to deceive me, 'Spear' Saintess?"
"Well, you can take it however you like. But there's a 'basis' which leads me to believe so."
"Basis, you say?"
"Yeah,"
This, Arcadia held her hand over her own lower abdomen.
It was the place where the crest 'Phoenix Seal' that he had heard of from the Creator was engraved.
To Eden, it was no different from incubi's Lewd Crest, so he felt repulsion toward it.
"…Incorrigible. Do you seriously think you can beat me with the power of such a foul crest?"
"Yeah, I do. As long as he protects us, we can never be defeated."
At that moment, the fiery aura also rose from the bodies of the two women who were standing on the side.
"Yes, it's as Arcadia-san said. The sin of accusing our bonds of being 'foul'—we'll make sure to have you atone for it."
"Ha, now we're talking. Snobbish bastard, time to pay the price for running off your mouth. We're gonna crush you right here and now."
"Imbeciles. I won't hold back anymore, then. I will send you back to nothingness."
The moment Eden finished his words, his eyes, which had been closed until now, opened.
Then, gugugu, he tried to open the third eye on his forehead, but—
"—That's enough, Eden. Lord Creator doesn't permit you further release."
Yomi appeared out of nowhere and stopped him.