Return of the Valkyrie

That blind devotion was not natural.

(¡SSSHHHH-KLANG!)

Long ago, after defeating the Hero's party, the Demon King utilized a twisted brainwashing magic to gain absolute control over the accompanying heroines.

(¡¡CHRRRRRCK...!!)

Thanks to that mental alteration, the warrior women came to recognize him as their sole master and lord, placing the tyrant's will above all else.

(¡SCREECH!)

As a result, to ensure their loyalty and maximize their effectiveness on the front lines, the Demon King empowered them by bestowing a portion of his own energy upon them.

"No!"

In Sonia's specific case, using research recovered from a deceased ancient necromancer—found following the invasion of a fallen kingdom—they refined a mysterious material with unique properties, with which they forged both her heavy armor and her imposing black sword.

(¡CLASH! ¡CLACK!)

The violent clashes of swords echoed with frenzy.

(¡SWISH! ¡CLASH! ¡CLACK! ¡CLACK! ¡KRENG! ¡CHRRRRRCK! ¡CLANG!)

At that moment, while observing her opponent, Sonia turned her gaze toward the city gate, where her subordinates—seeing her falter—were beginning to waver and hesitate.

"¡¡...!!"

Because of that, Sonia increased the force and speed of her onslaughts with every passing second, desperate to crush her rival's defense; however, each and every one of her brutal attacks continued to be parried with a disarming calm.

(¡CLANG! ¡CLANG! ¡CLANG!)

Monsters were inherently bloodthirsty, belligerent beings hungry for power; thus, to command an army of demons with an iron fist, the absolute priority was establishing and maintaining unquestionable authority.

"Hey..."

However, being publicly humiliated by being overwhelmed and effortlessly handled by an unknown human dealt a devastating blow to her reputation within the army.

"How did you gain that power?"

At that moment, hearing that question spoken with calm composure, Sonia gritted her teeth.

"Tsk...!"

Despite constantly referring to humans as "inferior beings," she herself was still human.

"What's wrong? Why do you retreat so often?"

It was precisely because of that original condition that she had been able to easily shatter the sacred barrier designed to repel monsters without suffering complications.

"... Your sword is trembling."

However, if her powerful and cold aura broke before her troops, both the obedience and the combat effectiveness of the demonic army would inevitably weaken...

"SILENCE, INFERIOR BEING!"

... And that was something she would not allow to happen.

"You won't escape!"

Because of that, Sonia suddenly shifted her fighting style, employing fierce chains of physical attacks and continuous spells to push the hooded figure back.

(¡CLASH! ¡CLACK! ¡CLACK! ¡KRENG!)

Her goal was clear: end the battle immediately or gradually shift the battlefield away from the city gates so as not to display any more of her weakness before the demons.

(¡CLANG! ¡CLANG! ¡CLASH!)

The clash of steel grew increasingly frantic and relentless as both moved across the terrain.

"...."

However, 'Silvia', noticing Sonia's intentions, decided to play along...

"Just as I expected from an inferior being...!"

She deliberately feigned weakness in the subsequent exchanges, dragging her steps backward while keeping her guard up and carefully analyzing the true will imbued within the fallen paladin's sword.

"Who is backing down out of fear now?!"

Thanks to that, biting the bait completely, Sonia began to mock her openly.

"You have wasted my time, and I will make you pay with your head."

She continued unleashing onslaughts without granting any quarter, while the battlefield became covered by a dense tide of dust raised by the ferocity of the slashes and magical bursts, concealing the combat from the view of the walls.

(¡FWOOOOSH-BOOOOM!)

Until finally, a brutal downward slash struck at the intruder's feet, who barely managed to dodge it, ending up cornered with her back against the thick trunk of a large tree.

"I see... Then... shall we end this...?"

However, despite her apparent disadvantage, the hooded figure reacted as though she had finally understood the secret behind each of the previous exchanges.

"..."

And with total serenity, she lowered her sword, causing it to vanish into thin air in a flash of light.

"It seems you have accepted your fate."

In response, Sonia sighed softly, assuming her victory but without lowering her guard for even a single instant.

"Poor, tragic soul..."

She was perfectly aware that she could still be observed from the walls and sensed that something about the situation didn't quite add up.

"I will give you peace."

Thus, approaching with a well-structured defensive posture, she remained ready to execute an immediate counterattack should it prove necessary, while ignoring the hooded figure's words.

(¡BANG!)

However, at the precise instant she launched herself forward to finish off the intruder...

"... Release yourself."

The surrounding atmosphere cooled drastically, and a deadly chill ran down the paladin's spine.

"Nivisluna."

Immediately following that, the last thing she managed to catch a glimpse of was a silver flash.

"..."

And in a distorted perception where time seemed to pass in slow motion, she observed how an elegant dagger manifested in the hooded figure's hand, passing by her side in a breath that felt eternal.

(¡CRACK... FWOOOOSH!)

The sound of ice fracturing the air echoed across the entire valley as a gelid wave covered everything in the blink of an eye.

"... Calm down... You will not die..."

Before she could react or cast a single spell, both Sonia and the entirety of the fortress behind her were completely immortalized as majestic and inert ice statues...

"... Because I promise you... that whoever did this to you... and to our world..."

Standing completely alone in a frozen wasteland...

"... I will make them pay."

A valkyrie had returned home.