Facing Yumo at full power, her expression radiating a do-or-die determination, Lena had lost all desire to fight.

True, forcing Yumo back to the Outer Realm wouldn't be difficult. The girl was clearly running on fumes.

But that wasn't what Lena wanted.

She needed Yumo to come willingly, not through force. Drag her there against her will, and Yumo would just cause trouble once she recovered. Hell, she might even turn on Lena completely. As the saying goes, a forced melon isn't sweet, and Lena had zero interest in such a thankless task.

Besides, she still didn't understand how Yumo had managed to control the Judgment Saint's power, but one thing was certain: the Judgment Saint's killing force was Source Star's most destructive power, especially lethal against Abyssal bodies. Combined with the Judgment Temple's strength, if Yumo fought back with everything she had, she could still deal serious damage.

And right now, they stand in a sub-world of the World Tree, the Alliance's core territory.

If Yumo drained too much of her stamina and life force, and Source Star reinforcements showed up... well, that would put Lena in real danger. When two tigers fight, the fisherman benefits.

Fighting Yumo now serves no purpose.,

Having reached that conclusion, Lena raised her hand. Under the confused gazes of Vinova and the other Alliance survivors, she pulled the chill from the air back into her body. The Shadow power raging around her settled into calm.

Gracefully lifting her skirt's hem, she curtsied Yumo, then spoke with a slightly playful tone:

"Well then, farewell, Miss Judgment Saint."

With a faint smile, she waved at Yumo in a casual goodbye gesture, then turned and began walking through the void.

As the blue-haired woman stepped forward, Lena's body began disintegrating visibly, transforming into countless ice-blue energy particles that finally scattered in the breeze.

With Lena's disappearance, the suffocating pressure lifted from the world, and the ice covering the earth slowly melted.

Everything had finally returned to peaceful quiet.

...

It is... over?

"That woman, she left. Just like that?!"

After confirming Lena's aura had completely vanished from her sensing range, Vinova and the surviving Alliance soldiers finally felt their long-tensed hearts relax. The joy of surviving disaster surged through everyone like a spring flood. If their bodies weren't completely exhausted, these warriors would've been cheering.

No one found Lena's retreat strange.

After all, she'd faced the Judgment Saint herself!

The strongest combatant among the three Great Saints!

Even the mighty Abyssal Lord had chosen to avoid direct confrontation with the Judgment Saint.

Everyone gazed at the black-haired girl's silhouette with worshipful eyes.

"Ah, Lady Saint! I'll never forget your kindness today, not for the rest of my life!"

Staring at Yumo's figure, Vinova clasped her hands together, tears streaming down her face.

Though Vinova cared greatly about power and prestige, like many veteran powerhouses, she held incomparable reverence for the Creator. Her worship of the Saints, messengers of the Creator, knew no bounds.

While Vinova had harbored doubts about Yumo's identity before, seeing her save everyone had eliminated all skepticism. When Lena had addressed the black-haired girl as Miss Judgment Saint, Vinova's convictions had become absolute.

She was the Judgment Saint! Iron-clad fact!

Anyone who denied it would have to fight her!

Vinova's heart blazed with determination.

Ignoring the sharp pain throughout her body, she frantically began fixing her appearance. When she went to pay respects to her idol, she had to make the best impression possible! She absolutely couldn't approach looking like some refugee!

But just as Vinova excitedly prepared herself, the ninth-tier Barrier Master's brow suddenly furrowed. The magnificent aura she worshipped was emitting strange fluctuations.

"Lady Saint?"

Setting down her lipstick, Vinova looked toward Yumo with confusion.

Then she witnessed something completely unexpected.

"What?!"

Surrounded by swirling golden-red light, the black-haired girl who'd been radiating dignity and deadly power suddenly showed a painful expression. Her features twisted, reflecting intense inner conflict and anguish. This sudden agony seemed to pierce through all her defenses, striking directly at her soul.

Suspended in mid-air, her body began trembling uncontrollably. The divine power radiating from her became increasingly unstable, like flames flickering wildly in a storm, each wave more violent than the last. The golden-red light gradually turned chaotic, no longer bright and pure but disorderly and suffused with pain and struggle.

Soon, the energy surrounding her reached its limit and began rapidly dissolving, as if torn apart by invisible forces. Yumo's figure plummeted under the energy's impact, falling straight down at tremendous speed, too fast to make any sound. The air roared from her descent, and light and energy scattered as she fell, forming brilliant streaks.

CRASH!!!

With a thunderous impact, the black-haired girl slammed heavily into the ground, kicking up clouds of dust and gouging a crater a hundred meters in radius from the scorched earth.

"Lady Saint!!!"

Snapping back to reality, Vinova dropped her cosmetics and rushed toward the crater below, fighting through her pain.

Reaching the crater's center, she anxiously moved forward. "Lady Saint, are you all right... huh?!!!"

But before she could finish, Vinova's eyes suddenly contracted as the fear that had just subsided surged back.

"Wha... what is this?"

Reflected in Vinova's pupils, Yumo was struggling to her feet, one hand pressed painfully against her chest.

The holy golden-red light that had been flowing around her was now gradually being corrupted by evil crimson. This scarlet light carried towering resentment and ominous power, writhing like a living thing as it coiled around Yumo's body, gradually staining her sacred energy with dark, terrifying hues.

Even the silver spirit butterflies dancing around Yumo were slowly being touched by crimson light...

The power emanating from Yumo was all too familiar to Vinova, the same Shadow power that had surrounded the Abyssal Lord!

"Lady Saint, what's happening to you?"

Faced with Vinova's worried questions, the black-haired girl gritted her teeth and struggled to raise her head, meeting Vinova's gaze. The golden-red runes in Yumo's eyes had also lost their luster, gradually being covered by terrifying crimson blood-light.

"Don't stay here... Get away! Now!!!"

The black-haired girl roared.

A terrifying wave of energy erupted from Yumo, slamming into Vinova and sending her staggering backward.

"If you don't leave, I won't be able to suppress that monster much longer..."

While warning Vinova, Yumo bit down hard on her lip.

The girl's eyes flashed with cold red light, her posture growing increasingly twisted as if locked in mortal combat with evil power deep within her. Her body was shrouded in crimson light that contained the power to destroy everything, but Yumo was clearly using every ounce of strength to struggle desperately, trying to preserve the last trace of clarity and self in her heart.

Even while struggling, seemingly out of concern for her companion, Yumo kept fixing Vinova with serious stares, urging her to get far away.

Watching this scene, Vinova's heart filled with conflicting emotions.

After a moment of internal struggle, she finally understood the situation.

Same appearance, but completely different aura and personality?

Wait...

Is she… fighting her other half?!

"I see... I understand! I understand everything now! Don't worry, Lady Saint! I won't let that Abyssal monster keep corrupting your consciousness! I'll definitely help you regain control of your body!!!"