Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 308

[Vol. 5] Chapter 308: Hope Amidst the Blood

The crimson light descended from beyond the heavens, and with its arrival, the world was turned upside down.

The godly presence of [Slaughter] enveloped everything within sight.

In this blood-drenched world, the demons roared with wild fervor and exaltation.

The suppressive force of the world’s laws vanished in an instant. Empowered by the blood-soaked blessing, the demons’ auras surged uncontrollably.

Their already massive bodies and armor swelled further, third-tier demons ascended to fourth tier, fourth-tier to fifth, while the high-tier demons, already wielding legendary power, transcended their mortal limitations to become beings of unimaginable terror.

The balance of countless battlefields shifted in that very moment. Even the demon general fiercely dueling a certain grey-clad swordsman broke free from its previous limitations, overwhelming its opponent with renewed strength and crazy enthusiasm.

But their clash was merely one fragment of the vast battlefield.

[Clang!!!]

Another blade struck against the [Judgment Holy Sword], but this time, an enemy that Frederica had previously driven back even when outnumbered three to one now held its ground, matching the Judgment Saintess blow for blow in mid-air, refusing to give an inch.

The sharp sword energy erupted from her holy weapon, carving dense patterns of cuts into the black armor of the blade demon, yet still failing to penetrate it.

[Weak! Pathetic!]

“……”

The blade demon roared furiously, bearing down with its weapon. Frederica, however, remained silent, struggling with all her might to withstand the assault.

She knew full well that this wasn’t because the [Judgment Holy Sword] lacked power but because “her own abilities as its wielder were insufficient.” She simply couldn’t unleash the weapon’s true potential.

She recalled how Miss Dawn had, through sheer brute strength, managed to wield the sword’s full form and unleash a single strike capable of splitting mountains and rivers—even without the sword’s full recognition. If Frederica could achieve true unity of mind and spirit with the holy weapon, its real power would far surpass anything she had yet displayed.

So, it seems… I am not the true master of the holy sword.

Though this thought crossed her mind, Frederica did not allow herself to become distracted in the heat of battle. With a light step, she shifted her stance to deflect the enemy’s slashes and swiftly evaded six or seven heavy lances thrust toward her.

Just as she was bracing for the inevitable onslaught of follow-up attacks…

[Sky Spear Technique, Third Form: Frost Lance Flash!]

A figure, starkly different from the blade demons, suddenly streaked into the fray like a flash of cold light. A radiant white silhouette cut through the encirclement, intercepting two particularly powerful enemies mid-air. Without uttering a word, she formed her own battleground, engaging the demons in a fierce and thunderous exchange of blows!

[?]

Momentarily freed from her attackers, the Saintess raised her gaze in surprise. It was then she noticed that the newcomer was a silver-haired girl with four pristine white wings on her back, wielding a slender lance distinct from the demons’ heavy spears. Her agile and noble movements radiated an aura of sanctity, prompting Frederica to think, ‘She’s like an angel…’

No, wait—this is…

Hurriedly shifting her gaze, Frederica noticed two more similar figures had appeared in other parts of the battlefield. Each was intercepting groups of high-ranking demons under [Slaughter]’s command, preventing them from closing in on her.

Despite the demons’ enhanced power under the blood-red world’s influence, these three winged girls held their ground without faltering. One among them, exuding an especially commanding presence, had single-handedly drawn away more than half of the high-tier demons in the area and was even gaining the upper hand!

So, it really is them…

Frederica recognized the two angel girls with similar appearances. She had encountered them before during her visit to the Azure Sky Kingdom’s imperial banquet as an envoy of the Holy Empire. Back then, they had been accompanying a certain girl named Violet, a figure held in the highest regard by her younger sister.

But back then, they were merely ordinary white-winged beings with only two wings. While their strength was impressive, it still far in comparison to the Saintess, who wielded the [Judgment Holy Sword].

Before leaving due to some premonition, Miss Dawn had foreseen that something unusual would occur here, and had warned Frederica and shared some information with her.

Thus, the Saintess already knew that these two sisters, named Leila and Rene, had ascended into angels during a fateful encounter. Recently, they had been entrusted to Miss Dawn’s care by Miss Violet and were now actively engaged in the demonic frontlines alongside Edwina.

Furthermore, if these two were present nearby, it could only mean…

Frederica turned around, her gaze falling on the newcomers.

After a long pause, she sighed softly.

“…Lady Yuna Summerfield, the Bright Light Saintess, and Lady Philomena Lambert, the Redemption Saintess. It’s been a long time.”

Surrounded by demons, held back by some invisible light that prevented them from advancing, the two Saintesses finally reached the last of their group.

“Praise be to the Goddess. Lady Frederica, it’s been a while~”

“Lady Frederica, I’m so glad to see you’re safe.”

“Heh… hearing that from you is truly ironic, Lady Yuna.”

Frederica looked at the girl titled Bright Light Saintess with a complex expression. After a long silence, she ultimately did not point her sword at her. Instead, she simply shook her head, a mix of sadness and helplessness in her eyes.

“Is this really worth it, to go this far?”

“……”

Yuna’s calm demeanor didn’t waver, as if she had foreseen this before. She stopped smiling, but still kept her expression calm and composed.

“Lady Frederica, do you hate me?”

The Judgment Saintess sighed again, which seemed to serve as her answer.

“Is it really the right time to talk about this? You have more important things to do, don’t you?”

“Of course.”

Listening to the distant roars and loud crashes echoing from the far sky, the Bright Light Saintess slightly nodded.

“Although Slaughter has already arrived, I can feel… a similarly powerful presence in the air temporarily blocking it. It’s unexpected, but it has indeed bought us some time.”

“There’s an old saying in the Holy Empire, ‘A blacksmith must have a strong hammer before forging a fine weapon.’ If there’s discord between the three of us, and we can’t coordinate the powers of the three divine artifacts, the probability of failure in the ritual will greatly increase.”

“We only have one chance. Since there is no immediate urgency, I think it’s necessary to understand your stance, Lady Frederica.”

“……”

Glancing at the three battlefields in the sky and the other [Slaughter] forces blocked by a golden barrier that had appeared she didn’t know when, the Judgment Saintess took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

“To say I don’t hate you would be a lie, one even I wouldn’t believe.”

“Yuna Summerfield, you conspired with a few demons, lured them into launching the invasion, which led to the successive defeats in the early stages of the war. Countless comrades whom I considered brothers and sisters died because of it.”

Under the gaze of Philomena, who seemed to have expected this but still appeared somewhat incredulous, Frederica continued, her voice filled with hatred.

“To be honest, the thing I despise most in this world is betrayal and the bullying of the weak. Let alone the fact that your actions have led to what can only be called one of the greatest disasters in history. You can hardly escape responsibility, and there is no way I could ever forgive you.”

“Is that so…”

As her actions were laid bare, Yuna’s expression remained calm and gentle, as though Frederica’s condemnation were not directed at her but at someone completely unrelated. She didn’t even ask how Frederica knew all of this.

But then, the Judgment Saintess changed her tone.

“Although I want to blame everything on you, Miss Dawn once told me that even if you hadn’t done these things, as long as time continued to move forward, the Holy Empire would eventually attract an external enemy as terrifying as, or even more terrifying than, the demons… Now that I understand the whole picture and some secrets, I have to admit that you wasn’t wrong.”

“Yuna, your actions have brought disaster, and I cannot accept or condone what you’ve done. But just like the arrival of [Slaughter], I cannot say ‘you are the root of all evil’ and blindly pass judgment without understanding the reasons behind it.”

“I know my actions are extreme, and I don’t condone them, but among all possible [Fates], this is the only way to save the world’s fate. And I am willing to bear any consequences for it all.”

“……”

“Honestly, I’m not sure who’s right or wrong in this situation. Miss Dawn told me to listen to whatever you say when you get here because I will get the answer from that.”

The Saintess raised the Holy Sword, and the three divine artifacts resonated as one, emitting a brilliant radiance.

“Come, Yuna Summerfield. I will help you complete the final step and correct the mistakes of history.”