The Guardian’s Conviction and a Looming Shadow

“Boom, boom, boom…” A dark shadow tore through the Eides Plains of the Demon Realm, a chasm-like divide between two worlds. Across this divide, a vibrant array of red, blue, and black magical attacks illuminated the sky.

Qiweiya grinned, her gaze fixed on the approaching battlefield, and patted the motorcycle beneath her. “Activate Chariot Form—Ramming Mode!”

The seams connecting the motorcycle’s parts glowed with an ethereal, cerulean magic energy. “[Command accepted—Heavy Armor Deployment!]”

The vehicle’s armor was enveloped by this same cerulean magic, solidifying into a translucent, shimmering suit of combat plating.

“Second step initiated: Divine Cleave — Godfall Mode activated.” The blades on either side of the motorcycle extended, their tips pointing forward. A cannon muzzle emerged from the back of each blade, followed by a crimson magical energy that solidified, reinforcing the weapons.

Qiweiya surveyed the dramatically transformed motorcycle with satisfaction before turning her attention back to the battlefield.

“Divine Cleave—Godfall! Go and crush them!” A low hum intensified into a deafening roar as the motorcycle instantly accelerated, breaking the sound barrier with an explosive boom.

Before the enemies on the battlefield could even react, a blur of red and blue streaked past. Their former comrades shattered like glass in its wake.

Noticing Ailei watching her, Qiweiya gave a thumbs-up. Ailei, visibly more serious amidst the battle, simply nodded in return before resuming her fierce struggle against several intermediate gods who had surrounded her.

Qiweiya spun her head back around. “Hey! Turn around, now!” With immense strength, she forced the supersonic motorcycle to change direction.

“Godfall Cannon activated! Time to teach these unruly children a harsh lesson!” As Qiweiya pressed a button on the handlebars, the cannon muzzle at the front of the motorcycle began to gather energy, crimson particles drawing from the air and condensing.

Everyone on the battlefield felt the crushing weight of impending death. It was the sensation of a Sword of Damocles hanging overhead, pointed directly at their throats—a profound unease that their lives were no longer their own.

“Wh-what is that red light?”

“It’s terrifying! I don’t want to be here!”

“Hey, hey, hey! Whose side is trying to fire a mass-destruction weapon on the battlefield?!”

Just as a chorus of discussions, angry shouts, and fear suddenly engulfed the battlefield, Qiweiya’s charge finally completed.

“Fire~” With a soft utterance from Qiweiya, a deep crimson projectile shot into the battlefield. A moment of eerie silence was followed by the rapid expansion of a scarlet orb of light.

The people on the battlefield were enveloped and consumed by the orb. After expanding to five kilometers, it began to contract, leaving a vast number of humans unconscious on the ground. The demon soldiers, looking utterly bewildered, exchanged wide-eyed glances.

Qiweiya stood on her motorcycle and shouted, “What are you standing around for?! Hurry up and leave! The god-tier battlefield is about to shift over here!”

After the low-ranking soldiers scrambled away, Qiweiya gazed at the scattered, unconscious bodies with a headache. What was she supposed to do now?

****

Qiweiya’s pupils constricted. “Armored Fusion — Finality!”

Boom! Dust billowed outwards.

Whoosh! A burst of air scattered the smoke and dust, revealing Qiweiya, now clad in sleek, futuristic cerulean armor. She was using the heavy blade in her hand to parry the massive axe of a red-haired girl with twin pigtails.

The grinding clash of weapons echoed in Qiweiya’s ears. “My dear girl~ such a fiery temper might make it hard to find a husband~”

The red-haired girl glared at Qiweiya with sharp eyes. “Why are you, the guardian of humanity, helping the demons? These evil races shouldn’t even exist in this world!”

Qiweiya momentarily froze. The girl seized the opportunity, swinging her massive axe in a powerful downward chop. Qiweiya reacted just as the axe was inches from her face.

Clang! Crack! Qiweiya, with astonishing skill, deflected the axe with the tip of her heavy blade, then pressed the massive cannon on her left arm against the girl’s forehead.

“Checkmate~” The girl, seeing the energy gathering in the cannon before her, offered no rebuttal.

Qiweiya quirked a lip. “Nothing to say, girl? Like, what are your motives? And…”

A murderous glint flashed in Qiweiya’s eyes. “Which bastard fooled you all into starting a war between the two realms?”

The girl resolutely closed her eyes. “Kill me, dismember me, do as you please! I will never reveal anything about us!”

Qiweiya watched the girl silently awaiting her fate. After a few minutes, a click echoed as she retracted her blade. The girl opened her eyes. “What? Trying another trick? I still won’t tell you anything about us! Give up now!”

Qiweiya offered no response, instead gazing at the pure blue sky of the Demon Realm. The girl grew impatient. “Hey! Are you going to kill me or not? If you don’t, I’m leaving!”

The girl waited a moment, and seeing no reaction from Qiweiya, turned to depart.

“You said demons are evil, a race that shouldn’t exist in this world.” The girl stiffened, then turned back, affirming, “That’s right! The existence of demons is a mistake! Their power and nature are utterly vile, evil, and filled with destructive desires!”

Qiweiya lowered her gaze from the sky, her clear, pure green eyes fixed on the girl. “But do you know what humanity’s definition of the world is, in my eyes?”

As the girl looked on with a puzzled expression, Qiweiya spoke. “They are vulgar and selfish, always shifting blame onto others when things go wrong. Most lack any sense of community! They act without considering the consequences! They constantly find ways to benefit themselves in treacherous situations, yet push those who trust them into the abyss! In my eyes, ‘distortion’ is the best word to describe you all!”

“You! How can you say that about us humans! We are also good people! You’re being too one-sided! I challenge you to a duel!”

Qiweiya looked at the furious red-haired girl before her, her expression unperturbed. “Yet, even though you are such unreasonable beings, I still chose you as one of my guardian races.”

The girl was stunned. “Uh… what exactly do you mean? Hit with a stick, then offer a sweet date? I won’t be fooled by you!”

Swish, swish, swish… Qiweiya slowly approached the girl, reaching out to caress her soft, delicate cheek. “Because… I believe in this race’s potential—a possibility very close to zero, yet not quite zero! You struggle on the brink of good and evil, hovering along the dawn line between infinity and extremity. Despite your short lifespan of merely a century, you possess incredible reproductive capabilities and an unparalleled growth rate in high-tier strength compared to other races. It is precisely these characteristics that led me to choose you. For I have always, from beginning to end, believed that the race known as humanity is truly the strongest race in this world~”

After hearing Qiweiya’s astonishing evaluation, the girl’s fervent eyes, which she had tried to keep calm, stared intently at her. “Do you truly think that? Are we humans really as you perceive us?”

Qiweiya’s gentle and sincere green eyes met the girl’s. “Every word comes from the heart~ every sentence is born of true understanding!”

The girl nodded, then solemnly addressed Qiweiya. “You must remember everything you’ve said today! I will give you an answer!”

The girl turned, slinging her massive axe onto her back. “Since I’ve received a satisfactory answer, I should take these unruly subordinates back.”

Around them, several transport-like vehicles appeared. The people who disembarked swiftly cleared the densely packed, unconscious human soldiers from the ground in the blink of an eye.

The girl turned her head once more. “Very well, until next time! Esteemed Guardian God! Let’s go.”

Qiweiya reached out, wanting to say something, but it was too late. With the instantaneous activation of a colossal spatial magic, the girl and her people vanished from sight.

Qiweiya wore a long face, on the verge of tears. “I mean, couldn’t you at least tell me who your mastermind is…? This makes it really hard for me to be a god!”

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh… The north wind rustled, sending leaves swirling. Finally, Qiweiya, utterly dispirited, staggered towards the approaching Ailei.

****

Within a dimly lit base, a pattern was etched onto the floor: a long spear piercing a palace. This palace was unmistakably Qiweiya’s temple, standing in the void between realms. Below it, several ancient divine runes were carved, translating to “Godslayer.”

The red-haired girl emerged from a heavily guarded corridor, her forehead beaded with cold sweat, as if she had just finished a terrifying conversation. She beckoned to her colleague and friend, a white-haired girl standing nearby. “Be careful of this Hanged Man from now on… I sense he isn’t quite what he claims to be. Be sure not to do anything that would ‘slay the origin,’ or we truly will have no retreat.”

The white-haired girl nodded. As she watched the red-haired girl’s retreating back, her right eye, hidden in shadow, emitted a dark, sinister red glow. ‘Warning me, is she…? It seems this so-called Goddess of Ice and Snow isn’t to be underestimated. But what does it matter? My objective is almost complete! When the time comes, even if the Creator God descends personally, they will be powerless against me! Hahahahaha!’