Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard-Chapter 120: Almost done- Part 4

The battle resumed in an instant.

Auriel surged forward, golden energy surrounding her as she struck at Minerva with divine force.

Minerva countered with ease, her shadows twisting around her like living armor, absorbing most of the damage before lashing out in retaliation.

The village square became their battleground.

Auriel weaved between the black tendrils that Minerva summoned, dodging with practiced precision.

She retaliated with divine blasts, each strike pushing against the overwhelming darkness that threatened to consume her.

Every attack was met with equal force, their powers clashing and creating shockwaves that shattered the ground beneath them.

But Auriel could feel it.

Despite her efforts, Minerva was pushing her back.

Her corrupted magic was slightly stronger here, her power given an unnatural boost by the human realm’s unstable energy.

Auriel wasn’t losing—yet—but she wasn’t winning either.

And that was a problem.

Minerva noticed, too.

"You’re struggling. Your power is fading, Auriel. Soon, you’ll have nothing left to fight with"

She observed, her voice light and amused.

Auriel refused to acknowledge it. She couldn’t afford to let doubt creep in.

Instead, she lunged forward again, aiming for a decisive blow, but Minerva’s darkness intercepted her mid-strike.

A tendril of shadow wrapped around her leg and yanked her downward, slamming her into the broken ground.

She barely had time to recover before Minerva appeared above her, hand outstretched, aiming to finish the fight.

But Auriel reacted just in time.

A burst of golden energy erupted from her body, forcing Minerva back once again. Auriel used the moment to push herself up, breathing heavily.

This wasn’t working.

She couldn’t defeat Minerva in direct combat. She wasn’t strong enough—not here.

And killing a goddess was impossible.

Which meant there was only one path to victory.

She had to seal Minerva away.

But she couldn’t do it alone. Someone else needed to enact the sealing ritual—someone with the divine authority to do so.

Auriel’s mind raced. Who could still help her?

The priestesses.

Lilith and the others had disappeared, but she had to believe they were still alive somewhere. If they could perform the necessary rites to banish Minerva back to the godly realm, this battle could finally end.

But she had to hold out until then.

Minerva cocked her head, as if sensing Auriel’s realization.

"Oh? Have you thought of something, dear Auriel? Planning to run away?"

She asked mockingly.

Auriel smirked despite the situation.

"No. I’m planning to win."

She raised her hand, summoning another powerful wave of divine energy. This time, she didn’t aim to attack Minerva directly.

Instead, she cast a protective barrier around herself, slowing Minerva’s advance. She just needed to hold her off—just a little longer.

Minerva frowned slightly, testing the barrier with her dark magic.

"A shield? How boring."

She pressed forward, her corruption pushing against the divine light, cracking it bit by bit.

Auriel gritted her teeth. She didn’t have much time.

She could only hope that somewhere, beyond this battlefield, the others had realized what needed to be done.

That someone was already preparing the ritual that would send Minerva back where she belonged.

Because if they didn’t...

Then there might not be a world left to save.

______

In the divine realm, the Chief God moved swiftly toward Minerva’s chambers, her robes flowing behind her like ripples in the fabric of reality itself.

The moment she stepped closer, she felt it—a thick, oppressive wave of dark magic radiating from within. It clung to the air, suffocating and unnatural, a corruption that had no place in the sacred domain of the gods.

She stopped at the threshold, her golden eyes narrowing.

"Step back!"

She ordered the gathered gods and goddesses who had accompanied her. Her voice was calm but firm, leaving no room for argument.

"But Chief—"

One of the younger deities started, only to fall silent when she raised a hand.

"I will handle this myself."

She declared.

The others hesitated, concerned. Even among the divine, performing a miracle was no small feat.

It required an immense amount of energy, a sacrifice that could weaken even the strongest of gods. But the Chief God did not waver.

"This darkness must be cleansed. If we allow it to fester, it could spread beyond Minerva’s chambers... beyond the godly realm itself. We cannot take that risk"

She continued, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

The gathered gods exchanged uneasy glances but obeyed, stepping away from the chamber’s entrance.

The Chief God took a deep breath, gathering her divine power.

A soft golden light enveloped her form, growing in intensity until it shone like a miniature sun. Then, with a single step forward, she raised her hand and unleashed her miracle.

A wave of pure, radiant energy surged forth, colliding with the darkness. The two forces clashed violently, sending ripples through the divine realm itself.

The shadows twisted and shrieked, trying to resist the purifying light, but the Chief God’s will was absolute.

Slowly, inch by inch, the darkness began to recede. The malevolent energy that had seeped from Minerva’s chambers was forcefully pushed back, cleansed by the sheer overwhelming power of the miracle.

The gods and goddesses watching held their breath, eyes wide in awe.

When the last traces of corruption finally vanished, the Chief God exhaled sharply, her shoulders dropping slightly. The effort had drained her, but she remained standing, unwavering.

One of the elder gods stepped forward cautiously.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded.

"I am fine."

But even as she said it, she knew this was only a temporary solution. The darkness had not been fully destroyed—only suppressed. Something was still very wrong with Minerva.

And if this corruption had already spread into the godly realm... then the situation in the mortal world was far worse than they had feared.

Turning back to the gathered deities, the Chief God’s expression hardened.

"We must prepare. A great battle is upon us. Minerva is no longer the goddess we once knew, and if we do not act soon, she will drag both realms into ruin."

The sourc𝗲 of this content is fre(e)novelkiss