Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest Chapter 2004: She’s Here!
Previously on Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest...
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The giant monster approached with heavy steps that generated powerful earthquakes across the ruined city. Its glowing red eyes stared down at her with raw greed and an insatiable hunger to devour both her body and soul.
The monsters argued and bickered among themselves as they debated how to eat her. A large skeletal hand held Granny Yaga up by her head, her body dangling and flailing helplessly below.
"Well, does it matter? I’m eating her."
The central head opened its massive jaws wide. Granny Yaga began to fall toward its burning stomach, where she would be consumed in agony and despair.
As she lamented her incoming doom, Granny Yaga cursed her own luck. It was because she had fought with her newfound strength and played around too much that this disaster had unfolded. It had been far too long since she last felt so strong and refreshingly powerful. That feeling had clouded her judgment and made her act cocky, going against the wisdom of her experienced mind.
She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes tightly as she fell.
And fell.
And fell.
Darkness engulfed her completely. In that moment, memories of her long life flashed through the old lady’s mind.
Her entire existence had been defined by carving her own path in search of freedom, all stemming from a deep desire born in her painful early childhood. She had been a slave, treated cruelly by her master. She watched her family die before her eyes after they made a simple mistake while cleaning the house. She escaped into a dangerous forest, where ghosts tormented her, and eventually stumbled as a child into an underground temple. There, she acquired one of the relics of the ancient venerable.
Her magic awakened at that time. She believed the world was hers for the taking, but it took many difficult years to truly master that power and cultivate enough strength. She eventually got her revenge, fought to liberate many goblins, yet she never felt truly satisfied.
She traveled across the world, never fully developing deep bonds with others. She formed only faint friendships that never became truly personal or strong. Yaga had never fallen in love. Even when the chance appeared, it never led anywhere. She often lamented that she never got to fall for a man or a woman, or have children of her own.
She wandered for decades, desperately trying to reclaim what had been stolen from her at a young age. No matter how far she traveled, she could never truly feel free from the world. Invisible shackles seemed to follow her with every step, never granting her peace, never leaving her alone.
The guilt of failing to save her parents, the deep loneliness she carried, and the weight of her advancing age eventually led her to settle in a city ruled by the Demon King of Death. She had been too afraid to leave. Back then, she truly believed that would be her end — that Granny Yaga would simply die there, probably turned into a pill by the undead.
But then the impossible happened. She appeared — a miracle, a liberator even among the undead. This woman welcomed every race, including noble ones like hers. She defied all odds and fate itself. She destroyed the city, killed the evil generals, and freed countless undead who then followed her across her incredible moving domain.
And she had attained all that power by meditating inside that dark pit for ten whole years. That woman had reached a level of enlightenment in such a short time that it left Yaga utterly speechless. It was not mere talent. It was something deeper.
Perhaps power and talent were not directly tied to the strength one was born with or the experience that age provided. There was something else — the right mindset.
That woman... Yaga had chosen to follow her. That young, reckless girl had become someone she loved and desperately wanted to protect.
Alas, this world was a cruel one. She had known deep down that it would eventually end in failure.
"But it was fun while it lasted..."
Shedding a few quiet tears, she fell into the monster’s abyssal stomach.
...
Or so she thought.
"?!"
Granny Yaga’s eyes snapped open wide as she realized something had changed. Someone was gently carrying her in their arms like a princess.
Her eyes widened further and a blush spread across her cheeks as she recognized who it was.
"Yaga! Don’t worry, I will bring you to safety! Damn you!"
Elayne roared at the monster. A giant sword had already sliced through its central head. The creature screamed in pain as she swung her blade once more, cutting through its hard dark red skin, tearing off several limbs, and then firing a powerful beam of sunlight. The attack blew the monster apart and sent it flying far into the distance.
Elayne sighed in relief and looked back at Yaga. She noticed for a moment that the older woman’s appearance had grown noticeably more youthful. Her eyes sparkled with awe at the sight.
"Yaga, are you okay?! I’ve healed you, but you’ve changed...?"
"Elayne... you’re... you damn reckless girl! You’re really quite a handful, aren’t you? But... thank you."
She smiled warmly, gently caressing Elayne’s face before giving her a soft kiss on the chin.
"You’re really this old lady’s hero..." Yaga said, her heart racing with a mixture of gratitude, affection, and relief.
"Hahaha, I did what I had to," Elayne replied, blushing a little as she carefully helped her stand.
"Geez, you really are a clueless one, huh?" sighed the old lady. She placed her hands on her wide hips, her voluptuous chest bouncing slightly as she moved her body abruptly and turned toward the giant. "Ahh! It’s coming back!"
The monster’s claws dug deep into the ground as they advanced toward them, making the ground tremble.
Elayne stood tall and walked forward. Yaga stayed right by her side, determined to support her.
"It’s an evolved Hollow; it won’t be easy to defeat!" Yaga warned.
"I know. Let’s fight together, Yaga!" Elayne replied.
"Of course. I will put my life on the line for you, girl!" Yaga smiled and winked at her.
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