Glimpse of Power

Shirou stormed through the orphanage halls, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. He'd searched every corner for Ela, the elusive elf he was meant to challenge—but she was nowhere to be found."Where is that damn elf?" he muttered, pacing past dusty portraits and creaky floorboards.Just then, a piercing scream echoed from Cherry's room.Shirou's instincts flared. He sprinted toward the sound, heart pounding, and kicked the door open with a forceful slam."Is everything alright, you stupid—!"He froze mid-sentence.Cherry stood half-dressed in a frilly maid uniform, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. Ela loomed behind her, smugly adjusting the outfit with a mischievous glint in her eye. An old crone—probably the matron—cackled in the corner, clearly enjoying the chaos.Two looked toward Shirou, startled by the intrusion."Shirou!…" Cherry gasped, tears welling up—not from fear, but from sheer embarrassment. Her voice trembled with hope. "Please hel—""Nope." Shirou slammed the door shut, slowly and deliberately."Wait! It's not what it looks like!" came the muffled cries from inside.He leaned against the door, sighing."Maybe I should come back later… or just go find Brother Chris. He might know more about those Seven Pillars."With a confused shake of his head, Shirou turned away, deciding to postpone his challenge with Ela.As he reached the exit, a voice called out—calm and steady."Hey. Good timing. Could you help me with something?" Sarah stood by the gate, composed as always.Shirou groaned."Why should I help a hero who's destined to be killed by my hands?"Sarah sighed softly, her expression unreadable."So we've made no progress," she murmured. "You still see me as the enemy."She paused, then continued with quiet conviction."Anyway… if you help me, I'll give you a chance to fight me. This task is important.""I don't want to fight you now," Shirou interrupted, gaze lowered. "You're a war monster. I'm not ready. If we clash now, I won't learn anything."Sarah's shoulders sank slightly. She had hoped this offer might convince him. But she didn't argue—just nodded, accepting his decision without protest.She turned to leave, but Shirou's voice stopped her."I'll help you. But instead of fighting you… I want to test my strength against another Pillar."He took a deep breath, eyes burning with resolve."I want to fight Ela."Sarah paused, then nodded."You do know she's not around, right?""She's in Cherry's room," Shirou replied flatly."Ah… so that's what the scream was about." Sarah's voice remained calm, though a flicker of concern crossed her face. "Poor Cherry.""So, what's the task?" Shirou asked."Goblin hunt," Sarah said. "They've been raiding villages, stealing supplies. The guild sent adventurers, but the goblins outnumbered them. Most barely escaped.""But you could wipe out thousands of goblins alone. Why do you need help?" Shirou asked, suspicious.Sarah nodded."You're not wrong. But if even one goblin slips past me, they'll call for reinforcements. That could lead to a full-scale attack on the village. I need someone to watch the perimeter—make sure no one escapes."Shirou considered her words, then nodded."Alright. Let's hunt."The forest path was quiet, save for the crunch of leaves beneath their boots. Shirou walked beside Sarah, his eyes drifting toward her every few moments. He wasn't sure why—curiosity, unease, maybe both.Sarah noticed."You nervous?" she asked, voice soft. "I get it. First time facing a real horde can shake anyone. Back when I was—""No," Shirou cut in, voice firm. "Why would I be nervous about goblins? I fought them plenty of times. My mother trained me."Sarah slowed, eyebrows raised."Really? So… Demon Queen Eliza trained you herself?"Her voice trembled with awe. For a moment, she seemed lost in thought, picturing the infamous Eliza—her dark crown, her blazing eyes, her merciless grace."I see…" Sarah murmured, her tone steady. "That explains a lot."She walked ahead, her pace unchanged. Shirou watched her, puzzled by the shift in mood.He stopped."Is it true?" he asked, voice low. "That you killed a god? An immortal? A being beyond comprehension?"Sarah halted.Her head dipped slightly, shoulders tense. The gentle breeze that had danced through the trees moments ago turned still. Then, without warning, a pulse of energy erupted from her—an aura so intense it scattered leaves and sent birds fleeing from the canopy.Her voice dropped, cold and sharp."Never speak of something so sinful."Before Shirou could respond, two goblins burst from the underbrush—one wielding a jagged knife, the other a crude wooden club.Sarah didn't flinch.She turned her gaze toward them, eyes gleaming with lethal precision. In a blink, their heads were severed, blood spraying across the mossy ground. Their bodies collapsed before Shirou could even register the movement.He stared, stunned."She's not just strong… she's a war goddess."The words slipped from his lips as he watched Sarah raise her blade once more. With a single swing, she cleaved through the air—sending a shockwave that tore through the forest. Trees splintered. Bushes erupted. Hidden goblins were shredded in an instant.Silence fell.Sarah turned to him, her expression unreadable."Stay here. I'll finish this."And with that, she vanished—one dash, and she was gone.Shirou stood alone, fists clenched."So this is the real Sarah," he whispered. "A goddess of war… and I thought I could kill her?"He looked down at his trembling hands, frustration boiling inside him."I couldn't even move when she unleashed her power. How can I ever defeat someone like that?"The forest trembled.Sarah moved like a phantom—silent, precise, unstoppable. Her blade shimmered with a faint violet hue as she stepped into the heart of the goblin horde. The creatures snarled and charged, dozens at a time, their crude weapons raised high.She didn't flinch.One goblin lunged with a rusted spear. Sarah sidestepped, her sword slicing through the air in a clean arc. The goblin's body split in two before it hit the ground.Another came from behind—she spun, her blade trailing a crescent of light, and severed its head mid-leap.Then five more.She dashed forward, her movements fluid and terrifying. Each swing of her sword carved through multiple enemies, their bodies collapsing like broken puppets. Blood sprayed across the trees, painting the forest in crimson strokes."Too slow," she murmured, eyes scanning the chaos.A goblin tried to flee—she flicked her wrist, and a shockwave burst from her blade, flattening the underbrush and vaporizing the creature in a flash of light.Within minutes, the battlefield was silent.Dozens of goblins lay dead, their twisted forms scattered like fallen leaves. The forest, once echoing with snarls and screams, now held its breath.Sarah stood in the center, her blade dripping with goblin's blood, her expression unchanged.But something was wrong.She narrowed her eyes, sensing the absence of a key presence."The Goblin King… isn't here."Her voice was low, almost disappointed. She scanned the treeline, her aura still pulsing faintly.Meanwhile, Shirou sat where she had told him to wait—on a mossy rock near the edge of the clearing. He hadn't moved. He couldn't.His mind replayed the scene over and over: the calm woman who had asked for help… transforming into a force of nature."Why, she is so strong and with sudden change in her behavior." he whispered to himself. "her personality totally changed"He clenched his fists, the memory of her aura still pressing against his chest like a weight."That wasn't just power. That was something else. Something divine."Leaves rustled behind him.Shirou turned slowly—and froze.A massive figure emerged from the shadows. Towering over the trees, its skin was mottled green and black, muscles bulging like twisted roots. One eye gleamed with a piercing yellow glow, the other scarred shut. In its hand, it held a blood-soaked axe the size of a coffin.The Goblin King.Its gaze locked onto Shirou, and a low growl rumbled from its throat.Shirou's breath caught."So…you are here escaping from her " he whispered with a fear but yet confident grin on his faceThe forest fell silent again.And the axe began to rise.