The description said that only the Goddess Necrosia, or someone with a true bond to her, could awaken the flame. And Mimi, being a Noctifelis... she definitely met the requirement!
Yes! This is it!
If I can awaken this Divine Flame, then maybe I can restrain the demon again!
Hope flared inside her chest, weak but burning bright against the crushing darkness.
And with hope, the negative status lessened too!
[Due to a sudden rise in hopeful emotion, the effect of Demonic Fear has been greatly lessened!]
[Stun Duration Remaining: 500 seconds]
But then, there’s still the biggest problem here...
I know I can awaken it...
BUT HOW?
The description didn’t say anything about how to awaken it!
What should I do?
Drop blood on it?
Call its name?
AAAAAA!!
I DON’T KNOW!!!
Mimi screamed inside her mind at the tiny dot of flame.
What do you want me to do?!
She cried in her heart, desperation shaking every thought.
***********
The Archdemon’s eyes blazed crimson, its slitted pupils glowing like molten blades, stabbing straight into Emilia’s soul.
She couldn’t move. She couldn’t run. She couldn’t even blink. Demonic Fear shackled her completely, forcing her to stare straight into hell itself.
The sight of death.
"RRRRRGGGHHHH..." the demon growled, its voice a guttural earthquake that shook the chamber. The sound rumbled through the air, rattling bone and marrow, pressing down like a storm of despair.
Emilia wanted to scream. Her mouth hung open—yet no sound came. Her voice was stolen, smothered by the demon’s overwhelming power.
Inside, she was burning alive.
Not with flame, but with annihilation itself.
Her soul was set ablaze. Her essence boiled. Every thread of her being was torn apart by fire that existed only to erase. Her body convulsed violently, limbs jerking like a puppet pulled by cruel, invisible hooks.
And because Mimi was bound to her—through their unique skill, The Fated One—she too was dragged into the same inferno.
The agony struck Mimi like a hammer against glass. Her soul splintered under the heat, roasted from within.
It was scorching.
It was unbearable. Thɪs chapter is updated by novel⟡fire.net
It was the unraveling of existence itself.
Layer after layer, her soul was peeled apart, shredded by a fire that could not be quenched!
AAAAHHHH!!!
FUCKKK!!!
Mimi screamed, but not a single sound left her lips. Her body shook violently, yet the pain wasn’t even in her flesh. It was deeper. Far deeper!
It was her soul.
The very core of her being was on fire, writhing under agony beyond imagination!
It was worse than drowning in molten lava.
Worse than being skinned alive.
Worse than a thousand blades carving her open from the inside out!
FUUUCKKK!!!
I’M DYIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!!!!
HELPPPPPP!!!
Her mind shattered under the torment. Her vision broke apart, the world snapping in and out like a broken television buzzing with static.
On.
Off.
On.
Off.
Her consciousness dangled at the edge of nothingness, one breath away from falling into the abyss.
And in that final moment—when she thought her existence would be erased forever—Mimi gathered the very last fragments of her strength. She hurled them toward the flickering orb.
The Divine Flame.
She reached out—not with her hands, but with her soul, her will, her very essence.
Please...
Please...
I beg you...
Wake... up...
The plea tore out of her like blood from an open wound. It was raw, desperate, more real than any prayer she had ever given in her life, even though she couldn’t speak it aloud, only inside her mind.
And then—
The flame quivered. A faint flicker, fragile but alive, as if it had heard her voice.
And in that same heartbeat—
Suddenly, another memory came, flashed inside Mimi’s mind.
****
A memory so far, far ago...
There she was: a little noctifelis, perched on the wide stone windowsill of a castle tower. Her fluffy tail flicked lazily as she gazed outside. The silver moon drifted across the sky, bathing the forest in pale light. Below, a few crows cawed softly as they settled into the trees. The night was calm, hushed, almost sacred.
Then, suddenly, movement.
Something strange slid into her vision, glowing with black light.
Mimi noticed it immediately as it flew past her nose, her pupils instinctively following its fast movements.
Oooh? What’s this?
A treat? A prey?
A toy?
Can I eat it?
Her cat brain suddenly grew sooo curious about that thing that she couldn’t even take her eyes off it.
And then—
ALRIGHT!
IMMA CATCH IT!
HEYAAA!
She pounced immediately, her small paws batting at it!
Shockingly, despite being a fire, it didn’t burn her at all. Instead, it was like swiping through cool smoke. Her paw passed straight through, leaving her swiping at empty air.
"What?!" Mimi’s eyes widened in disbelief.
A prey she couldn’t catch? Impossible!
And so, her hunter’s pride roared to life. No matter what, she would catch it!
The flame then darted around the room, spinning, twirling, teasing her at every turn. Thus, with a meow of determination, Mimi sprang after it!
And as she chased, her tiny legs pumped furiously as she skittered across the polished floor. She leapt, twisted, tumbled, and scrambled back up, her claws scraping.
"COME HERE! COME HERE, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!" she yowled, bouncing after it with endless energy.
To her, it was suddenly like chasing the world’s greatest toy! The harder it was, the more determined she became!
...
Meanwhile, off to the side, the goddess watched with soft laughter. Necrosia crouched down, her long hair spilling across her shoulders as her divine fingers guided the little flame through the air. Her eyes glittered with fond amusement, her lips curved into a playful, mischievous smile.
"MEOWWWW!!!" Mimi screeched with fiery battle spirit, leaping so high she almost caught it.
But just before her paws could close around the flame—CRASH!
Another noctifelis barreled into her!
The flame zipped away while Mimi tumbled across the floor.
"MEOW?!!"
WHAT THE FUCK?!
Blinking in shock, she whipped her head around—only to see the intruder: another black-furred kitten, just as eager, eyes gleaming with playful greed.
The little rascal was chasing her ball.
Yes—HER ball!
"MEOW!! HOW DARE YOU?!" Mimi hissed, fur bristling in outrage. Her ears flattened, her tail lashed, and her body puffed up until she looked twice her size. That fireball wasn’t just a toy—it was hers.
Without hesitation, she pounced on the rival cat.
BOP!
In a flash of fury, Mimi smacked the other noctifelis right on the head!
BOP! BOP!
"TAKE THIS! CONSECUTIVE CAT BONKS!!!"
BOP! BOP! BOP!
The other noctifelis meowed back with a furious hiss, then pounced at Mimi and started smacking her in return!
"O-HOH? You dare challenge me?!" Mimi growled.
"ALRIGHT—THIS IS WAR!!!"
She leapt forward, smacking it even harder.
It smacked back just as fiercely!
And so the two of them went at it—bop for bop, smack for smack—tiny legs flailing, tails thrashing, ears flattened like rival warriors in an epic duel.
Then, out of nowhere, another noctifelis joined in!
"MREOWWWW! MREOWWWW!" it cried, diving straight into the chaos.
Then another!
And another!
And just like that, a full-blown kitten brawl erupted!
They didn’t even know why the hell they were fighting anymore—only that someone had to come out victorious.
"DIEEEEE!!!" Mimi howled.
"TASTE MY CLAWS OF DARKNESSSS!!!"
...
Sitting just beside the chaotic battlefield, the goddess chuckled softly at the sight—the kitten brawl sending tufts of fur flying in every direction, little paws smacking and tails lashing like tiny warriors locked in a grand duel.
But well, it was time to put an end to their chaos. She couldn’t just leave them to keep fighting like that—someone might actually get hurt!
With a graceful wave of her hand, an invisible force washed over the room. The noctifelis kittens were forcefully pried apart. Mimi was yanked right out of the rival cat’s grip, though she still twisted and hissed, her tiny claws slashing at the air as though still determined to win.
"Come now, little ones," the goddess said gently, her voice warm with laughter. "You mustn’t fight. There’s more than enough for everyone."
And then, her tone shifted as she whispered a sacred phrase.
"Noxium Ignistinae"
At once, the black flame in her hand burst apart, shattering into hundreds of tiny flickering embers. Each ember became a miniature fireball, bobbing and darting through the air like playful sprites.
The kittens froze for only a heartbeat... and then chaos erupted once more.
Every noctifelis in the room pounced after their own little flame, squealing with delight, scampering across the floor, leaping from shelves and windowsills, their eyes wide and glowing with joy.
**********
Noxium Ignistinae...
That’s it!
That’s the phrase!
The vision had given Mimi hope, a final thread of light to cling to in the abyss.
Her body shook. Her soul was almost gone, unraveling into nothing. But with the last shred of her will, she forced the words through her fading mind.
"Noxium Ignistinae!"
BLAZE—!!!
At that cry, the flame answered!
From a tiny spark it flared to life, surging outward until it engulfed the black crown!
[Necrosia’s Divine Flame responded to your call! It has awakened!]
[The Divine Flame senses you are in danger!]
[The Divine Flame is now burning the Archdemon!]
A spectacular inferno erupted!
"AAARRRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!"
The demon screamed, a sound of raw, animal torment. Its huge form convulsed and trembled under the light.
"FUCKKKK!!! THIS FIRE—!" it howled through gritted teeth. "I SUPPRESSED YOU! HOW ARE YOU... ALIVE AGAIN?!"
The Archdemon writhed and wailed, madness bleeding from every roar. The pain shook the chamber, a living earthquake of sound.
Mimi’s vision swam. Agony still stabbed through her soul like a thousand knives, but rage and resolve surged even stronger! She could not let this opportunity pass!
"COME ON! MY FIRE! BURN THIS MOTHERFUCKER DOWN!" she cried, every ounce of will pushed into the flame.