Let's Train Heroine

Maris blinked, disoriented as the sky was replaced by the cold, oppressive darkness of the dungeon. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the faint echoes of distant roars sent shivers down her spine. Panic surged through her as she tried to make sense of where she was, but there was no time to think.

A monstrous shape lunged at her from the shadows, its claws glinting with deadly intent. Instinctively, Maris raised her hand, and a brilliant burst of divine light erupted from her palm, illuminating the darkness and sending the creature reeling back with a pained screech. The light faded, leaving her heart pounding in her chest.

But the reprieve was short-lived. From every direction, she could see the glint of predatory eyes and hear the snarls of creatures closing in on her. Maris turned in a slow circle, her breathing quickening as she realized she was surrounded.

"Divine Art: Holy Barrage!"

Her voice rang out, steady and resolute, as she thrust her hand skyward. Beams of pure light shot out in every direction, striking down the nearest monsters. The air crackled with energy as her divine power surged through her, each attack more potent than the last. She could feel her strength growing with every spell, every movement—an intoxicating sensation that both thrilled and frightened her.

Monsters fell in waves as Maris fought back, her divine light burning away the darkness. But for every creature she felled, ten more emerged from the shadows, their growls and roars echoing through the dungeon like a chorus of death. The dungeon was vast—its size rivaled that of thirty kingdoms—but Maris could feel the sheer number of monsters overwhelming even that space.

"Divine Skill: Sacred Shield!" she invoked, and a shimmering barrier of light surrounded her, deflecting the attacks of the monstrous horde. But it wasn't enough. The creatures were relentless, and Maris knew she needed more than just defense.

Her eyes glinted with determination. "Summon: Marionettes of Purity!"

In an instant, hundreds of ethereal figures materialized around her—lifelike puppets forged from divine energy, each wielding weapons of light. The Marionettes surged forward, tearing through the monster ranks with cold precision, their every strike powered by Maris's unwavering will. The dungeon floor shook under the weight of their assault as the tide of battle began to shift in her favor.

But Maris's power wasn't just growing—it was escalating, spiraling beyond her control. The more she fought, the more her strength seemed to feed on itself, expanding at an exponential rate. She could feel it, a torrent of raw, divine energy that threatened to consume her entirely.

The dungeon quaked as Maris unleashed a devastating barrage of attacks. Pillars of holy light erupted from the ground, obliterating everything in their path. Entire legions of monsters were incinerated in seconds, their dying screams echoing through the dungeon like a haunting melody. The power within her grew, and with it, her strikes became more destructive, more chaotic.

Soon, Maris's attacks were no longer confined to the creatures around her. The very fabric of the dungeon began to tear under the onslaught of her divine might. Walls crumbled, ceilings caved in, and the ground itself fractured, splitting apart as if the dungeon could no longer contain the immense power she was unleashing.

"Divine Art: Heavenly Judgement!"

She shouted the words, feeling the spell draw on the depths of her seemingly limitless power. A massive beam of light descended from above, crashing down with the force of a meteor. The impact shook the entire dungeon, and when the light faded, an area as large as two kingdoms had been obliterated, reduced to nothing but smoldering ruins.

Maris stumbled, the force of the attack leaving her breathless. But even as she caught her breath, she realized something was wrong. Her power—it wasn't stopping. It was growing, surging, breaking free from her control. She could feel it, a wild, uncontrollable force that now seemed to have a will of its own.

"No… No, this isn't right!" Maris gasped, her heart pounding as she tried to rein in the runaway power. But it was too late. The energy within her was expanding rapidly, spiraling outwards and consuming everything in its path. It lashed out, striking down the few remaining monsters, but also tearing through the dungeon walls, obliterating everything it touched.

For three hours, Maris fought desperately to contain her power. But it was like trying to hold back a raging river with her bare hands. The dungeon—a vast space that had once seemed endless—was being destroyed at an alarming rate. Whole sections of it collapsed, disintegrating under the relentless barrage of her uncontrolled energy.

What had once been a formidable labyrinth was now nothing more than a chaotic wasteland, utterly devoid of life.

The power within her surged again, more violently than before, and Maris felt herself being pushed to her limits. Her body trembled as the divine energy coursed through her, wild and untamed. She knew she couldn't keep this up—if she couldn't stop it, if she couldn't regain control, the consequences would be catastrophic.

And then, in the midst of the chaos, she felt it: the dungeon gate. The barrier that separated this world from the one outside. Her power was now pushing against it, trying to break through, trying to escape into the real world.

"No!" Maris cried out, panic seizing her as she realized what would happen if the gate broke. "I have to stop this—I can't let it out!"

She threw everything she had into containing the power, drawing on every ounce of her willpower, every shred of her strength. But it was like trying to hold back an ocean with a single hand. The energy was too much, too vast, and it was slipping through her fingers.

The gate began to crack, the barrier weakening under the strain. Maris could see the light from the outside world filtering through the fractures, and she knew that if it broke, if even a sliver of her power escaped, it would bring untold destruction.

Tears streamed down her face as she poured every last bit of her strength into holding the gate shut, into containing the wild energy that threatened to consume everything. Her body ached, her mind screamed in agony, but she couldn't stop—she wouldn't stop.

But the power was relentless, and even as she fought with everything she had, she could feel it slipping away, inch by inch.

In a final, desperate act, Maris summoned all the divine energy she had left and focused it on sealing the gate. With a scream of pure determination, she forced the barrier closed, slamming it shut with every ounce of her willpower.

For a moment, the power pushed back, raging against the seal. But then, slowly, it began to subside, retreating back into the depths of the dungeon.

Maris collapsed to the ground, utterly spent. Her body trembled with exhaustion, but she had done it. She had stopped the power—at least for now. New chapters at m v|le|mp|yr