Glitched Goddess: My Skills are maxed out

The temple halls hummed with a strange unity in the days that followed. Messengers moved in and out, priests and soldiers worked side by side, and for once the endless arguments were quiet.

Preparations for defense were well underway—fortifications rose along the city walls, and supply lines were secured.

The people had something they hadn't possessed in a long time: a common cause.

To everyone else, things seemed to be going well. Yet for Kana, a quiet dissonance lingered.

She found herself standing apart from the noise of activity, her hand unconsciously clutching at her chest as though trying to hold on to something slipping away.

Each passing day, her reflection in polished glass or water looked less like hers—her eyes carried a divine light even when she tried to dim it, her expression unreadable, almost detached.

Lysera and Irielle noticed. They always noticed.

They cornered her one evening as the three of them walked down a side corridor in the temple.

The tall windows bathed them in pale moonlight, casting long shadows against the stone.

"Kana. You've been distant. Tell us what's wrong."

Lysera's voice was firm, but her eyes softened with concern.

Kana blinked at her, forcing a small smile.

"Nothing. Everything is fine. We're winning unity, the city is preparing. There's nothing to worry about."

Irielle's brows knitted together. She stepped closer, tilting her head slightly as if peering through Kana's words.

"Don't lie to us. You've been smiling without warmth. Your eyes drift when people speak to you. You feel… farther away."

Kana swallowed, her throat tightening. She wanted to dismiss it again, but the sincerity in their gazes made the words catch. Her hands trembled faintly at her sides.

Finally, she whispered.

"It's because I've changed."

Neither Lysera nor Irielle moved, but their breaths stilled as Kana continued.

"When I fought… when I lost control that day, I evolved. I've become a goddess."

Her lips quivered as she forced the confession out.

"And because of it, I feel less and less human. My emotions… it's as though they're being smothered. I can't laugh the same way. I don't even feel fear properly anymore. Little by little, I'm losing myself."

Her voice cracked on the last words, a sound raw and fragile in the silent hall.

Lysera didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Kana, pulling her into a tight embrace.

The warmth of her body pressed against Kana's trembling frame. Irielle followed immediately, her arms winding around them both until Kana was enveloped on all sides.

"You won't lose yourself."

Lysera murmured firmly, her chin resting against Kana's hair.

"That's right. As long as we're here, you're not alone. Even if the goddess within you changes things, we'll anchor you. You're Kana to us—always."

Irielle added, her voice soft but steady.

Kana's chest tightened. Their warmth seeped into her, breaking past the cold numbness that had settled deep inside.

Her hands clutched at the fabric of their clothes, desperate to hold onto the feeling.

"I want to stay here. In your arms… I want to stay like this."

Kana admitted, her voice barely audible.

For a fleeting moment, she felt whole. Human. Herself.

But the peace shattered as shouts erupted from the courtyard outside. The pounding of hurried boots echoed down the corridor.

Guards rushed past them, their faces pale with alarm.

"The elves! They're here! The high priest leads them—and their goddess as well!"

One of them shouted.

Kana's heart lurched. She pulled back, though Lysera and Irielle still clung to her shoulders protectively.

The city had been preparing, but she hadn't expected them to arrive so soon, so suddenly.

Without hesitation, Kana moved toward the outer gates. Her steps were steady, though inside, the cold hum of divinity pulsed stronger than ever.

As she reached the walls, she raised her hand, divine energy coalescing around her like ribbons of light.

With a forceful sweep of her arm, a massive barrier shimmered into existence, encircling the city in protective brilliance.

But almost immediately, another power struck it. From the other side of the field, divine energy clashed against her own—a raw, untamed force. The wolf goddess.

Their powers collided in the air, a storm of clashing light and shadow, before neutralizing each other in a deafening shockwave.

For a heartbeat, both sides stared in stunned silence.

Then whispers spread through the defenders.

"She stopped her… Kana stopped the wolf goddess."

Hope, bright and sharp, lit their eyes for the first time.

Lysera and Irielle came to stand at her sides, their weapons drawn, faces determined. Kana turned to them quickly, panic flickering in her voice.

"Don't leave me. Stay here, with me. Please."

Lysera shook her head, her hand brushing Kana's arm as she stepped forward.

"Kana, this is our duty. The people need us out there."

Irielle met Kana's gaze, her expression resolute despite the softness in her eyes.

"We'll fight, but we'll take care of ourselves. For your sake, we won't fall. Trust us."

Kana's throat tightened as she watched them move toward the gates, her heart screaming for them to stay.

She wanted to hold them close, to keep them safe, to never let them leave her side. But she also knew—they were right. Their strength belonged on the battlefield.

Still, as she lifted her hand again, reinforcing the barrier with all the divine strength she could muster, Kana whispered to herself.

"Don't get hurt. Please… don't get hurt."

And though the divine light coursing through her body threatened to swallow her humanity whole, the warmth of Lysera and Irielle's embrace lingered in her chest.

It was that warmth, fragile yet unyielding, that she clung to as the war began.

Kana's hands shook as she held the barrier, every breath a battle between her human heart and divine body.

Yet amid the chaos, her gaze never strayed far from Lysera and Irielle. Their figures in the distance kept her anchored, reminded her of who she was fighting for.

No matter what she became—a goddess, a weapon—she swore she would protect them, even if it meant burning away everything else inside her.