The darkness of the smoldering embers of battle enveloped the city. The main street of Blackmist Ravine, previously filled with the sound of clashing swords and explosions, was now silent, with only heavy breathing and the sound of crumbling stone remaining.
Damian lay amidst the ruins of buildings and in front of a large boulder, where he had been knocked flying by his opponent's monster, his body covered in blood from his wounds, his breathing labored, his eyes slowly opening. Around him, a horrific scene unfolded. Elric lay nearby, Brakth's massive body leaning against the cracked wall, breathing heavily, and his body covered in blood. Rygar still held his axe, but his knees couldn't support him, and he knelt instantly. Kaelith lay still and unconscious.
With great difficulty, Damian tried to stand. His body trembled with pain and the stabbing pain of his wounds. But there was something in his chest, something warm. Not pain, but strength. Setsu'ryū, Damian's sword, glowed slowly in his grasp. But this time, it wasn't just the usual blue light, but….
A crystalline light, a mix of purple and light blue, emerged from his sword. Then it spread… inside him as if something were emerging from within his body.
A voice echoed in his mind.
Deep, clear, and full of meaning.
"Damian Kade. Heir to the power of affinity ice. Heir to the will of the world, changer of this world's destiny."
His eyes snapped open. His wounds began to be covered with a thin layer of ice crystals forming from within. Setsu'ryū blazed to full power, and Damian's body emitted a vast aura of mana, as powerful as the aura of their opponent's monster. The air around him grew still. The mist began to clear from the area of their battle. Everything fell silent.
And suddenly, Damian stood before the enormous creature.
Tall, massive, and brimming with a menacing aura.
The creature stared at Damian with killer eyes.
"...Are you still alive?" the monster asked in a deep voice.
Damian lifted his head, his pupils turning the color of frozen crystals in a storm. And with each exhale, his mouth emitted a cold, icy mist.
"Not only am I alive, but I've gained new powers. HAHAHAHA… I think I can destroy you anytime I want," he said in a condescending tone while laughing.
The monster moved forward, its gigantic body moving at breakneck speed. Its speed and strength were even greater than before, terrifying. But this time, Damian didn't move. The monster's hands were already gripping and lifting Damian, but Damian only laughed, and his body began to shatter like ice shattering into pieces.
Not long after, Damian's voice was heard again.
"Oiiiiiii, wrong person? I'm here." He stood tall, his body enveloped in a light blue crystal aura emanating from Setsu'ryū. His frozen sword glowed sharply, and as he raised it, the air around him instantly stilled, and the area around them froze in an instant. Not only that, but the temperature in the area dropped to freezing cold, until the air around them turned into tiny icicles, even snow.
Damian then accelerated rapidly, arriving directly in front of the monster. The monster didn't even notice Damian's movement. Then, Damian swung his sword horizontally, striking the monster's body perfectly.
CRACKK!!
The creature was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall of a building, causing it to collapse. The ground beneath Damian's feet instantly froze, creating intricate patterns of ice, like ancient seals carved into it.
Breathing steadily, Damian stared ahead.
"My name is Damian, fuc**** Kade. I will make you remember my name, because I will be the strongest in this world," he said confidently.
Their duel began.
The monster rose again and leaped, swinging its massive fists. But Damian met each attack with precision. His icy aura was different now, not just cold, but deadly, moving like a flash of frozen lightning. Each slash sliced through his opponent's black armor, forcing the creature to retreat.
Damian thrusts Setsu'ryū into the ground.
An explosion of ice spread from the blade's center, forming a freezing wave that swept across the area within a radius of tens of meters.
"Arctic Pulse," The ultimate magic he had just created after his power awakened within him, sounded like a roaring blizzard. The monster shook violently, its steps faltering.
Damian didn't pause.
He leaped high into the air, his body spinning in a perfect movement. Setsu'ryū rose overhead, its aura radiating an icy blue glow. Then it slashed straight through the center of the enemy's chest.
BANG!!!
An icy blast erupted from the attack, shards of ice flying from the blast's source. The monster's armor cracked, its body convulsed violently, and it fell to the ground.
Damian then walked over and sat on top of the monster, his hand still gripping the sword, his breathing heavy, but his eyes focused.
"You should have given up from the start, because you never had a chance to win against me."
Velgrin fell to his knees amidst the rubble of the Zephyrus training hall. His breath was heavy and labored, his body trembling, sweat mixed with blood dripping from his chin.
Not far away, Seraphine leaned limply against the collapsed wall, her arm badly injured and her robe torn in several places. Sylas, pale and breathing hard, remained standing, supporting Liam, who was drained of energy, having also run out of ammo minutes ago.
However, the atmosphere was never at ease.
A strong hand grabbed Velgrin's collar from behind and lifted him into the air like a rag doll.
Alzein Crownguard.
He stood tall, his face calm, his eyes sharp as steel. There was no anger, only coldness and absolute certainty in his every movement.
"A lot of talk for a loser," he said flatly.
Velgrin struggled, his breath hitching.
Several instructors rushed from the side of the room. Quickly and in coordination, they handcuffed Velgrin's hands. The handcuffs were also coated with a magical sealing spell. Then they threw Velgrin to the floor.
Velgrin laughed maniacally, seemingly masking defeat.
"Don't get too excited!" he shouted. "I… still have a plan! My underling… is coming! I'll blow this place to nothing, AND…"
He fell silent.
His eyes widened. His head turned left… to right… to the ceiling as if he were waiting for something to come.
There was no sound.
There was no explosion. No shadows were darting about.
There was no destruction.
Only silence.
"…Why… isn't he coming? He should… destroy you all…" Velgrin whispered, his tone filled with confusion and fear.
There was no answer.
Only the cold air from the broken window… and the sound of the instructor's footsteps as he carried Velgrin's now helpless body.
Amidst the charred ruins, Damian sat atop the monster he had defeated. His body glowed faintly. A cold aura surrounded him, and a thin layer of snow began to fall gently among the hot debris and dust, a climate that was not supposed to be present in this city.
Elric opened his eyes first. He stared at Damian, his face scarred, but he couldn't hide his mixed expression of awe, pride... and a hint of fear. The figure before him was no longer just his friend, but someone stronger than himself.
Brakth, Rygar, and Kaelith began to regain their senses, and all turned their heads in unison toward the center of power.
Nero and Vellia, who had just finished defeating the bandits, also arrived at the now-destroyed scene of Damian and the others' battle and glanced at Damian.
Damian sat silently, his body trembling slightly, icy vapor pervading the air around him. Setsu'ryū was in his hand, glowing softly with blue and purple light. He said nothing. Only one sentence came out, softly but audible amidst the silence:
"...This fight... is over."
The last glimmer of his newfound power began to fade. Damian had mastered about sixty percent of Setsu'ryū's power, a milestone he had just crossed with blood and life.
The sky began to clear. The snow of Damian's power and the Mist of the battle slowly dissipated.
But there was no cheering. No applause.
Only silence... and a heavy sense of relief.
Damian sighed softly. His eyes began to dim, his eyelids slowly closing. His body swayed...
Then he fell, unconscious.