"Um... emmmm." After Cerydra accepted the challenge, the Tan Barbarian hesitated, a conflicted expression on his face.
His gaze swept over Cerydra repeatedly before he couldn't help but ask, "Will you personally go? Or will you send one of your trusted subordinates? Both are acceptable according to the rules."
After all, Cerydra didn't look particularly combat-ready. The Tan Barbarian recalled his Boss Arthur's towering 2.2-meter frame and glanced at Cerydra before him. Though impolite, he couldn't help but think a single punch might make her cry for a long time.
But in the next instant, Pan Ming, who was also present, stepped forward and declared, "Are you questioning Her Majesty the Empress's strength?"
Poor Pan Ming remained completely unaware of the truth, still believing Cerydra was a dignified Empress standing at five-foot-ten.
The Tan Barbarian scratched his head, replying sincerely, "To be honest, yes, a little. Your boss just looks too... adorable. Doesn't exactly scream 'combat prowess'."
Pan Ming immediately frowned. "How dare you use the word 'cute' to describe a nation's Empress! Where do you place Her Majesty's dignity? Am I to interpret your words as a veiled mockery of us?"
The Tan Barbarian paused, confused. "Uh... what does 'veiled mockery' mean? But Your Majesty the Empress really is cute! If only my daughter could be as adorable as she is."
Pan Ming's frown deepened. "Take back your words immediately!"
The Tan Barbarian looked utterly bewildered. "What words?"
Truth be told, if you asked the Barbarian to repeat what he'd just said, he probably couldn't. Speaking without thinking was his nature.
Pan Ming retorted, "Her Majesty is wise, martial, and incomparably dignified! How dare you insult her like this!"
The Tan Barbarian retorted bluntly, "But I honestly don't see any dignity! On the contrary, she's just so cute! If our Boss Arthur could become this beautiful without losing his strength, that would be amazing!"
Pan Ming, still seething with anger, was stunned by the Tan Barbarian's words. "What the hell are you talking about?"
The Tan Barbarian replied, "Exactly! You have such a cute, beautiful, and powerful boss who manages this vast territory so well. I'm truly envious."
Cerydra, seated on her throne, watched the two bickering, barely suppressing her amusement. Glancing to her left, she noticed Dirk standing beside her, his lips twitching wildly as he struggled to contain his laughter.
Cerydra cleared her throat lightly and said, "Enough squabbling. I will personally lead an expedition, accompanied by my trusted retainers. They will handle the fighting while I oversee the battle and await Arthur's surrender afterward."
"After all, you yourself said he cannot leave his territory to pledge allegiance to me in the Northern Territory Empire. In that case, I shall simply accompany him on this journey, making things more convenient."
Hearing this, the Tan Barbarian nodded dumbly. "Is... is that so?"
The way she said it, it was as if the Black Bear Clan had already lost before the battle even began. Though the Barbarian hadn't sensed any imposing aura from Cerydra's small stature, her words now carried an undeniable weight of authority.
The Tan Barbarian remarked, "So, your Boss is cute and truly imposing, huh?"
Hearing this, Pan Ming's furrowed brow finally relaxed. "Naturally!"
In the end, the expedition roster was quickly finalized: Cerydra, Pan Ming, Aria's four-person team, and Hysilens. Hysilens wouldn't be joining immediately because the Wolf God Ritual for the month was about to begin. She needed to prepare the sacrificial wine and administer the customary beating to the Wolf God during the ritual.
After finishing these duties, she could catch up with Cerydra's group. To be honest, if Arthur truly wielded a Divine Artifact, having Hysilens on the team would ensure a more secure outcome.
After resting for another day, Cerydra delegated recent developments in the Northern Territory to Dirk, giving him full authority to manage affairs. Then, she led her team to the outskirts of the Northern Territory Empire. The Tan Barbarian scanned the surroundings before pointing in a specific direction. "I reckon, it should be this way!"
Cerydra tilted her head, a large question mark appearing above her head. "Didn't you say the Black Bear Clan was at the far northwestern edge of the Northern Territory? This is clearly the northeast!"
The Tan Barbarian blinked in confusion. "Huh, is that so?"
Cerydra sighed in exasperation. "So how on earth did you manage to reach the Northern Territory alive, instead of dying halfway here?"
The Tan Barbarian shrugged. "No choice, really. I've been by Boss Arthur's side my whole life and never left the Black Bear Clan. I'm not familiar with other places at all. I even told Boss Arthur that if I don't return within a certain time, I've probably died along the way, and he should just send a new messenger."
Knowing he was unfamiliar with the route yet daring to venture alone across the Ice Plains to deliver a message—one had to admire the guy's sheer audacity.
Cerydra sighed softly, stepped forward, surveyed the surroundings, and chose a relatively flat spot. In an instant, a Century Gate materialized on the ground, and a white car was pushed out through it.
This was Okhema's custom-made Ice Terrain Vehicle. Not long after arriving in the Northern Territory, Cerydra, frustrated by her short legs tiring quickly during travel, had asked for a conveyance. Okhema built it, but Cerydra rarely ventured out afterward, leaving the vehicle unused. Now, at last, it had a chance to prove its worth.
Aria and the others likely wouldn't bat an eye at this sight, and since Pan Ming couldn't see, there was even less to say. Only the Tan Barbarian wore a bewildered expression. "Ah, what's this?"
Douglas chuckled. "Pretty amazing, huh? All sorts of strange things can grow on the ice in the Northern Territory Empire."
The Tan Barbarian nodded dumbly. "So... so incredible! I've lived this long and never knew ice could grow things like this!"
Feidric, standing beside Douglas, might have been astonished or speechless when he first arrived in the Northern Territory. But now, long accustomed to such wonders, he simply said, "Get in. Let's go."
He naturally slid into the driver's seat, assuming the role of chauffeur. After all, it wouldn't do to let Her Majesty the Empress drive herself. As for the others—Pan Ming, Douglas, and Aria—none of them were suitable for the job. Cipher was the only other person who could drive.
However, Cipher winked at Feidric, silently shirking the responsibility. Driving was actually quite tiring work, and who would choose to drive when they could simply sit back and relax?
Cerydra settled into the passenger seat. "Don't drive too fast," she instructed Feidric. "Aim to arrive in about three days."
Three days coincided perfectly with the next Wolf God Ritual. Once Hysilens finished dealing with the Wolf God, she could join them to help.
Feidric nodded and started the engine. As the magitech circuits within the vehicle hummed to life, the car slowly began to move. Cerydra leaned back in her seat, gazing out the window at the receding landscape.
Truthfully, the scenery of the Ice Plains held little appeal. After a few cursory glances, she lost interest and closed her eyes to rest, though her attention had largely shifted to her other Identities.
Hyacine was live-streaming a singing performance, while Tribios had created a burner account to shower Hyacine's live stream with praise. Surely those were far more entertaining than staring at endless ice?
-
Time flowed by, and five days passed in a flash. Cerydra's group finally approached their destination. Peering through the car window, they could now faintly discern human figures moving about.
The reason for the five-day journey was that they had been caught in a blizzard midway through their travels, completely losing their way. Even the experienced Old Barbarian found such conditions perilous.
But Feidric, upon realizing they were lost, simply cast a Divination School spell to determine the correct path. The two extra days added to their original plan were essentially spent waiting out the blizzard.
As they drew closer to their destination, Cerydra suddenly noticed something highly unusual. Normally, temperatures should decrease as they traveled further north. Yet, as they approached, Cerydra felt a slight warming trend.
Two more hours passed before Feidric gradually slowed the car to a stop. Ahead stood several Tan Barbarians armed with weapons, their dark skin gleaming as they warily eyed the approaching vehicle.
"What is this thing?"
"A demon we've never seen before?! Quick, tell Boss Arthur there's a straggler here! We'll stall this monster for now!"
The Tan Barbarian inside the vehicle frantically tried to open the door but failed. In his desperation, he smashed the window with his head, leaned out, and shouted, "Brothers! It's me! This isn't a demon—it's the Northern Territory Empire Clan leader, come to accept Boss Arthur's challenge! He's already here!"
The Barbarians ahead of the vehicle were stunned. "Am I hallucinating? Why is our brother's head sticking out of that monster's belly... and he's even talking to us?!"
Cerydra sighed helplessly and glanced back at Douglas. Understanding her silent cue, Douglas opened the car door, stepped out, and approached the Barbarians to communicate.
After explaining that the vehicle was a 'special horse,' merely a mode of transportation, and clarifying their purpose, the Barbarians cheerfully let them pass, saying, "Boss should be patrolling near the Deep Pit right now. Head west, and you'll find him soon."
Feidric started the car and continued westward. As they drove deeper into the Northern Territory, the surrounding temperature steadily rose. Cerydra even felt it might be hotter here than in the Northern Territory center.
The ice on the ground had gradually turned reddish-black, and a pungent sulfurous odor filled the air.
Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted in the distance, accompanied by a billowing column of flames that surged skyward like a miniature mushroom cloud, its fiery display impossible to miss.
Even inside the car, Cerydra felt herself momentarily lift off her seat from the force of the explosion. She glanced toward the horizon, and the Tan Barbarian in the car exclaimed, "That's Boss Arthur's Cursing Axe! Every strike of that axe causes an explosion like that!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
No sooner had the Tan Barbarian finished speaking than a relentless series of explosions erupted, so rapid and intense they sounded like firecrackers. The ground shook violently and incessantly under the barrage. Cerydra gripped the armrests tightly, but even so, she felt herself trembling like a buzzing electric motor, her rear end aching from the relentless jostling.
Finally, as they approached the battlefield, Cerydra saw Flame Demons, their bodies wreathed in flames, surrounding a towering Barbarian.
She had encountered this type of demon several times before, either summoned by devils or Conjuration School Wizards. Though formidable in their own right, they were always swiftly annihilated, treated like mere cannon fodder.
This was because the former had faced Cipher, while the latter had clashed with Olivia.
At this moment, the Flame Demons posed no real threat to Arthur. While typical Barbarians might rely solely on brute force, hacking and smashing wildly, Arthur moved with the precision of a trained warrior. His attacks were swift, brutal, and methodical—far from a chaotic flailing.
Despite wielding a massive Great Axe, he wielded it with blinding speed, leaving afterimages in its wake. In the blink of an eye, he unleashed four strikes, each landing squarely on one of the four Flame Demons encircling him.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
However, Flame Demons continued to pour out of the Deep Pit in endless waves, their numbers overwhelming. Many of them had noticed Cerydra and the others nearby and began to converge on them.
Arthur, still locked in battle, saw this and cursed, "Didn't I tell everyone to stay back? Just leave this to me!"
If he were alone on the battlefield, facing all the Flame Demons himself, he was confident he could take them all on. But if others carelessly drew the monsters' aggro, diverting some of them away from him, he couldn't guarantee their safety.
Just as the demons approached, Pan Ming was the first to open the car door and step out. He took a deep breath, clasped his hands before his chest, and murmured softly, "I sense the aura of evil..."
Then, his right foot lightly touched the ground, and he vanished as if teleporting. He wouldn't casually take life, but these demons hardly counted as 'living beings.'