The uninhabited island, once a lush and vibrant primal forest, was now blanketed by vast swathes of snow and ice.
Scattered throughout the woods stood towering icicles, each reaching over a hundred meters high. In this pervasive cold, merely breathing made one's lungs sting sharply.
Cha Hae-in was not having a good time.
She had thought that after Castorice's guidance, her renewed and strengthened self had reached a level where she wouldn't fear anyone.
But the sense of helplessness she felt now was even worse than when she had pushed through her injuries to run that race back then.
There was simply no glimpse of victory.
The tall, youthful man hadn't even made a move; just an old man resembling a white specter had already left her utterly defenseless.
Knocking away another ice spike that erupted suddenly from the frost-covered ground, Cha Hae-in had no choice but to circulate her dwindling mana, using it to maintain a body temperature suitable for continued combat.
If she'd had her equipment, she could have held out longer. Unfortunately, this time, she was once again armed with only a single weapon.
And... unlike her last foe, this time, even fully armed, Cha Hae-in doubted it would have made any difference to the situation... That old man was simply too strong.
The only reason she'd lasted this long was his lack of intent to kill. If he'd wished, he could have ended the fight in an instant.
Her intuition told her so.
"Quite tenacious, aren't you?"
Just as Cha Hae-in was lost in these heavy thoughts, the figure of the Frost Monarch materialized behind her.
Watching the blonde girl whirl around like a startled rabbit, the Frost Monarch's smile widened a fraction.
"I was merely planning to teach you a small lesson on that fellow's behalf, but such a stubbornly unyielding attitude truly dampens one's interest."
Cha Hae-in had no idea where she was, but she knew she needed to stall for time.
Even if it was just a desperate struggle, she would struggle to the very end.
"Who is this 'fellow' you speak of? And who are you?"
Whether to buy time or out of sheer curiosity, she needed to ask these questions.
"You're not even a vessel for the Fragments Of Brilliant Light, just a mere pawn. Yet to hold on this long... I must offer a token of respect, however grudging."
The Frost Monarch never held humans in any regard, but those words contained a sliver of genuine sentiment.
"Then answer my question!"
His praise brought her no joy.
"How impatient humans are."
The Frost Monarch, of course, wasn't answering out of respect, but on a whim.
The Monarchs' attitudes toward the Shadow Monarch varied—some wary, some hostile, but goodwill was nearly nonexistent.
Though nominally allies now, the Frost Monarch was quite happy to stir up a little trouble for him.
First used as a pawn by the Absolute Being who created all, then betrayed and slain by the Fragments Of Brilliant Light, descending into a Monarch, only to be backstabbed by other Monarchs...
While he wasn't sure of the Shadow Monarch's current state, the Frost Monarch was certain of one thing: the man was probably enjoying some quiet peace.
'Well, I can't let you have that peace.'
Just as the Fang Monarch didn't want to make a mortal enemy of him, the Frost Monarch also wished to avoid forging a deep-seated grudge.
That's why he'd refrained from killing this human. But... annoying that fellow a bit? That was no big issue.
It would also serve as a probe to test where that fellow's loyalties lay now.
If he was just quietly biding his time, this should irritate him quite nicely, something the Frost Monarch could brush off with vague talk of positions and feigned ignorance. But if he'd aligned himself with the Fragments Of Brilliant Light...
"That person you're thinking of... is one of us," the Frost Monarch stated.
The person she was thinking of? One of them?
Cha Hae-in was stunned for a moment before quickly grasping his meaning: Castorice was one of them.
That inexplicable reservoir of knowledge she possessed, the truly unfathomable depth of power—Cha Hae-in couldn't see its bottom, yet was certain it was immense—along with those inhuman ears and physique.
Each of these unique traits alone was striking; combined, and now highlighted by another anomalous being like the Frost Monarch, they formed a near-irrefutable confirmation of his words.
But... so what?
"You're thinking, 'So what?', aren't you."
As if reading her mind, the Frost Monarch voiced her inner thought, his smile growing increasingly mocking.
"You can ask that fellow yourself for the answer to your second question, but I'll give you a hint first..."
"I, we... are, without a doubt, enemies of the human world."
The Frost Monarch finished, a slight smile playing on his lips as he waited for Cha Hae-in's reaction. Yet...
Five, six seconds passed, and Cha Hae-in remained in her tense stance, her expression changing only minutely.
'Why does it feel like she's barely reacting?'
Her demeanor defied all his expectations, leaving him momentarily bewildered.
"Scared stiff? Or unable to believe the truth?"
The Frost Monarch's words were half-muttered to himself in confusion, half-directed at her.
"Stop talking nonsense! Castorice is nothing like the person you're describing!"
Cha Hae-in was already simmering with anger at her friend being slandered. If not for reason holding her back, forcing her to maintain her stalling tactic, she would have already swung her sword.
But his follow-up finally broke her restraint.
That purple-haired girl, whose cursed constitution kept even plants at a distance—how could she possibly be an enemy of humanity?
She knew very well that it was precisely because of Castorice's affliction that she cherished and respected every single life, offering even her foes the most peaceful of deaths.
"Castorice... So that's her name."
The Frost Monarch had gotten the answer he sought, but his smile didn't broaden further.
Being sharply contradicted by an ant was a profound insult to a Monarch.
Even though he didn't want to provoke the Shadow Monarch too deeply, a killing intent surged within him, barely held in check by cooler reason.
However... not killing her didn't mean he couldn't inflict some serious torment.
With that thought, the corners of his mouth lifted once more. But unlike the earlier mockery and nonchalance, this smile was more dangerous than any that had come before.
Cha Hae-in instantly snapped to high alert. Yet the moment this thought formed, she saw a massive ice spike, thick as a barrel, already upon her.
The chilling aura radiating from its needle-like tip felt capable of freezing the very moisture in her eyes.
'I can't dodge it!'
In that split second of realization, Cha Hae-in knew even a full-powered mana defense wouldn't stop this blow. Without it, at this angle, it would pierce straight through her skull.
With no other choice, she squeezed her eyes shut. All her mana surged to her head in a desperate, hasty defense. Unable to concentrate it on a single point in time, this was the best she could manage.
Yet, the expected pain didn't arrive. Instead, the clash of metal and the shattering of ice rang in her ears.
She certainly didn't think the enemy had kindly called off his attack.
Someone had come to her aid!
She was sure of it, and the image that flashed in her mind matched the figure she saw upon opening her eyes.
"Castorice!"
Surprise and confusion mingled within her. Surprise that Castorice was the first to arrive, and confusion... over how she had gotten here?
Immediately after, worry bloomed.
After all, based on the enemy's implications, Castorice was one of them, meaning she possessed power on par with his own.
But... the enemy had two people. In a two-on-two fight, she would undoubtedly be a major liability...
Cha Hae-in's emotions were a tangled mess, but the Frost Monarch's were even more complicated.
Staring at the figure before him—wielding a scythe, enveloped in an aura of deathly mana—the Frost Monarch's eyes widened in disbelief.
'Wait... Who are you? Where's the Shadow Monarch?'
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.