Frostfire Legacy

Aster and Argus were stuck, surrounded by enemies on all sides.

To make matters worse, Lorelai was casually walking across the battlefield, ignoring the chaos as she made her way toward Cassy and the others. The black-haired man from before accompanied her, keeping a vigilant gaze on Aster, silently declaring: "It's our win."

"Argus!"

But Aster didn't know when to quit. The number of enemies had doubled, but that didn't mean the volume of attacks would as well. There was a limit to how many enemies could engage him in melee at once.

The long-range attackers could increase their firepower, but they couldn't shoot recklessly with their allies so close. In short, the current situation actually favored the duo!

Without needing to be told, Argus understood his role. Lightning surged across his body as he charged up for an attack, while Aster stood by his side, protecting him from anyone who dared to strike.

Swords, spears, and maces rained down, but none were powerful enough to make Aster lose ground. He swatted them away effortlessly using only the hilt of his broken blade!

"You bastard!"

"...!"

Suddenly, the red-haired man appeared, his fist cloaked in black mana. Aster couldn't dodge; if he moved, Argus would be exposed to the attack. "Crysta!" Instead, he chose to defend.

An ice wall materialized around him, blocking the weaker attacks.

*BREAK!*

But the ice wall shattered under the force of the red-haired man's punch. "Heh! Too weak!" he taunted, following up with a kick aimed at Aster's face.

"...!"

Panicking, Aster raised his arm, blocking with the hilt of his sword, but realized his mistake too late.

*THUD!* *CRACK!*

The kick connected with his chest instead! It was a feint!

From the sound and feel of it, at least three of his ribs were broken. The pain was excruciating, making it difficult for him to breathe! Still, he didn't despair. Instead, a triumphant smile spread across his face.

The red-haired man looked confused for a moment, then realized what was happening.

"No...!"

He reached out, but it was too late. Argus's Red Lightning crashed down... right on top of his head. It was a direct hit, a skill that had never left anyone alive before!

"AAAAAGH!"

The man screamed in agony as his limbs began to char and disintegrate into ash. Despite the overwhelming current coursing through his body, he still managed to raise his right hand...

*CRACKLE!*

He dispelled the red lightning.

"Ugh... Haaa... Ha...."

The red-haired man collapsed to his knees... his legs now reduced to smoldering stumps. His left arm was completely gone, and his right arm had been burned away up to the elbow. His side, ears—along with the wings behind them—and face were scorched beyond recognition.

He looked like he was on the verge of death, but somehow, he stubbornly clung to life.

Aster didn't waste the opportunity. If he could finish this guy off, he could activate his Frostfire Legacy and turn the tide of the battle!

"...!"

Just as Aster stepped forward, something strange happened. The redhead's body... his horrific injuries... began to reverse, regenerating until he was completely unscathed. Only his burned clothing remained as evidence of the damage he had suffered, with not a single scar left behind.

"It'll be a problem if you kill him."

A feminine voice rang out, different from the pink-haired woman's voice earlier. This one was fresh and innocent, like a girl from the green meadows. Aster couldn't even catch a glimpse of her face before a large bat suddenly appeared in front of him.

*BANG!*

A solid hit!

His head spun, his vision blurring. He was sure he had suffered a concussion from the blow. He even heard a disturbing crack at the back of his neck! Aster struggled to regain his footing, but the damage was too severe.

*THUD!*

At the same time, Argus was brutally kicked. The strike came so fast, he didn't even have a chance to dodge! The blow not only shattered his bones but also ruptured his organs, leaving the dog knocked out in a single hit, blood pouring from his nose and mouth.

"Ugh...!"

Aster collapsed, completely powerless.

"Too bad," the same feminine voice spoke again. "Your face was my type. It's a shame we have to kill you..."

Guns, swords, spears, and spells were all aimed at Aster, as if they didn't intend to give him a chance to fight back.

"STOP!"

At that moment, a familiar voice echoed through the battlefield.

"Lory, stop all this!" Cassy's voice, teary but resolute, rang out as she begged. "I'll... I'll come with you, just spare Aster and everyone else!"

"C... ass... y..."

Aster could barely speak anymore, but he tried to force out words. He wouldn't let her leave, wouldn't let her go with Lorelai... never! But all he could do was crawl helplessly on the ground.

Kali, Liz, and Tina were already lying unconscious nearby, defeated by the black-haired man. Their injuries were as severe as Aster's, and they all needed immediate medical attention.

"Cassandra..." Lorelai's voice came, dripping with pity. "Why would we need to listen to your request?"

"..."

Aster knew it was true. Whether they killed them or not, Lorelai would take Cassy with her. Cassy had no leverage to bargain with.

"NO! If you let any of them die, I'll..." Cassy pulled out her dagger and pressed it against her chest. "I'll kill myself, right here, right now!"

"...!"

Lorelai understood at a glance: Cassy was serious. The tip of the dagger had already pierced her chest, drawing blood and staining her white robe a deep red.

"... Sebastian, go and control her."

Of course, they could just use their mind control to stop Cassy. If they got her under control, there would be no need for negotiations.

The goggles Cassy and the others wore only offered partial protection, limiting their vision to a few meters. This meant that once the enemies closed in, their mind control could easily bypass that defense.

"Lory..." Cassy's voice remained firm, as though she had expected this.

Everyone watched as she moved. In one swift motion, she pulled the dagger away from her chest. For a brief moment, they felt relieved, but then their expressions turned to horror.

*SLASH!* *CRACK!*

"Kugh!"

Without hesitation, Cassy slashed the dagger across her own eyes.

A surefire way to avoid brainwashing from the enemies... by blinding herself.