Chapter 45 : Duke of the North (3)

The blue light of the eyes flashed through the snowstorm.

It was the gaze of the Frost Ghoul.

Hundreds, thousands of lights filled the mountainside.

“It’s the Legion of the Bitter Cold.”

Kiara’s cold voice echoed. She gently stroked the scabbard of the Frost Blade with her fingertips.

“There are a lot of them. It seems like twice as many as usual. They must be after the hero.”

“They must know I’m here.”

“Of course. Heroes are the greatest enemy of demons. Even the Four Heavenly Kings would consider them a great threat.”

[Master, there are some strong ones among them.]

[Yes, master. I can also see Ice Golems… and over there, a Yeti…]

The blue lights of the Frost Ghouls stretched all the way to the horizon.

A massive Ice Golem appeared below the castle walls. Its two arms turned into giant maces and swung toward the walls.

Boom!

The castle walls shook. However, the magic circle glowed blue, absorbing the shock.

“Don’t worry about the walls. They are ice walls imbued with the wills of past grand dukes.”

The FrostWolf Knights formed ranks atop the castle walls. All of them raised their bows.

“Shall we begin?”

Kiara’s sword pointed toward the sky.

“First division, fire!”

A barrage of arrows rained down. The blue lights of the Frost Ghouls extinguished one by one.

“Second division, third division! Fire fire arrows!”

Thousands of arrows filled the sky. But the Legion of the Bitter Cold continued to surge forward.

“This won’t do.”

Kiara’s Frost Blade glowed.

“I’ll take the lead.”

She walked toward the edge of the castle walls. Her white wolf fur billowed in the wind.

“Wait. Let’s go together.”

Kiara’s blue eyes wavered.

“I can handle it alone.”

“No, it’s better if we go together. You know it’s stubborn to say you don’t need help after coming this far, right?”

At my words, a cold smile spread across her lips.

“You’re rude. But… I suppose that was a bit northern of you. Well then… please match the rhythm of my sword.”

“Quite the opposite.”

Kiara’s brows twitched.

“What?”

“The Grand Duke should match the rhythm of my sword. Well, if you can.”

“Huh? What did you just say…”

“Let’s begin!”

I jumped down from the castle walls. Kiara’s flustered voice followed.

“Wait…!”

But soon, she jumped down after me.

Our breathing was quite in sync.

The Frost Blade followed the trajectory of the Holy Sword. The rhythm created by the two blades formed a perfect harmony.

“Still, it’s just an ice chunk.”

Ice shards shattered with each step. We stepped over the Ice Golem’s corpse beneath our feet. The Yeti bled, its eyes turning red.

Kiara’s voice rang coldly. Together, we pushed back the Legion of the Bitter Cold. But…

“Hero, do not let your guard down.”

The sky split open. A massive tail struck down like a mace.

“That is…”

A giant figure revealed itself through the snowstorm. A massive magical creature made of ice.

Kiara’s expression hardened.

“Ice Dragon Jabberwock.”

Kraaaang!

The enormous figure twisted and spread its wings.

The massive body covered in white snow, its wings made of ice crystals glittering in the moonlight.

Suddenly, the wolf fur draped over her shoulder moved. It took the shape of a frosty wolf and stood guard by Kiara’s side.

“Fenrir?”

“Whenever I see Jabberwock, it’s always like this. It’s because of the memory from eight years ago…”

I drew the Holy Sword. The light of dawn cut through the cold air.

[Master, are you planning to face the Ice Dragon?]

[Yeah, this will be fun.]

Both the Holy Sword and the Dark Sword reacted simultaneously.

“Shut up.”

Kiara looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Are you talking to the swords?”

“Just… talking to myself.”

“Hmm…”

We stood in the way of Jabberwock, who was charging toward the castle walls.

The light from the Holy Sword weakened the scales of the Ice Dragon, while the chill of the Frost Blade pierced through the gaps. When I blocked the Ice Dragon’s cold, Fenrir and Kiara struck, splitting the dragon’s surface.

Kroooaaar!

Jabberwock let out a painful scream. Its wings made of ice crystals shattered.

“Let’s finish this!”

Kiara’s Frost Blade flashed. She gathered the surrounding chill and thrust it toward the Ice Dragon’s heart.

I swung the Holy Sword at the wound she had made. The light of dawn amplified the cold of the Frost Blade.

Boom-!

The Ice Dragon shattered into pieces. Ice shards scattered into the snowstorm.

“…Impressive.”

“Things went more efficiently together, right?”

For a moment, she seemed speechless. But soon, she nodded.

“…You’re right.”

But the battle was not over.

The Frost Blade and Holy Sword began to dance again.

We pressed forward, cutting through the snowstorm. The ominous blue lights of the Frost Ghouls flickered and died one by one.

Kiara’s Frost Blade pierced the last Ice Golem. The shattering ice glistened in the moonlight.

Boom!

At that moment, a cold chill surged. A sharp frost tore through the air, rising.

“D… Demon Lord Four Heavenly Kings!”

One step.

Someone’s scream echoed with fear. The air on the battlefield froze in an instant.

“This is…”

A woman appeared through the snowstorm. Her silver hair, imbued with cold moonlight, fluttered.

The surrounding soldiers retreated in fear. The sound of someone’s armor clattering echoed.

“The warmth of humans is repulsive.”

Two steps. Three steps.

With each footprint in the snow, the earth froze white. Her appearance emerging through the snowstorm was beautiful. But it was a static beauty, like that of death.

“The Legion of the Bitter Cold Leader…”

Before the words could even finish, a sharp ice spear flashed in the air.

Thud!

A soldier’s neck was pierced.

“Ahh!”

A scream of terror echoed. But that was brief.

She raised her hand. Thousands of ice crystals sparkled in the moonlight.

With a cold smile, her hand descended. The ice crystals rained down like a storm.

Thud, thud, thud!

In an instant, dozens of soldiers were frozen. Pale ice statues glimmered coldly.

“The Demon Lord’s Four Heavenly Kings, Baeksul…!”

Kiara’s voice trembled. The Frost Blade in her hand faintly hummed.

Kiara and I did our best to protect the soldiers, but it wasn’t enough.

“The sight of humans clinging to each other, sharing warmth, is truly disgusting.”

The Demon Lord’s Four Heavenly Kings, Baeksul, her blue eyes filled with hatred. The aura of the Four Heavenly Kings overwhelmed the surroundings.

“Be careful. She’s a very dangerous opponent.”

It was an oddly calm voice, as if she had frozen all her emotions.

“Right. How very human of you to worry.”

Baeksul sneered. At her gesture, a massive ice pillar rose.

“That warmth… those feelings… I will erase them all.”

The power of the Four Heavenly Kings exploded. In an instant, my vision turned white.

When I opened my eyes, everything was covered in ice. The soldiers’ armor had frozen, and the horses had become ice statues.

“What is this…”

[Master, this is no ordinary chill!]

“Humans rely on each other’s warmth. That’s why they are weak.”

Baeksul walked slowly. With every step, the air froze.

“One loss makes them crumble, two losses bring despair.”

Her cold gaze shifted toward Kiara.

“And so, I decided to erase them all.”

In that instant, Baeksul’s hand flashed. Countless ice spears flew toward us.

Kiara swung the Frost Blade. The ice spears shattered and scattered.

“You’re still using that sword.”

Baeksul’s voice grew even colder.

In an instant, she closed the distance. Baeksul’s hand reached for Kiara’s neck.

“Kiara!”

I swung the Holy Sword to block Baeksul’s attack. The light of dawn melted the cold.

“Hero…”

Baeksul turned her gaze toward me. The same face, but with a completely different emotion.

“How interesting. Yes, you must be…”

A chilling smile spread across her lips.

“Warmth is unnecessary.”

Baeksul’s cold energy erupted. Ice crystals filled the air.

“I’ve already cast everything away.”

A crazed light danced in her cold eyes. It was no longer a human gaze.

“I’ll freeze everything… everything.”

The power of the Four Heavenly Kings turned into a snowstorm that engulfed us. This was the true power of the Bitter Cold.

Baeksul’s chill swallowed everything. No matter how much the Holy Sword’s light swung, or how much the Frost Blade’s cold was used, it was useless.

“This is why I hated it…”

Kiara’s voice trembled. Her Frost Blade faintly hummed in front of Baeksul’s cold.

Massive ice pillars exploded in a chain reaction. The shards rained down like hail.

The soldiers screamed in terror.

“This can’t be…”

[Master, I’m sorry, but I can’t handle this on my own.]

The light of the Holy Sword flickered uneasily. The temperature around us dropped to tens of degrees below freezing in an instant.

“Step back.”

Kiara blocked my path. Her hand holding the Frost Blade trembled slightly.

“But…”

There was a strange emotion in her voice.

Baeksul’s gesture followed. Ice pillars aimed at us flew toward us.

I barely managed to block them with the Holy Sword, but my body was trembling. This wasn’t enough.

Kiara grabbed my arm.

“This is too dangerous. We need to retreat and regroup…”

Her words were interrupted. My left hand suddenly throbbed and became hot.

A black inverted cross burned bright red.

[Hehe, do you desire power?]

‘What’s with this concept?’

A sweet whisper echoed in my ear. The Dark Sword had awakened.

The Dark Sword urged my hesitant hand forward.

“Fine…”

I raised my left hand. The black inverted cross glowed more intensely.

“Dark Sword, Twilight.”

In that instant, a violet energy exploded outward. The cold air was sliced through as darkness spiraled.

[Is it my turn, Master?]

“Let’s go.”

The Dark Sword’s blade glowed ominously.

“That sword…?”

Kiara’s eyes wavered. Her grip on the Frost Blade tightened.

“A Dark Sword…?”

Baeksul seemed genuinely surprised for the first time.

[For those who seek power… offer your blood.]

I focused more power into my left hand gripping the Dark Sword. Violet magic erupted from the blade.

“Ugh…”

A sharp pain pierced through my body. It felt as if all my veins were burning.

[More… more, Master.]

As my life force converted into magic, explosive power surged through me.

One step. Two steps.

The snowstorm parted.

The violet darkness split the surrounding chill, creating a path.

“When did…?”

[That woman was careless.]

She didn’t anticipate the speed, and her defense was delayed. The violet magic flashed and aimed for her chest.

‘This is it.’

Baeksul raised both hands. Hundreds of ice spears rose into the air.

But it was already too late. We were within the range of the Dark Sword.

The Twilight blade grinned ominously. A small smile spread across my lips.

I swung the Dark Sword.

“This ends now…!”

But as the blade traced its path, the violet darkness spread out.

Ice, chill, everything was swallowed by the darkness.

Twilight flashed and moved toward her chest. At the unexpected ambush, Baeksul’s expression twisted.

It was at that moment.

“Hero! It’s dangerous!”

Kiara pulled me forcefully. We tumbled together, losing our balance and rolling in the snow.

“Why…?”

I quickly searched for Baeksul, but she was already gone.

A massive roar of an ice dragon tore through the snow-covered mountains. It was the signal for the retreat of the Legion of the Bitter Cold.

“Ah…”

Lying in the snow, I looked up at the sky. Kiara was collapsed beside me, panting heavily.

I raised the Dark Sword. The violet darkness moved toward Kiara.

“What are you doing?”

Kiara slowly raised her head.

“I… I thought it looked dangerous…”

“Me? That was definitely the perfect opportunity to end Baeksul!”

Now Baeksul knew I wielded the Dark Sword and was aware of my power. Such opportunities wouldn’t come easily again.

“To think you’re holding such a sinister sword… Is it really something a hero should have?”

“Stop deflecting.”

I took a step closer. The darkness of the Dark Sword deepened.

“Explain everything.”

Kiara’s gaze wavered. A brief silence followed.

“…Let’s go back to Frostguard for now.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll tell you everything, but here…”

Her eyes glanced around. The soldiers in the distance were watching us.

“This isn’t the right place.”

I lowered the Dark Sword. Kiara’s words were correct.

“Understood.”