The words sent a chill deeper than any ice. The very land itself seemed to answer, bending its mana toward the figure now striding forward with eerie composure.
A glacial barrier erupted in an instant, massive walls of hardened ice sealing off every possible escape route. The entire forest was now a prison. Above them, the dark storm clouds vanished, replaced by an unnatural, mana-infused sky. The heavens themselves crystallized, ice spreading across the firmament like frozen veins of magic, ensuring that none would leave this battlefield alive.
"Invaders," the figure spoke, his voice like the whisper of a blizzard—cold, and unyielding. "My name is Revolt. What is thy purpose?"
As his words echoed through the frozen air, the ice above shifted ominously, its jagged shards angling downward as if awaiting his command. The ground trembled beneath them, cracking and splintering with unnatural force. Then, from the ice covered wasteland, chains of glacial frost erupted around Revolt's feet, coiling like serpents—silent, patient, and deadly.
Stiles remained perched in the frozen branches, his mana completely sealed. He gritted his teeth, deep in thought. "I could strike now… but without backup, it would be a suicide mission. No—best to wait and see how this unfolds." His crimson eyes locked onto Revolt, observing his every move from the shadows.
Halstein took a slow, steady breath, steeling himself before stepping forward. The moment he did, the icy chains coiled around Revolt rattled violently, shifting as if ready to strike at a moment's notice.
With measured resolve, Halstein spoke. "I am Halstein, Guild Master of Dragon Bone, based near this very forest."
At the name, Revolt's eyes narrowed, his expression darkening. He stood still for a brief moment before his voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Dragon Bone?" He exhaled sharply, his breath misting in the frozen air. Slowly, his piercing gaze bore into Halstein. "Thou… hath used mine brother's remains for thine own gain? For what purpose do thou desecrate his slumber?"
The very air around them howled in fury. Ice surged across Revolt's form, creeping up his arms in jagged, glacial spikes. The tornadoes above swelled in size, their force howling with newfound intensity, and even more began spiraling into existence around him.
"N-No, that is not the case!" Halstein quickly corrected, raising a hand, a golden magic circle flickering to life above his palm in a calming gesture. "The name is but a title—nothing more. I have never once seen a dragon until this day, nor have I taken part in such an atrocity."
Revolt's eyes flickered with quiet scrutiny. Slowly, the ice creeping along his form settled, and the storm around them began to wane. The tornadoes dispersed, their howling winds fading into eerie silence.
"Hmm… I see," he murmured, the cold wrath in his voice easing. "A name most grand indeed, yet words alone do not quell suspicion." His gaze hardened once more. "As I hath spoken before—what, then, is thy purpose in this domain?"
Halstein exhaled slowly, carefully choosing his words. "We mean no disrespect, nor do we wish for conflict. But having a dragon—no, having you this close to our guild and the nearby city is dangerous, not just for us, but for the people who live there. We came here to speak, to see if there is any possibility of resolving this without bloodshed."
For a brief moment, silence hung in the air. Then, a cold chuckle escaped from Revolt.
"Departure?" His tone was filled with disdain, his icy blue eyes gleaming like frozen daggers. The chains around his feet rattled as his mana surged once more, frost creeping along the ground. "Thou dost believe thyself in a place to bargain?"
The air itself grew heavier, colder, as Revolt took a slow step forward. "This land was entrusted to me—by none other than mine master. It is she who commanded me to stand watch over this place, and I shall not forsake that duty simply because thou find mine presence inconvenient."
His grip on the hilt of his dragon-scale blade tightened, the ice encasing it shimmering with a fierce, raw power. "I have endured centuries without mine mistress. Unwavering loyalty is the oath I swore. Thou stand before me, expecting that I would abandon my duty at thy mere request? Nay." His voice rang out, unyielding and absolute. "I shall not forsake my post. Not for thee, nor for any other soul."
After just a second of silence, "If thou dost wish to take it from me…" His grip tightened around his blade further. "Then come and claim it."
With that, chains of ice shot forward, aimed directly at Halstein. In a split second, Dante leaped in front of him, wielding his spear with precision as he cleaved through the icy tendrils, shattering them into fragments. Several more pairs of chains erupted from the frozen wasteland, surging toward the group with relentless speed.
Another surge of black flame materialized, spiraling through the air like a wrathful beast. It struck the advancing chains, incinerating them instantly and melting the ice into harmless puddles, leaving nothing but steam rising into the cold air.
Dante charged forward, as he aimed his spear at Revolt. The moment he got close enough, he struck down, but the spear met an unexpected barrier. Scales erupted across Revolt's body, gleaming like armor as they effortlessly absorbed the impact.
In an instant, Revolt reacted with blinding speed. His hand shot out, seizing Dante's spear with a grip of iron. With a display of raw power, he snapped the spear in two, splintering it like kindling. Then, without hesitation, he shifted his weight back and lunged forward, his dragon-scale blade poised to strike.
Dante felt a rush of cold dread as the blade sliced through the air, catching him off guard. The edge of the blade dug into his abdomen, and he instinctively leaped back. Frost began to creep around the wound, its chilling touch sending a jolt of panic through him. "Shit," he muttered, his breath coming in quick gasps.
Just then, Stiles launched himself from the tree above, activating [Blood Edge] as he descended and touched the ground behind Revolt.
"Let's see how you handle this!" Stiles shouted, launching forward with a flurry of precise strikes. Each slash glimmered with the ethereal glow of his power, blood swirling around him as he slashed through the air, weaving between the dragon's strikes and the icy debris scattered around.
Revolt launched himself into the sky, a pillar of ice rising beneath him like a throne of frost. Standing atop it, he raised his dragon-scale blade high, channeling his power as the storm clouds above darkened ominously. With a fierce roar, he unleashed a barrage of icy projectiles that hurtled toward Stiles with deadly precision.
Twisting and leaping to evade the onslaught. Stiles narrowly avoided the first few shards, his instincts driving him forward as he danced through the chaos. But as he maneuvered, chains of ice erupted from the gnarled trees, snaking through the air like serpents poised to strike.
"Shit!" Stiles grunted as one of the chains slammed into him, sending him crashing to the ground. The icy tendrils coiled around him, wrapping him in a freezing grip that sapped his strength. Just as he struggled against the restraints, a glaive of ice burst forth from the earth, piercing his chest and narrowly missing his heart.
As the icy barrage rained down from the sky, Stiles took a slow, deliberate breath, feeling the chill in his bones. Suddenly, a dark red aura enveloped him, pulsing with raw power as he shattered the chains that bound him. He activated [Crimson Limit].
With a fierce roar, dark red flames erupted from his body, scorching through the icy projectiles before they could make contact. The intense heat licked at his skin, igniting a fire that coursed through his veins, transforming his very mana into a torrent of flames. He pushed his blood to a boiling point.
Using the properties of the Bloodshed Principle, he manipulated his own blood to mend his injuries, the flames wrapping around him like a protective shroud. Each burn causing severe pain as he forced his body into flames while undergoing a constant heal. A wild, wicked grin appeared within his face.
Stiles charged forward, twin blades gleaming as he activated [Heavenly Descent]. He soared into the sky, channeling his mana to gather strength before plummeting down toward Revolt.
A thick mist enveloped the ground, obscuring Revolt's form as he vanished from sight. Moments later, he reappeared high above, poised atop a sword crafted from ice. "Foul creature," he sneered, lunging his blade down at Stiles.
In that instant, Dante materialized in the sky behind Revolt, employing [Phantom Replacement]. He summoned a spear glowing with ethereal light and thrust it forward. Revolt turned just in time, scales emerging around his body to deflect the strike. In retaliation, a blizzard erupted from Revolt's hand, its fierce winds hurling Dante across the forest in a storm of ice and fury.
As Stiles approached Revolt, one of his blood-infused blades shattered against the dragon's scales. Suddenly, the mist swirled around again, and Revolt reappeared above Dante, a menacing figure silhouetted against the storm.
Without warning, a new wave of mist engulfed Dante, freezing him in an instant. The ice encased him completely, halting all bodily functions and drawing him into a deep cryogenic slumber, his eyes drifting shut as he succumbed to the frigid grasp of the dragon's magic.
Revolt gazed down at the sight before him, his expression unwavering as he closed his eyes. A swirling mist coalesced around his blade, summoning it into his grasp. "May thou find rest in a realm far more cursed than this," he intoned solemnly, raising his blade high above Dante's frozen form.