Stella: "…Wait. Did he just… take it down with one punch?"
Frieren: "Not brute force. He condensed cold energy into his fist and released it at the moment of impact."
Frieren: "Judging by how finely the fragments scattered, that 'Black Smoke' creature wasn't just frozen—it was completely dismantled."
Frieren: @Haruto Amakawa — your ability doesn't look like simple ice manipulation, does it?"
Haruto: "Sharp eyes. Yeah… it's a little more complicated than that."
Haruto didn't bother explaining further. Deep down, he knew the truth—his power wasn't limited to ice. If he pushed it far enough, he could freeze not just matter, but concepts: space, time… maybe even existence itself. The thought alone sent a faint chill through him.
Akame: "So strong."
Akame: "…If I made a deal, could you help Night Raid?"
Haruto: "Hah. I'm always open to deals. The more the merrier."
He meant it. After clearing nearly a hundred thousand Kabane in one sweep, his strength had surged to an entirely new level.
---
[Status Window]
Name: Haruto Amakawa
Level: 28
Abilities: Freeze, Self, Observe, Leveling, Blessing, Cognitive Disappearance, Basic Archery, Busujima Style Swordsmanship
Description: You wield the power to erase a town from existence.
---
Eight levels gained in a single night. The Kabane were worth more than zombies from Saeko's world, each one a stepping stone toward transcendence. Haruto could feel it in his bones—if he wished, he could reduce a city to ice dust. He still wasn't sure he could beat Esdeath outright, but the fear of her was gone.
Still, there were other matters on his mind.
Haruto: "Let's save the trade talk for later. I've got… business to take care of."
Stella: "Business? Please. More like shameless activities, hm?"
Haruto: "Guilty as charged."
---
Back at his temporary quarters, Mai crossed her arms and huffed, shooting a look at Kato.
"You see?" Mai jabbed her finger toward the chat window Haruto had closed moments earlier. "He's a pervert. Do you really think I'd fall for a guy like that?"
But Kato's calm response cut the ground from beneath her.
"Oh, that's a relief," Kato said softly.
Mai blinked. "Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
Kato smiled faintly, her tone matter-of-fact. "Because I like Haruto-kun."
"E-eh?!"
---
Later, the Kōtetsujō (Iron Fortress) rumbled back to life, its great wheels grinding over bloodstained tracks. Survivors whispered prayers, their eyes flicking toward Haruto whenever he passed. To them, he wasn't just a savior—he was divine. A god cloaked in human form.
But Haruto himself? He wasn't interested in worship. At the moment, his mind was on something far less holy.
"So this carriage is mine now?" he asked casually, stepping inside.
Ayame Yomogawa was waiting, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. The others had cleared out the surrounding carriages, leaving her alone to honor the bargain. No one questioned it—if anything, they admired her. Mothers whispered to their children that one day they should be as dutiful as Ayame, serving the 'divine being.'
Inside, a futon lay neatly prepared. Through the thin partition wall, steam rose from a large wooden tub filled with hot water.
Ayame couldn't bring herself to meet Haruto's eyes. Her voice trembled. "Haruto-sama… before anything else, please allow me to bathe."
Haruto's gaze flicked to the steaming tub. A slow grin spread across his lips.
"Bathe, huh? Fair enough."
He leaned forward and, without hesitation, swept her into his arms.
"H-huh?" Ayame gasped, her cheeks burning.
Meanwhile, Kurusu sat hunched in another carriage, clutching his bandaged head. Pain throbbed behind his eyes as memories returned—memories of being floored by a single casual kick.
"That man…" he hissed.
Then his blood ran cold. "Wait. Where's Ayame-sama?!"
Panic jolted him upright. Stumbling to his feet, he barked questions at the nearest passengers. They flinched back, eyes darting with unease.
"Answer me!" Kurusu snarled.
But instead of respect, only disdain met him. The rumors had already spread—Kurusu was the fool who dared oppose the divine one. He wasn't a samurai in their eyes anymore. He was just an obstacle.
One man, braver—or perhaps more contemptuous—than the rest, met Kurusu's glare head-on.
"Ayame-sama is serving the divine being right now. What business do you have interrupting?"
Kurusu froze, his stomach knotting. "Serving…? What kind of nonsense is this?!"
He shoved the man back and staggered toward the carriage door. "I'll see her myself!"
Shouts rang out behind him.
"Hey! Stop him!"
And with that, the fragile balance aboard the Iron Fortress began to splinter.