Ashura stood atop a cliff of the Frosthorn Domain, the wind tugging at his coat and hair, each gust carrying the scent of snow and ice. Beneath him sprawled endless plains of frozen rivers, towering spires of frost, and valleys draped in mist that shimmered blue under the weak northern sun.
A year. Twelve months. 365 days of nothing but frost, monsters, and training.
"Sounds… lonely," Ashura muttered, smirking. "But I doubt the cold can handle me."
His hands crackled faintly with Transcendent Wrath—black lightning braided with amethyst light spiraling along his arms. The aura pulsed as he stretched his limbs, feeling the residual strength from the battle with Vynara and the divine guardian settle like liquid fire in his veins.
The System chimed softly.
[SYSTEM QUEST: YEAR OF FROST]
Objective: Survive and train in Frosthorn Domain for one year.
Tasks:
Combat against domain monsters (giant frost snakes, frost bears, ice elves, frost tigers, etc.) Elemental adaptation: Ice, frost, wind. Meditation and divinity sensing. Mastery of Transcendent Wrath at level progression milestones.
Reward: ??? (Hidden; system support 100%)
Ashura smiled faintly, eyes scanning the frozen horizon. "Let's start with a warm-up, shall we?"
From the treeline emerged a frost bear, towering over three meters, fur sparkling with frost crystals, eyes glinting intelligent malice. Its claws tore into the frozen ground as it charged.
Ashura pivoted, dodging with inhuman speed, sending a streak of amethyst lightning that scorched the air. Every strike he landed tore through the creature's armor of ice, yet it continued to advance relentlessly.
"Hmm… not bad for day one," he said under his breath, analyzing the beast's rhythm. "Need to push harder. I won't get stronger by taking it easy."
The fight continued for hours, a ballet of strikes, parries, and dashes. Each monster he faced was more than a challenge—they were living calibration tools for his lightning, speed, and stamina. Frost tigers emerged next, agile and cunning, ice elves appearing like specters to test his senses. By sunset, the black-and-purple energy around him burned faintly, leaving trails across the snowy plains like ethereal fire.
Back at the Amethyst Guild, Everos, Ashura's strongest wraith, lounged by the fire, a massive armored figure now capable of human speech.
"Sir," Everos said, adjusting the edge of his dark cloak, speaking like a knight straight out of legends, "your mother and sister are secure. No threat has been detected within a 100-mile radius."
Ashura had left him with precise instructions: watch over Arlena Bellet and Gina Bellet.
"Everos, remind me again why you're watching drama shows while guarding them?" Gina had asked cheekily a few days ago.
"Because, milady," Everos had replied in deadpan, "even knights require strategic knowledge of human behavior and… emotional fluctuations."
The truth was, the evolution from the authority of the Nameless God had changed Ashura's wraiths. They now had direct links to him, able to materialize physically but only if he ordered. They could also communicate and strategize independently, acting as commanders of his forces when he wasn't present.
Ashura could assign them names and ranks, which affected their combat strength and presence:
Common Wraiths – Basic guardians, limited offensive capability.
High Wraiths – Trained for multi-target combat.
Elite Wraiths – Specialized, capable of elemental interaction.
Knight Wraiths – Protective and strategic, capable of battle formations.
High Knight Wraiths – Coordinators in large-scale battles.
Commander Wraiths – Leadership in combat; tactical and elemental synergy.
Head Commander Wraiths – Strategic deployment across multiple battlefields.
High Marshal Wraiths – Operate autonomously; influence terrain and battlefield outcomes.
Erevos, as High Marshal, was the pinnacle of Ashura's guardians, capable of making decisions on par with a seasoned general but only acting under Ashura's ultimate directive.
While Ashura trained, the Amethyst Guild enjoyed their three-month vacation, though not entirely leisurely. Each member was tasked with growth:
Kai led combat drills, taking smaller groups to test their limits against summoned monsters. Gina practiced magical support techniques, enhancing elemental synergy for upcoming campaigns. The other members explored knowledge acquisition: alchemy, rune crafting, historical research, and intercontinental diplomacy.
Even in his absence, Ashura's influence was felt through wraith reports and remote instructions.
Ashura's Routine in the Frosthorn Domain-
Morning: Meditation, divinity sensing, lightning and elemental synchronization. Midday: Combat against escalating monsters. The further north, the stronger and more numerous the frost beasts. Evening: Training Transcendent Wrath, pushing it past current limitations, integrating the black lightning of the Nameless One with his own purple lightning. Night: Reflection, analyzing the day's growth, calculating stamina, mana output, and control over his aura.
He understood quickly: lower-level monsters provided nothing for him. To grow, he needed extreme danger—the kind that pushed him to the edge without killing him. Frost bears, ice serpents, and the cunning ice elves became his teachers, teaching speed, endurance, and tactical awareness.
By the end of the first week, the system chimed:
[SYSTEM NOTICE: RANK UP]
Level: 102 → 105
Abilities Unlocked:
Frost-Black Conduction: Fuse black lightning with frost to amplify damage and control battlefield conditions. Amethyst Surge II: Extended range, environmental adaptation.
Ashura exhaled, standing on the icy peak as northern winds tore past him.
"The cold's trying to push me back… but I'm the storm that doesn't retreat," he said, a faint smirk forming.
And deep in the Frosthorn plains, ice and shadow waited—ever stronger, ever cunning, for the one who dared call himself Godslayer.