Chapter 340

Chapter 340: Chapter 340

"Oh? Planning to finish me off with Magic in one shot?"

Esdeath had already understood Allen’s intention the moment he began chanting.

Far from being afraid, a wild grin spread across her face.

"If you think you can do it, then go ahead and try."

With that declaration, Esdeath slammed one hand against the ground.

Crack! Crack! Crack—!

Massive glaciers instantly erupted between them.

Layer after layer of thick ice rose into the sky, forming an enormous barrier that blotted out much of the surroundings.

’Hmph. Does she really think something like this can stop me?’

Allen sneered internally.

Without slowing for even an instant, he ignored the mountain of ice blocking his path and launched his charge.

Dark purple lightning wrapped around his entire body, carrying a terrifying aura of destruction.

The Magic granted him incomparable speed, and that speed was immediately converted into overwhelming destructive force.

Allen became like a divine spear hurled by a thunder god.

Everything in his path was pulverized.

In the blink of an eye, he tore through the enormous mass of ice and appeared directly before Esdeath.

His vertical feline pupils reflected her seemingly frozen expression of surprise.

"Die, bitch!"

Allen bared his fangs and thrust the silver spear straight through Esdeath’s shoulder.

Crash—!

Her body shattered.

Then the fragments were instantly vaporized by the lightning surrounding Allen.

"What?"

Shock flashed through Allen’s eyes.

But at his current speed, he had no chance to stop immediately.

He continued forward and smashed directly into the enormous glacier behind Esdeath.

BOOOOOOM—!

The ice mountain, several hundred meters thick, exploded apart beneath the impact.

Only then did Allen finally come to a halt.

"She’s... dead?"

The Freya Familia members watching nearby sounded almost uncertain.

Had victory really come that easily?

Crack—

The ground beneath Allen suddenly split apart.

A pale hand shot upward and seized his ankle.

Then—freezing air erupted.

’Shit!’

Allen immediately tried to break free.

But the cold arrived too quickly and too violently.

Before he could move, frost had already spread over his entire body.

In an instant, Allen Fromel became an ice statue.

"What the hell just happened?"

"Wasn’t that woman destroyed?"

"Then where did this one come from?"

The surrounding Freya Familia members erupted into confused discussion.

"A clone...?"

The lower-ranked adventurers could not see through it, but Hedin and Hogni had understood everything.

What Allen destroyed earlier had never been flesh and blood.

It had been nothing more than a puppet made of ice.

"This fighting style..."

Hedin narrowed his eyes.

"It feels strangely familiar."

He and Hogni exchanged glances.

Then both shouted toward Esdeath.

"What is Kiriya to you?"

"What is he?"

Esdeath swept one hand through her long ice-blue hair.

"My man."

She smiled.

"The man who is destined to be dominated by me."

"WHOA—!"

An immediate uproar spread across the courtyard.

A smaller portion of the shock came from the revelation that Esdeath had such a relationship with Sylvan.

Most of it, however, came from the sheer audacity of her declaration.

She wanted to dominate Kiriya.

And when she said it, she looked so completely confident—as though the outcome were already predetermined—that people could not help imagining all sorts of things.

Several female Familia members immediately flushed red, their breathing becoming noticeably heavier.

"That declaration..."

Hogni stared at Esdeath as though he had finally found a kindred spirit.

"So your very soul is that of a conqueror."

For some reason, Esdeath actually felt slightly offended by the comparison.

"Dominate that man?"

Hedin’s voice was cold.

"With your current strength, you’re nowhere near ready."

He admitted that this woman was formidable.

But making a claim like that still sounded recklessly arrogant.

"Oh?"

Esdeath lifted one eyebrow.

"You think this is all I’ve got?"

She kicked Allen’s frozen body across the courtyard.

Several Freya Familia warriors hurriedly caught their vice-captain before he shattered against the ground.

Esdeath then pointed her sword toward Hedin and Hogni.

"The cat’s finished."

"Now it’s your turn."

The sheer fighting spirit and reckless confidence radiating from her made both elves feel their blood begin to stir.

"So be it."

Hedin adjusted his glasses.

"Looks like this won’t end without a fight."

Someone had broken into their headquarters, beaten their comrades, and was now practically pointing a blade at their noses while demanding another opponent.

Even the most mild-tempered person would have been furious.

And these were proud first-class adventurers.

Even if Kiriya himself had been standing here, they would still fight first and ask questions later.

"Then let it be so."

Fire burned in Hogni’s eyes.

It was the flame of battle.

Definitely battle!

Certainly not his usual dramatic nonsense!

"Eternal struggle, undying thunder soldiers."

Hedin raised his staff and began chanting.

In an instant, countless spears made from lightning appeared across the sky.

"Draw forth and bloom, kingly radiance of the demonic blade. In exchange for reason and the blood of offerings, until the feast has ended—slaughter to your heart’s content."

Hogni began chanting as well.

His Magic released the fiercely combative second personality buried inside him, allowing him to draw out his combat ability without restraint.

"Good."

Esdeath’s smile widened.

"Show me everything you have."

Brilliant ice-blue light erupted around her body.

Then the freezing air exploded once again.

...

Inside a luxurious residence overlooking the battlefield, Freya stood behind a glass window and watched the chaos outside.

Her beautiful eyes remained fixed on Esdeath.

A faintly enamored expression appeared on the face capable of captivating nearly anyone who saw it.

"What a pure soul."

Freya murmured softly.

"No hesitation at all. Nothing but the sharpness to cut through everything in her way and destroy whatever stands before her."

Her lips curved slightly.

"That troublesome man... where exactly did he find a girl with potential like this?"

By the end, a faint trace of grievance had entered her voice.

Kiriya would obviously spend these first couple of days with Hestia.

Which meant Freya still had to wait before it was her turn.

She was not happy about that.

"Would you like me to intervene?"

A towering boaz stepped forward behind her.

Ottar looked toward Esdeath fighting in Folkvangr.

For the first time in quite a while, genuine fighting spirit stirred inside him.

This woman—was strong.

"Hehe."

Freya’s laughter chimed softly.

"If you want to fight, then go, Ottar."

She raised her teacup with an amused smile.

"Though if that man finds out what happened afterward, you may suffer quite badly."

"I welcome it."

Ottar’s answer came without hesitation.

Firm.

Direct.

He was a pure martial artist.

He loved battle.

And the stronger the opponent, the better.

Only truly powerful enemies could push him toward his limits, squeeze out every trace of his potential, and force his strength toward an even higher level.

Defeat did not matter.

Getting beaten bloody did not matter either.

Every setback and every ordeal would eventually become nourishment for his growth.

In that respect, Ottar, Kiriya, and Esdeath were remarkably similar.

Their desire to become stronger was extraordinarily pure.

"Then go."

Freya calmly took another sip of tea.

"Thank you for your mercy."

Ottar bowed before leaving the luxurious room.

Freya elegantly crossed one leg over the other and continued watching Esdeath’s fierce battle in the distance.

Her voice dropped into a quiet murmur.

"Dominating that man?"

A faint smile touched her lips.

"If you can really manage it... that might actually be rather nice."