Chapter 102: A Wrong Turn II

Chapter 102: Chapter 102: A Wrong Turn II

Caelia looked toward the battlefield again.

Her mind was already calculating.

They were exhausted.

The C rank beasts were continuing to pile pressure on them.

If those B ranks joined the wave, the situation could become much worse.

She had a choice.

Ignore them and continue defending.

Or remove the threat before it reached them.

Her eyes moved across the battlefield.

Another elemental user fell back with an injured shoulder.

Two others immediately replaced him.

Caelia’s expression tightened.

"We’ll take them out."

The scout lowered his head slightly.

"Understood."

Caelia turned toward the nearest commander.

"I’m leaving with a small group."

The man looked surprised.

"Lady Caelia, are you sure?"

"Yes."

She pointed toward the formation.

"Keep the center closed. Don’t let the C ranks break through while I’m gone."

"What about you?"

"I’ll return quickly."

She turned to another elemental user.

"Send word to the other wing. I need a small support group."

The message was sent immediately.

Caelia then began choosing the people who would go with her.

She didn’t take too many.

Only those strong enough to handle B rank beasts and fast enough to move through the battlefield.

A few geniuses from the younger generation joined her.

Two experienced elders followed.

The plan was simple.

Find the B rank beasts.

Kill them.

Return.

It shouldn’t take long.

Within minutes, everything was ready.

Caelia looked at the scout.

"Lead the way."

The scout nodded.

He turned around.

And for a brief moment, when nobody was watching, the corner of his mouth lifted.

The leader had been right.

Her sense of responsibility was a weakness.

It was the same reason she had once pushed herself against the guardian of the Frostveil Expanse instead of waiting for a safer opportunity.

She couldn’t stand by while people under her protection suffered.

That was exactly what they were counting on.

The trap had been set.

And Caelia had stepped into it herself.

They quickly left the main battlefield.

The scout led them through the weaker side of the beast tide.

Caelia stayed at the front.

Snow followed beside her.

The group moved quickly, cutting down weaker beasts whenever they blocked the path.

"Don’t waste your Aether," Caelia ordered.

"We’ll need it when we reach the B rank beasts."

The others nodded.

They trusted her.

For the first few minutes, everything seemed normal.

Then ten minutes passed.

No B rank beasts.

Caelia frowned.

"How far?"

"Not much farther."

They continued.

Another few minutes passed.

Still nothing.

One of the younger elemental users finally spoke.

"Didn’t you say they weren’t far?"

The scout immediately answered.

"They’re moving."

"Moving?"

"Yes. They must have changed direction."

The explanation made sense.

At least enough to keep them moving.

Caelia looked around.

Something about the area felt strange.

Her instincts were bothering her.

But she pushed the thought aside.

They couldn’t afford to waste time.

"If they’re moving toward the mansion, we need to catch them before they reach the others."

The group continued.

The farther they went, the quieter the main battlefield became.

The sounds of battle faded behind them.

The scout kept leading.

Then he stopped.

"There."

Everyone looked ahead.

A group of B rank beasts stood in the distance.

Caelia’s eyes narrowed.

There were several of them.

Low B rank.

Just as the scout had said.

She finally relaxed.

"So he was telling the truth."

One of the elders laughed.

"Let’s finish this quickly."

Caelia nodded.

"Don’t get careless."

She raised her weapon.

"Move."

The group charged as the battle began immediately.

The B rank beasts were much stronger than the C ranks they had been fighting.

Their attacks carried enough power to force the elemental users back.

Boom!

An Ice Beast slammed its claws into the ground.

Ice spread across the battlefield.

Caelia jumped over it.

"Snow!"

The Frost Lynx attacked from the side.

Its claws struck the beast’s leg.

The beast stumbled.

Caelia followed.

"Ice Fang!"

Her attack pierced its chest.

The beast roared and swung its claws.

Caelia barely avoided it.

An elder stepped in.

"Frozen Wall!"

A thick Ice wall appeared between them.

The beast smashed through it.

But that gave Caelia enough time.

"Frost Spear!"

The spear pierced its throat.

The beast collapsed.

"One down!"

Another B rank beast charged.

Three elemental users surrounded it.

"Don’t let it break through!"

"Hold it!"

"I’ve got the opening!"

A sword covered in Ice struck its side.

Another attack hit its back.

Caelia finished it.

The battle continued.

They worked together well.

The B rank beasts were strong, but none of them were high B rank.

With their numbers and experience, the Winterbourne group slowly gained the advantage.

One beast fell.

Then another.

Soon, only a few remained.

Caelia breathed heavily.

Her Aether was already lower than she wanted.

But she could see the end.

"Keep going!"

The group attacked together.

Another B rank beast fell.

Then another.

The last one roared before an Ice spear pierced through its head.

It collapsed.

The group stood among the corpses.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then someone smiled.

"That was easier than I expected."

Caelia was about to answer.

Then she heard something.

A distant roar.

She turned.

Another roar followed.

Then another.

Her expression changed.

"Wait."

Everyone looked toward the distance.

More beasts were coming.

At first, they assumed they were part of the same group.

Then they saw the ranks.

B rank.

More B rank beasts.

Dozens.

And behind them...

A massive tide of Ice beasts was moving toward them.

Not toward the mansion.

Toward them.

"What?"

One of the younger elemental users stepped backward.

"Why are they coming here?"

Caelia’s eyes widened.

She looked around.

The beasts that had been marching toward the mansion had changed direction.

They were all coming toward their position.

The scout slowly moved backward.

Caelia noticed.

"Wait."

Her eyes swept across the ground.

There.

A strange formation had been placed beneath the snow.

The same type of resonance crystal they had discovered before.

Except this one was much larger.

Caelia’s face went pale.

"It’s a formation."

The elder beside her looked around.

"They’re being drawn here."

"Not just the B ranks."

Caelia looked toward the approaching tide.

"The entire wave."