Chapter 99: The Second Wave

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Second Wave

The celebration didn’t last long.

There was still work to do.

The injured were moved away from the frontline.

Healers began treating them.

The Winterbourne family brought out recovery treasures and medicines that had been kept for emergencies.

Elemental users sat down and began recovering their Aether.

Some used special resources to speed up their recovery.

Others simply meditated.

The formations were checked again.

The damaged sections were repaired.

Weapons were inspected.

Supplies were moved closer to the frontline.

Nobody knew when the next wave would arrive.

It could be hours.

It could be sooner.

So they prepared immediately.

Even though the first wave had been more difficult than expected, there was something different in the atmosphere now.

They were tired.

But they were also confident.

They had survived.

And they had done better than they had during previous attacks.

Caelia looked across the battlefield.

She knew they couldn’t relax.

Not yet.

But for now, she allowed herself a small breath.

They had earned it.

Far away, the people behind the attack received the report.

"The first wave has been defeated."

One of the men looked uncomfortable.

"Without Damon."

The room became quiet.

The leader leaned back. He wasn’t disappointed.

If anything, he looked amused.

"So they handled it."

"Yes."

"How?"

"Caelia."

The leader nodded.

"I expected her to perform well."

Her preparations had clearly improved the family’s defenses.

She had also taken command during the battle and helped break the pressure.

"And Cornelius?"

"He entered the battle as well."

The leader smiled.

"They really are a stubborn family."

Someone at the table frowned.

"Then should we change the plan?"

"No."

The leader shook his head.

"Why would we?"

He looked at the report again.

The first wave had been exactly that.

The first.

"The second wave is different."

He tapped the table.

"We’ve already made the adjustments."

Nobody spoke.

The leader’s smile slowly returned.

"They survived the first wave."

He leaned back.

"Let’s see how they handle the next one."

The room fell silent.

The first battle had ended.

But the real threat had yet to come.

Meanwhile, Damon had heard the cheers from his room.

He smiled while continuing his cultivation.

For a while, he had been worried.

The first wave had taken longer than expected, and although he trusted Caelia and the Winterbourne family, hearing the battle continue outside had made him wonder how things were going.

Now he had his answer.

They had handled it.

"Good job," Damon muttered.

Freya’s ears perked up.

She looked toward the door before looking back at Damon.

"Yes, yes. Caelia did well."

Freya gave a small approving cry.

Sylphie also nodded.

The two spirits had apparently accepted Caelia quite quickly.

Damon glanced at the snacks beside them.

"Although I suspect the snacks helped."

Freya immediately looked away.

Sylphie pretended not to hear him.

Damon laughed.

"Traitors."

The three of them continued cultivating.

Damon was genuinely proud of Caelia.

He had personally wanted to join the battle, but he understood why she had asked him to reserve his strength.

Tactics mattered.

If he rushed out every time the situation became difficult, then all the preparation they had made would become meaningless.

And Caelia had proven that she could handle the responsibility.

That made him trust her even more.

His gaze moved toward the small Frost Seed floating near him.

It had finally become saturated.

The little crystal seed no longer absorbed the Ice Aether around it as eagerly as before.

It needed something else now.

A push.

An opportunity to break through.

Sylphie was in a similar situation.

She had absorbed enough Wind Aether to reach the point where cultivation alone wasn’t enough.

She needed battle experience.

She needed to understand herself.

More importantly, she needed to understand what form she wanted to take.

Damon looked at her.

"You’ll figure it out."

Sylphie stared at him.

"I know you’re impatient."

She puffed her feathers.

"But forcing it won’t help."

Sylphie gave a small cry.

Damon smiled.

"Yes, I know. You want to become stronger immediately."

She nodded proudly.

"Same."

For now, they stayed calm.

The room felt almost disconnected from everything happening outside.

Damon cultivated.

Freya rested beside him.

Sylphie occasionally played with the others before returning to his second core.

Frost Seed quietly floated nearby.

It was peaceful.

Almost too peaceful.

Damon opened his eyes.

"This won’t last."

As if answering him, sounds suddenly came from outside.

The Winterbourne elemental users were preparing again.

Weapons were being checked.

Orders were shouted.

Footsteps moved across the courtyard.

Then came the sound of beasts.

Damon’s expression became serious.

The second wave had arrived.

A distant shriek followed.

Then another.

And then the battlefield erupted.

Roars.

Battle cries.

Explosions.

The sound of Ice techniques crashing against beasts filled the air.

Damon could tell immediately.

This wave was different.

Sylphie returned to his second core.

She was more determined than before to find her answer.

Damon looked at her for a moment.

"Go get stronger."

Sylphie gave him a confident cry before disappearing into his core.

Damon then picked up Freya.

Her body changed immediately.

Silver lightning flowed across her form as the beautiful fox transformed into the familiar spear.

Damon held her firmly.

"Let’s practice a little."

The spear trembled slightly.

Damon smiled.

"Don’t worry. We’ll join the real fight if we need to."

Silver lightning crackled.

Outside, the second wave continued.

And this time, the sound of battle was much heavier.

The second wave hit both wings of the Winterbourne mansion.

The number of beasts wasn’t naturally larger.

That wasn’t the problem.

Their ranks had increased.

There were far more C rank beasts among them now.

The Winterbourne elemental users immediately understood the difference.

"Don’t let the C ranks reach the formation!"

"Group Three, move left!"

"Keep the D ranks away from the elders!"

The battlefield became chaotic.

A massive Ice Bear charged forward.

A spear of Ice struck its chest.

Bang!

The beast staggered but didn’t fall.

Another elemental user attacked from behind.

The Ice Bear turned.

Before it could react, an elder appeared beside it.

"Frozen Execution."