ALL NOVEL Chapter 215: Blizzard
"Sleep, Herrscher of the Void."
Black ice, radiating an unbearable chill, shot towards Kiana, freezing the air in its path.
A surge of adrenaline, a primal instinct screaming danger, flooded Kiana's veins. But it was too late to dodge.
Just as the ice was about to strike, crimson lightning crackled through the air, shattering the frozen projectiles.
A dragon's roar echoed through the ruins. Kiana landed gently on its back.
The familiar roar sent a shiver down her spine. "Benares?"
But the red dragon didn't respond. It was Benares in body only, a beast now, obeying the will of the Herrscher of Thunder.
"Benares is dead. Its name is Kurikara." A voice spoke, and Kiana realized she wasn't alone on the dragon's back.
"Liuli! You dare show your face here?!" Rage surged through Kiana. Ren, Mei, the people of Anti-Entropy… all manipulated by the Obsidian Concord. And now, this woman dared to appear before her, as if nothing had happened.
Before Kiana could react, another figure stepped forward. "Calm down, Kiana."
Theresa, rescued by Mei, also harbored animosity towards Liuli, but she knew infighting was a luxury they couldn't afford. World Serpent's assault was relentless, and the pressure from that white-haired man was overwhelming. They had to cooperate, at least for now.
"Principal? What are you doing here?"
"What do you think? You ran away from Anti-Entropy! I had to borrow a transport ship from Tesla. And then I ran into World Serpent. If Mei hadn't saved me, you wouldn't be seeing me now." Despite the chiding tone, Theresa wasn't truly angry.
She understood. Anti-Entropy had been wary of Kiana. Leaving was the best option.
Kiana remained silent, Theresa's presence unsettling. She looked past Liuli, her gaze fixed on the storm-wracked sky.
The blizzard, following in the wake of Kevin's attack, obscured her vision, a swirling vortex of snow and ice, a crystalline dome sealing them off from the outside world.
The wind howled, growing fiercer. Kurikara, battling against the storm, carried them upwards. Ice coated its wings, sharp shards piercing its scales.
"Wait! Mei's still down there! Where are you taking us?!" Kiana panicked, realizing Kurikara was retreating.
"Don't be foolish. That's Kevin, World Serpent's leader. Going back is suicide. Mei's last order to Kurikara, before she saved you, was to get you to safety." Liuli explained, her own hands clenched, her gaze fixed on the sky, her anxiety growing.
Her connection to the Herrscher of Dominance had been severed. After helping Mei acquire Kurikara, her assigned tasks were complete. Ren's fate was now out of her hands.
He had warned her of Kevin's power, but she hadn't anticipated this level of overwhelming force.
"I can't leave! Both Ren and Mei… they have to come back!" Kiana wasn't about to abandon them. While Theresa was distracted, she jumped from Kurikara's back.
Red lightning flashed within the swirling vortex of snow and ice.
"Damn it!"
Mei's blade, crackling with electricity, sliced through the wind barrier, creating a momentary opening, which closed almost instantly.
The black ice, far denser than ordinary ice, sliced through her Herrscher-enhanced skin, the freezing blood chilling her to the bone.
Mei, now the fully realized Herrscher of Thunder, even she couldn't withstand the blizzard Kevin had unleashed. She bombarded the ice with lightning, seeking a way out, keeping her body from freezing.
But despite her efforts, her body temperature continued to drop, her movements growing sluggish, her limbs numb.
She had saved Kiana, only to be trapped herself.
"Kiana… you have to escape…"
A silent prayer. The thought of her sacrifice ensuring Kiana's safety brought a strange sense of peace. She abandoned her defense, focusing all her power into her blade.
Her father's words echoed in her mind. She closed her eyes, reaching out to the Gem of Conquest. It responded.
Where the heart goes, the blade will follow.
[Kenzen: Amaterasu!]
Spatial rifts tore through the air, lightning converging upon her blade. This land, the birthplace of the Herrscher of Thunder, answered her call, its energy flowing into her, amplifying her power.
The lightning danced, a symphony of destruction, shattering the blizzard, the black ice falling like snow from the heavens.
The storm subsided. The icy dome above cracked and shattered like glass.
But Mei felt no joy, only a bone-chilling cold.
"Impressive." Kevin walked towards her through the falling ice, his footsteps leaving no trace. With a wave of his hand, the remaining ice shards vanished.
The blizzard had been a mere… trifle.
"Who are you?" Mei tried to raise her blade, but the cold had seeped into her bones, paralyzing her. She could only watch as Kevin approached.
"Kevin Kaslana. Leader of World Serpent." As he spoke, the oppressive cold surrounding Mei dissipated.
She tried to attack, but her body refused to obey.
Kevin, unaffected by her glare, looked at her, Mei's resemblance to MEI stirring a flicker of something within him, a fleeting nostalgia, quickly suppressed.
"A powerful Herrscher, fighting for humanity. Is this the future you envisioned?" he murmured, as if hearing a response from a long-lost, flower-like girl.
"What are you talking about?" Mei watched him warily, sensing a hidden agenda.
"Raiden Mei, World Serpent welcomes you."