Chapter 213: Alice Subjugation (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 213: Alice Subjugation (9)
At the pinnacle of every element, the four Elemental Kings sensed a surge of immense ice mana.
In their respective nations, they turned their gazes toward the island housing Märchen Academy, their faces etched with shock.
*
The Lightning Nation, Zabrok.
Inside the palace, a man dressed in black robes—the Lightning Sovereign, Jaul Dragoniac—closed his eyes and cleared his mind.
Zzzzt!
Balkan, a gorilla familiar with lightning mana wreathed around its shoulders, manifested before him. The beast knelt on one knee, bowing its head in a show of absolute respect to its master.
Jaul opened his eyes, his violet pupils swirling with electric energy as he looked at Balkan.
[I, Balkan, have come at the call of the Lightning Sovereign!]
“A new Ice Sovereign has ascended.”
Balkan was momentarily stunned but quickly composed himself. He had already heard whispers that a new King would soon emerge from among the students of Märchen Academy.
“Keep watch over Märchen Academy in the Zelver Empire.”
[Understood!]
Balkan vanished into a crackle of lightning mana.
Jaul looked up at the brilliantly lit sky. The time had come to face Isaac—King against King.
*
The northern reaches of the Empire, the Duchy of Whiteclark.
“Lady Aichel! Please, wait!”
Aichel Whiteclark, the future Northern Grand Duchess, sprinted out of the mansion and stared at the sky. Her maids scrambled after her, frantic at her impulsive behavior.
The Ice Sovereign’s brilliant white light was currently dispelling the darkness of the night. Aichel was certain: Isaac, the Archwizard of Märchen Academy, had finally revealed his true identity.
Aichel gasped for breath, a radiant smile spreading across her lips.
“Come, O King of Ice. I have been waiting for you.”
Aichel looked toward the brilliant light and offered a graceful curtsy, lifting the hem of her dress. She whispered her greeting softly, her voice lost to the wind.
She was overwhelmed with joy. The Ice King she was destined to serve—the master of the White Dragon—had finally descended.
The maids watched in confusion, unable to understand why the future Grand Duchess was paying such deep respect to a sky filled with an ominous anomaly.
*
The Duchy of Astrea.
Gerald Astrea, the Sword Saint, paused his usual training. He stared at the brilliant light illuminating the night sky with a sharp, piercing gaze.
A powerful mana—so overwhelming that even he felt no will to oppose it—was spreading across the world.
“The Nameless Hero, perhaps…”
The Ducal House of Astrea owed a great debt to the Nameless Hero. However, since the man chose to conceal his identity, Gerald had been waiting for him to make the first move.
Gerald realized it was finally time to start repaying that debt.
*
The East, Horan, Land of the Fire Blossoms.
In the Martial Imperial Court, Miya, a black-haired priestess, watched the light bathing the night sky.
“Mae, what is that light…?” Miya asked the Nine-tailed Fox standing beside her.
The fox smiled wistfully.
[It seems our benefactor has revealed his true form.]
“…”
Miya remained silent, her expression thoughtful as she watched the shimmering sky. It was a beautiful light.
*
The Elfieto Imperial Court.
From the palace balcony, Emperor Carlos von Kairos Elfieto looked up at the "White Night" alongside his knights.
The Imperial Magic Tower had already begun investigating the cause of the anomaly. The source of the immense power wasn't hidden, making it easy to track. The only problem was that, even with direct observation, the truth was hard to believe.
Soon, an Imperial Wizard hurried over and saluted the Emperor.
“Speak. Who is in the sky?”
Normally jovial, Emperor Carlos’s voice was now subdued, sensing the gravity of the situation. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon.
The Imperial Wizard was sweating—a reaction born of profound awe. As a master of magic, he fully realized the sheer scale of the phenomenon. He cleared his throat and spoke.
“The phenomenon of the White Night originates from the magic of a single individual…”
When Emperor Carlos shook his head, the wizard stopped his report.
“I’ll ask again.” The Emperor’s majestic gaze turned toward the wizard. “Who is the one ruling that sky?”
The Imperial Wizard swallowed hard. The Imperial Magic Tower had been observing the war unfolding around Märchen Academy. There, they saw a man with three pairs of icy wings radiating divine brilliance.
Emperor Carlos had only one question: How should the Empire define this individual?
The wizard organized his thoughts and spoke.
“…Some know him as the Nameless Hero. Others, as the Ice Sovereign. He is the new Glacial Emperor. The Elemental King of Frost. But at the same time, he is a student of Märchen Academy… a young boy by the name of ‘Isaac.’”
The balance of power that governed the world had begun to shift.
Emperor Carlos closed his eyes. He wasn't surprised; he had anticipated this. The Nameless Hero was an unparalleled Archwizard. It was only natural that he would become the Ice Sovereign, the pinnacle of his element.
The Emperor thought of his daughter, Snow White. With Isaac guarding Märchen Academy, her safety was assured. Though he didn't fully trust Isaac, it was clear the boy stood on the side of humanity.
“I will go to Märchen Academy.”
Isaac was the pinnacle of humanity, stronger than any Elemental King. The world now revolved around him.
Last winter, the Imperial Magic Tower had detected that Isaac even controlled the Primordial Ice Beast. Only the Head of the Magic Tower, two senior wizards, and the Emperor knew this.
As the representative of the Empire, it was necessary to meet such an entity directly to maintain stability and peace. He had to act swiftly.
“Prepare the carriage immediately.”
Emperor Carlos turned and walked away, his luxurious imperial robes fluttering behind him.
*
Meanwhile…
The fierce battle over the sea of ice was so grand that even the massive island of Märchen Academy seemed insignificant in comparison.
Those on the island watched the war between the Ice Sovereign’s army and the demon host. Among the spectators were the Trump soldiers who had surrendered after losing their will to fight, as well as the four captured Trump Paladins.
The island was protected by a translucent ice barrier cast by Isaac. The battlefield surrounded them, spanning the sky and the frozen sea.
The Knights of Düpfendorf and the ice monsters wreathed their weapons in frost, cleaving through the demon ranks. Ice wizards unleashed potent spells, shattering and freezing their enemies.
The Frost Spirit Merphil unleashed a large-scale ice spell toward Freya the Dark-Winged, engaging her in a massive aerial duel.
The Glacial Bear Barbatoma and the Icebound Crocodile Tugaros unleashed mana-infused strikes against Hamon the Gluttonous. They breathed out frosty blasts, tearing into their foes with devastating power.
Massive detonations of mana erupted everywhere. Had the battlefield not been the open sea, the entire region would have been utterly devastated.
And in the sky…
Kwagagagang!!
Hilde launched the 8-star ice spell, [Hell of the Crimson Lotus], toward the Nightmare Dragon Jabberwock.
The Nightmare Dragon countered with the 8-star neutral attribute magic, [Phantasmal Flames], wreathed in dark mana. The collision of the ultra-cold silver beam and the mysterious dark purple flames caused a violent explosion.
Kwaaaaang!!
The air filled with freezing steam. The cold sweeping through the sky was so intense that any ordinary creature approaching would have perished instantly.
Saaaaa!!
The Vorpal Sword’s energy, dense with mana, sliced through the steam. Isaac, radiating a freezing aura, swung his Frostscythe to intercept the strike. The sword’s energy was consumed by the cold and split by the scythe’s blade.
Isaac and Mephisto crossed the sky, deploying numerous magic circles and pouring attacks on each other. Thunderous roars shook the heavens and the earth. For those watching from the Academy, the scale of the battle was so vast it couldn't be fully captured in a single glance.
Swoosh!
Clash!
Isaac ignored the level-up system windows repeatedly appearing before him and charged at Mephisto with terrifying speed.
He dominated the sky, intercepting Mephisto with magic while swinging his scythe in a dazzling display. Within the relentless assault of ice magic, continuous silver trails were etched into the fabric of the world.
Complacency meant death. Mephisto realized that even a single graze from Isaac's weapon would spell defeat. He focused entirely on dodging Isaac’s graceful attacks and countering with magic.
[Arrgh!!]
Isaac ruled the heavens.
A deep, biting cold pervaded Alice’s body. As time passed, her movements slowed, and she was racked with immense pain. Her flesh was freezing, and her internal organs were beginning to shut down.
In contrast, Isaac was unharmed, exuding an air of calm. The only wounds on his body were those sustained earlier against Zenon and Alice. Mephisto and the Nightmare Dragon had failed to land a single blow.
Mephisto retreated quickly, lifting the Vorpal Sword high.
Gathering strength from its entire body, Mephisto gritted its teeth and released its mana at maximum output.
Kugugugugu!!
The blade surged with dark red mana, unleashing a towering pillar of sword energy. A whirlwind of mana spiraled in its wake.
Behind Mephisto, the Nightmare Dragon Jabberwock stood guard, wreathed in [Phantasmal Flames]—the fire that led all creatures into an eternal nightmare.
Mephisto prepared to unleash the strike. It was a force capable of splitting the sea of ice beyond the horizon. Anyone cut by this energy would be ensnared in an eternal nightmare until the moment of their death.
He wasn't just aiming for Isaac; the Glacial Bear Barbatoma, the forces of Düpfendorf, and the island of Märchen Academy were all in the direct path of the strike.
Can you block this without taking damage? Mephisto taunted Isaac silently.
However, as the chill cleared to reveal Isaac’s form, Mephisto was left speechless.
Holding a scythe imbued with overwhelming ice mana, Isaac’s wizard robes fluttered against the backdrop of the White Night. He looked at Mephisto with cold, emotionless eyes.
Behind him, the mythical White Dragon, Hilde, spread her wings and gathered mana, blue frost steaming off her scales.
Mephisto thought… it was an incredibly awe-inspiring sight.
A supreme being of unsurpassable power.
He was opposing this man, harboring hostility toward him. As the realization dawned, Mephisto felt an uncontrollable terror. The man’s promise to find and kill Mephisto’s true form felt increasingly real.
…No, such a thing will not happen. Mephisto tried to purge the useless thoughts from his mind.
[You… must die here.]
Isaac was the man who had vanquished the powerful Floating Island, Cavillion the Earthshaker. Mephisto knew he was strong, but he hadn't realized the true extent of that strength until now.
For the sake of the Evil God Nepid, Mephisto knew this man had to be dealt with here.
Mephisto screamed and swung the Vorpal Sword. The soaring sword energy shot toward Isaac.
Kwaaaaaaaa!!!
A typhoon of energy rushed forward like lightning, cutting through the sky and the sea of ice with terrifying speed. It was a colossal strike. No matter how many powerful wizards the Empire gathered, no amount of protection magic could have stopped its path.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
Isaac’s response was remarkably plain.
“…My turn.”
Swoooosh!!
The Frostscythe surged with a high concentration of ice mana. Isaac swung the weapon with crushing force, and a silver streak cut diagonally across the sky.
The cold surged.
[Absolute Zero].
The scythe’s path cut through space itself, unconstrained. Its unique skill, which unleashed a localized cessation of all molecular motion, was cast.
Chaaaaaaaah!!!
[…!]
The Nightmare Dragon Jabberwock swooped in with fierce momentum, spewing [Phantasmal Flames] and using its body to shield its master on Mephisto’s command.
It was futile.
Fwooooosh!!!
The energy of the Vorpal Sword and the unique skill of the Frostscythe intersected in a massive X-shape. Space itself cried out in agony as slashes erupted throughout the heavens.
Mephisto felt a tingling sensation as its body was sliced diagonally. It knew intuitively that the battle for this body was over.
[So, it has come to this…]
He had lost.
[…Heh.]
…Within the body of the Queen of Hearts, at least.
It wasn't over yet. Before freezing solid, Mephisto smirked.
The seal on the pocket watch—his last resort—was broken. Mephisto could feel it.
A supreme demon, one beyond even Mephisto’s control, was finally awakening.