The frozen room was silent—until the girl stepped forward, her red eyes scanning the group one by one. Cold mist swirled at her feet, and the aura around her pulsed with ancient, divine power.
Arisu narrowed his eyes. His voice was quiet but certain.
"That's… not Elena."
Everyone turned to him.
"She looks like her—but something's different. That's not the girl Renji raised…"
The girl laughed. A cold, sharp laugh that echoed off the frost-covered walls.
"I am the Ice Princess," she said, her voice layered with something older… something divine. "And I have come to take my revenge—for the one I loved."
A shockwave of icy energy burst from her body, rippling across the room. Cracks formed on the walls, and frost crawled along the floor like living vines.
Everyone staggered back, frozen in place by the weight of her aura.
Sol clenched his fists. "That aura… it's overwhelming."
The Ice Princess raised her hand, and a spear of ice shot toward the group. With sharp reflexes, they all dove aside as it shattered against the wall, spraying shards like glass.
Shin shouted from behind cover, "If you're the Ice Goddess now—why are you trying to destroy the island?! You already got your revenge!"
The girl turned to him slowly, her crimson eyes burning.
"No," she said, her voice now deeper, thunderous. "I want to kill every trace… every regression of demon and god. Their blood runs through this island—through its people. Their souls linger. That power is still here."
Sol's eyes widened. "You mean… the people of the island—?"
"They carry remnants," she hissed. "Fragments of the ones who started it all. And for that, they will all die."
"Why?" Sol demanded. "Why punish the innocent? Most of them don't even know demons or gods existed!"
Elena—no, the Ice Princess—stepped forward, snow swirling behind her like a storm.
"I don't care," she said coldly. "I've lived for millions of years… for one reason only. To reunite with him. And if I must erase this cursed world to do it—I will."
With a cry, she drew a blade of pure crystal and hurled it forward, aiming straight at Sol.
A flash.
Aisa dashed forward, summoning her energy just in time. Her sword clashed against the incoming strike with a deafening crash, sending ice shards flying as magic rippled across the room.
The others stared in shock as Aisa held her ground, her eyes locked on the goddess before her.
"She's not going to stop," Aisa said, gritting her teeth. "She's lost in grief… We have to snap her out of it."
Elena lunged.
A blur of motion—her crystalline blade arcing with supernatural speed.
Aisa raised her sword just in time.
CLANG!
The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the room. Ice cracked beneath their feet as the two blades locked, sparks and frost bursting between them.
Aisa gritted her teeth.
"Tch… she's fast."
Elena's eyes gleamed, unblinking and merciless.
Their swords clashed again—once, twice, then a flurry too fast for the others to follow. The air screamed with each blow, the clash of divine steel ringing like thunder in the cold chamber.
"She's overwhelming her…" Sol muttered, watching Aisa barely keep up.
"No," Shin said, narrowing his eyes. "Aisa's holding back. She's analyzing."
Elena stepped forward, pressing Aisa hard, blow after blow raining down like hail in a storm.
"You fight well," Elena said coldly. "But you're only delaying the inevitable."
Aisa slid back, her boots skidding across the icy floor. She panted slightly, raising her blade again.
"You were Elena once," Aisa said, voice low. "You had love in your heart. What happened to her?"
Elena didn't answer. She simply raised her sword again.
Aisa's eyes burned with resolve.
With a swift motion, she slashed her sword through the air, igniting a wave of fire that roared toward Elena.
Flames spiraled, engulfing the room in heat—but just before impact, Elena raised her arm. A wall of ice erupted from the floor, swallowing the fire in a hiss of steam.
Aisa narrowed her eyes. She blocked it.
In the mist, Aisa leapt forward, her blade glowing red with blazing energy. She struck—her fire-forged sword slicing toward Elena's chest.
But Elena was faster.
Her ice sword flashed upward, meeting Aisa's with a deafening clang. Sparks flew. Frost bloomed across Aisa's blade.
They locked eyes—one burning, one frozen.
Without warning, Elena raised her free hand. Shards of ice exploded from the ground, sharp and fast like arrows.
Aisa jumped back, dodging mid-air. One shard grazed her arm, slicing fabric and skin.
She gritted her teeth and twisted mid-spin, launching another wave of flame that curved back toward Elena like a whip.
Elena ducked, then charged.
Their blades collided again in the center of the room, fire and ice screaming against each other—flame melting frost, frost freezing sparks.
Each strike carried the weight of vengeance, of loss, of love twisted by time.
Around them, the others could only watch—stunned by the fury of the Ice Goddess and the determination of the girl who dared defy her.
The clash echoed like thunder across the ancient house.
And neither side was willing to fall.
Aisa's blade trembled under the weight of Elena's fury. With each strike, the Ice Goddess grew colder—more relentless. Her attacks became a storm of calculated precision, as if time itself had honed her wrath into perfection.
Aisa gritted her teeth, blocking another devastating slash.
But her body was slowing.
Frost had crept up her legs, weighing her movements. Her arms ached. Every flame she summoned was being smothered by Elena's overwhelming chill.
Then—one slip.
Elena feinted high and swept low, her ice blade carving across Aisa's side.
Aisa staggered, breath stolen from her lungs.
"Elena!!" Sol shouted.
In an instant, he rushed forward, sword glowing with divine energy. Arisu followed, twin daggers spinning in his hands. Shin and Amelia flanked behind, spells already crackling.
Elena didn't even flinch.
Her red eyes locked onto them all, emotionless. She raised her hand—and the temperature plummeted.
Frost spread across the floor like a curse. Ice pillars erupted, splitting the room. Walls shook, and a gale of snow howled from nowhere.
"You dare interfere?" Elena's voice boomed, not just heard—but felt in their bones.
Sol slashed through the ice, cutting a path to Aisa's side.
"Get back," he growled. "We fight her together now."
Amelia chanted, her hands glowing. "Barrier—now!"
A dome of light surrounded them just as Elena's next blast shattered the ceiling above. Ice crashed down, halted by Amelia's shield.
Elena floated above the room now, her hair like a frozen crown, eyes blazing like a goddess betrayed.
"I will erase every trace of demon and god from this island," she declared. "Their sins have lived too long through you all."
And with that, the final battle began.