I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

Not many would venture head first into a death sentence, but not many were smart.

The kind of craftiness to persist even in the face of total annihilation.

It was that kind of battle intelligence that they desperately needed to turn the tides in a landslide.

'Well, not necessarily a landslide, but just enough to gain a glimpse of victory.'

Thalia's thoughts reeled in with the burning warmth that began to creep in her system.

Cancerous damage from the fiery air they inhaled.

The crisp nature of the air was becoming venomous. Toxic to the Human system, and she could feel it down to her core. Literally.

The tempest rose to the air, scorching hot. Crimson in nature. It burned with the shade of mass that pulsated in the grasp of Mila.

Imposing its presence upon the world.

Thalia's bones rattled to the force of the wind as it hit her. Raw power that nearly tore her limbs apart. But it couldn't. Not with mana spontaneously shielding her system.

With a slight grunt, she glanced to her side.

Sophie was in a similar predicament, if not better.

But then again, what was she expecting from a 10th Circle Dark Mana user.

Her origin was really a mystery to them. The elegance and willingness to keep herself in check startled her. Not in the wrong way, but the way that makes her pleasantly amused. Surprised even.

That level of composure in the face of danger couldn't be faked. It was earned.

Careful observations told her everything she needed to know about Sophie. And a grasp of the power she withheld.

'Wouldn't it be nice to see her in her full abilities…' Then again, she wouldn't have gone this far if she had not put that in consideration.

"Sophie."

The girl blinked once, a slight flinch in her stance as she shifted her head to her direction. Her arms raised to her face to block the majority of the blazing wind,

She stood, silent. Waiting.

"After this. I won't be conscious."

Sophie raised a brow. Curiosity turned to suspicion.

"Go loose."

Sophie's expression froze in place. Not a dent to the wrinkles that lined her expression. Stuck in between surprise and wariness.

It wasn't her habit to make herself transparent.

After all, she had gone through the school for over three months without attracting a flick of attention.

Until the very ending.

Still, she had prided herself for keeping her intentions to herself.

For a second, they continued to glance at each other. Staying silent. Thoughts reeling in while they processed different information.

Thalia then glanced away. A curt smile tugging at the edge of her lips. A cunning one that revealed too much. A Lot more than Sophie had read.

Her eyes narrowed.

'Well, I suppose the Jun needs to be that sensitive and observant for them to make it on the top of the food chain.'

With a slight nod, she muttered. "Understood."

Turning their attention back to the scene. Full focus on the task at hand.

The air whipped as the mass of crimson and onyx warped like a chewing gum. Stretching erratically.

Splitting into different angles, asymmetrically losing shape.

Yet, it held a decisive power within it.

It surged downwards with the movement of Mila's arms.

Her crimson pools, flaring to life as the air turned scarlet.

It glowed. It trembled. It flared.

Black-Red flames that surged within an uncanny hue. Splitting the air and its molecules before evaporating it away from existence.

This mass of energy was projected towards the girls, and its effects had begun as soon as it had left Mila's grasp. Its edges pulsing like the rays of a comet.

It appeared as if it were in slow motion, the girls watched in awe at the incoming projectile.

Sweat dripped down their foreheads, soaking their clothes and burning their insides with subtle flares.

It was a condition they easily controlled by flowing mana within their body.

Enforcing themselves away from the latent heat of the mass of projectile.

It consumed the air around it as it burned brightly. Taking root in the world, and transforming it to something hotter.

The insurgence of flames that erupted within the mass was extremely volatile. Sparking into bolts of lava as it descended with trembling speeds.

Its ferocious sight sunk deeply in the hearts of the girls, while Mila folded her arms in wait for the inevitable.

It may have moved slowly in their eyes, but Mila knew more than most just how quickly it was.

Time just seemed to trickle down at that moment. Just enough for the corners of time to feel the heat of her attack.

The burning amber of doom.

There was no time to escape, and no amount of shielding to protect them.

They had run out of mana during their battle with her, but she had continuously resupplied herself with Miasma.

Her contract rushed corrupted energy into her system. Filling it with a new kind of power – a dark kind.

And she pleasured in it.

All that awaited for her was the explosion, and the death of her foes.

'Though, it would be a waste of resources for us. We can always get more of them.'

Non-System users possessed something which System Users lacked, and that was the one key that could help the Red Peacemakers in opening the gates to Hades.

'But this set of girls would be better to us dead, than alive.'

Her crimson pools flared once again. Satisfaction lingering in her cold, harsh, scaled face.

Her wings flapped once, and she turned around, lunging into the skies with an outburst of wind.

Escaping the pestering heat of her creation while embracing the thought of victory.

But when the sound of explosions should have cried out loud and clear – a firm exclamation of her victory, something else occurred.

And it startled her enough to make her stop in her tracks.

Puzzlement escaping from her hardened scaled face as she slowly turned back to the scene.

Her eyes pulsed alive. Shock took root as her scarlet chasm glowed with a wavering flame. Her wings flapped, and she descended back to her spot. Glancing about for what should have been.

Everything was as it was. The heat. The flames. The lava. The surging tides of liquid flames. Everything— before the activation of her skill.

It was like her mark had never been accepted. Simply swallowed by Earth's nature like an extinct beast.

It was gone.

Her head shifted towards the two girls.

One standing firmly on her two feet. Lilac hair dancing with the rushing hot wind and the other, lying unconscious on the basalt floor.

Her flames flickered once, then twice. A form of realization settling in.

'Has her Aura Field Of Vision been yet to be deactivated?'

It had occurred once before. The falling hills that appeared out of thin air, and disappeared like it was never there.

All with a twist of her arm.

'Impossible. Is her trait not restricted? How can she teleport a Transcendent skill?'

Then again, with her body lying motionlessly. Pulse slowly drawing to a thin thread.

It felt like it came at a heavy price. One she paid in full.

Mila's lips cracked. A burst of air escaped her lips as it transformed into laughter.

Vibrant. Lively. Amused.

It shook the air. An outburst of sounds that startled the hearts of those who heard it. Thrill, and crisp, yet carrying the weight of the power that boiled in her.

Sophie's expression flinched for just a moment. Taken aback by her sudden outburst, yet shielding herself with a form of professionalism.

This was the moment given to her.

Whatever Thalia had planned before she went unconscious, she didn't know. But what she did know was that she had given her a chance to reveal her strength. To showcase what she had hidden within.

No eyes were here to see it. Well, except Mila, but even she wouldn't live long enough to tell the tale.

Definitely not.

Not when Sophie still walked the earth.

After what felt like a long time. The laughter died down. Reducing to a muffled gibberish.

Her fiery eyes glanced at Sophie.

"So….was this her brilliant plan?" She asked, her tone dripped with venom. "I'll admit. I was quite surprised. Thalia Jun must be something for her to transport my Transcendent Skill…"

Her gaze shifted to Thalia's unconscious body.

"But even that came at a price." She said slowly, turning back to Sophie. "Just like every other power."

Sophie's expression shifted. Not the mask of indifference she had been wearing with ease, but a transparent annoyance that trailed with the slightest movement of her facial muscles.

She took a step forward, a breath escaping her lips. A surge of power trailing down her body.

"No. You're wrong."

Sophie had her concept of power. Quite different from what she had heard so far, yet not so distant.

"You're both wrong."

Mila's head tilted. An incandescent bask of Miasma rushing to the blade of her katana. Awaiting what was to come.

She had felt it during the fight that Sophie was different.

Now, she will find out why.

"Power has no consequences." Sophie said, a blaze of darkness encroaching her skin.

Mana pulling out from bits to large amounts. Surging a strength she had suppressed for far too long.

She closed her eyes. A short breath escaping her lips in the form of steam.

Dwelling in the rush of adrenaline and something more. Something deeper. The occult.

Then she opened her eyes. "It only has results."

The ground shuddered under her feet. A crack that spread like cancer across the basalt floor.

Breaking. Falling. Parting. Until a curt chasm formed behind her feet.

Mila's expression grew stern. Noting the sudden change in the atmosphere with the appearance of the chasm.

She grasped her katana with much fervent hunger.

Awaiting. Timing, and then it did.

Of course, with Sophie's command.

"My Soldiers." She said, Low and dark. Tendrils of ominous energy basking in her voice like a sweet Caramel candy.

"March."

____A/N____

400 Chapters 🥳

I had never thought I would make it this far, but I'm glad this novel is still progressing. Both smoothly and roughly.

Thanks so much for my readers for bearing with me for this long.

I promise quicker updates, stronger plot lines and storyline. As well as interesting character stories.

Of course, the fight scenes will continue to be as hot as it is now, and perhaps get better with more improvement.

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