Shield Of Vengeance

###Chapter 25: An Unknown Being

From the field of fallen monsters, a figure emerged, stepping gracefully through the chaos as though untouched by the battle around her. The faint glow of her light blue sword illuminated the path, reflecting off her pristine white armor. Her black hair framed a calm, cold expression, and her piercing green eyes surveyed the scene with quiet precision. There was no sign of fatigue, no hesitation—only an aura of undeniable strength and control.

Agin, still holding his wounded side, took a step forward, his voice trembling with equal parts relief and awe. "Who... who are you?"

The woman stopped, her gaze briefly resting on him before shifting to the unconscious Arie.

"I'm Winter Icelyn," she said, her voice calm yet commanding. "Level 13 adventurer."

Agin's eyes widened.

"Winter Icelyn?" His voice shook as realization dawned on him.

"The Winter Icelyn? The 7th Celestial Hero?"

"Correct," she replied, as if the title held no significance to her.

Without hesitation, Agin dropped to one knee, his head bowed in deep respect. Even Princess Lea, though a royal, knelt as protocol dictated for one of Winter's stature.

Winter frowned slightly, waving a dismissive hand. "No kneeling. I don't care for such things."

Agin rose cautiously, still stunned.

"Your grace, may I ask... what brings you here?"

Winter's eyes swept over the group again, stopping on Arie. "That's my question. What are the three of you doing here?" She paused, raising an eyebrow. "Actually, make that four," she corrected herself. "What's he doing unconscious in the deep floors?"

"Deep floors?" Princess Lea echoed, her face pale. "So... we fell that far?"

"You fell?" Winter's tone was incredulous.

Agin nodded, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yes. We were surrounded by a horde of monsters. If not for you, we'd be—"

"Spare me the thanks," Winter interrupted coolly.

"I was returning from my own journey through this dungeon. Consider your rescue, incidental."

Agin exchanged a look with Lea, then cautiously asked,

"If it's not too much trouble, could you escort us back to the surface?"

Winter gave a small, almost imperceptible shrug. "Sure."

Just as the group began to relax, a slow, mocking clap echoed from the shadows.

"Going somewhere?"

The voice sent a chill down their spines. The group turned to see the teacher emerging from the darkness, his sinister smile stretching across his face.

"Who might you be?" Winter demanded, her grip on her sword tightening. Her tone remained calm, but there was a clear edge to it.

"Or rather... who might all of you be?"

The teacher chuckled, motioning to four other figures who stepped forward, their stances and auras radiating deadly skill.

"Impressive that you noticed us," he said. "We are the Cult of Crimson—"

Before he could finish, Winter vanished. In an instant, she was behind one of the men, her sword slicing through the air with precision. Her movements were calculated, almost surgical, as she aimed for a critical blow. But to her surprise, the man reacted in time, parrying her strike with a burst of defensive magic.

Agin and Lea watched in stunned silence. Winter's teleportation technique—it was just like Arie's, yet refined and seamless.

The teacher smirked.

"A rare technique. Interesting." He gestured to his men. "Keep her occupied. I'll deal with the rest."

The four men charged Winter, engaging her in a fierce 4v1 battle. Despite being outnumbered, her precision and unshakable focus kept her at the center of the fight, her movements so calculated that every strike seemed inevitable. Blades clashed, and sparks flew as she fended off attacks from every angle.

Meanwhile, the teacher approached Agin and the others with a sinister grin. Agin stepped forward, trying to shield the others.

"You'll have to go through me first."

The teacher's smile widened. "Gladly."

In a blur of motion, the teacher delivered a powerful punch to Agin's stomach, sending him crashing into the wall. Agin groaned before slipping into unconsciousness.

Princess Lea stepped forward, her sword raised, while Liana prepared a spell from behind. The two girls fought valiantly, but their earlier battles had drained them. The teacher's relentless attacks overwhelmed them. A sharp slash caught Lea's leg, and she collapsed to the ground with a cry of pain.

The teacher advanced, his blade aimed at her. Liana leaped in front of Lea, casting a protective shield spell just in time. But the strain of the spell drained her remaining mana, leaving her vulnerable.

With a dark grin, the teacher struck Liana down. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"No!" Lea screamed, dragging herself toward Liana's fallen form. The teacher turned his attention back to her, his blade gleaming as he prepared the final blow.

Winter, still battling the cultists, glanced toward the scene. She saw the teacher raise his sword. She pushed the cultists away and dashed straight to Lea, but.

"I won't make it," she thought bitterly. Her feet moved instinctively, but even she knew she wouldn't reach them in time.

Time seemed to slow as Lea, trembling, raised her hands in a feeble attempt to shield herself. "Help," she whispered, her voice breaking.

The teacher's blade descended.

And blood, was spilled, to the air.

Blood sprayed through the air, a sharp, crimson streak cutting through the tense silence. Icelyn stopped mid-stride, her sharp gaze narrowing on the unexpected sight. The blood wasn't Princess Lea's—it was the teacher's.

Lea's weak, trembling gaze shifted upward, her vision clearing just enough to see the source of the attack. Emerging from the shadows, a black, viscous slime coiled and slithered, retracting from the teacher's pierced hand like a serpent withdrawing after a strike. Lea's heart leaped, a flicker of recognition sparking hope.

Lea was overjoyed, as she know that only one person is capable of such technique.

Ar—

Her voice caught as her eyes fully focused on the figure standing. Her breath hitched, her expression twisting into one of both shock and confusion.

It was Arie—or at least it seemed like him. But something was different. His hair, once short, now flowed down past his shoulders, wild and unkempt. His frame seemed to shift subtly, his every motion unnervingly smooth, exuding an aura both commanding and alien. His eyes burned with an otherworldly intensity, framed by the strange, glowing patterns of his Calamity Eye.

"A-Arie?" Lea stammered, her voice cracking.

Arie didn't respond. Instead, he charged at the cultist. He moved with unnerving precision, his sword drawn and gleaming faintly in the low light. Without hesitation, he raised his blade, the Calamity Sword radiating an oppressive aura.

The teacher staggered back, clutching his injured arm as blood dripped steadily to the floor. His face twisted with both pain and disbelief.

(How is he still standing? Our plan was flawless—his mana should have been drained completely! And that hair… his movements… it's as if—)

The teacher's eyes widened. (—it's as if he's becoming something else entirely.) Hmph! Surprised you're still up after defeating Skeletus on your own

Arie disappeared in a blur, reappearing directly in front of one of the cultists. His blade moved with terrifying precision, carving a clean arc that left the man's weapon shattered and his arm severed. The cultist dropped, screaming in agony as Arie stepped past him, his movements seamless, almost mechanical.

Icelyn observed the scene, her usually impassive expression cracking under the weight of her astonishment. (He defeated the Skeletus on his own and is still fighting? Very impressive, but—)

Arie's attacks were relentless, cutting through the cultists one by one with chilling efficiency. His form continued to change—subtle but undeniable. His features softened, his stance shifted, and his very presence seemed to radiate something more than human.

The air grew heavier with each step he took, his transformation continuing as though it were an unstoppable force. Every strike, every movement was exact, every action precise. To the onlookers, he seemed like a phantom—a blade wielded by fate itself.

Blood pooled beneath the cultists, their bodies strewn across the chamber floor. Arie stood at the center, his sword hanging loosely by his side, its blade dripping with blood. His breath eerily calm despite the massacre around him.

The teacher stumbled backward, gripping his wounded arm, panic flickering in his eyes.

"T-this isn't right… he shouldn't be awake—"

The teacher, trembling with fear as he held a communication crystal, barely choked out the words.

"M-master… we n-need backup. Arie woke—"

His sentence never finished. Arie moved in a blink, the cultist's body splitting apart at the waist, severed cleanly by another precise slash.

Princess Lea took a hesitant step forward, reaching out instinctively. "Arie—"

But Icelyn's arm shot out, stopping her.

"Don't go near him."

Her voice was cold, but firm. Her eyes never left Arie.

"Look closely… he hasn't responded once. Something's wrong."

Lea's heart pounded. "But… it's Arie—"

"That's not the Arie you know right now." Icelyn's grip tightened.

"Stay on your guard."

Arie's body tensed as an overwhelming surge of energy erupted from within him, causing the air to distort and ripple outward. A sudden wave of heat rolled over the battlefield, followed by a deafening pulse that sent loose rocks and debris flying. His body arched back, veins glowing crimson beneath his skin.

Then it happened.

A radiant surge of energy exploded outward, creating a storm of red and black lightning that spiraled around him like a vortex. His hair stretched and grew more, cascading into flowing locks of midnight black, shimmering faintly with an ethereal glow. His frame shifted, more slender yet refined, exuding both grace and deadly precision.

The remnants of his battle-worn outfit disintegrated into glowing shards, replaced by sleek armor that materialized piece by piece. The dark metal gleamed in the pulsating light, adorned with crimson streaks and intricate designs that seemed to writhe with life. A long, red sash whipped violently in the storm of energy, giving him—or rather, her—a regal yet intimidating presence.

The final wave of energy burst out with a thunderous roar, forcing everyone to shield their faces from the blinding light.

As the dust and energy cleared, she stood tall, an aura of unrelenting dominance radiating from her.

Her crimson eyes opened, glowing with an otherworldly intensity. She slowly closed her eyes again and said with her lips parted, her voice chilling yet smooth.

"What a naive brat you are"