Chapter 49: It’s Snowing

{Stop it.}

The moment Row’s hand touched him, shadows rose from all directions, binding Scott and attempting to fling him away.

“Khrrrr! Don’t underestimate the Elder of the Snowflower Tower!”

However, Scott gritted his teeth and braced himself with both legs, reaching out toward Row.

{Ah, this will do.}

As Row made a move, the powerful enchantment engraved on Scott’s body was covered and erased by the shadows.

Once the strength that had reinforced his body faded, Scott was unable to hold on any longer, and the shadows flung him into the wall with great force.

{The Elder is finished. Next…}

The small fry would likely be dealt with by the shadow soldiers.

Among the troublesome ones, the next target was probably that person.

{Ohho.}

Turning his head, he saw Elaine rushing at him, sword in hand.

How thoughtful of her to run into the danger zone herself.

Of course, he wouldn’t kill her since they had made a promise.

{A missing limb can always be replaced with an artificial one.}

Magic, fire play.

Instead of striking, a shadow whip, with an eerie curve, aimed at Elaine, as if it would tear her flesh.

Frostblade, snowstorm.

Elaine didn’t avoid it and instead met the attack head-on.

Whoosh!

Though the impact was heavy and her sword shook, she successfully blocked the strike of the shadow whip.

{Yeah, she can handle this much.}

“1”

Immediately, four whips lashed out in succession.

Fire play, four-hit combo.

Elaine had blocked each one with full power, but four was too much.

Avoiding them was impossible. The difference in strength made blocking them hopeless.

‘I have to make it.’

With both hands gripping her sword, Elaine poured her magical energy into it.

The firm blade responded to her will, glowing with a clear light.

Frostblade, snowflake!

The heavy sword, now charged with magical energy, struck the incoming attacks with minimal movement.

‘Ughhh!’

But her opponent was a hero who had saved the world in a war against demons.

And for some reason, he wielded even more powerful and terrifying strength than before.

Elaine managed to deflect the first two whips, but by the third, even she lacked the strength.

“Ugh!”

In the end, she couldn’t block the fourth whip, and it struck her back.

Elaine faltered, her posture crumbling under the pain, and she spoke.

{That must hurt. Impressive.}

Row muttered with interest as he approached her to take action himself.

Elaine, kneeling on one knee, used her sword as a staff to manage the pain.

‘Now!’

As Row carelessly stepped into her range, Elaine swiftly lunged with her sword.

{Oops, this is unexpected.}

Row, as if waiting for the moment, wrapped his body in shadows and vanished, reappearing behind her.

Magic, shadow step—an instant teleportation technique. Now, Elaine was the one caught.

{Struggling like this isn’t beautiful or heroic. It’s pathetic.}

Elaine tried to turn and strike, but Row spoke again.

{I said it’s pathetic.}

With a magic move, he stopped her movements and kicked her legs out from under her, forcing her to kneel.

Shadows rose from the ground and formed a spear, completely trapping her.

{I’ve had someone like you before. There’s no way out, and it’s pointless to fight. The idiot who fought on, babbling about will and beliefs.}

“???”

{What’s funny? Joining in on that idiot’s stupidity only made me dumber. I took losses, shrugged it off, and felt good when I wasn’t paid in money but in meaningless favors. So I cut him off. Stupid people are poor, and I don’t like poor.}

At last, Elaine understood Row’s words and furrowed her brow.

It seemed like they had fought before, but something still bothered her.

Why was this so-called hero attacking them at the Snowflower Tower?

From what Row was saying, it seemed that the “idiot” he referred to… could it be that he had done something dreadful?

{Tch, that annoying memory keeps coming back. It’s all because you guys were so irritating. My mind’s changed. I was going to use you as a hobby for rich fools and discard you, but now I’ll just kill you.}

Row declared this with a finality and gathered shadows in his hand, forming a blade.

He swung it toward Elaine’s neck.

“Hey, you thug!”

Someone called out to Row, stopping him.

Row sighed and turned his head.

{It’s you again, strange guy? Don’t be upset. I haven’t forgotten you. I just think we have a lot to talk about, so I’ll kill you last.}

“Stop pretending. You’re a thug, you piece of shit.”

At Luke’s words, Row’s werewolf form twitched slightly.

{Oh, you’ve been acting like you know all about me. Did you know that’s my least favorite nickname? You’re really pushing it, aren’t you?}

“Thug?

{Hah!}

You’re just calling me a thug. So what’s the problem, huh? Isn’t that right, you thug?**

Row completely turned his body to face Luke.

{Don’t you know? I’m skilled with drugs too. If I just keep your breath alive, I can soak you in drugs and extract all the information I want. Keep messing around.}

“That’s a pointless thing to do. I already gave you the answer earlier. Who’s to blame if you don’t believe it?”

As Luke continued to provoke him, Low’s forehead twisted in anger.

He opened his mouth wide and laughed loudly, then suddenly stopped.

{Got it. First, I’ll tear your limbs apart. With my own hands.}

The moment those words ended, Low’s figure disappeared and reappeared right in front of Luke.

It was the same teleportation technique he had used when he caught Elaine.

Elaine hurriedly tried to assist Luke, but her limbs were completely restricted by the shadow spear and she couldn’t move.

Low threw a punch, and Luke defended with his sword.

Clang!

At Low’s enraged punch, Luke’s sword shattered like a cookie.

{Your skills are nothing compared to Agari.}

Luke discarded the broken sword and pulled a dagger from his belt. Seeing this, Low couldn’t help but laugh.

{Heh, a cute little fruit knife! Are you that desperate?}

Though it was ridiculous, Low was about to break the dagger just to crush Luke’s hope completely.

{What?}

But the moment his hand reached the dagger, its blade dug into Low’s hand.

It didn’t stop at just causing a wound; it continued to cut through Low’s arm.

This can’t be happening!

Despite the sharp pain causing his pupils to shake, Low tried to pull the dagger out, but it had already reached his elbow.

Reluctantly, Low used his other hand to sever his arm and then leapt backward.

‘That weird bastard is doing something strange again.’

Experience told him that beings like that always did peculiar things.

But while Aran was someone with incomprehensible strength and miracles, this guy just didn’t make sense.

From start to finish, everything was a mystery.

{…………There might be a way to extract information from a corpse if I look for it.}

Low, now keeping his distance, temporarily regenerated his severed arm with shadows and traced a circle in the air.

Shadow magic, spinning top.

The size was enormous, and its rotation was even faster than before. It seemed that it could pulverize him completely.

But then—

Low noticed something suspicious.

Instead of chasing him, Luke bent his body in place and seemed to be preparing a stance to kick.

What the hell is that supposed to be?

Enough. I’m not going to bother with it anymore.

As Low completed the spinning top and was about to launch it—

“Catch this!”

Luke swung his dagger.

Despite being far away, what was the short dagger going to do as it was swung through the air?

{!!!}

Then, Low gasped in shock.

Where Luke had swung the dagger—

A blast of cold air exploded and rushed toward him.

No, this isn’t just cold air. That’s… a vortex made of ice!

{11000000!!}

A fierce snowstorm instantly engulfed Low, and he groaned in agony from the abnormal cold.

‘This cold… It’s more than just ice magic!’

How could such a soldier produce such intense cold?

To unleash this level of cold, they would need to be a mage of Elder rank or higher…

{Could it be?}

He realized. This place—yes, it had that.

He had been planning to wipe out these annoying bugs first before breaking them apart.

So this bastard, is he really—

{Aaaahhhhh!}

Low released the shadows he had gathered in the sphere and shook off the cold.

Then, he gathered more shadows around his arm.

{You bastard!!}

Shadow magic, rat fire.

Fueled with rage, it took the form of a saw-toothed whip and attacked, aiming to tear apart the exhausted Luke.

At that moment—

“Received well, your full power. As expected, the man I’ve entrusted my body to.”

{?!}

A woman’s voice came from behind.

For the first time in his life, Low felt chills down his spine and was about to turn around.

“Don’t look back. I told you, I won’t show you my face as a woman.”

The Frostblade Oi, heavy snow.

The dagger, full of cold magic, was swung powerfully by Elaine.

Swwiiiish!

With full force, the strike cut diagonally across Low’s back.

{Kugh!}

Low tumbled forward, seeing his own red blood mingling with—

Thick, beautiful snowflakes swirling in the air.

‘Heh, this is amazing…?’

Thud.

Snow began to fall over the fallen Low’s body.