Frostfire Legacy

Chapter 278 God of Destruction

Lorelai slowly knelt, her breath becoming more labored. Though her injury wasn't severe, the Blood Rose Poison was destroying her mana control and making her feel powerless. The energy she once controlled slipped through her fingers like sand, weakening her.

Seeing her lose the ability to fight back, Vanessa strode forward with a casual grace. A small, curved dagger appeared in her hands, conjured from her blood. It would deliver the final blow despite its small size.

"Wait..."

"...?"

Aster's voice broke the tension. Despite being cursed again, he seemed unaffected. He stood up slowly, gathering his remaining strength. He lumbered to Vanessa's side, limping but determined to face what was to come.

Vanessa supported Aster without speaking. Together, they approached Lorelai, who was limp but alive, gasping for breath.

"Lory..." Various emotions filled Aster's voice. He seemed pleading instead of confident. "Is this the only way?"

Despite the ambiguity, Lorelai understood. He wanted to know if death was the only way to stop her—from her ideals, mission, and everything she had sacrificed for.

Her smile was a mix of resignation and acceptance. Not a word came from her. Her silence weighed on Aster, as if she confirmed his worst fears. He took her silence as an answer, clenching his teeth and balling his hands into fists. A painful knot tightened in his chest.

He turned to Vanessa, giving her a brief nod, signaling her to finish what she had started. There was no other choice left. Wasting no time, Vanessa raised the dagger, preparing to strike.

"Alright, stop it right there."

A low voice sliced through the air, halting everything.

Vanessa and Aster both turned toward the source of the voice, hearts racing. Standing before them was the masked jester, Arima, holding Cassy by her ears, her feet barely touching the ground. His grip was firm, his stance relaxed as though he had all the time in the world.

"I've enjoyed the show," Arima said, his voice a mix of seriousness and amusement, "but I'm afraid I won't allow you to kill my business partner over there. I'll snap this rabbit woman's neck if you don't stop."

"Urk…!"

Cassy let out a strangled groan, Arima's grip tightening around her throat. Her fingers clawed helplessly at his hand, trying to pry it loose, but her strength was waning. Aster, seeing the agony on her face, roared in both anger and worry.

"Cassy! You bastard, let her go!"

"You first. Move away from Lorelai," Arima replied calmly, his grip unwavering. He sounded as though he had dealt with this kind of situation far too often to be fazed by it.

"Tsk!"

Vanessa clicked her tongue in irritation. She had hoped Arima wouldn't intervene, but here he was, complicating things. Magnus had ordered her to prioritize killing Lorelai, even if it meant sacrificing Cassy. But she knew that letting Cassy die in front of Aster would make him despise her, and that was something she couldn't afford. Not now.

"Alright, alright." Vanessa sighed, guiding Aster away from Lorelai, inching closer to Arima instead. "This far enough? Release the girl."

"No, not yet." Arima wasn't one to be rushed. His eyes remained cold, his smile mocking. "Lorelai, I'm pulling you over. Don't resist."

At his command, Lorelai's body flew through the air as if an invisible force had dragged her. She tumbled weightlessly, her form limp and helpless. In the blink of an eye, she was sitting at Arima's feet, the distance between her and Vanessa widening in an instant.

"This should be fair, right?" Arima smiled, his sharp eyes glinting under the mask. And without any fuss, he released Cassy, pushing her toward Aster and Vanessa as if she were nothing more than a pawn in his grand game.

"Ah!"

Cassy stumbled forward, unable to see, and fell face-first to the ground with a muffled cry of pain. Aster, concern flooding his expression, rushed to her side, his heartbeat thundering in his chest.

"Cassy, it's me, Aster," he whispered softly. Relief and worry filled his voice. "I'll help you up. Grab on." His hands trembled slightly as he grasped her arms, lifting her gently.

He lifted her by the shoulders, his legs trembling under the strain of his own injuries, but he managed to support her as they made their way back to Vanessa, slowly and carefully.

"Now that she's safe..." Vanessa's smile turned wicked as she snapped her fingers, her eyes glinting with malicious intent.

At that moment, the blood rapier lodged in Lorelai's chest began to glow ominously, expanding as if it were about to detonate. The once harmless-looking weapon now threatened to end Lorelai's life in a violent burst of energy. Lorelai gasped, realizing too late that the weapon had been a trap all along.

"Nasty woman," Arima muttered, though he showed no signs of concern or urgency.

*SNAP!*

He snapped his fingers, mirroring Vanessa's gesture. Instantly, the swelling blood rapier froze, its glow dimming as if someone had hit the pause button. Then, as if it were nothing more than an illusion, the rapier slowly faded, disappearing without a trace.

"...!"

Lorelai's eyes widened in shock. Even she, who had fought alongside Arima before, hadn't expected this. What kind of power could simply erase a conjured weapon?

"You..." Vanessa's voice was low, her eyes narrowing as she realized what had occurred. The blood rapier, which she had conjured and controlled, had simply vanished. Her connection to it was completely severed, something she hadn't anticipated.

"What? Haven't seen magic before?" Arima chuckled, twirling a dagger between his fingers as if it were a toy. "Disappearing tricks are basic stuff, you know?"

"Magic?" Vanessa scoffed. "What bullshit. You think I'll buy that?"

To the untrained eye, it might have seemed like Arima had teleported the rapier away, but Vanessa knew better. Teleportation wouldn't sever her connection to the weapon like this. No, this was something else—something far more dangerous.

"Your ability... it's destruction, isn't it?" Vanessa's voice was deadly serious now, her tone lacking its usual playful edge. "You're not just some jester. You're the leader of the Anti-Human Movement. You're Arima Hajime, the God of Destruction."

"Bingo~!" Arima clapped his hands in mock applause, his laughter echoing through the cavern. "To think you'd figure it out without me even needing to say a word. I'm impressed, Vampire Princess. Really, I am."

Vanessa's eyes darkened. Her mind raced as she calculated her next move. Without hesitation, she stepped forward, her heel striking the ground with a resounding crack. Instantly, the floor rippled like water, spreading in all directions.

*CRACK!*

But before it could spread far, the ripple shattered into pieces. Arima hadn't moved, but his influence was unmistakable.

'This is bad.'

Lorelai's thoughts raced, dread curling in her stomach.

Arima wasn't just a powerful fighter—he was a force of destruction itself. If he wanted to, he could wipe them all out in an instant. The only reason they were still alive was because he simply wasn't interested in killing them yet.

That realization sent a chill down Lorelai's spine.