Chapter 1599 Chapter 1421: Ice Sovereign 1

Chapter 1599 Chapter 1421: Ice Sovereign 1

Southern of Gracier's location, Maria was also surrounded by an army of monsters, humans and demons were mixed in.

Currently, instead of her usual black hair, Maria's hair had turned white and her body exuding a chilling aura. She held in her two hands the crystal dagger, the first form of her Gift.

''If you are not coming, I'll come to you instead.'' She declared in a chilling tone before she vanished, at the same time hundred of ice arrows were manifested hovering around her.

The air crackled with frost as Maria reappeared, a blur of white amidst the chaos. Her ice arrows, propelled by the force of her slash, became streaks of white light, skewering demons, piercing shields, and sending human soldiers stumbling back in terror. Some arrows shattered against enchanted armor, exploding in miniature blizzards that momentarily blinded their targets.

The enemy ranks faltered, momentarily thrown into disarray. But the advantage was fleeting. A hulking ogre bellowed, charging at Maria with a club the size of a tree trunk. She met the charge head-on, twisting her body to evade the club's swing. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the ground, but Maria remained unfazed. With lightning reflexes, she stabbed her dagger into the ogre's exposed ankle, twisting it with a cruel efficiency that sent the behemoth crashing down, howling in pain.

A condensed Ice arrow skewed the ogre's brain through its right eye. The latter's body convulsed for a moment before breathing its last breath.

Undeterred by one of their big shots drath, the mixed horde surged forward again. A pair of gargoyles, their stone bodies imbued with demonic power, swooped down, claws outstretched. Maria, anticipating their attack, launched herself skyward with an explosive burst of ice energy, leaving behind a crater where she stood moments ago. The gargoyles collided midair, their screeches echoing as they tumbled to the ground, stunned.

''Ice Flowers!" She mumbled before a tiny ice particles in the form of small flower patterns danced in the air before coiling around the gargoyle's bodies, instantly freezing them to death.

Landing gracefully, Maria weaved through the throng, her movements a whirlwind of ice and steel. Her daggers flashed, leaving trails of frost in their wake. A human enemy, driven by fanatical zeal, lunged at her with a sword. Maria parried the blow with her dagger, the metal clanging in a shower of sparks. But the man was relentless, his attacks fueled by a desperate fervor.

Maria, recognizing his desperation, saw an opening. With a swift maneuver, she disarmed the man, the sword clattering to the ground.

Boom!

The man's body was sent flying, drawing a parabolic arc in the air before ultimately landing on his neck, producing a cracking sound as his neck got twisted.

BOOM!

The dagger met its mark, a burst of frost erupting outwards. The fiery head let out a final agonized scream before vanishing in a cloud of icy mist. The remaining head, its fiery counterpart now just a frozen memory, roared in fury.

But the tide had turned. The fear that Maria commanded was palpable. The enemy ranks, already shaken by her prowess, wavered. Doubt clouded their eyes. Some faltered, dropping their weapons in surrender. Others turned and fled, the battlefield echoing with their panicked cries.

The twin-headed ogre, alone and enraged, charged at Maria. It swung its remaining fist, a battering ram aimed to crush her. But Maria wouldn't be swayed. As the fist descended, she vanished. A white blur reappeared behind the creature, her daggers poised for the final strike.

With a chilling grace, she plunged both blades into the creature's vulnerable neck. The roar that followed was different this time, filled with pain and fear rather than rage. The remaining head shuddered, then went limp, the ogre collapsing onto the blood-stained ground.

Silence descended upon the battlefield, broken only by the creaking of ice and the ragged breaths of the remaining combatants.

Maria stood resolute, her white hair catching the first slivers of dawn like a frosted halo. Though exhaustion tugged at her muscles, her icy glare remained fixed on the battlefield. Unlike others who might celebrate a temporary victory, she knew retreat wasn't an option. These weren't soldiers fighting for a just cause, but pawns driven by greed and malice. Letting them run free would only invite future bloodshed.

With a deep breath, she closed her eyes, summoning the essence of her power. The chilling aura emanating from her intensified, tendrils of frost snaking outwards like hungry vines. Then, with a silent declaration, she opened her eyes, their icy blue depths shimmering with newfound power.

"The Ice Sovereign's Domain!" she proclaimed, her voice echoing with power and resolve.

An invisible wave pulsed outwards from her, its reach extending 200 meters - an icy tide claiming the surrounding landscape. Trees froze mid-sway, their leaves becoming brittle shards of ice that rained down. The ground solidified, transforming into a vast, treacherous expanse of slick ice. Even the air itself grew thick and cold, each breath stinging lungs accustomed to warmth.

Within this domain, Maria reigned supreme. Her movements became effortless, gliding across the frozen ground with spectral grace. Her enemies, unprepared for this sudden shift in power dynamics, stumbled and fell, their armor offering little protection against the biting cold. Their weapons, intended for flesh and bone, clattered uselessly against the unyielding ice.

Panic and despair replaced their earlier aggression. Those who had considered fleeing now found themselves trapped, shivering puppets within a frigid theater. Some, overcome by the sheer power of the domain, collapsed outright, their bodies succumbing to the relentless cold. Others, driven by fear and survival instinct, lashed out blindly, their attacks easily deflected by Maria's swift blades.

She moved amongst them like a wraith, a whirlwind of chilling steel and frosted elegance. Each strike was precise and calculated, sending enemies crashing onto the unforgiving ice, their moans and pleas swallowed by the growing chorus of the wind. This wasn't a dance of wanton destruction, but a calculated display of power, a message etched in ice and fear: resistance was futile.

Maria mercilessly slaughtered the enemy. Her eyes were cold, ruthless only thinking of the future of her loved ones and in order to protect this future she mustn't falter and show pity here.