Chapter 133 Antarctica Gate

I am the Ice Empress.

Deep inside, I am well aware of my indomitable position as the Ice Empress. No one has best me in combat and back from whence I came, I was a formidable goddess, a force to be reckoned with. Even kings and the strongest warriors alike can't best me in battle. With my two Fanged Polar Bears at my side, aiding me in combat, I have led countless campaigns, never losing a single one.

..

For years I have led my kingdom in peace and tranquility. With seasons passing, I've guarded my kingdom as if it were my own son. My historical record prompted the neighboring kingdom to steer clear away from me, even offering me treasures so I'll maintain my ground. Of course, I have no intention of invading other kingdoms. All I ever wanted was peace— peace everlasting.

Hendrick, my son, oh how I wish you were alive to see what your dear mother has achieved. If only you didn't sacrifice your life for my sake, you would've been the one to fulfill this destiny. You would've been the formidable knight that led the Ice Army to countless victories, driving away invaders with that piercing gaze of yours.

Your father, he would be proud.

It saddens me that I lost the two of you in my early years. I still remember the times when the three of us will sit under the blanket of stars, relishing each other's company while we take a breather from the daily duties of leading a kingdom. That was nice, oh how I wish to relive that moment.

Fear not, my dear husband and son. For I, soon, will rejoin you in your slumber. I am of old age now, and I have dedicated this kingdom under the rulership of my right-hand man. I have observed him over the years, he always goes above and beyond his duty. And above all, he prioritizes the citizens more than anything else. That's my only wish, because with that wish granted, peace and harmony will remain in the Ice Kingdom.

The throes of death are waiting upon the door, and my slumber is nigh. Within me, I feel the embers of life slowly dissipating as I passed onto the church to one of youth. With this, my job is done, my work fulfilled.

I wonder if I'll be able to meet you. Would we look the same when we were in our prime? Would our son recognize us? Were you all waiting on the other side for me?

Rest easy, your dear mother is on her way.

...

Breathing her last breath, the Ice Empress gave up her soul, sinking into her bed like a majestic portrait of someone deep in her sleep. Richtford, the Ice Empress's right-hand man, shed manly tears as the Ice Empress he followed from his childhood died on his watch. There was nothing he could do to combat old age, and that's why he awaited the inevitable, as much as he hated to see the strong figure of the Ice Empress weakening by the day. As an orphan taken in by the Ice Empress to become one of her pawns, he rose through the ranks and proved himself the most trustworthy candidate to be on her right hand. He fulfilled his duty, and in return, he was handed another responsibility, too heavy a burden to carry on his shoulders. And yet, he didn't want to renounce such an overwhelming duty. He noticed the hardship, and the vigilance the Ice Empress had to keep just so the Ice Kingdom could maintain its prosperity and peace.

Placing his right hand on his chest and his left hand on his back, he saluted the Ice Empress one last time. "If there were ever another life, my queen, I desire that I serve you once more." He said.

.....

Back to the Present.

Satoshi gulped at the sight of the Gate in Antarctica. In retrospect, he initially assumed that there was a lack of manpower, that's why no one has entered the Gate yet. But as it turned out, that was only part of the reason.

"Don't you think this is... " Emma mumbled, her eyes completely fixated on the Gate that swirled around like a mass of boundless energy.

"Colossal? Yeah," Satoshi responded, craning his neck up just to see how tall in diameter the Gate was. He almost fell backward from looking too high.

That's right, another reason why no one has taken action yet was because of the sheer size of the Gate. Who knows what monstrosities linger inside such an entrance. It could even be called the entrance to hell, for all one cares.

"I guess... we're going in?" Satoshi asked.

"Who's going in?"

Aghk~!

In a split second, Satoshi noticed a presence behind him and he inadvertently turned around to attack it out of impulse. In that instant though, he was grabbed by the nape and almost slammed to the ground. Had he not reacted in time and turned around to push the hand out of the way, his face would've been buried deep in the snow.

"Hoh, you're quite fast for a teenager. What's your name?" The man asked. He was wearing a complete Eskimo gear, with thick skating glasses, a parka, and hide boots.

"I'm Satoshi, Midoriyama Satoshi." He said, only just realizing that the man was speaking in Japanese.

"Oh, so you're Japanese, huh. I guessed that right." The man said, jerking a thumb towards his face before extending his hand. "I'm Lloyd Witherer, nice to meet you, Midoriyama Satoshi."

"Oum~" Satoshi nodded.

"And you must be— "

"Emma, Emma Leisenberg," Emma responded, shaking the man's hand as well. She figured that Satoshi didn't see him as a threat so she wouldn't either.

"So, what were you two teenagers doing in such a remote place as Antarctica? Were you lost? No, that's a weird question. How could two teenagers be lost in the middle of nowhere? Wait, now that statement is even weirder." Lloyd muttered. "In any case, I can tell that you're curious as to what's inside that portal thing, right? I wouldn't go inside if I were you."

"Why?" Satoshi asked, half-amused that the man was treating them like a bunch of kids.

"There are monsters inside," Lloyd said. "But fear not, m'lad and m'lady! My team of superheroes is here to seize the day! Once again, I'm Lloyd Witherer. You might not know who I am but I'll be in the news soon. I'm the leader of the Antarctica Exploration Team— a team of superheroes assigned to clear this gate."

There was a light smile on Satoshi's face as he admired the optimism of Lloyd Witherer. 'Doesn't he know that he might die inside? How could he instantly assume that they can clear the Gate? Are they really that strong?' Satoshi couldn't help but wonder. Appearance-wise, though, he already concluded that the man was just your regular run-of-the-mill superhero.

"Leader, who are you talking to?" Another individual, wearing the same thing as Lloyd, came up to the group, assisting herself with two walking sticks. Satoshi and Emma only noticed that she was a girl after she already joined in on the circle.

"Oh, just a bunch of teenagers. I don't know where they came from but they're curious about the Gate." Lloyd calmly explained.

"Wait... how could two teenagers be— " Suddenly, the woman jumped back and wings of flame appeared on her back. "Lloyd, get away from those kids!"

"What are you talking abo— "

"If you don't know where they came from, then it's safe to assume that they came from the Gate!"

"Relax, Rachel, they speak Japanese. Besides, I caught them before they could even enter. I literally heard this kid say he wanted to go inside. Why would he say that if he came out of it?" Lloyd said.

"Then... who are they and what are they doing here?" Rachel asked, approaching the group once again but this time, she was more wary than usual. She didn't recall her flaming wings just in case she needed to escape.

"This kid here said his name is Midoriyama Satoshi, and this girl said her name is Emma Leisenberg."

"Hold on," Rachel said, typing away on the hologram keyboard that came out of her wristwatch. After a few seconds, she sighed. "Midoriyama Satoshi is the son of the famous Midoriyama duo. I've already sent them a message, alerting them of his whereabouts. As for the girl, there are no records of her whatsoever. She may be an unregistered citizen."

"See? They didn't come from the Gate." Lloyd shrugged. "Can we stop talking about this now? We have a Gate to clear."

"You're right. I'll go fetch the others. Entry should've been five minutes ago, they're probably lazing around at HQ."

"I guess we've got no choice but to go back for now. We should also escort these teenagers there." Lloyd said, translating to Satoshi what he just said so he would understand.

However, to his surprise, Satoshi shook his head and pointed at the Gate. "No, we're going inside the Gate, let us accompany you."