Alice Subjugation (9)

At the zenith of each element, the four Elemental Kings sensed an immense ice mana.

In their respective nations, they turned their heads toward the island where Märchen Academy was located, with surprised faces.

Lightning Nation, "Zabrok".

In the palace, a man dressed in a black robe. The Lightning Sovereign, Jaul Dragoniac, closed his eyes and cleared his mind.

Zzzzt!

Balkan, a gorilla familiar with lightning mana wrapped around its shoulders appeared. The beast knelt on one knee and bowed its head to show respect to its master.

Jaul opened his eyes again and looked at Balkan with violet eyes flowing with lightning mana.

[I, Balkan, have come at the call of the Lightning Sovereign!]

"A new Ice Sovereign has been chosen."

Balkan was surprised, but soon composed his expression, having already heard that a new King would soon emerge from among the students of Märchen Academy.

"Keep watch over Märchen Academy in the Zelver Empire."

[Understood!]

Balkan disappeared as lightning mana.

Jaul looked at the brightly lit sky. Now was the time to face Isaac as King against King.

The northern part of the Empire, Duchy of Whiteclark.

"Lady Aichel?! Please wait!"

Aichel Whiteclark, the next Northern Grand Duchess, ran out in front of the mansion and looked up at the sky. Her maids hurriedly chased after her as she acted impulsively.

The Ice Sovereign's brilliant white light was dispelling the darkness of the night sky. Aichel was certain that Isaac, a student and Archwizard of Märchen Academy, had revealed his true identity.

Aichel gasped for breath. A smile spread across her lips.

"Come, O King of Ice. I have been waiting for you."

Aichel looked towards the brilliant light, lifting the hem of her dress and greeting politely. She whispered her greeting softly enough that no one else could hear.

She was extremely happy because the Ice King she was to serve, the master of the White Dragon, had descended.

The maids could not understand why the next Northern Grand Duchess was paying respect to the sky, where an anomaly had occurred.

The Duchy of Astrea.

Gerald Astrea, a Sword Saint, was training as usual when he stopped and stared at the brilliant light shining in the night sky with a sharp gaze.

A powerful mana, so overwhelming that even he felt no will to oppose it, was spreading across the world.

"The Nameless Hero perhaps..."

The Ducal House of Astrea owed a debt to the Nameless Hero.

However, as the man was concealing his identity, Gerald was waiting for him to reveal himself first.

Gerald thought that it was time to start repaying his debt to him.

The East, Horan, Land of the Fire Blossoms.

In the Martial Imperial Court, Miya, a priestess with black hair, was looking at the light illuminating the night sky.

"Mae, what is that light...?"

Miya asked Mae, the Nine-tailed Fox beside her.

The fox smiled wistfully.

[It seems our benefactor has revealed his true form.]

"…"

Miya, with a thoughtful expression, quietly watched the shining night sky.

It was a beautiful light.

The Elfieto Imperial Court.

From the Imperial palace balcony, Emperor Carlos von Kairos Elfieto looked up at the sky of the white night with his knights.

The Imperial Magic Tower investigated the cause of this anomaly. The source of the immense power was not hidden, making it easy to determine the cause.

The only problem was that, even upon direct observation, the cause was hard to believe.

Soon, an Imperial Wizard hurried over and saluted the emperor.

"Speak. Who is in the sky?"

Normally jovial, Emperor Carlos, guessing that a serious situation had occurred, asked the Imperial Wizard in a subdued voice. His gaze remained fixed on the sky.

The Imperial Wizard sweated, a reaction born of profound awe. Skilled in magic, he fully realized how incredible the current phenomenon was.

The Imperial Wizard cleared his throat silently and opened his mouth.

"The phenomenon of the white night originates from the magic of one person..."

When Emperor Carlos shook his head, the Imperial Wizard stopped his report.

"I'll ask again."

The emperor's majestic gaze turned towards the Imperial Wizard.

"Now, who is the one ruling that sky?"

The Imperial Wizard swallowed dryly.

The Imperial Magic Tower observed the war occurring around Märchen Academy. There, a man with three pairs of icy wings was radiating brilliance.

Emperor Carlos had just one question. How should the empire define the individual?

The Imperial Wizard organized his thoughts and spoke.

"…Some know him as the Nameless Hero. Others, as the Ice Sovereign. He is the new Glacial Emperor. The Elemental King of Frost. But at the same time, he is a student of Marchen Academy… A young boy by the name of 'Isaac'."

The balance of power that made up the world began to shift.

Emperor Carlos closed his eyes. He was not surprised. He had anticipated this.

The Nameless hero was an unparalleled Archwizard. It was a natural conclusion that he would become the Ice Sovereign, the pinnacle of the element of ice.

Emperor Carlos thought of his daughter, Snow White.

Märchen Academy was guarded by Isaac. White's safety would be assured. Although he did not trust Isaac, it was clear he was on the side of humans.

"I will go to Märchen Academy."

Isaac was the pinnacle of humanity, stronger than any Elemental King. The world revolved around him.

Last winter, the Imperial magic tower had detected that Isaac even controlled the primordial magic beast of ice. Only the head of the Imperial magic tower, two senior wizards, and the emperor knew this information.

As the representative of the empire, it was necessary to meet such an entity directly to maintain the nation's stability and peace. There was a need to act swiftly.

"Prepare the carriage immediately."

Emperor Carlos turned and walked away, his luxurious imperial robe fluttered.

Meanwhile…

The fierce battle over the sea of ice was so grand that even the large island housing Märchen Academy seemed insignificant in comparison.

Those on the island watched the war between the Ice Sovereign's army and the demon army, including the Trump soldiers who had surrendered after losing their reason to fight and the four captured Trump Paladins.

The island was protected by a translucent ice barrier cast by Isaac. The battlefield surrounded the island, comprising the sky and the sea of ice.

The knights of Düpfendorf and the ice monsters wrapped their weapons in coldness to slice through or strike down the demons, while the ice wizards wielded potent ice magic to shatter and freeze their enemies.

Frost Spirit Merphil unleashed a large-scale ice spell toward Freya the Dark-Winged, waging an extensive battle.

The Glacial Bear Barbatoma and the Icebound Crocodile Tugaros unleashed ice magic-infused punches toward Hamon the Gluttonous or breathed out frosty blasts, tearing into their foes with tremendous biting power.

Massive explosions of mana occurred everywhere; had the battlefield not been the sea, the area would have been completely devastated.

And in the sky…

Kwagagagang!!

Hilde launched the 8-star ice spell [Hell of the Crimson Lotus] toward Nightmare Dragon Jabberwock.

The Nightmare Dragon countered with the 8-star neutral attribute magic [Phantasmal Flames] wrapped in dark mana.

The collision of the ultra-cold silver beam and the dark purple, mysterious flames caused a fierce explosion.

Kwaaaaang!!

The surroundings filled with cold steam.

The cold continued to sweep the sky. Any ordinary creature approaching would lose its life.

Saaaaa!!

The Vorpal Sword's energy, which was enveloped in an enormous density of mana, sliced through the steam. Isaac, spreading cold air, swung his Frostscythe, clashing with the sword's energy.

The sword's energy was consumed by the cold and split by the scythe's blade.

Isaac and Mephisto, deploying numerous magic circles, crossed the sky pouring attacks on each other, causing all kinds of thunderous noises to shake the heavens and the earth.

For those looking up at the sky from Märchen Academy, the scale of the battle was so vast that it couldn't be fully captured in their field of view.

Swoosh!

Clash!

Isaac ignored the repeatedly appearing level-up system window and charged at Mephisto with terrifying speed.

Crossing the sky, he intercepted Mephisto with magic, dazzlingly swinging his scythe. Within the relentless assault of ice magic, continuous streaks of silver trails were etched into the world.

Complacency quickly led to death. Mephisto realized that even a mere touch between weapons would certainly mean defeat.

Mephisto focused on dodging Isaac's graceful attacks and countering with magic.

[Arrgh!!]

Isaac dominated the sky.

A deep cold pervaded Alice's body. Over time, her body slowed, and underwent immense pain; her flesh froze, and her internal functions began to shut down.

In contrast, Isaac was unharmed, exuding an air of ease. The only wounds on his body were the ones he received in his fights against Zenon and Alice. Mephisto and the Nightmare Dragon hadn't managed to inflict any damage thus far.

Mephisto retreated quickly while watching Isaac, extending the Vorpal Sword upwards.

It gathered strength from its entire body. Mephisto gritted its teeth and released its mana at maximum output.

Kugugugugu!!

The blade surged with dark red mana, elegantly unleashed a towering sword energy. A whirlwind of mana spiraled in the sword's energy wake.

Behind Mephisto, Nightmare Dragon Jabberwock, stood guard, wrapped in the flames that led creatures into an eternal nightmare, [Phantasmal Flames].

Mephisto prepared to unleash his sword energy. It was a force capable of splitting the sea of ice beyond the horizon. Anyone cut by the energy from the sword would be ensnared into an eternal nightmare until their death.

He wasn't just aiming for Isaac; Glacial Bear Barbatoma, a chunk of the forces of Düpfendorf's forces, and the island housing Märchen Academy were all in the direct path of the sword energy.

Can you block this without suffering any damage?

Mephisto taunted Isaac with these words.

However, as the chill cleared and revealed Isaac's form, Mephisto was left speechless.

Holding a scythe imbued with powerful ice mana, his wizard's robe fluttered, turning his back against the white night's light. He looked at Mephisto with emotionless eyes.

Behind him, the mythical White Dragon, Hilde, spread her white wings and gathered mana. Faint blue coldness steamed off it.

Mephisto thought... it was an incredibly awe-inspiring sight.

A supreme being of unsurpassable power.

He was opposing him, harboring hostility. As the realization dawned on him, Mephisto felt an uncontrollable terror.

The man's words about how he would find and kill Mephisto's true form felt increasingly real.

...Such a thing would not happen. Mephisto tried to erase these needless imaginations from his mind.

[You... must die here.]

Isaac. He was the man who had even vanquished the powerful Floating Island, Cavillion the Earthshaker. He knew he was strong, but he had not fully realized to what extent.

For the Evil God Nepid, Mephisto thought the man must certainly be dealt with here.

Mephisto screamed and swung the Vorpal Sword.

The soaring sword energy was shot towards Isaac.

Kwaaaaaaaa!!!

A typhoon of sword energy rushed out like lightning, cutting through the sky and the sea of ice with terrifying speed.

It was an immense sword energy. No matter how many strong wizards from the empire gathered and layered protection magic, they could not stop the path of this sword energy.

"Is that all you've got?"

However, Isaac's response to the sword energy was quite plain.

"...My turn."

Swoooosh!!

The Frostscythe was imbued with a high concentration of ice mana. Soon after, Isaac swung the scythe forcefully, and a silver streak cut across the sky diagonally.

Cold surged.

[Absolute Zero].

The scythe's path cut through space unconstrained, and its unique skill, which poured intense coldness, was cast.

Chaaaaaaaah!!!

[…!]

Nightmare Dragon Jabberwock swooped in with fierce momentum, spewed out [Phantasmal Flames], and used its body to shield its master, following Mephisto's command.

However, it was futile.

Fwooooosh!!!

The sword energy of the Vorpal Sword and the unique skill of the Frostscythe intersected into an X shape.

Space itself cried out in agony as slashes erupted throughout the heavens.

Consecutively, Mephisto felt a tingling sensation as its body seemed to be sliced diagonally.

It intuitively knew that all the battles that could be fought with this body were over.

[So, it has come to this…]

He had lost.

[...Heh.]

...Within the body of the Queen of Hearts, that is.

It wasn't over yet. Before freezing, Mephisto smirked.

The seal on the pocket watch, his last resort, was broken. Mephisto could sense it.

A supreme demon, beyond even Mephisto's control, was now awakening.