You will pay for interrupting my date - Amanda's fury reaches its peak.

(Amanda POV)

Desperation welled up within me. Ryujin-sama was in grave danger, and I needed to reach him. However, this damned succubus seemed hell-bent on preventing me.

"Get out of my way now!" My voice reverberated through the air, and a cold, chilling energy began to coalesce around my fingertips. With a flourish of my hand and a focused mind, I conjured an ice spell, ready to face the adversary that stood between me and Ryujin-sama.

"Frost Impact!" With a surge of energy and determination, I thrust my palm forward. My command to the elements reverberated, causing a sudden and dramatic drop in the ambient temperature. As the words left my lips, the once stagnant air began to swirl violently, pulling moisture from every corner. Before the succubus could react, a torrent of crystalline frost surged forward, engulfing the hallway in a blanket of ice and snow.

Suddenly, a grotesque noise broke through the freezing atmosphere. Emerging from the remnants of the mountain Ryujin-sama had decimated were monstrous creatures, each with two bulging eyes that glinted with malevolence. They began converging, their flesh intertwining and melding together, forming a dense and twisted barrier before the succubus, effectively blocking my icy onslaught.

The air around them crackled with the frosty assault, yet they held firm, acting as a bulwark against my spell. The succubus, seemingly unperturbed, tilted her head and looked at me with a mocking grin.

"Did you know what I smell from you? A little girl in love. That scent is so... poignant."

"What's your name? Why are you attacking us?"

"Yumi, by the way, do you truly believe we came here just for you? This? This is mere amusement, a simple snack time. Our true goal lies beyond your comprehension. MONSTERS, ATTACK!"

From her command, the two-eyed monstrosities lunged forward. But I was ready. Chanting under my breath, I gathered the frosty magic once more.

"Frost Impact!"

With precision, I targeted the joints and limbs of the advancing creatures. Ice spears shot out, impaling one creature through its leg, causing it to stumble and crash into its comrade. Another spear caught a monster right between its eyes, freezing it in place. Using the slick icy floor to my advantage, I slid swiftly, dodging lunges and claws, redirecting my icy attacks at their weak spots. Each impact shattered or immobilized the monstrous foes, one by one, until they were nothing but frozen statues in the chilling hallway.

The chilling wind and the lingering frost made the atmosphere thick with tension. Every breath I took felt sharp, but the adrenaline pumping through my veins was louder. I took a brief moment to survey the monsters coming toward me.

Before I could even strike them down, I felt a sudden, sinister presence from behind. Swiftly turning, I noticed Yumi, her wings spread wide and her nails sharp and elongated. She was moving so quickly. It was almost like she was gliding smoothly over the air, taking advantage of the diversion caused by the swarm of monsters.

With a fluid motion, Yumi tried to swipe her talons at me. Anticipating her sneak attack, I conjured an ice barrier in a split second, a shimmering translucent wall materializing just in time to intercept her deadly claws. The impact sent spiderweb cracks racing across the surface of my ice defense.

Seeing an opening, I quickly channeled my magic. "Frost Blades!" From my hands, sharp icicles flew, arcing and homing in on their targets – the monsters that were getting too close. The blades cut through the air, taking down monsters one by one in a graceful dance of cold, sharp death.

While I was occupied fending off the monsters, Yumi, with her cunning, tried to flank me. I could feel the cold, malevolent aura getting stronger from my left. Reacting just in time, I swiveled, casting another layer of the icy barrier, narrowly preventing her nails from piercing my side.

"Little girl, you're very good, really good, it's a shame you're so young. You've got talent, but lack the experience to fully harness it."

My heart raced, and I could hear the distant roars and shrieks of monsters. The knowledge that Ryujin was in peril weighed heavily on me, making each passing second feel like an eternity. Panic threatened to cloud my judgment, but I couldn't let that happen. I had to be clever, and crafty.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself, trying to block out Yumi's taunts. The icy battlefield around me seemed to reflect my thoughts — cold, clear, and sharp. I needed a plan, and fast. The relentless horde of monsters coupled with Yumi's prowess was a deadly combination. I had to play to my strengths and use my affinity for ice magic in a way that Yumi wouldn't expect.

Think, Amanda, think! My mind raced, trying to piece together a tactic, a feint, something that could give me an edge. A memory from one of my early magic lessons flashed into my mind. A maneuver I had practiced but never mastered. A gamble, really. But it might just work.

Drawing on my reserves of mana, I began to weave a spell, ready to put my risky plan into action.

A determined glare settled on my face as I took a deep breath, readying myself. The cold air prickled my skin as I recited my incantation, "Frost Impact!"

Instantly, the temperature all around plummeted even further, causing a rapid formation of icy crystals in the air. They glittered like diamonds, refracting light into mesmerizing patterns. The area around us turned into a vast, frozen wasteland in mere seconds.

I quickly channeled another spell, "Icy Mist!" With a flourish of my hands, a dense fog of ice particles filled the surroundings. Visibility dropped, and I could barely see a few feet ahead, but that was the plan. Yumi, although powerful, would also be momentarily blinded.

Making the most of the obscured vision, I dashed forward. The sounds of monsters scurrying around echoed through the mist. Their hasty movements suggested they were disoriented, but their sheer number was overwhelming. Despite their confusion, I felt them closing in, their icy breaths chilling me to the core.

Using short, controlled bursts of ice magic, I created icy platforms beneath my feet, propelling myself forward, bounding over the swarm of monsters. But, it was like running through a minefield. Every step could be my last if I wasn't careful. I darted, spun, and pirouetted, avoiding the lunges and swipes of monsters who blindly aimed at my last known location.

Just when I thought I was out of the worst of it, a sharp, malevolent energy pierced the icy mist, and before I knew it, Yumi emerged. With a wicked grin, she lunged, catching me off guard. Her powerful fist connected with my side, sending me crashing to the ground and skidding across the frost-covered terrain.

"You are very small and fragile." Yumi's voice dripped with condescension as she lunged forward, her boot connecting with my abdomen. 

A sharp, searing pain exploded from the point of impact, radiating outward like white-hot needles piercing through my insides. 

The world momentarily blackened as my lungs seemed to collapse, struggling to pull in air. The metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth, and I coughed, splattering the crimson liquid onto the icy ground below.

"You'll pay for that!"

"No... you'll be the one paying. And after I'm done with you, I'll turn my attention to your precious friend. If he's still alive, well, he'll become my little toy."

Her words seared through my already tumultuous emotions. The thought of Ryujin, my Ryujin, under her spell, her control... No. I couldn't bear the thought. The very idea set something off within me, a deep-rooted possessiveness and rage.

As my emotions swirled, the atmosphere began to change. The temperature plummeted rapidly, so starkly that even the snowflakes seemed to halt in their descent. An eerie frost began to form in the air, crystallizing everything it touched. 

This witch... she dares threaten to take Ryujin-sama away from me? I won't let her! 

"Frost Impact!" My voice was filled with an icy resolve as I unleashed the full might of my magic.

But before the spell could manifest, a deafening roar echoed from the distance. The mountain, the very landscape that had been the backdrop to our confrontation, crumbled and shattered. The devastation was complete.

"Ryujin-sama!"