Chapter 8: Investment 8— Grudges(Part Two)

Q was now twice his size with an even stronger pressure than before.

’Tsk. It must be an enhancement-type spell.’

Elliot managed to mitigate the damage from the attack. "Seria, are you ok?" he stated.

"Buy me a few minutes." She stood up from the rubble. The down of her gown was ripped. Surprisingly, there was no sign of anger on her face, though her tone said otherwise.

’Is she just going to brush off my question like that?’

Elliot was at a loss as to why she didn’t answer his question.

"Sure thing!" He stood and streaked towards the enhanced Q.

"Give up, brat!" Q slammed his fist into the ground. Rocks were sent flying. Elliot cut through most of them and dodged the rest.

"Hahahaha. I can feel the power surging through me!" Q laughed.

Dark mana surged from R’s and V’s bodies. They underwent their own transformation just like Q had earlier. Dark veins spread around their bodies, even on their faces, and their eyes turned pitch black.

"9th-tier spell: March of Death."

R multiplied rapidly, creating more clones numbering about two hundred.

"9th-tier spell: Whips of Chars."

Liquid fire gathered around V. They turned into a spinning tornado that surrounded her. She shot lava balls at Seria. Before they could reach her, part of the earth rose and blocked the attack.

"Stay away from her!" Deria shouted. "Your foe is me!" She leaped towards V.

"Little girl, how do you intend to defeat all of us by yourself?" the voices of all the R’s echoed.

"This has become such a hassle," Edith mumbled.

Elliot and Q kept on clashing intensely, with Q having the upper hand due to his large body frame.

’This bastard is really sturdy. I guess I will have to make use of it.’

He stepped back to create some distance between him and Q.

"Hahaha. Don’t tell me you are running away!" Q gloated, thinking he had won.

Elliot stretched forth his sword and bent it diagonally. "10th-tier spell: Immortal Physique."

He vanished instantly, leaving a dent on the ground.

"What is this abnormal pressure?" Seria thought.

"Where did he g—"

Q was about to finish his statement when blood splashed out from a deep cut that appeared on his shoulder joint.

"Next. I’m going for your head." Elliot touched down on the floor and splashed the blood off his sword.

"You fucking bastard!" Q charged at him.

Frost flakes started falling all around the back alley. The temperature dropped with every passing second.

"That’s enough. Girls! You don’t need to use your trump cards anymore," Seria’s voice carried.

Edith let out a sigh of relief. "This never gets old."

"I guess you guys are the ones screwed now!" Seria bashed the distracted V into the wall.

The ground and walls in the alley froze over.

"What’s this?" R’s clones froze over one after the other.

The magma around V froze and then shattered to pieces. Q couldn’t move an inch because his legs were frozen solid on the ground.

’It’s freezing. But I would expect nothing less from the Ice Queen herself.’

Seria walked forward surrounded by ice-cold mist. Her crystalline blue eyes shimmered under the moonlight.

"10th-tier spell."

"Here it comes!" Deria and Edith exclaimed, squeezing both their hands together.

"Absolute Zero."

The instant she uttered those words, the three bandits were frozen solid in ice. Alive but unable to move or do anything.

"That bastard told us that with the power they gave us, we would be unstoppable," Q grunted within the ice.

"Boss, I think we should ask for mercy," R suggested.

"Oh please. You are such a wuss, R," V reacted angrily.

A few blocks away from the back alley, a strange figure clad in brown robes and wearing a bird mask that had an extremely long nose watched the battle from afar.

"Trash will always be trash, even after it has been recycled." The strange figure sounded extremely displeased at the outcome of the battle.

"Either way, they have served their purpose." The strange figure broke three black orbs in their hand.

In the dark alley, the three bandits were about to explode.

"What’s going on?" Q said with a muffled tone. Their bodies continued to increase in size.

"Eh-Eh. I think we have to go," Elliot mentioned. He turned around and saw their unworried expressions.

"Edith, don’t forget we dropped our bags at the shoe store." Deria blew the specks of dust off her nails.

"I’m not you. So you don’t have to worry." She grinned.

"Hey!" Deria knitted her brows together.

"Shouldn’t you guys be a little bit concerned?" Elliot was completely dumbfounded.

"Oh, that’s right. You don’t know how Absolute Zero works." Deria put a hand across Edith’s neck.

"Instead of explaining, it would be better for you to see it yourself," Edith mentioned as she snuggled Deria. "It’s freezing cold." Her teeth chattered.

It was freezing cold because the temperature had dropped below 0°C and was now in the minus region.

"Wait! Wait! Before you kill us, I have something to tell you about that backstabbing bastard!" R muttered in anger.

"They said they were part of an organization called: The Black Ring. And very soon they plan to burn the capital in blackness," he stated on the verge of exploding.

’The Black Ring. Where have I heard that name before?’

"Thank you for your cooperation. And sorry it had to end like this." Seria stretched forth her hands.

"Absolute Zero: Shatter."

She froze them down to the cellular level. Their bodies broke apart as blocks of ice without causing any explosion.

"Whoa! Seria, that was amazing!" Elliot praised her.

"Well... well, that was nothing." She turned sideways, her face getting redder.

"Ok, love birds. Time to get going." Deria wrapped her hands around both their shoulders, bringing them closer together.

"Deria, we have to go get the clothes, remember?" Edith exclaimed.

"Ah ah. Yes, I remember." She chuckled.

"She totally forgot," Edith sighed.

They grabbed the clothes from the store and entered a carriage that dropped them off by the gate.

"Edith, why don’t we get going first?" Deria dragged Edith forcefully away to the dorms.

"You don’t have to use so much force, you know!" Edith rolled her eyes.

"Good luck, Mr. Knight-in-Shining-Armour-kun," Deria whispered.

"So I guess... I will see you tomorrow in class." Seria rubbed her fingers against each other.

’Is she blushing? Wait! This might be my chance to propose.’

"I never said it before, but thanks for standing up for me against that bastard prince," she added.

"Sure, sure." Elliot smiled awkwardly.

[Time limit: 10 minutes]

[Penalty for failure: Death]

It was as if his system was reminding him that he would die in the next ten minutes if he didn’t propose now.

Seria started to walk away.

’Come on, Elliot. It’s either this or you die.’

"Wait! Seria!" He held her hand.

’She’s freezing cold.’

She turned around slowly.

He brought out the ring that he had bought earlier at the shop. Then he went on one knee and looked directly into her eyes.

"Will you marry me?"

"Now that I am here I will protect you with every fibre of my being!"

Elliot said, eyes beaming with conviction and determination.

’There. I said it. I don’t think she would accept. Ahh, so this is how I die. As a reject.’

He contemplated whether this was his last breath. The look on her face was ice cold, completely expressionless.

’I’m done for.’

Elliot sighed inwardly. Just as he had accepted his fate, her eyes lit up, glimmering under the moonlight. A wide smile spread across her face, with each cheek as red as roses.

"Of course. I will marry you!" She placed a finger inside the ring.

’Huh?!’

He was happy yet surprised at the same time.

[Special quest completed]

[You have unlocked four 12th-tier spells and a 12th-tier mana reserve. You have also gained the bonus rewards: Sword of Assimilation, Armour of Wiss, and the Ring of Abalon.]