SSS Frost Sovereign: Rewinding The Apocalypse!-Chapter 35: Assault

"Katar isn’t here?" Icard asked.

Alia sat outside near the kitchen entrance, knees pulled close to her chest. She had been there when Katar left.

"Yeah. I don’t know why," she replied quietly, her hair ruffled like someone who had just gotten electrocuted. "He went out the front door, sniffed around a bit. I heard a zap sound, and then he just took off."

"You’re really persistent, Alia. I really think you get on his nerves when you try to rub on him that way" Matt said from the kitchen sink, scrubbing plates. Alia was supposed to be helping, but Matt had taken over without complaint.

Icard had only stepped out of his room to find Katar gone.

Katar leaving suddenly was not unusual. He did that sometimes. But this felt different.

’This wasn’t just a walk,’ Icard thought. ’I feel like I know exactly what he’s gone to do.’

A faint unease settled in his chest.

’Am I forgetting something? Something that was supposed to happen around now?’

[-Laughs Quietly- You Seem To Be Having A Foggy Memory. Want Help With That?]

Icard stiffened slightly as he read the panel. Alyxara’s tone felt closer than usual. Too close.

She had accessed his memories in the Frost Tower. If it came from there, she could definitely see it.

’You can tell I’m forgetting something?’ he asked internally.

[Maybeeee. Do You Want A Hint?]

’What is it?’

[Hmm. Should I Just Say... Erwald.]

’Erwald?’ Icard repeated in his thoughts. ’Did he leave because of an Erwald? But what Erwald would matter to him now?’

He searched his memory but came up empty.

The irritation soom faded into exhaustion.

’Forget it,’ he thought.

[-Chuckles-]

"Well, this isn’t a bad time for a stroll," Icard muttered aloud. "I’ll head out too."

"Alright," Matt replied without looking up.

Icard tapped Alia lightly on the shoulder, pursed lipped, and consolingly. "You know he’s not actually a cat, right? He just looks like one."

"Hmph. He doesn’t even act like one," Matt added.

"Why am I even helping you...!" Matt’s voice faded behind him as Icard stepped outside.

Not long after Icard left, Reya and Eric came out as well. Both were dressed for training with their hands wrapped for impact.

Reya had agreed to teach Eric the martial techniques she knew. Boxing, close combat, and military styles that would complement his flame fists.

"Where’s Icard?" Eric asked.

"He just left," Matt replied.

"And the cat?"

"He left earlier."

"Hmm," Reya said softly. She noticed Alia’s expression and laughed gently before patting her head. Then she headed out with Eric.

Outside, Eric began warming up, stretching his arms and shoulders.

"I wonder where that crazy cat ran off to," Eric muttered.

"You still dislike him, don’t you?" Reya said. "He’s a good teacher."

"Honestly, if it wasn’t for Icard, I don’t think I would have gotten used to him this fast," Eric admitted.

"Hmm. Just like Icard said, we needed an Erwald to guide us. His keeper recommended the snow cats specifically. Considering how far we’ve come, I’d say we’re much stronger now. It was the right call."

Eric paused, thinking.

"Yeah. You’re probably right. Back then, those training sessions felt like he wanted to kill us. But now our control is way better."

"You see," Reya said with a smile.

Eric suddenly stopped.

"Huh?"

"What’s wrong?" Reya asked, turning around.

Up the street stood a young man, not too far away. He was staring directly at them.

"He’s been watching us since we came out," Eric said.

The man radiated an unsettling presence. A dark aura clung to him, purple and vein-like, faintly glowing beneath his skin. His eyes were locked on them with clear malice.

"Hey! Are you okay?" Reya called.

He did not respond.

Before Reya could say anything else, Eric had already moved.

He walked toward the man, his expression calm and focused. His posture shifted instinctively into readiness.

"What are you looking at..."

The attack came before he could finish.

A blast of dark energy erupted toward him and exploded on contact, shaking the street.

"Eric!" Reya shouted.

She immediately activated her ability, energy surging through her body. Before she could reach him, a fireball burst from the dust cloud and slammed into their attacker.

The dust dispersed, revealing Eric who was still standing.

It had been a surprise attack, fast and brutal. He had barely blocked it by punching into the blast with flaming fists. He was pushed back several steps, breathing hard, but he was still on his feet.

’He’s strong,’ Eric thought.

He steadied his breathing and fired another explosive blast.

The attacker dispersed it with ease.

Then Eric burst through the smoke, closing the distance in an instant. His fist shot toward the man’s face, flames detonating on impact.

He hit...or not.

The man caught Eric’s fist as a dark aura surged and smothered Eric’s flames completely.

Eric’s eyes widened, but he held firm.

The next instant, dark energy erupted at point blank range. Eric was blasted backward.

Reya reached him just in time, catching him as he flew. Before she could recover, their opponent was already upon them.

’He’s fast,’ Reya realized as she saw him up close.

The man moved with unnatural fluidity, his body clearly enhanced by something beyond its limits.

Another blast sent both of them crashing into a nearby vehicle.

Reya collapsed to the ground with Eric, bruised, with ragged breath.

The man began walking toward them slowly, and deliberately. His presence pressed down like a threat of death.

But before he could reach them, a green aura suddenly slammed into him.

Alia...

She blasted him across the street and pinned him against another vehicle, restraining him with raw force.

He turned his head toward her, struggling. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

That was when Reya struck.

She lunged forward and punched him with everything she had. The blow sent both him and the vehicle toppling onto the sidewalk and crashing into the building across the street.

Reya staggered back, panting. Bruises had already formed from the earlier strike.

A few seconds passed, and then, dark energy erupted violently.

The explosion pushed everyone back.

The attacker rose slowly from the smoke, blood trailing from his mouth. Despite that, he looked far from defeated.

He clenched his teeth, power overflowing from his body. The pressure alone made everyone shudder.

Then Eric pushed himself up as well.

Despite the damage, he stood, breathing in slowly, then out.

Next, flames ignited around him and suddenly, it burst out violently.

"Eric!" Reya called in alarm.

"What is he doing?!" Alia screamed.

Eric did not listen. He released everything.

Flames poured from his arms, flooding the street with heat. The fire intensified, roaring outward as if responding to his will.

The attacker hesitated for the first time.

Then the flames shifted. Crimson crept into the fire.

Sensing danger, the man rushed to attack next, arm outstretched. Then, a gash tore across his chest.

More slashes followed, cutting through his arm and torso. Green energy pressed in from all sides as Matt joined in, destabilizing the flow of dark power.

Alia reinforced the restraint.

"Go, Eric!" Reya shouted.

Eric inhaled deeply.

The crimson flames compressed tightly around his fists.

Then he unleashed them, in a single, narrow torrent.

The explosion shook the entire area.

Eric collapsed immediately afterward.

"Eric!"

They rushed to him, holding him up.

But then, movements sounded from their assailants part.

From the settling dust, the attacker emerged again, staggering. He took a few steps before finally collapsing face-first onto the ground.