Chapter 10 — The Frostveil Ambush
The five members continued walking toward the neighboring kingdom. The road ahead was long, and according to their mission instructions, it would take several days to reach their destination.
Kil Ful walked beside Morry while Rin and Lena followed a few steps behind them. Ravian was walking ahead of everyone, keeping his eyes on the road.
Rin looked at Kil Ful.
"So, you really became an Elite yesterday?"
Kil Ful nodded.
"Apparently."
Rin smiled.
"You don’t seem very excited."
Kil Ful shrugged.
"I was excited for about five minutes."
Morry laughed.
"That’s Kil Ful. He doesn’t take anything seriously."
Kil Ful looked at him.
"I take important things seriously."
Morry raised an eyebrow.
"Like what?"
Kil Ful thought for a moment.
"Food."
Rin laughed.
Even Lena couldn’t hide her smile.
Ravian looked back at them.
"You people talk too much."
Morry smiled.
"And you talk too little."
Ravian turned forward again.
"I prefer silence."
Kil Ful called out,
"That’s because you don’t have anything interesting to say."
Ravian stopped for a moment and looked back.
"You really enjoy annoying people."
Kil Ful smiled.
"Only people who make it easy."
Morry laughed again.
Ravian shook his head and continued walking.
After several more hours, the surroundings began to change. The open fields disappeared, and a huge forest appeared in the distance.
Rin stared at it.
"Is that the forest?"
Morry nodded.
"Blackpine Forest."
Lena looked at the enormous trees.
"It looks bigger than I expected."
Ravian answered from the front.
"It’s much bigger inside."
Kil Ful looked at him.
"You’ve been here before?"
"Once."
"Was it dangerous?"
Ravian thought for a moment.
"Not particularly."
Kil Ful smiled.
"Good."
Ravian glanced at him.
"That doesn’t mean you should become careless."
Kil Ful raised his hands.
"I didn’t say that."
The group continued toward the forest.
Before entering, they stopped for a short rest. Morry opened their supplies and gave some food to Rin and Lena.
Rin looked surprised.
"You don’t have to give us yours."
Morry smiled.
"We’re a team now."
Lena looked at him.
"You really think of us as a team already?"
Morry nodded.
"Of course."
Kil Ful sat nearby.
"He’s right. If something happens, we all have to help each other."
Ravian looked at Kil Ful.
"Even the Mortals?"
Kil Ful nodded.
"Especially them."
Ravian remained silent for a moment.
Then he looked away.
"Fine."
After resting, they continued.
The five entered Blackpine Forest.
The moment they passed between the trees, the atmosphere became noticeably different. The sunlight was weaker, the road was narrower, and the sounds of the outside world slowly disappeared.
They continued walking.
Rin stayed close to Morry.
Lena occasionally looked around at the trees.
Kil Ful walked calmly, while Ravian remained alert.
After some time, Rin spoke again.
"How far is the other kingdom?"
"Two more days if we don’t stop too much," Ravian answered.
Rin sighed.
"Two days?"
Morry laughed.
"You wanted the mission."
"I didn’t know the mission came with this much walking."
Kil Ful smiled.
"At least you’re getting exercise."
Rin looked at him.
"You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?"
"A little."
The group continued deeper into the forest.
Then Lena suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
Everyone turned toward her.
She looked between the trees.
"Did you hear that?"
The group became silent.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Ravian looked around.
"I didn’t hear anything."
Kil Ful remained still.
He was looking toward the path ahead.
"Neither did I."
Lena nodded slowly.
"Maybe it was nothing."
They continued walking.
A few minutes later, the temperature suddenly dropped.
Rin pulled his clothes closer around himself.
"Why did it suddenly get so cold?"
Morry looked around.
"I don’t know."
A thin layer of frost appeared on the ground.
Kil Ful stopped.
His expression became serious.
"That’s not natural."
Ravian immediately moved closer to the group.
"Everyone stay together."
A few seconds passed.
Then a voice came from the trees.
"You finally entered."
Everyone turned toward the sound.
Three figures slowly appeared on the road ahead.
They were wearing dark armor with a strange emblem on their chests.
The emblem looked like a frozen crown.
Ravian’s expression changed.
"The Frostveil Family."
Morry looked at him.
"Frostveil?"
Ravian nodded.
"One of the strongest families in the neighboring kingdom. Their main family is known for their Ice Power."
The three men stopped in front of them.
The one standing in the middle stepped forward.
"My name is Darian Frostveil."
He pointed toward the man on his right.
"Kaizen Frostveil."
Then toward the third.
"Varen Frostveil."
Darian looked at the five members.
"We’ve been waiting for you."
Kil Ful looked at him.
"That’s not something people usually say before a friendly conversation."
Darian didn’t smile.
"We know about your mission."
Morry immediately became serious.
"The treaty."
Darian nodded.
"Give us the treaty document."
Ravian stepped forward.
"No."
Darian looked at him.
"You should think carefully."
Ravian smiled.
"I already did."
Kil Ful stood beside him.
"Besides, we’re not going back without completing the mission."
Darian sighed.
"Then this will be a waste of time."
Ice began forming around his hands.
Kaizen and Varen also released their power.
The temperature dropped rapidly.
Rin and Lena moved behind Morry.
Morry raised his weapon.
"Stay behind me."
Varen looked at him.
"You are a Secondary Knight."
Morry nodded.
"Correct."
"And you intend to protect two Mortals from three Elites?"
Morry smiled.
"That’s the plan."
Varen created an ice blade.
"Then you’re the first one I’ll remove."
He moved toward Morry.
Morry immediately raised his weapon and blocked the attack.
The force pushed him backward, but he remained standing.
Rin looked worried.
"Morry!"
"I’m fine!"
Morry stepped forward again.
Varen attacked repeatedly, but Morry focused entirely on keeping him away from Rin and Lena.
Meanwhile, Kaizen turned toward Ravian.
"You."
Ravian looked at him.
"Me?"
"You are the other Elite."
Ravian smiled.
"Looks like you did your homework."
Kaizen raised his hand.
Ice began forming around his arm.
"I’ll be fighting you."
Ravian’s expression became serious.
"Fine."
A strange energy began gathering around Ravian’s body.
Kil Ful looked at him.
"So this is your power."
Ravian glanced at him.
"Focus on your own opponent."
Kil Ful smiled.
"I was just curious."
Darian stepped forward.
"Kil Ful King."
Kil Ful looked at him.
"You know my name?"
"We know the names of everyone carrying the mission."
Darian raised his hand.
Ice began forming around him.
"You are mine."
Kil Ful calmly released his energy.
A layer of energy surrounded his body.
His muscles tightened slightly as his speed increased.
Darian attacked.
Kil Ful’s reflexes reacted immediately.
He moved to the side, and the ice blade passed beside him.
Kil Ful instantly accelerated forward.
Darian barely had time to react before Kil Ful appeared in front of him.
Kil Ful struck him with an energy-enhanced punch.
Darian blocked with an ice shield and was pushed several steps backward.
He looked at Kil Ful carefully.
"So fast."
Kil Ful smiled.
"You noticed."
Darian’s expression hardened.
Ice spread across the ground.
Kil Ful jumped backward as sharp ice spikes rose from beneath him.
He landed safely.
Darian attacked again.
This time, several ice blades appeared around him.
They moved toward Kil Ful from different directions.
Kil Ful’s reflexes allowed him to react almost instantly.
He moved between the attacks, avoiding each blade.
Darian followed him.
Kil Ful suddenly changed direction and rushed toward him.
Darian created another ice barrier.
Kil Ful concentrated his energy into his fist.
He struck the barrier.
A large crack appeared across its surface.
Darian immediately moved away.
Kil Ful looked at the damaged barrier.
"You’re pretty good."
Darian answered coldly.
"And you’re stronger than I expected."
Nearby, Ravian and Kaizen were already deep into their own battle.
Kaizen covered the surrounding area with ice, trying to restrict Ravian’s movement.
Ravian’s Force Manipulation allowed him to push the ice away before it could trap him.
Kaizen attacked from the side.
Ravian turned and released a concentrated force.
The attack changed direction in midair and struck Kaizen.
Kaizen was forced backward.
Ravian smiled.
"Is that all?"
Kaizen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"No."
His Ice Power increased.
Ravian’s smile disappeared.
"Good."
He increased his own power as well.
Neither of them wanted to lose.
On the other side, Morry continued fighting Varen.
Varen’s attacks were stronger, but Morry’s determination kept him standing.
Rin and Lena watched carefully.
Lena suddenly noticed something.
"Morry!"
Morry looked toward her.
"His attacks always come from the same side."
Morry understood immediately.
When Varen attacked again, Morry shifted his position and countered from the opening Lena had noticed.
Varen stepped backward.
Morry smiled.
"Nice observation."
Lena nodded.
Rin looked at her.
"You actually noticed that?"
Lena smiled slightly.
"I was watching."
The three battles continued simultaneously.
The treaty was still safely with the team.
But the Frostveil Family had no intention of letting them reach the neighboring kingdom.
And the battle between the five travelers and the three Frostveil Elites had only just begun.