In a cramped, dimly lit cell, Furina huddled in the corner of the room.
Her body shivered from the cold, her legs tightly folded against her chest while her arms embraced herself tightly, as if trying to ward off the bone-chilling cold.
A long groan escaped her blue-tinged lips.
Alone, unaccompanied by anyone in that silent cell.
The bluish glow from a small torch hanging on the wall was the sole source of illumination, casting light on her face, which was lowered in despair.
The dim flicker cast dancing shadows across her gaunt features, seeming to mock her helplessness.
A chilling breeze crept in through the cracks of the cell, whispering bone-chilling whispers with a piercing icy scent.
Furina's body trembled violently, her arms tightening their embrace, trying to preserve what little warmth remained.
But no matter how hard she tried to endure, the cold still crept in, stabbing deep into her very core. As if trying to tear apart the remnants of warmth still clinging to her flickering soul.
...
On the magnificent throne of the king, Amelia sat with grace. Her slender fingers caressed the surface of the beautifully carved ice crystal crown.
Her hand movements were fluid like an artist's, etching intricate patterns with meticulous precision.
Her lips curved in a satisfied smile, her ice-cold eyes reflecting shadows of intense concentration.
Every groove and curve etched onto the crown radiated a captivating artistic touch.
It was clear that Amelia possessed a burning artistic soul, channeling her artistic tendencies onto the objects around her.
Her fingers stopped moving, and she examined her work from various angles with a discerning gaze.
The smile on her lips widened as satisfaction enveloped her.
She adjusted her seated position, straightening her long, previously folded legs.
With a graceful motion, Amelia rose to her feet, surveying her surroundings with a sharpening gaze.
"I feel someone is knocking on the palace doors," she murmured softly, her head tilted slightly in a questioning gesture.
"An acquaintance of mine?"
Silence hung in the air.
...
"This palace is so vast!"
Charles complained. His breath was ragged. His body shivered from the cold.
He continued to stride along the seemingly endless long corridors.
The corridor walls were like giant mirrors, reflecting his frail and shivering silhouette.
The search for Furina had been going on for quite some time, but the girl remained elusive. Fatigue was creeping into every inch of his weakening body.
The thought of teleporting away was becoming increasingly tempting!
His steps halted at a junction. The corridors branched off in different directions.
Which path should I take?
Good people would probably choose the right path...
Charles sighed briefly. With a unilateral decision, he chose the left path, based solely on intuition.
At that moment, his ears caught the faint, all-too-familiar sound of sobbing. Furina!
Without wasting any more time, Charles hurried his steps, racing towards the source of the sound.
And there, in a dim, cramped cell, he found Furina huddled, embracing herself with a heart-wrenching expression of anguish.
Charles immediately approached the iron bars confining Furina, gripping them tightly.
"Oi, do you want to leave?" he called out sharply.
Furina startled, her swollen eyes widening as she recognized the familiar voice. Slowly, she raised her head, and a look of surprise was clearly etched on her face. She caught sight of Charles behind the iron bars.
Charles stepped back, withdrawing a sword from his inventory. With one swift swing of the blade, the iron bars were cleaved in two, crashing heavily onto the cold floor.
Furina rose to her feet, her body trembling in disbelief as she gazed at Charles. She shook her head a few times before finally running and embracing the man tightly. Tears streamed down her gaunt cheeks.
I'm still an Outsider, okay? Charles mumbled in confusion, unsure whether he should return Furina's embrace or not.
Furina pulled away, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. Her gaze locked onto Charles, who averted his face with his usual detached expression.
At that moment, the echoing sound of approaching footsteps disrupted the moment.
Furina peeked from behind Charles' body, and her body instantly froze. Her eyes trembled with fear, and she took a step back.
Sensing the change in Furina's demeanor, Charles shuddered in dread.
He turned around and let out a low whistle, closing his eyes. When his eyelids opened, a curved smile etched across his pale lips.
"Oh? So this is Fontaine's new queen?" he remarked in a mocking tone.
Before him stood a breathtakingly beautiful girl with an enchanting countenance. Her hair was as white as snow, her skin looked as soft as porcelain, and her eyes were as beautiful as blue gemstones. In her hands, she clutched a crown of the same hue, with a glittering blue diamond at its center. Amelia!
Amelia was momentarily taken aback by Charles' words, but a smirk soon graced her lips.
"It seems someone remembers me."
"Why wouldn't I? You left quite an impression on me. Mysterious and terrifying." Charles raised his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug, then shook his head, concealing his feigned bravado behind a forced display of courage.
Truthfully, dread crept into his heart. The urge to flee as quickly as possible was overwhelming!
Amelia regarded him with a puzzled expression, her brow furrowed in confusion as she stroked her chin pensively.
Charles swallowed hard, suppressing his fear with all his might.
Then, Amelia's eyes widened, and a sly smile graced her lips.
"You... you're a player, aren't you?"
Upon hearing that statement, Charles flinched in surprise and immediately sprang into action.
He drew Furina into his embrace, then summoned a Blinkstone Shard from the void and manifested it on the surface.
With a firm grip, he crushed the artifact into fine dust.
Charles and Furina's bodies immediately glowed, preparing to transport them to a random, unexpected location.
In the reflection of his eyes, Charles could see Amelia's unwavering smile before the blinding light engulfed them both, and they vanished without a trace.
...
CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 20
CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE GAINED A SKILL: TEMPORAL FREEZE
CHECK THE SKILL IN THE SKILL MENU
After receiving that information, the Mythic rarity crate disappeared.
Keqing's eyes fixed on the description, reading word by word.
[ACTIVE SKILL]
- Flame Burst: Rare Rarity
- Shadow Step: Legendary Rarity
- Foresight Glimpse: Mythic Rarity
- Temporal Freeze: Mythic Rarity
The "Temporal Freeze" skill allows the user to stop time for 5 seconds, during which only the user can move freely. The effectiveness of this skill depends on the strength of the opponent; the stronger the opponent, the longer the freeze duration lasts. This skill has a total duration of 30 seconds, allowing for repeated use until the maximum duration is reached.
[PASSIVE SKILL]
- Lifesteal Aura: Epic Rarity (Permanent)
- Wind's Grace: Uncommon Rarity (Permanent)
- Guardian Shield: Common Rarity (Permanent)
- Paper Decoy: Legendary Rarity (Permanent)
- Fire Resistance: Rare Rarity (Permanent)