-Ayanokoji's POV-
The battlefield stretched before me, a sea of chaos and blood. The military struggled to hold back the tide of mana beasts. Their efforts, though brave, were in vain.
Bodies of fallen soldiers littered the ground, a testament to the harsh reality of war against these creatures. Some beasts were small, their twisted forms no bigger than a wolf, while others towered over the soldiers, nearly twice their height.
I could see the terror in their eyes, the desperation in their movements.
Yet, they fought on. They had to, if they failed, these monsters would reach their families behind the city walls.
I had just arrived alongside the other B-rank adventurers. The moment we joined the fray, the military's morale shifted. Soldiers who had looked defeated now raised their weapons with renewed hope, shouting battle cries as they pressed forward.
The adventurers immediately began cutting down the beasts with precision and skill.
The mana in the air became thick, a palpable force pressing down on me, but I had trained for this.
My control over mana had improved significantly over the past few months. Master Nouflex gave me this opportunity to become better, and now it was time to put it all to the test.
Among the adventurers was a kid, Jayce, who matched the description Fubuki had given me. He was about my age, but how he held himself spoke of inexperience.
He fought with determination but lacked the skill and awareness needed to survive on a battlefield like this. I kept one eye on him, making sure I could reach him if necessary.
A beast charged toward me, a creature with tusks and glowing red eyes, its fur bristling with mana. Its movements were erratic and unpredictable, but I managed to sidestepp its initial attack, letting it rush past me before spinning around and slashing at its exposed side with a blade coated in my own ice magic.
The weapon cut through its flesh like butter, and the ice spread through its fresh wound until it froze its whole side. The beast let out a pained shriek, its body temperature dropping, and it became harder and harder to breathe until it fell to the ground.
'Too easy.' I thought, scanning the battlefield for more threats.
Suddenly, two more beasts lunged at me, this time larger than the last.
They moved in unison, their bodies rippling with raw energy. I could feel their power. They were more than just mindless creatures, they had some level of intelligence since they cooperated. As they charged, I quickly analyzed their movements.
The first one leaped into the air, claws extended. I waited until the last second, then made a three-meter ice wall, stopping the swipe.
In one fluid motion, I appeared before it from the corner of the icy wall as I drove my blade right into its underbelly and ripped it out, the beast collapsing at my feet.
The second beast was more cautious, circling me with predatory intent. It had a snake-like tail, and the moment it saw an opening, it lashed out with it.
I simply raised my hand, channeling mana into the air creating ice shards.
Before it could reach me, it found itself full of holes from the ice shard, there was still one floating next to me. The monster looked down and realized what happened. But before it could drop to the ground, I got the last ice shard like a bullet drilling through its skull, ending its life in an instant.
'They're getting stronger the further we push.' I noted.
Around me, the military had started to advance, their spirits lifted now that the adventurers were supporting them. They cheered as they cut down beast after beast, making steady progress toward the nest. But I knew better than to get complacent.
These were only the weaker creatures, the true threat was still waiting ahead.
I caught sight of Jayce again, battling a smaller mana beast. He was holding his ground, but I could see he was struggling, his fire spells too weak to do any significant damage. His attacks were wild and unfocused.
I kept my distance, observing. I couldn't intervene every time he made a mistake. If Nouflex-sama had chosen him, then he needed to learn. But if he got himself into real danger, I'd step in. After all, I had been given a mission to protect him, and I never failed a mission.
As the fight raged on, I found myself surrounded by a group of beasts, their glowing eyes locked onto me. These weren't like the others. They were bigger, faster, more powerful. Their bodies crackled with mana, and their movements were coordinated. I could feel their bloodlust, their desire to tear me apart.
'Let's see how strong you are,' I thought, gripping my blade tighter.
The first beast lunged at me, its claws aimed for my throat. I sidestepped, driving my blade into its neck as it passed.
Before I could pull the sword out, I felt a heavy strike on my side as I was thrown a few meters back. I checked my side, which thankfully was already reinforced with mana. The impact rattled me a little bit, I even left my katana on that monster's neck.
Two more came at me from opposite sides. I raised a spherical ice wall just in time, blocking their attacks, but the force of their strikes shattered the wall.
I gritted my teeth and funneled more mana into my body, augmenting my speed and strength. With a quick burst of movement, I dashed forward slipping through their attacks and reaching for my sword.
'This is going to be a long day.' Ayanokoji prepared to fight the three monsters surrounding him. If he took too long, other monsters would reach him and make things more complicated.
-Fubuki's POV-
I couldn't feel Ayanokoji's presence anywhere. His aura, usually so distinct, was too far away now for my psychic powers to detect him. It wasn't surprising, he had his own mission to complete, and I had mine.
Still, something about it gnawed at me. I hadn't found the kid Master wanted me to protect yet, but I trusted Ayanokoji would handle it.
After all, he was Nouflex's first summon, the most trusted one.
The mere thought of that made my jaw clench. On top of that, Ayanokoji, just a normal human not too long ago was already catching up to me in terms of strength, control, and power. How had things shifted so quickly?
I hated to admit it, but he had proven himself time and time again. And the worst part? I could feel it, that nagging thought in the back of my mind. I too wanted to be the first summon. I too wanted to be the one Nouflex relied on the most.
I can't deny it, I'm jealous. But there is nothing to do. The only way to change that is to prove myself.
I glanced at the battlefield before me, my thoughts clouded by memories I didn't even understand. There was this sense of competition, but it wasn't new.
I remembered having an inferiority complex, a deep burning need to prove myself. But the details were blurry, like trying to recall a half-forgotten dream. A sister... there was someone.
I didn't remember her face or even her name or even what she meant to me, but I knew she was stronger than me. Superior. And I hated that feeling. I always felt weaker around her, like my abilities didn't measure up.
It wasn't just about power, it was about being overshadowed.
Was that what was happening now? Was I being overshadowed again?
The wind whipped around me as my psychic powers flared momentarily.
This world, with its intense magic and the constant pressure of survival, had changed me. They might not know this, but I trained harder than anyone among us. My body had adapted, almost forcefully so, all of this for the sake of Nouflex-sama.
Where before I was limited by my psychic abilities, now they had evolved, growing stronger with every passing day. I could feel it in my bones, in my mind. The atmosphere here was rich with mana, and I had begun absorbing it, and the higher my mana pool got, the stronger my powers became. It fused with my abilities, amplifying them in ways I never thought possible.
Before, lifting a car was about as far as my telekinesis could go. But now? Now I could twist entire buildings, flatten them into sheets no thicker than paper. My psychic power surged, and I knew if I wanted to, I could tear apart the very ground beneath my feet and reshape it to my will. The possibilities were endless, and yet, it wasn't enough. It never felt like enough.
This fact by itself makes me my master's strongest servant, but I wanted more.
I wanted to be stronger, strong enough to not give Ayanokoji a chance to catch up to me, and anyone else with harmful intentions who thought they could get closer to Nouflex-sama.
But it wasn't just about him—it was about me. I couldn't shake this feeling of needing to prove myself, not just to Master, but to some part of me that still lacking, that still felt inadequate.
That sister, whoever she was, had left a mark on me that hadn't healed.
And today! Is the day I show them how great I am!
Fubuki hovered above the battlefield, arms spread wide, her long green hair dancing in the wind. Below her, chaos reigned as adventurers and soldiers alike were locked in desperate combat against an overwhelming number of monsters.
But she was beyond it now. The monsters beneath her feet felt small and insignificant.
Her eyes flashed with a brilliant green glow, and a pulse of psychic energy radiated from her. She could feel the weight of the mana beasts all around her, their raw, wild power brushing against the edges of her mind. More than a hundred of them, clawing, gnashing, roaring. Her psychic powers detected them all.
She clenched her fist.
One by one, they began to rise into the air, their screeches filling the sky. Over a hundred monsters, wolves, goblins, trolls, orcs, and mana-infused abominations were all lifted off the ground as if snatched by an invisible hand.
They writhed and twisted, thrashing in panic as they ascended higher and higher. Adventurers and soldiers looked up in disbelief, their battles momentarily forgotten as the creatures were swept into the sky like leaves caught in a storm.
Fubuki's focus intensified, her mind pulling the creatures toward her. They began to spin faster, drawn together into a swirling vortex above her. It was as if she was the eye center of a tornado, the monsters trapped in its violent current.
The air itself seemed to tremble as the beasts collided with one another, limbs and bodies forming a single grotesque mass.
"GGAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
With a deep breath, Fubuki let out a battle cry that echoed across the battlefield, her voice filled with raw power. Her arms trembled under the strain, her green aura flaring to life, brighter than before. The monsters screamed in terror as they were forced together, tighter and tighter, the vortex collapsing in on itself. Her psychic power surged.
Crush them.
With a final surge of strength, she exerted her full force, crushing the mass of beasts into a single ball, no larger than a bowling ball. The compressed orb of flesh and bone fell to the ground with a dull thud, bouncing once before rolling to a stop.
Dead silence blanketed the battlefield. Over 130 monsters had been obliterated in a single instant.
Fubuki dropped to one knee, her breath ragged as she tried to recover from the exertion. Sweat dripped from her brow, but she didn't care.
Her eyes stayed locked on the small ball that had once been an army of monsters. The ground beneath her hummed with residual psychic energy, the battlefield quiet, just for a moment.
Then, the roar began.
Adventurers, soldiers, and commanders alike started cheering, their voices rising into the air like thunder. Some pointed to the sky where the creatures had once been, their faces a mix of awe and disbelief.
"Did you see that?!"
"She wiped them all out! In a single move!"
"More than a hundred in one attack! How is that possible?!"
"Now we will be able to advance and reach the nest even faster!"
"That was no ordinary psychic power... it was like a storm, no, a blizzard of death!"
One of the soldiers raised his spear into the air. "The Blizzard of Hell!" he shouted. "That's what her powers looked like!"
The name spread like wildfire, whispers becoming shouts until the entire battlefield seemed to echo with it.
"The Blizzard of Hell!"
As the title took hold, Fubuki stood slowly, her body still trembling from the immense power she had unleashed. Although she had proven her strength, she had to keep a strong appearance. She looked out over the field of corpses, her handiwork.
The cheers of the adventurers and soldiers faded into the background, their awe no longer registering in her mind. For Fubuki, this was only a step, a testament to her resolve. She had surpassed the limits of what she thought possible.
The Blizzard of Hell had been born on this battlefield, forged in the heat of her own ambition. Now she has determined what she wanted to do, but not only that, she knew how to do it.
And this was just the beginning.
TO BE CONTINUED --->