The seals that determined the ranks of demons were divided into five levels.
Common.
Advanced.
Precious.
Unique.
Mythic.
The Common rank referred to strange phenomena typically classified as "mysteries." Lower-level demons, like the Preta who wandered around driven by instinct alone without consciousness or self-awareness, fell into this category.
However, starting from the Advanced rank, demons became self-aware and capable of independent action, while Precious ranked demons were those who had climbed to the level of the strong.
The Seal of Brutal Cold, which Elric had obtained by defeating the yeti, fell into the Precious category.
However, the ranks truly regarded as "extraordinary" or "great" began after this.
Among demons, those who ascended to the level of rulers or lords belonged here.
The Unique rank was equivalent to a warlord.
The Mythic rank corresponded to Demon Kings.
'The Ice Mountain King originally had a seal higher than Brutal Cold, called Cold Blood.'
However, after being buried in the grave, its rank had fallen from Unique to Precious.
Elric intended to use this as a reference to evolve the Seal of Brutal Cold.
He had already reached 10 stars and was on the verge of evolution.
But evolution wasn't something that happened easily—it required a moment of realization or a stroke of fortune.
So Elric decided to use a shortcut.
He would pull in the power of the Seal of Winter Wind.
And if he could add the ice crystal containing General Winter to the mix, he believed it would create a seal superior even to Cold Blood, one of the Unique ranks.
It would allow him to complete the "Winter" Otto Han had constantly spoken of.
And...
His plan worked perfectly.
No, the resulting seal was even more remarkable than he had anticipated.
Fwoosh!
Elric looked down at the Seal of Winter shining brilliantly on the back of his hand.
'So this is 'Winter.''
The first thing he noticed upon returning to reality was that the mana surging through his body had increased significantly compared to before.
Nearly twice as much.
32%.
Considering that his mana core was a fusion of the Dragon Heart's and the Demon King's, even this level of fusion made him one of the most powerful individuals on the continent.
Of course, this was a small fraction of General Winter's original mana.
But Elric knew that this was the maximum his body could handle at the moment and was content not to push his limits further.
In fact, the more he grew and the stronger the Seal of Winter became, the more of General Winter's remaining power he would be able to absorb. This knowledge reassured him.
『How long have you been practicing magic to already possess a seal of the Unique rank…!』
Still, to an outsider who knew the truth, this was nothing short of astonishing.
Mephisto trembled with frustration.
And the God of Camellias looked at Elric with wide eyes, amazed that he had absorbed the legacy left by her former self.
[Even with Otto Han's help, this is…!]
No matter how well the Melvinger preparations had been executed, controlling such a vast amount of mana required a natural-born talent.
Fwoosh!
But Elric ignored the admiration pouring from Mephisto and the God of Camellias, focusing instead on the task at hand. He spread his palm wide.
He had to deal with the abomination wearing Blood Wolf King's skin.
"[Strike.]"
Boom!
A violent gust of snow swirled around him in a storm.
The flames rushing toward him were torn apart by the snow.
Fwoosh!
A powerful Winter Wind descended, darkening the sky as it extinguished the flames in an instant.
The ice spreading over the ground clearly indicated the season that had arrived.
[It's winter… He really stole winter and is wielding it freely.]
The God of Camellias felt a strange feeling, recalling her time in the Winter Palace.
"[Surge.]"
As Elric lightly waved his hand forward, the ground shook, and jagged ice spikes erupted, impaling the abomination.
Kraaah!
The abomination roared in pain, thrashing its massive body and sweeping its tail across the ground.
Buildings collapsed, and the icy ground was torn apart.
But Elric skillfully dodged the attack by leaping into the air using Magic Martial Arts.
As he twisted mid-air, he cast a new Soul Speech Magic.
"[Bind.]"
Clink, clink!
Chains of ice, formed from the frozen air, shot out, binding the abomination's legs and tail.
It struggled wildly, breaking several of the chains, and its foxfire climbed up the chains, attempting to melt them.
But each time a chain broke, Elric conjured even more chains to bind the creature tightly.
More and more chains wrapped around it.
The tension grew tighter and tighter.
When the chains were so taut that they seemed about to snap, Elric descended onto the abomination's snout and struck it with a white-glowing open hand technique.
"[Smash.] [Smash.]"
Ice Shatter.
The signature move of the Ice Mountain King was unleashed once more.
Crack! Boom!
Whoosh—
From the shattered area, dark demonic energy erupted like blood.
Kiaaa!
The abomination howled in agony, its foxfire flaring up more fiercely than ever, as if trying to engulf Elric completely.
The flames were so intense they seemed like they might reach the heavens, and most of Fury had already been reduced to ashes.
"Urgh!"
Elric, caught in the midst of the inferno, gritted his teeth.
Although he was using the cold from the Seal of Winter to fend off the heat, it wasn't easy.
So Elric focused on double-casting.
With his left hand, he gripped the mana field connected to the Chains of Brutal Cold, binding the abomination even tighter.
With his right hand, he unleashed Ice Shatter repeatedly, aiming to tear the abomination apart completely.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Crimson-black flames and icy blue cold clashed violently, rising toward the sky.
It seemed like the intense struggle would never end.
***
"Damn bastard."
Augustine clicked his tongue, standing atop the relatively intact walls of Fury, his expression displeased.
His eyes were fixed on the source of the ongoing clash between flames and cold that had overturned Fury several times.
More precisely, he was focused on the mana field that repeatedly collapsed and reformed at the epicenter of the battle.
"If you're so worried, why don't you jump in and help?"
Gility, standing beside him, smirked at the sight of Augustine's frustration.
"If he doesn't ask for help, how can I assist?"
"Didn't you say he's your disciple? Why think so hard? Just step in and help. What's so complicated?"
"If it were that simple, would I be standing here?!"
"Nothing's ever easy with you, huh? You're one grumpy old man."
Gility shook his head, watching Augustine grumble.
As always, he found his older brother full of contradictions.
He didn't care about others' opinions most of the time, yet he suddenly became so prideful in situations like this.
'Or maybe he's just embarrassed to help?'
That must be it, Gility concluded.
In truth, Augustine had been waiting for Elric to ask for his help ever since they left Antromorph and entered the war with Fury.
Elric had assumed Augustine was testing him, so he refrained from asking for assistance.
But Augustine had no such intentions now. While it was true he had tested Elric in the Labyrinth of Blue Fog, this time he simply wanted to show off his strength as a master and impress his disciple.
He wanted to demonstrate his power and encourage Elric to work hard to catch up.
Augustine had also realized that Elric's opponents were of a much higher level than he initially thought, so he was confident there would be a time when he would have to step in.
For example…
'When it came to subduing General Winter or fighting Blood Wolf King. Both of them would've been difficult, even for me.'
But unlike Gility, Augustine had already defeated Demon King Yu, so he didn't think taking down the relatively weaker Blood Wolf King would be too much of a challenge.
Even so, Elric had never once asked him for help.
At most, he had requested Augustine protect King Velence and others.
That wasn't even a real request for help. Augustine had hardly had to lift a finger.
In fact, Elric was carving his own path far too well. He had grown so strong that he was now holding his own against Blood Wolf King, something unimaginable when they first crossed the great wall.
As a master, seeing his disciple's rapid growth should have been a source of pride.
But when the progress was too fast, and there was little chance to contribute, it only left a bitter taste.
As a result…
Augustine found these emotions strangely unsettling.
He, who had always lived life on his own terms, now found himself worrying about someone else. It was an unfamiliar feeling.
So Gility decided to leave him alone.
Or rather, to enjoy watching him stew in his frustration.
'Yeah, let this stubborn old man feel a little frustration for once. Heh heh!'
Gility had no intention of getting involved until Elric truly needed help.
'Besides, those guys can probably handle it without me.'
His gaze shifted toward the gates.
He saw Herman and the Blue Hawks safely leading the beastmen to safety outside the city before rushing back toward where Elric was fighting.
Herman, in particular, had been recovering rapidly since crossing the great wall and engaging in several battles.
It wouldn't be long before he regained the full strength of his prime.
'If that happens, the Weyl Family will undoubtedly secure their position as a strong ally to the Melvingers. And if those marriage jokes about him becoming a son-in-law come true, Elric will be in a great position.'
Gility wondered where he himself would fit into that picture, which was a more pressing concern than Augustine's unnecessary worries.
Whistle!
So he let out a light whistle, summoning the beasts waiting outside to join up with Herman and his group.
***
'Hmm?'
Herman, mid-run, widened his eyes in surprise as dire wolves suddenly appeared beside him.
Overhead, four falcons were flying close, each exuding powerful mana.
Turning to glance at the walls, he saw Gility standing there, arms crossed, nodding at him.
It was clear Gility was offering support, telling him to go all out.
Pffft...
Herman let out a small laugh despite himself.
'Who would've thought I'd get help from someone like him, a former criminal and guest of the Nerester family?'
As a knight with a strong sense of identity, Herman still viewed Gility with suspicion, given his criminal past.
But that didn't mean he was going to reject the help being offered.
'In my current condition, binding the enemy shouldn't be too difficult.'
Herman had realized that Elric had a trump card up his sleeve to deal with the abomination.
It was likely a type of magic.
However, Elric hadn't been able to use it because he lacked the time to prepare.
Herman was confident he could buy enough time for Elric to unleash his finishing blow.
Since completing the 'Beak of the Hawk' technique at the Temple of Flowers, Herman's physical recovery had gained even more momentum.
Given just a little more time, he believed he could even take down Blood Wolf King himself.
After all, Herman was from a lineage known to rival Demon Kings.
'But… such a spectacular victory should be left to him.'
With that thought, Herman focused his aura on the tip of his sword. The blue aura blade shone more brilliantly than ever.
Clang!
With a clear resonating sound—
Boom!
Slash!
A brilliant blue arc slashed through the air, severing one of the abomination's legs in a single blow.
Thud!
Kieeek!
Herman's strike had such power that it not only sliced off the abomination's front leg but also carved through half of its body.
Seizing the opportunity, Elric's eyes gleamed, and he drew upon the full power of the Seal of Winter.
Body Strengthening Art
Advanced Form 3
Thousand Tiger Burst
BOOM!
For the first time in 400 years, the perfected form of the Body Strengthening Art, which Elric had mastered through careful preparations, was unleashed upon the world.
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]