Stepping through the second gate, they entered the **Frozen Wasteland**, where the temperature plummeted, and snow began to fall, blanketing the ground in icy white. Kento shivered as the biting cold seeped into his bones.
"Stay close," he warned, scanning the desolate landscape.
Suddenly, a chilling laugh echoed through the air, and the **Ice Queen** emerged from the blizzard, her beauty juxtaposed with the deadly aura she radiated. "You fools think you can defeat me in my realm?" she taunted, ice shards forming in the air around her.
Kento gripped his sword tightly. "We're here to stop you!"
The Ice Queen unleashed a barrage of ice shards, each one sharp and deadly. Kento dodged and weaved, but one shard grazed Rena's arm, freezing her skin.
"Rena!" Kento shouted, rushing to her side. "Are you okay?"
"I'll manage," she replied through gritted teeth, summoning her magic to counter the cold. "But we need to act fast!"
Liru, sensing the urgency, transformed into a thick slime, attempting to absorb the ice shards as they fell. "I'll protect you both! Just keep fighting!" it called out.
Kento and Rena strategized their next move. "We need to create an opening," Kento said, determination filling his voice. "Rena, can you distract her?"
Rena nodded, focusing her energy to create a dazzling light that illuminated the darkness. The Ice Queen was momentarily blinded, and Kento seized the opportunity.
With a powerful leap, Kento charged toward the Ice Queen, swinging his sword with all his might. The blade clashed against her icy defenses, but she retaliated, summoning an avalanche of snow to crash down on them.
"Rena, now!" Kento shouted as he dodged the falling snow. Rena concentrated, unleashing a wave of light that melted the snow and ice around them.
As the Ice Queen regained her composure, Kento took advantage of her distraction. "This ends now!" he yelled, unleashing a powerful strike that pierced through her defenses.
The Ice Queen let out a chilling scream as the light engulfed her, shattering her form into a flurry of ice crystals that sparkled in the light before disappearing.
Breathless and weary, Kento, Rena, and Liru took a moment to catch their breath. "We did it," Rena said, her voice filled with relief. But as they moved forward, the weight of the next challenge loomed ahead.