Deep beneath the collapsing cliffs of Dragon's Peak—
the blizzard screamed endlessly across the frozen ravine.
Snow drifted through the air like ash while frost elves patrolled the mountainside with silent precision.
Inside the hidden cave—
Kiraya's breathing grew heavier.
That pressure.
She recognized it immediately.
Not because it was familiar—
but because nobody could mistake something that overwhelming.
"…Auram…"
Cynthia looked confused.
"You know that summon?"
Kiraya slowly nodded.
"Yeah…"
Her eyes narrowed toward the snowy battlefield below.
"…That thing is a monster."
Outside the cave—
Auram stood alone.
The black-armored knight remained motionless in the center of a frozen clearing while dozens of frost elves surrounded him from every direction.
The Frost Elf Brothers stood at the front.
Gladius narrowed his glowing blue eyes.
Argos gripped his massive frost spear tightly.
And around them—
more frost elves slowly emerged from the snowstorm.
Archers.
Spearmen.
Warriors.
Mages.
At least thirty.
No—
more than that.
Kiraya's expression tightened.
"…That's too many…"
Then she noticed something else.
Several frost elves were carrying strange weapons.
Large launcher-like devices rested on their shoulders.
Metal chains connected to massive hooked spikes.
Specialized equipment.
Gladius slowly raised one hand.
Every frost elf around Auram smiled.
Like hunters cornering prey.
Then—
Gladius gave the signal.
"FIRE!"
BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM!
The launchers exploded simultaneously.
Massive hooked chains shot through the air toward Auram from every direction.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The hooks slammed directly into Auram's armor.
Chains wrapped tightly around his arms.
His torso.
His legs.
Even his sword arm.
Sixteen frost elves immediately grabbed the chain ends and pulled with all their strength.
The chains glowed pale blue.
Magic restraints.
Auram's body finally stopped moving.
The frost elves laughed triumphantly.
Argos grinned viciously.
"Now you die."
Inside the cave—
Kiraya's eyes widened.
"…No."
She immediately tried standing.
Pain exploded through her body.
"Ghh—!"
But she forced herself up anyway.
Her broken sword trembled in her hand.
Cynthia immediately grabbed her arm.
"Wait!"
Kiraya ignored her.
"We have to help him—"
"You'll die!"
Cynthia pulled harder.
Kiraya staggered weakly but still tried moving.
"He's surrounded!"
"That thing doesn't matter if you die first!"
Kiraya gritted her teeth.
"…I can still fight…"
"No, you can't!"
Cynthia's voice cracked slightly.
"Your armor's broken!"
"Your ribs are probably fractured!"
"You can barely stand!"
Kiraya froze briefly.
But her eyes still remained fixed on Auram.
"…I can't just leave him."
Cynthia stared at her in disbelief.
"That's suicide!"
Outside—
the frost elves continued pulling the chains tighter.
Auram remained motionless in the center.
The snowstorm howled around him.
Then slowly—
golden light began leaking from beneath his armor.
The frost elves stopped laughing.
A strange pressure suddenly spread through the ravine.
The chains began trembling violently.
Auram slowly raised his head.
His crimson eyes glowed brighter than before.
Then—
he began to chant.
A golden aura erupted around his body.
His black armor slowly transformed—
shifting into radiant gold.
Ancient symbols illuminated across the metal plating.
His blade revealed a glowing blue edge filled with overwhelming energy.
The mountain itself trembled.
Auram's voice echoed across the ravine.
"From the depths of a soul where the embers lay cold,
Awaken the secrets and legends of old.
The blood of the ancients, a forgotten decree,
Now surges like thunder to set the heart free.
Reach through the veil where the starlight is born,
To mend every spirit the darkness has torn.
Transcending the brilliance of day's fading glow,
To find the true power that only gods know.
Let judgment descend from the heights of the sky,
With a roar of a tempest and fire in my eye.
I summon the might that was hidden in gloom,
To herald the dawn and to seal every doom.
For the kin of my spirit, the brothers I keep,
I rouse the great lions from centuries of sleep.
By the shield of the heavens and steel of my light,
None shall withstand my protector's fierce might!
Arise—"
[Sword Skill: World Legacy Transcend]
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A massive burst of golden aura exploded outward from Auram's body.
The snowstorm itself was blown apart.
CRAAAAACK!!!
Every chain restraining him shattered instantly.
The frost elves' expressions changed immediately.
Fear.
Pure fear.
"…RUN!"
Several frost elves turned and sprinted instantly.
Even Gladius stepped backward.
Argos's face paled.
Too late.
Auram slowly lowered his glowing blade toward the ground.
Then—
the sword touched the earth.
The world exploded.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A gigantic crater formed beneath Auram instantly.
Golden shockwaves ripped through the snowfield.
Then suddenly—
massive spikes erupted from the ground.
SHINK! SHINK! SHINK! SHINK! SHINK!
Golden stone pillars pierced upward violently beneath every frost elf around him.
Screams echoed across the ravine.
Entire groups were impaled instantly.
Some were launched into the air.
Others were pierced straight through their torsos.
Blood painted the snow crimson.
The devastation spread outward in every direction.
Within seconds—
the battlefield became silent.
Only two figures remained alive.
Gladius.
Argos.
Both injured.
Both trembling.
Both staring at Auram with absolute terror.
The golden knight slowly raised his glowing blade once more.
His crimson eyes locked onto the Frost Elf Brothers.
And for the very first time—
the two elite frost elves looked like prey.
The ravine had become a graveyard.
Snow fell silently across the shattered battlefield while golden spikes protruded from the earth like the judgment of some ancient god.
Frost elf corpses hung impaled across the frozen terrain.
Blood stained the white snow crimson.
And in the very center of it all—
Auram stood motionless.
Golden light radiated faintly from his transformed armor while icy wind howled around him.
The Frost Elf Brothers remained alive.
Barely.
Argos's massive spear trembled in his hands.
Gladius clutched his dual blades tightly, but even his breathing had become uneven.
Fear had completely replaced their confidence.
Moments ago—
they were hunters.
Now—
they understood they were prey.
Inside the hidden cave—
Kiraya silently stared at the battlefield below.
Even she felt overwhelmed.
"…What the hell is that thing…"
Beside her—
Cynthia couldn't even speak anymore.
Her hands trembled slightly while tears formed in the corners of her eyes.
Not because Auram frightened her directly—
but because she finally understood something terrifying.
That summon…
belonged to Rio.
The same Rio who casually climbed mountains and bought beginner sword skills like it meant nothing.
Cynthia slowly looked down.
"…Just who are you people…"
Outside—
Gladius suddenly roared.
"DON'T HESITATE!"
The frost elf champion dashed forward desperately.
Argos followed immediately from the side.
The two brothers attacked simultaneously.
Perfect coordination.
Gladius moved low and fast through the snowstorm while Argos attacked head-on with overwhelming force.
Their desperation made them faster than before.
More dangerous.
Argos thrust his gigantic spear toward Auram's chest.
At the same time—
Gladius vanished behind him.
Dual blades aimed directly toward Auram's neck.
But Auram did not move.
CLANG!!!
Argos's spear struck Auram's blade.
The impact shattered the frozen earth beneath them.
Then—
SHING!
Auram's second movement came instantly afterward.
Too fast.
Gladius's eyes widened.
A golden slash flashed across the battlefield.
For one second—
nothing happened.
Then blood exploded into the snow.
Gladius screamed.
"AAAAAAAGHHHH!!"
One of his arms spun through the air.
Severed cleanly from the shoulder.
His dual blade fell uselessly beside him.
Kiraya's eyes widened slightly.
"…Effortless…"
Argos roared furiously and swung his spear downward.
Auram sidestepped calmly.
The gigantic spear slammed into the ground uselessly.
Auram immediately countered.
BOOM!
One kick to Argos's stomach launched the massive frost elf backward through the snow.
The warrior rolled violently before crashing against a frozen cliff wall.
Gladius staggered backward while clutching his bleeding shoulder.
His breathing had become erratic.
Panic filled his eyes.
Then suddenly—
he noticed movement inside the cave.
Kiraya.
And Cynthia.
Hidden within the shadows.
Gladius froze briefly.
Then his expression twisted.
Desperation.
If he couldn't beat the monster—
then he would kill what the monster protected.
Without warning—
Gladius suddenly sprinted toward the cave.
Kiraya's eyes widened immediately.
"Cynthia—!"
Cynthia froze in terror.
The frost elf champion rushed toward them with murderous speed despite losing his arm.
Kiraya desperately tried standing.
Pain shot through her body instantly.
Too slow.
Gladius raised his remaining blade.
A crazed grin spread across his blood-covered face.
Then—
the world exploded.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A golden shockwave shattered the battlefield.
Gladius's eyes widened.
Auram had vanished.
The next moment—
the golden knight descended from the sky directly behind him.
Like divine judgment itself.
Auram slammed his blade downward.
CRAAAAAAAAASH!!!
The earth beneath Gladius shattered completely.
A massive crater exploded outward upon impact.
Snow and stone erupted into the air.
The entire ravine trembled violently.
For a moment—
everything became silent.
Then slowly—
blood spread across the shattered ground.
Gladius's body lay motionless within the crater.
Dead.
Completely crushed.
Inside the cave—
Cynthia stared in horror.
Kiraya remained silent.
Even she could barely process what she had just witnessed.
Auram slowly stood within the crater.
Golden aura flickered around him.
Then—
he turned his gaze toward Argos.
The remaining frost elf warrior had gone completely pale.
Fear consumed him entirely now.
Argos stepped backward once.
Then again.
Then suddenly—
he turned and ran.
No pride.
No rage.
No final stand.
Only terror.
The gigantic frost elf sprinted through the snowstorm desperately trying to escape.
Auram simply watched him leave.
He made no attempt to chase him immediately.
Instead—
the golden knight slowly turned toward the cave entrance.
His crimson eyes met Kiraya's.
Then Cynthia's.
Kiraya looked exhausted.
Broken armor.
Fractured ribs.
A shattered weapon beside her.
Cynthia looked even worse emotionally.
The blonde craftsman trembled while tears rolled quietly down her cheeks.
Not from physical pain—
but from fear.
The fear of realizing how close they both had come to death.
Auram slowly walked toward the cave.
His footsteps echoed softly against the frozen stone.
Cynthia instinctively flinched.
But Auram stopped several feet away.
Then calmly—
he lowered his sword.
"You are safe now."
His voice carried no arrogance.
No hostility.
Only calm certainty.
Kiraya exhaled deeply.
For the first time since falling from the cliff—
she finally relaxed slightly.
Then she laughed weakly despite the pain.
"…Rio really keeps the most ridiculous things around her."
Auram remained silent.
But faintly—
very faintly—
the golden knight seemed almost proud.