— Cold Judgment
Deep within the hidden cave of the Rafom Forest, silence ruled.
The air was heavy.
The scent of blood lingered.
At the center of the cave, the four-tail fox beast slowly rose to its feet. Its breathing was rough, its body covered in wounds from the previous battle. Yet its eyes still burned with ferocity.
Near it—
Two small cubs pressed close, weak and hungry.
Not far away—
Nahil Dragsen lay unconscious, his body still healing silently.
—
Footsteps echoed.
Princess Imaria Klowen entered the cave.
Her expression remained calm and cold.
Behind her, Clory Falso followed carefully, while the protector stood ready, his aura restrained but prepared.
The moment they stepped inside—
The beast's eyes locked onto them.
A low growl filled the cave.
Clory whispered, "Princess… it's still dangerous."
The protector stepped forward. "Allow me—"
"No."
Imaria raised her hand slightly.
"I will handle it."
Her voice was calm, but absolute.
The protector stopped immediately.
—
The beast moved first.
Despite its injuries, it lunged forward with terrifying speed.
Its massive body shook the ground.
Its tails lashed through the air like whips.
Imaria did not retreat.
Cold Qi gathered around her.
The temperature inside the cave dropped instantly.
Frost spread beneath her feet.
She raised her hand—
And spoke softly,
"Frozen Earth Severing Art."
An Earth-tier ice technique.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
A wave of cold surged forward, forming sharp ice fragments that shot toward the beast.
The beast roared.
Its tails struck against the ice, shattering some of it—but not all.
Several shards pierced into its already wounded body.
Blood spilled.
It staggered.
But it did not fall.
Instead—
It charged again.
Closer , Faster.
Imaria's eyes remained steady.
She stepped lightly to the side.
Her movements were precise and controlled.
The beast's attack missed by inches.
She extended her hand again.
This time—
The ground beneath the beast froze instantly.
Ice spread upward, binding its legs.
The cold intensified.
The beast struggled.
Its tails lashed wildly, breaking parts of the ice—
But its injuries slowed it.
Its strength was no longer enough.
Imaria stepped forward.
Her aura deepened.
The temperature dropped further.
Even Clory felt a chill down her spine.
"Princess… her control…"
The protector watched silently.
With satisfied Expression.
This was the power of the Klowen bloodline.
—
The beast let out one final roar.
Desperate.
Defiant.
It gathered its remaining strength—
And broke free from the ice.
It lunged one last time.
Imaria did not move.
Her hand rose.
A single point of condensed ice formed—
Sharp.
Pure.
Deadly.
"Die."
She thrust forward.
The ice pierced straight through the beast's head.
Silence.
The massive body trembled—
Then collapsed.
The cave shook slightly as it fell.
Finally Dead.
—
For a moment—
No one spoke.
Clory exhaled slowly. "It's over…"
The protector nodded. "It was already at its limit. Even without us, it would not have survived long."
Imaria said nothing.
Her gaze moved to the cubs.
They trembled slightly.
Weak and helpless.
Clory hesitated. "Princess… what about them?"
Imaria walked forward.
The cubs did not resist.
Too young.
Too weak.
She looked at them quietly.
Then spoke,
"Take them with us."
Clory blinked. "Both?"
"Yes."
No hesitation.
Clory carefully picked up the two small fox cubs.
"They're warm…"
She murmured softly.
—
After the beast fell—
Imaria's gaze shifted deeper into the cave.
A faint red glow could be seen near the inner wall.
Clory followed her line of sight.
"Princess… that must be the Alrom herb."
Imaria walked forward.
The closer she got, the stronger the fire energy became.
The herb stood between cracks in the stone, its leaves glowing with a soft crimson light, releasing pure fire Qi into the surroundings.
She bent slightly—
And plucked it.
The moment it left the ground—
The surrounding fire energy fluctuated.
Inside Nahil—
The bead reacted subtly.
Absorbing the remaining traces of fire Qi.
Imaria held the herb in her hand.
"Alrom… second grade."
Clory smiled slightly. "We found it before the beast could consume it."
Imaria said nothing.
She stored the herb.
Then her gaze returned—
The protector stepped toward the beast's corpse.
He raised his hand and cut open its chest.
Inside—
A glowing core.
Red.
Burning faintly.
"A fire core," he said.
"Peak Grade 1."
He took it out and presented it.
Imaria glanced at it briefly.
"Keep it."
It would be useful later.
—
Her gaze then shifted.
To Nahil.
Still unconscious.
Still silent.
Yet—
That faint warmth…
It was still there.
She stepped closer.
For a brief moment—
She simply observed him.
"…Strange."
Clory approached carefully. "Princess, should we leave him?"
"No."
A simple answer.
"He comes with us."
The protector frowned slightly. "His identity is unknown."
"All the more reason."
Her tone remained calm.
Unquestionable.
—
Clory gently lifted Nahil.
His body was lighter than expected.
Yet—
There was a strange warmth coming from him.
Unnatural.
She said nothing.
—
The group prepared to leave.
Imaria took one last look at the cave.
The dead beast.
The empty space where life once fought to survive.
Then—
She turned.
And walked out.
—
Inside Nahil—
The bead pulsed faintly.
Absorbing.
Storing.
Waiting.
—
And without anyone realizing—
A connection had already formed.
Between cold and flame.
Between two fates—
That had just begun to intertwine.