Chapter 41: Confronting The Nightmare Nest’s Lord

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In the heart of the Frozen Castle, Hrymdra stared into the crystal ball before her, her face tight with worry. Now that the curse had been almost completely lifted, she felt far better—yet the relief only sharpened her fear. Elizabeth had kept her promise, and the young dragon had been facing the terrors of the Nightmare Nest completely alone.

“Elizabeth…”

She stretched her divine senses as far as they would reach. Even with most of the curse gone, she remained too weakened to leave her castle. “Please return! It’s too dangerous!”

Through her Divine Ice Crystal Ball, Hrymdra quickly located the girl. Shock rippled through her as she watched Elizabeth battle two powerful beings, defeat them both, and grow visibly stronger with every clash. She had even gained a new companion.

“Why?! Please return! Stop risking your life—you’ve done enough!” Hrymdra cried, desperately trying to reach her. But her voice could not bridge the distance. “My divine power is still too weakened by the curse. I cannot pierce this thick layer of nightmare essence!” Her tone cracked with frustration. “No… Astraea, please tell the girl to stop this!”

“I’ve told her multiple times, Hrymdra!” Astraea replied. “But she won’t listen—she’s as stubborn as she is determined! I’m worried too. As a mere system assistant, I can hardly do anything except support her… What do we do?! She barely survived her second encounter. Even though she has grown so strong and prepared, the boss might be several times stronger than her. She’s walking into suicide!”

“We need to call for help,” Hrymdra said, forcing down her pride and the solitude she had clung to for so long. “For her… I… I must swallow my pride and speak to my family. By now, some of them must have noticed the wound in the realm. I will call them, and… I will call Grandmother.”

“Grandmother?” Astraea asked, startled. “Wait, you mean…?! ”

“Yes,” Hrymdra replied gravely. “Her.”

♢♢♢♢

The heat in the air grew impossibly thicker and more overwhelming the moment we stepped into the final room, revealing yet another endless inferno of red and purple flames consuming everything in sight.

I advanced carefully, flying above the worst of the blaze while channeling my Ice Magic to form a protective coating of frost around my body. At the same time, I wrapped myself in my Harmony and Chaos Auras to shield against harm.

In the distance, a tall figure sat upon a massive throne of beast bones, wreathed in flames and staring directly at me.

A chill raced down my spine despite the searing heat. I clenched my teeth, flew closer, and as I prepared to land—

“Sorrowful Winter Garden.”

FLASH!

In a single heartbeat, the surroundings froze solidly. Every flame vanished, suppressed beneath layers of deep cold and frost. Snow fell steadily from the ceiling as if true winter had claimed the chamber—a breathtaking, haunting sight.

This evolved spell no longer simply created ice and a garden of frost. It warped space itself, forming something akin to a Pseudo Domain. Through the constant snowfall, it kept freezing everything around us without end.

“?!”

The boss on the throne nearly froze solid, shock flashing across its form. It shattered the ice with raw force, rose to its feet, and glared at us with pure fury.

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“…”

It lifted a sword forged with red crystals. Flames erupted once more, engulfing its body and the surroundings.

“Oh hell no.”

I countered by unleashing Sorrowful Winter Garden against its inferno. Ice and fire collided violently.

In that moment, we clashed.

RUMBLE!

The boss reached me; it’s form now clear. A four-meter-tall humanoid clad in heavy red-and-black crystal armor. Beneath the plates, it resembled the other monsters: a skeleton of nightmare energy and infernal crystals.

Its giant sword slammed against my Eclipsing Blade. I roared, channeling every skill and ability I possessed while smashing it downward with my Tiamat Scale Shield.

“Knife Rain!”

Hundreds of Harmony, Chaos, and Ice Knives rained down in seconds, exploding across its body. The opposing forces of Harmony and Chaos amplified the damage, while the ice weakened its flames.

Yet the skeleton surged through the blasts, its fire undying, eyes blazing. It charged and delivered a crushing kick that drove me into the ground. I groaned, clenching my teeth and snapping at its head—only for its sword to lunge into my jaws, piercing my upper jaw and tearing a scream of agony from me.

“Aaaaagggh!”

I ripped the sword free, kicked the creature away, and vomited blood as flames raged inside my skull. Gritting my teeth, I froze the burns and faced the monster as it came at me again.

“Come!”

I roared, yanking it closer with my whip, then swung my Eclipsing Blade. Paragon appeared at my side, attacking in perfect sync and doubling our power.

“Eternal Blade Arts – First Form: Horizon Cut!”

A sharp horizontal slash of silver and gold struck the boss, hurling it across the room and into the ceiling. A deep wound cracked its armor and body, pieces beginning to break away.