Frostfire Legacy

Aster's sudden acceleration made the girls' bodies follow the laws of motion.

"AGH!"

"OW!"

They all slammed against the cart's floor, with Liz almost falling off if not for Cassy's timely grab of her leg. After the acceleration ended, the girls returned to their original positions, cursing a little while attending to their tasks.

Kali was strong, but her strength leaned more toward agility than raw power. As such, they tied her up securely, ensuring she couldn't move. She was bound like a shrimp, her feet almost touching her back.

"Priodis Sirreo fen Cura! Minor Area Heal!"

Once Kali was restrained, Cassy quickly cast an Area Heal on everyone. The pain from their bumps and bruises faded as Kali's injuries healed. In just ten seconds, she was back in tip-top shape.

"Ugh..."

As soon as she was healed, Kali groaned, her voice reminiscent of someone waking up with a bad hangover. "My head... What... Where are we?" she asked, looking around in confusion.

*THUNK!*

"OWWW! Dammit, who did that?!"

Tina, standing nearby, brought down the "fist of justice" on Kali's head. But that was all she did, remaining silent afterward. Her pride was still wounded from being easily handled by Kali, who had bested both her and Liz without them landing a single hit. She couldn't accept that she had failed to even graze Kali, much less land a solid blow.

"You damned...!" Kali started to move but quickly realized she was restrained. "Wait, why am I tied up?! Leader, what's going on?!"

Suddenly, Cassy moved her face close, as if about to kiss her. She stared into Kali's eyes, searching for something. "You... has the brainwashing worn off?" Cassy asked, trying to confirm.

"Brainwashing...?" Kali responded, confused. "Didn't we all get anti-brainwashing protection at the same time? Are you going senile, stupid rabbit?"

"...It's the usual Kali. What a relief~!"

Despite Kali's snide comment, Cassy let out a long sigh. The brief brainwashing had been undone, and they suspected that knocking Kali unconscious had broken the control.

Just to be sure, Cassy used the Dispel Powder, an item they had received along with their anti-brainwashing measures. It could remove traces of any skills cast on a person, including brainwashing and mind control. She sprinkled a generous amount over Kali before nodding confidently.

"With this, I'm 100% sure the mind control is undone!" Cassy declared.

Kali, despite not recalling the entire situation, quickly pieced together what had happened during her memory lapse.

"I was controlled, huh?" she asked, her tone grim. "So? What's the plan?"

"Escape, for now," Liz replied from behind. "One look and you got controlled. I'm sure the rest of us would be the same."

Right. Facing an enemy who could control them just by looking into their eyes, they stood no chance.

"Girls, wear these!"

After his long silence, Aster finally spoke up. He tossed four items to them—what looked like diving goggles. "These goggles will limit your vision to a few meters ahead. They should protect you from brainwashing, at least!"

The goggles' lenses were made of ice, which Crysta crafted with care, ensuring the girls experienced a light case of nearsightedness. Naturally, the entire frame was also made of ice, as Aster couldn't manually fashion parts from plastic or leather while running.

Once the girls put them on, Crysta activated the Frostfire Legacy again, adjusting the fit to ensure the goggles wouldn't slip or loosen.

"Although it's made of ice, it's not cold..." Liz muttered in amazement.

This wasn't due to any special material. It was Aster controlling the cold at will, preventing the goggles from melting while also ensuring the girls wouldn't feel discomfort from the ice. This delicate control took up a quarter of his mental focus!

But then, it happened...

"...!"

Aster quickly stomped his feet, coming to a sudden halt. The girls flew forward, crashing into Aster's back and piling up like a stack of pancakes.

"W-Why did...?!"

Just as Cassy was about to ask, she felt the mana in the surroundings twist. "Oh no!" she exclaimed. "They caught up already?!"

"This is... Teleportation!" Aster gritted his teeth. He had expected them to catch up, but not this quickly! "Cassy, release Kali's restraints!" he commanded immediately.

At this point, there was no reason to keep her bound. Getting her help in battle would be far more useful.

Aster then flipped the cart and stabbed it into the ground, handle first, to act as a barrier for the girls. "Argus! Take on half! I'll handle the other half! Everyone else, deal with any that get close! And remember, keep your gaze low!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a bright flash of light erupted. When it faded, Aster was met with the same sight as before—forty enemies standing before them!

Without wasting time, he dashed forward toward the right flank. Argus moved to the left. As planned, they split the enemies into two groups, handling half each, while keeping them away from the girls.

"..."

In the center of the enemy formation, Lorelai raised her hand, silently commanding the others. At her signal, all four teams moved as one. The Ironblood Knights and Light of Glory parties advanced on Argus, surrounding him, while the Dragon's Roar parties, the two mages, and the six Aracelli members approached Aster.

It was clear which one she was more wary of!

Aster gripped his sword, his expression resolute. "Lorelai..." he whispered, feeling a knot in his chest. He never imagined a day would come when he'd point his sword at a former ally.

"Give up. I will never hand over Cassy!" he declared firmly.

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The Dragon's Roar parties surrounded him, keeping a 10-meter distance. Their formation resembled one used for fighting a boss, not another adventurer.

"Aster..." Lorelai finally spoke, her voice cold and emotionless. "This is my first and last warning: stand down, and you'll get to keep your life."

Aster's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly flashed a cheeky smile.

"You think you're stronger than me? Think again...!" he shouted, releasing a powerful aura. "You're not qualified to tell me that!"