Frostfire Legacy

Just as Aster was battling the second wave of monsters on his side, the situation on the girls' flank had reached a grueling standstill. Despite their relentless efforts, the horde of monsters swarming them seemed barely thinned. Yet, not a single beast had managed to breach their defensive line—a testament to their teamwork and unyielding resolve.

"Knight's Challenge!" Liz growled, her voice strained but resolute.

Her taunt skill had a limited range under normal circumstances, but the sheer density of the enemy forces made it easy to pull hundreds of monsters into her trap. As though bewitched, they surged toward her, trampling over their own kin in their desperate attempts to reach her.

"Dagger Storm!" shouted Kali, positioned diagonally behind Liz. Her twin daggers glinted menacingly as she swung them in a wide arc.

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A powerful gust of wind spiraled outward, carrying sharp, invisible slashes that tore through the enemy lines. The formation buckled under the assault, leaving dozens of monsters wounded—but none fatally.

"Damn it!" Kali cursed under her breath, frustration evident in her voice. Her attacks lacked the raw power to finish off the monsters outright.

"My turn! Full Clad!" Tina's voice rang out from the opposite side, brimming with confidence.

In an instant, her body erupted in a fiery blue aura, the energy rippling like a blazing inferno. Without missing a beat, she activated a devastating chain of skills. "Focus! Charge Attack! Elemental Fist—Ice!"

Her fist collided with the ground, sending a shockwave of icy energy barreling through the monsters. A hundred-meter stretch ahead of her turned into a frozen wasteland, the monsters encased in jagged ice before shattering into lifeless shards.

"Heh." Tina smirked triumphantly, shooting a smug glance at Kali. "Still think you're hot stuff? Looks like someone's falling behind."

"You arrogant little—!" Kali growled, her grip tightening on her daggers. She wasn't one to back down from a challenge. "You think I'm done? Watch this, you overgrown snowball!"

Lowering her stance, she leaped forward, landing gracefully atop a monster's head. Dark, ominous energy began swirling around her, and her blue eyes burned with determination.

"Shadow Clone!"

Her form flickered for a split second. Then, as if reality itself had been split apart, Kali appeared in six identical copies. The clones moved like a synchronized dance, weaving through the horde with surgical precision. Each one targeted a monster's vital points, their daggers delivering swift, lethal strikes. While slower than Tina's explosive attacks, Kali's methodical assault rapidly racked up kills.

The battlefield seemed alive with the contrast between Tina's devastating ice attacks and Kali's ghostly assassinations.

"I—I'm still ahead in kills!" Tina sputtered, her earlier confidence cracking.

Panic flickered across her face as she hastily launched another attack, freezing another swath of monsters to reclaim her lead.

"Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!"

Cassy's voice cut through the chaos. From her position at the rear, she kept a steady rhythm, her hands glowing with divine energy.

Despite her lack of sight, Cassy's healing spells were uncannily accurate. Every time Liz's armor cracked or her skin showed signs of strain, the soothing light of Cassy's magic restored her to tip-top shape.

"You two," Cassy snapped, her tone sharp enough to rival Liz's mace, "stop your childish competition and focus! Look at Argus! Unlike you two, he's actually doing his job!"

*Arf!*

The small pup barked in acknowledgment, his body radiating golden sparks. Moments later, bolts of lightning rained down from the cavern ceiling, reducing an entire section of the horde to ash.

If not for Argus, the girls' defensive line would have crumbled long ago. The little creature accounted for nearly 80% of the kills on their side, his power leveling up the entire party significantly. Each of the girls had gained at least ten levels since the battle began, yet even with their newfound strength, they were still playing catch-up.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

For all their bravado, Kali and Tina's contributions barely scratched the surface—each managing only 3% of the kills. The remaining percentage? It belonged to Liz, the tireless tank who held the line.

"Everyone, fall back! I'm attacking again!" Liz bellowed, her voice carrying over the chaotic battlefield.

"H-Hey, wait! I'm pinned down here!" Tina shouted, frantically trying to disengage from a cluster of monsters.

"Forget her! Fire already!" Kali yelled back, her tone equal parts exasperated and mischievous.

"I'm not leaving her behind!" Liz snapped, buying a crucial few seconds for Tina to retreat. The black cat barely made it behind Liz before the tank's mace came crashing down.

"Vengeance Burst!" Liz roared.

A blinding flash of light exploded from her weapon, engulfing the battlefield in an overwhelming wave of energy. When the light faded, a massive swath of monsters had been completely obliterated, their remains disintegrated into nothingness.

Liz's knees buckled slightly under the strain, her arm trembling from the sheer force of her attack. "Ugh…" she groaned, her mace slipping momentarily from her grasp.

"Tertie Sirreo Cura! Great Heal!" Cassy was already prepared, her healing spell enveloping Liz and restoring her battered body.

The fight reset, but the endless wave of monsters showed no sign of stopping. Kali's earlier bravado had faded, replaced by an exhausted murmur. "When will this nightmare end…?"

As despair crept into the group, Cassy's voice rang out once more—calm, commanding, and unwavering.

"Sanctuary!"

Golden light radiated outward in a 100-meter radius around her. The energy formed a protective barrier that healed allies slowly over time while burning any monster that dared to step inside. The horde hesitated, the monsters snarling in frustration but unwilling to breach the glowing perimeter.

"Rest for now," Cassy ordered, her voice brooking no argument. "This will hold for five minutes. You should regain your strength until then."

*Thud.*

Kali and Tina collapsed almost simultaneously, their legs giving out as they sank to the ground. Both were drenched in sweat, their breaths ragged. They didn't even bother to exchange barbs this time, too drained to continue their petty rivalry.

*Arf! Arf!*

Argus, ever the stalwart defender, took over. The pup's lightning strikes rained down with ferocious precision, ensuring no monsters dared to encroach on their sanctuary.

For now, the girls could rest. But the grim reality remained—this was a war of attrition, and the monsters showed no sign of relenting. Still, despite the odds, they held their ground. Together, they would fight until the bitter end.