CHAPTER 195: FRIGID

The ground rumbled and the sky reverberated. Sonic booms rang out without cease; explosions fell from the heavens like rain, destroying all that lived below.

Whimpers and cries echoed all around. The state of the Gnareth army was one of absolute misery. They ran, they kneeled, yet they died. Bodies were blown apart, limbs dismembered, werebeasts erased, not leaving behind even dust.

"Do not expect any mercy from me, monsters."

KRZZZZZ—THOOM!

The lance of the sun continued to stab and sweep the earth. Each time its light appeared, dozens died. Cleaning the battleground like heaven’s broom, it continued to take out the trash. So much so that the Gnarethians, already turned hysterical each time she fired.

Although at this point, I may be more of a monster than you all will ever be.

In the early parts of the battle, some of them tried to fight back. They threw spears, leapt upwards in desperation, but as more and more bodies vanished into thin air, fear and panic did the rest. Bianca did not stop firing for anything.

Again and again she sent superheated plasma down and melted the invaders. Her missiles had long been used up; her excess mana was also spent. Thus, the initial three-type barrage was now down to only her rifle. But as she had over a hundred, it was enough.

As if imitating Elian’s penchant for snakes, Bianca wielded a dozen Fralhame rifles using complicated Ice VII hands. Sniping from beyond the stratosphere, the Gnarethians were completely at her mercy.

However, she was merely fighting off the dregs. It was obvious to her that many of the werebeasts were already begging to surrender. But as Elian had yet to give the word, the massacre continued. She wanted to come down and help more, but her lover wouldn’t let her.

Sometimes, I feel that Elian intentionally gave me a sniper rifle to ensure I stay far away.

As the Witch of the Frozen Night continued to battle, she kept tabs on her most important person. Elian was fighting in an arena of her own making. To ensure he wouldn’t waste time looking for opponents, she corralled the werebeasts to him.

And like his armor’s namesake, Elian hunted. With chainsaws on every limb, he ripped and tore everything apart. His arms elongated and acted like swords; his kicks severed anything they hit, grabbing him was the same as sawing off your own limb.

And he still has those twelve chainsaw serpents.

The sight made Bianca feel nostalgic. Snakes, or rather jaws of Living Metal, were Elian’s answer to saving her. He made them to allow him to bite, devour, and convert material in the fastest way possible. In the multiple iterations of Elian’s combat style, they were almost always present.

Though they glistened with the shimmer of radiant silver, the grotesque manner in which they attacked was horrifying. Like vampires dying of thirst, Elian’s twelve chainsaw snakes stabbed, skewered, and ripped apart any enemy they came across.

While the invaders looked the same to Bianca, she was sure they had some way to distinguish each other. But the manner in which Elian’s opponents were left in made her question if the werebeast’s loved ones could still identify them.

The chaotic reeving of their chains made the blood splatter like rain. While she killed from high above, Elian walked among the army he butchered. His once-silver armor was dyed a bloody crimson. He attacked them all like a shark going mad with hunger.

Lions, bears, deer, buffalo, boars, and even wolves. The Werebeasts were animal-monster hybrids. They all had bodies of humans, two arms, and two legs. But their sizes and heads were of various other species commonly seen in the zoo or in the wild.

Despite being animals, they all wore poorly made armor and tattered clothes. It reminded Bianca of the Naga when she first met them. They might have been powerful against some races in the crucible. But against Elian?

They are little more than beasts.

"MOOO!" "GROWL!" "ECKKKK ECKKK!!!"

Various cries rang out. Each Werebeast came at Elian with weapons made of red crystal. Like those made by cavemen, the red stone-like material was tied to wooden handles and shafts. That comprised the entire arsenal of the Gnareth.

They had no magic casters and simply used axes, arrows, and spears. It looked extremely archaic and outdated by Bianca and Earth’s standards, but somehow, she felt something sinister.

Why does a chill climb up my spine when I see them?

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"?"

Lowering her sniper rifle, Bianca pulled out the smartphone from her magic bag and checked. The caller ID spelled, [Mom]. Quickly, she picked up.

"Mom? Are you hurt? Are you being attacked? Who is beside you?"

[Goodness, child, slow down. I am fine; I am watching Elian’s live stream from one of the bunkers with Yearns.]

"Ah, hehe, sorry. The battle is kinda too easy so I felt a bit worried about a trap of some sort," Bianca confessed.

Silent chuckled, her voice sensual, clear, and pleasant. When she was in her human form, few would ever think that such a kind and gentle woman had the personality of a psychopathic murderer.

[You are like Son-in-law in that respect, always assuming the worst. By the way, you thought of something rude just now, didn’t you?]

Bianca’s body tensed; although Silent wasn’t present, she looked away awkwardly.

"N-No, I wasn’t."She refuted. "Anyway, Mom, why the call? Do you have something to ask? Mind telling me how the other invasions are going?"

[Fufu, Bianca, you are being silly. Choose one question and wait for the answer. Your mind is a bit too muddled. Are you omni-wielding Fralhame lances again?]

"Uhm...yes..."

Bianca couldn’t help but lower her head. Omni wielding was the term Elian used to describe her using weapons with hands made from Ice VII. While it was useful, it was mentally tiring; to compensate, Bianca had to let her mind multitask; in doing so, she became a scatterbrain.

Most would be unable to keep up with how many thoughts were going through her mind; Silent, who noticed, told her it made her look air headed.

[Sigh, I guess it can’t be helped. The others are fine; the Naga are holding well. Remember to drink plenty of that love cocktail Elian makes for you,] Bianca’s mother teased.

"W-Wha? Love cocktail? It’s just liquefied monster cores! It’s not lewd!"

[Oh, I don’t doubt that. My point is he probably adds in a little extra something. Your father loves it when I consume his essence. He said it was human instinct. Our human bodies opened new doors for us in the art of lovemaking. Humans have impressive imaginatio...]

"MOM! TOO MUCH INFO! Please don’t tell me about that stuff! No daughter would want to hear what her parents do in the bedroom!"

At Bianca’s exasperated rebuke, Silent giggled like a mischievous imp. It was only during such moments that Bianca remembered that this woman was the one who gave birth to the chaotic gremlin she called her sister.

[Fufu, jokes aside, I am calling on behalf of Yearns. She woke up a while ago and saw the livestream.]

The sudden change in the tone of her mother’s voice caught Bianca off guard.

It lost all warmth and turned chilling as a blade. She only heard Silent speak that way once. When she operated not as Silent, mother of Fluffy and Bianca, but as Silent, Weapon of Valestra. She couldn’t help but swallow in nervousness.

"Gulp, okay, please tell me, Mom. I will tell Elian later."

[Yearns wanted me to tell you the red crystal used by the Gnareth is called Crimson Death in Virexar. And that you should never get yourself hurt with it.]

"Did she say why?"

[According to her, Crimson Death turns mana explosive. It is like poison to any race that channels mana into their bodies. It would cause your own mana to detonate and destroy your body if even a fragment stays in your body.]

At the news, Bianca’s body froze in fear. A cold chill climbed up her spine. Elian might not have been able to use mana, but his metal channels his mana inward to allow him to manipulate its properties.

If what Yearns knew was correct, just a small cut from Crimson Death could become fatal to Elian.

"No!"

As if to drive home the danger, she heard her lover’s angry thought.

’Tsk. That hurt.’

"NO! Elian! Elian! Are you okay?" she screamed in panic.

But before she could focus on Elian’s reply, Silent’s angry roar came from the phone she had placed on her ear.

[BIANCA! Stop being an unruly brat! How can you protect your family if you are unhinged by every little thing? You have Frigid as a Talent, yet you lack any resilience when it comes to Elian! What is wrong with you!?]

The sudden shout caused Bianca to regain her senses. Her words were true. She would not even bat an eye if other people outside of her family were in danger. But Elian was different. If something happened to him, she would lose her purpose for living and fighting.

Bianca gripped her rifle and clenched her jaw so hard that it started to hurt.

"But Mom... I... Elian..."

For the first time in a long time, Bianca felt small and weak. She wanted to rush out and blast all the werebeasts who dared to bring Crimson Death on Earth. But out of respect for Silent, she stayed in place.

But contrary to what she expected, Silent’s voice turned gentle once more.

[I know, Bianca. I am the same for your father. But if you wish to truly support him, shielding Son-in-law is not the way. It is to protect him from the dangers he cannot see. Do not worry, I doubt your dearest husband would fall that easily.]

Taking a deep breath, Bianca channeled her talent for the first time in years.

"Frigid."

[Talent: Frigid activated. Bianca Valestra loses all capacity for empathy and affection. Processing power increases by 500%. Duration: 120 minutes.]

"I’m okay now."

[Good, go my daughter. Make them rue the day they touched what is yours.]

"Yes," Bianca replied.