"Dad… Mom…" A frail, trembling voice rang out. The little girl's sobs were raw as her tiny, dirt-stained hands clutched at her chest.
That childish cry struck like a heavy hammer against the hearts of the adventurers present. Several visibly flinched.
Adi instinctively stepped forward, only for Ryuu to clamp down on her arm, stopping her cold. Acting rashly now would only ensure the hostage's slender neck met the blade that lingered so dangerously close.
From behind, Alise stared at the boy's back, her voice tight. "Akira, do you have a plan?"
"I see."
Whether his words were an answer to Alise's question or a response to the enemy was unclear. Akira's face didn't change, no flicker of emotion, no trace of hesitation.
Then, with deliberate calmness, he slowly raised his hands. His movements weren't fast, yet they carried an inexplicable authority that made it hard to breathe.
Seeing this, Valletta's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with menace. "Little brat, I advise you—"
She didn't get to finish.
"Haaa…"
A faint exhale escaped Akira's lips. White vapor spilled into the air, curling like a ghostly mist, carrying with it an unmistakable chill.
His hands descended. And then, everything froze. It was as though time itself had been trapped within a glacier. Vicious Evilus members, terrified hostages, even the very air around them, all locked in an instant by a cold so absolute it defied belief.
Clear ice swallowed the scene whole. Valletta's expression was locked in wide-eyed horror, her arm that held the sword frozen mid-swing.
The little girl's tears had solidified into sparkling beads, her small hands still poised against her chest as though frozen between heartbeats.
A suffocating silence fell over the battlefield, broken only by the faint, eerie sound of ice creaking under its own weight.
Those who had never witnessed Akira's power could only stare, eyes wide in disbelief.
What kind of magic is this?
Is such a spell even possible?
No chant… not even a gesture, how…?
And above all, is this boy truly the Morning Star they thought they knew?
Confusion, awe, and a creeping sense of fear tangled together in their hearts.
"Akira, you…"
Adi's voice faltered, her question dying before it could leave her lips. Her eyes darted toward the frozen hostages, wondering if they were still alive.
Akira stepped forward, each crunch of ice beneath his boots sounding unnervingly loud. His eyes showed no emotion, only the certainty of one who had complete control.
"Don't worry." He said, his voice as cold as the frost that surrounded them. "They're still alive. My ice magic is precise. This is only a temporary stasis."
But his tone sharpened as he continued, "That's not the case for what comes next."
Reaching Valletta's frozen figure, he placed one gloved hand against the ice.
Valletta's pupils constricted in panic. Though her body was trapped, she remained conscious, able to feel the biting cold, able to understand exactly what was about to happen. She wanted to beg for mercy, to scream, to say anything, but her lips could not move. All she could do was watch, terror flooding her gaze.
"I told you I gave you a chance." Akira's voice was like a verdict passed down from an unfeeling judge. "You didn't cherish it."
His palm pressed firmly against the ice.
Click… click… click…
Sharp, brittle cracks splintered through the frozen prison, echoing like breaking bones.
Bang!
With a deafening crack, the glacial barrier shattered, not into jagged shards, but into a million glittering motes of light, scattering into the air like stars across a night sky.
And with those motes vanished the Evilus members who had been holding the hostages. The notorious level 5 Arachnia, Valletta was gone, without so much as a speck of dust left behind.
The beauty of the moment was almost intoxicating, yet it was shadowed by the dreadful realization that a warrior of Valletta's caliber had been erased in an instant. No screams, no struggle.
A cold shiver ran through every spine present. Their blood felt like it was beginning to freeze.
As the light faded, Akira's frosty white hair slowly returned to its natural black, the chilling red of his eyes softening back to their original hue. Then, with a controlled exhale, he sank into a crouch, his expression twisting into one of feigned exhaustion.
"Akira!"
The chorus of worried voices erupted from the girls as they rushed to his side, fear plain in their eyes.
Alise was the first to kneel, both hands gripping his shoulders as she searched his face. "Akira, are you alright? Did you burn yourself out?"
He leaned into her slightly, using her for balance. Ryuu swiftly produced a bottle of glowing potion from her belt and held it out. "Drink it."
"I'm fine, don't worry."
He accepted the vial but didn't drink. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Adi, his voice still carrying that undertone of fatigue.
"Adi, tell Captain Shakti to take care of the hostages. And, don't untie them."
Her brows furrowed. "Huh? Why?"
"You'll see. Just go." He nudged her shoulder, urging her forward.
Turning to Lyra, he added, "Lyra, get Ganesha's people to remove the triggers from them. They're likely already brainwashed."
The devices had been left intact, destroying them carelessly could have turned the hostages into lifeless ice sculptures. For now, they remained frozen but stable.
Lyra's face hardened as understanding struck. "Got it. I'll handle it immediately."
She bolted off toward the Ganesha Familia.
"Alright, stop hovering over me." Akira said, his lips curling into a wry smile. "I'm fine. I just don't want certain people knowing how well I can still move after using magic like that."
'I am a cautious hero. Let Astraea-sama slap me with her surprise later.'
The girls exchanged glances.
"I'll deal with you later for scaring us."
"How dare you make us worry like that?!"
"Still, I'm glad you're safe, Akira."
With those muttered remarks, they dispersed to assist the other adventurers, save for Ryuu, who remained close.
Meanwhile, Lyra had reached Shakti, who listened without interruption before signaling to her men. The elephant-headed warriors moved in, approaching each frozen hostage with painstaking caution.
They probed gently, wary of triggering the dangerous devices.
"Found it." One of them murmured, carefully prying a frost-covered metal contraption from a hostage's waist.
Before long, all of the confiscated devices were placed in front of Akira. He extended a trembling hand, fingers curling into a fist—
Crack… crunch…
In an instant, the pile of ominous self-destruct mechanisms was crushed into nothing but frost-laced powder, like shattered ice and splintered metal blended into a frozen smoothie.
The oppressive weight pressing on everyone's chests finally loosened, and the tension in their shoulders eased.
"Oooooooohhhhhh!!!"
The cheers erupted like thunder, shaking the very air.
The joint operation of the Astraea Familia and the Ganesha Familia had been completed.
Far away from Akira's position, the other two enemy bases had also fallen, but not quietly. The ground trembled, and deep, resounding shockwaves rolled through the city as colossal explosions lit up the night.
From the distant horizon, pillars of thick black smoke climbed skyward.
At the Astraea Familia's residence, Astraea stood before the tall window, her deep blue eyes, eyes that seemed to hold an entire ocean of stars, widening in surprise as the night beyond was dyed in fire and smoke.
"Akira, everyone… please be safe."
Beside her, Lili lowered her head, hands clasped together as she whispered her own prayer.