The One Who Vanished Without a Trace

In the small woods late at night, white chill spread rapidly through the snowy ground like mist, far denser than before.

It blanketed the surrounding area, shrouding many trees within it.

Though the trees enveloped by the white mist had not frozen into ice, they seemed locked in space. Even when a strong wind passed through, not a single leaf stirred.

The space throughout this area had been completely frozen.

"Roar!"

The Lion-Tiger Scaled Beast beneath Shafna sensed the danger and let out a terrified cry. Then, its cry abruptly stopped as it froze in place, unable to move.

"How impressive."

Shafna praised it, layers of magic power swirling around her body like burning flames, keeping the white chill from approaching.

"Clang!"

A brilliant radiance shone from the Holy Sword that Shien had drawn at some point and released from its seal, protecting him within the white chill.

Facing a cold capable of freezing even time and space, Shien did not arrogantly believe Outer Fate of Heaven's protection alone could withstand it. Without hesitation, he unleashed the Holy Sword and used its power to resist the extreme cold trying to erode him.

With the Holy Sword in hand, Shien was able to stand amid the icy cold as though walking on level ground.

Yet Shien's gaze had already been drawn to the scene before him.

Before Hertia, who was surrounded by white chill, stood pillar after pillar of ice.

Some looked as though they were about to shoot into the heavens, standing tall and proud.

Some resembled blades of ice, appearing extraordinarily sharp.

Some looked like statues, some like slabs of ice, some like glaciers sculpted by nature itself, and some like enormous, sharp barbs.

Within every one of them was a figure, frozen inside as though asleep.

They were—