章 25: Shut Up and Follow Me
Eleonora carefully studied Leonar's hands as she regained some strength after taking control of his body.
The stiffness in the fingers and the trembling legs of the human form she inhabited were clear signs that the body's physical reserves were at their limit. But that didn't deter her.
Taking a deep breath, she stood once again and approached the massive wall of ice blocking the water's flow. A translucent window materialized in front of her eyes:
[Eleonora's power released: 4%]
Eleonora let out a sigh. The percentage seemed laughable compared to the monumental task ahead. She tried stepping forward, but Leonar's legs faltered. Gritting her teeth, she forced the body to stay upright.
"Pathetic," she muttered, though it was Leonar's voice that echoed the word.
"System, tell me, what's the limit of this body for handling my power?"
A new window appeared shortly after:
[Estimated limit: 37%]
Eleonora tilted her head slightly, pondering.
"Perfect. And how long can it sustain that?"
[4 minutes and 39 seconds]
"More than enough," she declared, taking another deep breath and closing her eyes.
"Increase the intensity gradually, but keep it stable. We can't afford mistakes."
As the percentage rose, Eleonora began to feel Leonar's heartbeat pounding more fiercely. His legs trembled even more, and the pain in the right arm grew sharper. But she ignored the body's warnings, placing her right hand firmly against the ice.
Focusing her energy, she let it flow from her hand into the barrier. The ice began to emit a faint sound, like cracking crystals, but instead of breaking, it expanded.
Eleonora was reshaping the frozen water on the other side, turning it into a passageway.
"What are you doing?" Damian asked from behind, his tone a mix of disbelief and concern.
Eleonora didn't reply immediately, her eyes fixed on the forming structure. Every detail required precise calculation. One wrong move and the lives of those Leonar had saved would be at risk.
When she finally spoke, her voice was low, almost monotone:
"Creating a way out."
The group, who had been watching from a distance, cautiously stepped closer. One of them, a man with short hair and a scruffy beard, whistled as he saw the ice begin to take shape.
"This is… incredible. Has he always been this strong?"
Damian shook his head.
"No. Something's… different."
The murmurs didn't bother Eleonora, who kept working. After several minutes, she finally tapped the center of the ice wall.
With a resounding crack that echoed through the chamber, a perfect square broke away, revealing an ice passageway stretching ahead.
"Wow…" Rita murmured, approaching the edge of the newly formed path cautiously. Her eyes widened as she noticed the transparent walls displaying the water surrounding them. It was like standing inside a massive aquarium.
Damian and the others moved closer, carrying sacks filled with gold coins. One of them chuckled.
"Never thought I'd live to see something like this. Is this the kid's doing?"
Eleonora slowly turned her head, her cold gaze fixed on the man.
"Stop gawking. Move."
Damian raised an eyebrow at her sharp tone but chose not to respond.
"How long is this passage?" he asked, trying to remain calm.
"Long enough. Just follow me."
The group began moving, amazed by the tunnel's solidness. The ice walls seemed impenetrable, and the water flowing just beyond gave the scene a surreal quality.
As they reached a higher point in the tunnel, Rita let out a gasp.
"Look!"
Through the walls, a giant shark swam slowly, its silhouette moving with an eerie grace.
One of the men cursed under his breath, stepping back instinctively.
"That's not safe! What if it attacks the tunnel?"
Eleonora watched the shark with unsettling calm. As the creature swam closer to the group, she raised a hand, mimicking how Leonar had tamed the shark earlier. To everyone's surprise, the shark changed direction, swimming away as if nothing had happened.
"What the hell…?" one of the men muttered, scratching his head.
Rita, however, stayed silent. Her eyes were fixed on Leonar, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
Finally, they reached the end of the passage, where Eleonora stopped in front of another ice wall.
One of the men, visibly more nervous than the rest, froze at the sound of something unsettling behind them.
"What's that?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Eleonora didn't respond. Instead, she placed a hand on the wall and closed her eyes, focusing on creating the tunnel's final stretch.
"I think the ice is breaking!" another shouted, pointing to the tunnel's far end.
Rita began to panic, turning to Eleonora.
"Do something! The water's going to get in!"
Eleonora exhaled deeply, turning toward the source of the noise.
'Release more power, quickly,' she thought.
[Eleonora's power released: 41%]
With a swift motion, she created several additional layers of ice to block the water's flow. Some shattered almost immediately under the pressure, but she managed to hold it back.
The cold intensified, and everyone began to shiver. Damian approached Leonar.
"Is the rest of the path ready?"
Eleonora didn't reply right away. Instead, she refocused on the wall in front of them. With one final effort, she struck the surface with her palm, creating an opening that revealed the rest of the passage.
At that moment, another window appeared before her:
[Limit exceeded. Power release canceled.]
Leonar's hair returned to its original brown, and Eleonora let out a relieved sigh.
'Good… this should be enough. That'll teach him to stop acting like an idiot,' Eleonora thought proudly as she prepared to lead the humans to safety.
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