章 2: Chapter 2: The Cold Wind of North Will Devour Your Souls

"Kill him!!!"

The silver knight strode forward, his blade flashing like a crescent moon as he slashed at Alex. He was certain that his strike was perfect; in a moment, he would decapitate the young man before him.

But...

"Clang!!!"

With a clear metallic clash, the silver knight's sword halted in midair. He stared in shock as the young man before him raised his right hand. From it, an icy mist began to gather, forming into a beautiful yet terrifying longsword.

A skull stared back at him from the jet-black hilt. The blade, white as bone and snow, exuded a soul-chilling cold. An eerie blue glow emanated from the blade's grooves, hinting that this was no ordinary weapon.

"What is that?"

"It must be the artifact!!"

The other silver knights exclaimed at the sight of the sword that had suddenly appeared in Alex's hand. The black-robed figure, however, sensed something amiss and began to feel uneasy.

"Wait, something's wrong. Be careful—!!"

Before the black-robed figure could finish, Alex, who had been kneeling, suddenly leapt up. Grasping the sword with both hands, he raised it high and swung it forward with all his might.

The next moment, the blade pierced straight through the body of the silver knight before him.

"Ahhhhh—!!"

The knight screamed in agony as the sword impaled him. His body quickly withered, and a faint glow of his soul flickered. A blurry human figure seemed to be pulled from the knight's body, spiraling into the sword's blade.

"Boom—!!"

At that moment, a roaring wind erupted around Alex, sending the other silver knights flying. The black-robed figure hurriedly retreated several meters to barely withstand the blast of cold air. When the storm subsided, he looked forward again and gaped in astonishment.

"This… this is…"

Before everyone, Alex was no longer the miserable figure he had been. Cold mist spread from his body, forming into a suit of silver armor.

Above his head, a massive phantom appeared, a crowned figure whose face was hidden in shadow. Sitting on a throne seemingly made of eternal ice, the figure glared coldly at the enemies before him. Even meeting his gaze gave the impression that one's very soul was freezing.

Perhaps it wasn't just an impression.

Now, with Alex at the center, the surrounding ground was gradually being covered in frost. Plants withered, as if all life was being extinguished.

"What a terrifying power of death!!"

Seeing this, the black-robed figure's expression changed drastically. He quickly stepped back and pulled out a rune. But before he could act, Alex seemed to sense his presence and turned to face him, pointing his sword.

"Crack!"

In an instant, the black-robed figure was completely frozen by the sudden appearance of ice. He remained in the pose of holding the rune, as if time had stopped.

Soon, a wailing, blurry humanoid shape emerged from his body, screaming as it was absorbed into the blade of Alex's sword.

"Evil undead, daring to desecrate souls!!"

The other silver knights, witnessing this, were both shocked and furious. They exchanged glances and raised their swords.

"Holy Blessing!"

Soft light emanated from their bodies, illuminating the dark wilderness. But it seemed to have no effect on Alex.

"The cold wind of North will devour your souls!"

Alex whispered, turning his gaze to the knights. The surrounding wind howled, intensifying and forming an invisible barrier around the silver knights.

The ground cracked open, and skeletons emerged, their eye sockets burning with cold blue flames, indicating their undead nature.

"Fight him! All at once! The Goddess is with us!!"

The silver knights' faces turned ashen, feeling the overwhelming power of death. They knew they couldn't match this force but had no choice but to fight.

"He can't use the artifact's power indefinitely! Attack together!"

With a roar, the remaining knights charged at Alex, their swords glowing brightly. The light from their swords formed beams, and in unison, they swung at Alex.

"Boom!!!"

The bright light condensed into a unique rune, then dissipated. A massive ten-meter-long sword descended from the sky, aiming at Alex. At this moment, the huge phantom above Alex moved.

"Is that all…?"

The phantom muttered, standing up and drawing its sword. It met the descending light sword head-on.

With a light crack, the giant light sword shattered like a matchstick, disappearing into the air. Simultaneously, the knights' swords broke, and they spat blood, flying back and collapsing.

"This… this is impossible…"

The knights stared in disbelief at the vanishing light sword. They never imagined their greatest trump card would be so fragile.

What kind of monstrous thing is that?

They received no answers. The pervasive cold had already enveloped them. They felt their blood freeze and their hearts slow. In despair, they watched the shadow of death descend and silently consume their souls.

"Thud!!"

As the last glimmer of soul light vanished, Alex collapsed to the ground. His armor dissipated, and the mysterious, terrifying sword in his hand turned back into a cold wind, vanishing. The giant phantom above him watched for a moment, then melded into the dark night.

"Ha… ha…"

Gasping on the cold ground, Alex looked up at the dark starry sky, his mind in turmoil.

To be honest, Alex still didn't understand what had happened or why things turned out this way. But one thing was clear—he had survived!

Though he had no clue what was going on, he knew he was alive. He needed to leave quickly…

After catching his breath, Alex stood up and looked around. Corpses were everywhere. The retainers who had protected him were dead, and so were the knights who tried to kill him. The cold in the air was dissipating, and in the distance, faint wolf howls could be heard.

Feeling a chill, Alex shuddered. He didn't know who these people were, but he was certain their companions would come searching for them. If he didn't leave now, he might never get another chance.

'I have to get out of here!'

Ignoring his exhaustion and pain, Alex gritted his teeth and stumbled into the depths of the wilderness.