Immortal Ice Empress: Path to Vengeance

While Asami and Celaine were conversing, Mira suddenly barged into the room.

"Mira?"

"What are you doing here?"

They both asked in surprise, as it'd been a while since Mira had approached them like this. Normally, she'd ask for their presence, or they visited her, so this was a bit uncharacteristic.

Mira sat down next to Asami, completely ignoring her as all her attention was on Celaine. She released her Soul Sense and scanned every part of the woman's body despite how rude it was. However, Celaine didn't mind. It's not like she could do anything to stop it, either.

"It seems your time in the Secret Realm was fruitful." Mira nodded, satisfied with Celaine's progress, which surprised the two.

Mira? Satisfied? Who was this person?!

They seriously wondered if the person in front of them was a fake, but that commanding aura couldn't be replicated.

"Y-Yeah…" Celaine nodded, a little uncomfortable. "I guess you could say I've gained quite a bit. I've even surpassed you in cultivation!" She joked, but nobody else laughed.

"It seems you've continued to focus on your saber skills, huh? What stage have you reached? Have you attained the Ruler Realm?"

Celaine thought for a moment before she smirked and shook her head. "I guess you'll have to find out in my next battle."

Mira frowned slightly but nodded nonetheless. It didn't matter either way. She'd just gotten curious as even though she could sense a huge change within Celaine, she couldn't tell what it was.

Everything about the woman had undergone some kind of evolution. She hadn't changed much on the outside, still with green hair, green eyes, and an athletic stature, but the insides of her body… How should she put this?

'They don't seem human. She seems more saber than flesh.' Mira thought, but that didn't make any sense.

From her point of view, in terms of aura, Celaine seemed to be 50% saber, 25% wind, and 25% human. However, she wasn't sure how that was possible!

To make things even more interesting, she couldn't sense a beast bloodline within her at all! She could feel a bloodline within her, just not a beast one.

'How peculiar. Now, I want to study her.' Mira's eyes gleamed as she stared intently at the poor woman, who shivered in fear under her gaze.

'Fuck! Why is she looking at me like that? Why does it feel like she wants to dissect me?!' She trembled all over, afraid that Mira might actually do it!

But Mira calmed down and shook her head. Instead, she just asked her. "Do you have a bloodline?"

Celaine hesitantly nodded.

"What kind?" Mira asked, but Celaine paused, wondering if she should share this information. These were her Trump Cards, after all!

However, Mira was quite possibly the most trustworthy person in the world. So, even though she would be giving away some of her secrets and possibly ruin their next fight, she still decided to tell her.

"I actually obtained three things, which together, I suppose you could say, make up a completely unique bloodline," Celaine said, catching Mira's attention.

"First, I obtained something called a Celestial Saber Heart." She pointed at her chest. "It's replaced my heart and gives me near-unparalleled talent with the saber. It also replaces my blood with something unique."

"That's where the second thing comes in, the Ancestral Blade Veins. These replaced my blood vessels, and even a few of my meridians, with what's essentially a web of sabers."

"Lastly, I obtained a Spiritual Saber with a unique cultivation technique."

Mira's eyes widened at that since that last part was literally what she had! In fact, they're a big reason she was able to get to where she is today!

The power of a Spiritual Weapon and its corresponding cultivation technique isn't a joke. Combined with everything else, plus whatever else Celaine was hiding, she was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

"I see." Mira nodded slowly. "Do you think that'll be enough to beat Lyria? From what I can tell, she's about as strong as Everyly or Eden."

"Hmmm… I-I'm not sure. She is at the 5th Stage of the Soul Transformation Realm, while I'm only at the 1st. Our talents aren't too far apart, but I suppose it really just depends if I can land a few good hits."

"Mmhm. Good. Then, I'll see you after you win. Don't make me look bad." With that said, Mira disappeared.

Celaine was confused for a moment before she remembered all the girls who had passed to the next round. They were all related to Mira in some way. She giggled and gave a firm nod.

'I guess I can't lose now.'

***

"My disciples!" Aelina announced, catching everyone's attention. "Are you ready for the final match of this round?"

"WOOO!"

"YEAH!"

The crowd cheered, much to Aelina's delight. She gave a slight smile and nodded. "Then, allow me to present to you the last contestants of today, Celaine and Lyria!"

The crowd's earlier cheers dimmed to an anticipatory hush, with every eye transfixed on the two combatants.

Lyria, her bright black hair cascading like a waterfall, while her pale blue eyes exuded a chilling aura. Rumors in the crowd whispered of her Glacial Spirit Wolf bloodline. The soft glow of her Frostflame Scepter pulsed, ice and a unique blue flame dancing in a mesmerizing glow.

With winds wrapping around her, Celaine narrowed her eyes. Every muscle in her body was taut, like a drawn bowstring, as she felt the weight of Lyria's cold gaze. The icy air it produced licked at Celaine's skin, causing small goosebumps to form.

Without warning, Lyria gracefully raised her scepter. An ethereal [Icy Veil] materialized around her, the shimmering barrier of ice looking impenetrable and cold as death itself.

Its sharp, crystalline surface refracted the arena, casting prismatic glows that contrasted starkly against the looming battle.

With a sudden explosive movement, Celaine rushed forward, her saber whistling through the air as she executed the [Divine Zephyr Slash]. The arena shook from the force, the sound of wind howling deafeningly. Yet, to her surprise, the Veil absorbed the attack, leaving Lyria untouched.

Smirking slightly, Lyria retaliated. Her scepter lashed out, releasing a whip of intertwined ice and elusive blue flame. The [Frostflame Lash] snaked rapidly towards Celaine, seeking to ensnare and burn. The icy grip tried to constrict Celaine, the frost creeping up her body while the blue flame sought any opening to scorch her skin.

Determination lit in Celaine's eyes. Channeling her [Gale Blade Storm Physique], a whirlwind of saber energy spiraled around her, forming the [Sovereign Vortex Defense]. The icy whip was repelled, and the encroaching flames scattered, unable to find their mark.

Lyria, however, was far from done. Tapping into her bloodline, she conjured a monolithic [Glacier's Edge], directing the titanic blade of ice hurtling toward Celaine. The shadow it cast darkened the arena, and the very ground trembled under its impending impact.

The crowd gasped collectively, many believing this to be the end for Celaine. Yet, with a shout filled with defiance, she unleashed her [Ancestral Blade Dance]. A cyclone of slashes met the blade, the sheer force creating shockwaves that rocked the audience.

The two combatants, now fully immersed in their own worlds, seemed to enter a weird sort of equilibrium, one of ice and wind. The temperature in the arena oscillated wildly, cold one moment and tempestuously windy the next.

Suddenly, Lyria's form began to change, with tendrils of icy mist flowing around her.

From her body, a hauntingly beautiful, cold light began to spread, creating a protective layer around her. This was her [Frozen Phoenix Revival] technique.

On the other side, Celaine's eyes blazed with a resolute look sculpting her face. She gripped her saber with a firmness that made the veins on her hands pop. The aura around her fluctuated violently as she channeled her energy. With a deep breath, she activated her [Ruler's Tempestuous Finale].

The entire arena seemed to resonate with the force of their powers, the ground shaking and air quivering.

Celaine's saber began to glow brilliantly, its edge gleaming. The wind roared, now a violent tempest summoned by her will, whirling around her as it bore thousands of razor-sharp slashes, each one pulsating with deadly intent—the torrent of saber energy shot forth, directed at Lyria.

As the two opposing forces met, a clash of ice and wind began.

Each of Celaine's wind-infused slashes was met with Lyria's protective layer of ice.

Some shattered upon impact, creating a spectacle of glistening ice shards that sparkled in the light. Others tore through, only to be deflected or absorbed by another layer of ice that quickly formed to replace the broken one.

But the relentless onslaught of Celaine's technique began to take its toll. With each succeeding wave, the layers of ice around Lyria grew thinner and less luminous. The reverberations of the clash resounded through the arena, creating a rhythmic pattern that had the audience on the edge of their seats.

In a desperate move, Lyria channeled the remnants of her energy and, with a piercing cry, released a condensed beam of cold energy, seeking to freeze Celaine in her tracks.

The chilling beam clashed with Celaine's final, most powerful slash. The ground beneath them was split right open from the sheer force, and a blinding light consumed the arena, causing spectators to shield their eyes.

When the dust settled, and the brilliance dimmed, the two combatants stood mere feet from each other, panting heavily.

Lyria's Frozen Phoenix form had dissipated, revealing minor cuts and burns on her skin. Celaine, though still standing, was visibly drained, her clothes torn in several places and her hair disheveled.

However, before Lyria could react, Celaine used something that had almost never been seen before on the entire Western Continent.

Saber Ruler – Weapon Endowment.

A domain of extremely sharp, wind-blade energy spread out from Celaine and covered the entire arena. Lyria froze up, feeling like she had thousands of tiny blades pressed against every inch of her skin.

Without hesitation, Celaine closed her eyes and swung her Spiritual Saber. All those tiny blades followed her movements and cut into Lyria's flesh thousands of times.

"AH!" She screamed out in pain.

Countless wounds suddenly appeared all over her as blood spewed out of her like a faucet. She fell to the ground and dropped her weapon, only to feel a cold blade on the back of her neck.

Raising her hands in defeat, Lyria gave a bitter smile.

"Winner – Celaine!"