Chapter 2: The Ice Witch’s Unruly Display

“Look, look! That’s the Ice Witch, Shakia!”

Outside the cathedral gates, the central avenue was completely choked with students from the Academy of Magic. A constant din of chatter and excitement filled the air.

Mo Ya, with a deliberate calmness, sought out a secluded corner. From this vantage point, his serene gaze swept over the bustling crowd.

At the heart of the avenue, a young woman, clad in silver armor and wielding a long, round-hilted spear, sat silently atop her horse, drawing the undivided attention of the surrounding students.

Behind her, three wolf-like ‘Erosions’ were confined within cages. Despite their imprisonment, their blood-red eyes glared hostilely from side to side, casting an almost palpable aura of killing intent upon the onlookers.

‘A mere collection of impurities, yet to form true sentience?’

From his corner, Mo Ya merely glanced at the caged ‘Erosions’ before his attention shifted entirely to the young woman.

Her soft, flowing black hair cascaded like silken ribbons, gently resting upon her pristine silver armor.

Her eyes, brimming with the pride and confidence befitting a mage, coupled with the chilling gleam of her spear and the dazzling white of her armor, led Mo Ya to instinctively perceive her as a warrior, rather than a senior student at his own academy.

Indeed, the Ice Witch, Shakia, was only nineteen years old. She was merely one academic year ahead of novices like Mo Ya.

Yet, the aura she exuded clearly indicated that she had long since moved past the textbook phase of understanding ‘Erosions’.

‘Her practical experience is undoubtedly extensive,’ Mo Ya accurately assessed.

“She’s so cool!”

“But I feel like her presence is really oppressive.”

“Right, right. Just like her title, she gives off a very cold vibe.”

Amidst the crowd, such whispers slowly began to spread. Shakia unconsciously frowned, slightly displeased by these comments.

She had, in fact, overheard the freshmen’s remarks about her. With a quiet sigh, she abruptly tossed her long spear onto the ground amidst the noisy environment.

This single action brought an immediate hush to the entire scene. Everyone’s mood inexplicably tensed, for her actions were so unpredictable that no one could guess what would happen next.

However, the next moment arrived swiftly.

After throwing her spear, Shakia took a deep breath and began to speak.

“You are all so noisy! I don’t care what you think of me behind my back, but to openly criticize me to my face? That will make me angry.

Or perhaps… you possess the power to impress me? No, you don’t. So, kindly shut your mouths. Honestly, why should I be the one to capture ‘Erosions’ alive for you?”

She delivered these words loudly, leaving the entire crowd in profound silence. Shakia’s manner of speaking and the content of her words seemed to deviate slightly from her usual icy demeanor. The students found themselves trapped in a strange, bewildered quiet.

Witnessing their reaction, Shakia shook her head in resignation, letting out a long sigh.

“You all look like sheep,” she declared, her gaze sweeping across every student present.

An unexpected stir rippled through the crowd, though most of it seemed to be murmurs of discontent.

Still, the opportunity to see a true ‘Erosion’ up close made a little reprimand seem insignificant.

Without exception, everyone gathered here longed to join the fight against disaster, to achieve fame in battles against ‘Erosions’, and become renowned figures.

Naturally, there were also those with loftier ambitions, dreaming of personally slaying one of the Seven Kings of the Erosion Realm.

Thus, this close encounter with an ‘Erosion’ was undeniably more beneficial than detrimental.

“Alright, could you all please make way now? The carriage is struggling to pass like this.”

Shakia requested this of the surrounding ‘warriors’. Predictably, everyone cleared a path for the enigmatic female general. Finally, she called out her thanks as she drove the carriage, transporting the ‘Erosions’ away.

‘Interesting humans.’

Mo Ya, standing to the side, rarely allowed himself a smile. He turned to leave the area.

But just then, a sudden, beast-like roar erupted from behind him, accompanied by panicked shouts.

“Oh no! The ‘Erosion’… the ‘Erosion’ got out!”

Mo Ya stopped in his tracks, turning his body back around.

‘Why did the ‘Erosion’ escape?’ The question arose in his mind. However, this doubt did not trouble him for long, as he trusted that Shakia’s strength would perfectly resolve the situation.

Yet, events always unfold unexpectedly. As Mo Ya was analyzing the situation, one of the ‘Erosions’ suddenly charged directly towards him.

‘What a joke!’ He was one of the Seven Kings of the Erosion Realm. Ordinarily, these low-level ‘Erosions’ that hadn’t even formed sentience were mere mounts for his subordinates. Now, one of these ‘mounts’ dared to attack him. Mo Ya felt a surge of anger.

“Very well, do you know…”

The charging ‘Erosion’ seemed to be drawn in, rushing directly into Mo Ya’s hand. Its head was firmly grasped by Mo Ya.

“…in my territory, you must obey my commands.”

Mo Ya’s hand suddenly tightened, and as he finished speaking, he crushed the ‘Erosion’s’ head.

There was no scene of splattered brains or flying blood as he had expected. Mo Ya simply released his tightly clenched hand.

The ‘Erosion’ began to dissipate, like dandelions scattered into the air, turning into atmospheric dust.

‘Ultimately, it’s just an aggregation of impurities. It didn’t even form a physical body?’

Mo Ya shook his hand, then cast his gaze towards Shakia’s battlefield.

‘Effortless,’ was Mo Ya’s first thought. ‘Is this guy enjoying the battle with the ‘Erosions’, treating it like an artistic performance?’

Shakia was naturally the protagonist, with the ‘Erosions’ serving as her pitiable antagonists.

‘Truly interesting.’

Mo Ya leaned against a nearby wall, intending to pass his idle time by watching Shakia’s fight.

However, the longer he watched, the deeper his brows furrowed.

These two ‘Erosions’ were different from the one that had just attacked him. Their ‘Erosion’ capacity was far too great, exceeding the concept of a mere collection of impurities.

“Have you finally noticed, my noble King?”

From the corner, another woman’s voice echoed from behind Mo Ya. To Mo Ya, this voice was unexpectedly familiar.

“Blood Princess, why are you doing this?”

There was little humor in the question, but from the dark shadows of the corner, the Blood Princess’s laughter continuously resounded.

To Mo Ya, this laughter seemed utterly maniacal, yet it possessed her distinct characteristics.

“Well, why else? Because… my King, you belong to me and me alone.”