Epic of Ice Dragon: Reborn As An Ice Dragon With A System

Chapter 2317: Oda Nobunaga’s Endless Castle [35]

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"I can... kind of," Fuyu said. "Drake’s currently the farthest from us, so it’s best not to try finding him now. Our closest ally is to the southeast."

"Then let me do this..." Ruby generated a new barrier around Fuyu, which absorbed Cursed Miasma. "Done! This barrier should protect everyone from the miasma as long as we’re inside!"

"Really? That’s incredibly convenient! Thank you, Ruby!" Amehia said happily.

"Yeah, I was starting to feel strange again, but it’s gone now, phew..." Tyrannus nodded.

"Thank you! I’m a mushroom, but even I was somewhat vulnerable to that new flu," Jamar said with a cute nod. "Don’t worry, Ruby, I’ll be your personal bodyguard while Master is away!"

"Aaah, thank you...!" Ruby smiled, nodding. "Now, Fuyu, can you move with Charlotte’s help?"

"I can, thanks to my connection to Drake’s Divine Realm. I’ve got plenty of Ascendancy Law Essence to move," Fuyu’s spiritual form nodded as she fused back into the ship. "Let’s go!"

"Onward!" Charlotte declared, pointing forward as the giant ship reformed, its damaged parts mending through Charlotte’s Unique Skill and radiating a thunderous aura. "Let’s moveeeee!"

RUMBLE!

The colossal ship floated in midair, smashing through hundreds of rooms as it traversed the infinite castle without hesitation, sending wooden rubble flying and obscuring nearly all visibility.

"Wow, this is pretty damn loud!" Tisha shouted.

"What?!" Pekora asked, barely hearing through the noise.

"I SAID IT’S PRETTY DAMN LOUD!" Tisha yelled louder.

"What?!" Pekora repeated, prompting Tisha to face palm.

"Aren’t you a rabbit? Your ears are way longer than everyone else’s!" Tisha said. "Oh, right, they’re floppy!"

Pekora’s ears, usually flopped down, gave her a cute appearance but hindered her hearing compared to other rabbit-kin.

"I can hear you now, sorry..." Pekora blushed, lifting her long ears briefly. "Aaagh, no, it’s too loud!" She flopped them down again.

Tisha found her quite charming and patted her head.

Despite their age, they retained a youthful spirit, partly due to their status as Divine Beings and their shared experiences.

Now, at the final stage, though progress had been significantly delayed, they were finding some "fun" in the chaos.

Or rather, as much "fun" as circumstances allowed.

Life had certainly taken them far. Both Tisha and Pekora reminisced about their time in Jotunheim, where Drake rescued them from bandits who had enslaved them and helped them heal.

Back then, they felt weak and fearful of everything, yet Drake and his family provided safety, gradually mending their minds and bodies.

"We were just traveling Jotunheim back then, occasionally dealing with some nasty bastards here and there at most..." Pekora sighed. "To think we’re now fighting beings from other worlds... or, well, trying to."

"Yeah, it’s truly wild. We even saw the Venerables! So many of them! We only dreamed about what they looked like before... but now? We’ve seen them in the flesh! It’s just insane the more you think about it, hahah," Tisha laughed.

"Yes... they were beings of legend, yet they’re now alive... or, well, most of them," Pekora said. "We fought some, allied with a few, and now... it seems we’re their enemies again."

"It’s kind of disappointing. The ancient gods we worshipped were quite different from what we imagined," Tisha said. "They were... more like ordinary people, I guess..."

"Because they are. Those ancient myths glorify their existence, but in the end... they’re like us, facing their own struggles, driven by their ideals," Pekora explained. "We’re all flawed, even these ancient masters who once reached the pinnacle..."

"Hmm, I suppose so..." Tisha nodded, reflecting deeply on everything that had happened. "Well... I’m still really happy to have met you."

"Me too..." Pekora smiled, resting her head on Tisha’s broad shoulder. "Let’s see this through to the end."

"Yeah," Tisha nodded.

RUMBLE!

At that moment, something shifted. Both girls glanced around as Fuyu halted abruptly. The rubble ceased flying, and Fuyu stood still, as if an immense, unyielding force blocked her path.

"What’s happening?" Charlotte asked. "Fuyu? Can’t you move?"

"What is this feeling?!" Fuyu exclaimed. "This... light!"

FLAAASH!

A brilliant white and golden light surged from the rubble, scattering it in all directions. Amid the resulting smoke, a figure emerged, composed entirely of radiant light.

"I found you."

His voice reverberated, unleashing tremors and shockwaves that demolished more rooms, piling rubble beneath.

"You’ve got to be kidding me..." Tisha muttered.

"I see... so this is where our story ends..." Pekora said with a bitter smile.

"The Human Venerable?!" Charlotte screamed. "Fuyu, run! RUN!"

She instantly knew they couldn’t face this entity without someone of Drake’s caliber or greater, especially since this one was reportedly stronger than the other muscular one.

"You won’t escape. I won’t allow it!"

FLAAASH!

Blinding light enveloped Fuyu, paralyzing her completely before she could even attempt to move.

"I’m paralyzed?! I don’t even have nerves, but— Ugh!"

Fuyu groaned as the Venerable advanced toward the ship, eyeing the crimson barrier designed to absorb the cursed miasma and protect those inside.

"Quite a clever use of that accursed vampiric magic, but it’s unnecessary. You’re all perishing now. Where’s your leader? I desire a battle with him first."

"He doesn’t know he’s not here?!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"It seems he hasn’t realized we’ve all been separated!" Hector said.

Indeed, their leader, Drake, was nowhere to be found. But they didn’t need him now, as they had another just as reliable. Then they saw her, soaring toward the Venerable of the Celestial Path. Her eyes glowed bright red, her long crimson hair billowing in the winds generated by her Aura.

Her bat-like wings spread wide, the black fur on her arms, legs, and neck resembling regal attire rather than mere fur, giving her the appearance of a noble among nobles. Her long black and red dress flowed with her hair as a complete Ascendancy Law surged behind her, blending red and black hues.

The one who carried the Vampire Venerable’s legacy, his successor, intended to be his new vessel, his reborn body. Yet she defied her fate. Instead of becoming his vessel, she claimed his powers and, with Drake and the others’ help, slew him.

A crimson crown manifested, crafted from blood energy, hovering above her head. Her pointed, bat-like ears, adorned with black fur atop her head, lent her a slightly adorable look, yes... But her piercing red eyes and serious expression, coupled with her immense bloodthirst, made it clear she was far more than cute.

She bore her ancestor’s legacy—a legacy born of devouring flesh and drinking blood, a beast among beasts that hunted the living under the cover of night.

She was the Vampire Queen, Ruby.

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