Gardenia’s Heart

The second lower floor had a general structure similar to the first but with significant differences. The gray stone walls were covered by a thin layer of frosty blue ice, and the ground was now blanketed with a thick layer of snow, making movement difficult as it clung to their feet. Additionally, the ceiling was higher, allowing the different passages to create freezing wind currents due to the low temperature.

As Lily observed what looked like an ice cave, she felt her body warm up as her cloak transformed into a full winter coat. The inside was lined with soft, white fur that felt comforting and cozy.

“Thanks, Nia, but I think if it's this thick, I won’t be able to move my arms properly,” Lily remarked, noticing that the long sleeves made it hard to swing her swords.

(Don’t worry about that. Let me handle things on this floor. I’m feeling really good and would like to stretch a bit). Nia’s shy voice sounded adorably embarrassed.

After being spoiled by Lily’s warm affection earlier, Nia seemed relaxed enough to want to take charge for a while. Placing a hand on her stomach, still warm from the large amount of "love juice" she had received from Nia, Lily decided this was Nia’s way of giving back for the care she had shown. She happily let Nia take control.

Four translucent purple tentacles emerged once again from Lily’s back, and small ice crystals floated in the air around her. Nia was ready to attack anything that dared approach.

Walking through the snow with ease, thanks to the thin layer of dark mana forming under her feet, the girls searched for any sign of monsters or treasure.

“Do you think another mage has passed through here recently? I don’t see any signs of monsters,” Lily wondered aloud.

(That could be a possibility). Nia responded.

After wandering the corridors for a while without finding anything, Lily had an idea.

“Can’t you use the ability you gained from the bats to try and sense something?”

Understanding what Lily meant, Nia began to send out small pulses of dark mana at regular intervals. The echolocation she had inherited from the bat monsters worked similarly to that of normal bats but used dark mana instead of sound waves. A small map of the surroundings started to form in Nia’s mind, showing the layout of the structure within her mana’s range.

(It worked…) Nia was genuinely surprised by how easily she managed the task, her mind analyzing the positions of the targets.

“I told you before, Nia, you're amazing!”

Melting once again from the praise, Nia continued.

(I sense several presences about 300 meters away. I can’t estimate the exact number because the mana is too dense there, but there’s definitely a battle happening. Should I create a portal to take us there?)

“If they’re fighting, it’s likely a battle between a mage and the monsters. Create a portal far enough that we won’t be noticed. I’d like to observe how a mage fights, maybe we can learn something,” Lily suggested.

Agreeing with her, Nia created a portal about 100 meters from the source of mana she had sensed. They hid against an ice wall, masking their presence, and began watching the fight unfolding in the large, spacious chamber.

“Oh, ice foxes,” Lily muttered quietly, her voice slipping out unintentionally as she observed the creatures in battle.

In the middle of the chamber, five ice foxes were fighting against a group of three tall men. One of them held a large shield in front of him, forming a protective barrier between them and the monsters. His armor was lightly frosted over, with claw marks on the sides and chest, and a thin stream of blood trickled from wounds on his head.

Behind him, another man wielded a spiked club surrounded by a bluish aura. He was retreating after striking one of the foxes, his body partially covered in wounds. As he pulled back from the front line, he jumped to the side of the third man, who was kneeling on the ground. A large black sword with white glimmers hung on his back, and Lily concluded it was likely made of stardust.

The man holding the club was breathing heavily as he shouted, “How’s he doing!? Is he going to make it?”

His voice was a mix of irritation and concern. It took even Lily a moment to notice that a fourth man was lying on the snowy ground at the feet of the swordsman. His presence was so faint due to the severe wounds covering his body that it had nearly faded. A massive hole had been torn into the left side of his stomach, the flesh around it ripped away, making it clear what had caused the injury.

“No, the wounds are too severe. I’ve used all the intermediate healing potions we had, but it wasn’t enough.” The swordsman’s voice was calm and authoritative, even in this dire situation.

Realizing there was no point in wasting any more of the green healing liquid on the man’s lifeless body, the swordsman, who appeared to be the group’s leader, stood up.

Lily noticed about ten ice fox corpses scattered on the ground. The battle had been 15 versus 4, with the foxes holding the numerical advantage. She knew the quick, agile foxes weren’t weak, but together with Nia, she had managed to eliminate a group of 12 without much difficulty. This made her tilt her head in curiosity.

Even after killing those men in her village, Lily never had a concrete idea of how her strength compared to other mages. Now, seeing how this group was being pushed back by the ice foxes, Lily realized just how powerful Nia truly was. It filled her with pride and joy for the efforts of her beloved companion.

A furious growl erupted from the remaining foxes as they began manipulating mana to form ice crystals. The crystals spun faster and gained power with each passing second, preparing for a massive attack.

Positioning himself with determination against the impending attack, the man holding the shield began channeling his mana. Within moments, a large, translucent green barrier formed like a wall in front of them.

“I can only hold this for 10 seconds!” he shouted with all the strength left in his lungs, his exhaustion evident in his voice.

“That’s enough,” came the calm response.

He looked to be around fifteen years old, his gaze sweeping the battlefield as he gripped the hilt of his sword. Though his words were few, they seemed to have a magical effect. His two companions visibly relaxed, and even the ice foxes hesitated, retreating a few steps from the sheer killing intent radiating from him. It was only now that Lily realized—of the four, he was the only one completely unscathed.

The large black sword was unsheathed, immediately enveloped by a blue glow that matched his dark blue hair and black eyes. The pressure in the air grew so intense that even Nia readied herself, her tentacles instinctively positioning in front of Lily in case anything went wrong.

“Is that a spell?” Lily asked, studying the whirlwind forming around the black blade.

(He seems to be creating a small but dense tornado. By channeling magic through his stardust sword, he’s enhancing its power.)

Nia’s understanding of the magic was beginning to sharpen as she observed. The once confusing puzzle pieces of magic were falling into place. Though she couldn’t consciously control this ability, sensory experiences like this naturally led her to comprehend spells. Even Nia had to admit one thing.

(He’s strong. Really strong.)

A massive dark blue tornado began to form, its violent rotations capable of tearing apart anything that came into contact with it.

In response, the foxes attacked in unison. Ice crystals, sharp and deadly, flew towards the green barrier the shield-bearer had erected.

“Aaaaargh!!” the man cried out, a mix of pain and fury, as he mustered all his willpower to block the attack.

His veins bulged from the strain, blood pouring more heavily from his open wounds as he fought to stop the ice crystals from reaching his comrades. The sound of the impact was like a hammer striking a metal plate, overpowering the creaking of his bones under the pressure. He was giving everything he had to fulfill his promise of holding for ten seconds. Just as his consciousness began to fade, blood streaming down his face, he knew he had succeeded when he heard the words that filled the air:

“[Heavenly Gale]!”

Suddenly, the entire icy cavern was engulfed in a blinding blue light. The enormous tornado descended from above, crashing directly onto the ice foxes with a single swing of the sword. All the snow on the ground was whipped into the air and blasted in every direction.

The powerful wind shredded each of the foxes with brutal intensity, grinding them down from every angle. In just a few seconds, the battlefield was reduced to a chaotic mess of red. The young man dissipated the remnants of the tornado, sweat pouring down his face.

Taking a few moments to catch his breath, he watched as the man with the spiked club rushed to the shield-bearer, who had collapsed on the ground.

“Kasa! Are you okay!?” His voice was filled with concern as he quickly assessed the fallen man’s condition.

With wounds on his legs and shoulders not being enough, it also seemed like he had dislocated or broken some bones in his arm.

“Oliver, he needs healing potions,” the man with the spiked club urged, turning toward the swordsman approaching them. His voice was filled with urgency as he pleaded for help for their fallen companion. But to his dismay, the young man simply shook his head.

“We used them all earlier. We don’t have any left.”

He knelt beside the man, who had miraculously passed out, sparing him the agonizing pain of his injuries. The young man’s black eyes studied the unconscious figure with a cold, calculating gaze.

“We’ll return to the surface to get him treated.”

“It’s useless; we won’t make it to the exit in time, not with him in this condition.”

Hearing the cold tone in the boy's voice, the spiked club wielder bit his lip, offering no protest, fully aware of the grim reality they faced.

As she watched from a distance, Lily heard Nia’s voice in her mind.

(What do you plan to do?)

“I think I’ve found an interesting opportunity. Could you help me?” Lily asked, her tone hinting at something more.

(You don’t need to ask me!) Nia responded eagerly.

One of Nia’s tentacles tenderly caressed Lily’s cheek, showing her unwavering support. In response, Lily gently kissed the tentacle, laughing softly when she heard the quiet, delighted moan echo in her mind.