Chapter 32: Seline Frostmere

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Seline Frostmere"Let us see if this wakes you up." Unaware of everything, the boy continued to snore when something cold but pleasant struck him, jolting him awake. "Damn it! What—?!" he muttered, sputtering and flailing his arms. He looked around, confused, until his blue eyes met Seline’s, their sharp green gaze locking onto him. "Who the hell are you?!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet. Fatigue still weighed heavily on his shoulders, but adrenaline kept him alert, his senses sharpened by the sudden awakening. "Do not get worked up, or I will vomit!" Seline pleaded, her fingers still pinching her nose. "I am Seline, from Silverlake Kingdom. Who are you? How did you end up in this place?" Her voice carried a mix of curiosity and disgust at his state. "Silverlake Kingdom?" he replied, his tone questioning. He had never heard of that kingdom... he only knew of Ironridge Kingdom, his world limited by his small-town origins. "Huh?" Seline asked, her expression one of surprise. "You do not know it? Where do you live, under a rock?" Lian’s face flushed as he considered her words. "Actually... I come from a small town called Dustwall... I did not have time to study geography before I got stuck in an unstable Gate..." His voice trailed off, tinged with embarrassment. Seline did not respond immediately, simply staring at the boy with a look of pity. "Well, the gate took me too. How long have you been here? I have been killing worms for days..." Her tone softened, a rare glimpse of empathy. Lian gazed at the girl, dazed. She is so beautiful, he thought. "My name is Lian," he said after a moment, shaking his head. "If I am not mistaken, it has not even been a day since I arrived—" A loud stomach growl interrupted his words. Lian’s face turned crimson instantly. He quickly lowered his head, only to inspect himself more closely. His body was mostly exposed, his clothes torn and blackened in several places. Blood stained his tanned skin, while sand clung to every inch of him. "Damn it, I look awful—" he blurted out, trying to put distance between himself and the girl before him. "Aqua Vivax, Rivo Levis!" Before Lian could even register what was happening, a gentle yet powerful wave of water washed over him from head to toe. Like magic, his body began to cleanse itself of all visible grime. "Yes," Seline said with a shy smile, observing the boy’s toned physique. "You really do look awful. Let me help you this time—" With a fluid motion of her hands, something emerged from her spatial ring. It was a bar of soap. "Take this and wash yourself properly. When you are done, tell me, and I will give you another rinse..." Seline was never an arrogant girl, but she did not tolerate being mocked. Thus, she acted with violence before speaking, demanding respect. Lian observed her carefully. The girl was stunning, slightly taller than Sera. Her black hair tied in a braid and her predatory green eyes made it clear she was in charge. "T-thank you... I really needed this..." Lian’s face was still red, not expecting such kindness. He was grateful, his heart warmed by her unexpected generosity. --- After washing thoroughly, Lian donned his Mage robe for the first time. White with bronze veins, it marked him as a Mage of the Astralis Academy. "Oh?" Seline looked him up and down. "So you are from Ironridge Kingdom... they use white for their Mages’ robes." Her keen observation caught him off guard. "Huh? How do you know that?" Lian asked, surprised. "I studied geography. You know, I enjoy learning about other kingdoms and their culinary specialties..." Her voice carried a hint of pride in her knowledge. At the mention of food, Lian’s stomach growled even louder. "Um... do you have anything to eat or drink?" he asked, scratching his chin, his hunger a gnawing void. "Oh? Do you have nothing in that spatial ring? How is it possible you brought nothing with you—" Seline stopped herself, recalling his situation. "Oh, right..." she added apologetically. "Here, take these. They are fritters, a specialty of Silverlake Kingdom." The two continued talking, getting to know each other better. Lian learned about Seline, discovering that she, too, had ended up in this Gate the same way he had. Unlike him, however, she had spent several months at her academy and had entered the Gate before him. And being a food enthusiast, she had near-unlimited supplies of everything. As they spoke, the sand began to shift strangely. "Here they come," Seline said, eyeing the sand. "More of those useless worms..." Her tone dripped with disdain. Lian felt the same way. Now rested, fed, and hydrated, he was ready to face any challenge. "Lian, you are strong, right?" Seline asked, watching two heads emerge from the sand. They belonged to two Iron 5 worms. "S-sure," Lian stammered. "I was just a bit unprepared when I ended up here by accident, that is all..." His confidence wavered slightly under her gaze. He was strong, but judging by the confidence radiating from the girl, Lian could not help but feel a twinge of fear, her presence intimidating despite her kindness. "Good, then the first one to kill their enemy wins!" she replied, assuming a combat stance. "Huh?" Lian turned to stare at her, only to see her channeling mana with astonishing intensity. "She is strong... is she really in the same Bronze 1 rank as me?" His awe was tinged with doubt. Lian muttered briefly before focusing on the monster he had to defeat. "Let us use concentric circles; they seem highly destructive—" "Geometric Spell, Circle." In his mind, the circle shrank as another appeared within it, a precise formation for maximum impact. The two monsters lunged toward the duo, but Seline was ready. With a fluid motion like water, she dodged the beast’s strike before saying, "Aqua Vivax, Aqua Lamina!" The water condensed into a blade, striking the exposed flank of the monster. Black blood sprayed everywhere, staining her face, making it even more striking. On the other side, Lian dodged the attack, but far more clumsily than the girl. Rolling for a bit, he stood, closed his eyes, and declared, "Ignis Arde, Ignis Globus!" A fiery projectile shot from his hand, hurtling toward the monster sinking into the sand. The strike exploded on the creature’s outer edge, spraying blood, flesh, and sand everywhere. "Eh!" Seline exclaimed, having witnessed the scene. She did not believe she could survive that projectile, her respect for him growing. "He is strong," she thought, her eyes gleaming with an odd look. Meanwhile, Lian had seen how Seline’s monster was sliced with ease after her brilliant dodge. "She is strong!" he thought, his admiration mirroring hers. The two exchanged a glance, each lost in their own thoughts. But the battle was not over. The worms hissed, opening their mouths for another round. "Wait, Seline, do not kill it," Lian’s voice rang out. Turning to him with a questioning look, he continued, "I have discovered something interesting about these worms." He dodged their strikes, adding, "Try launching a spell straight into their mouth, then let us beat them to near death." With a nod, Seline did as he asked. With a fluid motion, she launched a jet of water into the monster’s mouth, which it swallowed without issue. "Huh? It absorbed my spell?" Seline was astonished, glancing at Lian, who launched a sizable fireball at his own monster. The same scene repeated, with the worm swallowing the fireball and belching black smoke. "I will explain everything soon, but now let us beat them until they stay down—we cannot let them escape!" --- Author’s Note! Hey, Lian, you are getting bold here. Trying to impress Seline, are you? Will their teamwork pay off, or will these worms turn the tables? Drop a Power Stone to boost their chances! This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om