Chapter 159: A Chance to Grow III

Chapter 159: Chapter 159: A Chance to Grow III

Shiro immediately followed with another wave of ice.

"Frostbound Sanctuary!"

The ground beneath the leader froze over, and thick pillars rose around it, restricting its movements.

Caelia seized the opportunity.

As she watched the ice spread farther, surrounding the leader and the remaining panthers.

Their movements slowed as the frozen ground tightened around their legs, while the rising ice formations cut off their escape routes.

The pack struggled to break free.

Wind blades tore through the ice, and several formations shattered under their attacks. But the repeated use of their Arts was beginning to drain their strength.

Caelia didn’t want to give them time to recover.

"Shiro, hold them there! Snow, take the one on your right!"

Shiro pushed more Aether into his Frostbound Sanctuary. The ice thickened, and another set of Frost Chains shot toward the trapped beasts.

Snow darted between the formations, striking any panther that managed to break loose. Her speed wasn’t enough to overwhelm them alone, but with Shiro restricting their movements, she could attack without exposing herself for too long.

Caelia remained at the center of the battlefield, directing their movements and launching precise attacks whenever an opening appeared.

The fight had changed.

What had initially seemed like an overwhelming pack was now struggling to respond to their coordinated attacks.

Damon watched with a satisfied expression.

They were adapting well.

Shiro had initially struggled with the panthers’ speed, but he was already learning how to anticipate their movements and use his Arts to restrict them. Snow was becoming more effective with every exchange, and Caelia was controlling the fight with increasing confidence.

Their teamwork had improved considerably.

Even so, Damon remained attentive.

A single mistake against a B-rank beast could still cause serious injuries, especially in an environment where the unstable Aether made it harder to maintain control.

The leader suddenly released another powerful gust, breaking through the ice around its body.

It lunged toward Caelia.

She immediately raised an ice wall, but the wind surrounding the panther tore through it, sending fragments flying in every direction.

Caelia stepped back as the beast emerged from the shattered barrier.

Before it could reach her, Shiro moved in.

He struck the ground with both forelegs, and a thick wall of ice rose between them. The panther crashed into it, slowing just enough for Snow to leap onto its exposed side.

Her claws struck its back, forcing it to stagger.

Caelia followed with a concentrated blast of Ice Elemental Aether.

The attack struck the leader directly and froze part of its body.

Shiro seized the moment.

"Frost Chains!"

Several chains wrapped around the beast’s legs and torso, pulling it down onto the frozen ground.

The leader struggled fiercely, unleashing wind blades that cut through the chains one after another. But Caelia had already prepared her next attack.

A large ice spear formed above her.

"Finish it!"

The spear descended with tremendous force, piercing the leader’s defenses and striking its body.

The beast let out a final growl before collapsing.

With the pack leader defeated, the remaining Gale Shadow Panthers lost their coordination. Some attempted to flee, while others continued attacking out of desperation.

Shiro and Snow quickly pursued them, working together to prevent any from escaping.

Caelia supported them from behind, using her Ice Arts to block the beasts’ paths and create openings for the two Frost Elementals.

One by one, the remaining panthers fell.

The final beast tried to escape into the storm, but Snow caught up with it and struck its legs. Shiro followed with a Frost Chain that pulled it back, allowing Caelia to end the fight with a precise ice spear.

Silence gradually returned to the battlefield.

Only the distant thunder and the constant howling of the wind remained.

Shiro stood among the frozen ground, breathing steadily as the last traces of Ice Elemental Aether faded from his body. Snow moved closer to him, her tail swaying as she looked toward Caelia.

Caelia lowered her hand and released a quiet breath.

"That was more difficult than I expected."

Damon walked toward them with a small smile.

"You handled it well."

Caelia glanced at the fallen beasts.

"We nearly lost control when the leader attacked."

"But you adapted," Damon replied. "That’s what matters. You didn’t rely on the same approach after it stopped working."

He looked at Shiro.

"You also learned to use Frostbound Sanctuary and Frost Chains together to restrict their movements. That was a good decision."

Shiro lifted his head proudly, while Snow moved closer to Caelia, clearly pleased with their performance.

Damon chuckled.

"Looks like you two enjoyed that."

Even Shiro, who usually remained calm, seemed more energetic than usual. The battle had given him an opportunity to test his abilities against opponents that weren’t resistant to Ice Elemental attacks.

In Frostveil, many of the beasts they fought possessed Ice Elemental resistance. Their natural defenses often reduced the impact of Shiro and Snow’s Arts, making it difficult to display their full strength.

But against Wind Elemental beasts, their abilities had shown a different level of effectiveness.

Their attacks had been able to pierce through the panthers’ defenses, and their control Arts had made it possible to overcome the beasts’ speed.

Caelia looked at Shiro and Snow with a satisfied smile.

"You’ve both improved a lot."

Damon nodded.

"And there’s still room to grow. Tempest Hollow should give you plenty of opportunities to test yourselves."

He glanced toward the storm ahead.

The battle had been a useful test, but it was only the beginning. If the beasts they encountered near the passage were already this aggressive, the situation closer to the frontline could be far worse.

Damon turned back to the group.

"Take a short rest. Then we’ll keep moving."

The others gathered around him as Sylphie’s protective wind continued to shield them from the unstable Aether.

Damon looked across the storm-covered landscape.

They had handled the first obstacle, but he still had no idea how much of the zone had fallen to the mutation or what awaited them beyond it.

And he intended to find out.